Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** It just builds from there. Very few of Peter Parker's elders ever just shoot the breeze with him; nearly every conversation they have with the kid involves them imparting some profound wisdom with the subtlety of a piledriver.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 85 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Gary Johnson''': "[[{{Eagleland}} We're]] dicks! We're [[DestructiveSaviour reckless]], [[ItsAllAboutMe arrogant]], [[StopHelpingMe stupid]] dicks! And the [[FunWithAcronyms Film Actor's Guild]] are pussies! And [[UsefulNotes/NorthKorea Kim Jong Il]] is an [[{{Jerkass}} asshole]]! Pussies don't like dicks, because [[MightMakesRight pussies get fucked by dicks]], but ''[[BlackAndGreyMorality dicks also fuck assholes]]''. Assholes who just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think that [[PeaceConference they can deal with assholes their way]], but [[GoodIsImpotent the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick]]... [[ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption with some balls]]. The problem with dicks is that sometimes [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill they fuck too much]], or [[DisproportionateRetribution fuck when it isn't appropriate]] - and [[WhatTheHellHero it takes a pussy to show them that]]. But sometimes, [[StrawPolitical pussies get so full of shit that they become assholes themselves]]... [[{{Metaphorgotten because pussies are only a half-inch away from assholes]]. I don't know much about this crazy world, but I do know, that if you don't let us ''fuck'' this asshole, we're going to get our dicks ''and'' our pussies all covered in shit!"
to:
-->'''Gary Johnson''': "[[{{Eagleland}} We're]] dicks! We're [[DestructiveSaviour reckless]], [[ItsAllAboutMe arrogant]], [[StopHelpingMe stupid]] dicks! And the [[FunWithAcronyms Film Actor's Guild]] are pussies! And [[UsefulNotes/NorthKorea Kim Jong Il]] is an [[{{Jerkass}} asshole]]! Pussies don't like dicks, because [[MightMakesRight pussies get fucked by dicks]], but ''[[BlackAndGreyMorality dicks also fuck assholes]]''. Assholes who just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think that [[PeaceConference they can deal with assholes their way]], but [[GoodIsImpotent the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick]]... [[ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption with some balls]]. The problem with dicks is that sometimes [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill they fuck too much]], or [[DisproportionateRetribution fuck when it isn't appropriate]] - and [[WhatTheHellHero it takes a pussy to show them that]]. But sometimes, [[StrawPolitical pussies get so full of shit that they become assholes themselves]]... [[{{Metaphorgotten [[{{Metaphorgotten}} because pussies are only a half-inch away from assholes]]. I don't know much about this crazy world, but I do know, that if you don't let us ''fuck'' this asshole, we're going to get our dicks ''and'' our pussies all covered in shit!"
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 84 (click to see context) from:
* ''Film/TeamAmericaWorldPolice'' has quite a bit to say about the War On Terror.
to:
* ''Film/TeamAmericaWorldPolice'' has quite a bit to say about the War On Terror.Terror and American foreign policy.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ''Film/TeamAmericaWorldPolice'' has quite a bit to say about the War On Terror.
-->'''Gary Johnson''': "[[{{Eagleland}} We're]] dicks! We're [[DestructiveSaviour reckless]], [[ItsAllAboutMe arrogant]], [[StopHelpingMe stupid]] dicks! And the [[FunWithAcronyms Film Actor's Guild]] are pussies! And [[UsefulNotes/NorthKorea Kim Jong Il]] is an [[{{Jerkass}} asshole]]! Pussies don't like dicks, because [[MightMakesRight pussies get fucked by dicks]], but ''[[BlackAndGreyMorality dicks also fuck assholes]]''. Assholes who just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think that [[PeaceConference they can deal with assholes their way]], but [[GoodIsImpotent the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick]]... [[ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption with some balls]]. The problem with dicks is that sometimes [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill they fuck too much]], or [[DisproportionateRetribution fuck when it isn't appropriate]] - and [[WhatTheHellHero it takes a pussy to show them that]]. But sometimes, [[StrawPolitical pussies get so full of shit that they become assholes themselves]]... [[{{Metaphorgotten because pussies are only a half-inch away from assholes]]. I don't know much about this crazy world, but I do know, that if you don't let us ''fuck'' this asshole, we're going to get our dicks ''and'' our pussies all covered in shit!"
-->'''Gary Johnson''': "[[{{Eagleland}} We're]] dicks! We're [[DestructiveSaviour reckless]], [[ItsAllAboutMe arrogant]], [[StopHelpingMe stupid]] dicks! And the [[FunWithAcronyms Film Actor's Guild]] are pussies! And [[UsefulNotes/NorthKorea Kim Jong Il]] is an [[{{Jerkass}} asshole]]! Pussies don't like dicks, because [[MightMakesRight pussies get fucked by dicks]], but ''[[BlackAndGreyMorality dicks also fuck assholes]]''. Assholes who just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think that [[PeaceConference they can deal with assholes their way]], but [[GoodIsImpotent the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick]]... [[ViolenceIsTheOnlyOption with some balls]]. The problem with dicks is that sometimes [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill they fuck too much]], or [[DisproportionateRetribution fuck when it isn't appropriate]] - and [[WhatTheHellHero it takes a pussy to show them that]]. But sometimes, [[StrawPolitical pussies get so full of shit that they become assholes themselves]]... [[{{Metaphorgotten because pussies are only a half-inch away from assholes]]. I don't know much about this crazy world, but I do know, that if you don't let us ''fuck'' this asshole, we're going to get our dicks ''and'' our pussies all covered in shit!"
