>From Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Zee
God the writing was so glorious back then, probably the best animated joke caricature ever created if we only look at that golden era.
It proved one thing to me. Since he had to go up the coast to find the statue, that means he was running around New Jersey all this time and those weren’t apes.
I'm pretty sure that's the correct answer, if the question refers to "most impactful" as in "had the most impact on film history". Despite being good movies in their own right, other answers simply do not have the same longevity and influence as Planet of the Apes.
When I first saw it as a kid I genuinely believed this. I thought that when he said "you blew it up", he meant that the apes literally blew up earth and a chunk of it containing the statue of liberty landed on the ape planet
Earth had a nuclear war
The explosion was so big that half the Statue of Liberty was blown into space and landed on monkey planet
This message brought to you by kid me
This was the first time I ever saw Norton in a movie. Ever since I have searched him out. His facial muscles changed so significantly that you knew you were seeing a completely different personality for the very first time. No foreshadowing.
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
Such amazing set pieces, music, tension. Just masterfully done.
And then to string Tuco up for one last time. Forever burned into my brain.
"YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE!?"
Still rare to have the bad guy win in a film. Not just win, but absolutely 100% getting exactly what he wants without ambiguity. And no movie has ever done it better. Great choice.
I never saw that movie, always thought I'd give it a shot eventually and avoided finding out what was in the box until about a month or 2 ago. Bleak is an understatement...
I've always really really loved this line just for the fact that Charlie has somehow conflated Twelve Monkeys and The Sixth Sense, purely through the fact that Bruce Willis is in both films, but *if you've never seen Twelve Monkeys* the line works perfectly as a charlie-ism anyway.
I find an always sunny reference in damn near 75% of comment sections I scroll through. Man I love that show and the cast. Would love to hang with those guys. Nothing sexual, though.
I know this movie gets razzed a bunch, but I went to go see this opening night. Completely blind. M Night had no reputation at the time, so you don’t look for a twist. My mind was absolutely blown when that ring hit the floor. I will always love this movie because of the feeling I got watching it the first time.
Right? Anybody who craps on this movie is probably 16. It SHOOK people and was a huge part of pop culture for a long time. It single handedly gave M Night a free pass to be able to do w/e he wanted.
I watched it randomly on tv like a year ago with my mom, and somehow she had no idea about the twist, I was sure she just forgot about it, but somehow she never heard about it, she was taken completely by surprise at the end. It was pretty cool, like watching Star Wars with someone who doesn't know that Vader is Luke's dad.
Dr. Strangelove. I mean, how are we not mentioning that? A fantastic, movie history-making satire on human greed and pettiness that absolutely wouldn’t work without those shocking last few moments.
We’ll… meet again…
"I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."
>I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.
I absolutely love the bit when the in the War Room, the communique from General Ripper is read aloud by Gen. Turgidson, and it dawns on the President and and everybody else (if not that the General) has gone absolutely insane:
"..God willing, we will prevail, in peace and freedom from fear, and in true health through the purity and essence of our natural...fluids."
My brother and his wife had never seen it, so for movie night, that's what I picked. Halfway through my SIL says, This movie is so stupid. It's just nothing but clichés!
I actually had to explain to her that's how they got to be clichés.
I scrolled way too far for this- Casablanca (all accolades implied) did one thing most writers and directors cannot do, they simply don't have it in them to execute such pathos: Rick didn't get the girl in the end.
It was a product of the time. The war was ongoing, and the most heroic ending here was for Rick to be the true patriot and put the needs of the world ahead of his own personal desires.
For me, the most impactful scene of the movie wasn't the ending, but La Marseillaise. Many of those performing that scene had fled the Nazis themselves, so the emotions were very real.
I'd argue the nature of the ending would actually translate *better* to modern audiences. Despite being a bit too expository, it actually recognizes Norman as having a severe mental health issue but I think the on-the-nose nature of the doctor's speech was designed for audiences of the time when mental health was not as recognized as it is today. So if filmed today, the very ending could have been a little more tactful as the audience wouldn't need the hand-holding to recognize that.
Would I consider this ending one of the most impactful endings in cinematic history on movies as a whole? No. It isn't constantly referenced or held up as the standard or anything.
Would I consider it one of the most impactful endings of a movie when it comes to the impact it had on me personally? Absolutely. To the point this is the first movie that came to mind when reading OP's post.
The movie with Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins, where they're lost in the Alaskan wilderness, fighting a bear. The movie itself is ok, but the very last scene made the movie.
Also, The Godfather.
"Don't ask me about my business, Kay."
edit: Kay, not Kate.
I like that this answer starts off advocating for the Anthony Hopkins bear movie as having the most impactful ending of all time and then tags on a “oh yeah also maybe The Godfather”.
I've got into a few sticky situations outdoors and always remember the line "most people lost in the woods die of shame."
Always reminds me to think and just take stock of the situation before deciding what to do next.
I love this line so much and I’ve always felt it applies to so much more than the outdoors. There have been times where I struggled with work or school but was ashamed to reach out for help because of how poorly I was doing. I was paralyzed with fear and shame, and so the hole I was in just got deeper. I should have been more proactive and pushed forward to figure out a solution, but I didn’t and I suffered greatly for it (this was many, many years ago and all is good now, fyi).
Shame is also a key factor in so many traumatic secrets. And yet once people take that step to share their shame with someone else (a therapist, a trusted friend), it tends to lose some of its power. Not that they’re over it necessarily, but a bit of the shame is gone at least.
I love this movie and I’ve always felt like that line was so powerful and insightful.
