Movie (non?)endings

Last night I watched “Lars and the Real Girl.” I really liked the movie, but when it ended, I yelped, “You can’t end there!” It’s not like something happened that I didn’t want to happen – I just wanted a little more to happen before it ended. And I immediately thought of “Dear Frankie,” because the lovely Emily Mortimer is also in that, and it’s another movie that ends before I feel that the story should end. Here are some of the movies that have endings I don’t like (inevitable SPOILERS):

- “Lars and the Real Girl” – While I felt that Lars asking Margo to go for a walk was a good sign of his emergence into society, I really wanted a scene a few months later, something to show that the baby arrived safely and that Lars was happy with the change to the family. Although maybe there wasn’t a scene like that to indicate that Lars has dealt with his trouble sufficiently that he’ll be able to deal with any situation that occurs with the baby.
- “Dear Frankie” – This is one of my favorite movies. Well, if I have only a few Favorite movies, this one makes the next tier. The romantic in me was very upset that this movie didn’t end with a wedding. Or at least with the Stranger returning. In the short time he was in Glasgow, he changed the world for the little family. I wanted reassurance that he would come back. They do show Marie telling Lizzie that the Stranger is her brother, so maybe that was meant to be enough. With the friend as a stable link between them, they HAVE to get together later. So my inner-romantic believes, anyway.
- “August Rush” –Now this isn’t one of my favorite movies, but I do like watching the bits about Lyla and Louis. And August is a darling. At the end, I do like how Lyla and what’s-his-name do come together and he takes her hand and they smile at each other without saying anything. But although August turns and sees them and they see him, they’ve had so many close calls when they just missed each other, that I really wanted a scene to show that everything does work out and they are able to live together as a family. I wanted to see the wedding, or a scene where they’re at home in their living room, playing music together.
- “Pride and Prejudice” with Keira Knightley – I didn’t expect to like this movie. I didn’t think anything could even come close to the Jennifer Ehle/Colin Firth version. But I ended up really liking this version…except for the ending. That last scene was totally unnecessary and even detracted from the rest. It felt too informal for Austen, although I was fine with the scenes with Mr and Mrs Bennet in their room or with Jane doing Elizabeth’s hair. It might have been okay if they had been in their garden at midday or something. I just didn’t like seeing them in their strange pajamas.

So now I feel I should make a list of movie endings that I do like. This was harder to come up with. There are lots of movies that I like, but I can’t think of many that made me think, “I really like that ending.”

- “Gosford Park” – This is one of my Favorite movies. I’m okay with the ambiguousness of this ending (I’ve imagined the future I want for Mary and Robert). I like how, in contrast to the rain they entered in, there is sun and blue sky when they all leave. I like how the servants are in normal street clothes instead of their uniforms, as if to show that the house party, despite the murder, was just one episode in their lives, which is now over.
- “Howl’s Moving Castle” – Since I’ve complained about movies ending too soon, I’ll include “Howl” on the good list because I like how it shows Howl and Sophie together in the moving castle going on to their next adventure.
- “North and South” – This is an ending I’ll watch over and over. I love how romantic it is. And the music is lovely, too. (But what is with her sleeves?) Possibly my favorite part is when Margaret’s retrieved her valise from Henry and comes up behind Mr. Thornton, and he turns and sees her and smiles and says, “Are you coming home with me?” I love the simplicity of it – he’s happy that she’s chosen him and shows it openly, and his question isn’t some sort of clever quip or joke, it’s direct. And I love his use of the word “home.” He wants his home to include her.