Request: Movies with Odd Ending Tags

I came in earlier this morning with the mind to create a thread. Before clicking that lovely lil Post Topic button clicky thing, I thought I might browse the site first. Just in case. I did happen upon ScarletLion's thread titled, "Best closing shots / scene to a film" (here), but after reading through I thought that the ongoing list was a bit too formal for what I'm looking for. So as to not derail that thread, here we are.


What I'm actually looking for are movies that have odd tags at the end. Not so much a formal scene, but some nod or symbolic reference to something whether a direct callback to something in the film, or just a wink (serious winks) to the audience from the director. I think ScarletLion's thread is pretty great btw, but not QUITE where I'm aiming. I'll have to watch the titles everyone has shared there, but I get the vibe those are all going to be scenes that need to exist for the closing of some previously opened theme. I'll be looking more for things like Scorsese's "rat" at the end of The Departed. Though that's borderline camp for what I'm looking for, I can't think of another sample to reference at the moment.

I've never really paid MUCH attention to this and so never made mental notes when they appear, so I would greatly appreciate any thing that comes to mind.

No, this is not a school assignment. But I would like to see how such shots have been used and how/if they connect to the film that they end-cap.

To keep this conversational, I will ask your take on such tags in general. Do they annoy you? Do they resonate with you? I mentioned The Departed. I love this movie and try to watch it at least once every year or two, but that closing shot is almost comical to me and irritates me, if I'm honest. Maybe if it was just the original frame with the lil feller' just scurrying along that we just happen to notice in the background, that might have suited my tastes; but with the zoom (if I'm remembering right) and the musical notes, it was all just too on point and felt forced.

Again, that's the only example that comes to mind. I would really like to see more or at least be reminded of what I've apparently forgotten in other movies. I would also very much like to read you thoughts on this in general, and more specifically your thoughts on such shots ending any titles that you may reference.

Much appreciated for any directional nudging,

- yn.

EDIT:
If I'm using the wrong terminology with "tag," please feel free to correct me. That MIGHT help my google fails here.

Sorry, couldn't resist.
But to answer your question, I think the ending of The Thin Red Line applies, which is a long shot of a single weed sprouting from a sandy beach. My guess is that it represents a single ray of hope in a sprawl of nothingness and despair, sort of like how James Caviezel's dreamer stood out in an army of cynics like Sean Penn's character or company men like Nick Nolte's. I'm okay with endings like this one as long as they don't call so much attention to themselves that they end up being the most memorable thing about the movie and/or what most people who watch it argue about, which seems to be the case with the "rat" ending from The Departed 15 years later.