Favorite Movie Elements

So, when you look back on your favorite movies, do you notice any specific elements you seem to be drawn to? I´ll give some of my own examples.

Fucking sword fights. Anywhere from Kill Bill to Star Wars.

Watching fuckers like Goku go SSJ3 for the first time, Superman and Hulk just tossing shit around. All powerful characters letting loose.

Allegiance shifts. Like Anakin going over to the dark side. There´s something I like about a person, even if they know deep down it´s wrong, who just says fuck it and does the wrong thing and gives in to some horrible desire.

Certain cameo appearances. I just saw the third Fast and the Furious (slight spoiler alert) and I got the shit surprised out of me when Dom´ (Vin Diesel) shows up to challenge the latest movies protagonist. I´m surprised the guy even decided to do that short bit. Even though I´m not a huge fan of that series I like the connection between the movies.


Jesus, for the most part I´m drawn to shit a five year old likes.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I can be taken in by a lot of things.

As someone who's worked on student films, I'm a sucker for a "pretty" movie. I mean a movie that may have other weaknesses in its narrative, but is just fucking gorgous to look at and watch. Expert choice of framing, movement, focus, shutter speed, and then post-production choices like color grading make the filmmaker in me go "oooh."

As far as narratives go, I'm always drawn to character dramas. I usually find action movies disappointing (unless the action is really damn good) because character interaction is flat and uninteresting. So often I love movies that some of my friends find "boring" or "pointless" because "nothing happens" (notable examples: Lost in Translation or The Life Aquatic). In movies like that, it's all about the characters and the subtle interaction between them.

Finally, as someone entering the visual effects industry, I will sometimes just watch a film as a technical exercise in looking for notable visual effects work. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is probably the strongest example of this: there were a lot of problems with that movie story-wise, but the technical achievement of it (and the great soundtrack) is what keeps me coming back.

Of course, if a movie can integrate ALL of these qualities, or combine the first or third with the second, that's wonderful. But not all can accomplish that.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

The 'eipic feel' is pretty powerful. I saw Troy three or four times in theaters with no objection with different friends just because the epic feel satisfied me. It wasn't a good movie by any stretch of the imagination but that feeling can alleviate any pain the dialogue produces.

I also like the neo-realist film exemplified in The Bicycle Thief, Au Hasard Balthazar, The Battle of Algiers, and Pather Panchali. It's somewhat gritty but its portrayal of life is usually very moving.

Beyond that I can be pretty tempermental. I don't like certain cheap film feelings but I really enjoyed Starship Troopers. Some romantic films can be good but usually they are older ones are foreign. I wish I knew what things I liked in movies better.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.