20 Greatest Final Shots In Movies Ever

16. A Serious Man (2009)

A Serious Man
Focus Features

The Coen Brothers' Best Picture nominee fascinatingly muses on the nature of faith and the possible carelessness of the universe, and ends with protagonist Larry Gopnick (Michael Stuhlbarg) changing the grade on a student's paper for his own benefit, unknowingly bringing about his own, possibly divinely mandated, demise.

After Larry receives a concerning phone call from his doctor, the scene shifts to Larry's son Danny (Aaron Wolff), who is due to be imminently wiped out by a pursuing tornado. The ultimate, absurd punishment for Larry's misdeed.

You always know you're going to get a memorable closing image with Oscar-winning DP Roger Deakins at the lens, and the destructive beauty of the shot is underlined by the darkly comic, slow-building reprise of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love".

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.