- 5/10/2025
From mind-bending plot twists to philosophical conclusions, these unforgettable movie endings keep viewers coming back for more. Join us as we explore the most thought-provoking final scenes in cinema history that demand multiple viewings to fully appreciate their depth and meaning.
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00:00I see people. They don't know they're dead.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the final scenes that deserve a rewatch for their intriguing, provocative, and or interpretive nature.
00:17Spoilers ahead for the following films.
00:19You shot yourself?
00:21Yes, but it's okay. Marla, look at me. I'm really okay. Trust me.
00:27Number 10. Rosebud. Citizen Kane.
00:31Throughout Orson Welles' debut, everybody wants to know the meaning of the hero's parting words.
00:37The absorbing mystery lingers until one last reveal.
00:41It turns out that Charles Foster Kane was referring to a childhood gift.
00:45This ends up being a heartbreaking twist, making you reconsider the man's tougher exterior.
00:50The surprise feels like a gut punch every time you see it.
01:00If you watch the film again, you can pick up on earlier scenes that hint at his childlike innocence.
01:05Representing everything he lost, the sled might be among the more famous pieces of cinematic symbolism.
01:10Welles encourages you to think much deeper about the title character in a stunning finale.
01:14Number 9. Trying Again.
01:25Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
01:27You might find yourself confused during this sci-fi romance.
01:30Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind does not hold your hand.
01:34Dishing out a complex plot about erasing people from each other's memory.
01:37Thank God.
01:39Someone normal who doesn't know how to interact with these things either.
01:42Yeah.
01:44I don't ever know what to say.
01:47Despite the procedure, Joel and Clementine find each other once again.
01:51They decide to give each other a shot regardless of the outcome.
01:54In this profound ending, the pair shows that there's hope in seemingly hopeless situations.
01:58I can't see anything that I don't like about you.
02:01But you will.
02:01Right now I can't.
02:02I bet you will.
02:04You know, you will think of things.
02:06And I'll get bored with you and feel trapped because that's what happens with me.
02:11Okay.
02:12With the power of love, both main characters take a chance and go to the beach.
02:18Change your heart.
02:22It's the kind of open-ended conclusion that you can experience over and over.
02:26After several viewings, you might come to appreciate this love story even more.
02:30Number 8, You Maniacs, Planet of the Apes.
02:34When Taylor and Nova set their sights on freedom, they find something they never would have guessed.
02:46This sci-fi tale makes you reconsider everything you've seen up to that point.
02:50The hero thinks he's on another planet, but the end says otherwise.
02:54It turns out that the astronaut crash landed on Earth many years in the future.
02:58You maniacs!
03:02You blew it up!
03:04Oh, damn you!
03:06To call it a shocking and devastating conclusion would be an understatement.
03:11Powerful to this day, this finale begs you to watch again to pick up on all of the subtleties.
03:16Planet of the Apes remains a classic to this day for continuing to provoke audiences with its ending.
03:21I'm back.
03:25I'm home.
03:25Number 7, Dust to Dust, Avengers Infinity War.
03:31This climactic MCU adventure ends on a massive question mark.
03:35Rather than giving anyone hope, Infinity War decides to finish on a more lethal note.
03:47Thanos obtains every Infinity Stone and snaps many heroes into dust.
03:51With reaction shots galore, many brave souls like Bucky Barnes and Spider-Man disappear.
03:57I'm so sorry.
04:05It's among the more sad endings in any superhero movie.
04:09Thankfully, the sequel sets everything back to normal and gives the good guys a beautiful send-off.
04:14And I am Iron Man.
04:26In both cases, they're compelling conclusions to a multi-part series.
04:31Fans might still be recovering from this one despite the cathartic reversal in Endgame.
04:35Number 6, The Devil's Greatest Trick, The Usual Suspects.
04:40As Verbal Kint leaves the police station, you wonder if any part of the story will resolve itself.
04:45Agent Kujan then turns to see his bulletin board.
04:48Little do the authorities know that it was all made up, with the writers pulling off a compelling trick.
05:02The villain gets away before anybody can stop him.
05:05I know you're not telling you to say something.
05:06I'm smarter than you.
05:08And I'm going to find out what I want to know, whether you like it or not.
05:10To a cop, the explanation is never that bad.
05:12You know what I'm getting at for all the truth!
05:13It's an ingenious narrative device, culminating in one of the true shocker endings of the 1990s.
05:19You have to commend the writers for making such a bold choice and sticking to it.
05:22It's no wonder that this movie has maintained pop culture status to this day.
05:27Asking you to do the math, this expert wrap-up sends shivers down your spine.
05:32The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.
05:39And like that, he's gone.
05:42Number 5, Forget It, Chinatown.
05:46This neo-noir features a difficult mystery full of complications and shady folks.
