A consistent feature in your favourite movies?

[Kevin]

Do you ever notice that there's a consistent feature in your favourite movies. With me, I've realized that my favourite movies always seem to have a twist or small surprise at the end of the movie.

Examples:
Star Trek II
Spock dies

The Usual Suspects
Verbal Kint is Keyser Soze

Das Boot
The crew dies at the end

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
You know what it is

The French Connection
Popeye Doyle shoot a cop by accident and the bad guy gets away

Master and Commander: Far Side of the World
The french captain is still alive

Psycho
Mother is Norman Bates

[cdouglas]

I have noticed that my favorite films all tend to be really, really good.

[Andrew Forbes]

I've noticed that all my favorite twist-related posts contain spoiler warnings.

[Bryan Pope]

Holy Drive-By Spoilers, Batman!!

[HGervais]

I have noticed that my favorite films all tend to be really, really good.

+1

[Steve T Power]

All of mine tend to have action, adventure, swords, guns, or any combination thereof.

[yellow ledbetter]

strong dialogue, fearless acting, and of course lots of testosterone

[tucco]

Heady themes of existentialism....sigh.....

[Gabriel Girard]

Boobs!

[Andrew Forbes]

Werewolf pubes.

[J.M. Vargas]

Thanks for ruining "Das Boot" for me!

The only thing that runs consistent among my favorite movies (also TV shows, books, etc.) is juxtaposition between stuff that isn't supposed to work well together but in the end it all comes beautifully. "Usual Suspects": movie with a twist ending (that's amply telegraphed on repeat viewing) that still manages to entertain and compel with every repeat viewing. "Fargo": plain-spoken rural sheriff calmly outsmarting smarter, stronger folks in a wild Cohen-imagined movie world. "Dexter": a serial killer that kills only criminals that is somehow a character study that makes us (against our better judgement) sympathize with the emotional plights of a monster. "Late Spring": independent daughter giving in to her father/society's desire for her to marry even though everybody knows she and her dad have a strong personal bond (the scene when Setsuro Hara kneels in her wedding gown and thanks Chishû Ryû just breaks my heart every...single... time ). Ozu's cinematic style itself (low-angle cameras and static shots with minimal-to-no-camera-movement that yield heart-wrenching melodrama) I would consider a juxtaposition. And so on and so forth. I know conflict is the root of most entertainment media's plot lines but I prefer to see (and seek) stuff that contrasts two elements that shouldn't work together but eventually do.

[the5thghostbuster]

Well, let's take a look at my top five favorite films:

1) Ghostbusters
2) Manhunter (1986)
3) Shaun of the Dead
4) Dr. Strangelove
5) Grosse Pointe Blank

Of that list, most of the films focus on outsider type figures, black comedy (save Manhunter), and tend to have strong emphasis on witty verbal exchanges (again, save Manhunter, but that film does have kick ass exchanges as well), and strong visual style (with the exception of Grosse Pointe Blank, though it still looks good).

Looking closer, each also features a kick ass score (or at least great pop music sound tracks), focus on death (ghosts, serial killers, zombies, nuclear annihalation, and assasination), tend to be cynical yet with a bit of optimisim (save Strangelove), and, save Strangelove, in some way, shape or form having some love for the 1980s.

[ccb]

Some favs seem to have cynical views of the Established Order:

Brazil
Robocop
The Prisoner
1984 (especially if you listen to Minitrue's prattlings)
Firefly/Serenity
Sin City

[Mach6]

Ultraviolet
Resident Evil
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Extinction
The Perfect Getaway

I just can't figure out why all these are my favorites. I mean, except for The Perfect Getaway, they're not in CDouglas' really, really good range. They're at best OK (Extinction) to just plain God Awful (Ultraviolet). They all have mediocre to lousy acting, second-rate action scenes, & cheesy dialogue. In the case of Ultraviolet, some of the worst so-called "special" effects committed to a big-budget movie. Heck, they're probably at least ten zombie movies out there that are superior to the Resident Evil movies. There has to be something in common that all of them must have.

[Steve T Power]

Ultraviolet
Resident Evil
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Extinction
The Perfect Getaway

I just can't figure out why all these are my favorites. I mean, except for The Perfect Getaway, they're not in CDouglas' really, really good range. They're at best OK (Extinction) to just plain God Awful (Ultraviolet). They all have mediocre to lousy acting, second-rate action scenes, & cheesy dialogue. In the case of Ultraviolet, some of the worst so-called "special" effects committed to a big-budget movie. Heck, they're probably at least ten zombie movies out there that are superior to the Resident Evil movies. There has to be something in common that all of them must have.

