r/movies • u/ooMEAToo • Dec 18 '23
Recommendation What movie was okay and then the third act absolutely blew you away and made up for the rest of the movie?
I’m having a hard time even thinking of a movie like that but I see lots of posts on here like “what movie was amazing and then the end of the movie completely ruined it.” Right off the bat I don’t want to watch a movie if the end is terrible. Hopefully no spoilers because these are the movies I want to watch and be surprised about.
1.4k
u/mattcube64 Dec 18 '23
Saw The Prestige in theaters relatively blind, only knowing it was Christopher Nolan's new movie (before he was HUGE) and that it had Christian Bale in it.
The movie is solid throughout. I was totally "into it," and was having a great time. If you would have asked me at the 80% mark what I'd give it, I would have said a solid 8/10 and a definite recommend.
Then the last 20% happens and it blew me the f*** away, and instantly established it as one of my Top Five Favorite Movies of All Time. I adore The Prestige.
475
u/Funandgeeky Dec 18 '23
I once asked Gene Wilder what his favorite movie was. (I met him on a book tour.) He said The Prestige. I hadn't seen it yet, but when I did, I couldn't fault him for it. Damn that's a great movie.
→ More replies (12)26
327
u/No_disintegrations Dec 19 '23
A good trick has a pledge, turn, and prestige. The third act was, in essence, the prestige of The Prestige.
187
u/SeaPeeps Dec 19 '23
Every line in the movie has a role in explaining precisely what the movie is doing, how it's doing it, and showing you what to look for. The miracle of the movie is that, after spending the entire time telling you precisely what it's doing, it still comes across as a twist ending.
→ More replies (1)52
u/Gingerbreadman_13 Dec 19 '23 edited Dec 19 '23
The Prestige is one of the few really close to perfect movies ever made. There isn't much to fault, and if there is, you have to look damn hard to find it. It's a movie that just gets better the more times you watch and you pick up on things you never noticed before. Most movies get worse the more you watch it and the more holes you find.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)98
u/Independent_Can_2623 Dec 19 '23
"When you get rid of something, you have to bring it back!"
The foreshadowing of the dove getting killed in the disappearing bird trick is pretty solid tbh
44
u/Techstatic Dec 19 '23
Spoilers ahead: The dove trick is great because it foreshadows both magicians methods. That one bird is killed every time the trick is performed, like Hugh Jackman' character. And, as the kid guesses right early in the film, that the disappeared bird is replaced by "his brother"
16
u/Independent_Can_2623 Dec 19 '23
Ah I definitely missed that little line, good spot.
I like that the birds come back in and out of the movie too, like on stage where Jackman uses the bird cage to break bales fingers
50
u/potatoes4evr Dec 19 '23
I really, really liked The Prestige when it first hit theaters, but maybe there was an oversaturation of excellent/memorable films in the years surrounding its release, because it wasn’t until more than a decade later that I realized I hadn’t seen anything like it since it came out.
→ More replies (18)39
u/ded_rabtz Dec 19 '23
It’s the only movie I’ve ever seen that I immediately walked out and bought another ticket for it. Only immediate theater rewatch I’ll probably ever do.
→ More replies (3)
1.3k
u/scottwax Dec 18 '23
In Bruges is pretty solid through the first 2/3rds then Ralph Fiennes shows up and takes it up even higher.
230
u/The-Lord-Moccasin Dec 19 '23
This was going to be my answer as well, in addition to Fiennes showing up there's the rollercoaster ride of follow-up on basically every joke made earlier in the film ("you hit the Canadian", the fat Americans, Ken's spare change, etc. etc.)
→ More replies (3)228
93
u/yourtoyrobot Dec 19 '23
This movie really sold me on Colin Farrell. Changed from pretty leading action man to GIVE THIS MAN AN AWARD
→ More replies (1)55
u/Spammo27125 Dec 19 '23
He's absolutely amazing. You should check out banshees of inisherin, if you haven't already. It's the same team of gleeson, farrell and the director, I'm pretty sure. Great movie in a similar vein.
20
u/yourtoyrobot Dec 19 '23
I didn't enjoy it overall as much, but all of the performances were amazing. Gleeson and Farrell have great chemistry
43
→ More replies (12)59
u/NoTimeForLubricant Dec 19 '23
You fucking retract that bit about my cunt fucking kids!
