These days, just about any movie you see is filled with product placements.
Sometimes, it's subtle or at least sensical enough to the storyline to pass by largely
unnoticed while still giving your subconscious a little shopping nudge.
Other times, the corporate wink is so overt it's absurd.
In the case of these films, the sales pitch factor was so strong that the movies suffered
as a result.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Pizza Hut
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles love pizza, but that doesn't mean they have to advertise
the pizza, too.
But in the 2014 Turtles reboot, the cowabunga kids get caught sneaking up to the city by
master Splinter who whips the Turtles with his tail, then punishes them with actual torture,
forcing them to stay in weird hanging positions for hours until one explains why they went
aboveground.
When no Turtle cracks, Splinter ups his interrogation game like so:
"There's literally nothing that could break me right now."
And because this is a commercial, Splinter goes out of his way to let Michelangelo — and
the viewing audience — know everything that's good and wonderful about succulent pizza from
Pizza Hut.
Calling it the "99 Cheese Pizza," Splinter seduces Mikey with all the various cheeses
baked within.
While the 99 Cheese Pizza isn't actually a Pizza Hut item, sticking it in an obvious
Pizza Hut box must've made the brand very, very happy.
Little Nicky: Popeye's Chicken
Adam Sandler's Little Nicky may have been about Satan's son, but the real devil was
Popeye's Chicken.
In the first scene, a talking bulldog teaches Nicky how to eat — because devils don't
need nutrition in Hell.
Naturally, Nicky's first food encounter is with the crunchy fried chicken brand, and
after he finally figures out how to chew and swallow, he declares:
"Popeye's Chicken is f---in' awesome!"
If that isn't enough of an endorsement for you, later in the movie Nicki has to fend
off evil demons, and he does so by conjuring up a giant box of … what else?
"Popeye's Chicken is the shiznit!"
And if watching a bunch of ugly demons snacking on Popeye's doesn't make you hungry, what
will?
I, Robot: Converse All-Stars
Despite I, Robot taking place in 2035, Will Smith still had to sell viewers a pair of
Converse All-Stars.
But filming a scene where he digs up an old, beat-up pair of Converse kicks wouldn't be
good for the brand, so instead the writers got creative, and recast his kicks as some
pristine antiques.
"Converse All-Stars, vintage 2004."
Later on, a guy compliments Smith's shoes — because there was probably a requisite
number of material mentions written into the deal.
"Nice shoes."
You've Got Mail: Starbucks
Never mind that You've Got Mail was essentially one big ad for AOL — its most egregious
product placement of all is when it spends 45 seconds reminding you of all the delicious
treats you can get at Starbucks.
Just as Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan continuously just miss each other during their daily excursions,