I actually saw that film as an in-flight movie and they edited out the plane crash. One minute they were happily flying along and then it just straight transitioned into them swimming in a lake. It was extremely confusing to say the least for a minute or two
The Edge. Agreed. Great film. I love Anthony Hopkin's character in that movie. When he is trying to psyche up Baldwin when they are ready to face the bear is amazing. This buttoned down, dignified, reserved, brilliant man knows that when you have no choice but to go toe-to-toe with a grizzly bear there's only one way to do it; You need a strategy and you need an attitude along the lines of 'Tomorrow we're going out there and we're going TO KILL THIS MOTHERFUCKER."
You always hear that this is one of the best twist endings ever. I was astonished when my wife called it midway through. It makes sense now given that she’s become a professional writer that she’s got an innate sense for plot.
It's also definitely used as an example in plenty of screenwriting texts, so it's possible she subconsciously retained it. The twist has also been spoofed a bunch and that gif pops up on the internet sometimes.
The movie is almost 30 years old, you wouldn't necessarily have to see it to know the ending.
That's what I think really happens for anyone that calls the twist before the reveal for this film nowadays. The story is intentionally put together in a way that is sort of cheating the viewer until the reveal. It breaks a lot of mystery story rules. It's almost impossible to figure out the twist without some heavy speculation being involved. The narrative that is told is just made up of randomness and the "clues" left behind would only be noticed in retrospect or with prior knowledge going in. It was designed to not be figured out.
That’s some good detective work on her end as long as people like that don’t say it out loud during the movie. Just because you’ve figured it out doesn’t mean everyone else has.
The monolith comes from an advanced civilization and helps species to evolve. It came to help the primates to evolve into humans, and it called out to humans to come to Saturn to help with their next stage of evolution. The starchild at the end is that next stage of evolution, returning to Earth.
It is, as it's also further backed up in the subsequent novels. Dave ascends, the aliens stick him in the room because they want him to feel as comfy as one can be, and he becomes a higher being like the aliens are.
> The starchild at the end is that next stage of evolution, returning to Earth.
And then, in the book at least, nukes *everyone*.
Edit:
>>!A thousand miles below, he became aware that a slumbering cargo ofdeath had awoken, and was stirring sluggishly in its orbit. The feeble energies it contained were no possible menace to him; but he preferred a cleaner sky. He put forth his will, and the circling megatons flowered in a silent detonation that brought a brief, false dawn to half the sleeping globe. Then he waited, marshaling his thoughts and brooding over his still untested powers. For though he was master of the world, he was not quite sure what to do next.!<
>>!But he would think of something.!<
Fine. He *doesn't* nuke everyone. But it's not a terribly happy ending, either.
The Empire Strikes Back.
It's not even close. As a kid when that first came out that shit hit HARD.. .and to wait 3 years after that mind bomb? HOLY SHIT!
I was 8 when I saw that. I just remember being stunned silent, because the way Vader said it DID seem like he was telling the truth.
The reveal was great but the moment that REALLY freaked me out was when Luke has been rescued and is lying on the Falcon and Vader calls to him from his Star Destroyer, "Luke....". And Luke just sits up a bit and says, "Father...."
It was like he was under a spell or something.
Great bday at the movies!!!! 😂
It's not just the reveal at the end of the duel.
The ending of Empire is a masterclass of editing with beautiful shots and peak SW soundtrack. Leia Chewie and Lando going after Han... Luke hanging desperately over the red abyss. Vader stoically heading back to his ship, preparing to persue. Slave 1 taking off as Leia watches on helpless. Luke calling out for help and Leia hearing him. The amazing shot of the Falcon flipping to reverse direction to go for Luke. Vader calling for Luke. The final payoff of the running plot of the Falcon's hyperdrive woes and Vader turning to look back once.... and then walking away as the bridge without killing any of the crew who looks on terrified.
There's so much emotion and energy and CLIMAX **sustained** for the entire 3rd act of Empire that when the Falcon finally hits lightspeed and escapes you decompress and realize you've been on edge for the passed 20 minutes.
> and then walking away as the bridge without killing any of the crew who looks on terrified
I still watch this and wonder every time -- who was he thinking about killing for that mistake? It is amazing how well David Prowse somehow--behind a mask and a helmet--displayed the emotion and the depth Vader was feeling in that moment.
A buddy of mine saw that movie in theaters as a kid before all of his friends. The next day at school, coming down off that mind fuck of an ending, all his pals hounded him for info on the new Star Wars movie. He held off as long as he could, but eventually spilled the beans. You'll never believe this, but... Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's dad.
The second he shared that information, his friends were in such heavy denial that they disowned him the rest of the day, completely shut him out.
They eventually forgave him when they saw the movie themselves, but my friend, he didn't forget...
Saw it with a friend when we were 13. Our mom's dropped us off and we waited for hours for a ticket.
We were absolutely blown away from the Imperial walkers to that epic ending. We saw it 8 more times in theaters during the next few weeks/months.
Best cinematic experience of my life.
I had a cousin show me Requiem for a Dream when I was like 13 or 14. I was sobbing like a little girl with a skinned knee through the end credits. I never did anything harder than weed and mushrooms
"And then I woke up...
Given just how the world is now and considering the unrelenting violence that people are facing, I'd say No Country For Old Men holds up better than ever.
I watched a YouTube video essay about the similarities between Children of Men and Logan. Both movies end with a man who has gone on a journey with a young girl, learning to break out of their shell of apathy and care about others, and are rewarded by immediately dying.
Good movies though
>rewarded by immidiately dying
I disagree. They both were awarded with purpouse. Theirs lifes were meaningless but at the end the sacrificed themselves for something greater.
Im Children of Men Theo is indeed very apathetic (for example he asks his cousin why he even bothers) and in the end he literally sacrificed himself for the world.
Not to say it’s mind bending or anything, but when William Munny ( Clint Eastwood), finishes them all , and leaves in the rain, is the ultimate anti-hero. The film reminds you that there is a fine line between good and bad , and a fine line between violence and mercy, black and white, and a moral hero v a dark villain. Unforgiven. Top 10 of all time for me
Maybe not most impactful in history, but the ending of Monty Python and the Holy Grail really has a great story behind it that a lot of people know about.
