# Five-Word Movie Review **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [February 4, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494 "2014-02-04T16:53:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 162
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3222 "2026-07-22T15:31:59Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > _Heathers_ > Initial response lukewarm; theater empty. I watched _Needful Things_ three weeks after it premiered in an empty house; it was a Tuesday matinee and I was the only person seated. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2026, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3223 "2026-07-22T16:54:43Z")
**Movie starring someone who was famous in the silent era** _The Private Life of Don Juan_ Douglas Fairbanks shifts to talkies _Sunset Boulevard_ Gloria Swanson earns Golden Globe _It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World_ Buster Keaton assists police chief Next up: **Movies that were late-career hits for a star** ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3224 "2026-07-24T13:45:59Z")
_The Wrestler_ Washed-up boxer plays washed-up wrestler. _Boogie Nights_ Burt Reynolds plays porn producer. _Brendan Fraser_ Forgotten actor stages huge comeback. **Movies with a star who has since been canceled.** ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3225 "2026-07-24T14:10:15Z")
**Movies with a star who has since been canceled.** _The Social Network_ One Eisenberg beats two Hammers. _Se7en_ Spacey’s monstrous. His character, too. _Beetlejuice Beetlejuice_ Canceled actor? Just remove head. **Next: Movies with a formerly unknown actor who had a breakout role.** ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3226 "2026-07-24T14:23:00Z")
_Risky Business_ Tom Cruise: you’re welcome, world _The Color Purple_ Whoopi earned lots of whoopie! _Good Will Hunting_ Matt Damon earned his apples Next: **Movies with breakout stars who weren’t top-billed** ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3227 "2026-07-25T00:52:14Z")
_Earth Girls Are Easy_ Carrey, Wayans, Goldblum, Julie Brown! _Girl, Interrupted_ Angelina Jolie ECLIPSED Winona Rider! _Uncle Buck_ Macauley Culkin interrogation scene rocked! **Forgettable movies with amazing soundtracks** ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3228 "2026-07-25T17:47:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Forgettable movies with amazing soundtracks _Jungle Fever_ Spike Lee produces some dysplasia. _Something Wild_ I remember; nobody else does. _Footloose_ Would you remember it otherwise? **Films you saw with a nobody, and thought “s/he’ll be big!” and you were right.** ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3229 "2026-07-28T17:54:36Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > _Brendan Fraser_ > Forgotten actor stages huge comeback. Was the movie named something else, mebbe…? **Films you saw with a nobody, and thought “s/he’ll be big!” and you were right.** _Betsy’s Wedding_ Anthony LaPaglia stole every scene _Titanic_ That DiCaprio kid’s not bad _Edward Scissorhands_ This Depp fella is terrific! Next up: **Movies about bad parents** ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3230 "2026-07-28T18:07:54Z")
_Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?_ Their son is a macguffin _Mommie Dearest_ Never use wire coat hangers _The Breakfast Club_ All parents should go bowling Next: **More bad parents** ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3231 "2026-07-28T18:33:07Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Was the movie named something else, mebbe…? Oops. _The Whale_ lol. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3232 "2026-07-29T06:36:42Z")
Carrying on … **More bad parents** The _Harry Potter_ franchise Dursleys just barely tolerate Harry. _Titanic_ Rose’s domineering mother: “Marry money.” _Carrie_ Cruelty towards Carrie from mother. Next: **“Fish Out of Water” movies** ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3233 "2026-07-29T20:01:01Z")
_Red Heat_ Ahnuld is Chicago-bound Soviet cop _Time After Time_ HG Wells explores Seventies Frisco _Big_ Little boy (Hanks) explores adulthood Let’s keep going! **More “Fish Out of Water” movies** ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3234 "2026-07-29T20:15:52Z")
_My Cousin Vinnie_ They don’t belong in Alabama. _Tarzan’s New York Adventure_ Right there in the title! _Crocodile Dundee_ This film is almost forgotten! **European movies that unexpectedly caught on big in America** ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3235 "2026-07-29T23:19:19Z")
_The Gods Must Be Crazy_ Bushman’s quest for bottle redemption _Amélie_ Garden gnome travels the world _Kind Hearts and Coronets_ Louis will make them pay Next: **Housebound movies (_movies that take place almost entirely indoors_)** ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3236 "2026-07-30T18:33:27Z")
_The Gods Must Be Crazy_ was a joint South African/Botswanan production, not European. How about: _Run Lola Run_ She repeatedly saves stoopid boyfriend Back to: **Housebound movies (_movies that take place almost entirely indoors_)** _Rear Window_ Jimmy Stewart watches, sees all _Phantom Thread_ Fashion designer, muse toxic together _The Towering Inferno_ Gets pretty hot up there! Next up: **Movies which are almost entirely set outdoors** ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3237 "2026-07-30T23:00:05Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > _The Gods Must Be Crazy_ was a joint South African/Botswanan production, not European. How about: > > _Run Lola Run_ > She repeatedly saves stoopid boyfriend D’oh! Brain fart! In play: _The Blair Witch Project_ Snot bubble makes movie history _The Hunger Games_ Reality TV goes on steroids _The Incredible Journey_ The Fellowship of the Fur Next: **Movies set in the US deep South** ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3238 "2026-07-31T14:24:35Z")
_Driving Miss Daisy_ Black chauffeur befriends white boss. _Bastard Out of Carolina_ Girl **really** wants Elvis tickets. _Steel Magnolias_ Women bond through life experiences. **More Movies set in the US Deep South** ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3239 "2026-07-31T15:28:35Z")
_Cold Mountain_ Confederate soldier heads for home _Mississippi Burning_ FBI agents fight Klan idjits _In the Heat of the Night_ _Mr._ Tibbs investigates a murder Next up: **Movies set in New England** ---
**Author:** ![knoodler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ccd318/32.png) [@knoodler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knoodler)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3240 "2026-07-31T15:39:24Z")
_It_ Down here, we all float _Pet Sematary_ Sometimes they do come back _The Patriot_ Mel Gibson appropriates another culture Next: **Non-horror movies set in New England** ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494/3241 "2026-07-31T16:10:55Z")
_Manchester by the Sea_ Uncle adopts his orphaned nephew. _Coda_ Deaf parents, hearing daughter, complications. _Good Will Hunting_ Genius janitor befriends widowed psychiatrist. **Movies set in the Midwestern US, but not Chicago** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494.md?page=161) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-word-movie-review/680494.md?page=163)