Five Totally Played Out Scenes We Never Need To See Again
Holding The Dead Female Lead And Screaming To The Heavens
Remember X-men Origins: Wolverine? Remember when they killed Silver Fox and Wolverine yells at the sky? Remember when you rolled your eyes and groaned? Well, be the change you want to see and never, ever use that sequence in any film ever again. This straight up vintage and hackneyed device has popped up everywhere in movies over the past couple years but thankfully the trend appears to be dropping off.
The “Hey I’m About Get Killed” Shower Scene
Shower scenes are fine if there’s a thematic or plot reason for it to exist. You know what doesn’t need to happen? The female supporting character doesn’t need to take a shower immediately before being hacked to death by the villain. We get the metaphor of the shower being a symbol of innocence and the villain entering that space symbolic of evil encroaching upon the innocent. Also: boobs. We get it that boobs sell but there’s still are other, more creative ways to accomplish this. Think harder, friends. Please.
Villain Monologue-ing to Henchmen
We understand that your villain has to say what he’s going to be doing. We understand he has to express his dastardly plan to someone. But… there are better ways to have him deliver exposition than to a henchmen or right hand man. He needs to say these things to the main character. You know a script is flawed when the main character and the villain don’t meet until the third act.
The Girlfriends Sit Around And Talk About the Male Characters
Give your female characters more to do. Have them be… Y’know… Characters. Have them talk about things other than the male characters. Have them do stuff other than just directly moving the plot forward.
Airport Scenes
Don’t do any “going to get her back” at the airport scenes, don’t do any “reuniting at the airport” scenes. Just don’t! How about nothing, nada, zip at the airport. Really. It just doesn’t need to happen. We get it. It’s a good thematic device but it’s been used too many times. Set the scene at an Amtrak station or a bus terminal.
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