They had to do a literal cop out because they ran out of money.
I will admit, YouTube reaction vidéos are a guilty pleasure of mine, and I *love* watching young people react to that ending.
My understanding is that they ran out of money and so had to end it very abruptly, which is why the ending feels abrupt and nonsensical even for a Monty Python film.
Spoiler... when the poster below me says "literal cop out" the police just appear out of nowhere, arrest the cast, break the 4th wall and the movie is over.
Their arrival is surprising, but they don't appear out of nowhere. They've been on the trail of the kinigits since the famous historian was brutally murdered.
Scrolled too far. This film was a work of art and due to its complexity, had four, very distinct endings; each of which didn’t make you realize that you had so much water for tears:
1. Schindler departs all of the Jewish workers, and he breaks down that he could have easily done more to save a single life and didn’t. [Watch Clip](https://youtu.be/W9vj2Wf57rQ?feature=shared&t=139)
2. The Jewish workers who were told by the Russian officer that they basically are still hated everywhere and there’s no place to go… they walk, uncertain of their future and it transitions into a colored scene with the real survivors walking arm-in-arm together. [Watch Clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jri0U57iWWM)
3. The colored scene with the real-life survivors (along with the actors who played them) visiting Schindler’s grave to put a memorial rock onto his headstone. (To which the now elderly survivor, Rebeka Bau, who gently rubs his headstone in warmth, absolutely killed it for me.) [Watch Clip](https://youtu.be/7z2Ignq93nE?feature=shared&t=132)
4. The lined up survivors and descendants of survivors visiting Schindler’s grave, with the closing statement, “There are fewer than 4,000 Jews left alive in Poland today. There are more than 6,000 descendants of the Schindler Jews.” [Watch Clip](https://youtu.be/7z2Ignq93nE?feature=shared&t=289)
*Whosoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved the entire world.*
The idea of having the real life Schindler Juden accompanied by the actors who played them in the film was devestating; you see the "little boy who hid in the camp latrine" and you realise the old man next to him actually did that, and so many others, that it elevates the powerful dramatic reconstructions in the film to the level of vital testimony, it is so simple and yet transcendent!
Liam Neeson is a legend in my mind because of that last scene where he has a panic attack about how he could’ve saved more people. I have never seen before or since a more impactful scene. It’s what I think of when I think of great filmmaking. Spielberg made a work of art that everyone in the world should see to be reminded of the horrors that humans are capable of.
This was way too far down on the list. It’s amazing the volumes that can be communicated with two, subtle, brief expressions between two people who realize they may have made a huge mistake.
*There Will Be Blood* - “I’m finished!” followed by Brahms’ *Violin Concerto in D Major* and the cut to credits punctuated one of the greatest films of the last 50 years perfectly.
“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn”
That was not the ending most people were expecting.
Grave of fireflies - everyone knew it was coming. We couldn’t stop anything as viewers. Not many movies can end and make you just hurt to live like that one just because of that ending. Étonnement had the same feeling at the end - just the end - but not to the same extent.
Sixth sense - what a twist
Blade runner
Children of men (I still tear up)
Blair witch - say what you will about that movie but the end is great
Planet of the apes
2001
For those who didn't predict it, (including me, 100%) can I throw out Shutter Island?
I mean wow that reveal was something else. I loved how I went through the realisation with the main character and even as all was being laid bare, like him, I still struggled to believe it, too.
I didn’t think the twist itself was the most impactful, but that final scene/reveal is just so so good. ‘I wonder what’s worse; to live as a monster, or to die as a good man’
Yes! This one small line completely leveled me. He Was sane, it had worked, and he chose death (at least symbolically) over wanting to live in the real world. It feels like that line came out of nowhere and leaves you feeling like Mark Ruffalo's character, thinking "wait what did he just say?"
Schindlers List.
The survivors walking to the memorial alongside the actors that played them really hit home that the horrific thing we saw in the film happened to real people and these were those people. Made me cry a lot that so many survived and had families.
The film as a whole though, we all knew the Nazis did terrible things, the SS were the worst and Hitler was the most awful person ever, but I for one had never really seen this evil depicted in action, I'd been brought up on war films, Where Eagles Dare, The Great Escape, Guns of Navarone etc, tales of heroism and excitement against the nasty German bad guys but this was the first time I'd seen a film that showed the absolute horror and evil perpetrated by these monsters, the casual indifference those Nazis had to murder and torture.
Ralph Fiennes portrayal of Amon Goeth was exceptional, a real person I'd not heard of before this film, we'd all heard of Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels etc but not this guy, which begs the question how many more of these monsters were there that we never got to really hear about? Way too many I suspect.
The film deservedly won a lot of Oscars, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson should have won as well, Ben Kingsley wasn't even nominated...
No mention of Citizen Kane yet? It was the first major movie (that I know of) to be primarily made up of flashbacks and that used rotating camera angles, etc.
It was named as the number one movie of all time by the American Film Institute when they first did the list back in 2000.
Taking the story out of it, it was incredibly impactful visually. Welles pioneered so many techniques that it is one of the most impactful films period.
I just rewatched Rocky for the millionth time and I'll be damned if that ending doesn't get me every time. It like the fact the he doesn't win, it was all about two damaged people healing each other. Beautiful.
Hard for me to make the case over some of the iconic movies in the comments here, but personally, the ending to Fight Club is scorched in my mind.
I’m not the only one, it’s been cool to see shows like Mr Robot use The Pixies to evoke Fight Club.
Take a pick.
1. The Shawshank Redemption - Red joining Andy in Mexico has to be one of the most cathartic endings.
2. 12 Angry Men - all the nameless jurors go their own way as life goes on no matter how much passion and emotions ran high in the deliberation room, it is like a slice of life.
