10 best movie endings of the 2020s so far, ranked

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 audience 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 it’s 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 using unexpected conclusions that subverted the audience’s 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 should not be overlooked in its importance for the overall product. Whether the ending uses a shocking twist, huge emotional impact, or successfully brings the movie’s story full circle, These projects understand the power of a grand finale.

10

Nora & Hae Sung Say Goodbye – Past Lives (2023)

Directed by Celine Song

Celine Song’s directorial debut, Past lifeis a quiet, deeply moving drama Which was an unexpected darling of awards season. However, the huge praise for the script, performances and direction was not so unexpected, considering how well the movie captures a unique experience of nostalgia and the desire to explore what could 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.

The Past life The final scene is a moment when both the audience and the characters hold their breath, unsure if Nora would really run away from her life and her husband to be with Hae Sung. As the couple 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 actually do this, but the possibility lingers in the air. When he comes in, and she stays, She breaks down crying, sad the life she never had and the person she no longer has.

9

Calum Walks Away from Sophie – Aftersun (2022)

Directed by Charlotte Wells

Since his breakout performance in Normal peoplePaul Mescal came to prominence as an actor, and his groundbreaking work in After sun has helped foster this. Mescal plays Callum, Sophie’s young father (Frankie Corio), who takes her on a vacation that the grown-up Sophie remembers years later. The whole of After sun is a bittersweet and emotionally affecting story as Sophie tries to understand what the last days of their relationship mean to her now.

After sun attempts unpacking the dichotomy between who Sophie knew her father and who he was as an individual. Grief and loss take center stage in the emotionally gripping After sunAnd Calum’s transition in the hallway saying goodbye to Sophie to his entrance into the party where the grown-up Sophie was after him is the subtle confirmation of his death that the audience needs. Although it’s a sad ending, it’s also a glimmer of hope and closure for Sophie, which is all she could 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 Like Lord Gawain of the Round Table. An offshoot of the Arthurian legends, The Green Knight is a complex and twisting story 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, going 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 end of The Green Knight, As the film presents several possible endings. It is up to the audience to decide what is the truth. At first, it seems that Gawain escaped his fate and is ravaged by devastation because of his cowardice. However, it 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, the film gives the film an air of poetry and ongoing relationship that ties into the original song on the story.

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 the director duo, The Daniels, made together, but it was their most critically and financially successful to date. Michelle Yeoh stars as Evelyn, the beleaguered matriarch of her family Who feels that her life is coming apart from the seams. However, the mentality she is used to is further upended by the discovery of the multiverse. Matters are made worse when she realizes that it is her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Su), who is 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 heart. What Joy wants is for Evelyn to see and accept her for who she is, And by the end of the movie, Evelyn realizes that it is love, not fighting, that will save the world. Evelyn gives an impassioned and moving speech about her commitment to joy, and the family returns to the IRS as a unit, representing their growth and how they will always be there for each other.

6

Em & OJ Get Proof – Nope (2022)

Directed by Jordan Peele

No is one of the most creative horror movies of the 2020s and delivers one of the best ending sequences from the director, Jordan Peele. From the visual reference to Akira To the stylization of the alien jean jacket to resemble a biblically accurate angel, each piece of the puzzle falls into place at the end of No. Emerald (Keke Palmer) and Otis (Daniel Kaluuya) are easy protagonists to root for, and It’s incredibly satisfying when they not only defeat Jean Jacket, but they get proof that he exists.

It’s fitting that the proof that Emerald got of Jean Jacket’s existence came in the form of a picture of the kitschy, analog tourist attraction in Jupe (Steven Yeun) Park. Instead of the flashy equipment and gear that the characters used to capture the image of the alien, It’s an old-fashioned manual car that subverts the desire for spectacle That so much of the film comments on. The strain of No is slowly built over the movie’s tight flow, 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 changed the franchise forever. However, by the end of No time to dieIt was clear that his tenure as the iconic spy was over and that he was ready to move on. Although killing him off was divisive, it ensures that Craig’s bond can never be replicated or his legacy tarnished.

Of course, it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing Bond right now, though James Bond 26 Updates all hint that whoever takes up the moniker next will be more than worthy. It helps that the way Bond appeared in No time to die It was for personal reasons as well as for the fate of the world. After knowing 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.

4

Oppenheimer discusses his future with Einstein – Oppenheimer (2023)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan Oppenheimer Does not make a sharp moral judgment about Y. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Muphy) or his legacy, and the mixed ending demonstrates this fact. The end of Oppenheimer He sees the tide turn on his legacy once more, as the man was 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 plagued Oppenheimer throughout the film, loses his position of political power, which is framed as a response to his targeting by Oppenheimer.

In some ways, the triumph of OppenheimerIts conclusion undermines the commentary made earlier in the film, but the middle moral ground is the point of the film. like At the end, the audience gets a glimpse into Oppenheimer’s conversation with Einstein (Tom Conti), which predicts Oppenheimer’s complicated relationship with world history, the viewer is witness to Oppenheimer’s regret. However, it could be interpreted as a reaction to his own sense of purpose being shaken rather than his negative impact on the world.

3

Paul Sizes Power – Dune: Part Two (2024)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

For fans of the book by Frank Herbert, it is always clear where Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) path was leading him. The last moments of Doon 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 on a holy war that will have devastating consequences for the galaxy. This is a pivotal moment in the series, and although the movie changes it slightly, its impact on the audience is only increased.

throughout Dunn: Part TwoPaul tries to convince himself that he is working for the liberation of the foreigners and will not take the position of false Christ to seize power. But, after he drinks the water of life, Paul embraces the thirst for glory that has been driving him all along and declared himself emperor of the universe. The Doon 3 Possibilities will see Paul continue the path of destruction, but the setup and foreshadowing that the end of Dunn: Part Two Establishments are vital to the story.

2

Lydia’s Reputation is Ruined – Tar (2022)

Directed by Todd Field

Some critics and audiences have argued that due to the surrealist nature of Társ final act, from the time Lydia enters the tunnel and injures herself to the end of the film, everything happens in her head. Like all great movies, this is open to audience interpretation. However, either way, The end of Tár Tells the audience a lot about the dichotomy between what Lydia has and what she thinks she deserves, Both good and bad. Cate Blanchtett’s performance in Tár Cementing the project as one of her best works, her acting in the final scenes is incredible.

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. Stripped of her fame and notoriety in the Western sphere, which she blatantly prioritizes and believes to be superior to history, 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.

1

Sandra Is Acquitted – Anatomy of a Case (2023)

Directed by Justine Triet

Justin Triet S Anatomy of a case was one of the biggest blockbusters of 2023, and much of the movie hinges on the performance of Sandra Hüller, who plays Sandra in the film. In the domestic story turned courtroom drama, the audience sees Sandra’s son, Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner), question whether Sandra murdered her husband Samuel (Samuel Theis) or if his death was an accident. . Although Daniel’s testimony helps exonerate Sandra on the charges, There is never confirmation that she did not kill Samuel.

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