Some of the best parts of great movies are what isn't told to audiences, whether it's intentionally ambiguous or because it wasn't important to the main story. Viewers are attracted to and crave mystery, but while it's great for audiences to debate instances that are open to interpretation, there's still nothing they want more than answers to some of films' biggest mysteries.
While there are unanswered questions that double as plot holes, such as how did Batman escape the five-mile blast radius in The Dark Knight Rises, these are burning questions that would have logical explanations. Unfortunately, they'll never be answered.
What Was In The Briefcase In Pulp Fiction?
One of the biggest debates in movie history is over what was in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction. The only hint that audiences get is the gold light that shines on Vincent Vega's face. It is never revealed what's inside, and while, in reality, it was simply a yellow lightbulb with a switch, a lot of Pulp Fiction's most interesting fan theories surrounding the prop.
The theories range from simple gold to Marcellus Wallace's soul. And while the latter sounds ludicrous, there are some fascinating hints in the movie that give the theory credence. There's even one theory that it's the same case like the one in Reservoir Dogs, which was full of diamonds.
What Was The Punchline To Bender's Joke In The Breakfast Club?
The Breakfast Club is one of the best teen comedies ever made and such a relatable coming-of-age flick, especially for those growing up in the 1980s. And with it being about a group of teenagers, the characters have a typically vulgar sense of humor.
When crawling through an air duct, Bender begins to tell a joke about a naked blonde girl walking into a bar whilst carrying a poodle and a six-foot salami. But as he gets to the punchline, the air duct collapses and Bender falls through. Fans of the movie are still trying to figure out what the punchline to the joke could be.
What Did Bob Whisper To Charlotte In Lost In Translation?
Lost In Translation is a romantic movie that doesn't see the lead characters end up together, which makes it one of the most unique films of its kind. While Bob and Charlotte toy with the idea of getting together, they both realize that it isn't a good idea. The movie ends with Bob whispering something to Charlotte, but the audience doesn't hear what he said.
While Lost In Translation launched Scarlett Johansson's career, it's this final scene that has everyone talking. Knowing how Bill Murray is somewhat of a prankster on set and loves to improvise on set, what he whispered to her could have been anything, and it was most likely more funny than romantic.
Was Cobb Dreaming In Inception?
Inception features one of the most memorable final shots of the 21st century. The camera focuses on a spinning top, which is what Cobb uses to understand whether or not he's in the dream world or the real world. But the spinning top doesn't stop spinning, and the film cuts to black before audiences find out if Cobb is actually in a dream or not.
As Cobb returns to his children and is finally happy, most audiences would hope it's real life, but at the same time, a gruelingly dark ending would be just as epic and even more shocking. And as the ending is so open to interpretation, fans have been debating it for 12 years, and it'll continue to be debated for decades.
Did Blake Become Batman After The Dark Knight Rises?
It's almost as if director Christopher Nolan perfectly set up a series that could have served as the successor to the Dark Knight trilogy. At the end of The Dark Knight Rises, John Blake (whose real name is eventually revealed to be Robin,) discovers the Batcave with all of the Wayne-tech at his disposal.
Unfortunately, Warner Bros. was desperate to develop a cinematic universe to rival that of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, meaning that fans will never find out what happened to Blake and what he did with the Batcave. However, with The Flash bringing back tons of characters from previous DC movies, including Michael Keaton's Batman, it's possible that audiences could even see John Blake again.
Where Did The Pirate Ship Sail To In The Goonies?
While it's so much fun seeing pirate ships in the newly released Uncharted, it's reminiscent of a far more entertaining family movie, The Goonies. Though some think the adventure movie is one of the many dated 80s comedies, there's a lot to love about the film, especially the reveal of the fully-functioning pirate ship in the final act.
The pirate ship, which is named the Inferno, sets sail on its own accord after it has broken free of the grotto, only there's no knowing where it ended up. The Inferno would surely surprise some unsuspecting occupants of a neighboring island, and it's something that could have been explored in a sequel.
Did The Fish Get Out Of The Bags In Finding Nemo?
The bulk of Finding Nemo follows Marlin and Dory searching for the eponymous fish while turning an odd couple-like relationship into a beautiful friendship. However, as is the case with most great Pixar movies, there's a fascinating secondary storyline full of amusing supporting characters.
As Nemo finds himself stuck in a fish tank in a dentist's office, he befriends some rather socially inept fish, who eventually escape and land in the harbor. But there's an asterisk next to that successful "escape," as they are all stuck in bags, just as they would be if they were won at a fairground. It's impossible to know if the fish ever got out of those bags, especially as they weren't even mentioned in the sequel, Finding Dory. Unfortunately, they likely suffered a torturous fate.
Did Patrick Bateman Really Kill Those Yuppies In American Psycho?
American Psycho is one of the rare cases of a movie being better than the book. However, there's one major difference between the novel and the movie. In the book, the story isn't remotely ambiguous, and Patrick Bateman very much killed all of the businessmen and women just as it's described.
In the movie, the ending sees Bateman's lawyer laugh at his confession as if it's a joke, which seemingly leads to Bateman wondering if it was all in his head. Whether or not the psychotic businessman did kill anyone in the film is open to interpretation, which makes it so great, but it's still a question that will never get answered.
What's On Page 47 In National Treasure: Book Of Secrets?
In the second National Treasure movie, Book of Secrets, there's one mystery that is hinted at but never followed up. When Benjamin Gates gains access to the President's Book, which holds top-secret levels of information, it's mentioned that the contents of page 47 are completely life-changing.
As what is on the page is yet to be answered, it could be explored in National Treasure 3. And given that the first movie saw Ben steal the Declaration of Independence, and the sequel saw him even kidnap the president, who knows where page 47 could lead him in the threequel, but fans are dying to see it.
How Did The Joker Get His Scars In The Dark Knight?
In The Dark Knight, the Joker gives two different explanations about his scars. The first is that his father did it to him when he was young, and the second is that he did it to himself to make his wife happier. But as they're two different stories, they are both lies, leading many fans to wonder what the truth is.
But there's one dead giveaway in the film that can surely be the only answer. When the Joker is speaking with Batman, he explains that "a soldier gets blown up and nobody bats an eye because it's all part of the plan," which gives credence to theories that the Joker was once part of the U.S. military.