Discussion question: predictable movies

[alexandra_thorn]

When you describe a movie as predictable, what does that mean? When someone tells you that a movie is predictable, what do you assume they mean?

Comments

[metahacker]

*Obviously*, if I call something predictable, it means that you are stupid for liking it, and I am way cooler than you for being able to anticipate the plot twists.

At least, that's what I always hear when people dismissively talk about something as 'predictable'. >-| Luckily, a few years back I managed to install a "my identity is not assailable by people who think less of me because of what I watch, read, or listen to" circuit in my self-esteem module.

When I actually call something predictable, generally it means that the consequences of actions, and the sequence of the plot, resemble something I've seen a few times before. Generally the extreme involves me being able to predict or quote along with actual lines of dialog. The polar opposite would be "inchoate", which would also be unpleasant.

FWIW, I did not find much of Inception to be predictable, and I'm kind of confused by people who did. Perceiveable, perhaps, based on clues in the earlier bits, but I would dare anyone to write out the remainder of the plot given the first 30 minutes.