Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Share The Warning Signs That A Movie's Going To Be Unwatchable

People Share The Warning Signs That A Movie's Going To Be Unwatchable
Alfred Derks from Pixabay

Few things are as dissatisfying as a bad movie.

It's even worse when you can tell the movie will be bad, when you can see it coming but you're already on a train with no signs of stopping.

Or maybe you're just one of those suckers who feels a need to stick it out until the end (much to your repeated regret).

Bad acting and bad writing are two of my pet peeves, by the way.


But there's plenty out there that annoys the average filmgoer, as we were reminded once Redditor Thats_What_She_Said asked the online community:

"What's a sign that a movie is going to be bad?"


"If it isn't strong enough..."

"Showing what is obviously the best part/climax in the trailer. If it isn't strong enough to catch my interest with the lead-up, it's likely gonna suck."

Mr_Lumbergh

So frustrating! The worst. This is why I don't watch trailers. Ever.

"An exposition..."

"An exposition in which one character explains everything that's going on to another character that should already know what is going on."

smartypants

Don't you love that?

"I know we drove for what might have been 40 minutes and that I had plenty of time, but I won't tell you what's going on until 20 seconds before we rob this bank!"

"If it's being released..."

"If it's being released in January. That isn't the case every time, just most of the time."

[deleted]

Ah, yes. The dumping ground after Oscar season.Typically, the worst of the worst comes out at this time.

"If you are a fantasy movie..."

"Whenever they start promoting their movie by constantly comparing it to one of the all-time greats in the genre. If you are a fantasy movie and you have to state in the advertising that you are great just like Lord of the Rings, it makes me think your movie is probably crap. Because you are not LOTR."

Eriador12345

Everyone wants to present another Lord of the Rings but there hasn't been anyone able to match Tolkien... at least not yet.

"It means the studio..."

"Critics did not receive an advance screening in order to write a review. It means the studio is hoping to at least recover an opening weekend of ticket sales before word gets out."

cyrano111

This is a big one. If the critics don't even get a chance to see it, then that typically doesn't bode well.

"The preview shows a girl..."

"The preview shows a girl who's Just Too Focused On Career to find love going back to her small hometown for whatever reason."

pamplemouss

But don't worry, she'll leave everything she cares about for this scruffy man's man wearing flannel and she'll learn the true meaning of Christmas!

"Usually..."

"The near-constant advertising. Usually the exact same spot played before every video on YouTube."

MCAdventurer

Excessive advertising will absolutely make not want to watch your movie. EVER.

"It just screams desperation..."

"If it opens with a narration starting with, "I know what you're thinking..."

It just screams desperation from a crowded writer's room."

FutureLost

Some people probably need to go back to screenwriting class. We hate cliches.

"When you've basically seen..."

"When you've basically seen the entire plot of the movie and all main scenes in the trailer."

Aerionne

Again: Don't watch trailers! You'll set yourself up for disappointment!

"When the trailer..."

"When the trailer just has a bunch of random shots of things going on and has the characters saying really vague cliche lines like "Everything you've ever known is about to change" or "This is only the beginning" or "It all comes down to this" and the trailer concludes with you not knowing a single damn thing about the premise.

Dashed_With_Cinammon

You guys can absolutely agree with all of these, right? Face it––you've sat through more bad movies out there than you've ever cared to. All that wasted time; you're an expert at picking out bad movies now! Well done!

Have some observations of your own? Feel free to tell us about them in the comments below!

Want to "know" more?

Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

yellow note with "I QUIT!" on keyboard
Nick Fewings on Unsplash

People's Best 'F—k This, I Don't Get Paid Enough' Work Experiences

In 1977, singer and songwriter Johnny Paycheck scored a mega hit with his working-class anthem, "Take This Job and Shove It."

The lyrics embodied the sentiments of workers and their ultimate fantasy of telling off their boss, as the chorus said:

Keep ReadingShow less
Lauren Boebert; Kid Rock
Joe Raedle/Getty Images; Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Lauren Boebert In Hot Water After She's Busted Spending Campaign Funds On Kid Rock Concert Tickets

Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert is facing criticism after Federal Election Commission (FEC) records showed she spent over $3,300 of her campaign funds on concert tickets and a hotel in Texas on the same weekend her once-rumored boyfriend—MAGA singer Kid Rock—was performing.

Boebert’s campaign reported expenses for a hotel stay in Arlington, Texas, and for event tickets purchased in May. On May 16, Boebert attended the Rock N Rodeo — part of the Professional Bull Riding Championship World Finals at AT&T Stadium — an event hosted by Kid Rock. She even shared a photo of herself with the singer on social media.

Keep ReadingShow less
Left: Ron Perlman; Right: Harvey Weinstein during a court appearance.
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images; Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Ron Perlman Leaves Fans Stunned With Story About Peeing On His Hand Before Shaking Harvey Weinstein's

During an especially unsanitary round of storytime on Inside of You with Smallville’s Michael Rosenbaum, Ron Perlman resurrected one of Hollywood’s most infamous bits of petty rebellion: the “pee-pee handshake” he claims he once served to convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein.

Back in the political chaos of 2018, the Sons of Anarchy star revealed that he deliberately peed on his hand before greeting Weinstein at a charity event.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@unpunishablewoman's TikTok video
@unpunishablewoman/TikTok

Single Woman Explains Why Married Women Are 'Self-Centered' In Their Friendships—And People Have Thoughts

There's nothing quite like the feeling of investing so much of yourself into your friendships and realizing that these people you love are unwilling to reciprocate your love and care.

In recent years, it's become an increasingly common and devastating problem for single women to feel taken advantage of by their married friends. They often feel pressured to support their married friends in their milestones, especially when it comes to their kids, while their milestones as a single person are ignored.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @helsmcp's TikTok video
@helsmcp/TikTok

TikToker Sparks Debate After Saying She's Suffering From 'Millennial Age Dysmorphia'

Did you know that experiencing trauma, even at a societal level, can have a lasting impact on your brain development, your aging process, and your perception of your age and capabilities?

Millennials, especially Elder Millennials, have become a classic example of this, and it's a wide-spread problem.

Keep ReadingShow less