What are your favorite movie endings?

I posted this yesterday, an LAT article from Steve Zeitchik:

The filmgoer was noticeably upset. He didn’t like a moment in “Lincoln.” More specifically, he didn’t like the final moments of “Lincoln.”

“I don’t understand why it didn’t just end when Lincoln is walking down the hall and the butler gives him his hat,” he said. “Why did I need to see him dying on the bed? I have no idea what Spielberg was trying to do.”

The man on the mini-rant wasn’t some multiplex loudmouth. He was actor Samuel L. Jackson, and he was just getting started. “I didn’t need the assassination at all. Unless he’s going to show Lincoln getting his brains blown out. And even then, why am I watching it? The movie had a better ending 10 minutes before.”

Jackson was offering a sentiment common among people who’ve seen “Lincoln” and moviegoers in general: Hollywood films are struggling to find the exit. Stories that seem to end, end again, and then end once more. Climactic scenes wind down, then wind up. Movies that appear headed for a satisfying resolution turn away, then try to stumble back.

The post generated some interesting comments which you can read here.

One comment came from Teddy Pasternak:

How about we list our favorite movie endings and dissect why we like them and why they work?

Good idea. Easy to criticize movie endings that don’t work. Why not look at movie endings that do work?

So which movie endings are your favorites? Why don’t we create a list and go through them, analyzing why they work.

See you in comments for movie endings that work — and why.

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