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[Parallax]

i feel like theres a place for all types of endings. some bad endings are good like the original nightmare on elm street or cabin in the woods.

 

[NoctisVsStar]

The more despair the better.

 

[EatChildren]

Absolutely. The objective of any creative work is to emotionally resonate with the person experiencing it through an expression of concepts and themes, either directly or abstractly, and for me personally the most successful films are those that I leave the cinema/television and feeling that resonance with potent and moving. What I mean by this is that even if I feel unsettled and disturbed, or an overwhelming sense of hopeless, I know that the artwork has accomplished something important by simply managing to make me feel this way with such authenticity despite the fact everything I watched/read/played was an artificial, fictional construct. For creators to create something that evokes a very real response within me is something I find immensely impressive and accomplished.

 

[Farsi]

Yes, I'm a very big fan of David Fincher.

 

[manfestival]

Dark endings are great and it even gives me a laugh sometimez. In fact when I left alien covenant I could hear another movie goer complain about how the alien movies never truly seem to have happy endings

 

[overcast]

Absolutely. A happy ending is cool too but I don't expect one or another going into a movie.

Bleak endings are some of my favorites too. Just depends.

 

[Fuu]

To me it's more of a question of the story earning it or not. That goes for all types of endings.

 

[MadeULook]

Definitely. I mean, a couple of my favorite movies end in hopelessly depressing ways.

 

[Professor Beef]

If the ending is done well, then sure. I liked the original ending for "I Am Legend" waaaaaay more than the theatrical release, as an example.

 

[El Topo]

It depends. I'll say though I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

Covenant's ending was garbage, not cause it's bleak, but cause it's garbage.

 

[Briarios]

I'm fine with a bleak or hopeless ending when there is a message -- if the purpose is simply to be brutal, then no.

 

[Bit-Bit]

I grew up watching Asian films and American films. A lot of Asian films end on a very somber note. I think it's odd that so many American films always have to have a happy ending. And I know tons of people that will like a film and call it shit if it ends without the heroes winning or everything being hunky dory.

Some of the greatest movies of all time challenge this notion though.

Empire Strikes Back and The Dark Knight comes to mind when I think of American films that end on a somber note AND is also beloved by many.

 

[Matty77]

To me it's more of a question of the story earning it or not. That goes for all types of endings.

To me this is the only answer. I hate tacked on Hollywood tropes and endings positive and negative. I prefer endings to logically unfold from all the story before it and sometimes the good guy loses, the MC doesn't get the romantic interest, and sometimes everyone dies.

 

[shawnbuddy]

Oh well, guess I won't be seeing Alien: Covenant this weekend. I thought it was, like, his spec script or something until I got to the end and realized I'd been spoiled.

 

[Despera]

I enjoy any kind of ending as long as it's of good quality.

 

[Ahasverus]

Nope. I kind admire them, think about them, find then interesting and artistic, but I don't feel entertained.

 

[Van Bur3n]

They're usually better than your typical happy ending. I enjoy them far more, in fact.

 

[MattKeil]

Dark endings are great and it even gives me a laugh sometimez. In fact when I left alien covenant I could hear another movie goer complain about how the alien movies never truly seem to have happy endings

Aliens does. And it earns it, too. Alien 3's laughable failure to properly follow up on that is (one of innumerable reasons) why Alien 3 is such garbage.

 

[shawnbuddy]

I don't mind the story having a bad or downbeat ending. The ending just needs to fit the story and be earned. Spoilers for Breaking Bad:

Spoiler

It's so neat and fantastic and out of sync with what has gone before that people think it's a hallucination. C'mon, that's not what really happened.

 

[Rhaknar]

Those are the only ones I can enjoy actually.

 

[Machine]

If it's well done, I don't mind but frequently it's just tiresome. All too often it's the same stupid situation where the last survivor(s) think they've beaten the bad guy/monster and all is well. Then either the bad guy wakes up in an body bag and breaks out or there is a monster egg hidden under a table or some other unoriginal shit.

 

[Zelenogorsk]

lol I thought this movie would be about Covenant. Personally I can totally get down with a dark ending. I love when a story is willing to go there, and even more so if it's done in an interesting way.

I've seen too many stories where the "dark" ending is just everyone dying and that can get boring after awhile. Now Covenant on the other hand did an amazing job with it. Daniels finding out that it was David right as she's about to go into cryosleep and can't do anything about it was brutal. And then knowing that he has 2000 sleeping bodies to experiment with over the next 7 years, I'm not going to lie I had a huge grin on my face as the Wagner started to play.

I love the idea of a colonist waking up from cryosleep expecting to be on a beautiful new colony planet only to have a xenomorph burst from their chest. So damn sinister!

I've always loved sinister endings ever since reading Stephen King's The Jaunt.

 

[Count Dookkake]

I was cackling with glee at the end of Alien: Covenant. My pleasure was augmented by the presence of a nearby young couple, of which the girl was about to cry.

The Beyond has a pretty great bleak ending.

