CURRENT MOVIE CLICHES

Probably. But I haven’t made a study of the issue.

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I’m here only on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays. That’s why I’m here now.

The most overused pop-science metaphor in film is Schrödinger's Cat. The point of the thought experiment was to ridicule the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. It was not offered to demonstrate the weirdness of the world, but the goofiness of that interpretation, under which observation of quantum event cause the universe to take on macro-properties. The gag in the cat scenario was to point out that this could leave us in a ridiculous limbo as to whether a living creature connected to a quantum measurement was alive.

Popular films, as they so often do, get it wrong, extending the metaphor to cover ANY case of uncertainty. The film will outline an epistemic quandary, wheel in the Cat metaphor, and conclude that all ontological states are rendered uncertain via our epistemic poverty, which goes beyond quantum queerness into sheer ridiculousness which is well-beyond the scope of the thought experiment.

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OPEN FLOOR.

One considerable cliche in action/thriller movies is the main character, who decides to tell one of the antagonists, to warn the others that he is coming for them. Tombstone (1993) and The Crow (1994), are examples.

But why does the main character want to alert his/her enemies, and thus ruin the advantage of surprise?

Maybe to scare the enemies from coming at all?

Well in Wyatt Earp's case, I thought it would be more logical to go after enemies that don't know you are coming, and they wouldn't expect it, rather than them going running and hiding and coming up with a plan. In The Crow's case, the main villains were able to get away and formulate a plan, now that the main character had tipped them off about who he was and that he was coming for them.

I think it is primal/emotional, the roar before battle, getting yourself pumped up to get it on. Counting Coup, the Haka dance, the Declaration of Independence. Get hype!

It also speaks to a sense of chivalry, "You've been notified. Prepare yourself. I'm coming." Once again, get hype! I'm a manz and menz proclaim their planz! It's kind like a batter calling his shot to pitcher, pointing to the fences.

Tactically, it's idiotic. It only makes sense in such case that your enemies have gone to ground and you want to shake the bushes to see if any of them rabbit. In these films, however, the hero is usually an underdog taking on a big bad gang of baddies, so the announcement is goofy. It's the sort of thing you should only say if you're actual plan is to catch the first train out of Dodge--pointing to the fences and bunting.

Love that movie!

Weird thing is I have little interest in most sports, but I love most sports movies.
I think that's because sports in sports movies are usually metaphors for much more important aspects of life & represent the application of deeper philosophies.

I feel the same way.

Most of what I "know" comes from the movies (and I think that statement is a quotation from L.A. Story).

Oh okay that's a good point. Does Police Story (1985) count as doing this too, as Jackie Chan's character attacks the 'Lee' character, then leaves, thereby allowing Lee to warn the others that he is on the loose?

The Pop Cultural Reference Hall of Mirrors


So many pop cultural references that Captain American has to announce when he understands a joke, which of course is now a meme with considerable currency. It seems that establishing the bona fides of a film or TV show requires a referential awareness of the recent works of fiction which are favored by the target demo of the film or TV show. These shows do the same, so we have self-referential paradoxes in which a story will reference another story as a fiction, but this show will also reference that show as a fiction. Here is a tool which is making the rounds on Reddit.



https://jamiepinheiro.com/cyclic_tv_...aradox_finder/

The new Dune?:

An over-used cliché is finding a stash of - whatever - under the floorboards. This is found by walking over that exact spot in the floor & causing it to creak. This happened in American Sniper where Bradley Cooper just happens to find a huge stash of ammunition & guns under a creaky carpet. Very implausible.

One cliche that drives me nuts is when someone is accused of a crime, and then instead of just acting innocent about it, the person will just go nuts and admit the whole thing. I could name examples, but not sure if I should spoil any movies for anyone who hasn't seen them.

You mean like this?:

The old Perry Mason TV show basically did this every episode.

This is one movie I was thinking I was thinking of yes. Perry Mason was always funny for that for me. I can spoil to others that do it if that's okay.

How about "Schrödinger's C(h)a(rac)t(er)"? You know, when a character clearly dies in a movie, whether it be in a stand-alone original or part of an existing franchise, but then that movie and/or character gets iconic (or at least successful), the studio wants a sequel, and the filmmakers suddenly regret their decision to kill off them off, so they try a resurrection, either with a very flimsy explanation as to how they survived, or even nothing at all in some cases, meaning that the character is both dead according to the canon of the previous entry, and simultaneously alive in the next one; think Blade 2 with , The Matrix Reloaded with , or Michael Meyers in this scene in Halloweenwater (aka Halloween H20)...



...which Resurrection wants us to believe was actually an innocent paramedic who couldn't speak because he had his larynx conveniently crushed by Michael, who then swapped his clothes with the guy and escaped, and somehow never bothered removing the mask to reveal his true identity to Laurie. Yeah sure, movie.

Love the term!