Though action epics like Wakanda Forever can have a smattering of memorable moments throughout, some films leave the biggest impression on audiences with the final scene. Wrapping up the story or delivering a shocking twist, a good ending can completely change the way the viewer sees what has come before.
From cinematic classics like The Godfather to horror masterpieces like Halloween, nearly every genre has a prime example of an ending that completely stole the show. Though plenty of endings are worth remembering, users on Reddit took to the site to call out the finales that were the best part of their respective movies.
Whiplash (2014)
Anchored by its amazing performances from Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, the music movie Whiplash turned the world of jazz into a dramatic quagmire. Mentioning the movie's ending, user _big-gulps-huh wrote "I remember watching Whiplash and thinking 'Oh, that's what a great ending looks like!'."
Even after everything the characters have gone through including career-ending lawsuits and emotional abuse, the ending shows that the mentor/mentee relationship is still strong. Ending a story like Whiplash was not an easy task, and the finale showed that the entire journey was worth it for the characters and the audience alike.
The Truman Show (1998)
Giving audiences a glimpse of the dramatic potential of the celebrated funnyman, The Truman Show is often regarded as one of Jim Carrey's best films. Not afraid to heap praise upon the finale, user cfh294 said "Truman Show. Greatest closing scene ever IMO."
The ending is brilliant because it is not only a cathartic release to see Truman escape his prison, but it doesn't miss an opportunity to deliver more clever satire. Without realizing it, Truman gave viewers the best ending that the show could have possibly had, and the hilarious final line of "what else is on?" is a small jab at the viewers who made Truman's plight possible.
Saw (2004)
Though the subsequent sequels devolved into a convoluted mess, the original Saw film was unlike anything horror hounds had experienced up to that point. User Rxmses couldn't get the twist out of their head when they said "SAW...I'm still shocked about that ending, best scene in the whole movie."
Twist endings are always hit or miss, but the feverish way in which all the plot threads were wrapped up was nothing short of a stroke of genius. The duel plotlines of the victims and the detectives converged, and fans were left floored when Jigsaw revealed himself to be the corpse the whole time. The greatest movie plot twists can't betray everything that came before, and Saw's shocker of an ending was surprisingly clean and efficient.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Based on Ken Kesey's groundbreaking novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was a shot across the bow of the status quo and brought counterculture to the masses. Holding the ending in high regard, user SaltyPeter3434 wrote "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of my favorite endings."
Chief Broom's fantastical escape could be seen as the ultimate payoff to everything that had led up to that point. McMurphy was the catalyst that inspired the gentle giant to act, and though it was done tearfully, it was the final act of rebellion to prove that the establishment was wrong.
Blazing Saddles (1974)
While it is now seen as a film that couldn't get made today, Mel Brook's western parody Blazing Saddles was way ahead of its time. User Games_sans_frontiers showed their love for the comedy classic when they said "I've always loved the ending to Blazing Saddles. Some great classic scenes in the film itself but the ending is so nuts I think it's the best scene in the film."
Made with Brook's signature oddball sense of humor, it was obvious that a standard Hollywood ending wouldn't work. Instead, the audience watched with glee as the literal fabric of the film itself began to fall apart, and the action spilled out across the fourth wall and onto other movie sets. The final cherry on top was the two stars climbing down from their horses and riding off into the sunset in a limousine.
Halloween (1978)
Director John Carpenter completely rewrote the horror textbook with his indie sensation Halloween and helped set the tone for the slasher flick going forward. Despite its massive influence, it was the ending that a deleted user praised the most, saying "After Michael disappears...the montage of all the places in the movie is just perfect."
As if Myers surviving an onslaught of bullets wasn't scary enough, the ending montage featuring the masked killer's labored breathing is downright spine-chilling. Its chill factor aside, the ending also serves the movie's themes really well and reminds viewers that someone like Michael could be lurking in any small town.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)
Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy is often seen as the pinnacle of the short-lived spaghetti western trend, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the brightest spot in the sainted film series. Picking the action flick's ending as their favorite, a deleted user explained "The 3 way standoff in the graveyard with the camera panning in a circle...with the ennio morricone soundtrack...It doesn't get better than that."
Everything in the film had built to that moment and the tension was so high it leaves the audience in a practically unbearable state of suspense. The movie's ending was designed to be its best scene, and eschewing a traditional dénouement, the climactic battle is the last thing moviegoers get before being sent home happy.
Planet Of The Apes (1968)
Endings can be used to wrap things up and endings can also be used to shock audiences so thoroughly that the movie sticks with them forever. Citing an example of the latter as a show-stealing ending, user ballthyrm wrote "Most famous is probably Planet of the Apes as it makes the movie."
The surreal sci-fi epic Planet of the Apes was a groovy new experience for audiences in the late-'60s and its mind-bending ending was a small dose of the strange trip that was to come in the ensuing years. Seeing the dilapidated Statue of Liberty sticking out of the beach was the perfect image to reveal that the movie took place on earth all along, and it still jars any viewer who remembers their first viewing.
Chinatown (1974)
After years of political strife, many movies from the '70s used their endings as a chance to vent frustrations, and the neo-noir Chinatown was no exception. Quoting the famous line from the movie, user MotuekaAFC said "'Forget it Jake. It's Chinatown.'...For me this stands apart."
After watching Jake struggle against a corrupt system to solve a case, Evelyn's violent end is the last cynical straw for moviegoers. The bleakness of the finale is compounded by the fact that the villain completely gets away with it, and all Jake gets is a condescending lecture. If ever a movie encapsulated the Watergate era of American politics, it was Chinatown.
The Godfather (1972)
The crime film epic The Godfather has earned its place among some of the best films of all time, and its downbeat ending certainly helped establish its standing. Though user Maleficent_Peak2700 didn't have much to say, they praised the ending when they wrote "The Godfather...goosebumps everytime."
Michael's journey from reluctant Mafioso to the boss of the entire enterprise is the crux of the first film, and his arc is beautifully paid off through a montage of death, and one last eerie shot. With his estranged wife looking on, the audience gets a final glimpse of Michael before the door ominously closes on him. Rich with symbolism, the ending was the ultimate goal of the film, and the execution is what helped it steal the show.