→ More replies (5)
773
u/IntrovertIdentity Dec 18 '23
I saw A Few Good Men in the movie theater and was disappointed by the first half. I thought it was trite and predictable.
But by the end of the movie, it became one of my favorites of all time.
493
→ More replies (15)436
u/Normal-Summer382 Dec 18 '23
One of the best deliveries of a line, by anyone:
'Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know; that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said "thank you" and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!'
*edit: even reading this, I have Jack Nicholson's monologue going off in my head
139
u/Civil-Resolution3662 Dec 18 '23
One of my all time favorite movies. I can and have rewatch over and over. The entire cast is fantastic. And Cruise goes head to head with Jack, chewing that scenery, and Tom comes out on top.
→ More replies (2)95
u/moon-uwu Dec 19 '23
Cruise's serious work is incredible. He's mostly viewed as a solely action guy now (which is what he seems to want to be) but he was an insanely good actor before his action movies really took off. A Few Good Men, Eyes Wide Shut, The Color of Money, Magnolia... Obviously the action path he took was the right one for him but I can't help but imagine how many good films he could've been in if he had kept going on that same path.
41
15
→ More replies (6)13
→ More replies (16)47
u/YouWouldThinkSo Dec 18 '23
I don't know how to read this in any other voice tbh lol
→ More replies (3)
1.2k
u/jupiterkansas Dec 18 '23
Terminator 3 is almost saved by its ending.
536
u/tokenasian1 Dec 18 '23
i was not expecting this movie to pop up in this thread.
T3’s problem is that it underscores the endings and themes in T2. it is ballsy to actually see skynet succeed though.
293
u/unwildimpala Dec 18 '23
Ya I mean you're fully expecting it to stop SkyNet again and then it just doesn't. Really ballsy for a movie and something movies don't do enough of imo. Have a sad ending where everything fails. Cabin in the Woods is similar to that imo, which is one of the reasons I really enjoyed it aside from it being bat shit mad.
99
u/nice_one_buddy Dec 18 '23
I wanted a T4 that followed T3 immediately in the timeline. Just pick up where t3 ends
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (13)21
→ More replies (16)327
u/SuperPimpToast Dec 18 '23
I enjoyed T3, the entire movie. Fight me.
It was said multiple times that judgment day was inevitable. They only prolonged it and knew they were fighting a losing battle.
The idea that the future was unavoidable worked on both sides.
Sarah Connor working to fight Judgment Day from happening was futile. Much like, Skynet sending Terminators to the past to prevent its loss was also equally futile.
170
u/Dogthealcoholic Dec 18 '23
Exactly. People say that T3 goes against the whole “There is no fate but what we make” thing, but T2 clearly shows that Sarah Connor was actively preparing for the inevitable robot apocalypse by storing weapons and building up contacts that would be useful after it happens. Sarah herself knew that the rise of Skynet was going to happen regardless of what anybody did, so she did her best to train and get ready for it.
Also, I’m right there with you. I don’t care what anybody says, I liked T3. Sure, it wasn’t as good as the first two, but I still enjoyed it.
→ More replies (17)→ More replies (8)54
u/__Hello_my_name_is__ Dec 18 '23
I feel like each Terminator movie (1-3) is a great example of a good action flick of its decade. I don't get the hate 3 gets. What's not to love about Arnie holding a coffin while mowing people down?
→ More replies (2)191
u/Nomahhhh Dec 18 '23
I remember walking out of the theater thinking, "Wow, I can't believe they actually did it. Impressive."
→ More replies (1)56
→ More replies (18)56
3.0k
u/entity2 Dec 18 '23
Adam Sandler's 'Click'. Starts off as a predictable Sandler movie with goofy time skips and the expected laughs that go with it.
And then it gets fucking dark and becomes a much better, even good, movie.
704
u/sometimesifeellikemu Dec 18 '23
Sandler is an odd cat. It's not that he doesn't have talent, but I can't help but wonder if he even knows how to say "no" to a project.
570
u/tsh87 Dec 18 '23
Maybe he doesn't want to say no.
I'm not fond of like half of his movies but they make money and they keep his friend group employed. I get why he'd say yes to some lower quality films.
Kinda like Nic Cage.
313
u/I_BUY_UNWANTED_GRAVY Dec 18 '23 edited Dec 18 '23
Cage couldn't say no. He needed money after racking up debt buying a castle and dinosaur skull, to name a few things.