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** The film being set during The Cold War helps mitigate the anvil-ness somewhat.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 48 (click to see context) from:
* While his movies haven't ever exactly been subtle, especially with the HumansAreTheRealMonsters message (literally every "zombie" movie Romero has made, including ''TheCrazies'' as well as ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' and sequels has the main characters almost encounter still living people who are just as, if not more, dangerous as the monsters), George A. Romero cranked the anvils up to eleven in ''DiaryOfTheDead'', where the main character flat out asks if humanity is worth saving at all over a clip of two guys using zombies for target practice. He could honestly be said to lives on this trope.
to:
* While his movies haven't ever exactly been subtle, especially with the HumansAreTheRealMonsters message (literally every "zombie" movie Romero has made, including ''TheCrazies'' as well as ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' and sequels has the main characters almost encounter still living people who are just as, if not more, dangerous as the monsters), George A. Romero cranked the anvils up to eleven in ''DiaryOfTheDead'', where the main character flat out asks if humanity is worth saving at all over a clip of two guys using zombies for target practice. He could honestly be said to lives live on this trope.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 27 (click to see context) from:
** ''TheAmericanPresident'' has a famous example of this, with the president's (MichaelDouglass) press conference at the end. It's even worse when you realize that ''most'' of the subject matter, in this case, arguably has ''precious little to do with the rest of the movie''!
to:
** ''TheAmericanPresident'' has a famous example of this, with the president's (MichaelDouglass) (MichaelDouglas) press conference at the end. It's even worse when you realize that ''most'' of the subject matter, in this case, arguably has ''precious little to do with the rest of the movie''!
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** This hasn't stopped people from [[MisaimedFandom wanting to be like the titular Gatsby]], and [[http://www.cracked.com/article_20543_the-5-most-insanely-misunderstood-morals-famous-stories.html throwing parties inspired]] [[ComicallyMissingThePoint by the ones Gatsby threw]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 10 (click to see context) from:
* The 2012 film adaptation of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax frequently takes the original book's anti-corporate, pro-environment message to an extreme, beat-the-viewer-around-the-head-with-it extent, especially in the numerous musical numbers.
to:
* The 2012 film adaptation of Dr. Seuss' DrSeuss' The Lorax frequently takes the original book's anti-corporate, pro-environment message to an extreme, beat-the-viewer-around-the-head-with-it extent, especially in the numerous musical numbers.numbers.
** Which is in stark contrast to the '70s short, which had an intentional StrawmanHasAPoint from the Once-ler, when he asked "What about all the people who work here? What would they do if I closed shop?" Even the titular Lorax can't provide a good answer.
** Which is in stark contrast to the '70s short, which had an intentional StrawmanHasAPoint from the Once-ler, when he asked "What about all the people who work here? What would they do if I closed shop?" Even the titular Lorax can't provide a good answer.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ''Film/{{Elysium}}'': Impoverished, Spanish-speaking citizens of Earth trying to illegally immigrate to a space station owned by the English/French-speaking 1%? Bonus points for name-dropping the Department of Homeland Security. Yeah, this film is ''[[SarcasmMode totally]]'' [[SarcasmMode subtle]] with its allegories regarding illegal immigration, universal healthcare, and the Occupy movements. Then again, this ''is'' a movie made by the same guy who made ''Film/{{District 9}}'', which had all of the subtlety of a freight train. That being said, SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ''TheGreatDictator'' concludes with a 4 1/2 minute speech delivered directly to the camera. Being a rhetorical speech, the actual moral message is a little confused, but definitely down with Hitler.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ''TheGreatGatsby'' gives the message that it's not wise or beneficial to hang on to ones past, or believe one can make things in the present, like they were in the past. It's best to face ones current reality and act towards the future.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 75 (click to see context) from:
* The documentary about steroids, ''Bigger, Stronger, Faster'' gives the message on how using steroids to get an edge over everyone else is morally wrong, but at the same time, points out how those that do use it, often get over and find success while the ones that don't use and compete honestly, get cheated in the end. He concludes that the reason is because of the American cultures obsession to win, no matter what. This point is brought home when one of the narrator's brother uses steroids to win a lifting competition before the ending credits. Everyone in the family knows he won because of steroids, but they cheer for him and act like nothing is wrong, including the narrator who admits it.
to:
* The documentary about steroids, ''Bigger, Stronger, Faster'' gives the message on how using steroids to get an edge over everyone else is morally wrong, but at the same time, points out how those that do use it, often get over and find success while the ones that don't use and compete honestly, get cheated in the end. He concludes that the reason is because of the American cultures obsession to win, no matter what. This point is brought home when one of the narrator's brother uses steroids to win a lifting competition before the ending credits. Everyone in the family knows he won because of steroids, but they cheer for him and act like nothing is wrong, including the narrator who admits it.it.
* ''Film/ManOfSteel'' goes out of its way to portray Superman as some sort of messiah for the human race. It even has a shot of Clark, tormented by his decision over whether or not to surrender himself to Zod, framed by a stained glass depiction of Jesus Christ's Passion at the Garden of Gethsemane (prior to surrendering himself to the high priests) to push the point across.
** Though admitedly, that one was more subtle than when he floats out of Zod's ship in a [[CrucifiedHeroShot crucified Jesus pose]].
* ''Film/ManOfSteel'' goes out of its way to portray Superman as some sort of messiah for the human race. It even has a shot of Clark, tormented by his decision over whether or not to surrender himself to Zod, framed by a stained glass depiction of Jesus Christ's Passion at the Garden of Gethsemane (prior to surrendering himself to the high priests) to push the point across.
** Though admitedly, that one was more subtle than when he floats out of Zod's ship in a [[CrucifiedHeroShot crucified Jesus pose]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 53 (click to see context) from:
* "I have not spoken since I was six years old. No one knows why, not even me." ''Film/ThePiano'' keeps laying it on, thicker and thicker, until you get to the point where the titular instrument is ''literally'' pulling the main character underwater. Only marginally redeemed by introducing us to AnnaPaquin.
to:
* "I have not spoken since I was six years old. No one knows why, not even me." ''Film/ThePiano'' keeps laying it on, thicker and thicker, until you get to the point where the titular instrument is ''literally'' pulling the main character underwater. Only marginally redeemed by introducing us to AnnaPaquin.Creator/AnnaPaquin.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** Well, not really. First of all, the actors do cocaine because it's the Seventies, not necessarily because they're in the porn industry, which in turn fuels their downfall by making them overconfident, irrational and unable to perform. Secondly, Little Bill killed his wife not because she was a porn star (which in the film is not stated, to my recollection), but because she was cheating on him, and very publically. The other characters barely bat an eye at this, further emasculating him. Note that there are no cameras around the times he catches her. It's not a morality tale against pornography, but rather hubris and not keeping up with the times. And drugs are bad mmm'kay.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* Like Stone, AaronSorkin seems to have this as part of his brand. His latter-day screenplays are arguably less and less guilty of this, though.
