Bad endings to Good movies

DarkFlameWolf · Post by **DarkFlameWolf** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:55 pm

This is the second time this has happened in the past month. (the first was the movie \"Number 23\" with Jim Carrey) This one today was with \"Premonition\" with Sandra Bullock. They are like bad Stephen King novels in the sense that, the plot build-up and reveal of all twists and turns in the story are perfect. The pacing is awesome, the pull on the viewer to want to see what happens next is excellent. But by the time the finale/conclusion comes along, its like the movie screenwriter has dug himself into a hole so deep that he seemingly can't seem to find a suitable way of ending the piece, so just throws together some half-assed ending and calls it done. Both 23 and Premonition, I was severely dissappointed with their endings despite the pacing throughout the movies all the way to the end. Why is it so hard to write good endings to these things? They had such promise! Anyone else got disappointed like this by a movie before?

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:32 pm

Yah, Star Wars is totally like this.

\"Force and Power and Fighting and Awesome\" and then \"I kissed my sister!\"

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 3:35 pm

Ever try writing a script? I'm sure it's not easy.

De Rigueur · Post by **De Rigueur** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:14 pm

I never liked the ending to Dead Poets Society.

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 4:59 pm

CDN_Merlin wrote:Ever try writing a script? I'm sure it's not easy.

Ever try sitting through a bad movie? It's not easy.

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:20 pm

Topher, I've sat through way to many bad movies. My wife used to work at Block Buster while in College and we watched on average 10 free movies a week. This went one for 2 years.

Samuel Dravis · Post by **Samuel Dravis** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:58 pm

I thought that The Village was pretty good until about 10 minutes before the end. That just destroyed the whole movie. :/

Duper · Post by **Duper** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:24 pm

De Rigueur wrote:I never liked the ending to Dead Poets Society.

I totally understand this. However, it's apropos as it's a classic bitter-sweet ending.

Jon the Great · Post by **Jon the Great** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:07 pm

Duel.

They never show you the driver. I was so sure I had it figured out too. It would've made so much sense and really wrapped it all together. Bastards.

Testiculese · Post by **Testiculese** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:46 am

The average moron can't handle a movie longer than 2 hours. That's why. Too much time hand-holding the lowest common denominator of the species, and suddenly there's no room in the 90-minute slot for a decent ending.

I only buy DVD's of movies that have a good beginning, middle nad end. I have only bought 40 movies. I've seen a few thousand, I suppose. (What's the average MPY? (Movies per year))

Firewheel · Post by **Firewheel** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:51 am

I hate The Village - it started out with such a great concept, and as it turns out, \"Oh, there are no monsters! It's just people in suits!\" Of course, they had a chance towards the end to correct it, but no. The idiotic obsession with plot twists killed the suspense in what could have been a good movie.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 11:41 am

[Gahh!!! Somebody should edit the thread title to include \"(Spoiler Warning)!\"]

I dunno... I personally enjoy odd/different/not-all-loose-ends-tied-up endings.

For example, the Matrix sequels were bashed by everyone I knew for the ending... but I actually loved it!

CDN_Merlin · Post by **CDN_Merlin** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:02 pm

Foil wrote:[Gahh!!! Somebody should edit the thread title to include "(Spoiler Warning)!"]

I dunno... I personally enjoy odd/different/not-all-loose-ends-tied-up endings.

For example, the Matrix sequels were bashed by everyone I knew for the ending... but I actually loved it!

Wasn't the ending that killed it for me, the entire series just sucked.

Lothar · Post by **Lothar** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 11:18 pm

Duel was awesome. The identity of the driver was never really the point. It was all about the fear and tension and trying not to die. That's the way to do a scary movie... none of this zombies and body parts everywhere garbage.

DarkHorse · Post by **DarkHorse** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 3:53 am

DarkFlameWolf wrote:Why is it so hard to write good endings to these things? They had such promise! Anyone else got disappointed like this by a movie before?

