Coldplay: The Scientist

Directed by: Jamie Thraves (What can I say, the guy is a genius)

Chris Martin doing yoga seemed like a lame video at first.

You don’t have to like the band (frankly, I don’t), you don’t even have to like the song (which, oddly, I do), but there is no denying that this is an incredibly powerful video, with an ending that any of us should see coming, yet are too awed by the video to actually foretell. It is also one of those rare cases when you can tell the band really wanted to drive home (pun intended) the message of the song, and used the visuals to really further the story and concept they were selling in the song.

Though MANY music videos have used “rewinding” as a impressive visual feature and part of the story (Pharcyde for the win), the emotion felt here as a result of that “rewinding” is what really sells it. Funny Games, anyone?

I feel a lot worse for the person who flew through the windshield.

Sigur Ros: Glósóli

Directed by Arni & Kinski

If Heaven is real, Sigur Ros film their videos there.

You knew there couldn’t be a twist ending video list without me bringing up Sigur Ros, right?

Besides the one video with Shai LeBeouf’s penis that I wrote about on my site,  they make videos that are about as close to stunning, mini-films as any other band ever. But for me, nothing exemplifies the beauty of their music and the height of their visuals quite like the  Glósóli video. Don’t worry if you can’t understand their lyrics, they are from Iceland, but they sing in their own language, Hopelandish. Yes. I am serious. I know they sound pretentious, and that is because they are, but their music sounds like what flying must feel like, and that is also the theme of this video. That and innocence.

Wow, I must be cutting invisible onions against my will and without a blade again.

I hate when that happens.

Every time I watch this video, it hits me the same. So stunning.

AFI: Silver and Cold

Directed by John Hillcoat

The sadness in his eyes hints that his corset may be too tight.

Please do not mistake this list as “bands that Remy loves” because that is just not the case. ESPECIALLY here.

This is nothing more than an assembled list of videos that have twist endings. I am writing it simply because I have never seen it written anywhere else, and I am a big fan of a well thought out twist. Though the guyliner on display in this video far exceeds a healthy daily exposure to emo guyliner, I still think the irony in this twist ending is nothing short of hilarious. I know, I am insane for enjoying this, but come on??! (Spoilers) They are rushing to save their emo lead singer from tossing himself off a bridge, and in the process of getting to him, they end up killing themselves by getting in a car accident.

There is nothing funny about suicide, but JUMP JUMP JUMP!!!!

The best (and most inexplicable) part? He sees them, all crashed up and dead, and just kind of walks away. So he has friends so concerned with him that they literally die trying to save him. And then you have him, who sees his dead friends and makes nothing of it. Ah, Emo, your scene died off for a reason. Darwinism.

“Hey, maybe if WE die on the way to save him, that will give him some purpose to life, or something??!”

(Dis)Honorable Mentions:

Michael Jackson really IS a monster at the end of Thriller! We call that a visual metaphor.

I bet this EXACTLY how it looked to all those poor, little boys.

What, Carly Rae Jepsen gave her number to a GAY GUY in Call Me, Maybe???!!! That is so kooky!

Katy Perry had been rich and went broke once before in Waking Up In Vegas??!! That doesn’t seem like something a vapid pop star would do AT ALL! WHAT A TWIST!!!!

R Kelly’s Trapped in a…ah, f*ck that guy.