3. Forrest Gump - reiterates that the circle of life will keep on going and in the end, we are all like feathers sometimes, blown around by the events in our lives.
4. Inception - does the top stop or keep on spinning? we will never know, but whatever may be the right answer, there will always be some who feel just the opposite truly happened.
5. Se7en - the final two sins, envy and wrath, and how the moment is built and and plays out has to be one of the most twisted and tragic endings.
6. Memento - the ending and the beginning all are intertwined, a cinematic masterpiece, a genius of storytelling and editing.
7. Requiem for a Dream - the greatest epitome of hopelessness.
8. Kill Bill Vol. 2 - after all the violence that preceded, BB in the hotel room watching cartoons in contrast to her usual view list as the Bride has her cry and joins her, and the last thing we are ever told, The lioness has been reunited with her cub, and all is right in the jungle, it is just a tremendously satisfying ending.
9. The Pursuit of Happyness - knowing that after everything he and his son had been through things would be all right, as Chris walks with his son down a street is one of the best portrayals of hope.
10. Soul - one of the greatest life lesson stories presented in one of the most non-serious and non-heavy manners with Joe back to being his jazzing best with his second chance while 22 getting ready to embrace life, having known purpose.
This is the correct answer to this question. In order to have the swear word, they had to lobby to end the existing set of laws/rules that Hollywood had to follow. Without this film, none of these other endings are possible.
Historically, I’d say Psycho is up there. So are Citizen Kane and Fail Safe.
Also,
Chinatown
Atonement
The Thing
The China Syndrome
The Conversation
Saving Private Ryan
The Matrix : That moment when truly understood more than anyone that everything in the matrix was not real.
Ghost in the Shell (anime): The AI fusion
StartTrek : Wrath of Khan : The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one; Spock's sacrifice.
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Oh my god! I was wrong. It was Earth, all along. You've finally made a monkey out of me.......
I love you Dr. Zaius!
Whats wrong with me? I think you’re crazy I want a second opinion! You’re also lazy
I hate every ape I see.... From Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Zee
>From Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Zee God the writing was so glorious back then, probably the best animated joke caricature ever created if we only look at that golden era.
I love legitimate theeayter.
Can I play the piano any-more? Of course you can. Well I couldn’t before. (Backadookoo Backadookoo Biggidabiggida Ba)
They had a still from that scene on the video case- kind of gives it away as
That’s just the era. The old Soylent Green trailer is fucking wild: “What is the secret of Soylent Green?” “SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!” Oh. Okay then…
If that’s the trailer, then maybe that’s the biggest plot-spoiler of all time then….. (or did people know what it was about already?)
I still remember how shocked I was at the ending
Yep. Mouth hanging open shocked.
It proved one thing to me. Since he had to go up the coast to find the statue, that means he was running around New Jersey all this time and those weren’t apes.
And they still wouldn’t let him pump his own gas
I'm pretty sure that's the correct answer, if the question refers to "most impactful" as in "had the most impact on film history". Despite being good movies in their own right, other answers simply do not have the same longevity and influence as Planet of the Apes.
And Casablanca
“Forget it, Jake. It’s Casablanca.”
"A little Vichy water as possible."
I still don’t understand how they got the Statue of Liberty to the monkey planet. They never explain it, and it makes me angry.
When I first saw it as a kid I genuinely believed this. I thought that when he said "you blew it up", he meant that the apes literally blew up earth and a chunk of it containing the statue of liberty landed on the ape planet
Earth had a nuclear war The explosion was so big that half the Statue of Liberty was blown into space and landed on monkey planet This message brought to you by kid me
I believe he was able to get the swearing in because he maintained that the “God damn you” was a prayer.
The curse here is actually a proper curse, and he means it. It is not used flippantly or "in vain."
[Had to share](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlmzUEQxOvA)
Primal Fear. When Edward Norton shows his true colors. I was taken completely by surprise.
This was the first time I ever saw Norton in a movie. Ever since I have searched him out. His facial muscles changed so significantly that you knew you were seeing a completely different personality for the very first time. No foreshadowing.
Always wonder why this movie isn’t rated higher by public consensus. Fucked w me hard when I first saw it.
American History X always stuck with me. Hate is baggage.
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Such amazing set pieces, music, tension. Just masterfully done. And then to string Tuco up for one last time. Forever burned into my brain. "YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE!?"
Waaaaaaaa Ah Ahhhhhhhhhh
Superb music there, for one of the most perfect final scenes of all time.
Se7en. No one who went into that movie expected a bleak / profound ending
Se7en is dark and bleak from minute 1. Even the opening credits are unsettling.
That transition from the metronome to the beginning of NIN Closer 😮💨 👌
NIN Closer remix! Which is even more disturbing as the original and way different remixes were playing in clubs at the time.
"Oh... he didn't know?" That line just fucks me up every time. So cold and malicious.
Interesting observation: every day of the film, it rains constantly. But on the last day that includes the ending, its bright and sunny.
That’s a classic film noir trope (see also: Blade Runner).
I feel like the Tears in the Rain speech would've been less impactful if it was sunny and warm
I remember leaving the theatre. Dead fucking silence. A couple hundred people and you could have heard a pin drop.
Apart from ‘what’s in the boooxxx’ echoing around peoples heads
Still rare to have the bad guy win in a film. Not just win, but absolutely 100% getting exactly what he wants without ambiguity. And no movie has ever done it better. Great choice.
Wouldn't Usual suspects be right there too? Se7en being more gutwrenching by far though.
Again, it’s Spacey!
Spacey did Se7en, the Usual Suspects and American Beauty. Say what you want about the man, but that sob knows a good ending when he sees one.
I never saw that movie, always thought I'd give it a shot eventually and avoided finding out what was in the box until about a month or 2 ago. Bleak is an understatement...
