Name a movie that has an unexpected/surprise ending where knowing the ending

[RamblingRose]

changes your perspective when watching it again (any genre)

Soylent Green

Planet of the Apes

2001 Space Odyssey

[Zoonart]

1. The Crying Game.

[TexasBushwhacker]

24. Definitely, and I blew it for a friend

SPOILERS



I knew there was a surprise and when Jody (Forrest Whitaker) got run over by the tank, I thought that was it. He had been the central character up to that point. Kind of like Janet Leigh getting killed in the middle of Psycho.

So then the story takes a totally different turn. But as Dil was washing Fergus' hair in the salon, I noticed his hands and Adam's apple and blurted out "Oh my God, that's a man!". My friend said "No way". I felt bad when I was right.

[genxlib]

2. Fight Club is my favorite

and of course the Sixth Sense

[hlthe2b]

3. The Sixth Sense

[Lochloosa]

4. Sixth Sense. No point in watching it again.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

31. The second watching is to see if you can catch it sooner...

...the third is because you may have missed something...

and after that... it's because it's just FUN!

[Laffy Kat]

69. I had that one figured out before the first half.

I thought we were supposed to know.

[uriel1972]

5. You did it!

Soylent Green is People!

Oh my God. It's full of stars!

and having spoiled it for everyone, I now go on to say all of the above were SF books first.

[jberryhill]

6. Titanic

I honestly didn’t think it could sink.

[ProudLib72]

47. You SOB, you've ruined it!

Please do NOT tell me how Sink the Bismark ends!

[jberryhill]

50. Oh, sorry, Spoiler Alert for "The Death of Mary, Queen of Scots"

[Honeycombe8]

85. LOL! nt

[jberryhill]

87. I had already heard the radio version...

[nocoincidences]

7. The Others

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

32. +1

[Laffy Kat]

70. Yes. nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. The Usual Suspects

[genxlib]

11. +1

Although I hate to admit loving a Kevin Spacey film. Really a shame he turned out to be such a creep.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

22. I agree. Spacey really is a fine actor; too bad he turned out to be a terrible person.

[2naSalit]

28. +1

That was my first choice. Great ending.

[dameatball]

33. My first thought as well.

[Brother Buzz]

48. Yes! I had to watch it a second time to sort it out with my pea brain

All the clues were in the film, I just missed all of them.

Director Bryan Singer and screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie point out:

We showed you the truth, and then spent almost two hours convincing you that you saw something else, and then, in less than five minutes, we completely re-framed the entire story yet again.

[genxlib]

9. Jacobs Ladder also

A somewhat under the radar Tim Robbins film but really twisty. It left a strong impression on me even though its been decades since I saw it.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

23. Loved that one, some very unexpected twists.

I'll have to watch it again some time.

[TexasBushwhacker]

26. They're shooting a remake

with a primarily black cast. Jesse Williams stars.

[mr_lebowski]

34. You should watch the movie Siesta sometime ...

Ellen Barkin, Julian Sands, Gabriel Byrne, and a few other real good actors ...

Came out shortly before JL.

[jberryhill]

10. Tora! Tora! Tora!

Who knew they’d strike Pearl Harbor, eh?

I thought it was an elaborate ruse.

[nocoincidences]

12. Not to be too picky but

Oh my God. It's full of stars!
is from 2010, not 2001.

Open the pod bay doors, hal.
is from 2001.

[uriel1972]

14. nope OMGIFOS is said by Dave as he approaches

the monolith for the "trippy" scene.

[nocoincidences]

17. I looked it up on IMDB

and they said:

The phrase "My God, it's full of stars" was not a part of the film 2001, but was a part of the novel. In the novel, the "star gate" monolith was found on the surface of Saturn's moon Japetus (or Iapetus), rather than floating in space near Jupiter. As Bowman flies over the monolith, it suddenly changes from a towering slab to an infinite tunnel. As this happens, he utters the final phrase: "The thing's hollow! It goes on forever, and... oh My God, it's full of stars!"

