Movies without endings.

• Author: Gehring, Wes D.
• Position: REEL WORLD

IN RECENT YEARS, films with ambiguous or open-ended conclusions seemingly have been on the rise. Examples would include Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation" (2003), Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" (2008), and Christopher Nolan's "Inception" (2010). In each case, it is up to the viewer to decide just what happens next. "Lost" appears to end with no hope for the May-December relationship of Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson. Both feel a real soul mate connection for each other, yet they are locked into unhappy relationships--but then Murray whispers something into her ear, and the potential for romance rebounds. Maybe he has suggested a scenario straight out of "An Affair to Remember" (1957), where the equally unavailable to each other Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr decide to meet again in six months, if they feel their random shipboard romance really is love.

In "The Wrestler," Mickey Rourke's title character has sacrificed everything for a pro-wrestling career but, afar years of physical and steroid abuse, his health is mined: a return to the ring constitutes a potential death sentence. Thus, Rourke attempts to establish a relationship with a neglected now-grown daughter. Plus, he awkwardly tries to connect romantically with a lovely but aging exotic dancer (Marisa Tomei), whose based-upon-a-body "entertainment" career, like Rourke's, rapidly is approaching an expiration date. The wrestler's new life shows promise, but then misunderstandings, mistakes, and money needs tempt him into a comeback bout. The movie goes to black just as he returns to the ring and begins to execute his most physically demanding wrestling move. Will it kill him, or will he survive and somehow get a second chance with the two women in his life?

"Inception" is a complex story of dreams within dreams: Leo DiCaprio performs futuristic espionage by entering the subconscious minds of corporate leaders in order to plant and extract pivotal information. However, his nourish character is haunted by nightmare images of his late wife (Marion Cotillard). His guilt over her suicide death (for which he is wanted for murder) fuels her periodic surprise appearances--and sometimes nearly sabotages his elaborately constructed multiple dream states. DiCaprio puts his now-compromised abilities to one final test, which, if successful, will clear his name and allow him access to his children. Yet, there are risks that he will not be able to survive this last three-layered labyrinth of...