** ''TheAmericanPresident'' has a famous example of this, with the president's (MichaelDouglass) press conference at the end. It's even worse when you realize that ''most'' of the subject matter, in this case, arguably has ''precious little to do with the rest of the movie''!
** ''TheAmericanPresident'' has a famous example of this, with the president's (MichaelDouglass) press conference at the end. It's even worse when you realize that ''most'' of the subject matter, in this case, arguably has ''precious little to do with the rest of the movie''!
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 20 (click to see context) from:
* ''{{Platoon}}''. Just in case we didn't get the subtle subtext involved in Stone placing an evil sergeant and a good sergeant in charge of plastic-faced Charlie Sheen's raw recruit as the devil and angel on his shoulder, Stone has Sheen provide a wildly anvilicious voiceover monologue at the end of the movie. "I felt like a child born of these two fathers fighting over my soul."
to:
* Practically every single film by OliverStone. In particular:
** ''{{Platoon}}''. Just in case we didn't get the subtle subtext involved in Stone placing an evil sergeant and a good sergeant in charge of plastic-faced Charlie Sheen's raw recruit as the devil and angel on his shoulder, Stone has Sheen provide a wildly anvilicious voiceover monologue at the end of the movie. "I felt like a child born of these two fathers fighting over my soul.""
** ''WallStreet''. There is only one reason and one reason alone Gordon Gekko gives the "richest one percent" speech near the climax of the film: Stone ''really'' seemed to feel the need to lecture the audience about the disturbing power and influence of "corporate raiders" like Gekko. Story-wise, there's no reason at all Gekko ''would'' suddenly lecture Charlie Sheen's character on the subject.
** ''{{Platoon}}''. Just in case we didn't get the subtle subtext involved in Stone placing an evil sergeant and a good sergeant in charge of plastic-faced Charlie Sheen's raw recruit as the devil and angel on his shoulder, Stone has Sheen provide a wildly anvilicious voiceover monologue at the end of the movie. "I felt like a child born of these two fathers fighting over my soul.
** ''WallStreet''. There is only one reason and one reason alone Gordon Gekko gives the "richest one percent" speech near the climax of the film: Stone ''really'' seemed to feel the need to lecture the audience about the disturbing power and influence of "corporate raiders" like Gekko. Story-wise, there's no reason at all Gekko ''would'' suddenly lecture Charlie Sheen's character on the subject.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 68 (click to see context) from:
* The documentary about steroids, ''Bigger, Stronger, Faster'' gives the message on how using steroids to get an edge over everyone else is morally wrong, but at the same time, points out how those that do use it, often get over and find success while the ones that don't use and compete honestly, get cheated in the end. This point is brought home when one of the narrator's brother uses steroids to win a lifting competition before the ending credits. Everyone in the family knows he won because of steroids, but they cheer for him and act like nothing is wrong, including the narrator who admits it.
to:
* The documentary about steroids, ''Bigger, Stronger, Faster'' gives the message on how using steroids to get an edge over everyone else is morally wrong, but at the same time, points out how those that do use it, often get over and find success while the ones that don't use and compete honestly, get cheated in the end. He concludes that the reason is because of the American cultures obsession to win, no matter what. This point is brought home when one of the narrator's brother uses steroids to win a lifting competition before the ending credits. Everyone in the family knows he won because of steroids, but they cheer for him and act like nothing is wrong, including the narrator who admits it.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* The documentary about steroids, ''Bigger, Stronger, Faster'' gives the message on how using steroids to get an edge over everyone else is morally wrong, but at the same time, points out how those that do use it, often get over and find success while the ones that don't use and compete honestly, get cheated in the end. This point is brought home when one of the narrator's brother uses steroids to win a lifting competition before the ending credits. Everyone in the family knows he won because of steroids, but they cheer for him and act like nothing is wrong, including the narrator who admits it.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* The "coming of age in the hood" parody ''Don't Be A Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood'' lampshades the anvils by having the postman, played by producer Keenen Ivory Wayans, pop up whenever a character is delivering a particularly anvilicious speech to loudly exclaim "Message!" directly to the audience. In itself {{lampshaded}} when the main character gives a long-winded, confusing speech that pretty much summarizes every other anvil up to that point in the longest way possible, the Postman arrives, looks at the camera confused, and then says "The **** is he talking about?"
to:
* The "coming of age in the hood" parody ''Don't Be A Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood'' ''DontBeAMenaceToSouthCentralWhileDrinkingYourJuiceInTheHood'' lampshades the anvils by having the postman, played by producer Keenen Ivory Wayans, pop up whenever a character is delivering a particularly anvilicious speech to loudly exclaim "Message!" directly to the audience. In itself {{lampshaded}} when the main character gives a long-winded, confusing speech that pretty much summarizes every other anvil up to that point in the longest way possible, the Postman arrives, looks at the camera confused, and then says says: [[BreakingTheFourthWall "The **** is he talking about?"about?"]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 3 (click to see context) from:
* ''{{Brave}}'': Parents should let their children choose their own fate instead of controlling their life. Numerous scenes are devoted to this, including a 10 minute speech at the end.
to:
* ''{{Brave}}'': Parents should let their children choose their own fate instead of controlling their life. Numerous scenes are devoted to this, including a 10 minute speech at the end.
** YMMV and all that, but many people would consider that SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped.
** YMMV and all that, but many people would consider that SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 46 (click to see context) from:
* "I have not spoken since I was six years old. No one knows why, not even me." ''ThePiano'' keeps laying it on, thicker and thicker, until you get to the point where the titular instrument is ''literally'' pulling the main character underwater. Only marginally redeemed by introducing us to AnnaPaquin.
to:
* "I have not spoken since I was six years old. No one knows why, not even me." ''ThePiano'' ''Film/ThePiano'' keeps laying it on, thicker and thicker, until you get to the point where the titular instrument is ''literally'' pulling the main character underwater. Only marginally redeemed by introducing us to AnnaPaquin.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 41,42 (click to see context) from:
* Jigsaw's speech about the evil of insurance companies in ''{{Saw}} VI'' after [[spoiler:William rejects one of his claims for coverage after he finds a potential treatment for his cancer.]]