If they are wrong, oh dear! I count on them for all my film knowledge!

[uriel1972]

19. Okay I read the book and saw the movie a long time ago...

I bow to your imdb-fu. Everything merges as I get older... now, where's my glasses?

[nocoincidences]

21. It's a bit tricky actually,

because the opening scene of 2010, shows clips from 2001 and you hear his voice say: god, it's full of stars, but he never actually says it in 2001.

Your memory is just fine it's just that IMDB has better memory than all of us.

[happybird]

44. Saw this a few weeks ago and enjoyed the heck out of it

Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite with Echoes as the soundtrack. The stargate scene and the ending are particularly good. The music fits better than the original soundtrack, imho.

[Croney]

13. Gone With the Wind.

Who knew the North would win!

[artislife]

15. House of Games

It started me on a whole Mamet kick. There's a young Macy and and incredible Mantegna. Plus it is set in Seattle without one shot of the Space Needle or the Sound. terrific.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/house_of_games/

[TexasBushwhacker]

27. The Spanish Prisoner is twisty too n/t

[artislife]

29. Yup, I think I have seen all of Mamet's

earlier work. He is good with twisty and dialogue. Alec's monologue in Glengary Glen Ross. But it was Jack Lemon's defeated character that haunted me.


House of Games came out of nowhere, just had a small, small video shop and I was digging into the unheard of films. That day I brought home House of Games and The Ref. Two of my all time favs.


I love movies..thanks for listening.

[mr_lebowski]

35. I have House of Games and Spanish Prisoner on VHS ... good flicks, esp. the former ...

[artislife]

38. I still have it on VHS, too

Like I cannot part with it, even though I have no way of playing it!

[Funtatlaguy]

16. Deep Throat

You knew she’d blow a few but who thought she’d choke on the big one.

[muntrv]

18. The Devil's Advocate.

[qazplm135]

102. It's an interesting ending

and certainly unexpected, but not sure it causes you to view the film differently in subsequent viewings as nothing about the ending is telegraphed throughout the movie.

I will say...Pacino makes the best Lucifer ever.

[FM123]

20. Atonement

[artislife]

25. That film....sob. nt

[applegrove]

59. Yes. Well done film.

[Phoenix61]

30. Wild things. Only movie I've ever had to watch

twice to figure out.

[mr_lebowski]

36. TWELVE MONKEYS, YO!!!

Killer freaking ending ...

Also, The Other (not The Others), an early 1970's flick based on a novel by Thomas Tryon, about twin boys and their strange escapades. That was a truly creepy movie ... esp when you're like 7 y.o. yourself and watching it.

Burnt Offerings was another creepy 70's flick with a cool ending.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

62. Twelve Monkeys is, in my opinion,

the most purely science fictional movie ever.

[lame54]

113. Love that movie...

It's so crazy yet easy to follow

After multiple viewings I'm still not a fan of Brazil
But 12 Monkeys was great in every way

Check out the original French film La Jetee

It's 28 minutes and told in photographs

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

117. I did watch La Jetee

a while back.

Found it completely incomprehensible, and was totally amazed that such an incredibly good film as 12 Monkeys could possibly have come from something that awful.

Just my opinion.

[qazplm135]

103. agreed

TV show does it even better with a much more convoluted time line over four seasons that they somehow wrap up beautifully in one final episode.

[mr_lebowski]

105. Been meaning to check out the TV show someday ... loved teh movie & premise

I've probably watched it like 15 times over the years (I own on DVD, before that on VHS), usually turning people onto it that never saw it.

The ending is just awesome ...

[qazplm135]

106. TV show is really well done

It starts off slow like any TV show but by the last two seasons, it's really great acting and stories, and you are truly left guessing until the very end who will win.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

109. I could not get past the first half hour or so of the first episode

of the series. Maybe I should try it again, but given what the entire story arc of the movie was, I somehow can't get that they could get a continuing series out of the premise.

[qazplm135]

110. they do it and they do it well

by expanding way, way past the movie premise.

