Your favorite ambiguous endings

Back to Kubrick's The Shining ... which as most of you know, ends totally different from the book.

I think Stanley Kubrick took a line from King's book — "You've always been the caretaker, sir" — and that led to the creepy photo in his own ambiguous ending of the film.

Not sure that Jack's character is meant to represent the evil of the Overlook Hotel; rather, I think the evil forces of the Overlook USE Jack Torrance to act out their wishes. And by not blowing up the hotel (as King does in his novel), the ending leaves open the possibility that another caretaker (perhaps from the past?) could be possessed by an evil spirit next winter.

Lots of good movies with ambiguous endings; American Beauty and Trainspotting come to mind from the 1990s.

Good thread idea, Dick.

 

What is everybody looking at?

 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: I suppose you could say this is not ambiguous. That it's clear Joel and Clementine will just repeat this cycle forever. But I don't know. It's the perfect balance between cynicism and optimism, I think. It's never entirely clear if the heartbreak is worth the little moments of joy that proceed it.

Seven Types of Ambiguity (novel) by Elliot Perlman: One of the best books of the last 20 years, and one that too few people know about. Can't really go into the plot, but a great book if you're ever inclined.

In The Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien: The whole book is spooky ambiguity. It's his third best book, but still very good.

Inception: Putting this here mostly to troll Dick Whitman.

Cast Away: I'm kind of meh on some of this film, but the scene where Hanks returns to life and talks about "what the tide may bring" is lovely, and so is the final shot of the film at the crossroads.

Gone Baby Gone: Arguably the best one, I think. The last scene on the couch about whether or not he made the right decision (in both the novel and film) is incredible.

 

I was headed to the end of the thread to cite this one. Just a wonderful final scene.
Me? I hope he turns around and goes back down that road.

Also, Layer Cake. Does Daniel Craig's character live or die? Since the author of the book later brought the character back for a sequel, I suppose that's the answer.

 

The Italian Job - does the bus fall off the edge of the cliff?, does the crew survive?, do they get the gold?

Swing Vote - Costner is courted by both parties who abandon long-held positions to hopefully sway him. He votes. Who wins? We don't know, but realize the story is about his growth during the film rather than who he ultimately votes for.

 

Hoosiers: does Jimmy get that academic scholarship to Wabash College?

 

Portrait of a Lady More the book than the film. Deliciously ambiguous, lets you come up with all sorts of endings.

 

The Shield

 

Since two people mentioned it, I have to ask: What was ambiguous about the ending of American Beauty? No one can think Lester survived. Who gives a shit about the rest of them?

 

Lock, stock, and two smoking barrels.

 

Possibly my favorite ending to any movie is Pan's Labyrinth. Unlike all other ambiguous endings, for some reason, I don't pick sides but see it as a duel ending. In some way I can't explain, both are true. And I love it.

Also, the intent of the book of The Shining was about the evils of alcoholism

 

What was ambiguous about American Beauty's ending?