* The 1949 adaptation of Creator/AynRand's novel ''TheFountainhead'' is as Anvilicious as the novel it was based on.
* The 1949 adaptation of Creator/AynRand's novel ''TheFountainhead'' is as Anvilicious as the novel it was based on.
to:
* Jigsaw's speech about the evil of insurance companies in ''{{Saw}} ''Film/{{Saw}} VI'' after [[spoiler:William rejects one of his claims for coverage after he finds a potential treatment for his cancer.]]
* The 1949 adaptation of Creator/AynRand's novel''TheFountainhead'' ''Literature/TheFountainhead'' is as Anvilicious as the novel it was based on.
* The 1949 adaptation of Creator/AynRand's novel
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* ''QuestForCamelot''. Though the film is cute, after watching it, one can't help but wonder "could they hammer home the lessons about teamwork and ThePowerOfFriendship ''any'' harder?" Yet it's most popular song is [[BrokenAesop "I stand alone"]].
Deleted line(s) 48 (click to see context) :
* The animated film ''QuestForCamelot''. Though the film is cute, after watching it, one can't help but wonder "could they hammer home the lessons about teamwork and ThePowerOfFriendship ''any'' harder?" Yet it's most popular song is [[BrokenAesop "I stand alone"]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 39 (click to see context) from:
* While his movies haven't ever exactly been subtle, especially with the HumansAreTheRealMonsters message (literally every "zombie" movie Romero has made, including ''TheCrazies'' as well as ''NightOfTheLivingDead and sequels has the main characters almost encounter still living people who are just as, if not more, dangerous as the monsters), George A. Romero cranked the anvils up to eleven in ''DiaryOfTheDead'', where the main character flat out asks if humanity is worth saving at all over a clip of two guys using zombies for target practice. He could honestly be said to lives on this trope.
to:
* While his movies haven't ever exactly been subtle, especially with the HumansAreTheRealMonsters message (literally every "zombie" movie Romero has made, including ''TheCrazies'' as well as ''NightOfTheLivingDead ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' and sequels has the main characters almost encounter still living people who are just as, if not more, dangerous as the monsters), George A. Romero cranked the anvils up to eleven in ''DiaryOfTheDead'', where the main character flat out asks if humanity is worth saving at all over a clip of two guys using zombies for target practice. He could honestly be said to lives on this trope.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 53 (click to see context) from:
* ''FacingTheGiants'' keeps bringing up God in every other sentence; every time something good happens, who do they thank? God. It's to the point in which some might consider this Christian Propaganda disguised as a football movie.
to:
* ''FacingTheGiants'' ''Film/FacingTheGiants'' keeps bringing up God in every other sentence; every time something good happens, who do they thank? God. It's to the point in which some might consider this Christian Propaganda disguised as a football movie.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 54 (click to see context) from:
* TheChroniclesOfNarnia movie, ''TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'' is one big anvil (made of several slightly smaller anvils). Wishing you were more attractive is equivalent to wishing you were never born and taking gold that is lying about - with no obvious reason not to - will turn you into a dragon (or, alternatively, into a gold statue).\\
to:
* TheChroniclesOfNarnia movie, ''TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'' Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia movie ''Film/TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'' is one big anvil (made of several slightly smaller anvils). Wishing you were more attractive is equivalent to wishing you were never born and taking gold that is lying about - with no obvious reason not to - will turn you into a dragon (or, alternatively, into a gold statue).\\
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
[[folder: Film - Animated]]
* ''HappyFeet'' has a couple in it. The most anvilicious is the [[GreenAesop environmental message]] that pervades about the last quarter of the film. Subtle...like a hand grenade.
* ''{{Brave}}'': Parents should let their children choose their own fate instead of controlling their life. Numerous scenes are devoted to this, including a 10 minute speech at the end.
* ''WesternAnimation/AstroBoy'' (the 2009 film), while for the most part a cute, fun movie, takes its War And Warmongering Politicians Are Very Bad to absurd levels. Subtle it ain't, particularly when said politician attempts to manufacture a war with a weaker power to make himself look like a strong protector, even claiming they have weaponry they just don't have.
* ''TheIronGiant'' was 86 minutes of "don't judge a book by its cover" and "extremism is bad". Oddly, it went both ways - Kent Mansley shouldn't have assumed that the giant robot was a war machine that should be destroyed at any cost, and Hogarth shouldn't have assumed that the giant robot ''wasn't'' an alien superweapon.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}} 2'' is also a case of dropping the moral anvil. The basic message is that organic alternative fuels are good while oil companies are evil. Too bad that people hate this particular movie because of how violent it is and how [[TheScrappy Mater]] hogs up screen time.
* The 2012 film adaptation of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax frequently takes the original book's anti-corporate, pro-environment message to an extreme, beat-the-viewer-around-the-head-with-it extent, especially in the numerous musical numbers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Film - Live-Action]]
* ''Baraka'' (1992), which accomplishes the great deed of being subtly (using no words or explanations) Anvilicious (War is bad, the modern world will drive us crazy, monks and tribes are so exotically close to the real things, oh noes!) The movie's director was the cinematographer to the similar ''{{Koyaanisqatsi}}'', which was less subtle.
* The [[ScareEmStraight "educational film"]] ''Film/ReeferMadness'':
** Notorious for the sheer ludicrousness of the anvils it drops against marijuana - or as it spells it, "marihuana". Apparently, pot makes you a horrible driver, (the one thing that was admittedly true about the film), can drive you insane... [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and lets you play the piano really fast]]. Even worse: the movie is just so ''[[CriticalResearchFailure wrong]]'' on every level that modern audiences consider it [[{{Narm}} unintentionally hilarious]] and [[TheStoner advocates of pot legalization]] use it to promote their cause. The film was recently parodied with ''Reefer Madness: The Musical''. It sends up the original by [[RefugeInAudacity going even further]] (for example, claiming marijuana causes ''cannibalism'')... but then turns around and drops its ''own'' anvils against censorship with the last number. (Yes, ''real'' subtle with the book-burning cheerleaders...)
* ''AmazonWomenOnTheMoon'' ended with another parody of this.
