Using beautiful, dramatic popular music to score subject matter that isn't very dramatic in the first place. This one occured to me while watching Gary Jules' Mad World cover being used under footage of a guy shooting giant space worms in the trailer to the sci-fi video game Gears of War.

But Mad World isn't beautiful or dramatic. It only appears to be so in the context it is used in Donnie Darko.

True dat. Listening to the original version of the song (by Tears for Fears, for those not in the know) will cure you of any belief that the song is deep or dramatic in any way.

But I do definitely have to second this f'ing trend. It's the very very worst of all the music montages employed in film and television. I mean, I appreciate that they have to show passage of time in such a way that it won't piss off the audience or leave out "pertinent" details...but dear lord can't we find something else to use?!

And if I have to watch another television episode featuring an interminable motage cut to Jeff Buckley's recording of Hallelujah, the sheer force of my eyes rolling may lead to my untimely demise. And this is coming from someone who's been listening to Grace all week.

Oh. My. God. YES. I cry party foul. I mean, they even used it in Shrek, for God's sake. SHREK. And I've seen it used on Grey's Anatomy, CSI, and any other film or show that involves cops, doctors, or the death of children. Fuuuuuuuuck. It's an inappropriate abuse of a wonderful song and a fantastic album. We should be able to sue.

Somewhat related, I suppose. I saw the last 5 or so minutes of Resurrection Blvd., a show I have never watched before.
Brian Austin Green and a friend were making up (I think) after an fight, and they were going into a store to buy beer or something.

The music playing in the background was Unchained Melody, and I was thinking: "Ok, and now a criminal is going to come in and shoot someone", and when that actually happened, I couldn't believe it.

The end of the episode was of a happy girl coming home singing and dancing and turning around and seeing her family huddled together and crying. She says (and I'm not kidding): "Hey, what's wrong?" *Sees her family looking sad.* "Oh no". *Fade to black* Roll Credits.

It was so hackneyed I was hoping that it was going to turn out that it was a movie set and the director would yell "Cut! F*ck yeah, that's good drama!".

But Mad World isn't beautiful or dramatic. It only appears to be so in the context it is used in Donnie Darko.

Oh jeez, sorry. It's still a beautiful melody, even if the lyrics aren't that deep. I'll try to remain reserved and cynical when I talk about pop music from now on.

The Jeff Buckley cover has been also been used in The West Wing, House M.D., and one of the handful of episodes of LAX. Yes, the airport drama that starred Heather Locklear.
But technically the song used in Shrek is the version recorded by Rufus Wainwright.

So yeah, we're in agreement that musical montages have sort of outlived their welcome. Need I even mention the name Zach Braff? (whited-out for the faint of heart)

The Jeff Buckley cover has been also been used in The West Wing, House M.D., and one of the handful of episodes of LAX. Yes, the airport drama that starred Heather Locklear.
But technically the song used in Shrek is the version recorded by Rufus Wainwright.

Oh I know. :) But it was still an evil abuse of a great song. EVIL! *insert Hecubus image here* And I THOUGHT I'd heard it on an ep of House! I almost mentioned that and was like "Wait...am I remembering right? Because America's most beloved medical show can't possibly have charmed so many people while being so UTTERLY CLICHE!" But hah! I was right in my thoughts. :) (not to mention the show has become a cliche of itself, but I won't get started on that)

And yes...the aforementioned whited-out name. If someone doesn't stop him soon, I will stop him myself. With a semi-automatic. Or a semi-truck. Whichever I can get ahold of first.
 

And yes...the aforementioned whited-out name. If someone doesn't stop him soon, I will stop him myself. With a semi-automatic. Or a semi-truck. Whichever I can get ahold of first.

I'm reminded of this little slip: http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=news&id=1032

Braff, Zach- See Crowe, Cameron minus talent

But Mad World isn't beautiful or dramatic. It only appears to be so in the context it is used in Donnie Darko.

Oh jeez, sorry. It's still a beautiful melody, even if the lyrics aren't that deep. I'll try to remain reserved and cynical when I talk about pop music from now on.

The Jeff Buckley cover has been also been used in The West Wing, House M.D., and one of the handful of episodes of LAX. Yes, the airport drama that starred Heather Locklear.
But technically the song used in Shrek is the version recorded by Rufus Wainwright.

