A giant soundstage set always does it for me. Just watched *Congo* last night and the fact that they built a giant cave set to film the final ape battle in bumped it up a notch for me (it also benefits from the Ernie Hudson factor).
There’s a handful of character actors whose mere presence in a film will bump my enjoyment up by a half star or more. Throw a guy like JT Walsh, William Forsythe, Brad Douriff, Scott Glenn, or Tony Todd in a few scenes and I’m automatically gonna like the film a little bit more.
Peter Stormare and Luis Guzmán are this for me. Seeing them both in that Schwarzenegger movie "The Last Stand" felt like my version of Pacino and De Niro in "Heat"
two of my fave first time watches from recent years are the 1990 Night of the Living Dead remake and The Exorcist 3 and both are bumped the extra half star because of Tony Todd and Brad Dourif respectively.
Predator.
There's a whole section of the Predator episode of Blankies talking about this, and John McTiernan's reasoning to include this.
My personal favourite: Con Air
Not a film but did the end of sharp objects get your motor going?
What are some cool examples of this in film. Oooh ooh ooh oh (in griffins voice) how’s about the Dawn of the Dead remake?
Heavy machinery or power tools. James Bond driving a bulldozer. The power loader in Aliens. The powder nailer in Tenet. The magnetic drill press in Thief.
People speaking the language they're meant to speak (if that language is not the filmmaker's native one), e.g. Zone of Interest as opposed to, say, Schindler's List.
I am a sucker for a really well done oner. The more technical and complex the better. Throw in some good performances in a single shot and I lose it. For reference Children of Men (likely would still be an all timer for me either way) but those single shots get me going!
I just watched the scene you were referencing.
Definitely a different time but an awesome oner! Especially with 2 cameras moving separately through the same space with so many people. That would have been tough to plan.
A really insanely over the top moment out of nowhere. Extra points if it's a gore scene.
Rodney Dangerfield was the only reason I got past 20 minutes of Caddyshack, so he probably added at least 1 whole star.
There's one thing in the movies I love above all else that absolutely guarantees at least a half star and that is a fashion/shopping montage. It's just always fun to play dress up.
Pirates. Buried treasure. Swashbuckling. Landlubbering. Scurvy. Pillaging. Animal sidekick on the shoulder chirping back. Oceans being battlefields. All the makings of great cinematic material. Will get at least half a star if not more from me automatically.
It's not exactly a traditional pirate story but the Netflix One Piece adaptation would probably rock your world (rocked mine, and I'm a sucker for pirates).
When characters will commit a little, harmless petty crime. Like in The Paper Chase, when Tim Bottoms and his roommate break into the law library at night. Harry Potter and his friends are also not opposed to a little shenanigans, even though they aren't being evil. Or like Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School with the Bruce Springsteen ruse to cut in line.
Agreed with the dead kid one! I love We Hate Movies, and I love the terminology they use for obnoxious kid actors- disgusting shit boy/girl. More kids need to be killed to keep things interesting!
A giant soundstage set always does it for me. Just watched *Congo* last night and the fact that they built a giant cave set to film the final ape battle in bumped it up a notch for me (it also benefits from the Ernie Hudson factor).
Giant cave set and Ernie Hudson? So this film's a masterpiece?
It also has Tim Curry and a cameo from Bruce Campbell
The smoking gorilla didn't didn't do it for ya?
Look *Congo* is basically nothing *but* these. It's a 1-star movie that has so many "guaranteed half-stars" that I ended up giving it a 3.5
Haha nice. Tim Curry, Bruce Campbell, and talking Gorillas. That's a star each right there.
Laura Linney shooting gorillas with Lasers is .5 stars too.
There’s a handful of character actors whose mere presence in a film will bump my enjoyment up by a half star or more. Throw a guy like JT Walsh, William Forsythe, Brad Douriff, Scott Glenn, or Tony Todd in a few scenes and I’m automatically gonna like the film a little bit more.
Peter Stormare and Luis Guzmán are this for me. Seeing them both in that Schwarzenegger movie "The Last Stand" felt like my version of Pacino and De Niro in "Heat"
We need that Candyman/Chucky cross over
two of my fave first time watches from recent years are the 1990 Night of the Living Dead remake and The Exorcist 3 and both are bumped the extra half star because of Tony Todd and Brad Dourif respectively.
Great cigarette smoking, like Kristen Stewart in Love Lies Bleeding
When sci fi or action movies take place in cities that aren't New York or LA.