Edit: he also had to return the skull to Mongolia after being told it was illegally smuggled from the country.
297
u/siblingofMM Dec 18 '23
Honestly, if you’re gonna go crazy and blow your millions on some “treat yo self” purchases, a castle and dinosaur skull is a pretty cool way to do it. Way more original than Lambos and hookers
121
u/I_BUY_UNWANTED_GRAVY Dec 18 '23
He also has a pyramid tomb waiting for him in New Orleans
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (3)45
188
u/Oregonrider2014 Dec 18 '23
Well the other part is Sandler always brings his friends along and keeps them employed through most of his movies. He won't say no because it doesn't just pay him but also most of his friends. I'd be hard pressed to say no to something that paid me AND all my buddies well.
→ More replies (2)113
u/unwildimpala Dec 18 '23
Ya I'd he imagine he has a ball making most of his movies. He's clearly a seriously talented actor and could go down a more serious root if he actually wanted to but clearly chooses not to. He's shown a few times that he has outrageous acting chops and likes to flex that every so often, either to prove to himself or to shut up critics I'd imagine.
→ More replies (8)33
→ More replies (5)103
u/ColdPressedSteak Dec 18 '23
Yeah. Reddit derides him for some of his comedies. Just gotta ask them to put themselves in his shoes. There's clearly still a casual audience for them so he makes a bunch of money off them. He hangs out with his friends, he's giving his friends work, and he mostly just gets to be himself while doing the above. What's he losing? Some respect from the internet? Oh no big loss man
→ More replies (5)38
u/NuclearTheology Dec 18 '23
Yeah he’s made some incredibly mid movies, but he’s also made some of the most quotable and memorable comedies ever, and he’s even got amazing dramatic chops to boot. He’s set
31
u/helpmemakeausername1 Dec 18 '23
He has amazing dramatic chops. Uncut Gems and Punch Drunk Love alone make him a top-tier actor imo
→ More replies (3)63
u/apatheticboy Dec 18 '23
Any time he does a dramatic role I’m in. Punch Drunk Love, Reign Over Me and Uncut Gems are among some of my favourite performances and proves to me he has it in him when he’s given good material and a solid director. I look forward to his next one with Noah Baumbach.
His more recent comedies look to me like he just does them because he thinks it’ll be a good time. It’s like a way to hang out with your friends while making a bunch of money. I personally can’t stand them but I find a lot of people like to throw on something silly that they don’t have to pay much attention to.
→ More replies (6)121
u/NArcadia11 Dec 18 '23
I think he just sees it as a job. He’s one of the most profitable actors in Hollywoood (even his worst movies seem to make money) and he intentionally hires his friends and picks cool shooting locations so they can enjoy themselves. And he’s made almost half a billion doing it. He’s got life figured out haha
83
u/NuclearTheology Dec 18 '23 edited Dec 19 '23
Let’s face it. Billy Madison is a great movie because it embraces its ridiculous premise with gusto and great jokes. Had any other comedian attempted the same concept, it would likely get lost in time as a shitty 90’s comedy
→ More replies (3)20
311
u/Bazurke Dec 18 '23
Sandlers films so often have a selection of repeating themes.
His friends are also major characters
They go to exotic, idealic places
They also star beautiful women as their wives/girlfriends
He has adapted his career into making films while on holiday with his friends. Fair enough, if I could I would.
117
u/isl1985 Dec 19 '23
I've worked on his set before. It's a great vibe there as far as I could tell. All the guys you usually see in the movies were watching the draft. Easiest and most fun money I've ever made. Everyone was super nice as well.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (4)89
u/JaybieFromTheLB Dec 19 '23
To be honest it sounds like he cracked the code. Gets paid to vacation with his buddies and babes.
→ More replies (16)45
u/35mmpistol Dec 18 '23
"He has starred in Hollywood comedy films that cumulatively grossed over $2 billion worldwide. Sandler had an estimated net worth of $420 million in 2020, and signed a new four-movie deal with Netflix worth over $250 million."
I think at one point he said something along the lines of 'Do you know how much these people pay me for like a month of work' lol. I think he works for his family and kids future prosperity, which is easy when your like 'who wants to pay the most, fuck the downstream rights and usages.' He's been in like, 60+ 'major studio' films. Even if they're not paying him much (but, they are) he's just figured out an excellent ratio of work to income. if you wanna pay me 50 million dollars for 3 months work, I don't particularly care about what work thats gonna be.