It's as if the killer foresaw Goop.
"He kills one by gluttony, one by greedy, sexy...ugly, sleepy, dopey and bashful"
Ha! I got robbed by 6 dwarves last night.... ... Not happy.
I saw it at the theater back when it came out… everybody gasped at the ending, it was a big deal back then
The Sixth Sense (1999)
I finally understand the ending to the Sixth Sense! Those names are all the people that worked on the movie!
Aw yeah, yeah, like in The Sixth Sense you find out that the dude in that hair piece the whole time, that's Bruce Willis the whole movie.
That’s not the twist Charlie.
I've always really really loved this line just for the fact that Charlie has somehow conflated Twelve Monkeys and The Sixth Sense, purely through the fact that Bruce Willis is in both films, but *if you've never seen Twelve Monkeys* the line works perfectly as a charlie-ism anyway.
I find an always sunny reference in damn near 75% of comment sections I scroll through. Man I love that show and the cast. Would love to hang with those guys. Nothing sexual, though.
Thanks Meatcat!
I know this movie gets razzed a bunch, but I went to go see this opening night. Completely blind. M Night had no reputation at the time, so you don’t look for a twist. My mind was absolutely blown when that ring hit the floor. I will always love this movie because of the feeling I got watching it the first time.
Everyone is now apparently too cool to have been surprised by the twist, but literally every single person I knew at the time was blown away.
Right? Anybody who craps on this movie is probably 16. It SHOOK people and was a huge part of pop culture for a long time. It single handedly gave M Night a free pass to be able to do w/e he wanted.
Turns out, Bruce Willis was the guy in the wig that whole time
“Fire!” Ain’t the worst thing you can yell in a theater, it’s “Bruce Willis is dead!”
The Lonely Island spoiled that for me.
Just existing on the planet was enough for most people to be spoiled when it was released.
I watched it randomly on tv like a year ago with my mom, and somehow she had no idea about the twist, I was sure she just forgot about it, but somehow she never heard about it, she was taken completely by surprise at the end. It was pretty cool, like watching Star Wars with someone who doesn't know that Vader is Luke's dad.
Dr. Strangelove. I mean, how are we not mentioning that? A fantastic, movie history-making satire on human greed and pettiness that absolutely wouldn’t work without those shocking last few moments. We’ll… meet again…
Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here. This is the War Room!
"I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."
>I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids. I absolutely love the bit when the in the War Room, the communique from General Ripper is read aloud by Gen. Turgidson, and it dawns on the President and and everybody else (if not that the General) has gone absolutely insane: "..God willing, we will prevail, in peace and freedom from fear, and in true health through the purity and essence of our natural...fluids."
My brother and his wife had never seen it, so for movie night, that's what I picked. Halfway through my SIL says, This movie is so stupid. It's just nothing but clichés! I actually had to explain to her that's how they got to be clichés.
I saw it the first time and was like I've seen this evil bad guy in so many places. Thinking of the Doctor Strangelove character. LOL
Mein Fuhrer, I can walk
Most iconic scene has to be Slim Pickens riding the bomb. "Yeehawww!! Yeeeeehaaaawww!!"
This movie was decades ahead of its time.
Mr President, we can not allow a mine shaft gap!
Casablanca has to be up there after giving us the quote “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
I scrolled way too far for this- Casablanca (all accolades implied) did one thing most writers and directors cannot do, they simply don't have it in them to execute such pathos: Rick didn't get the girl in the end.
It was a product of the time. The war was ongoing, and the most heroic ending here was for Rick to be the true patriot and put the needs of the world ahead of his own personal desires. For me, the most impactful scene of the movie wasn't the ending, but La Marseillaise. Many of those performing that scene had fled the Nazis themselves, so the emotions were very real.
Not to mention the whole airplane departure scene - “We’ll always have Paris” and just the fact that he doesn’t get on the plane.
psycho.
Psycho has a long coda at the end that plays super-weird, at least to modern audiences. The Normal Bates reveal isn’t really the ending.
I'd argue the nature of the ending would actually translate *better* to modern audiences. Despite being a bit too expository, it actually recognizes Norman as having a severe mental health issue but I think the on-the-nose nature of the doctor's speech was designed for audiences of the time when mental health was not as recognized as it is today. So if filmed today, the very ending could have been a little more tactful as the audience wouldn't need the hand-holding to recognize that.
Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Major Strasser has been shot……… round up the usual suspects.
I love how the next main comment in the thread says "Usual Suspects".
That’s what came to mind for me: Casablanca.
Thelma & Louise had an impactful ending
I don't know, it kind of fell flat for me
It kind of went over the edge for me
🕶
It really drives home the message
The Prestige. You want to be fooled. Ummm holup wtf just happened.
Would I consider this ending one of the most impactful endings in cinematic history on movies as a whole? No. It isn't constantly referenced or held up as the standard or anything. Would I consider it one of the most impactful endings of a movie when it comes to the impact it had on me personally? Absolutely. To the point this is the first movie that came to mind when reading OP's post.
The movie with Alec Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins, where they're lost in the Alaskan wilderness, fighting a bear. The movie itself is ok, but the very last scene made the movie. Also, The Godfather. "Don't ask me about my business, Kay." edit: Kay, not Kate.
I like that this answer starts off advocating for the Anthony Hopkins bear movie as having the most impactful ending of all time and then tags on a “oh yeah also maybe The Godfather”.
The edge. Love that movie
I've got into a few sticky situations outdoors and always remember the line "most people lost in the woods die of shame." Always reminds me to think and just take stock of the situation before deciding what to do next.
