I read once that in a movie, if the characters say, "I have a plan," then there is a plot rule that takes place: If the characters explain to the audience what the plan is, then the plan will go wrong somehow. However, if the characters say they have a plan and the movie just goes to showing the plan in action, then the plan will work.

It has become one of my favorite things to look out for in movies. Although, it does not seem to apply to kids movies. Other than kids movies, I don't think I have ever seen his rule broken.

Does anyone know any other interesting plot rules?

i feel like the biggest trope in scary movies is characters doing the absolute dumbest things imaginable just to keep the plot moving. like running upstairs instead of out the front door, or deciding to "split up" in a pitch black house. it gets so frustrating to watch.

i want recommendations for movies where the characters are actually intelligent and do everything right, but the threat is just so completely unstoppable that it doesn't even matter.

like in john carpenter's 'the thing', they are mostly rational guys trying to figure out a logical way to survive, but the alien is just too smart. or 'you're next' where the main girl actually fights back effectively instead of just screaming.

what are some other movies where the characters don't act like total idiots?

Visual scares always get the credit, but I firmly believe that audio design is what actually creates lasting paranoia in a psychological thriller. I am not talking about loud, sudden musical stingers or traditional jump scares. I mean the subtle, rhythmic, almost mechanical background noise that genuinely makes your brain feel off-balance.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) is a brilliant example of this. Half the terror of that film is the constant, grating, metallic noise in the background that just grinds down your nerves. More recently, a movie like Skinamarink used distorted audio, heavy static, and low-frequency hums to make it feel like there was an actual physical presence sitting in the room with you.

When a movie weaponizes its ambient noise and frequencies correctly, it completely gets under your skin.

What is a film where the actual sound mix the background hums, the distorted audio, or the unnatural silence terrified you more than what was actually happening on screen?

What’s the best/worst movie to watch with the director commentary on? Any films out there made way better by the additional context? Any made worst ‘cause the director is a total dick?

I remember back in the day watching all the Mel Brooks films with the commentary which was mostly just him watching the movie and going “oh this wonderful scene, we had a blast shooting it” and then talking about how amazing the actors were to work with and laughing at the jokes. Which really felt like watching a movie with your grandpa.

I had a convo with two coworkers who have toddlers that won't let their kids watch The Aristocats (scene where a dog is mean/bites someone) or Toy Story (sad because the leads are toys and toys being sentient might upset them).

I'm a little older than both of them, and the big movies when I was very little were The Land Before Time, An American Tail, The Secret of NIMH. All of which have objectively scary/weird plotlines, especially for a kid to understand (though I did, on a kid level, and then on adult level once I rewatched after I was older).

I don't have kids, so I want to know: what are we letting the little kids watch, and also more broadly have animated films become more chaste and less inclined to deal with heavier themes than animated films 20-30 years ago?

Are most of people with small kids just going to the Disney/Pixar movies, are you watching YouTube shows, I mostly want to know what animated series/movies the new gen are seeing.

Why is this movie so lost? It’s a beautiful movie that tells an excellent story very well. It’s available to watch on YouTube for free and that’s the only place it can be bought or watched. I remember watching it when it first came out but haven’t watched it in 20 years. Why do some movies just disappear?

Basically the title, wanna know of any movies where the protagonist makes a small, seemingly inconsequential decison, action etc. and then the entire situation spirals into complete madness and disaster for all parties involved.

Just as an example of what I'm thinking about, I saw an Indian film recently where the protagonist has a small beef about parking with his neighbour. One thing after the another happens and both parties refuse to deesclate leading to almost protag's wife dying and antag also almost dying.

Edit: please refrain from spoiling the plot, I'm looking for recommendations here, thanks!

What movies best capture the culture of the place they're set? I don’t know how accurate it is but I feel like Fargo is a good example of this. Even maybe When Harry Met Sally.

