Here’s a list of films that take the bold and unwise decision to remind their audience of better movies:
Film: Sleeping With the Enemy
Better Film: The Shining
Reminder: Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique (specifically, the fifth movement), used extensively on the soundtrack for SWtE, but forever associated with the opening credits of TS as they accompany the greatest opening helicopter shot in cinema history.
Film: Enemy of the State
Better film: The Conversation
Reminder: Because the Gene Hackman characters in both are similar, Tony Scott and co. “cleverly” use a picture of him from TC for his EotS character’s file. Bad move.
Film: Ocean’s Thirteen
Better films: Sea of Love and The Godfather part III
Reminders: OT is so bad I was clutching at straws while sitting through it for any ray of hope. Just seeing Al Pacino play against Ellen Barkin (as he did in SoL) and Andy Garcia (as in TGpIII) made me pine for those superior thrillers.
I’ll add to this as I think of more.