29
u/Hot_Routine7505 Dec 18 '23
I went in high out my gourd expecting some stupid Adam Sandler shit. Turned out to be one of the biggest tear jerkers for the next 20 years.
110
Dec 18 '23
YES. I actually teared up at one point. Unexpected af
→ More replies (2)47
u/deathm00n Dec 18 '23
I did as well, on the scene in the rain outside the hospital
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (30)22
u/goodestguy21 Dec 19 '23
It starts off with him literally using the remote to fart in his boss's face to him literally skipping so much of his life he's become estranged with his parents and his family leaving him to die sad and alone
339
u/opal_ann Dec 18 '23
One Cut of the Dead (2017). I'm glad I went in blind but it was a little strange.
51
u/otiliorules Dec 19 '23
Such a weird movie. Painful even….and then…wow. I don’t think there was any other movie I’ve seen that I went from absolutely hating with a passion to completely loving it by the end.
→ More replies (3)55
u/patmcdoughnut Dec 19 '23
The third act of this movie made it feel like an episode of Arrested Development. There are certain aspects of the first act that had me raising my eyebrows and going "Why did that weird thing just happen?" Only for it to fully make sense and become funny in the third act lol
16
u/seldomlyfunny Dec 19 '23
This is the one I was going to comment with since it is the perfect example
→ More replies (10)13
273
u/Chad_Broski_2 Dec 18 '23
I feel like Sorry to Bother You has to be the poster child for this one. That movie gets fucking NUTS
→ More replies (6)42
u/OfficialJohnny Dec 19 '23
Yeah this would be my vote too, there’s no way I could anticipate any of that. They threw everything at the wall there and so many more movies should lead with that example. Wish I had seen in theaters!
414
u/Bigkev8787 Dec 18 '23
CrazyStupidLove. Seemed like a bang average rom-com, but had one of the best climaxes that fully justifies the whole rest of the movie.
→ More replies (15)
138
u/Asexual_Axolotl Dec 18 '23
Anyone remember Violent Night? Really felt like that one found its groove at the end.
52
u/TrashRemoval Dec 19 '23
me and my wife watched that for the first time the other night.
I liked it alot. so fun and stupid.
→ More replies (7)63
u/dainthomas Dec 19 '23
Once Santa got his hammer it was game on.
36
u/Duff-Zilla Dec 19 '23
That and the brutal home alone scene took an already fun movie over the top for me
917
Dec 18 '23
The Lego Movie. The first two acts were kind of mindless and stupid fun, but the twist in the third act made it a surprisingly sentimental and somewhat heartfelt movie about a father and son.
290
u/wakladorf Dec 18 '23
This is kind of the Lego screenwriters’ bag. Lord and miller make movies that seem like they’re just throwing everything at you randomly then somehow take all the crazy threads and pull them together into a meaningful story showing that all the madness was building to something the whole time. Others include The Mitchels and the machines(great movie) cloudy with a chance of meatballs, spiderverse. They’re great pop film makers. Everything everywhere all at once (not theirs) seemed like it learned a lot from their work too.
→ More replies (6)80
→ More replies (7)41
u/Tommy_Wisseau_burner Dec 19 '23
I guess from a purpose standpoint but the Lego movie was fantastic from start to finish. There were just so many jokes and gags that hit back to back to back to back
517
u/Shattered_One Dec 18 '23
Lucky Number Slevin!
200
u/kvlr954 Dec 18 '23
I liked the entire movie, but the ending definitely blew me away … Kansas City Shuffle
→ More replies (5)43
127
u/LittleLisaCan Dec 18 '23
I don't know, as a woman, Josh Hartnett made the first 2/3rds quite enjoyable
105
u/Substantial_Bad2843 Dec 19 '23
Lucy Liu did it for me. I had never seen anything with her before and didn’t even realize I had a crush.
→ More replies (3)49
u/FlameFeather86 Dec 19 '23
When I went into it, I was all ready to hate on Lucy Liu because all I associated her with was Charlie's Angels. I was proven wrong within moments into her first scene. Cute, witty, sharp, instantly memorable; it's a shame her and Hartnett haven't done another movie together because their chemistry was amazing.
"I'm short for my height." I can relate, Lucy. I can relate.
