Kevin's Watch

According to Cracked.

#6 is teh bomb.

(any chance on just quickly posting that list --- I can't access the site from work -- hehehe)

Off the top of my head, and without seeing the list yet, I can think of three:

- Brazil
- Being There
- Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

... How about Dr,. Strangelove?...

#1 Cracks me up. I always wondered why that would be a good ending. It changes everything, and it was apparent that history didn't slap back to compensate. And couldn't agree more about Biff.

The Orphanage.

Too much of a spoiler if i say why, but trust me, that's the number one ever depressing 'happy' ending!

Some of those endings I would call "mixed". Sweeney Todd has a mixed ending, even though the main character dies, he still gets his revenge, and his little girl goes off to find happiness (maybe?).

I've kind of wondered myself, is there a difference between classic Tragedy and a totally depressing fuck the audience for caring ending? Hamlet's ending isn't really sad, it's actually kind of life-affirming. So is basically any story where the main character gives up his life for a grand purpose. (Like one of my absolute favorite movies, Children of Men)

What about stories like "Grave of the Fireflies", where the ending is so ridiculously, stupidly *really* tragic. It doesn't have an obvious moral (War sucks ass?) It's more a study of a slice of human experience that we would really rather not think about. But even that has some value. (I'm Glad I saw the movie, but am not exactly excited to see it again) I would say the same thing for Requiem for a Dream, except thats a lot *less* depressing because these are adults who made mistakes that cost them a lot, rather than children)

Then there are thoroughly depressing stories that exist mostly to show you how worthless life really is. (I would say, art for the purpose of ridiculing and hating life.) In this I would include, basically anything by James Joyce. THIS is the art that I think is actually pointless, as the conclusion that life isn't *good* is fallacious in practice if not theory. If life isn't better than death, why does the observer chose life?

Really, it's pretty rare to encounter *that* kind of art. Almost every literary tragedy, at the end, is really kind of beautiful.

Kind of meandered from the topic a little, so I should mention yes, it's another pretty hilarious Cracked article that makes me think about some of my favorite movies in a new light. #6 Is the reason it's kind of silly that George went and made prequels instead of sequels, as there is obviously a lot of trouble still ahead for the alliance at the end of Jedi. There is even the more difficult dramatic theme of the heroes of the revolution having power in a peaceful society, which is really great dramatic stuff, and the continuation by one man of an ancient tradition. (A responsibility that still seems pretty massive to place on Mark Hamill's shoulders)

Who knows? Maybe Lucas will reach old age and get enough perspective to see where he went wrong. (He already seems to have some.) The best work that's been done in the universe recently has come out of left field. (Knights of the Old Republic!, some of the Dark Horse comic books, Lego Star Wars)