Top Five

The top five best endings in cinema history (one man's humble opinion).

5.

Millers Crossing

One of those great unknown films, the last five minutes of Millers Crossing turns the whole movie upside down.  Gabriel Byrne's greatest moment.

4.

Dazed and Confused

Still baffled as to how Matthew McConaughey did not receive an Oscar for his performance as Wooderson.  Dazed and Confused ends with a major muscle car catching slow motion air as the protagonist of the tale heads to the big city to score Aerosmith tickets with his friends.

Stick it to the man, Randall "Pink" Floyd.

3.

Jaws
How many times have you walked away form a movie and declared, "That was way better than the book."  Here's your chance.  Peter Benchley's novel ends with the shark just falling dead of exhaustion (yawn).  The movie ends with every-man Sheriff Brody blowing up the giant man-eating fish with a bolt action rifle.  Oh, yes.  It almost makes up for the death of Captain Quint.
Almost.


2.

Empire Strikes Back
The bad guys win.
One more time, for the full effect.
The bad guys win.
Not sold on it?
Another reason.
Boba Fett.
Yahtzee.

1.

The Natural
Do not ever read the book.  Hobbs takes a bribe and strikes out.
Yes, this is the Hollywood version, but it gives me goose bumps each and every time I watch it.