10 Massive Unanswered Movie Mysteries (That Were Actually Solved)

So that's what the "M" stands for.

By Padraig Cotter /

It’s a sad reality of mainstream cinema that most audience members need to have the story spoon-fed to them. The answers have to be spelt out clearly, and they’ll get angry if a plot point is kept vague or – heaven forbid – they have to decide for themselves.

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If test audiences are confused by a movie, the studio will probably retool it, making sure to remove any lingering mystery. However, some fans love the chance to decide for themselves. Questions like whether Cobb was really dreaming at the end of Inception, or just what the hell was going on during The Shining generates healthy debate among movie nerds. It’s more fun to speculate than get a clear answer, though sometimes the answer has been there the whole time.

Maybe the filmmakers reveal its years after the fact or a novelisation explained what the movie kept vague. Sometimes the discussion can continue even after the fans know the answer, but for the smug out there it can be satisfying to know they guessed it right.

10. Who Heard Kane Say Rosebud? - Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane is generally considered the best movie ever made, and while most of us know it’s only the second best – nothing beats Kindergarten Cop – some people have loudly whined about a plothole that derails the story.

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In the opening scene, we see Kane whisper “rosebud”, before dying and dropping a snow globe. A reporter is then assigned to find the meaning of this word, and the movie flashes back to Kane’s past to find the truth. But wait! Since nobody was in the room with Kane, how do people know his last words?

Worst movie eva etc

Well for people who actually listened to the movie, they’ll discover Kane’s butler was actually in the room with him; he says as much towards the end, he just wasn't seen earlier for dramatic effect.

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