Whatever happened to happy endings?

[RapidCrash]

Personally I sometimes like happy endings, but I keep it to some degree. If you have some of those phony endings that look like the writer took 15 to write because he hates his job, then I go "WTF". Then there's those stories where you really expect/want the bad guy to win, yet again due to bad writing, or just the way the storyline goes. Finally you have the very few times when they actually do things right for once and have a *good* ending, either where evil finally wins, or the good guys win, but either way where there's the sense of that-was-worth-watching/playing.

 

[Agayek]

I hate happy endings. I really, honestly do.

Most movies these days are the good guy winning anyway - what more do you want?
I want the villain to win. They're almost always more intelligent and more organized than the good guy, but the protagonist wins because of "love" or "friendship" or some bullshit.

QFT

The only movie I can think of where the bad guy wins, in the entirety of my, admittedly limited, movie experience, is Watchmen

 

[AbsoluteVirtue18]

Because the only thing they like to see more than a hero is to see a hero fail, fall, die trying.

 

[hem dazon 90]

I hate happy endings. I really, honestly do.

Most movies these days are the good guy winning anyway - what more do you want?
I want the villain to win. They're almost always more intelligent and more organized than the good guy, but the protagonist wins because of "love" or "friendship" or some bullshit.

your mr sunshine tonight arent you?

 

[Flying-Emu]

It's a plot device.

Make a strong connection to the main character, have the audience live through the character's most difficult, dangerous/romantic/exciting moments, to the point where the audience actually likes/loves the guy.

Then you wax the fucker.

The audience walks away feeling torn apart, which makes them remember the film and give it good ratings.

And then... the sequel.

 

[Z of the Na'vi]

Im having trouble thinking of a movie WITH a sad or bad ending, and the only one I got is Pirates 2. Yeah im sad.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Fuck bad endings. If I wanted to be depressed 24/7, I wouldn't bother watching films or playing games. I'd read nothing but historical and current non-fiction and watch the news, and, just as a special treat, visit a ghetto or two on vacation.

I don't mind bittersweet endings. If the protagonist dies while accomplishing something, I'm moved. If half the world is destroyed in the process of saving the other half, at least that half is saved. But if the villain gets up afterward, or the other half of the world plunges into the sun, I call bullshit. I don't mind being saddened during my escapism. I fucking hate being depressed.

I hate happy endings. I really, honestly do.

Most movies these days are the good guy winning anyway - what more do you want?
I want the villain to win. They're almost always more intelligent and more organized than the good guy, but the protagonist wins because of "love" or "friendship" or some bullshit.

hey! yer i agree with you. i really hate happy endings. personally i find it really fictional and ruins a good movie.

...you find a fiction to be ruined by being fictional? Why bother watching movies, then?

 

[El Taco the Rogue]

I miss completely happy endings. thats why i like christmas specials

 

[megapenguinx]

If you want to get those academy awards you gotta kill your lead character.

pretty much. I think our society has gotten way more cynical

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I hate happy endings. I really, honestly do.

Most movies these days are the good guy winning anyway - what more do you want?
I want the villain to win. They're almost always more intelligent and more organized than the good guy, but the protagonist wins because of "love" or "friendship" or some bullshit.

your mr sunshine tonight arent you?

He makes a good point though, I mean, some of the best villains lost to lame abstract concepts about unity or hope or some shit. I want to see more movies and books where the guy with the biggest gun wins.

Watch any Clint Eastwood movie.

 

[Skeleon]

I don't mind depressing endings, as long as they have closure.
Cliffhangers on the other hand...
Well, let's just say, I would've been happier with System Shock being discontinued without that little scene onboard the shuttle...

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

Closure is not good for making lackluster sequels.

 

[Signa]

When you know that no one is going to die, it takes all the suspense away from the movie. I don't have anything against happy endings, but every movie ends with a happy ending. When you mix it up a bit, you just don't know what is going to happen any more.

 

[imperialwar]

No, no, you all have it wrong.

Happy endings where bought by Hallmark Cards back in the 90's.

 

[Frybird]

He makes a good point though, I mean, some of the best villains lost to lame abstract concepts about unity or hope or some shit. I want to see more movies and books where the guy with the biggest gun wins.

Watch any Clint Eastwood movie.

Gran Torino wasn't exactly him 'winning' (personally I'd rather he shot up the place but I'm just an old Dirty Harry fan).

Well, he did not have the biggest gun in that movie...