Heist, romance, sports, betrayal, mystery, coming of age…these are all examples of what plot key words should be. Words that convey the most important plot points and themes in a movie. Now look at of these ridiculous plot key words IMDb uses to describe movies.
The Lion King
Hula dance, no opening credits, tastes like chicken joke, flatulence
I love movies about taste like chicken jokes.
The Shawshank Redemption
Feet on desk, reference to National Geographic magazine, maggot, talking through bookshelf, three word title
The Godfather
Elevator, orange peel, cat, Radio City Music Hall Manhattan New York, character appears in newspaper, horse
The Dark Knight
Voiceover letter, homoerotic, text message, man wearing a wig, blocking a door with a chair, sitting
Pulp Fiction
Impersonating Buddy Holly, talking to one’s self in a mirror, slurping a drink with a straw, forming a square in the air, toaster
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Thirst, coat, train, kindness, friendship
Schindler’s List
Shaving, what happened to epilogue, hiding in a closet, urination, mirror
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Lifting male in air, severed finger, swarm tactic, ferry boat, colon in title
Fight Club
Character repeating someone else’s dialogue, falling down stairs, title spoken by character, girl, severe tire damage, Ikea
Star Wars
Character says “I have a bad feeling about this,” force choke, preemptive strike, incestuous kiss (blech), Wilhelm Scream, Stormtrooper, Millennium Falcon
Inception
College student, dream within a dream within a dream, walking up a wall, limbo, bathtub, aging, cyber punk
It’s the best dream within a dream within a dream movie I’ve ever seen.
Forrest Gump
Calling someone an idiot, telling someone to shut up, bus stop, character repeats narrator’s words, feather, legless man
Goodfellas
Real life mother and daughter playing mother and daughter, kicked in the face, insult, actor shares first name with character, lion, gun in panties
The Matrix
Wearing sunglasses inside, black trench coat, ringing telephone, punched in the ribs, slow motion scene, technology gone amok
Actually, that’s pretty much what this movie about.
Se7en
Box
WHAT’S IN THE BOX!?!?
The Usual Suspects
Reference to Albert Einstein, reference to Loch Ness Monster, reference to Lee Harvey Oswald, reference to Pope John Paul II
The Silence of the Lambs
Lights suddenly go out, female senator, small dog, pay phone, fat girl, reference to Hannibal Lecter
I love movies that reference characters in the movie.
It’s A Wonderful Life
African American woman, advice from bartender, contraction in title, partial deafness, handshake
Casablanca
Conversation with character playing piano, piano, pianist, piano player
Is there a piano in this movie?
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Boulder, whip, fear of snakes, female tied up, dead monkey, hat wearing heroes
Again, not a bad summary.
Memento
Scantily clad female, spoken inner thoughts, obscene finger gesture, nude fight, hanging up without saying goodbye
Hanging Up Without Saying Goodbye: A Grandmother’s Memoir
The Departed
Ice cream parlor, man with glasses, menstruation, beeper, leather jacket, blood on shirt
Back to the Future
Tearing page out of a phone book, kiss reveals absence of love, 555 phone number, hanging from clock, underwear
