5 Things That I Like to See in Movies

Watching movies a lot can lead me to see recurring things that I really like for movies to do. They can get me to like them more, and it's fun to see them in movies. Here are a few things which I love to see in movies. By the way, these are in no specific order.

1) Ambiguity and ambiguous endings.

This is perhaps my favorite thing to see in movies. I really love movies which feature this as it can often keep me coming back to the film again and again. Every time I re-watch these movies, I feel like I discover new things which I didn't pick up on before. In turn, ambiguity gives movies more staying power. Ambiguous endings are pretty great too. They usually don't lead me to discover new things, but they usually make the endings to their films more memorable, and they can inspire discussion.

Examples: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Eraserhead, Pi, and The Thing.

2) Tragic endings.

I'm sure that many of you are going to find this to be the oddball of this list. Many people I talk to hate films with tragic endings. However, I don't think that a movie needs to make you feel uplifted. Sometimes, it can even be better to have a tragic ending. Let's say that we have an action film where the final act involves the protagonist killing all of the enemies, and dying after he kills the main antagonist due to his injuries. The 2nd time you watch the film, it would be sad leading up to that moment, because you would know what's going to happen. The movie would have a big impact on you. However, let's say that the protagonist of that action film lived. If you watched it again, what suspense is needed for you to feel since you already know that the film has a happy ending? A tragic ending will make you feel a stronger emotion when watching the ending to that film, and it will give it more replay value.

I don't want to give any examples as it could be kind of a spoiler so I'm just going to end this by saying that the fake death cliché fucking sucks!

3) Weird films.

I am a real sucker for weird films. I appreciate the amount of creativity they can lead to, and the creativity usually makes me enjoy them even more. Also, I really love seeing the imagination that using it can lead to. It can also make for some very beautiful visuals depending on the subject the film is on. There's a lot you can do with it.

Examples: Eraserhead, Pi, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Rabbits.

4) Consistent pacing.

Being bored can really take you out of a film. However, I think a good way a director can avoid having a film be boring is by keeping a consistent pacing. A movie can either be fast or slow-paced for the most part. Let's say that we have a 3 hour film. The first half of it is slow paced, and the second half is more fast-paced since it has more action. On re-watches, I would most likely grow impatient waiting for the slower parts to be over, and I would want to get to the fast parts. Also, I would likely prefer one half of the film more than the other, and it would probably stop any chances of the film ending up on my favorites or best-of lists. If a film is consistent with its pacing, there would be no need for me to feel impatient, and I would be able to relax while watching it, turning the film into a possible highly memorable experience.

Examples: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Eraserhead, Saving Private Ryan, and 12 Angry Men.

5) Unexpected Deaths

It can be annoying when you're watching a movie, and you're able to predict every time a character is going to die. It can be a real letdown. However, being surprised can make deaths stick out. Also, they can raise the chances of me re-watching the film again. Also, if you make the unexpected death that of the main protagonist, it can lead the film to do so much with it, and it could make it a lot better as a result.

Examples: Psycho, No Country for Old Men, American History X, and Jaws.

What do you guys like to see in movies? Leave your responses down below.