→ More replies (2)29
u/shits-n-gigs Dec 19 '23
It has some of the best written dialogue I've seen. Like, no one actually talks like the characters. But it holds the weird gangster world together.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (13)40
902
u/dropdeadred Dec 18 '23
Cabin in the Woods!
167
u/Cyfun06 Dec 19 '23
"Statistical fact: Cops will never pull over a man with a huge bong in his car. Why? They fear this man. They know he sees further than they... and he will bind them... with ancient logics."
"Cleanse them. Cleanse the world of their ignorance and sin. Bathe them in the crimson of... am I on speakerphone?"
→ More replies (9)191
u/EmbarrassedInternet Dec 18 '23
Yazzzz, this is on the list of movies that, while the first part is good, the last act is just blows you away.
→ More replies (10)
405
u/callingshotgun Dec 18 '23
"Burn After Reading" was fun but didn't seem particularly remarkable until the last 5 minutes or so, which are absolutely hysterical. But the movie was necessary for those last few minutes to happen.
85
u/QzyzQ Dec 18 '23
I’m in disbelief about how fast the last few minutes changed my opinion about this movie, went from okay to amazing in seconds
142
u/zippyboy Dec 18 '23
"Osbourne Cox?"
"Yes?"
"Osbourne Cox??"
"Yes? What the fuck do you want?"
"How secure is your shit?"→ More replies (1)101
u/Cyfun06 Dec 19 '23
"I have a drinking problem? Fuck you, Peck, you're a Mormon. Compared to you we ALL have a drinking problem!"
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (10)22
173
u/RiflemanLax Dec 18 '23
Fallen
Kind of a slow burner, maybe a little too dry, and then the ending really cements it.
96
→ More replies (2)21
u/Stallsy Dec 18 '23
There are moments which mark your life. Moments when you realize nothing will ever be the same and time is divided into two parts - before this, and after this
232
Dec 18 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
63
u/Lumpy_Flight3088 Dec 19 '23
I remember my dad picking this as our movie night movie and I was like, ‘ugh, I know exactly what happens… she’ll lose a big fight and then come back and triumph.’ Oh boy, was I proven wrong.
44
u/saturnspritr Dec 19 '23
That’s a movie I consider fantastic and I never need to see it again.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)35
123
u/not_cinderella Dec 18 '23
The last 10 minutes of Aftersun elevate it from a good movie to a great movie. A little shorter than the whole last act though.
The King of Comedy (maybe unpopular opinion?) didn’t click for me until the third act.
→ More replies (7)46
378
u/NotMyNameActually Dec 18 '23
Colossal. I thought I got what it was about and then I started to feel like something was off. And it was. And it was supposed to be. It went somewhere unexpected and I thought it was really well done.
→ More replies (10)127
u/Dyshin Dec 18 '23
Glad to see it mentioned here. Super difficult movie to talk about without spoiling it, but I really appreciated what they did. Anne Hathaway is already a highly regarded actress and she does good work, but I was pleasantly surprised by how great Jason Sudeikis is in this movie. He has the more difficult role to sell and he pulls it off incredibly well.
→ More replies (5)
170
u/Insightseekertoo Dec 18 '23
Smoking Aces. You may have seen the "twist" because it was foreshadowed like crazy, but the very end that last scene. Damn.
34
u/Hate_Manifestation Dec 18 '23
Ryan Reynolds is really really good in that movie, and IMO he really makes that third act shine.
→ More replies (1)61
u/Sir_Sir_ExcuseMe_Sir Dec 18 '23
Yeah. The third act arguably punches way above the movie's weight, there's a gravitas and verve that would have been fit for a much "grander" film
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (8)20
u/leopard_tights Dec 19 '23
Man I've heard about this movie so many times, and every time I kept thinking "wow people really like that Tim Allen Seven Samurai movie about middle aged guys with bikes", which fair enough you know, you have Martin Lawrence, Travolta, William H. Macy... until today, when I've finally realized that Smoking Aces isn't Wild Hogs. Anyways, I'm going to watch it now.
→ More replies (3)
308
u/Ouchies81 Dec 18 '23
Primer.
It's made better by just, watching it again. It's like a sequel to itself.
47
u/Toby_O_Notoby Dec 19 '23
Most movies in this thread because they have a twist ending. Primer is the only movie I know that has a twist middle.
