Did the ending make anyone else cry? *Spoilers*
Especially when you realize the truth of what happened to Simon. I seriously started tearing up. The end scene with the husband in the kids' room was a nice touch, though.
Elphaba lives!
Yeah, it's a geniunely moving moment. Partly because there's no music to distract us or tell us how we should feel- just the cold, silent realization of the truth... the scene speaks for itself. Then there's Rueda's performance which is raw and believable- potent with grief and guilt. We know how she's feeling because we've seen the whole story's events entirely from her perspective.
shareYes. I have never cried so much at a horror (well, ghost story) movie.
Indulging in the Alternative, since 1994
I went with a certain group of friends, who are the "loud" types and always have something to say or laugh about while a movie is playing---and when the scene came where you finally realized what really happened, they were DEAD silent. The whole theater was dead silent. My heart sank when Laura had the flashbacks of a "thump" sound, and then we see the broken stair railing, with something on the floor below it. I swear, her screams gave me terrible chills---and I don't get chills easily. It was so heart-breaking, yet it was even more horrifying (for me, at least). I really thought that was a bold move from the director/writer. I never saw it coming.
And that scene before last with Laura telling the Peter Pan story to the children (with Simon), and then the last scene with the father was the PERFECT touch. It left me not feeling so sad lol But MAN, I feel terrible for that father. His wife AND his kid? Wow.
•¤ What can the damned really say to the damned? ¤•
The Peter Pan story made you feel better? It sure didn't for me. I thought Laura was still alive, she was just having one of her daydreams again with the children, but I know Simon was dead for sure.
Then the grave appears with Laura's name and suddenly I realize what really happened. Laura died overdosing on pills. Dam, I cried even harder. Great directing!!!
Certainty of death, small chance of success... What are we waiting for? - Gimli
Lol wow, that sucks you didn't realize what had happened. For me though, it was obvious before it even happened that Laura dying/killing herself would be the route to go. There was no way she would have been able to live without Simon.
With the Peter Pan story---it's the SCENE that it was in that made me feel better (with her telling it to Simon and all the other children), along with the ending scene that followed. She found her own happiness in the whole situation by being able to be with her son, and her son being able to be with his mother (even if it was in death). Death in this film doesn't necessarily mean "the end"; it just takes you to another realm. And with what the other children went through with being poisoned by the nanny (and Tomas drowning), they got they're own little happy ending as well by being able to be taken care of by Laura in a maternal kind of way. None of them ended up alone; they all ended up together, and looked pretty darn happy from what I could see.
Then the ending scene tied in perfectly with it, with the husband finding Laura's necklace (which she said she'd return to him once she found Simon), and the doors in front of him open while he looks up with a smile. Laura let him know she's finally with Simon---which was all she ever wanted. That's worth feeling better about
•¤ What can the damned really say to the damned? ¤•
God yes, I cried like a baby, you can usually see a twist coming from a mile away, but I didn't with this film. It's a long time since I have seen it but I remember the realisation coming as a complete shock, brilliant film.
shareI know---you would have never guessed that was the ultimate revelation we were all waiting for. It was a bold move. Applause for whoever thought of it
•¤ What can the damned really say to the damned? ¤•
" Partly because there's no music to distract us or tell us how we should feel- just the cold, silent realization of the truth... the scene speaks for itself. "
Very true, this is characteristic for European cinema in general as well.
"What If" is a game for scholars.
Timothy Dalton, The Lion in Winter (1968)