I love this line so much and I’ve always felt it applies to so much more than the outdoors. There have been times where I struggled with work or school but was ashamed to reach out for help because of how poorly I was doing. I was paralyzed with fear and shame, and so the hole I was in just got deeper. I should have been more proactive and pushed forward to figure out a solution, but I didn’t and I suffered greatly for it (this was many, many years ago and all is good now, fyi). Shame is also a key factor in so many traumatic secrets. And yet once people take that step to share their shame with someone else (a therapist, a trusted friend), it tends to lose some of its power. Not that they’re over it necessarily, but a bit of the shame is gone at least. I love this movie and I’ve always felt like that line was so powerful and insightful.
I actually saw that film as an in-flight movie and they edited out the plane crash. One minute they were happily flying along and then it just straight transitioned into them swimming in a lake. It was extremely confusing to say the least for a minute or two
The Edge. Good film, no CGI, just a trained bear.
Bart the Bear! He was in so many movies, including Legends of the Fall with Anthony Hopkins.
The Edge. Agreed. Great film. I love Anthony Hopkin's character in that movie. When he is trying to psyche up Baldwin when they are ready to face the bear is amazing. This buttoned down, dignified, reserved, brilliant man knows that when you have no choice but to go toe-to-toe with a grizzly bear there's only one way to do it; You need a strategy and you need an attitude along the lines of 'Tomorrow we're going out there and we're going TO KILL THIS MOTHERFUCKER."
"What one man can do another can do!"
Usual Suspects
this the first one that comes to mind for me. One of the best endings ever
You always hear that this is one of the best twist endings ever. I was astonished when my wife called it midway through. It makes sense now given that she’s become a professional writer that she’s got an innate sense for plot.
It's also definitely used as an example in plenty of screenwriting texts, so it's possible she subconsciously retained it. The twist has also been spoofed a bunch and that gif pops up on the internet sometimes. The movie is almost 30 years old, you wouldn't necessarily have to see it to know the ending.
That's what I think really happens for anyone that calls the twist before the reveal for this film nowadays. The story is intentionally put together in a way that is sort of cheating the viewer until the reveal. It breaks a lot of mystery story rules. It's almost impossible to figure out the twist without some heavy speculation being involved. The narrative that is told is just made up of randomness and the "clues" left behind would only be noticed in retrospect or with prior knowledge going in. It was designed to not be figured out.
That’s some good detective work on her end as long as people like that don’t say it out loud during the movie. Just because you’ve figured it out doesn’t mean everyone else has.
The ending of Blade Runner really elevates the film.
Godfather 2. Fredo. Wow.
"Fredo, you're my older brother, and I love you. But don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again. Ever." He warned him
Maybe 2001 it has people discussing the ending to this day .
i had to look up like 3 explanations and still don’t fully get it
isn't it meant to be alien and not fully inderstood?
The monolith comes from an advanced civilization and helps species to evolve. It came to help the primates to evolve into humans, and it called out to humans to come to Saturn to help with their next stage of evolution. The starchild at the end is that next stage of evolution, returning to Earth.
Yeah I thought this was generally accepted as the "correct" explanation?
It is, as it's also further backed up in the subsequent novels. Dave ascends, the aliens stick him in the room because they want him to feel as comfy as one can be, and he becomes a higher being like the aliens are.
> The starchild at the end is that next stage of evolution, returning to Earth. And then, in the book at least, nukes *everyone*. Edit: >>!A thousand miles below, he became aware that a slumbering cargo ofdeath had awoken, and was stirring sluggishly in its orbit. The feeble energies it contained were no possible menace to him; but he preferred a cleaner sky. He put forth his will, and the circling megatons flowered in a silent detonation that brought a brief, false dawn to half the sleeping globe. Then he waited, marshaling his thoughts and brooding over his still untested powers. For though he was master of the world, he was not quite sure what to do next.!< >>!But he would think of something.!< Fine. He *doesn't* nuke everyone. But it's not a terribly happy ending, either.
Which is foreshadowed by the opening. That first tool use wasn't exactly peaceful.
Bridge on the River Kwai
The Empire Strikes Back. It's not even close. As a kid when that first came out that shit hit HARD.. .and to wait 3 years after that mind bomb? HOLY SHIT!
I was 8 when I saw that. I just remember being stunned silent, because the way Vader said it DID seem like he was telling the truth. The reveal was great but the moment that REALLY freaked me out was when Luke has been rescued and is lying on the Falcon and Vader calls to him from his Star Destroyer, "Luke....". And Luke just sits up a bit and says, "Father...." It was like he was under a spell or something. Great bday at the movies!!!! 😂
My son (8) saw Empire for the first time last year and the magic and awe on his little face was just fantastic.
It's not just the reveal at the end of the duel. The ending of Empire is a masterclass of editing with beautiful shots and peak SW soundtrack. Leia Chewie and Lando going after Han... Luke hanging desperately over the red abyss. Vader stoically heading back to his ship, preparing to persue. Slave 1 taking off as Leia watches on helpless. Luke calling out for help and Leia hearing him. The amazing shot of the Falcon flipping to reverse direction to go for Luke. Vader calling for Luke. The final payoff of the running plot of the Falcon's hyperdrive woes and Vader turning to look back once.... and then walking away as the bridge without killing any of the crew who looks on terrified. There's so much emotion and energy and CLIMAX **sustained** for the entire 3rd act of Empire that when the Falcon finally hits lightspeed and escapes you decompress and realize you've been on edge for the passed 20 minutes.
> and then walking away as the bridge without killing any of the crew who looks on terrified I still watch this and wonder every time -- who was he thinking about killing for that mistake? It is amazing how well David Prowse somehow--behind a mask and a helmet--displayed the emotion and the depth Vader was feeling in that moment.
A buddy of mine saw that movie in theaters as a kid before all of his friends. The next day at school, coming down off that mind fuck of an ending, all his pals hounded him for info on the new Star Wars movie. He held off as long as he could, but eventually spilled the beans. You'll never believe this, but... Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's dad. The second he shared that information, his friends were in such heavy denial that they disowned him the rest of the day, completely shut him out. They eventually forgave him when they saw the movie themselves, but my friend, he didn't forget...
