In 2008, Hollywood witnessed a growing trend toward esoteric movie titles. For film enthusiasts, this proved tricky—one risked sitting through two hours of a movie that was a bit unexpected, to say the least. In most of the following cases, you (and I) were sorely disappointed.
1. “Pineapple Express”
Sounds Like: An intense political drama about the United Fruit Company.
Actual: Another stoner bromance from Judd Apatow. There’s fruit in Slurpees, right?
2. “Synecdoche, New York”
Sounds Like: Er, a movie about every seventh grader’s favorite poetry term? Wait, what is synecdoche? Am I thinking of metonymy?
Actual: A movie directed by Charlie Kaufman, written by Charlie Kaufman, about Charlie Kaufman.
3. “Milk”
Sounds Like: It does a body good.
Actual: Gay characters were out of the closet; now they’re out of the tent and running for the Board of Supervisors. It does a political body good!
4. “Changeling”
Sounds Like: A science fiction thriller about a giant people-eating bug.
Actual: Angelina Jolie makes another Oscar bid after being passed over for “A Mighty Heart.”
5. “Quantum of Solace”
Sounds Like: No freakin’ clue.
Actual: No freakin’ clue—except that Bond doesn’t sleep with the girl.
—Claire J. Saffitz is outgoing Movies Editor. She has even less purpose than Josh.
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