Yeah, I think Matrix 2 and 3 qualify as a bad ending to a good movie.

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:07 pm

I think that Training Day definitely fits in this category....although the entire movie just flat out sucked.

Lucky Number Slevin obviously fits in this category though. Mystic River too...though thats another movie that just flat out blew more chunks than a drunk with an uber hangover all together.

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:22 pm

MD-2389 wrote:I think that Training Day definitely fits in this category....although the entire movie just flat out sucked.

Lucky Number Slevin obviously fits in this category though. Mystic River too...though thats another movie that just flat out blew more chunks than a drunk with an uber hangover all together.

Training Day and Mystic River were awesome.

Lothar wrote:Duel was awesome. The identity of the driver was never really the point. It was all about the fear and tension and trying not to die. That's the way to do a scary movie... none of this zombies and body parts everywhere garbage.

Shawn of the Dead scared the hell out of me.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:42 pm

Topher wrote:Training Day and Mystic River were awesome.

x2, but I'm not sure how they fit in with this thread about bad endings. They didn't have the typical "good guys all live, bad guys all caught/dead, loose ends tied up", but their endings fit the films, I think.

Lothar wrote:Duel was awesome.

x3! Horrible acting, even worse camera work... but it completely draws you in!

MD-2389 · Post by **MD-2389** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:46 pm

Topher wrote:Training Day and Mystic River were awesome.

Only if you're into "mmmk wtf" movies.

DarkFlameWolf · Post by **DarkFlameWolf** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:57 pm

we're talking about endings though. Endings that don't suit the movies.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:28 pm

MD-2389 wrote:
Topher wrote:Training Day and Mystic River were awesome.
Only if you're into "mmmk wtf" movies.

If "mmmk wtf" = "it makes you think", then I personally consider that to be a good thing.

I just saw a movie last night that's in the same category as Training Day and Mystic River. It's called "Unknown", stars a few notable actors, and has enough unexpected twists that I was left thinking about it after it ended. I love it when a film does that.

Deathwinger · Post by **Deathwinger** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:35 pm

Sometimes the best way to have a solid story is to think what message you want to portray, then how you want to start it off, then how you want to end it...

...after you accomplished that, then put in the middle what takes start to end in a smooth manner.

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:06 pm

Back on topic:

\"Planet of the Apes\"

Don't ask me which one I mean.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:18 pm

Topher wrote:Back on topic:

"Planet of the Apes"

Don't ask me which one I mean.

Classic film, absolutely loved the ending.

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:22 pm

...and that's not the one I was talking about.

Beowulf · Post by **Beowulf** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:26 pm

War of the Worlds had a shitey ending. It's like, Aliens are kicking our ass...oops they die of disease. Kinda lame.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:20 pm

Topher wrote:...and that's not the one I was talking about.

Yeah, I haven't seen the new one, because they ruined the ending, from what I was told.

Topher · Post by **Topher** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:44 pm

What do you know, back on topic.

BigSlideHimself · Post by **BigSlideHimself** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:31 pm

Just here to clear some things up:

War of the Worlds - had the same ending as the book. Not that it should change your opinion of the ending, just might explain why it was the way it was.

Although on that note, I didn't like the other ending of War of the Worlds, when his son is still alive.

Speaking of Spielberg movies, I didn't care for the ending to AI.

\"Lowest common denominator\" - and you might find it interesting - but this should only be used in math. What you mean is \"lowest denominator\". Look up the definition and you'll see why. Or just disregard. I find it interesting when I find out such things.

Star Man Aevum · Post by **Star Man Aevum** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:38 pm

The ending of Fantastic Four was very...bleh. As was the rest of the movie, but this is the kind of ending people wish for and when they get it, you realize at how boring it ends up.

It's that kind of ending where you know how easy it is to kill the bad guy and you want the two sides to just get it over with, but it actually happens. Once all four members were with each other, offing Doctor Doom took a minute to do. Sure, it was to demonstrate that as a team they can really shine, but all the drama was just brought to an abrupt end.

