1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick's enigmatic sci-fi classic ends just as it begins, shrouded in wonder and mystery. Dave Bowman's interstellar journey comes to an end with him ending up caught in a bizarre hotel suite, after which he is transformed into the Star Child, an infant who stares hauntingly into the camera. The Star Child hovers above Earth and looks at us, as if asking something - but what is he asking? What's fantastic about the ending is that it is entirely open to viewer interpretation, and though some might find this a little anti-climactic, there's a definitive power to it. What has really happened to Bowman? Has he ascended to a new plain of existence? It is something that has transfixed audiences for four decades, and will continue to for as long as film is around. Absolutely stunning. What's your favourite closing shot of all time? Let us know in the comments below.