Typically, movies are made to be watched more than once. Often times, there’s so much
happening on the screen that multiple viewings are the only way to take it all in. Filmmakers
are very much aware of this, and some of them like to put in a few extra details that make
revisits all the worthwhile. Be warned, there are spoilers in this video! Here are Screen
rant’s 10 Amazing Details Hidden In Popular Movies.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Fans of J.J. Abrams’ filmography know that he likes to honor his grandfather Harry Kelvin
in his movies. George Kirk’s ship in the first Star Trek was called the U.S.S. Kelvin
and Star Trek Into Darkness featured the Kelvin Memorial Archive. When Abrams made the jump
to a galaxy far, far away to make The Force Awakens, he continued the tradition. After
saving BB-8 from his captivity, Rey points him in the direction of Kelvin Ridge on the
planet Jakku so the droid can get back to civilization. It’s one of the ways Abrams
put a personal stamp on the project and tipped his hat to his beloved family member.
Jurassic World
This fourth installment pays homage to the seminal 1993 original on several occasions,
but some are not so obvious as others. Main character Claire Dearing is the park’s operations
manager, essentially putting her in charge of the whole operation. You may not notice
at first that she’s wearing all white throughout the film, similar to John Hammond’s wardrobe
in the first movie. It’s a subtle way to pay respect to what came before and symbolize
Claire being the director of the park, much like Hammond was. Maybe it’s a Jurassic
dress code policy the overseers have to wear white.
Straight Outta Compton
Director F. Gary Gray worked with the real Ice Cube on the cult comedy Friday, so it's
no surprise his NWA biopic is filled with references to that film. Ice Cube is shown
working on the screenplay for the movie in one scene, and there's even homage in the Straight
Outta Compton dialogue. When the group kicks a woman out of a hotel party, Cube says, "Bye
Felicia," a reference to the famous line in Friday. Perhaps this was the inspiration? After all,
they say write what you know
Ant-Man
Each project in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for making references to other films
in the franchise, showing moviegoers how it’s all connected. Ant-Man is no different, ironically
paying homage to one of the MCU’s greatest giants. In some of the San Francisco-set scenes,
there are posters visible advertising the soda company Pingo Doce. This soft drink was
featured in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Bruce Banner worked at one of their factories
in Brazil, and the Stan Lee cameo saw the comics icon taking a sip of the product. Incredible
Hulk is a shortchanged film in the series, so it’s nice to see it be recognized.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
The Mission: Impossible franchise is not one known for continuity, as each installment
operates as its own self-contained story. At the ending of 2011’s Ghost Protocol,
Ethan Hunt gives his team a new assignment to track down a group called the Syndicate.
Fans didn’t think much of it, but when we rejoin the IMF in 2015, they’re still pursuing
the Syndicate, establishing some connective tissue between the two films. Nowadays, blockbusters
can’t resist teasing their next installment, and M:I had to join in on all the fun. It
was cool to see the fifth film pick up where the fourth one left off, but nobody knows
why Paula Patton is missing for this adventure.
The Martian
Directors like to make little references to their earlier works in modern films, and Ridley
Scott paid respects to his classic sci-fi history while making The Martian. There’s
a moment in the film where astronaut Beck has to make a dangerous trip outside the Hermes
spacecraft. While he’s preparing for his task, Beth tells him that he has to be careful,
because “In space…”. The unfinished quote is a tip of the hat to Scott’s Alien,
known by its tremendous tagline, “in space, no one can hear you scream.” The Martian
has a few pop culture nods, so it only makes sense Ellen Ripley would be one of them.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
As it turns out, you don’t even need to be a part of the MCU in order to get a nod
in a Marvel movie. When Tony Stark is looking to pick a new A.I. system, one of the chips
he has available is labeled “Tadashi”. This is a reference to the maker the loveable
robot Baymax, Tadashi Hamada, in Big Hero Six. That Disney animated film is based on
the Marvel comic of the same name, suggesting that the two movies could be part of the same
universe. Avengers: Infinity War is going to have a loaded roster, but there wouldn’t
be too many against a Baymax cameo. After all, the groundwork’s been laid out.
Inside Out
The five emotions of Pixar’s film received pitch-perfect casting, but that wasn’t the
only way for fans to tell them apart. According to director Pete Doctor, each character is
based on a shape that represents their personality. Joy is a star, Sadness is a teardrop, Anger
is a firebrick, Fear is a frayed nerve, and Disgust is a piece of broccoli. It was a nice
touch that made each emotion unique and memorable, even if they all don’t have the same amount
of screen time. It’s that kind of attention to detail that made Inside Out a favorite
with moviegoers.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Fury Road is very much a Mad Max reboot, setting the foundation for a new future with Tom Hardy
as the Road Warrior. But that didn’t mean George Miller wiped the slate clean entirely.
He found a spot to pay homage to the original Mad Max films, giving Hardy’s version a
replica of Mel Gibson’s jacket from the final two installments of the first trilogy.
Longtime fans may be disappointed Gibson’s days of playing the character are done, but
this was a cool Easter egg for them to enjoy, showing that Miller respects the franchise’s
roots.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The seventh episode of the saga makes a few references to the galaxy’s rich history,
and nowhere is that more apparent than Maz’ castle on Takodana. When Han takes Rey, Finn,
and BB-8 in to see Maz, a shot of the building features numerous flags hanging outside. One
of them clearly features the Mandalorian symbol, a nod to famed bounty hunter Boba Fett. Some
of them may even be replicas of the podracing flags from Episode I, illustrating Abrams
wasn’t so averse to referencing the maligned prequel as he may have led on.
Those are our picks for some amazing little details hidden in 2015’s biggest films.
Are there any we missed? Which ones are your favorite? Sound off in the comments below
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