Ooh ooh! I know! me me me! pick me!

Also, you left out Dazed and Confused and The Fifth Element

[Dan Mancini]

Ultraviolet
Resident Evil
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Extinction
The Perfect Getaway

I just can't figure out why all these are my favorites. I mean, except for The Perfect Getaway, they're not in CDouglas' really, really good range. They're at best OK (Extinction) to just plain God Awful (Ultraviolet). They all have mediocre to lousy acting, second-rate action scenes, & cheesy dialogue. In the case of Ultraviolet, some of the worst so-called "special" effects committed to a big-budget movie. Heck, they're probably at least ten zombie movies out there that are superior to the Resident Evil movies. There has to be something in common that all of them must have.

Are you attracted to adolescent boys? Or women built like them?

[Mach6]

Ultraviolet
Resident Evil
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Extinction
The Perfect Getaway

I just can't figure out why all these are my favorites. I mean, except for The Perfect Getaway, they're not in CDouglas' really, really good range. They're at best OK (Extinction) to just plain God Awful (Ultraviolet). They all have mediocre to lousy acting, second-rate action scenes, & cheesy dialogue. In the case of Ultraviolet, some of the worst so-called "special" effects committed to a big-budget movie. Heck, they're probably at least ten zombie movies out there that are superior to the Resident Evil movies. There has to be something in common that all of them must have.

Are you attracted to adolescent boys? Or women built like them?

Really classy, Dan. You could've said that my post was stupid or Milla isn't your type, but you went with a "Are you a pedophile?" joke. Even when Steve & (especially) Andrew insult somebody they don't resort to cheapshots like that. Whatever.

[Dan Mancini]

Ultraviolet
Resident Evil
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Extinction
The Perfect Getaway

I just can't figure out why all these are my favorites. I mean, except for The Perfect Getaway, they're not in CDouglas' really, really good range. They're at best OK (Extinction) to just plain God Awful (Ultraviolet). They all have mediocre to lousy acting, second-rate action scenes, & cheesy dialogue. In the case of Ultraviolet, some of the worst so-called "special" effects committed to a big-budget movie. Heck, they're probably at least ten zombie movies out there that are superior to the Resident Evil movies. There has to be something in common that all of them must have.

Are you attracted to adolescent boys? Or women built like them?

Really classy, Dan. You could've said that my post was stupid or Milla isn't your type, but you went with a "Are you a pedophile?" joke. Even when Steve & (especially) Andrew insult somebody they don't resort to cheapshots like that. Whatever.

I find that breathing into a paper bag relieves hyperventilation.

Now... obviously my intent was to convince everyone on the interwebs that you are an actual pedophile. It was not to poke a little good-natured fun at Milla Jovovich's rail-thin frame despite the fact that I actually think she's pretty smokin'. Obviously. Because I'm not classy.

[Andrew Forbes]

It was not to poke a little good-natured fun at Milla Jovovich's rail-thin frame despite the fact that I actually think she's pretty smokin'. Obviously. Because I'm not classy.

Grope any choirboys lately, Mancini? Authorities have been notified.

[Jon Mercer]

It was not to poke a little good-natured fun at Milla Jovovich's rail-thin frame despite the fact that I actually think she's pretty smokin'. Obviously. Because I'm not classy.

Grope any choirboys lately, Mancini? Authorities have been notified.

STRANGER DANGER!! STRANGER DANGER!!

[Dan Mancini]

It was not to poke a little good-natured fun at Milla Jovovich's rail-thin frame despite the fact that I actually think she's pretty smokin'. Obviously. Because I'm not classy.

Grope any choirboys lately, Mancini? Authorities have been notified.

STRANGER DANGER!! STRANGER DANGER!!

My porn 'stache is almost full grown.

[Jon Mercer]

It was not to poke a little good-natured fun at Milla Jovovich's rail-thin frame despite the fact that I actually think she's pretty smokin'. Obviously. Because I'm not classy.

Grope any choirboys lately, Mancini? Authorities have been notified.

STRANGER DANGER!! STRANGER DANGER!!

My porn 'stache is almost full grown.

. My Hulk Hogan'stache IS fully grown.

[Dan Mancini]

It was not to poke a little good-natured fun at Milla Jovovich's rail-thin frame despite the fact that I actually think she's pretty smokin'. Obviously. Because I'm not classy.

Grope any choirboys lately, Mancini? Authorities have been notified.

STRANGER DANGER!! STRANGER DANGER!!

My porn 'stache is almost full grown.

. My Hulk Hogan'stache IS fully grown.

So, you're into manhandling beefy dudes, then?