Great Movie Endings

2022   8   8.8 

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

He was Luke's father?! This ending revelation threw moviegoers for one of the biggest loops in cinematic history. Patrons left with their mouths agape and scratching their heads over what was now an incestual kiss between Luke and Leia. The villain had become the hero's history. And they only had to wait three more years to find out the rest of the story.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1924   8.1   8.6 

Se7en (1995)

This film culminated in triumph and tragedy. The detectives finally caught Kevin Spacey's psychotic killer, only for Brad Pitt to find his wife's head in a box. Pitt's character gave in to sin and put a bullet in the serial killer's cranium.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1062   8.1   8.7 

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Another Kevin Spacey film to make the list. Spacey won an Oscar for his portrayal of a not-so-usual suspect. The film's ending revealed that the intricate story his character had been weaving throughout, was, in fact- a fabric of lies. "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."

Dionysian Child's rating:

2518   7.5   8.2 

The Sixth Sense (1999)

The boy could see dead people- but no one in the audience could see that Bruce Willis was one of them. Only in the last moments of M. Night Shymalan's best film to date is it revealed that Willis' character is a ghost, which is both unnerving and a relief- as he can finally move on.

Dionysian Child's rating:

926   8.2   8.8 

Casablanca (1942)

Here's lookin' at you kid. In one of the most epic endings of all, Rick Blaine must make the choice to send the love of his life away, for her own good. His selflessness is both strong and sad.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1434   8   8.6 

Memento (2000)

Christopher and Jonathan Nolan recently hit cinematic gold with The Dark Knight- but their script for Memento was no less impressive. In the end, it's revealed that Leonard (Guy Pearce) has been trapped by his own confusion and even the systems he created to avoid it. Leonard is the killer he's been searching for.

Dionysian Child's rating:

1759   8.5   9.2 

Shawshank Redemption (1994)

What better ending could there be then justice? Andy and Ellis finally both get out of prison, in their own respective ways (one crawls through a sewage pipe, one walks out the door) and meet on a beach. After years of suffering, they find both friendship and freedom.

Dionysian Child's rating:

734   8.1   8.6 

Citizen Kane (1941)

In one of the greatest cinematic social commentaries in history, Citizen Kane tore apart the importance we place on materialism with one little word: Rosebud. The character Kane made millions, but it was worth nothing in the end.

760   6.7   7.3 

Thelma and Louise (1991)

It's strange to say, but who knew suicide could be so satisfying? We don't recommend it, but Thelma and Louise made driving a car off a cliff beyond cool.

Dionysian Child's rating:

2297   7.1   7.9 

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

There's nothing like knowing your friends are near. E.T. might've gone home, but as he said "I'll be right here." E.T. is in our hearts forever.

Dionysian Child's rating: