Little things that irritate in a big way - Cafe edition

[Infovore]

I didn’t mind the romantic plot in *Titanic *(I kind of felt like that was a lot of the point of the movie–to tell Rose and Jack’s story against the backdrop of the Titanic disaster) but I’m in full agreement about hating stuck-on romantic plots in movies where they’re not needed. Most action movies don’t need a romance. If you want to put a female character or two in for variety, just make them part of the team and leave the mush out of it. When I go to an action movie I want to see (in the words of Calvin) “idiots, explosives, and falling anvils.” I don’t want to see the hero being sidetracked by smoochy-face on the side.

Yeah, I’m female. And for the most part I hate romance movies. There are exceptions (I liked *Titanic *and I admit it, and I quite enjoyed Gone with the Wind) but for the most part I find excessive romance and not much else in a movie to be terminally boring. At least if it’s a romance movie I can avoid it, but when they try to put romance in my action movies, I feel like they’re putting their peanut butter in my chocolate.

[DrDeth]

@MakeSweetPassionateSenseToMe

IAlso, and more seriously, I absolutely abhor unnecessary (read: most) romantic subplots in films or shows that shouldn’t be strictly about a relationship in any way. Titanic was a $100 million epic about the events leading up to one of the most fascinating disasters in human history, and yet the entire film is about a standard star-crossed lovers story that never actually happened.

While that is the most glaring example that comes to mind, this trope is in virtually every film, television series, novel, and even most advertisements. I understand the draw that familiarity has, but do we really need to know that Ben Affleck is in love to be enthralled by the events that transpired at Pearl Harbor?

I dunno about Titanic, the romance was the story, I think.

But yes, Pearl Harbor was made far worse by a unnessesary and silly romantic subplot. I have to say one thing- maybe they decided to make a Pearl Harbor film, got Ben Affect and all, then saw Tora! Tora! Tora! and went CRAP!:eek:,:smack: we might as well throw in a romantic subplot, 'cause there’s no way we’re gonna compare to that masterpeice.

[elbunzo]

I hate it when people say, “I could care less.” Don’t they realize that means they care?

[elbunzo]

From where did the word “supposably” come? Ever hear of supposEDly?

[j666]

@elbunzo

From where did the word “supposably” come? Ever hear of supposEDly?

Isn’t that an intentional pormanteau for ‘supposedly’ and ‘probably’?

[Lamia]

@elbunzo

I hate it when people say, “I could care less.” Don’t they realize that means they care?

This has become such a common expression that I think it’s often used without much thought, but it originated as sarcasm. That’s why the literal meaning differs from the intended meaning.

[smaje1]

@Fionn

I know why TV and movie characters order or make meals and then leave without eating them, but it always annoys me.

This! I was an episode of watching Star Trek: DS9 and Dax pointed out some sort of delicious food on Cisco’s plate that he wasn’t eating. She took it off his plate, put it on *her *plate, cut it up into small pieces… and then left the table. Aroo?

Some people have mentioned the over-enthusiastic audience response on the Daily Show - what really irks me is when Jon Stewart shares inside jokes with his studio audience and leaves his home viewers in the dust. He’s usually referring to some joke made during his audience warm-up, but it drives me insane. Dude! I’m the one paying too much money for cable so I can see you on TV. Don’t tell jokes that deliberately exclude me!

[Nava]

After reading this thread, I feel much more at peace with myself about wanting to hit Spanish-language songwriters with the nearest hardcopy of RAE’s Diccionario whenever I hear a misconjugated verb in a song.