* Almost every movie ever made that includes drug use, with two exceptions: stoner movies (for obvious reasons), and ''Film/AScannerDarkly'', which demonizes the war on drugs more than drugs themselves.
** At the end of both the book and movie versions of a ''Literature/AScannerDarkly'' a list of all the author's friends who died or were brain damaged by drug use is included. This is also the implied fate of most of the characters in the story. The users aren't [[{{Demonization}} demonized]] but an anvil is definitely dropped about hard drugs and the user lifestyle.
** One of those names is "Philip." As in "Philip K. Dick". As in ''the author'' (who died of irrepairable damage to his pancreas caused by his drug abuse not long after the book came out).
* ''{{Platoon}}''. Just in case we didn't get the subtle subtext involved in Stone placing an evil sergeant and a good sergeant in charge of plastic-faced Charlie Sheen's raw recruit as the devil and angel on his shoulder, Stone has Sheen provide a wildly anvilicious voiceover monologue at the end of the movie. "I felt like a child born of these two fathers fighting over my soul."
* ''TheHappening''. Just in case you didn't get the environmental message pervading every second of the film, there's a crazy scientist on TV at the end whose sole purpose is ''to drill this into the audience''. Oh, and ThePowerOfLove can subvert nature. CleolindaJones' ''Movies in 15 Minutes'' version of the film comments on this with the line "and angry trees lob an anvil towards the audience" (yes, the link was in the original text).
* ''ThePoseidonAdventure''. Christian symbolism list: Climbing a Christmas tree to salvation? Check. Religious figure in charge? Check. Other religions make a HeroicSacrifice? Check. Lake of fire? Check. Crucifixion scene? Check.
** [[FatherTed He doesn't even say Mass!]]
* The "coming of age in the hood" parody ''Don't Be A Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood'' lampshades the anvils by having the postman, played by producer Keenen Ivory Wayans, pop up whenever a character is delivering a particularly anvilicious speech to loudly exclaim "Message!" directly to the audience. In itself {{lampshaded}} when the main character gives a long-winded, confusing speech that pretty much summarizes every other anvil up to that point in the longest way possible, the Postman arrives, looks at the camera confused, and then says "The **** is he talking about?"
* ''The Day the Earth Stood Still''. Both of them. [[Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951 The original]] with its message of "the United Nations needs more power if it is to keep us safe" and [[Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill2008 the remake]] with its message of "the only way to save the earth from global climate change is by stopping our use of any and all electricity RIGHT NOW!"
* ''JohnnyMnemonic''. Johnny having the "cure" to an obvious AIDS reference, and that the villain is the medical companies for whom selling the treatments that don't work is more profitable than selling the cure.
* ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow'' has a similarly subtle suggestion that if we don't take care of the environment, the world will end and freeze up to the tropics, causing the equatorial nations to open their borders to the refugees from the US and Europe.
* The {{Bollywood}} film ''MainHoonNa'' is mostly a silly action comedy, but a key plot point involves a reconciliatory prisoner exchange between India and Pakistan that is taken extremely seriously.
* The film of ''TheDevilsArithmetic'' is one long anvil, and includes the line "Why didn't I listen to my grandfather more!?"
* ''Film/{{Crash}}''. Apparently racism is not a good thing. But then [[WarpedAesop everyone in Los Angeles is racist so it's normal]].
* In ''DeadPoetsSociety'' one of the teachers says: "Think for themselves? Of course we shouldn't teach the boys to think for themselves!' It's almost as if the film-makers didn't ''want'' us to like him. The death of [[spoiler: Neill]] could be seen as another example of the anvil. The short-sightedness is inconsistent with the character's previous behavior and a direct clash with the oft-repeated theme of the film. Taking a year away from one's dream of acting would be tough, but taking the dirt nap is about as far from "carpe diem" as you can get.
* Before the contemporary ''LeftBehind'' series, which is certainly Anvilicious, there was a terrible miniseries in the 1970's or so released on video titled ''A Thief in the Night.'' It had a theme song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready," by Larry Norman with the lyrics, "There's no time to change your mind, the Son has come... and you've been left behind!" The videos were about all of the horrible things that would happen to non-Christians at the end of the world. It was like having your TV grab you by the face and scream, "You're going to die horribly, and then you're going to Hell! Repent! Repent!" On the plus side, it doesn't gloat about those sent to hell like its contemporary does.
* D. W. Griffith. Anyone who has taken film school and been forced to watch his films, from ''Film/BrokenBlossoms'' to ''BirthOfANation'', knows that the father of modern cinema was not exactly a master of subtlety.
* Spy Kids 4 has a particularly bad example. At one point in the film, Carmen tells the new spy kids "A spy is more than his gadgets." Later, the boy is trying to punch open a door with his gadgets. But when they fail to do the trick, he sits there with an upset and puzzled expression on his face, then his face lights up like he saw he was getting 50 Christmas presents and he yells out "A SPY IS MORE THAN HIS GADGETS!" He proceeds to think of a new way to get through, without any gadgets. Way to be subtle.
* The {{Bollywood}} film ''RabNeBanaDiJodi'', loosely translated as ''A Pair Matched by God'', takes the theme that one sees God in the face of one's beloved to extremes. There's a song called "I See God in You"; the male love interest tells the heroine that he sees God in her; the heroine prays to see God's face, and lo and behold! sees her husband walk toward her. Ultimately, [[spoiler: she decides to stay with her husband because she realizes she sees God in him. This is good news for the husband because he sees God in her, too.]]
* {{Bollywood}} films in general tend to bring over their various messages (parental tyranny is bad, true love is best thing ever, fight for freedom, Brits are awful...) by tacking them to a brightly-colored anvil and dropping that into a huge dance routine.
* The promotional material for ''Film/{{District 9}}'' isn't dropping anvils as much as it is rapid-firing them from a gravity gun. The plot involves refugee aliens being separated from humans in South Africa (apartheid!), humans demanding weapons from the aliens (Humans Are Greedy!), humans saying the aliens probably eat dogs (FantasticRacism, also apartheid), and taglines to report non-humans (apartheid again). WordOfGod and reviews have stated the film itself is much less overbearing, though. WordOfGod from writer/director Neill Blomkamp says that he never intended to make an overtly anvilicious movie - [[WriteWhatYouKnow this was just the environment in which he grew up.]]
