Saddest Endings You have seen.

[Matt]

agree on the return of the king part... but on the fellowship of the ring. I kinda feel sader after Gandalf's disappearance than what you mentioned.

SPOILER! :

because Borimir was kind of a jerk before he died and even if he sacrificed himself for saving the hobbits, I was too pissed at him to feel sorry for him. It just went too quick. But in the Gandalf incident, the sad part wasn't when he "died" (even though he returned in two towers) it was later when you saw them walking out of the caves and being sad for the rest of the movie cause they lost their best friend. And the elves song for him and such (if I remember right. Long time since I watched it).

I didn't react much the first time I saw the movie (at 13), but re-watching it at 18, I cried at three points. I mentioned the first two because they were more "ending-ish".

SPOILER! :

Gandalf falling was the first, even though I knew he'd return in the second movie. And yes, it wasn't so much his "death" as it was his friends' reactions.

I sympathized with Boromir because I completely understood what he was trying to do. He didn't want to destroy the ring when it could save his entire kingdom. He wanted to return triumphant, maybe with Aragorn as a brother. He didn't want to hurt Frodo, or anyone else for that matter. All he cared about was his people, and if he wanted to return gloriously, more power to him. I've never hated a character for wanting something for themselves, especially when "destroy the ring and everything will be better" is so incredibly vague. Sam, Gandalf, and Boromir were my favorite characters in Fellowship, and coincidentally, they're the ones who provoked the greatest emotional reaction.

Also, this one's not a movie or anime, but the end of I Don't Want To Kill You by Dan Wells made me close the book and just sit there for the longest time, realizing that, twenty pages from the end, I legitimately did not want to finish the book--not because it was bad, but because the writing was almost too good. The ending did the same thing, though I was glad I didn't put it down. A sociopath main character does not mean an unemotional story. There are three books in that series, and every one of them has at least one super-heavy moment that has actually made me put the book down and just appreciate the people I love.

I didn't cry, though. I'm kinda thinking the music in Lord of the Rings was a major culprit, as I think I've maybe teared up once while reading a book (Hunger Games):

SPOILER! :

The easiest way to slap me in the emotions is to make a young girl die. Elfen Lied also did this, quite a few times, though I have a few grievances about it. For one, it relies so heavily on shock elements and the cartoon-like blood does kinda ruin it.

Oh, yeah, and Lucy. Pixar is actually fairly good at that. Rewatch all three Toy Story films with the knowledge that the trilogy is actually about mortality.

[WhenRabbitsAttack]

the end of braveheart- sort of cliche for sadi endingd but still- is the one (and i mean the one) movie ending that really, truly made me want to cry. i generally can't cry at even the saddest movies because i know that they're just a picture on a screen, but defiant till the end, really.... T-T

[eltoroguaco]

I didn't react much the first time I saw the movie (at 13), but re-watching it at 18, I cried at three points. I mentioned the first two because they were more "ending-ish".
[spoiler]Gandalf falling was the first, even though I knew he'd return in the second movie. And yes, it wasn't so much his "death" as it was his friends' reactions.

I see what you mean. Most people I know agree with you about the Borimir scene. I guess I'm a bit unusual for not responding to it XP Though, it's a long time since I saw those movies.

About the pixar thing. If there's one thing Pixar is good at, it's plot and morals. Every pixar movies got a major theme that might not be seen by kids during their first watch, but is clear to the adults. I guess this is why their movies are touching and good for all ages.

[Matt]

To each their own. In Titanic, the scene that got me was the orchestra's last song, not anything about the romance (I'm almost completely numb to romance in movies--and in real life, for that matter).

Oh man. I just watched through Elfen Lied again. It's probably one of the better ones I've seen. Not even the flopped voice acting ruined it (though it certainly tried).

SPOILER! :

Even at their most subtle, the Japanese still are pretty obvious, aren't they? Female figure at the door, Nyu's favorite clock tolling (pointed out by Kouta), close-up of Nyu's seashell.

Two things to say about that anime:
1. Why in the world is that ending song so happy?
2. Protip: watch Elfen Lied in Japanese.

[eltoroguaco]

when it comes to boats that sinks, I'm more sad on "Boat that rocked" than on "Titanic".

[Outcast]

Protip: watch Elfen Lied in Japanese.

I can never seem to remember subs.

Jin Roh: Wolf Brigade

I'm going to have to agree now that I finally saw the movie.

[angelika28970]

angel beats

[Black_Shaggie]

I remember this older anime called Perfect Blue. It was about a pop star in Japan who decided to get into acting. Long story short, thing go bad for her as an amateur actress (takes some seedy roles & winds up in some pretty compromising situations...one scene that was a portrayal of violent crime actually became that crime when the leading man and stage hands took advantage of her). Meanwhile her manager...who's obsessed with her pop star persona...goes batty, dresses up like her & tries to kill her. The crazy thing is, the pop star/actress was actually having a nervous breakdown at the same time because of the traumatic things that had happened to her once she decided to start acting.

In the end, the manager winds up falling to her death chasing the star in her old stage costume (which didn't fit because she was fat & the start was petite) & it was sad because. The star saw the manager as she was before all the 'mature' roles...a innocent pop idol..that mocked the tragedy of her life. Fighting through the crazy, she faces her manager/self & survives. But after here manager dies & she become a legitimate actress...yo can still see the sadness & scars left from her very difficult path to stardom.

[Delphinus]

^ Satoshi Kon is the director. He's my favourite anime director. He died around my birthday a year or so ago. :'(

[eltoroguaco]

ok I've changed my mind. Saddest ending in Lord of the Rings is definitely the very end.

SPOILER! :

Where Frodo, Gandalf, Bilbo and the elves goes on the ship to leave middle earth. It's not bad sad, more like beautiful sad. Peter Jackson made a great job illustrating that scene from Tolken's Book. Haven't read the book, but imagine it's even more touching there.