The most important shot of any movie is the final one. It’s the last image that audiences see before they leave the theater, so it’s the last thing they’ll remember of the movie. Throughout the 2010s, moviegoers were treated to some of the most memorable final shots of all time.
From the Hands Across America tribute at the end of Us and Sharon Tate’s life being spared at the end of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to the ominous lighting of a bunch of red lanterns at the end of The Invitation, these are the most unforgettable final shots from the past decade of movies.
Joker (2019)
On the whole, Todd Phillips’ Joker leans heavily on The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver and it's a bit controversial for what some say bungles its title character. But it left an impression on audiences with its unforgettable final shot. The movie’s ambiguous ending leaves it up to the audience to decide how much of the story really happened.
The final shot focuses on a hallway in Arkham Asylum as Arthur flees from some orderlies, leaving behind bloody footprints to imply he killed his therapist, all while “That‘s Life” by Frank Sinatra creates an unnerving juxtaposition on the soundtrack.
The Invitation (2015)
In the chilling horror thriller, The Invitation, a man brings his girlfriend to his ex-wife’s house after receiving a mysterious invitation to a dinner party that may be the result of an ulterior motive.
Throughout the movie, it becomes apparent that his ex-wife is part of a death cult that celebrates its killings by lighting red lanterns. In the final shot, Will sees red lanterns lit in homes all across Los Angeles and realizes just how widespread this sinister cult is.
The Lobster (2015)
Yorgos Lanthimos’ pitch-black romantic comedy, The Lobster, wonders whether love is a real thing or just a societal norm. Colin Farrell’s David goes to a resort for single people to find a soulmate before he’s turned into an animal and falls for Rachel Weisz’s “Short-Sighted Woman.”
In the ambiguous final scene, the Short-Sighted Woman sits alone in a diner, waiting for David to come back. He’s in the bathroom with a steak knife and a difficult decision: to make himself blind to establish a commonality with his love or just pretend he did and go on lying.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)
Sony proved they might have what it takes to pioneer their own Spider-Man franchise with 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, an animated masterpiece that introduced moviegoers to Miles Morales in the most emotionally engaging, visually stunning way possible.
At the end of the movie, Miles is glad that he stepped up to the plate and saved the fabric of reality, but he misses his new friends, who had to return to their dimensions. And then, a portal opens up and Gwen calls out to him.
Us (2019)
Jordan Peele’s sophomore directorial effort, Us ends with the shocking revelation that Adelaide has really been her Tethered counterpart all along and that she trapped the original one underground when they were kids, prompting her to spearhead the Hands Across America-inspired revolution against surface-dwellers.
In the final shot, the extent of the Tethered’s Hands Across America homage is shown in an aerial shot with helicopters watching over them.
Birdman (2014)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Oscar-winning satire Birdman is edited to look like one continuous take, but it cuts to black after Riggan’s first on-screen attempt at taking his own life. He shoots himself on-stage and then wakes up in a hospital bed with a bandaged nose that makes him look like an actual birdman. The final shot depicts Riggan’s second on-screen attempt at taking his own life, as he jumps out the hospital window.
His daughter, played by Emma Stone, looks out the window in shock, then gazes up with an awed expression to insinuate Riggan actually acquired the powers of a bird and took flight after he jumped.
Selma (2014)
Anchored by David Oyelowo’s breathtaking portrayal of Martin Luther King, Jr., Ava DuVernay’s Selma is hailed as one of the most historically accurate historical dramas ever made.
The movie’s final shot is a low-angle view of Dr. King taking to the podium and giving his iconic Selma speech: “Glory, hallelujah! His truth is marching on.”
Inception (2010)
The final shot of Christopher Nolan’s Inception – a closeup of Dom Cobb’s spinning top going around and around before a perfectly timed cut to black – sparked endless discussion among fans.
It doesn’t really matter whether or not the top was going to fall. The important thing is that Cobb walked away before finding out if he was really in a dream. After everything he went through throughout the movie, he just wants to be with his kids – either the real ones or dream projections of them.
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
At the end of Wes Anderson’s coming-of-age gem Moonrise Kingdom, Sam and Suzy are finally able to be together, as Captain Sharp has adopted Sam. In the final scene, he’s in Suzy’s house, watching her paint their campsite.
When Sam sneaks out so Suzy can go down for dinner, the shot dissolves to the real campsite, dressed up as Suzy painted it. The movie is a nostalgic snapshot of the ups and downs of childhood, and this image gave the movie a perfect ending.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Throughout the first and second acts of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino ominously foreshadows Sharon Tate’s grim fate. Then, in the third act, he deviates drastically from history as Cliff, Rick, and Brandy kill the Manson Family murderers, allowing Tate’s career as a budding movie star to continue as it should have.
When the heat has died down, Rick is invited up to her house. The camera swoops up over the house and holds on Rick meeting Sharon and her friends. This unforgettable final shot gives the movie a melancholic, fairytale-esque conclusion.