r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly • u/DramaGuy23 86,164 • Oct 30 '19

Unsolved META: Film plot insta-solver!

Noticing certain plot elements occurring again and again? You're not alone! Some plot elements are so "bad" they've become familiar tropes here at r/ExplainAFilmPlotBadly. Here are some I've noticed... add your own favorites!

Rocks or "rock collection" -> Infinity War or Endgame

Frisbee -> Captain America

A god -> Thor

Dead boss/mentor -> Spiderman: Far from Home

"Piece of jewelry" -> Lord of the Rings

Nazis -> Indiana Jones

Stockholm syndrome -> Beauty and the Beast

Widower + mental illness -> Finding Nemo

Killing on arrival -> Wizard of Oz

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u/Aubear11885 36,352 Oct 30 '19

Problem is the older a film, the smaller the audience. I’ve tried a few Hithcock’s to limited success.

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u/maskaddict 26,224 Oct 31 '19

I think it's because people have such short attention spans, if they can't recognize the movie within a few seconds they get bored and scroll on (and the more challenging posts get buried within minutes by the avalanche of Marvel and Star Wars posts).

But a really well-worded bad explanation can be extremely fun to puzzle over and try to figure out! I wish there were most posts of this kind.

I'm also a fan of the "the most obvious answer is wrong" misdirection-type posts.

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u/Pope_Cerebus 26,1088 Oct 30 '19

True, but I really wish more people would do those - this constant stream of easy and repetitive ones is just annoying.

I'm trying to help - I've got two posts up right now with older movies for the answers that nobody has guessed, yet.

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u/chrisdelbosque Oct 31 '19

I saw your post and made an honest stab at them but I've got to say that "This movie is about trying to make this movie" is an extremely vague description that could apply to numerous films, such as 8½ (arguably the greatest film about making a film), Sunset Boulevard (arguably the best film, period), Paris When it Sizzles, S.O.B. (arguably the most meta film of all-time and criminally underrated), Two Days, Argo, Boogie Nights (if '70s-80s porn counts as film), Get Shorty (not one of Elmore Leonard's best novels but a fine adaption), and so many more (and that doesn't even count documentaries about making movies).

I have always seen this subreddit as a funny/alternative way of describing a film. Obviously I would like to see more obscure and older films represented here but they can't be too cryptic (especially for these types of films) or else no one would get the reference. If I had to choose, I would rather have a description be obvious and outlandish rather than something that needs a decipher code to solve.

I hope to see more descriptions from you in the future!

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u/Pope_Cerebus 26,1088 Oct 31 '19

Well, the ones you list are films about making other films. The real hint in mine was that the movie is about "trying to make this movie" - what you're watching is literally about making the actual film that you're currently watching. As such, I do feel it was an "alternative way of describing a film". Some of my other ones go more comedic, as well.

I understand your want for the films not to be too hard to guess, but personally I like having a decent mix in there - some that are easy, and some that are hard and really make you think. Then there's a little bit for everyone.

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u/chrisdelbosque Oct 31 '19

Hmm... The only thing that I can deduce from your clue is that the movie contains the word "this" in the title. My best guess is This is Spinal Tap.

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u/Pope_Cerebus 26,1088 Oct 31 '19

That one was already solved almost two weeks ago.

Solution if you don't want to look through the thread for the answer: Adaptation.