* In ''[[DuelingMovies Volcano]]'', after volcanic ash covers Los Angeles, a child mentions how everyone looked the same now (cue shot of black guy next to white guy).
* ''CharlieWilsonsWar'' featured [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped anvils of assorted necessity]], which is unsurprising since it dealt with the ColdWar and the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. The worst offender is at the very end, when Charlie and his friends are celebrating the Russians being run out of Afghanistan thanks to the weapons they helped smuggle in. Charlie's CIA liaison pulls him aside and warns him that religious zealots are starting to show up, [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything just as plane roars over Charlie's apartment which happens to face the Pentagon.]] The next scene shows him failing to raise a few million dollars (after he had increased the defense budget by literally 500%) because normalizing relations with Russia is more important than building up Afghanistan. The real Charlie Wilson resented the idea that they had basically armed the Taliban.
** Rather idiotic really, especially as the United States never gave arms to the "Arab Afghans" under OsamaBinLaden, because they were a huge PaperTiger - only Pakistan armed them, but stopped when they realized how useless they were (they essentially became a glorified adventure holiday for disaffected Saudi youth). For their part, the Mujahideen used to "requisition" the weaponry and vehicles sent to Bin Laden for their own purposes - and actually put them to decent use.
* While his movies haven't ever exactly been subtle, especially with the HumansAreTheRealMonsters message (literally every "zombie" movie Romero has made, including ''TheCrazies'' as well as ''NightOfTheLivingDead and sequels has the main characters almost encounter still living people who are just as, if not more, dangerous as the monsters), George A. Romero cranked the anvils up to eleven in ''DiaryOfTheDead'', where the main character flat out asks if humanity is worth saving at all over a clip of two guys using zombies for target practice. He could honestly be said to lives on this trope.
* Jigsaw's speech about the evil of insurance companies in ''{{Saw}} VI'' after [[spoiler:William rejects one of his claims for coverage after he finds a potential treatment for his cancer.]]
* The 1949 adaptation of Creator/AynRand's novel ''TheFountainhead'' is as Anvilicious as the novel it was based on.
* In StevenSeagal's ''OnDeadlyGround'', Seagal battles the thugs of an evil oil company. In the end, he delivers a speech about how evil oil companies are. Written and directed by Seagal himself, the film is one big AuthorTract.
* Left alone, ''{{Gattaca}}'' is already a borderline case of this, but some of the cut scenes on the DVD ''really'' drive the point home.
* ''Film/ADayWithoutAMexican''. The film's only purpose is to showcase the benefits of Mexican immigration to the U.S.
* "I have not spoken since I was six years old. No one knows why, not even me." ''ThePiano'' keeps laying it on, thicker and thicker, until you get to the point where the titular instrument is ''literally'' pulling the main character underwater. Only marginally redeemed by introducing us to AnnaPaquin.
* ''TheLostWeekend'' expounds its "alcoholism destroys lives" theme with very little subtlety.
* [[Film/{{Metropolis}} The mediator between head and hands must be the heart.]]
* The animated film ''QuestForCamelot''. Though the film is cute, after watching it, one can't help but wonder "could they hammer home the lessons about teamwork and ThePowerOfFriendship ''any'' harder?" Yet it's most popular song is [[BrokenAesop "I stand alone"]].
* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'': Plundering other cultures for their materials is wrong! Embracing other cultures is good! Oh, Creator/JamesCameron, [[SarcasmMode you're so subtle.]] The DVD was released on Earth Day, in case the film was too subtle for you.
* ''CSAConfederateStatesOfAmerica'' is largely hammering in about how bad slavery is and how backwards the way of thinking is. (And, if you think about it, the movie's message is completely unnecessary, since slavery has not existed in this country for well over a century. If they wanted to mount an abolitionist crusade, they were late to the party.)
* The first ''Film/{{Spider-Man|Trilogy}}'' movie was like this with its theme of "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility." One gets the feeling that perhaps anvils are neither big nor heavy enough for this message while watching the movie. It's pretty obvious that many people felt that way, as the "with great power comes great responsibility" line has been made fun of many times in numerous other films and TV shows since then; for example, ''Film/{{Kick-Ass}}'' was advertised with the tagline, "With no power comes no responsibility."
* Invoked by the title character in ''SevenFacesOfDrLao'' throughout the film, but taken to the absolute limits in the finale. The movie centers around a town about to sell out to a tycoon, with a few people believing that what they have in their town (friendships, etc) is too important to abandon for money. These intangible things are too subtle for most of the town to appreciate though, a point that Dr. Lao seems to understand. In the finale, he uses magic to tell a story, which draws close parallels to the current situation to say the least; for example, the characters in the story are identical to the townspeople and tycoon. In the story, the townspeople sell out, causing a violent rapture which seemingly kills everyone. Then, in the real town, everyone is magically teleported back to town hall to vote on the sale.
* ''FacingTheGiants'' keeps bringing up God in every other sentence; every time something good happens, who do they thank? God. It's to the point in which some might consider this Christian Propaganda disguised as a football movie.
* TheChroniclesOfNarnia movie, ''TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'' is one big anvil (made of several slightly smaller anvils). Wishing you were more attractive is equivalent to wishing you were never born and taking gold that is lying about - with no obvious reason not to - will turn you into a dragon (or, alternatively, into a gold statue).\\
Pretty much the same as the book it was based on. Since the books are intended to instill Christian morals, Lucy's desire to be as beautiful as Susan would make her guilty of the sin of envy, while Eustace is guilty of the sin of greed, Edmund of pride, Caspian of wrath... It's a pretty neat way of giving the characters trials as well as making a Christian allegory.
* ''Untraceable'' was pretty anvilicious from beginning to end. The whole plot is one big anvil about how much modern culture sucks due to its lack of empathy and glorification of violence. That being said, the internet comments that the movie ended on ''were'' amusingly accurate depictions of what one finds on various chat boards.
* ''The Doctor'' tries to show physicians should show humanity toward their patients - by making every single physician, including the protagonist, a complete and utter unfeeling JerkAss. Aside from the LittlestCancerPatient, there are almost no sympathetic characters.
