The Shining director Stanley Kubrick decided to throw a big twist into the ending of the movie by showing Jack Torrance in an old picture of the Overlook Hotel. For years, fans have debated what the photo means, but they haven’t been able to come up with a logical answer.
Considering Kubrick likes to mess with his audience, it’s likely that the picture doesn’t actually mean anything. Instead, it was just an attempt to add a little intrigue at the end without contributing to the overall story. It has certainly kept people guessing, which is precisely what Kubrick wanted.
Arrival
In Arrival , Amy Adams's character is haunted by visions of what we assume to be her past while trying to communicate with a new alien race. In the end, however, we find out that her visions of the past are actually visions of Louise’s future, which become vital in her journey to save the world.
After successfully saving mankind, Louise chooses to live her future, knowing that the pain of losing both her daughter and her husband awaits her down the line. Her “happy ending” is bittersweet because both the viewer and Louise know what’s coming.
Nocturnal Animals
After his ex-wife Susan (Amy Adams) leaves him because she doesn’t believe in his talent, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal) sends a copy of his new book for Susan to read. She’s quickly caught up in the story and ends the film asking to meet with Edward again, in part to tell him she’s impressed with his manuscript.
When the day of the date comes, however, Susan is stood up. The entire movie is simply a metaphor for Susan and Edward’s relationship that allows him to finally get his feelings out about their dissolution.
Primer
Yet another time travel conundrum, Primer follows Aaron and Abe, two friends who accidentally create a time machine. While messing with their device, the friends create overlapping timelines and versions of themselves that have the capability to cause some serious damage.
By the end of the film, the friends take opposing viewpoints. Aaron works with his former self to revamp the original time machine, while Abe tries to prevent his former self from learning of the time machine at all. You’ll probably have to watch this movie more than once to truly get it.
No Country For Old Men
No Country For Old Men ends on a rather calm note, with a long monologue from Sheriff Bell, where the policeman discusses his dreams. However, his speech isn’t just about filling some empty space.
Instead, Bell recognizes that he tried to make a difference but that he’s now too old and tired to fix the world around him. He let Anton Chigurh get away and failed to make the world a better place. His monologue about his dreams outlines his own feelings about his failures, drawing out the true meaning of the film.