05:51Private Eye Jake Giddes thinks that he can help save the day, until bullets ruin everything.
06:01The result is a painful reminder to not meddle in other people's business.
06:06Elevin Mulray and her sister drive away, but the police put a stop to the escape.
06:10Evelyn, you're a disturbed woman, you cannot hope to provide.
06:15Evelyn, put that gun away, let the police handle this.
06:18He owns the police!
06:19It's a harrowing sequence that's not for the faint of heart.
06:22Some cases just can't be won, with Giddes coming to realize the awful truth.
06:26Forget it, Jake, it's Chinatown.
06:34Everything from the script to Jack Nicholson's cold stare is perfect, creating an essential
06:40moment for viewers to ponder.
06:42Number 4, Waking Up.
06:44No country for old men.
06:46Sheriff Bell might be retired, but he can't stop dreaming.
06:48Had dreams.
06:50Well, you got time for them now.
06:52Anything interesting?
06:55They always is, to the part he's concerned.
07:00And Tom, I'll be polite.
07:02The final section of No Country for Old Men shows the lawmen recounting dreams to his wife.
07:07This includes one that features his father, and some symbolic messages about life.
07:11Anyway, the first one I don't remember too well, but it was about meeting him in town
07:17somewhere, and he gave me some money.
07:20I think I lost it.
07:23The second one, it was like we was both back in the older times.
07:28Some might argue that the film ends abruptly, while others might defend the philosophical
07:32nature of the scene.
07:33The bottom line is that you can't quite take all of it in after one viewing.
07:37The Coen Brothers movie might seem like a genre piece, but it's brimming with more advanced
07:41ideas, courtesy of novelist Cormac McCarthy.
07:45I knew that whenever I got there, he'd be there.
07:52Then I woke up.
07:54Number three.
07:56Wouldn't Harm a Fly?
07:57Psycho.
07:58Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller comes with several wild revelations.
08:02It also leaves the audience hanging, making everyone wonder about Norman Bates' future.
08:11The villain appears to have a troubled mind, but it's unclear if he'll ever be reformed.
08:24Psycho leaves the viewer wondering about the difference between Bates' own personality
08:28and that of his mother.
08:29The ominous voiceover only makes things more terrifying, with the antagonist giving a smile
08:47to the camera.
08:49I'm not even going to swat that fly.
08:51I hope they are watching.
08:53They'll see.
08:54They'll see and they'll know.
08:56And they'll say, why, she wouldn't even harm a fly.
09:02The finale asks you to confront your own preconceived notions about killers and their motives.
09:06In the end, Hitchcock doesn't let you off the hook, as the dread seems to pile up.
09:12Number two.
09:13Spinning Top.
09:14Inception.
09:15He's finished his biggest job ever, but Dom Cobb still has to return home to his kids.
09:20This leads to a major cliffhanger ending.
09:26Welcome home, Mr. Cobb.
09:28Thank you, sir.
09:29Inception is all about the difference between dreams and reality, forcing viewers to question
09:34what they're seeing.
09:35The last shot focuses on a spinning top that'll determine the hero's fate.
09:46Is he still in a fantasy world, or did he actually wake up?
09:55Director Christopher Nolan doesn't end up showing you the final result.
09:58You can come to your own conclusions, with this movie encouraging repeat viewings to test
10:03out various ideas.
10:04Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:08Final performance.
10:09Whiplash.
10:10The last solo makes you wonder who actually wins.
10:13This cruel ending completes the cycle of deadly sins.
10:37A friend for dinner.
10:59The Silence of the Lambs.
11:00Hannibal Lecter leaves you hanging with an ominous call and a fun cliffhanger.
11:04I do wish we could chat longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner.
11:13Bye.
11:14Doctor Light.
11:18Losing his mind.
11:19Fight Club.
11:20As the bombs go off, the narrator's mind-bending story is only beginning.
11:25You met me at a very strange time in my life.
11:39Club Silencio.
11:40Mulholland Drive.
11:42Lynch makes you question identity and reality in this disturbing end.
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12:13What's really happening in this sci-fi adventure?
12:22The film features deep questions about the astronauts and humanity itself.
12:27In the end, Dave travels through space before finding himself in a strange room.
12:31Director Stanley Kubrick had his own view of the finale, but it's even more fun to come
12:53up with your own theory.
12:55The hero's final confrontation with the monolith leaves him to evolve into something new.
12:59As he seems to be reborn, the Lee character is suspended in zero gravity over Earth.
13:12Kubrick's enigmatic film is not full of easy answers or much dialogue at all.
13:16The last shots can be interpreted in any number of ways, with the open-ended conclusion giving
13:21fans something to discuss.
13:22Did we forget another ending you need to see multiple times?
13:32Let us know in the comments below.
13:33Did you enjoy this video?
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