Warning! Spoilers ahead for the endings of major movies of the 2020s!

The ending of a movie can make or break the audience and critical opinion about a film. The quality of an ending is always open to interpretation, especially since so many final scenes in films of the 2020s incorporate ambiguous or open-ended conclusions to keep the viewer guessing. Some of the best movies with cliffhanger endings effectively use this type of finale without making it seem like a gimmick, which can be a pitfall of the cliffhanger. However, when done right, any type of ending will stay with audiences long after the movie is over.

Some of the biggest summer blockbusters of the 2020s distinguished themselves by utilizing unexpected conclusions that subverted audience expectations. However, more often than not, independent films can be more experimental in how their endings are framed because there isn't as much outside pressure. Writing an ending can be the most difficult part of making a film. The conclusion shouldn't be overlooked in its importance to the overall product. Whether the ending utilizes a shocking twist, enormous emotional impact, or successfully brings the movie's narrative full circle, these projects understand the power of a great finale.

10 Nora & Hae Sung Say Goodbye - Past Lives (2023)

Directed by Celine Song

Celine Song's directorial debut, Past Lives, is a quiet, deeply affecting drama that was an unexpected darling of awards season. However, the enormous praise for the script, performances, and direction was not so unexpected, considering how well the movie captures a unique experience of longing and the desire to explore what might have been. When childhood friends Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) are reunited in New York after over twenty years, they wonder what would have happened if Nora had never left South Korea.

As the pair wait for his car to arrive to take him to the airport and out of Nora's life again, the viewer knows that Nora would never really do this, but the possibility lingers in the air.

The Past Lives ending scene is a moment when both the audience and characters hold their breath, unsure if Nora would really run away from her life and her husband to be with Hae Sung. As the pair wait for his car to arrive to take him to the airport and out of Nora's life again, the viewer knows that Nora would never really do this, but the possibility lingers in the air. As he gets in, and she stays, she breaks down crying, mourning the life she never had and the person she no longer is.

9 Calum Walks Away From Sophie - Aftersun (2022)

Directed by Charlotte Wells

Since his breakout performance in Normal People, Paul Mescal has been rising to prominence as an actor, and his groundbreaking work in Aftersun has helped foster this. Mescal plays Calum, the young father of Sophie (Frankie Corio), who takes her on a vacation that the adult Sophie reminiscences on years later. The whole of Aftersun is a bittersweet and emotionally affecting story as Sophie tries to understand what the final days of their relationship mean to her now.

Aftersun attempts to unpack the dichotomy between who Sophie knew her father to be and who he was as an individual. Grief and loss take center stage in the emotionally gripping Aftersun, and the transition from Calum in the hallway saying goodbye to Sophie to his entrance into the party where the adult Sophie has been following him is the subtle confirmation of his death that the audience needs. Though it's a sad ending, there's also a glimmer of hope and closure for Sophie, which is all that she can ask for.

8 Gawain's Dream Sequence - The Green Knight (2021)

Directed by David Lowery

Dev Patel leads the star-studded cast of The Green Knight as Sir Gawain of the Round Table. An offshoot of the Arthurian legends, The Green Knight is a complex and twisting narrative that questions the nature of honor and legacy through the eyes of the young Gawain. He embarks on a quest to fulfill his bargain with the Green Knight, which could potentially end in his death. However, to go back on his deal would destroy his honor and ultimately lead to his ruin, regardless. Gawain grapples with this on his way to the Green Knight.

There are many ways to interpret the ending of The Green Knight, as the film presents several possible endings. It's up to the audience to decide what's the truth. At first, it seems Gawain flees from his fate and is ravaged by devastation because of his cowardice. However, this turns out to be a dream, and by staying true, the Green Knight decides to spare him. By ending the film right after the Green Knight lets him live gives the film an air of poetry and ongoing relevance, which ties into the original poem the story is based on.

7 Evelyn Saves Her Family - Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Directed by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

Everything Everywhere All At Once wasn't the first film that the directing duo, The Daniels, made together, but it has been their most critically and financially successful so far. Michelle Yeoh stars as Evelyn, the belabored matriarch of her family who feels her life is coming apart at the seams. However, the mundanity she's used to is further upended by the discovery of the multiverse. Matters are made worse when she realizes that it's her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu), who's trying to destroy the universe.

Despite the complex elements of sci-fi and fantasy that make Everything Everywhere All At Once such an explosive blend of genres, the film is a family drama at its core. What Joy wants is for Evelyn to see and accept her for who she is, and by the movie's end, Evelyn realizes that it's love, not fighting, that will save the world. Evelyn gives an imioned and moving speech about her commitment to Joy, and the family returns to the IRS as a unit, representing their growth and how they'll always be there for each other.

