15 Movies Overflowing With Overlooked Details
It's always amazing to watch a movie that provokes thought and realize after you've seen it a few times that there are hidden details all throughout it. Usually referred to as “Easter eggs,” a group of movie buffs started a conversation to see how many people caught these types of clues that hinted toward the plot twist or some deeper social commentary in notable films from past to present. If you missed them the first time, this is a good reason to have a movie night and see what you catch this time around.
1. The Truman Show (1998)
The Truman Show is a classic we've come to know and love. Laced within this film were many hidden details. One notable element is the use of a recurring crescent moon symbol throughout the movie. It represents Truman's desire for freedom and is a subtle metaphor for his longing to break free from the artificial reality in which he lives. You can observe the crescent moon in various scenes, such as on magazine covers and advertisements.
2. The Sixth Sense (1999)
No one can forget the classic line, “I see dead people.” The Sixth Sense is iconic for the revelation that the character Dr. Malcolm Crowe, played by Bruce Willis, is dead throughout the entire film. This twist is cleverly concealed through multiple subtle hints and visual cues, which created a shocking ending for the audience.
You start to go back and notice details like the fact that Dr. Malcolm Crowe had no direct contact with anyone other than Cole during the movie. Also, when it seemed as if he was conversing with someone else, they never gave him direct eye contact. These subtleties and many more are what made the revelation awesome!
3. Split (2016)
Split has many hidden gems, and it is one of M. Night Shyamalan's best productions. Apart from the stellar acting from the main antagonist, who had over 20 personalities, when you realized that it's a supervillain origin story connected to Shyamalan's earlier film, Unbreakable (2000), your mind was blown.
The hints that you may have missed along the way include the main stars from both films discovering they had powers while riding a train, and the movie posters were very similar, both featuring broken glass. There are a few more, like the soundtrack, and one of Kevin's personalities loving Kanye West, who made a reference to Unbreakable in one of his songs, but we won't spoil them all. See what else you catch upon rewatching the film!
4. Hereditary (2018)
Hereditary would have been a great film with all the creepiness alone, but it was also contained a lot of deeper meanings. The miniature models Annie creates throughout the movie grant the audience clues on what will unfold within the story. Observing the details within the models provides insight into the family's history, relationships, and dark forces. It even goes as far as foreshadowing future tragedies such as Charlie's death.
5. The Book Eli (2010)
The Book of Eli is an action-packed film with a twist on biblical legends. Inside this apocalyptic world, Eli navigates bloodthirsty cannibals, traffickers, and people who'd want to use the Bible for insidious reasons. Although his battles were epic, nothing is more exciting, shocking, and surprising than the revelation that he was blind all along.
Similar to The Sixth Sense, you start to go back and remember details that indicated his inability to see, such as him not shooting the cat until it meowed first, bumoing into the desk before sitting his things down on it, feeling the feet of the skeleton to determine whether it's wearing boots, and more.
6. Shutter Island (2010)
Shutter Island was littered with clues that Leonardo DiCaprio, who played Teddy, was a psychiatric patient and not a detective. For example, remember when the guards looked nervous when Teddy and his partner arrived at the island? Most people thought it was because something sinister was happening at the facility.
In actuality, it's because they know he's a patient, and they're unnerved by his presence. Also, his partner fumbles his gun during the movie, and it's not because he's clumsy. It's because he's really a doctor pretending to be Teddy's partner to keep an eye on him; he lacks the training of an actual officer.
7. Midsommar (2019)
Midsommar is a folk horror film steeped in mythology and paganism—it makes for an eerie treat. Perhaps you caught the hidden Easter eggs regarding the murals, though it completely went over my head as well as multiple users from the forum. When the visitors first enter the society, the murals foreshadow events that would take place later on in the film, such as dark rituals, sacrifices, etc.
8. The Prestige (2006)
The Prestige is a brilliant film by Christopher Nolan. It's about creating the perfect illusion and the lengths two competing magicians are willing to reach to pull it off. The Borden twins were willing to live as one man to achieve the perfect trick.
Throughout the film, there are hints regarding the existence of Borden's twin brother. For example, think about the times in the movie when he is distant from Sarah, his wife, and she's bewildered by this shift in behavior. Although they shared Sarah as a wife, Freddy did not love her as Alfred did. He'd even say cruel things to her as a result. So when you see their relationship blossoming, that's Alfred, and when you see turmoil between the two, that's Freddy.
