Is one of the joys of a great film its completeness, the story starts and by the end, everything is nicely and neatly wrapped up. Sometimes happy, sometimes sad, but what about those movies with an open ending, one when you don’t know what going to happen, do they leave you feeling frustrated or do they leave you feeling intrigued? Wanting to know more, or even staying with you because there is not a nice pretty bow ending? What is the reason for an open-ended film? Why do directors use this device and which are the best inconclusive films? Find out more in Open-ended; Films We Love But Do They Leave Us Lost <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0When being wrapped up in the narrative of a great film does an inconclusive ending come off as more artistic? Are they supposed to be symbolic?\u00a0Are there any good examples of an inconclusive ending being used as a storytelling device rather than a cop-out? Films as diverse as Inception and Citizen Kane, are both considered to be classics yet like many, have endings that leave us questioning almost the whole point of watching the story. Does it make for a better experience?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hollywood loves a nicely tidy ending almost refusing ambiguous endings. Yet far more often it’s the more Arthouse cinema that provides a refusal for films to a ‘resolved’ neat-bowed conclusion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maybe it is in part because, in the cinematic world where stories are built around human moments, it would not be truthful or even realistic to tie up to a ‘clean’ conclusion. Simply because life, everyday struggles, and human emotions are far too complex, and situations often linger years into people’s lives. Let’s face it there are no quick fixes in the real world<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then is it possible that ambiguities in film endings can reflect a greater respect for the capacity of audiences to think, interpret and discuss an ending? That the film they have ‘experienced’ may linger longer in their consciousness and even require a second or more viewing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Based on Bret Easton Ellis’ novel of the same name,\u00a0American Psycho\u00a0<\/strong>stars\u00a0Christian Bale in one of his best roles. It follows protagonist Patrick Bateman who lives a life as a vapid yuppie while committing vicious murders behind closed doors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n