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Movie Title Pet Peeve

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Movie Title Pet Peeve

Old 04-11-05, 08:47 PM
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Movie Title Pet Peeve

I don't know why they annoy me so much... but I cannot contain my for movies that follow the template used to form these movie titles.

Chasing Amy
Chasing Liberty
Chasing Papi
Finding Forrester
Finding Neverland
Waking Ned
Drowning Mona
Boxing Helena
Saving Silverman
Stealing Beauty
Feeling Minnesota
Losing Isaiah
Surviving Christmas
Being John Malkovich
Being Julia
Kissing Jessica Stein
Owning Mahoney
Raising Helen
Raising Victor Vargas
Killing Zoe
Killing Mrs. Tingle / Teaching Mrs. Tingle


maybe the filmmakers think they're being clever by using an understated title, but personally, i think it usually suggests a lack of imagination (or originality). am I alone in despising titles like these?

Last edited by Cygnet74; 04-11-05 at 08:49 PM.
Old 04-11-05, 08:48 PM
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You aren't alone, a lot of people don't like the Verb/Noun formula
Old 04-11-05, 08:57 PM
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It's the ing thing.

And don't forget, Finding Nemo
Old 04-11-05, 09:48 PM
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I agree. Gerunds and present participles should be outlawed from movie titles. When did this start? The first one I remember was Eating Raoul and that was 23 years ago.
Old 04-11-05, 09:51 PM
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Hating Titles
Old 04-11-05, 09:52 PM
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The present participle is definately annoying. So is reversing the order of the adjective and noun, such as The House Beautiful. Luckily, this one hasn't caught on.
Old 04-11-05, 10:58 PM
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Does it have to be two words? How about titles like Bringing Up Baby and Singin' in the Rain?
Old 04-11-05, 11:43 PM
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The title that has forever annoyed me is Waiting to Exhale.
Old 04-12-05, 01:15 AM
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You forgot Raising Arizona, and Kill Bill (both volumes).

Last edited by Jon2; 04-12-05 at 01:17 AM.
Old 04-12-05, 01:19 AM
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Fucking Amal, I always liked that one.

What about Waking Life?
Old 04-12-05, 07:29 AM
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Here's my movie title pet peeve:

Spiderman
Incredible Hulk
Fantastic Four
Daredevil
Elektra
Punisher
...
Old 04-12-05, 07:43 AM
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In Waking Life, Waking is not acting as a verb, but as an adjective. Therefore, it does not count. Neither does Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I guess Bowling for Columbine would work.

And damn you for reminding me of Feeling Minnesota. That movie was terrible.

What of two- or three-word movies which comprise a sentence? (Two or three words only... Sorry, You Can Count on Me). For example:
Igby Goes Down
Man Bites Dog



Or movies titled as commands?
Run Lola Run (Missing commas! C+)
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (Bonus!!! This has three sentence(s)/fragment(s) in it!)
Open Your Eyes
Come and See


But to answer your question, no, it doesn't bother me.
Old 04-12-05, 08:11 AM
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I never knew this was such a widespread pet peeve. Maybe we could start titling films "Movie #C2005-42A."
Old 04-12-05, 08:42 AM
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"Star Wars - Episode _______."
Old 04-12-05, 08:47 AM
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EATING RAOUL - c'mon, what else could you title that movie?

No, doesn't bother me a bit.
Old 04-12-05, 08:53 AM
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Saving Private Ryan
Old 04-12-05, 09:33 AM
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title + sequel #: title variation

Example:
Die Hard 2: Die Harder

Last edited by Pointyskull; 04-12-05 at 09:36 AM.
Old 04-12-05, 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by The Bus
Run Lola Run (Missing commas! C+)
This one is worse mostly because of the translation.
The German title is
"Lola Rennt"
which is basically
"Lola Runs"

which pretty much describes the movie, and is a little more creative/declarative than the commanding form used in the US title.
Old 04-12-05, 10:35 AM
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An interesting thought. Although, I think it would be kind of funny if a mod had the last post, simply "Closing Thread."
Old 04-12-05, 10:55 AM
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Originally Posted by 12thmonkey
title + sequel #: title variation

Example:
Die Hard 2: Die Harder
Yes, but the real name of this movie is just Die Hard 2. Only the movie posters and promotional materials add the "Die Harder". Watch the film again, and you'll only see "Die Hard 2" in the actual movie.
Old 04-12-05, 11:02 AM
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Originally Posted by PopcornTreeCt
Fucking Amal, I always liked that one.

What about Waking Life?
these are not the same as the ones that ghet under my skin. if they were, Fucking Amal would have a plot about having sex with a small town in Sweden.
Old 04-12-05, 11:05 AM
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Couldn't care less one way or the other about movie titles personally.
Old 04-12-05, 11:41 AM
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Eyes Wide Shut

Why? Because I've been asked 3 times what that title means and 2 out of those 3 times the question was preceded with "Have you seen Eyes Wide Shut?" I answer "No" and they still followed with "What does that title mean?"
Old 04-12-05, 01:42 PM
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Die Harder always seemed akward.
Old 04-12-05, 01:49 PM
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Being John Malcovich
Waking Ned Divine
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