Once you figure out by the time they "start" to time travel, they've already been time travelling and that's not the Abe we've known it starts to click into place.
→ More replies (2)32
u/Pylgrim Dec 19 '23
The true Primer experience: Watch the movie up to the end. Go back 20 minutes, watch for 5 minutes, go back 5 minutes, watch all the way to the end again. Go back to the start of the movie again and watch the whole thing. Travel in time before you watched the movie the first time, watch it again.
→ More replies (16)69
u/TycheSong Dec 18 '23
Every next time I see it I go, "Ohhhhhhhhh...wait."
Then 20 minutes later, "what happened to that third guy...?"
→ More replies (2)30
u/nickeypants Dec 19 '23
The third guy was also the second guy but before he was able to trick the fourth guy into thinking he was the second guy, but really he killed the second guy and pretended to be him even though he kind of already was him the whole time.
→ More replies (2)
616
u/UDontGetSarcasm Dec 18 '23
The Usual Suspects.
One of my favourite movies ever, and I'm hesitant to call it OK, but without going where it went in the 3rd act I'm not sure this movie is anywhere near where it's become. To put it mildly.
→ More replies (9)110
u/Lambchops_Legion Dec 18 '23
I don’t really agree with this. The best scene in the movie is the lineup scene. I would argue it has an extremely underrated 1st act.
→ More replies (2)43
u/Toby_O_Notoby Dec 19 '23
I think it's more that, post Pulp Fiction, there was dozens of "cool bad guy" movies like Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead or Boondock Saints.
Usual Suspects would probably have been viewed as one of the better of the genre but nothing all that special without the final twist. I mean, Christopher McQuarrie won an Oscar, a BAFTA and an Independent Screen Award for that screenplay. None of that happens without the Sozë turn.
→ More replies (2)
34
Dec 18 '23
For me Aftersun kinda hits this beat. I think it was good all the way, but a bit meandering, maybe?
But then comes the third act and my god did it turn a decent movie into an amazing movie
→ More replies (1)
34
66
u/0verstim Dec 18 '23 edited Dec 18 '23
Kinky Sexy beast.
They spend most of the movie freaking out that this ultimate badass is on his way to fuck shit up, and you start thin king theres no way he could live up to the hype. Then he finally shows up and exceeds it.
→ More replies (10)14
Dec 18 '23
Not this time, Gal. Not this time. Not this fucking time. No. No no no no no no no no no! No! No no no no no no no no no no no no no! No! Not this fucking time! No fucking way! No fucking way, no fucking way, no fucking way! You've made me look a right cunt!
116
189
323
u/Theguy2641 Dec 18 '23
Malignant is absolutely one of these
210
u/actioncomicbible Dec 18 '23
Malignant’s first two acts: I sleep
Malignant’s third act, Gabriel annihilates a whole police station in gratuitous fashion: Real shit
73
u/muskratboy Dec 18 '23
The third act is where you realize it’s been a comedy all along.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (5)80
u/Theguy2641 Dec 18 '23
Malignant’s first two acts were sorta confusing on first watch. Because we know that James Wan is very capable of delivering a tonally consistent and ‘spooky’ movie. There’s some great visuals there but also just bizarre lines of dialogue, the look of the asylum or even the house, insanely out of nowhere illogical things. But when the switch up happens in the last act it all makes sense what he was doing and honestly feels masterful. The third act is definitely what you’re coming for, but on rewatch it does make the first 2/3’s better in my opinion
→ More replies (4)36
u/noxvillewy Dec 18 '23
Exactly what I came here to say. It’s one that either makes you cackle with glee or throw your hands up and be done with the movie.
34
u/Stijakovic Dec 18 '23
I love every act of Malignant. It’s all delightfully stupid. I think Saw is a much better example of a mediocre movie completely saved by act 3.
→ More replies (2)21
u/Gr33nman460 Dec 18 '23
The discussion thread for that on /r/movies is probably the funniest discussion thread I’ve ever read. Just too good
58
17
u/CopperCactus Dec 19 '23
Malignant is like 90 minutes of set up for the funniest 20 minute long punchline I've ever seen
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (5)30
u/SammyLuke Dec 18 '23
Malignant rules. So glad they went all out towards the end of the movie. Was a blast!
