"There Was Just A Dead, Sombre Silence In The Cinema" – 24 Film Endings That Were Practically Perfect

"I was just stunned to silence in my screening."

We all know how important the end of a movie is, it's the last thing we see and often the first thing we remember. We were recently discussing the best movie endings of all time, and there was a LOT of discussion and debate.

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So, here are 24 more of the best movie endings people have ever seen:

🚨Spoiler warning🚨 – This post contains spoilers for some of the films mentioned, so skip the ones you don't want spoiled!

1. Coco

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"When Hector is finally accepted by his family."

—coro237cr

"When they put Coco on the Ofrenda. She’s with her dad again but it gets me every time."

—quantumalligator

2. The Little Things

Warner Bros. Pictures

"It's a slow burn, but if you get through it, the ending is so.... twisted. I'm still shaken over it."

—sofiaismycat

3. BlackKklansman

Universal Pictures

"I was just stunned to silence in my screening. When we realised the footage had gone from historic to modern day, and the rhetoric being parroted back then is still now. There was just a dead, sombre silence in the cinema. It was powerful."

—katerumtruffle

4. Saving Private Ryan

DreamWorks Pictures

"Just thinking about the old man saluting the gravestone is making me well up."

—mjdrisc5

5. Memento

Summit Entertainment

"Not only the fact that the whole plot is told in reverse (genius writing and IMO Christopher Nolan’s best work ever) – but when we find out why he keeps purposely forgetting... Guy Pierce has also never been better."

—aprilantz

6. Cinema Paradiso

Titanus

"Probably the most beautiful, heartfelt ending that just made a superb movie perfect. No one leaves without a dry eye. Tears of joy, sadness, what might have been and sweet memories. I simply cannot think of a more perfect ending in any film I have ever seen."

—bravesgirl21

7. Secret Life of Walter Mitty

20th Century Studios

"I absolutely adore the ending. It's that Walter has his hard work pay off and be recognised that's so powerful for me. And he finally gets the girl he likes!"

—jhayes413

8. Life is Beautiful

Cecchi Gori Group

"When the boy didn't know his dad was murdered in the Holocaust but found his mother eventually and was jumping for joy that they won the game. Cry."

—jbatista1731

9. Atonement

Universal Pictures

"It stayed with me for a good while."

—lanakm111

10. Dead Man

Miramax Films

"The ending of DEADMAN is beautiful."

—wdb11680

11. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

New Line Cinema

"The final line of the LOTR trilogy, spoken by the true hero."

—coro237cr

12. Aladdin

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

"The ending scene of the animated Aladdin, version, 'made you look.'"

—jayjjimenez

13. Top Gun

Paramount Pictures

"It would be a crime not to have it on this list." 

—leisure3389

14. Blow Out

Filmways Pictures

"I can’t watch that movie because the ending is too upsetting. And I’m an old man!"

—irazig

15. The Others

StudioCanal

"The ending was quite affecting – it was so tragic and sad. It was a hell of a twist though; I wish I could watch it again for the first time because it's such a damn good story."

—ravenbard

16. The Bad Seed

Warner Bros.

"If ever there was a climactic ending, it's in that movie! Don't want to spoil it, but definitely give it a watch."

—crafty_gm

17. Black Swan

Fox Searchlight Pictures

"It had to be on this list." 

—jenh34

18. Dead Poets Society

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

"It would actually be a crime for it to not be on this list."

—brennaprewitt

19. The Color Purple

Warner Bros.

"As soon as you see the bright colours of Nettie’s dress, it’s nothing but happy sobbing for the rest of the film. Ending with Celine and Nettie finally together is peak perfection."

—katyaj91

20. Rocky

United Artists

"Rocky and Adrian hugging in the ring exchanging I love yous, while the ring announcer tells us Rocky has lost."

—bootsdad13

21. Whiplash

Sony Pictures Classics

"The ending is one of my favourites ever – it made me cry."

—serenafischer

22. The Birdcage

MGM/UA Distribution Co.

"The escape in drag through the club, followed up immediately by the wedding. A nice combo of funny and feel-good."

—mikefalkstrom

23. Field of Dreams

Universal Pictures

"It always makes me cry. He’s playing catch with his dad at sunset and the stream of cars shows that everybody came. Beautiful cinematography and music score make it even better."

—pepperopigeon

24. Billy Elliot

United International Pictures

"It has one of the most beautiful endings of any movie I've seen. I've watched it so many times and the tears just start flowing with his dad's gasp at the end. There's just so much love at the end and it's stunning."

—taylora4e62a0521

What's your favourite film ending? Let us know in the comments below!