So yeah, we're in agreement that musical montages have sort of outlived their welcome. Need I even mention the name Zach Braff? (whited-out for the faint of heart)

Actually the version in Shrek is by John Cale (the Rufus version was inexplicably substituted on the soundtrack album), BUT R.W.'s live cover is featured in the brilliant Cohen tribute film I'm Your Man (which isn't arbitrary, now is it?).  And I was lucky enough  to hear Jeff  perform it live, shortly after Grace had been released.
 

Product placement anyone?

I see Casino Royale has whored itself in order to market everything from beer to flash cars. I actually wanted to see the film given the new direction taken with casting/storylines etc. but I think i'll pass now...

I see Casino Royale has whored itself in order to market everything from beer to flash cars.

Isn't that the norm with the Bond franchise?

My pet annoyance is walking scenes...although usually the offenders are TV shows rather than movies.

People cannot stand and talk...or sit and talk...oh no - they must be power-walking through an office of some kind to be able to talk.

Worst offender - The West Wing!

I see Casino Royale has whored itself in order to market everything from beer to flash cars.

Isn't that the norm with the Bond franchise?

 Suppose, but this one is ever more blatent than the last. Call me old fashioned but back in my day films were films and ad were ads. Its just not right I tells ya...

25 old timer...wouldn't know about star wars, i've never seen any of them!

Hehehe....House disposed of it use of that bloody track in the first season, thank goodness...and I did feel my alimentary canal go into spasm when they were using it...(the song not my canal)...there was another show I recall hearing it on, but I am drawing a blank...I still like Tears for Fears original version of Mad World better and the cover is absolutely stupid in that video game commercial...annoying trend in film #21...Jessica Simpson and other singers of similar ilk in films...I believe this has been mentioned but I had to reiterate.

 
 Suppose, but this one is ever more blatent than the last. Call me old fashioned but back in my day films were films and ad were ads. Its just not right I tells ya...

 I don't know where you got that idea, but it's completely untrue. Casino Royale has only about half the company tie ins that Die Another Day had.

Yeah product placement is the worst. One of the worst offenders (in many senses but just in product placement terms for this thread) that I recall was Bridget Jones 2. Blatent blatent product placement. I just sat there thinking 'hmm I wonder how much they got for that'. It should be banned from all movies. Are people really shallow enough to be swayed to purchase something they have seen in a movie?

Annoying: costume-films trying to tell a story from medieval times or like France year 1802- films with modern rock-music

I actually kind of like that style... although it hasn't really worked yet (though I haven't seen Marie Antoinette yet). How about wasting good actors (and sometimes good performances) in horrible movies like Dark Water and the Planet of the Apes remake?

Annoying: costume-films trying to tell a story from medieval times or like France year 1802- films with modern rock-music

It's not that I'm not agreeing with this, but are there other movies than A Knight's Tale and Marie Antoinette that do this?

There's Moulin Rouge... I think that started the whole thing. Romeo and Juliet (by Baz Luhrmann) is sort of in the same category as well... that one worked, but I don't think it quite counts.

Most annoying trend I would say is a general lack of originality - everything seems to either be a remake or inspired by a comic book.

Actually, the general trend of every comic book ever being made into films right now is probably the most annoying.

The "Having Fun" sequences in films are annoying though not a new trend.  They're a constant throughout time.  My least favorite of these montages has a couple frolicking on the beach, playing like children, while a cool song is playing.  They laugh. She throws sand on him teasingly.  He chases after her.  She splashes him.  He picks her up and the two of them get all wet from the surf.  They laugh.  I think I saw something like this on a Paris Hilton video for one of her hit songs.  Glistening sand on thighs and shoulders.  FEH! 

Ewwww, I so don't like having fun.

And yes, it's true.  Hallelujah should never never never have been sullied by Shrek.  It's criminal.  If it ends up in a Burger King or Nike commercial, it will be even worse. I hope Michael Jackson doesn't own it.

Susan 

The "Having Fun" sequences in films are annoying though not a new trend.

The Naked Gun did a nice spoof of that type of thing.

Spoofs are great because they are spoofs and make fun of all we hate.  I am disappointed in spending money on crap movies.  I love horror flicks but I have been sooooo disappointed by the ones I have seen recently.  Doesn't anyone know how to make a good horror flick??

Doesn't anyone know how to make a good horror flick??

No one knows anything and that goes double for horror.
At least the 80s had a certain je ne sais quoi that allowed even the worst some quality.