Neuman’s Movie Monday-Good Movies Disappointing Endings

We look at good movies with endings that weren't necessary bad, just disappointing. Spoilers ahead.

10. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Coming in hot. I have no problem with how the Darth Vader, Luke, Palpatine story line ended. I do have a problem with a bunch of teddy bears defeating the whole Storm Trooper army. They literally used rocks and David-esc slingshots to take down an army of soldiers that are shooting lasers. (Good on you Lucas with those merchandising rights.) All the more proof that the Storm Trooper body armor is completely useless. Say what you want about everyone dancing around, but Force Ghosts of Obi Wan, Yoda, and now Anakin Skywalker doesn't do much for me.

9. Cast Away

All they had to do was show his truck turning around and heading back toward the ranch that he just left and we would have had some symbolism of a good ending. He would have found out what was in the package that kept him alive, he could have found a new love of his life, and we would have gotten a sense that the story had a completion. Instead they just backed and faded out with no resolution.

8. The 6th Sense

It's deemed one of the best plot twists of all time but really... did it have any baring on the rest of the movie? The kid still sees horrific deaths all around him. He'll still be depressed because of his sixth sense. It doesn't help the dead people cope or move on to another plane of existence. Best case scenario is that they can work together for the rest of Cole's life.

7. Pirate Radio

I actually love this movie. Yes, there's a good chance of that because I'm a radio-guy, but I thoroughly enjoy this movie. The problems I have with it involve "insider radio knowledge". They have no one determining how the station is gaining revenue considering they are the most popular underground (or on the water) station. Now in all fairness, this could be done from land considering they have a boat that goes out to Pirate Radio to give them supplies. However, I find it hard to believe that none of their budget is used for boat maintenance. They boat barely moved and the whole thing fell apart. They could still be rocking today. And (I hate saying it) but it would have made more sense if The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman) went down with the ship.

6. Rat Race

Another movie that I really like. It's an underrated comedy and it's as silly as it is ridiculous. Jon Lovitz, John Cleese, and Rowan Atkinson are particularly funny in this movie. The whole story is about a group of billionaires betting on a group racing to a train station in New Mexico where the winner is the first to grab a duffel bag filled with money and the winner keeps it all. I understand that for the screenwriters it would be difficult to choose which one of these lovable losers should be the winner, but for all the money to be donated to a charity in the middle of a 'Smash Mouth' concert (yes you read that correctly) was kind of a lame ending. Still, I think the movie is pretty funny.

5. Grease

Sometimes people have a love/hate situation. The ending of "Grease" is a love/hate/love/hate situation. (Love) It was a good thing that Danny was starting to not be a scummy greaseball kid. He lettered in track and is starting to feel good about himself so he rises up to Sandy's level. (Hate) Sandy sunk to his level now that she is a greaser girl herself. The Pink Ladies aren't even this dark. (Love) 'Your the One that I Want' is a pretty good toe-tapping song that everyone knows. (Hate) THE. CAR. FLIES. AWAY.

4. Shutter Island

Spoiler Alert:  It's him... the whole time... he's figuring out he did it. Can we please stop with this ending?

3. The Big Lewbowski

Maude says it halfway through the movie that Bunny was never kidnapped. There is no ransom. So the nihilists burn The Dude's car because they still want their million dollars. So Walter, Donny and The Dude explain that they will have to take that up with Lebowski. So the nihilists actually say, "So we take the money we have on you and we call it even." HA! They are going to rob them for 22 dollars. A little short of the million they were there to collect. So the Coen brothers distract you from their lame ending by killing off Donny with a heart attack and then everyone shrugs their shoulders, admits The Dude abides and the credits role. Some ending.

2. No Country for Old Men

Again, the Coen brothers do not know how to end a movie. They can make great characters but lame movie endings. Anton is one of the best villains of all time. But there's no country for old men so Ed Tom Bell just stops looking for him. He's too old to find a notorious serial killer so he just ups and retires and cuts to black. ...could ya make an effort? No... then the movie would be called Some Country for Old Men.

1. Fargo

Another Coen brothers movie. Again, like "The Big Lebowski" and "No Country for Old Men", "Fargo" has some great characters. Marge Gunderson and Jerry Lundegaard are great; it's just another distraction ending. You are supposed to be so shocked that Carl's foot sticking out of a wood chipper that you don't realize that the big climax to the movie is Marge shooting a guy in the leg and putting him under arrest. It's super anti-climactic. The only thing that could have made it worse is if a UFO came out of nowhere but I guess the Coen brothers just saved that for the TV show. Again, yes, you read that correctly.