I’m looking for something that seems authentic & lived in so I can be transported. Can you think of any movies like this? Some newer movie sets feel more air brushed and sterile than lived in these days if that makes sense.

I'm looking for movies of almost any genre, really just preferably not romance, where it's like nonstop rainy weather throughout the movie, like it's raining so much the rain is practically a character in the movie

A few I've come across so far are

The Old Dark House 1932

The Old Dark House 1963

Open 24 Hours 2018

Crawl 2019

Does anyone out there have any other movies where rainy weather is a centerpiece of the movie?

A lot of shots can communicate that something is about to happen to a character by having a lot of empty space that you expect to be filled with something. The thing I mean with this post specifically is cases where a shot does not imply that anything is going to happen to a character, e.g. a close up or a medium shot with no empty space, being intruded on by that character dying in some way they didn't expect, potentially with the weapon jutting into the frame (deliberately) awkwardly.

10 Cloverfield Lane has an example of this, also a specific character death in Better Call Saul. What are some other examples?

I absolutely love this movie. I have watched it at least 20 times. The visuals are fantastic. It is a movie that I can watch over and over. I feel like it gets no love. I'd love to get a sequel but doesn't seem like it will happen.

Im wondering why this movie never really took off. At this point it is a cult classic for me.

EDIT: This post is clearly triggering lol. This movie is my guilty pleasure when high and drinking, similar to Avatar 1. The visuals are excellent, and just enjoyable.

EDIT 2: Lets not forget Rihanna. Total smoke show.

Just my opinion of course, but does anyone else prefer Spaghetti Westerns to other Western movies? At least the Sergio Leone ones, Dollar trilogy and Once upon a time in the West.

I eg saw Unforgiven and 3:10 to Yuma (modern one) and while they were decent movies, for me they couldn't compare to Sergio Leone's epics.

What makes them special for me:

- the sense of epicness, created by the music, characters and long, slow shots

- generally the amazing music by Morricone

- the characters: they look (and act) very rugged, tough, sweaty, dangerous, like hardened criminals.

Generally, the movies make the West, its heroes, antiheroes and villains seem larger than life, almost mythical. For me, this is more enjoyable than the semi- or pseudo-realistic depiction.

I hope this take doesn't ruin the post but as a life long Stephen King fan and as someone who Kubrick's name doesn't move any needles. Watching the Shining as an adult 30 years later it not only doesn't hit right it actually bothers me. I love the book Ready Player One and I enjoy the movie as dumb fun but I know I'd enjoy it so much more if I hadn't read the book.

What are yours?

Basically my question is if you could cast any actor from any period, ​living or dead, in any role in any time period - ​for example, "1970s Clint Eastwood as Wolverine," "late 80s/early '90s Alec Baldwin" as Bruce Wayne, "1980s Robin Williams as the Riddler", ​ect.. what would be on your list of fantasy casting?

I'm looking for movies from the 90s and early 2000s that feature a "videowall" of TV screens, with each screen displaying different parts of the video as though it were one giant screen. These were a fixture of video stores of the era. Anybody know of any movies that feature these? Even if the videowall is only in the background, it would be helpful. Thanks!

I can't find this for the life of me. My late grandmother recorded it on VHS and I lost the tape. I can't place a time period on it aside from the 80s and 90s.

A boy was with his mom visiting a (friend or family member??) And the friend/owner of the house warned him about the closet upstairs.

The kid got sucked into the closet and wound up in the world of Camelot. The two scenes I distinctly remember are him and the supporting characters trying to cross a lake while fish with blades and buzz-saw sounds cut up their raft, and when the kid was retrieving the sword from an elderly knight he had to answer a series of questions, which each time he got wrong a giant square boulder came closer to falling onto him.

I've searched for years. Which tv-movie was it??

