Be it unresolved

September 20, 2011 9:37 AM

Can you recommend films that have open or unresolved endings?

One of my favorite films is Antonioni's L'Eclisse. I also recently enjoyed Meek's Cutoff. I'd like to compile a list of the best films that have unresolved endings. I especially like ones that leave you feeling empty.

posted by perhapses to media & arts (29 answers total)

The Empire Strikes Back
posted by Flood at 9:40 AM on September 20, 2011

Ta-dah!
posted by phunniemee at 9:40 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Inception.
posted by warble at 9:44 AM on September 20, 2011

Thanks, phunniemee. That question didn't pop-up when I previewed my own.
posted by perhapses at 9:48 AM on September 20, 2011

The 400 Blows is the usual Film Studies example of an open ending.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:58 AM on September 20, 2011

A few that came to mind, The Last Seduction , Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels , Blair Witch Project.
posted by Blake at 10:12 AM on September 20, 2011

Picnic At Hanging Rock
posted by Erasmouse at 10:13 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

The Graduate
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 10:21 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Here's another, though it's not just about movies.
posted by John Cohen at 10:27 AM on September 20, 2011

Rashomon
Being There
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:39 AM on September 20, 2011

Before Sunset
posted by ddaavviidd at 10:47 AM on September 20, 2011

The Birds
posted by catwash at 11:03 AM on September 20, 2011

It's Impossible To Learn To Plow By Reading Books (Another Linklater flick—see Before Sunset above—included as an extra on the Slacker Criterion DVD. It's about the last few weeks of summer. Virtually nothing happens from beginning to end. It'll likely leave you feeling empty, though I feel it has a certain truth and beauty I haven't seen in too many other films.)
posted by eric1halfb at 11:05 AM on September 20, 2011

Sword of Doom
Naked
Drugstore Cowboy
The Innocents
posted by heatvision at 11:06 AM on September 20, 2011

The Third Man's ending always made me feel empty in the best possible way.
posted by DNAshwood at 11:15 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

A Boy and his Dog comes to mind. Ditto for Ghost in the Shell. For me at least...
posted by RolandOfEld at 11:39 AM on September 20, 2011

My favorite from the other thread is "Limbo (1999)," but I can also point out the very new (opened last weekend in the US) movie "Drive."

"Drive" is excellent, but it has some gory violence that stands out from the general flow of the movie.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:40 AM on September 20, 2011

Ronin, although it has a deleted scene on the DVD that kinda sorta but not really resolves some of the lingering questions.
posted by wierdo at 11:51 AM on September 20, 2011

Lantana
posted by brujita at 11:58 AM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

The Wrestler
posted by oceanview at 12:00 PM on September 20, 2011

No Country for Old Men. If you're looking for an example of unresolved and bleak, this is it.

When I saw it in the theatre, someone in the audience actually said "THAT'S IT?!?" when the movie ended. That pretty much sums it up.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:39 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Ronin. (Also pretty much my favourite movie).
posted by tiamat at 12:44 PM on September 20, 2011

Doubt? Or not?
posted by ouke at 12:47 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

Since you already liked Meek's Cutoff, pretty much all of Kelly Reichardt's movies are like this.
posted by The Michael The at 1:50 PM on September 20, 2011

Stalker
posted by The Lamplighter at 2:12 PM on September 20, 2011

The original "The Italian Job"...
posted by benzo8 at 2:28 PM on September 20, 2011

John Sayles's Limbo.
posted by stennieville at 3:19 PM on September 20, 2011 [1 favorite]

My Dinner With Andre
posted by eric1halfb at 4:33 PM on September 20, 2011

This is signature of Michael Haneke films, Hidden being a particularly good example.
posted by ninebelow at 5:57 AM on September 21, 2011