6 Em & OJ Get Proof - Nope (2022)

Directed by Jordan Peele

Nope is one of the most creative horror movies of the 2020s and delivers one of the director, Jordan Peele's, best ending sequences. From the visual reference to Akira to the stylization of the alien Jean Jacket to resemble a biblically accurate angel, every piece of the puzzle falls into place at the end of Nope. Emerald (Keke Palmer) and Otis (Daniel Kaluuya) are easy protagonists to root for, and it's incredibly satisfying when not only do they defeat Jean Jacket, but they get proof that he existed.

The tension of Nope is slowly built throughout the movie's tight run, with the most terrifying scenes left behind, leaving an action-packed and thrilling ending.

It's fitting that the proof Emerald gets of Jean Jacket's existence came in the form of a picture from the kitschy, analog tourist attraction in Jupe's (Steven Yeun) park. Instead of the flashy equipment and gear that the characters had been using to capture the alien's image, it's an old-fashioned, manual machine that subverts the desire for spectacle that so much of the film comments on. The tension of Nope is slowly built throughout the movie's tight run, with the most terrifying scenes left behind, leaving an action-packed and thrilling ending.

5 James Bond Dies - No Time To Die (2021)

Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga

No Time To Die made history as the first James Bond movie to kill off Bond to pave the way for a new era. Daniel Craig was a memorable actor, and his take on Bond has already changed the franchise forever. However, by the end of No Time To Die, it was clear that his tenure as the iconic spy was over and that he was ready to move on. Though killing him off was divisive, it ensures that Craig's Bond can never be replicated or have his legacy tarnished.

Of course, it's difficult to imagine anyone else playing Bond right now, but updates all hint that whoever takes up the moniker next will be more than worthy. It helps that the way Bond went out in No Time To Die was for personal reasons as well as for the fate of the world. After learning that he has a daughter and that she and her mother will be able to live their lives in safety, he sacrifices himself to give them a better future and becomes more than just 007.

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No Time to Die

PG-13

Action

Thriller

Adventure

6/10

39

7.5/10

Release Date

October 8, 2021

Runtime

163 Minutes

Director

Cary Joji Fukunaga

Cast

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  James Bond
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  Madeleine

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No Time to Die follows James Bond, who has left active service and is living in Jamaica. His peace is disrupted when CIA operative Felix Leiter requests his help in rescuing a kidnapped scientist, leading Bond to confront a dangerous villain equipped with advanced technology. Released in 2021, it continues the Bond saga.

Writers

Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Franchise(s)

James Bond

Studio(s)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

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Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
No Time To Die (2021)	83%	88%

4 Oppenheimer Discusses His Future With Einstein - Oppenheimer (2023)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

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Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer doesn't make a searing moral judgment about J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Muphy) or his legacy, and the mixed ending demonstrates this fact. The end of Oppenheimer sees the tide turn on his legacy once more, as the man is given the Enrico Fermi Award in his old age, and the evaluation of his contributions to science seems to be viewed in a more positive light. Additionally, Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), who has been plaguing Oppenheimer throughout the movie, loses his position of political power, which is framed as a just response to his targeting of Oppenheimer.

In some ways, the triumph of Oppenheimer's conclusion undercuts the commentary made earlier in the film, but this middling moral ground is the point of the film.

In some ways, the triumph of Oppenheimer's conclusion undercuts the commentary made earlier in the film, but this middling moral ground is the point of the film. As the audience is finally given insight into Oppenheimer's conversation with Einstein (Tom Conti), who foretells Oppenheimer's complex relationship with world history, the viewer witnesses Oppenheimer's remorse. However, it can be interpreted as a reaction to his own sense of purpose being shaken rather than his negative impact on the world.

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Oppenheimer

R

Drama

History

Biography

9/10

60

8.9/10

Release Date

July 21, 2023

Runtime

150 Minutes

Director

Christopher Nolan

Cast

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  Cillian Murphy
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Oppenheimer is a film by Christopher Nolan, which follows the theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man behind the atomic bomb. Cillian Murphy will play the titular role, with the story based on the book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.

Writers

Christopher Nolan

Studio(s)

Syncopy Inc., Atlas Entertainment

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Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Oppenheimer (2023)	93%	91%

3 Paul Seizes Power - Dune: Part Two (2024)\

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

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For fans of the book by Frank Herbert, it was always clear where Paul Atreides' (Timothée Chalamet) path was leading him. The final moments of Dune 2 are both explosively action-packed and emotionally devastating as Paul defeats Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) in combat and then loses Chani (Zendaya) when he usurps Emperor Shaddam (Christopher Walken) and takes control of Arrakis. In claiming this power, Paul embarks upon a holy war that will have devastating consequences for the galaxy. It's a pivotal moment in the series, and though the movie alters it slightly, its impact on the audience is only increased.