* In ''Zero'', a short stop-motion film, a narrator states that all the cute little yarn people in the story are judged by a big number printed on their chest (which totally isn't a metaphor for anything). On this basis, we see all types of horrors acted out, such as child abuse, Jim Crow/Apartheid-style segregation and discrimination, and even eugenics. Problem is, the brown skinned Zeroes are the only ones we see treated badly, while the blonde haired peach puppets ranked 1-9 mingle freely. You never see any of the white puppets treat each other badly based on number alone, despite the narrator stating outright that those ranked 5 and below are considered mediocre. Thus the ranking system is reduced to thin camouflage for a message steeped in white guilt.
* ''Film/X2XMenUnited'' has general pro-gay connotations, but the negative response from Bobby's mom spells it out so clearly, it's now a TropeNamer:
-->'''Madeline Drake''': [[HaveYouTriedNotBeingAMonster Have you tried... not being a mutant?]]
* ''SuperSizeMe'' has [[TheScrappy Morgan Spurlock]] drop the anvil that "fast food for breakfast lunch and dinner all the time is bad for you" with all the subtlety of a large-scale nuke.
** Which borders on a FantasticAesop because you'd have to be a [[BeavisAndButthead complete and total idiot]] to actually eat nothing but fast food for an entire month.
* ''{{Birdemic}}'' is composed almost ''entirely'' of GlobalWarming anvils, despite ostensibly being a romantic comedy/monster movie.
* The ''[[Film/TheMatrix Matrix]]'' sequels, ''The Matrix: Reloaded'' and ''The Matrix: Revolutions'' were heavily criticized for being full of lengthy philosophical pontifications by several characters, including Councillor Hamann, The Oracle, The Merovingian (twice), Agent Smith, and Morpheus.
** Most of these speeches were extremes between HumansAreTheRealMonsters and RousseauWasRight, from both sides of the war. Perhaps the series was less anvilicious and more of a failed MindScrew or [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory ontological discourse]] to some.
* Boogie Nights is one long treatise on how being in porn ruins your life. You feel like a slut, take drugs and on and on. I'm not saying this stuff doesn't happen but it doesn't seem to be the majority. In one subplot a porn producer becomes so angry at his porn star wife banging other guys that he kills her and then himself. Strangely, the wife was played by real life porn star Nina Hartley who has been in triple marriage for years with no one killing anybody.
[[/folder]]
----
* ''HappyFeet'' has a couple in it. The most anvilicious is the [[GreenAesop environmental message]] that pervades about the last quarter of the film. Subtle...like a hand grenade.
* ''{{Brave}}'': Parents should let their children choose their own fate instead of controlling their life. Numerous scenes are devoted to this, including a 10 minute speech at the end.
* ''WesternAnimation/AstroBoy'' (the 2009 film), while for the most part a cute, fun movie, takes its War And Warmongering Politicians Are Very Bad to absurd levels. Subtle it ain't, particularly when said politician attempts to manufacture a war with a weaker power to make himself look like a strong protector, even claiming they have weaponry they just don't have.
* ''TheIronGiant'' was 86 minutes of "don't judge a book by its cover" and "extremism is bad". Oddly, it went both ways - Kent Mansley shouldn't have assumed that the giant robot was a war machine that should be destroyed at any cost, and Hogarth shouldn't have assumed that the giant robot ''wasn't'' an alien superweapon.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}} 2'' is also a case of dropping the moral anvil. The basic message is that organic alternative fuels are good while oil companies are evil. Too bad that people hate this particular movie because of how violent it is and how [[TheScrappy Mater]] hogs up screen time.
* The 2012 film adaptation of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax frequently takes the original book's anti-corporate, pro-environment message to an extreme, beat-the-viewer-around-the-head-with-it extent, especially in the numerous musical numbers.
[[/folder]]
[[folder: Film - Live-Action]]
* ''Baraka'' (1992), which accomplishes the great deed of being subtly (using no words or explanations) Anvilicious (War is bad, the modern world will drive us crazy, monks and tribes are so exotically close to the real things, oh noes!) The movie's director was the cinematographer to the similar ''{{Koyaanisqatsi}}'', which was less subtle.
* The [[ScareEmStraight "educational film"]] ''Film/ReeferMadness'':
** Notorious for the sheer ludicrousness of the anvils it drops against marijuana - or as it spells it, "marihuana". Apparently, pot makes you a horrible driver, (the one thing that was admittedly true about the film), can drive you insane... [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and lets you play the piano really fast]]. Even worse: the movie is just so ''[[CriticalResearchFailure wrong]]'' on every level that modern audiences consider it [[{{Narm}} unintentionally hilarious]] and [[TheStoner advocates of pot legalization]] use it to promote their cause. The film was recently parodied with ''Reefer Madness: The Musical''. It sends up the original by [[RefugeInAudacity going even further]] (for example, claiming marijuana causes ''cannibalism'')... but then turns around and drops its ''own'' anvils against censorship with the last number. (Yes, ''real'' subtle with the book-burning cheerleaders...)
* ''AmazonWomenOnTheMoon'' ended with another parody of this.
* Almost every movie ever made that includes drug use, with two exceptions: stoner movies (for obvious reasons), and ''Film/AScannerDarkly'', which demonizes the war on drugs more than drugs themselves.
** At the end of both the book and movie versions of a ''Literature/AScannerDarkly'' a list of all the author's friends who died or were brain damaged by drug use is included. This is also the implied fate of most of the characters in the story. The users aren't [[{{Demonization}} demonized]] but an anvil is definitely dropped about hard drugs and the user lifestyle.
** One of those names is "Philip." As in "Philip K. Dick". As in ''the author'' (who died of irrepairable damage to his pancreas caused by his drug abuse not long after the book came out).
* ''{{Platoon}}''. Just in case we didn't get the subtle subtext involved in Stone placing an evil sergeant and a good sergeant in charge of plastic-faced Charlie Sheen's raw recruit as the devil and angel on his shoulder, Stone has Sheen provide a wildly anvilicious voiceover monologue at the end of the movie. "I felt like a child born of these two fathers fighting over my soul."