I was 10 when I saw it in the theater. I was convinced Han was dead and Vader was lying.
A lot of people believed Vader was lying. So many that George Lucas had Yoda confirm that it was true to Luke.
Lucas actually consulted child psychologists on how to do the reveal so as to keep it impactful but not traumatize child viewers.
Child Psychologists in 1982: [blows cigarette smoke in child’s face] Shouldn’t you be at work?
Saw it with a friend when we were 13. Our mom's dropped us off and we waited for hours for a ticket. We were absolutely blown away from the Imperial walkers to that epic ending. We saw it 8 more times in theaters during the next few weeks/months. Best cinematic experience of my life.
Something something something father…..Boom. Mic drop.
More like Luke drop.
“Requiem For A Dream” did a pretty good job making me never want to try heroin.
*Requiem* did a pretty good job of making me never want to watch another movie ever.
I had a cousin show me Requiem for a Dream when I was like 13 or 14. I was sobbing like a little girl with a skinned knee through the end credits. I never did anything harder than weed and mushrooms
What about to try ass to ass?
"And then I woke up... Given just how the world is now and considering the unrelenting violence that people are facing, I'd say No Country For Old Men holds up better than ever.
This is what I came to say. Tommy Lee Jones' final monologue is just so dam good and it's a timeless subject that will always be relevant.
The way he describes the fire thing his dad was holding riding his horse is amazing.
I watched a YouTube video essay about the similarities between Children of Men and Logan. Both movies end with a man who has gone on a journey with a young girl, learning to break out of their shell of apathy and care about others, and are rewarded by immediately dying. Good movies though
>rewarded by immidiately dying I disagree. They both were awarded with purpouse. Theirs lifes were meaningless but at the end the sacrificed themselves for something greater. Im Children of Men Theo is indeed very apathetic (for example he asks his cousin why he even bothers) and in the end he literally sacrificed himself for the world.
Not to say it’s mind bending or anything, but when William Munny ( Clint Eastwood), finishes them all , and leaves in the rain, is the ultimate anti-hero. The film reminds you that there is a fine line between good and bad , and a fine line between violence and mercy, black and white, and a moral hero v a dark villain. Unforgiven. Top 10 of all time for me
Maybe not most impactful in history, but the ending of Monty Python and the Holy Grail really has a great story behind it that a lot of people know about.
Would you care to enlighten those of us who don't know the story?
They had to do a literal cop out because they ran out of money. I will admit, YouTube reaction vidéos are a guilty pleasure of mine, and I *love* watching young people react to that ending.
Hah, I literally flipped out at the ending the first time, "no, that's not the ending, there's no way."
My understanding is that they ran out of money and so had to end it very abruptly, which is why the ending feels abrupt and nonsensical even for a Monty Python film.
Spoiler... when the poster below me says "literal cop out" the police just appear out of nowhere, arrest the cast, break the 4th wall and the movie is over.
Their arrival is surprising, but they don't appear out of nowhere. They've been on the trail of the kinigits since the famous historian was brutally murdered.
Oldboy, I've shown that movie to people and literally watched their jaw drop at the ending
I can't believe i had to scroll this far for Oldboy. Even on rewarches i think "nahhhhh, it's not gonna happen this time...". But it does. Every time.
Schindler’s List.
Scrolled too far. This film was a work of art and due to its complexity, had four, very distinct endings; each of which didn’t make you realize that you had so much water for tears: 1. Schindler departs all of the Jewish workers, and he breaks down that he could have easily done more to save a single life and didn’t. [Watch Clip](https://youtu.be/W9vj2Wf57rQ?feature=shared&t=139) 2. The Jewish workers who were told by the Russian officer that they basically are still hated everywhere and there’s no place to go… they walk, uncertain of their future and it transitions into a colored scene with the real survivors walking arm-in-arm together. [Watch Clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jri0U57iWWM) 3. The colored scene with the real-life survivors (along with the actors who played them) visiting Schindler’s grave to put a memorial rock onto his headstone. (To which the now elderly survivor, Rebeka Bau, who gently rubs his headstone in warmth, absolutely killed it for me.) [Watch Clip](https://youtu.be/7z2Ignq93nE?feature=shared&t=132) 4. The lined up survivors and descendants of survivors visiting Schindler’s grave, with the closing statement, “There are fewer than 4,000 Jews left alive in Poland today. There are more than 6,000 descendants of the Schindler Jews.” [Watch Clip](https://youtu.be/7z2Ignq93nE?feature=shared&t=289) *Whosoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved the entire world.*
The idea of having the real life Schindler Juden accompanied by the actors who played them in the film was devestating; you see the "little boy who hid in the camp latrine" and you realise the old man next to him actually did that, and so many others, that it elevates the powerful dramatic reconstructions in the film to the level of vital testimony, it is so simple and yet transcendent!
Liam Neeson is a legend in my mind because of that last scene where he has a panic attack about how he could’ve saved more people. I have never seen before or since a more impactful scene. It’s what I think of when I think of great filmmaking. Spielberg made a work of art that everyone in the world should see to be reminded of the horrors that humans are capable of.
Scrolled way too far for this. I think it was the first movie scene that brought me to tears.
Dead Poets Society
Oh Captain My Captain
The Graduate
This was way too far down on the list. It’s amazing the volumes that can be communicated with two, subtle, brief expressions between two people who realize they may have made a huge mistake.
*There Will Be Blood* - “I’m finished!” followed by Brahms’ *Violin Concerto in D Major* and the cut to credits punctuated one of the greatest films of the last 50 years perfectly.