9. Inception (2010)
Another of Christopher Nolan's gems, Inception, never ceases to wow audiences. Nothing intrigued viewers more than learning whether Cobbs was in the real world or the dream world when he was reunited with his children.
Although it's left to speculation, one theory has emerged as attentive viewers noticed that Cobbs wears a wedding ring in dreams throughout the film, but he doesn't wear the wedding band in the real world. For some, this offers proof that Cobbs was in the real world when he reunited with his children since he was not wearing the ring in the final scene.
10. Joker (2019)
Joker was a highly anticipated movie that many were interested in seeing primarily because they wondered if Joaquin Phoenix would be able to put on as good of a performance as the late Heath Ledger. From my perspective, he did a phenomenal job! We got to see the Joker return in all his glory.
Aside from his madness and crazy laugh, the most memorable thing about his character is how his face looks. In the movie, one hidden detail that pointed toward his transformation into becoming the Joker is how the ambulances looked before and after. One looks normal and after he changes the straight red line curves upward like a smile, and there are two blue asterisks on the windows that resemble Joker's eyes.
11. Hide and Seek (2005)
Hide and Seek is a psychological thriller with many details that you can miss if you're not paying attention. For example, whenever David attempts to find his daughter, she informs him that Charlie “just left.”
Moreover, Emily consistently describes Charlie's mischievous behavior in a somber, monotonous manner, as if she has grown accustomed to—and possibly weary of—fabricating stories for him. You also notice that strange occurrences happened whenever he listened to music through his headphones, which is when he would become Charlie.
12. Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele is renowned for his deep symbolism and meaningful horror films. In the movie Get Out, one of the most powerful scenes is where Chris is trying to escape the grips of the sunken place. He uses cotton, a symbol of oppression for enslaved Africans historically, to free himself from the sunken place by stuffing his ears with it—disallowing the hypnotism to take hold. So the very thing used to subjugate Africans was used to liberate Chris, a black man, from another form of slavery.
13. Us (2019)
Us features Adelaide Wilson and her family as they encounter terrifying doppelgängers known as “The Tethered.” The Wilsons face nightmarish versions of themselves who seek to replace and eliminate them. The movie begins with Adelaide in a hall of mirrors, and she comes across her doppelgänger who grabs her, and then the scene cuts. You are shocked by the film's end to learn that Adelaide is actually her tethered counterpart.
She displays a unique understanding of the Tethered and their motives throughout the film. She seems more alert and knowledgeable about their existence than the other characters, and plenty of other tidbits give insight to the fact that she's not who she says shge is.
14. Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club was a film about more than just combat. Fundamentally, it delves into the theme of consumerism. To underscore this notion, director Fincher boldly incorporated it prominently in the movie, employing the popular multinational corporation Starbucks as a symbolic representation. Surprisingly enough, an inconspicuous Starbucks coffee cup can be spotted in every single scene of the movie. It was usually either cleverly concealed on desks, held by characters, or scattered on the floor.
15. The Godfather (1972)
Regarded as one of the most iconic hidden details in cinematic history, The Godfather's use of visual cues is masterful as Francis Ford Coppola uses oranges to give the audience a hint that something bad is about to happen. Across the trilogy, the presence of oranges serves as an indicator of the imminent demise of a character. With careful observation, you'll begin to notice how they appear on-screen randomly before someone goes down.
Source: (Reddit).
Creshonda Smith is a creative writer that thrives on learning something new everyday and sharing that knowledge in a way that captivates others. She has 15 years of experience as a freelance writer for various companies, but she was previously a Clinical Social Worker, having obtained her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from The Ohio State University. After nearly 10 years in the field, she decided it was time to return to one of her childhood passions—writing that inspires. Creshonda will tackle any topic, but she prefers lifestyle articles centered around Health & Wellness, Parenting & Family Advice, Food + Drinks, Personal Growth, and Traveling. She has four beautiful children and has been married for a decade. Her favorite hobbies include traveling to anywhere there's a beach, reading, writing, and playing UNO! Creshonda has been a contributing writer for Wealth of Geeks since June 2023.