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:22 pm

BigSlideHimself wrote:...Speaking of Spielberg movies, I didn't care for the ending to AI.

You and me both!

I remember watching the movie with my younger brother, thinking it was a pretty interesting film. Until, that is, the utterly ridiculous break toward the end: [cheesy narrarator voice] "... then, thirty thousand years passed... " My bro and I were looking at each other like "What the...?!?" The rest was even worse, the film suddenly jumped from an odd-character-adventure to some kind of sentimental drama.

My brother and I still laugh at it, mimicking that line whenever we're bored.

Dakatsu · Post by **Dakatsu** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:07 pm

Foil wrote:
BigSlideHimself wrote:...Speaking of Spielberg movies, I didn't care for the ending to AI.
You and me both!

I remember watching the movie with my younger brother, thinking it was a pretty interesting film. Until, that is, the utterly ridiculous break toward the end: [cheesy narrarator voice] "... then, thirty thousand years passed... " My bro and I were looking at each other like "What the...?!?" The rest was even worse, the film suddenly jumped from an odd-character-adventure to some kind of sentimental drama.

My brother and I still laugh at it, mimicking that line whenever we're bored.

lol when I was eight I remember seeing the robot destruction scene, and it gave me nightmares. I was like "No, why teh fluffy robots!"

Since I am 14, should sit down and watch it, chances are I have seen worse stuff in the Descent 3 cutscenes by now, hell, youtube I bet has scarier stuff.

Speaking of movies that scared the hell out of me when I was eight, anyone know the name of the movie where at the end, the guy is really like an alien assassin, he sees his assasinated body, his eyes turn pure black, and he explodes, killing what I think is police or SWAT?

Foil · Post by **Foil** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:44 pm

Dakatsu wrote:Speaking of movies that scared the hell out of me when I was eight, anyone know the name of the movie where at the end, the guy is really like an alien assassin, he sees his assasinated body, his eyes turn pure black, and he explodes, killing what I think is police or SWAT?

Yeah... strange but intriguing film... lemme see if I can find the title.... ah-ha! "Impostor", if it's the one I'm thinking of, where the main character is told he's actually an alien assassination-bomb.

thwart · Post by **thwart** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 5:32 pm

Superman (1978) comes to mind. Spinning the earth backwards to go back in time

This is a movie I would have bought if it wasn't for that nonsense.

Nirvana · Post by **Nirvana** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 4:12 am

unholy fist, if some of you (Training Day is to complex for me) monkeys saw some of the films I have your heads would explode...

BUBBALOU · Post by **BUBBALOU** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:18 am

Henry : Portrait of a Serial Killer

Tyranny · Post by **Tyranny** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 11:08 am

thwart wrote:Superman (1978) comes to mind. Spinning the earth backwards to go back in time This is a movie I would have bought if it wasn't for that nonsense.

Dude, hes Superman....granted I don't know how sound the idea of spinning the Earth in backwards rotation would actually reverse time is...but...Dude, hes Superman!

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 11:28 am

The real question is... if you reversed time would it make the earth spin backwards?

Crazy_Enzo · Post by **Crazy_Enzo** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 11:55 pm

thwart wrote:Superman (1978) comes to mind. Spinning the earth backwards to go back in time This is a movie I would have bought if it wasn't for that nonsense.

that was a terrible ending...
at least now it is. last time i watched it, i was like... 3? and i was always wondering if that could happen, so back then, i liked it and accepted it.

today? bleh!

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:28 pm

BigSlideHimself wrote:"Lowest common denominator" - and you might find it interesting - but this should only be used in math.

Not only that but the lowest common denominator isn't particularly useful in math; it's probably going to be 1, and dividing by 1 doesn't actually accomplish anything. The GREATEST common denominator is used regularly, and the lowest common MULTIPLE as well, but ...

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