It's like any other series...the first few episodes involve finding their legs and figuring some stuff out, but they get there very well in the end.

[edbermac]

37. The Wicker Man.

The original, not that atrocious remake with Nicolas Cage.

[mr_lebowski]

39. Speaking of Nic Cage and his general suckitude, he did do 1 flick I loved ...

Matchstick Men

(though Leaving LV and Wild at Heart were cool too).

And that one has a great-ass ending.

[leftieNanner]

53. This is one of my husband's favorite movies

I figured it out, but it's amazing. But it must be the original.

[Aristus]

89. I saw the original when I was in high school.

Right up until the end, I was sure Edward Woodward's character was going to survive somehow. The ending shocked the hell out of me.

[Basic LA]

40. The Third Man, 1949, Joseph Cotton & Orson Welles

It has its big surpise in the MIDDLE, which doesn't preclude repeated viewing. Best movie ever, imho.

[Runningdawg]

41. Harold and Maude

[nocoincidences]

43. That's one of the happy movies I go to,

when I need a little lift.

So funny and so uplifting. Just perfect.

[artislife]

67. I love it when she throws the ring in the lake

so she will always know where it is...

that has been a point of reference in my life as things left my circle.

[nocoincidences]

42. I totally agree about The Third Man.

I can watch that movie over and over.

The end, when she is walking toward Holly Martin, with the zither music and the almost bare trees, and you are wondering, will she stop?

I actually framed a still of that and have it hanging in my den.

Amazing movie.

[KayF]

45. Dadetown

[Sedona]

46. Romeo and Juliet

[Adsos Letter]

49. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

John Candy & Steve Martin

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

64. Yes. That's probably John Candy's best,

and I'm a huge fan. I'm still sorry is not with us any more.

[Stuart G]

51. North by Northwest..Alfred Hitchcock...very odd ending...no I won't tell.

Another one...Arsenic and Old Lace..1944 ..Directed by Frank Capra...(Capra also directed "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington)
.......--If you haven't seen or heard of this one, get it, watch it. Cary Grant and others..enjoy it is a comedy.

[riverwalker]

52. Life of Pi

[Talitha]

56. I agree, that one's got an excellent end.

[Duppers]

80. +10

[Doreen]

54. I say "Identity" with John Cusack.

My friend said The Mist.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

65. +1

[qazplm135]

104. Identity yes

The Mist no. Best horror movie ending ever for sure, but it doesn't really change your subsequent viewings.

Identity definitely does.

[Talitha]

55. Witness For The Prosecution

The 1957 film With Tyrone Power, not the 2016 tv mini-series.

[artislife]

68. Yes! nt

[Mike Nelson]

57. Some great choices above...

… I would add:

Rosemary's Baby
Citizen Kane
Bonnie and Clyde
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

[Talitha]

61. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

What a zinger... great choice!

[Tanuki]

58. The Conversation

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conversation

[Tanuki]

60. The Sting

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sting

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

63. An oldie but a goodie, "The Innocents"

...even 'Gas Light"

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

66. No Way Out with Kevin Costner, 1987.

It happens to be a remake of the 1948 film the Big Clock, although there are significant differences between the two. I prefer the remake myself.

Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I saw Planet of the Apes when it came out, and in that final scene before Heston rounds the curve on that beach, I knew exactly what he was going to see. So I wasn't surprised but was simply irritated that he was too dumb to realize where he was all along.

[Iggo]

96. Yep. Second time through on No Way Out is a whole different movie.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

107. That's my first pick

I loved the ending and have watched it a few times.

The movie Basic with Sam Jackson and John Travolta had a couple twists from a bit after midway up to the ending.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

73. "El Cuerpo" Spanish Movie with subtitles

Stars: Jose Coronodo, Belen Rueda, Hugo Silva III and Aura Garrido.

This is the only movie we ever saw, that when the end arrived, neither one of us had yet to figure it out. And we were stunned by the ending. We didn't move, we were in a state of shock, our minds just reeling to catch up to what had happened. We sat there like that for a good 20 seconds before either one of us moved. Then it was: "Let's watch that again right now."