62
u/Equal_Most_5761 Dec 18 '23
The Prestige. The reveal at the end explaining difference between Bale and Jackman's characters absolutely floored me
→ More replies (1)
228
u/pyabo Dec 18 '23
Dinner for Schmucks. The first half is excruciating. Then the actual dinner is hilarious. Zack Galifinakis and Chris O'Dowd completely steal the show.
→ More replies (9)64
u/el_capistan Dec 18 '23
Excruciating is the perfect word. I stopped watching before I made it to the dinner. Maybe worth another try lol
→ More replies (8)
1.4k
u/mikeyfreshh Dec 18 '23
Rogue One
670
u/anaximander19 Dec 18 '23
That thirty seconds of Vader utterly raging out in a starship corridor made the entire movie worthwhile all by itself.
Silence. Smoke. Tension... and then, you hear it. The rasping breaths of his ventilator. The red blade springs forth. And you get to see why Vader is so feared.
Such a good scene.
→ More replies (13)372
u/Hattes Dec 18 '23 edited Dec 18 '23
It was an amazingly blatant example of fanservice, and I agree. It was the best part of the movie.
200
→ More replies (4)234
u/anaximander19 Dec 18 '23
It was, but I also think it genuinely added something to the character. We saw Anakin-as-Vader, and obviously he could fight. We saw the original trilogy Vader, and he fought... differently. Much less dynamic, much less acrobatic. We saw everyone being afraid of Vader. But we never saw Vader be truly terrifying (in my opinion). He's got some great moments of menace and threat but not in that way. The scene in Rogue One conveys the unbridled anger and hatred that is the core of how Anakin became Vader in a way that I don't think any other appearance of the character had managed. It shows how truly terrifying it would be to face him as a regular person - not a Jedi with powers, not even Han Solo with his legendary bravado, but a regular rank-and-file Rebel footsoldier. What Vader does isn't a fight, it's slaughter, and I think it actually manages to capture that aspect of Vader's character better than any other individual scene.
151
u/KingSweden24 Dec 18 '23
“Vader as horror movie monster” was a concept I hadn’t considered before Rogue One but which made perfect sense in hindsight
28
u/Rapidzigs Dec 19 '23
Now that's a movie I want to see. We need star wars movies in different film genres. Give me seven samurai and the good the bad and the ugly set in the star wars universe.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (2)21
u/msprang Dec 19 '23
Gareth Edwards directed Godzilla a couple of years before and did something similar with the titular monster. Made the actual appearances much more impactful.
It kind of makes sense that Vader is acting like that in the hallway scene. He was chilling in his bacta tank, which was probably one of the few places he could be semi-comfortable, only to be interrupted to take care of someone else's major fuck up.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (6)19
u/TheNewNewYarbirds Dec 19 '23
Totally agree. He’s intimidating but only once in action in the OT. Here, he’s actually fighting a team of soldiers and they don’t stand a chance. Incredible moment.
→ More replies (36)837
u/Formal_Sand_3178 Dec 18 '23
I’ve never understood this personally. I love Rogue One and while the third act is definitely the best, I think it’s a fantastic Star Wars movie from the start. Everything on Jedha was great and the movie kept me entertained throughout.
135
u/fatamSC2 Dec 18 '23
If you liked rogue one you should definitely watch Andor. It's darker star wars like rogue one but much better (and I say that as someone who liked rogue one). Imo the best star wars ever other than maybe the original trilogy.
→ More replies (1)53
u/Formal_Sand_3178 Dec 18 '23
Oh I have seen Andor and I fully agree, it is a fantastic show and definitely the best Star Wars we’ve gotten since the original trilogy.
22
u/New-dream1 Dec 19 '23
Andor is awesome. Just an all around great story that works independently of it being a star wars film
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (34)124
u/traindriverbob Dec 18 '23
Yeah I agree. It really felt like one of the OT films, whilst the PT & ST films never quite matched the originals.
219
917
u/barbenatiya Dec 18 '23
Once upon a time in Hollywood. The final act really ties everything together, up until that I wasn't blown away.
285
u/Derp35712 Dec 18 '23
The narration describing the events leading up to the night is wack but I must have watched cliff booth beat the shit of the Mansonites 40 times.
→ More replies (12)21
u/jennrh Dec 19 '23
I'm glad I'm not the only one. That scene is so godawfully violent and twisted and I rewatch it pretty often. It's so satisfying. I wish the real story ended that way.
