# Summarize a fantastical plot as mundanely as possible **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2016, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623 "2016-07-22T20:32:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/21 "2016-07-23T07:02:50Z")
Neverending Story - a boy steals an usual book which he reads and it leads to him getting revenge on his bullies ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/22 "2016-07-23T07:48:04Z")
People have a disagreement over some letters. Casablanca A couple of guys from Chicago buy new clothes and take a trip to Florida. Some Like It Hot A man and a woman take a boat trip. The African Queen ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/23 "2016-07-23T08:15:56Z")
A contractor locates and deactivates some malfunctioning machinery. Blade Runner A father offers his estranged son a job working together for the government. The Empire Strikes Back A group of young women go on a trip to visit one of the women’s relatives. After a few days they come back home. Mad Max: Fury Road ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/24 "2016-07-23T10:24:42Z")
An adopted man faces difficulties with his brother after he meets his birth family - The Ten Commandments A man returns to his family - Oh Brother Where Art Thou A family goes on a boat trip - Noah A man accepts his nephew’s invitation to a celebration - A Christmas Carol ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2016, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/25 "2016-07-23T11:25:10Z")
> [@Sir\_Prize](#): > > A man returns to his family - Oh Brother Where Art Thou Or its inspiration, the Odyssey. My impulse for starting this thread was that I was reminded, in another thread, of my favorite summary that I’ve read of the Odyssey: A guy explains to his wife why he’s late. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/26 "2016-07-25T10:13:58Z")
I prefer mine done as pornos: Two former rivals bond over the joys of threesome action with a hot foreign chickBatman v Superman ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/27 "2016-07-25T11:51:36Z")
Is ‘Middle aged chemistry teacher pursues a career change’ too obvious for this thread? TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/28 "2016-07-25T12:49:19Z")
A closet has more space then it first appears. Chronicles of Narnia ---
**Author:** ![Hermione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/cdc98d/32.png) [@Hermione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/29 "2016-07-25T12:59:09Z")
A family reunites for Christmas. The Lion In Winter ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/30 "2016-07-25T14:02:58Z")
A white man falsely accused of murder gets out of prison Shawshank Redemption A black man falsely accused of murder gets the chair The Green Mile ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/31 "2016-07-25T14:08:29Z")
A lonely boy makes friends with the girl next door (actually, that’s not an entirely inaccurate summary). Let the Right One In Three men start a business. Ghostbusters ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/32 "2016-07-25T14:10:24Z")
_Stranger in a Strange Land_: Heinlein 3:16. A plucky medical student discovers evil and corruption in his institution and sets out to expose it, only to find his trusted mentor is behind it all. Every single Robin Cook novel. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/33 "2016-07-25T14:40:58Z")
Meddling elders make life difficult for the younger generation: Babylon 5 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/34 "2016-07-25T14:54:24Z")
Girl goes through puberty. Carrie Boy goes through puberty. Spider-Man Another girl goes through puberty. Labyrinth ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/35 "2016-07-25T14:59:54Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > Another girl goes through puberty. > > Labyrinth Oh, no, _she_ was decidedly _post_-pubescent, 15-yo me can attest to that. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/36 "2016-07-25T15:41:40Z")
A couple get into a fight during bad weather. Twister A girl lives with strange men in the woods. Snow White A young school teacher has fun in NYC. Looking for Mr. Goodbar Two computer geeks disagree with another computer geek. The Social Network ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/37 "2016-07-25T16:09:41Z")
Several families work through business disputes. _The Godfather_ ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/38 "2016-07-25T18:20:00Z")
When their vehicle breaks down in another country, five Americans have some trouble with the locals. Fury ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/39 "2016-07-25T21:34:55Z")
A man discovers his feminine side All of Me ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623/40 "2016-07-25T21:39:33Z")
Troubled teen travels to a fantasy world, accidentally kills the first person she meets, and takes on a contract as a hired killer to kill her first victim’s sister. Wizard of Oz [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summarize-a-fantastical-plot-as-mundanely-as-possible/760623.md?page=3)