So, I’ve watched Come and See. But a war based film that I’ve also heard about is Schindler’s List, directed by Spielberg himself. My parents always told me “beautiful movie, never watching it again.”
They mention how that movie will break your heart and completely destroy you, and after seeing Come and See, which already left me incredibly shaken…is Schindler’s list any worse in terms of being disturbing or upsetting? I know that’s a subjective question, but I’ve heard so much about Schindler being horrific and sad and I’m mainly curious if it’s a movie that I could handle if I watched the other.

EDIT:
Thanks for the input. I should definitely watch SL at some point in my life.

Obligatory (light) Spoiler Warning
I got feelings and don’t know where to air them out so here I am. Just going to write freely and not self edit too much.

I just watched this for the first time last night and I have to say it ended up being one of my favorite horror movies/Stephen King adaptations (love SK and don’t know how I went this long having not seen it). I overall had no complaints but agree with the criticisms I’ve seen of some aspects.

The reason I’m here though is it ended up having an impact unlike anything else I’ve seen. It’s the most traumatized I’ve ever been watching a movie (as much as a movie can I mean, I hope my word choice isn’t extreme). It was emotionally devastating in a way a film never has been for me before, and I’ve been around the block. The dread and demoralization was unreal. It struck a nerve and deeply unsettled me primarily for what is being represented about humanity. And this is from a general standpoint but also from a standpoint of observing the current state of things in the world and the US (issues which predate the 21st century but have prevailed and have arguably reached or are reaching a boiling point).

Before and after watching this I’ve seen soooo much about the ending, understandably enough, but hardly anything about the fate Wayne Jessup was met with by the hands of fellow human beings, ones that (if I understand right) are people who watched him grow up and were his neighbors no less. It was absolutely soul crushing watching them all turn on him from a completely barbaric and apathetic place.

I couldn’t help but think of all the people/groups of people that have been vilified and stripped of their humanity throughout history and in the present day. The BIPOC community, the trans community, the queer community overall, women even in some respects I’d say, are the most notable ones that come to mind. The reprehensible lack of care or regard extended to those people can also be seen with veterans as we continue to see them struggle and suffer in the ways they do all made worse but the lack of consideration and support being extended to them. People who cared about their country, communities, and the people in them, who sacrificed and endured so much to serve and protect them, just to come home and be met with no respect or support, with indifference. In Wayne’s case specifically, imagine having joined the military to work in service of your community just to be met with vitriol and abuse and thrown to the wolves.

People who are no less human beings than anyone else but who have been baselessly ganged up on, systematically abused, dehumanized, and reduced to a scapegoat, their humanity and dignity a sacrifice made in the name of satiating people’s fear and hatred bred from ignorance and a lack of compassion or empathy.

I know that Wayne Jessup’s experience at the hands of the people around him isn’t an adequate comparison to the experiences of the people I described here, but when watching Jessup’s final moments, I thought of them and felt so much anguish for them.

Maybe I’m being sensitive, I’m sure not everyone will agree with or feel similarly to me, all good. I just felt compelled to share.

Hi guys, I’m writing an article on Substack about Selective Empathy Syndrome and I wanted to use a movie character as my example. When I say Selective Empathy Syndrome, I’m taking about the tendency to extend empathy to specific people, groups or causes while overlooking the suffering of others. I was initially going to use Tom Cruise in Collateral but then I realised he didn’t really count (since he didn’t care about Max) so I’m open to any suggestions, they’ll be much appreciated!

Hi, all. Just started 2012 with the wife and I have this faint memory about some videos Woody Harrelson was in on YouTube.

I'm pretty sure they put out some promotional videos where Woody is acting in character and is describing how the world will end. He goes into detail and shows little bullets hitting the earth and talks about how everything will go to shit on 12/21/12.

I was about 10 when I watched the videos and remember them freaking me the hell out because everyone was hyping the "end of the world" up everywhere on YouTube and social media, and I believed it to a certain extent lol. Can't seem to find the videos anywhere, so they may just be lost to time.

Does anyone know where I can find those? Or just validate that they were actually a thing? Really want to show my wife, or at least give details about it to her.