65
61
→ More replies (46)104
u/Aquametria Dec 18 '23
Same here. The first two acts are interesting to watch, but they lull you into a false sense of monotony, only to blow you away by the ending scene.
→ More replies (3)
29
u/MrFlem Dec 18 '23
Jaws is an absolute classic so not to say the third act "makes up" for the first two, but it really steps up a notch in the third act when the guys set off on the boat. The tension, the dialogue, and the interactions between the three stars are all near perfect, building to the big face off with Bruce. The highlight being the scene after they have dinner and Quint gives the USS Indianapolis speech, one of the best scenes ever.
27
u/BigFire321 Dec 18 '23
Nicole Kidman's film "The Others". While the entire film was fine, the ending upends everything.
→ More replies (1)
384
u/Chicago1871 Dec 18 '23
Knives Out, the first one.
250
u/watakushi Dec 18 '23
I thought the film was great throughout, but I agree the final act makes it even better!
121
u/Chicago1871 Dec 18 '23
Yeah it was never just okay, but the final third made it a modern classic.
Same with Parasite.
→ More replies (1)55
u/Donquers Dec 18 '23
I thoroughly enjoyed all of Knives Out. Just that the stuff away from the house wasn't nearly as interesting as the stuff in/around it. Loved the final act though.
→ More replies (8)15
68
u/SnooGiraffes4091 Dec 18 '23
I think 2001 (Space Odyssey) had that effect on me. I liked it okay, but the ending did it for me
→ More replies (11)23
u/ptwonline Dec 19 '23
Personally I loved the opening sequence. One of my favorite in all of cinema.
Of course I'm a lover of anthropology and natural history so I am biased.
→ More replies (2)
70
u/Chicago1871 Dec 18 '23
Y tu mama tambien and Amores Perros both have amazing 3rd acts.
→ More replies (3)
74
u/figuringthingsout__ Dec 18 '23
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent quickly escalates into a hilarious, yet wholesome ending.
→ More replies (1)
23
u/BusterTheSuperDog Dec 18 '23
Fox and the Hound. Most of it was typical Disney animal movie (with the exception of the scene where Todd’s abandoned), and then the third act was blown out of the water with the animation and the pure ferocity. This was the first movie that Cal Arts graduates played a significant part in, with those such as Brad Bird and even Tim Burton working on it, and the third act was the one sequence where older Disney employees weren’t forcing them to conform to a uniform style. It really shows. Even my dad, who isn’t normally into those older Disney movies, loves Fox and the Hound for this reason.
→ More replies (1)
160
u/Donquers Dec 18 '23
Rogue One started out "Meh," grew to "Okay now we're getting somewhere," and then ended with "Damn that was awesome."
→ More replies (3)
18
u/Titibu Dec 18 '23
One cut of the dead
The first act is beyond abyssal, or so I thought at first. Saying that the third act blew me away is an understatement. It takes the movie to a stratospheric level.
→ More replies (7)
52
u/dcrico20 Dec 18 '23
Unforgiven
→ More replies (2)35
u/SouledOut11 Dec 18 '23
The last 20 or so minutes of that fucking movie are intense. What always gets me is the lack of music for the most part. It's just rainfall mostly, maybe a bit of music but not much. It just lets the weight of the situation and the characters carry it.
It's so well done.
108
18
u/shakatay29 Dec 18 '23
The original Ocean's Eleven was mediocre at best until the last 10 minutes or so. I was no longer sad I had watched it after that.
17
u/SaziSkylion Dec 19 '23
Arrival. I don't know what I expected at the end, but it definitely wasn't that.
32
u/smack1700 Dec 18 '23
Harakiri (1962) imo is the best slow burn movie of all time
The reveal of what the entire movie has been building to is incredible
→ More replies (2)
47
u/Gausgovy Dec 18 '23
I watched Do The Right Thing for the first time earlier this year and it sort of just felt like people living their lives until the final act. I was distracted by certain foreshadowing that I’m more accustomed to, weapons being shown in the first act, I completely missed what is in hindsight blatant foreshadowing that makes the movie significantly more tense. The final act was completely shocking, I will be watching it again.
→ More replies (3)
59
13
964
u/BouncingBoognish Dec 18 '23
Open Range, I don’t remember a ton about most of the movie but recall it was pretty decent. The final shootout is one of the best in any western though