Throughout Dune: Part Two, Paul attempts to convince himself that he's working toward the liberation of the Fremen and won't take up the position of false messiah to seize power. However, after he drinks the water of life, Paul embraces the thirst for glory that has been driving him all along and declares himself emperor of the universe. The Dune 3 possibilities will see Paul continue down this path of destruction, but the setup and foreshadowing that the ending of Dune: Part Two establishes are vital for the story.

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Dune: Part Two

PG-13

Science Fiction

Adventure

9/10

133

9.0/10

Release Date

February 27, 2024

Runtime

167 minutes

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Cast

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  Timothée Chalamet

  Paul Atreides
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  Zendaya

  Chani

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Dune: Part Two continues the epic saga of Paul Atreides as he allies with Chani and the Fremen. Pursuing retribution for his family's devastation, Paul grapples with a significant decision impacting his personal desires and the universe's future, attempting to avert a dire destiny that only he anticipates.

Writers

Denis Villeneuve

Franchise(s)

Dune

Studio(s)

Legendary Pictures

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Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Dune: Part Two (2024)	92%	95%

2 Lydia's Reputation Is Destroyed - Tár (2022)

Directed by Todd Field

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Some critics and audiences have argued that due to the surrealist nature of Tár's final act, from the time that Lydia enters the tunnel and injures herself to the end of the film, all happens inside her head. Like all great movies, this is open to audience interpretation. However, either way, the ending of Tár tells the audience much about the dichotomy between what Lydia has and what she thinks she deserves, both good and bad. Cate Blanchtett's performance in Tár cements the project as one of her best works, and her acting in the last scenes is incredible.

Fallen from grace and destroyed by her own mistakes, Lydia's consequences can be understood as metaphorical or factual, but they will continue to haunt her.

The fact that Lydia ends up in the Philippines conducting a video game concert is a perfect full-circle moment for the elitism and exploitative actions that have defined her career. Ostracized from her fame and notoriety in the Western sphere, which she blatantly prioritizes and believes to be superior throughout the story, Lydia becomes a victim of her own prejudice. Fallen from grace and destroyed by her own mistakes, Lydia's consequences can be understood as metaphorical or factual, but they will continue to haunt her.

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Tar

R

Drama

Music

9/10

9.0/10

Release Date

October 7, 2022

Runtime

158 minutes

Director

Todd Field

Cast

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  Cate Blanchett
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  Noemie Merlant

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Tar is a film that tells the story of a fictional composer/conductor, Lydia Tar, portrayed by Cate Blanchett. Tar, in this story, is the first-ever female chief conductor of a large-scale European Orchestra and examines the fluid nature of power and its effect on the modern world as it documents her ascent to her position and subsequent fall from grace. 

Writers

Todd Field

Studio(s)

Universal Pictures, Focus Features

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Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Tár (2022)	91%	74%

1 Sandra Is Acquitted - Anatomy Of A Fall (2023)

Directed by Justine Triet

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Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall was one of the biggest fills of 2023, and much of the movie hinges on the performance of Sandra Hüller, who plays Sandra in the film. The domestic story turned courtroom drama sees the audience and Sandra's son, Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner), question if it was Sandra who murdered her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) or if his fall was an accident. Though Daniel's testimony helps acquit Sandra on the charges, there's never confirmation that she didn't murder Samuel.

Of course, whether or not Sandra did it isn't as important to Anatomy of a Fall as the ride the audience takes exploring her psyche and the dynamic of her relationship. As she returns home and readjusts to being there with Daniel, there's something off about Sandra, but there's no way to know if it's because of hidden guilt or the ordeal of the trial. However, Triet understands that Anatomy of a Fall only works because the audience never really knows the truth and that some mysteries are never solved.

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Anatomy of a Fall

R

Crime

Drama

Thriller

9/10

8.7/10

Release Date

May 22, 2023

Runtime

151 Minutes

Director

Justine Triet

Cast

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  Sandra Hüller
• 
  Swann Arlaud

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Anatomy of a Fall is a crime-drama film by director Justine Triet and made its initial debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. Following the death of successful writer Sandra's husband Samuel in the French Alps, she is arrested and accused of murder. With their blind son, Daniel, the only witness to Samuel's death, Sandra must face nearly impossible odds to prove her innocence.

Writers

Justine Triet, Arthur Harari

Studio(s)

Les Films Pelléas, Les Films de Pierre

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Title	Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score	Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
Anatomy of a Fall (2023)	96%	90%