I'm looking for examples of the film and tv cliché where images from surveillance video or photos are magnified and enhanced (usually to a ridiculous degree). [more inside]
posted by dunk on Oct 30, 2009 - 35 answers

I'm looking for cliches and stereotypes from movies and television about weddings, marriage, home ownership, raising children... [more inside]
posted by backseatpilot on Jun 30, 2009 - 17 answers

I loathe the phrase "[I will] hit the ground running." What can I say in a cover letter that conveys that point without any of the cliche?
posted by Franklin76 on Jan 6, 2009 - 17 answers

What are some good sarcastic comebacks for those tired phrases you hear a million times? Eg, "Not that there's anything wrong with that!" "Think outside the box" or "Does this make me look fat?" [more inside]
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing on Jan 3, 2009 - 46 answers

How can I avoid using common, cliché words and phrases in my speech and writing, and come up with better ones? [more inside]
posted by relucent on Dec 28, 2008 - 10 answers

What are some actual examples of this Christmas-time cliche? [more inside]
posted by neroli on Dec 16, 2008 - 16 answers

Help me find some well-known songs to cover that don't suck! [more inside]
posted by anthom on Nov 20, 2008 - 33 answers

What are some good - or bad - similes for slowness? (Like "As slow as molasses in January" but not so archaic.)
posted by Fuzzy Skinner on Jul 16, 2008 - 40 answers

EpigramFilter: What's the converse of "Don't kill the messenger"? [more inside]
posted by Araucaria on Apr 28, 2008 - 21 answers

Does anyone know the origin of the phrase "not just another pretty face"? [more inside]
posted by girlpublisher on Nov 3, 2007 - 5 answers

Why do surgeons have "attitude?" [more inside]
posted by Robert Angelo on Aug 24, 2007 - 49 answers

Where does the "hand shooting up from out of the grave" movie cliché come from? [more inside]
posted by ckolderup on Aug 15, 2007 - 26 answers

Help me identify/find examples of this movie/tv relationship cliche: attractive, intelligent, uptight, bossy woman plus attractive, jocky, loose cannon, cocky-funny guy equals sparks fly, with arguing ? [more inside]
posted by lalalana on Feb 28, 2007 - 57 answers

Can you really push the "stop elevator" button without getting in trouble? [more inside]
posted by nervestaple on Feb 12, 2007 - 21 answers

What movie first used the two-person romantic ring-around-the-rosy routine? [more inside]
posted by blue grama on Aug 28, 2006 - 8 answers

After reading this question from last week I began to wonder: Are there any conventions/cliches in fiction that stray so far from reality that they distract you from the believability of the story and have no story telling merit? [more inside]
posted by Acey on Apr 10, 2006 - 81 answers

Name some ubiquitous classical music for me, please. [more inside]
posted by hoverboards don't work on water on Feb 19, 2006 - 44 answers

Audio Production filter: I'm looking for background music for an audio project. The problem is, I don't know how to describe it. It's what I would call '1950's americana marketing music' or maybe 'bouncy happy super-retro cliche music'. See inside for a link to an example... [more inside]
posted by Wild_Eep on Aug 20, 2005 - 19 answers

In Soviet Union, $noun $verbs you! What is the origin of this meme? It's everywhere online. Searching google and mefi/askmefi havn't helped... someone must know!
posted by adzm on May 6, 2005 - 11 answers

I have this embarassing problem related to being a 40 year old male. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 28, 2005 - 59 answers

In movies and on TV, why does a phone go to dial tone after someone hangs up? Is there a phone system somewhere that really does that?
posted by stopgap on Jan 16, 2005 - 22 answers

What is the origin of the awkward sentence fragment construction "Long time [something], first time [something else]?" I've been seeing it written (here and elsewhere) with increasing frequency over the last couple of years. It has the ring of a catch phrase being parroted, but as someone with a patchy at best grasp on pop culture, I'm unable to determine its roots. [more inside]
posted by majick on Dec 22, 2004 - 35 answers