It's a GREAT movie with a twist that you just couldn't see coming. It took us 3 more views of it to catch up to all that we missed. But, man, it was wild ride.

[Totally Tunsie]

74. Two Michael Caine movies...

Sleuth, w/Laurence Olivier, and
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels w/Steve Martin (a personal favorite!). Ahhh, that Jackal!

[uriel1972]

75. Thye trailer for Dirty Rotten Scoundrals was a scream...

This is not that film...

[Totally Tunsie]

76. The movie is a blast.

When Steve Martin is in his Ruprect character, he's freakin' hilarious! ("Excuse me, may I go to the bathroom?&quot

Why do you say "This is not that film"?

[uriel1972]

79. The trailer goes like...

Once in a while a movie comes along that makes you believe again in human decency (or something like that), as Steve and Michael walk along the pier all pleasant. Then it goes "This is not that film" as Steve (or Michael) push an old lady into the sea.

[Totally Tunsie]

86. Ahhh...thanks!

I missed that!

[smirkymonkey]

99. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is one of my all-time favorite movies!

Even though I know the twist at the end, I still watch it over and over again!

[Totally Tunsie]

100. I'm telling you, smirky, we were separated at birth!

There are so many instances where we are in total agreement, and I can tell which posts are written by you before I even check for the username. It's really uncanny.

[smirkymonkey]

101. Always good to run into you, Tunsie!

Love your posts too!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

108. It's been remade with

Rebel Wilson and Anne Hathaway in the lead roles. I've seen a preview and I'm very much looking forward to it. I LOVE Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and hope this is a worthy update.

[ChubbyStar]

77. Santa Sangre horrifying and trippy as all fuck....SPOILER IN COMMENTS

Don't read if you haven't seen and now want to watch.......














A former circus artist escapes from a mental hospital to rejoin his arm less mother - the leader of a strange religious cult - and is forced to enact brutal murders in her name as he becomes "her arms".

[Snackshack]

78. So many...

Fight Club
Arrival
Seven
Shutter Island
Gone Baby Gone
The Village
Fallen
Empire Strikes Back
The Departed

[sarge43]

81. The Prestige n/t

[Shrek]

82. Get Out n/t

[Niagara]

83. There are several for me

10 Cloverfield Lane
Happy Death Day
Orphan
Strait-Jacket
The Village

[Honeycombe8]

84. The Others

[backtoblue]

91. +1

[shenmue]

88. Steam

Film about gay men.

[BarbaraChipps]

90. Comon

these are just advertising tricks

[Blinko]

92. The Gift

Better or equal ending as the Sixth Sense.

[bif]

93. The Game, Extinction & OtherLife

[Heartstrings]

94. Se7en........nt

[Luciferous]

95. Frailty

[akraven]

97. Carrie. n/t

[Mr.Bill]

98. The Godfather

Knowing what Michael Corleone does at the end makes you see him in a much different light when his character is introduced.

[Beringia]

112. Witness for the Prosecution with Charles Laughton

[DFW]

114. Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" n/t

[DFW]

115. Charade

Although the title sort of prepares you to expect things to not be as they seem.

[DFW]

116. If

Malcolm McDowell's first major appearance in a scary, if deliberately exaggerated (or maybe not?) portrayal, of an "elite" British boarding school. When I saw it, I had just completed my first (and fortunately only) year at an American prep school, and I hated it. I couldn't WAIT to go see the film again. After my horrible year at that school, I could easily see myself alongside "Travis" on that roof with a machine gun. I calmed down soon after, but that year did my psyche some serious temporary damage.

[jmowreader]

118. Throw Momma From The Train

Who knew Owen and Pinsky would go on to become published writers?

[Harker]

119. "The Blue Max" (1966)

Bruno Stachel has his ups and downs.

[fmdaddio]

121. In about 5 weeks.

Game of Thrones
No matter how it does end.


p.s. no GOT lounge thread here?