The last moments of great films that stayed with you long after the closing credits rolled.
Whether it's an iconic or mediocre feature film, the last scene in any motion picture goes a long way in determining your overall opinion of the movie you just watched.
We're talking about the cream of the crop here, where the closing moments solidified the film's legacy as one to never forget, regardless of the genre.
Note: Needless to say, the following list is completely riddled with spoilers, but these are all examples of older movies, the most recent of which was released in 2012, so they've been around long enough for us all to enjoy and talk about openly.
Right, with the spoiler alerts in place, let's settle in and reminisce about 10 cracking final scenes...
Point Break
Point Break is action movie cheese at its finest and nothing encapsulates that admirable quality more than the last, unforgettable scene.
Johnny Utah and Bodhi fight the ultimate battle set to the sound and eventual involvement of the crushing waves and merciless weather because, nature, maaaan.
The pair may have increasingly been on opposite sides as the movie progressed, but the underlying bromance lasted all the way to the
sexy bitter end.
https://youtu.be/78s7DO5eehQ
Clip via noideasagain
Pulp Fiction
You would think that the sight of Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield in an over-sized and goofy-looking t-shirt and shorts combination would diminish their gangster reputation but, if anything, their considerable status is at its zenith once the closing credits roll in Pulp Fiction.
A lot of this has to do with Samuel L. Jackson's mesmerising monologue when confronting Tim Roth's burglar, as the movie ends by leaving a smirk and appreciative chuckle on many a viewer's face.
We can watch this repeatedly without tiring...
https://youtu.be/vMN5uQhF-Ro
Clip via Giorgi Tskhadaia
In Bruges
Good grief, the screaming ambiguity that remains once the wonderful In Bruges comes to its very unwelcome and sudden climax is deafening.
Does Ray live to fight another day and rebuild a better life that is very much possible to achieve, or is this the cruel, untimely end?
The vast majority of In Bruges lovers have their theories as to what happened next.
We desperately want it to be good news, but we're left with the overwhelming feeling that no human being could sustain that many gun shots and survive.
https://youtu.be/U1dvNcjOtGI
Clip via Milan Maksimovic
Trainspotting
Quite simply, one of the greatest last scenes in one of the most beloved movies from the last 20 years.
Renton's decision to do a runner with the gang's money is so incredibly tense as he attempts a make-or-break it snatch of the bag from the sleeping claws of the vicious Begbie.
Add to that a brilliant soundtrack and a slick and uplifting narration by our protagonist, and you have yourself one of the coolest and most inspirational closing moments in memory.
https://youtu.be/W9ZNKGrpnKM
Clip via raving in the boonies
Killing Them Softly
By far, the most recent release in this exclusive list, and one of the best.
Killing Them Softly as an overall movie can confidently be filed under 'polarising', but the star appeal was undoubtedly present in the shapes of Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins and more.
Talk about a depressing and grim undercurrent throughout, director
Andrew Dominik had no interest in crowd-pleasing with this bleak crime picture set to the backdrop of the global economic crisis.
The final scene is a perfect way to end a movie toned as such and genuinely took us by surprise when it came to its rapid conclusion.
We regularly re-watch this to remind us of its brilliance.
https://youtu.be/5V6GHnxEJjg
Clip via CuriousWhale
The Usual Suspects
Quite possibly the quintessential spoiler in this list of defining scenes, very few people saw this twist coming in the modern classic and if you claim to have done, then we're going to need to see some proof.
As if Kevin Spacey needed any confirmation of his sizeable acting chops, the way he controls and develops this scene is nothing sort of spectacular, expertly aided by a very game Chazz Palminteri.
That instant when his strut significantly shifted is one of the rare occasions where this JOE audibly gasped to a room full of precisely nobody.
https://youtu.be/XYXXhn9fMYs
Clip via Sunil Kadam
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
The unofficial prequel to Snatch and the film that launched director Guy Ritchie into the mainstream.
The final scene sees a very impressive Vinnie Jones set the mood as the trio of Bacon, Eddie and Soap attempt to urgently call Tom and convince him not to dispose of those weapons after all, as they discover just how profitable their goods truly are.
It sounds standard enough, but the frantic pacing makes for unforgettable viewing, with the soundtrack of 'Fools Gold' providing the icing on a delicious cake.
https://youtu.be/j_OViFMG4Kc
Clip via Onair Bfaff
The Shawshank Redemption
Rarely have two characters in a major motion picture deserved such clarity and happiness than Andy Dufresne and 'Red' enjoy during the conclusion of The Shawshank Redemption.
The audience shares that relief and unbridled joy when the pair finally embrace on that scenic beach and, although Andy was wrongfully convicted of his prison sentence, you feel just as much goodwill for Morgan Freeman's guilty character when both enjoy the sweet taste of freedom.
A fitting conclusion to a film full of injustice and hardship.
https://youtu.be/Z7MMTmVZcVs
Clip via Morning Black
Heat
The coming together of two of the all-time screen icons in Al Pacino and Robert De Niro made for one of the greatest heist movies in history and a final scene befitting of its stars.
Like in Point Break, the main men in Heat come from vastly different backgrounds, but share extremely similar character traits, culminating in an appropriately poignant and emotional finale.
Fun fact about this one; director Michael Mann chose 'God Moving Over The Face of the Waters' by Moby as his song choice, having rejected the use of 'Funeral/Coda' by Elliot Goldenthal; a score eventually used in the conclusion of
Neil Jordan's Michael Collins.
We admire the final call for this one.
https://youtu.be/9gOXNCd6L6c
Clip via AlPacino1337
Fight Club
While the vast majority of viewers never saw
that moment coming in The Usual Suspects, most us kicked ourselves when Brad Pitt's true identity, or lack thereof, was finally revealed in Fight Club.
Like many of the entries on this list, the scene is wonderfully supported by a cracking tune in 'Where Is My Mind' by the Pixies.
One of the most violent yet fulfilling ends in contemporary cinema.
https://youtu.be/PamLPnXk2ic
Clip via Best Movie Scenes
Extremely honourable mentions: Seven, Chinatown, Raiders of the Lost Ark, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Casablanca, Inception, Primal Fear, Scarface, Planet of the Apes.
So, they're our ten choices, but we're sure we've left out some gems, so let us know what you'd have by getting in touch on our WhatsApp number 087-4001102, editorial@JOE.ie or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter.