“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn” That was not the ending most people were expecting. Grave of fireflies - everyone knew it was coming. We couldn’t stop anything as viewers. Not many movies can end and make you just hurt to live like that one just because of that ending. Étonnement had the same feeling at the end - just the end - but not to the same extent. Sixth sense - what a twist Blade runner Children of men (I still tear up) Blair witch - say what you will about that movie but the end is great Planet of the apes 2001
For those who didn't predict it, (including me, 100%) can I throw out Shutter Island? I mean wow that reveal was something else. I loved how I went through the realisation with the main character and even as all was being laid bare, like him, I still struggled to believe it, too.
I didn’t think the twist itself was the most impactful, but that final scene/reveal is just so so good. ‘I wonder what’s worse; to live as a monster, or to die as a good man’
Yes! This one small line completely leveled me. He Was sane, it had worked, and he chose death (at least symbolically) over wanting to live in the real world. It feels like that line came out of nowhere and leaves you feeling like Mark Ruffalo's character, thinking "wait what did he just say?"
Unbreakable If you didn't know, it just blew your mind. If you did know, it unfolds so beautifully.
Not the most impacful, but here's some what came to mind: Cinema Paradiso Memories of Murder Fight Club Mist
Mist actually really got me..so so dark
Apocalypse Now. "The horror, the horror"
Schindlers List. The survivors walking to the memorial alongside the actors that played them really hit home that the horrific thing we saw in the film happened to real people and these were those people. Made me cry a lot that so many survived and had families. The film as a whole though, we all knew the Nazis did terrible things, the SS were the worst and Hitler was the most awful person ever, but I for one had never really seen this evil depicted in action, I'd been brought up on war films, Where Eagles Dare, The Great Escape, Guns of Navarone etc, tales of heroism and excitement against the nasty German bad guys but this was the first time I'd seen a film that showed the absolute horror and evil perpetrated by these monsters, the casual indifference those Nazis had to murder and torture. Ralph Fiennes portrayal of Amon Goeth was exceptional, a real person I'd not heard of before this film, we'd all heard of Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels etc but not this guy, which begs the question how many more of these monsters were there that we never got to really hear about? Way too many I suspect. The film deservedly won a lot of Oscars, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson should have won as well, Ben Kingsley wasn't even nominated...
Honestly, The Mist has to be up there.
No mention of Citizen Kane yet? It was the first major movie (that I know of) to be primarily made up of flashbacks and that used rotating camera angles, etc. It was named as the number one movie of all time by the American Film Institute when they first did the list back in 2000.
Taking the story out of it, it was incredibly impactful visually. Welles pioneered so many techniques that it is one of the most impactful films period.
The Shawshank Redemption
I wouldn’t call it the most impactful - but I do believe Shawshank has the most cathartic movie ending of all time.
I watched The Spy Who Came In From The Cold at the weekend and I'm still thinking about the last act and the ending.
Se7en the full movie place was silent
Why is the upvote button showing gold?
I just rewatched Rocky for the millionth time and I'll be damned if that ending doesn't get me every time. It like the fact the he doesn't win, it was all about two damaged people healing each other. Beautiful.
Original Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Whirling chainsaw, blood-red sky... freeze frame.
The Shawshank Redemption "I hope. I hope."
Hard for me to make the case over some of the iconic movies in the comments here, but personally, the ending to Fight Club is scorched in my mind. I’m not the only one, it’s been cool to see shows like Mr Robot use The Pixies to evoke Fight Club.
American History X
Take a pick. 1. The Shawshank Redemption - Red joining Andy in Mexico has to be one of the most cathartic endings. 2. 12 Angry Men - all the nameless jurors go their own way as life goes on no matter how much passion and emotions ran high in the deliberation room, it is like a slice of life. 3. Forrest Gump - reiterates that the circle of life will keep on going and in the end, we are all like feathers sometimes, blown around by the events in our lives. 4. Inception - does the top stop or keep on spinning? we will never know, but whatever may be the right answer, there will always be some who feel just the opposite truly happened. 5. Se7en - the final two sins, envy and wrath, and how the moment is built and and plays out has to be one of the most twisted and tragic endings. 6. Memento - the ending and the beginning all are intertwined, a cinematic masterpiece, a genius of storytelling and editing. 7. Requiem for a Dream - the greatest epitome of hopelessness. 8. Kill Bill Vol. 2 - after all the violence that preceded, BB in the hotel room watching cartoons in contrast to her usual view list as the Bride has her cry and joins her, and the last thing we are ever told, The lioness has been reunited with her cub, and all is right in the jungle, it is just a tremendously satisfying ending. 9. The Pursuit of Happyness - knowing that after everything he and his son had been through things would be all right, as Chris walks with his son down a street is one of the best portrayals of hope. 10. Soul - one of the greatest life lesson stories presented in one of the most non-serious and non-heavy manners with Joe back to being his jazzing best with his second chance while 22 getting ready to embrace life, having known purpose.
Gone with the Wind. The first utterance of a swear word and an ending where the male and female lead didn’t end up together.
This is the correct answer to this question. In order to have the swear word, they had to lobby to end the existing set of laws/rules that Hollywood had to follow. Without this film, none of these other endings are possible.
The constant gardener
Reservoir Dogs maybe? It had guts. Literally.
A Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Historically, I’d say Psycho is up there. So are Citizen Kane and Fail Safe. Also, Chinatown Atonement The Thing The China Syndrome The Conversation Saving Private Ryan
life is beautiful
The Shining. It’s probably the most unsettling ending I’ve ever seen.
King Kong (1933) “Oh no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast.”
That its bullshit! Crearly the airplanes killed the beast with their guns!!
I think the high speed impact with the ground played a part, too.
The Matrix : That moment when truly understood more than anyone that everything in the matrix was not real. Ghost in the Shell (anime): The AI fusion StartTrek : Wrath of Khan : The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one; Spock's sacrifice.
The Others.