 

[Laughing Banana]

They're usually better than your typical happy ending. I enjoy them far more, in fact.

It seems like nowadays "happy ending" is the exception rather than the rule, and it is dark/bleak/hopeless/sinister that's becoming 'typical'.

It's kinda tiring, for example, as a fan of horror/thriller-style movies, to see that it seems like there's this rule that everyone follows that a SHOCKING TWIST must be inserted in the end to the movies no matter what, that a happy ending is forbidden somewhat.

 

[Platy]

If It fits thematically with the movie or TV series, why not ?

For example :

The Mist has lots of themes of faith and the end is about the total lost of it by people who depended on it.

The Angel TV series ending is awesome because it is about how to fight evil. You fucking fight it. Till the end.

 

[captainpat]

Nope, I'll take a asspull happy ending or at least bittersweet over a bad ending.

Doesn't help that most bad endings are usually because of the MCs being idiots in some fashion.

 

[Mario007]

I guess its because of people like the OP describes that Cap had to write a "we're still friends" letter to Tony.

 

[polyh3dron]

I knew this would be an Alien Covenant thread.

I enjoyed it.

Also, how are people going to know what movie this is spoiling before entering the thread?

 

[miller.skippins]

Have you watched the Godfather movies? You can't get more bleak and dark for their endings as that (vanquished your enemies but lose all your family in the process)..

And those movies are still awesome.

Fairy tales Endings stories are more for kids. As an adult, i will expect more 'grey' stories and endings.

 

[Pupperbabysassy]

Yes. I'm watching No Country For Old Men right now. It's still amazing storytelling

 

[kyser73]

Art doesn't have to make you feel good to be worth experiencing.

It depends, mainly in how the movie is structured and the overall tone. If the atmosphere is bleak throughout then I'm fine with it however if it's some last minute swerve or if the movie seems to just unnecessarily try and beat down the characters then no.

Of course, as long as it makes sense.

To me it's more of a question of the story earning it or not. That goes for all types of endings.

All of the above.

 

[mokeyjoe]

Totally. When it's done well.

But like a happy ending it has to be done well. The film has to earn a downer ending. If you just tack one on the end it can seem contrived and a desperate plea to be interesting.

 

[victreeb3l]

Nah. The world is depressing as it is. I like happy stuff from my entertainment.

 

[Rhomega Beta]

No, I can't. That's why I'm so grateful that

Spoiler

Get Out

had a good ending.

 

[Anteater]

yes

the only romance i like are the ones where they all die at the end

 

[lvl99 Pixel]

depends if it has a good reason to be and doesn't undermine the rest of the movie

 

[Air]

Yes. I'm very much a "It's about the journey" person than a "It's about the destination" person.

 

[Toxi]

John Carpenter's The Thing is the perfect example of a bleak ending.

 

[duckroll]

Yes, absolutely. The same way that Arsenal fans can still enjoy watching the Premier League. Presumably.

 

[rekameohs]

If Alien Covenant was supposed to have a depressing ending, then Ridley really dropped the ball. I thought it was funny. Like, in a good way. I didn't like that movie overall, but the ending was goofy and the people that it ends bad for totally deserved it.

Spoiler

Well, except for all of the civilians, hehehe

 

[RoyaleDuke]

Yeah, my favorite movie of all time, John Carpenter's The Thing, has the bleakest in bleak endings.

 

[Joyful]

I enjoyed the mist yes


if anything a happy ending is cliche and unrealistic

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

Not at all.

I can appreciate the intent and artistry behind them. I can commend them when done well.

But in the end they're all eclipsed by the negative mood I get from watching them.

 

[joesmokey]

The Descent is a great example of this. The original ending is definitely preferable to the American theatrical cut.

I agree with the other posters though that "dark" endings only work if they're actually good and fit the narrative themes of the movie.

 

[Slackbladder]

The worst thing a film can do is have no effect on you at all. That's just a waste of time. And there's nothing wrong in feeling depressed or down after watching a dark or depressing ending. If anything they tend to be closer to reality.
I actually find downbeat films quite reaffirming of my beliefs, as if the bleakness strengthens my resolve to being positive. I'm suspicious of people who desire happy endings.

 

[Dusk Golem]

Horror is my absolute favorite genre by a longshot. Of course I can.

 

[daffy]

I don't mind the story having a bad or downbeat ending. The ending just needs to fit the story and be earned. Spoilers for Breaking Bad:

Spoiler

It's so neat and fantastic and out of sync with what has gone before that people think it's a hallucination. C'mon, that's not what really happened.

people = shawnbuddy

 

[zeemumu]

If bleak depressing movies were too much for me to handle I probably wouldn't be alive. I usually know what I'm getting into when I go see a specific movie. The potential for a depressing ending is typically pretty easy to peg from the trailers, and as long as the movie is done well and the depressing ending fits, I won't hold it against the film.

 

[Timeaisis]

I love the Cohen brother's movies, so yeah. I love that shit.

Spoiler

Barton Fink and A Serious Man

have two of my favorite film endings.