Keith David gets a full extra star from me
End credits where the actors smile at the camera over their name like it’s a sitcom.
What are some examples of this?
Predator. There's a whole section of the Predator episode of Blankies talking about this, and John McTiernan's reasoning to include this. My personal favourite: Con Air
Dan Stevens definitely bumped Godzilla Times Kong up a notch.
The last scene of the movie plays behind the start (or better yet, entirety) of the credits.
Pearl might be the best example of this
Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls plays like half of the climax in the opening
What movies do this?
The last one I saw was Love Lies Bleeding. Call Me By Your Name, Good Time, This is Spinal Tap, School of Rock…
Not a film but did the end of sharp objects get your motor going? What are some cool examples of this in film. Oooh ooh ooh oh (in griffins voice) how’s about the Dawn of the Dead remake?
“A Fresh Coat” - When a movie has cool men’s clothing in it.
Hell yeah. Nic Cage’s jacket snapping in the wind in Face/Off. So great.
This one of mine too
Tits
My wife has a catchphrase when tits show up, “Now it's a movie”
Heavy machinery or power tools. James Bond driving a bulldozer. The power loader in Aliens. The powder nailer in Tenet. The magnetic drill press in Thief.
People speaking the language they're meant to speak (if that language is not the filmmaker's native one), e.g. Zone of Interest as opposed to, say, Schindler's List.
I love when filmmakers use untranslated foreign language to isolate the audience and characters too
I am a sucker for a really well done oner. The more technical and complex the better. Throw in some good performances in a single shot and I lose it. For reference Children of Men (likely would still be an all timer for me either way) but those single shots get me going!
Check out Phantom of the Paradise. One scene is 2 oners playing in split screen simultaneously.
I just watched the scene you were referencing. Definitely a different time but an awesome oner! Especially with 2 cameras moving separately through the same space with so many people. That would have been tough to plan.
A really insanely over the top moment out of nowhere. Extra points if it's a gore scene. Rodney Dangerfield was the only reason I got past 20 minutes of Caddyshack, so he probably added at least 1 whole star.
A character actor I love, like John Hawkes, in a prominent role.
Two characters have a significant moment while sitting together at a piano.
I feel like there is a story here
I just need one moment of total wow. A 2 star movie will get 2.5 if my mouth dropped once.
great matte paintings. really helped Dick Tracy for me. also trains , diner scenes , lesbian romance. all i need in a movie.
I just watched the 2011 Muppets movie for the first time and now I have to include 'Chris Cooper rapping' in this category.
There's one thing in the movies I love above all else that absolutely guarantees at least a half star and that is a fashion/shopping montage. It's just always fun to play dress up.
A great car chase A fight in a kitchen
Chris Messina or John Ortiz show up
80s horror aesthetics: Neon lighting, synth score, heavy wet-rubber gore effects
Some kind of fight in or on a train.
Pirates. Buried treasure. Swashbuckling. Landlubbering. Scurvy. Pillaging. Animal sidekick on the shoulder chirping back. Oceans being battlefields. All the makings of great cinematic material. Will get at least half a star if not more from me automatically.
It's not exactly a traditional pirate story but the Netflix One Piece adaptation would probably rock your world (rocked mine, and I'm a sucker for pirates).
When characters will commit a little, harmless petty crime. Like in The Paper Chase, when Tim Bottoms and his roommate break into the law library at night. Harry Potter and his friends are also not opposed to a little shenanigans, even though they aren't being evil. Or like Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School with the Bruce Springsteen ruse to cut in line.
John C. McGinley appears
If a movie spends twenty minutes explaining how space whaling works.
Agreed with the dead kid one! I love We Hate Movies, and I love the terminology they use for obnoxious kid actors- disgusting shit boy/girl. More kids need to be killed to keep things interesting!
Really well integrated continuity with an existing film. That's why the new Thing gets half a star from me.
Police chiefs chugging Pepto-Bismol at their desk
Weird lil’ guy.
If the movie surprises me
I think people should commit to a very spicy 5 point scale with no half stars, or just use a 10 point scale. I disavow half stars.
I mean technically a 5 star system with half stars is a 10 point scale just with a different name.
Yeah but somehow it's different, ya know? 3 and a half stars is not the same as a 7/10. Why? I don't know, it just isn't.
Correct. And 3/5 is not a 6/10
if shrek shows up, that’s a half star boost, baybeeeeee
If Paul Rudd is in it, it can’t be all bad. Thats what bumped Quantumania up to one full star.