Solaris
The 1972 film Solaris follows Kris Kelvin during his time on a spaceship that orbits the strange, somehow sentient planet, Solaris. The planet has the ability to see into an astronaut’s memory and create clones of people based on what they desire.
Knowing that it’s all the more confusing when, at the end of the film, Kris walks into his childhood home and reunites with his father. While the moment has the potential for a happy ending, Kris is still on Solaris, choosing to live in the fantasy the planet created rather than the less-appealing reality.
The Witch
The Witch follows a Puritan family who settles at the edge of a forest. Throughout the film, supernatural horrors affect each member of the family, as they slowly succumb to the witchcraft that dominates the forest.
By the end of the movie, eldest daughter Anya Taylor-Joy is the only one left. She’s forced to kill her own mother in self-defense, and the rest of her family members have been taken away by supernatural forces. Although she manages to survive, she still steps into the forest, proving that no one can truly escape the witchcraft that resides there.
A Scanner Darkly
In A Scanner Darkly , Robert Arctor (Keanu Reeves) is an undercover cop trying to find the source of an illegal drug called Substance D. At the same time, New Path – the company that makes the drug – plots to get him hooked on Substance D so they can ruin his brain function and use him for labor.
At the end of the film, that’s exactly what happens. However, Arctor manages to steal a flower to send to his superiors that will blow the case wide open, proving that his brain isn’t as dead as New Path believes.
The Fountain
With three separate timelines included in the film, The Fountain is bound to be confusing. This 2006 movie prompted viewers to demand an explanation for the many bewildering elements when they first saw it.
However, director Darren Aronofsky refused to ruin the symbolism of the film by giving a clear answer. He stated, “It’s a film that’s a journey, and it’s a trip, and it’s an experience throughout the meditation of a lot of these questions.” If you look at the movie through that lens, you can see that it’s about the process of coming to terms with one’s mortality.
The Graduate
The Graduate is a love story finished off with an incredible warning. When Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) starts an affair with his older neighbor, he promises not to fall in love with her daughter, Elaine. Unfortunately, he can’t keep his promise.
In the end, Benjamin ruins Elaine’s wedding, and they run away together, ready to start a relationship. When they board a bus, however, reality sets in, and the two characters look highly unhappy with their impulsive decision. It’s a clear warning to think before you act, as the consequences might not be worth it.