The Next Reel Glossary

The Shia Threshold is a point that an actor crosses to achieve a performance that is otherwise deemed a ludicrous point to cross by his or her fellow actors. Otherwise known as extreme method acting. Origin:  Shia LaBeouf went to extremes when preparing for his role as Bible in Fury. He is rumored to have pulled…

When a performer is “discovered” late in their career and end up appearing in seemingly everything. Origin: Morgan Freeman was 52 when he played Hoke Colburn in Driving Miss Daisy. Prior to that film Freeman had appeared in a number of TV movies, series, and fewer than a dozen feature films. Since Daisy, however, the…

The Texas Ballet is the long, dialog free sequence that celebrates cornerstone elements of Texas misery that are hot, sweaty, dusty, and likely end in a key character being buried alive, though not always.  Origin:  The Coen Brothers are expert at making use of location as a key player in their films. The silent sequence…

A subgenre that incorporates elements both of comedy and mafia films. Hence, a Mafedy. Origin: Watching Prizzi’s Honor again really provides an opportunity to see how John Huston and original author Richard Condon really were working to create a new subgenre, the Mafedy. Usage: It’s rare to find a genre mashup as strange as a…

Despite multiple wonderful and stand-out roles, a problem some actors face when their mannerisms will forever be linked to one specific character. Origin: Alan Rickman’s unforgettable performance in Die Hard as Hans Gruber still overshadows virtually every performance he’s been in since. He was obviously great in the Harry Potter films and in Sweeney Todd,…

Quick shots used as transitions to get us from one scene to another instead of a direct cut or a dissolve. Often used in action montages to invigorate them. Origin: Tony Scott used these quite a bit in “Enemy of the State” – really fast, computer “jiggly monkey” clips to invigorate the action when we…

Also known as Leonardo’s Curse. A struggle some actors go through when they perpetually look like a child, even when they grow up. Named after Leonardo DiCaprio but also applies to Edward Norton, Winona Ryder, etc. Origin: Even when playing a cop or a parent, Leonardo DiCaprio always looks like a child playing dress-up. Usage:…

A sacrilege in remaking any Patrick Swayze movie, whether it’s held in high esteem or not. Origin: When the trailer for the Red Dawn remake finally debuted, it was clear that it should never have been made, primarily because Patrick Swayze was so damn cool in the original version. Usage: Remaking Roadhouse would be a…

When you watch a movie you’ve cherished since childhood but haven’t seen since then only to find that not only is it not as good as you remembered but also that you have now ruined the memory you had of it. Origin: Rewatching Rush really was a real disappointment for Pete. He really loved his…

When the pre-excitement of a film is about to torpedo the experience of the film itself. Origin: We were so excited for Prometheus, it was bound to not live up to the hype. It suffered from the Prometheus Effect. Usage: Let’s hope The Hobbit doesn’t suffer the Prometheus Effect. First Used: 28 Days Later