Final Shots.
A film lover's catalogue of final shots from a variety of films. A final shot can haunt you for years. Which do you remember? I claim no ownership or copyright over posts.
Want to see a particular final shot?
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Love Exposure (2009). This fascinating Japanese runs 4 hours in length and is a strange and epic love story. The final shot is a rewarding glimpse of hope for two star-crossed lovers as she reaches towards him as his salvation. A-
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Grizzly Man. Here’s to you, Timothy Treadwell. What a compelling, interesting and tragic figure. In the aftermath of the tragic fate that befell him, this final shot of Tim with his bears is an uplifting final glimpse that although he died at their hands, it’s exactly the fate he would have chosen for himself. A
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Biutiful (2010.) “What’s over there?” HIghly symbolic, beautiful end. A-
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Aliens. This final shot of James Cameron’s Aliens is a good one. We’re still relieved that they made it off that rock and fought off the alien - so as they go into deep sleep, we feel both a sense of relief/hope and anxiety/doubt. Perhaps a face-hugger awaits them. It’s a nice final shot of the two female protagonists together, finally at some sort of peace. B
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Romeo + Juliet (1996). It would be hard for any final shot based of Shakespeare’s tale not to have a powerful final shot. In another interesting modern adaptation, the final narration is given by a newscaster on a television with a black background. The television slowly recedes and grows smaller and smaller. The fantastic dialogue sums up the tragedy nicely and then the TV is gone, extinguished like the lives of the two lovers. B+
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Sherlock Holmes (2009). A final shot of our star in full Sherlock mode. He sells most of the tickets, so why not? C
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Zodiac (2007). Fincher’s crime film dives into the mystery around the Zodiac case. It’s a tale of obsession, fear and paranoia. There are no clear answers, however; this final shot of a man with a past run-in with the Zodiac killer gives haunting testimony that seems to condemn a man previously suspected of the crimes. It’s an interesting final shot of a man so sure of what he saw that we the audience leave the film sure that the mystery truly was solved. Was it? B-
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Gattaca. What a final shot - and what an ending. “For someone who was never meant for this world, I must confess I’m suddenly having a hard time leaving it. Of course, they say every atom in our bodies was once part of a star. Maybe I’m not leaving… maybe I’m going home.” Beautiful in its juxtaposition with the real Jerome back on earth as he finally says goodbye as well, his medal finally made gold. A
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Tron Legacy (2010). The final shot here is just a cool shot on a speeding motorcycle. Olivia Wilde looks fantastic - and the fact she’s experiencing this sensation for the first time amplifies things quite a bit. Would have preferred a shot from a different angle or something that incorporated the sensation of a sunrise (which she was especially curious about) C+
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Coraline. This charming stop-motion animated movie is packed full of awesome visuals. I quite like the final shot of this quirky little place. The cat mysteriously disappearing adds a nice little weirdness to it. B
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 (2010). A very cool shot of Voldemort finding the Elder Wand. A nice final shot that makes things look pretty bleak for Harry Potter and the gang. B
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The Usual Suspects (1996). The entire ending is legendary, and this final shot alone doesn’t do it justice. Without the narration by Kevin Spacey tying things up so wonderfully, this shot may look quite ordinary. In the context of the twist being revealed and the dialgoue accompanying this shot: “And like that, poof. He’s gone.” A-
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Children of Men (2006). Alfonso Cuaron’s masterpiece is full of some of the best shots in recent memory. The long, five minute take towards the end is feat of genius. This last shot is intimate, sad, utterly dreary and grey… but also brimming with hope. I love the way the lone beacon flashes its red light in contrast to the greys that fill the frame. As the ship comes offering its long-awaited salvation, could the flashing red beacon be taken as a warning that these people, like all the others, are not to be trusted? Perhaps, but I see hope. A
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Arriety (“The Borrowers” 2010) The latest Miyazaki film is as wonderful as it is gorgeous to behold. The final shot of Arriety floating away is a combination of happy/sad. But just as in Spirited Away, our young (and tiny) female protagonist learned and grew and ultimately it was time to move on in her journey. (There is another last image showing during the credits, but it’s for ambiance.) B+
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Solaris (1972). The original Polish novel was so great, I find it fascinating it spawned two films with such different interpretations. This final shot is mind-blowing and powerful. The person awaiting inside the cabin, it all seems so perfect - and then the camera pulls back further and further into the sky… perfect. A
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