* ''TheHappening''. Just in case you didn't get the environmental message pervading every second of the film, there's a crazy scientist on TV at the end whose sole purpose is ''to drill this into the audience''. Oh, and ThePowerOfLove can subvert nature. CleolindaJones' ''Movies in 15 Minutes'' version of the film comments on this with the line "and angry trees lob an anvil towards the audience" (yes, the link was in the original text).
* ''ThePoseidonAdventure''. Christian symbolism list: Climbing a Christmas tree to salvation? Check. Religious figure in charge? Check. Other religions make a HeroicSacrifice? Check. Lake of fire? Check. Crucifixion scene? Check.
** [[FatherTed He doesn't even say Mass!]]
* The "coming of age in the hood" parody ''Don't Be A Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood'' lampshades the anvils by having the postman, played by producer Keenen Ivory Wayans, pop up whenever a character is delivering a particularly anvilicious speech to loudly exclaim "Message!" directly to the audience. In itself {{lampshaded}} when the main character gives a long-winded, confusing speech that pretty much summarizes every other anvil up to that point in the longest way possible, the Postman arrives, looks at the camera confused, and then says "The **** is he talking about?"
* ''The Day the Earth Stood Still''. Both of them. [[Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill1951 The original]] with its message of "the United Nations needs more power if it is to keep us safe" and [[Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill2008 the remake]] with its message of "the only way to save the earth from global climate change is by stopping our use of any and all electricity RIGHT NOW!"
* ''JohnnyMnemonic''. Johnny having the "cure" to an obvious AIDS reference, and that the villain is the medical companies for whom selling the treatments that don't work is more profitable than selling the cure.
* ''Film/TheDayAfterTomorrow'' has a similarly subtle suggestion that if we don't take care of the environment, the world will end and freeze up to the tropics, causing the equatorial nations to open their borders to the refugees from the US and Europe.
* The {{Bollywood}} film ''MainHoonNa'' is mostly a silly action comedy, but a key plot point involves a reconciliatory prisoner exchange between India and Pakistan that is taken extremely seriously.
* The film of ''TheDevilsArithmetic'' is one long anvil, and includes the line "Why didn't I listen to my grandfather more!?"
* ''Film/{{Crash}}''. Apparently racism is not a good thing. But then [[WarpedAesop everyone in Los Angeles is racist so it's normal]].
* In ''DeadPoetsSociety'' one of the teachers says: "Think for themselves? Of course we shouldn't teach the boys to think for themselves!' It's almost as if the film-makers didn't ''want'' us to like him. The death of [[spoiler: Neill]] could be seen as another example of the anvil. The short-sightedness is inconsistent with the character's previous behavior and a direct clash with the oft-repeated theme of the film. Taking a year away from one's dream of acting would be tough, but taking the dirt nap is about as far from "carpe diem" as you can get.
* Before the contemporary ''LeftBehind'' series, which is certainly Anvilicious, there was a terrible miniseries in the 1970's or so released on video titled ''A Thief in the Night.'' It had a theme song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready," by Larry Norman with the lyrics, "There's no time to change your mind, the Son has come... and you've been left behind!" The videos were about all of the horrible things that would happen to non-Christians at the end of the world. It was like having your TV grab you by the face and scream, "You're going to die horribly, and then you're going to Hell! Repent! Repent!" On the plus side, it doesn't gloat about those sent to hell like its contemporary does.
* D. W. Griffith. Anyone who has taken film school and been forced to watch his films, from ''Film/BrokenBlossoms'' to ''BirthOfANation'', knows that the father of modern cinema was not exactly a master of subtlety.
* Spy Kids 4 has a particularly bad example. At one point in the film, Carmen tells the new spy kids "A spy is more than his gadgets." Later, the boy is trying to punch open a door with his gadgets. But when they fail to do the trick, he sits there with an upset and puzzled expression on his face, then his face lights up like he saw he was getting 50 Christmas presents and he yells out "A SPY IS MORE THAN HIS GADGETS!" He proceeds to think of a new way to get through, without any gadgets. Way to be subtle.
* The {{Bollywood}} film ''RabNeBanaDiJodi'', loosely translated as ''A Pair Matched by God'', takes the theme that one sees God in the face of one's beloved to extremes. There's a song called "I See God in You"; the male love interest tells the heroine that he sees God in her; the heroine prays to see God's face, and lo and behold! sees her husband walk toward her. Ultimately, [[spoiler: she decides to stay with her husband because she realizes she sees God in him. This is good news for the husband because he sees God in her, too.]]
* {{Bollywood}} films in general tend to bring over their various messages (parental tyranny is bad, true love is best thing ever, fight for freedom, Brits are awful...) by tacking them to a brightly-colored anvil and dropping that into a huge dance routine.
* The promotional material for ''Film/{{District 9}}'' isn't dropping anvils as much as it is rapid-firing them from a gravity gun. The plot involves refugee aliens being separated from humans in South Africa (apartheid!), humans demanding weapons from the aliens (Humans Are Greedy!), humans saying the aliens probably eat dogs (FantasticRacism, also apartheid), and taglines to report non-humans (apartheid again). WordOfGod and reviews have stated the film itself is much less overbearing, though. WordOfGod from writer/director Neill Blomkamp says that he never intended to make an overtly anvilicious movie - [[WriteWhatYouKnow this was just the environment in which he grew up.]]
* In ''[[DuelingMovies Volcano]]'', after volcanic ash covers Los Angeles, a child mentions how everyone looked the same now (cue shot of black guy next to white guy).
* ''CharlieWilsonsWar'' featured [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped anvils of assorted necessity]], which is unsurprising since it dealt with the ColdWar and the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. The worst offender is at the very end, when Charlie and his friends are celebrating the Russians being run out of Afghanistan thanks to the weapons they helped smuggle in. Charlie's CIA liaison pulls him aside and warns him that religious zealots are starting to show up, [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything just as plane roars over Charlie's apartment which happens to face the Pentagon.]] The next scene shows him failing to raise a few million dollars (after he had increased the defense budget by literally 500%) because normalizing relations with Russia is more important than building up Afghanistan. The real Charlie Wilson resented the idea that they had basically armed the Taliban.
** Rather idiotic really, especially as the United States never gave arms to the "Arab Afghans" under OsamaBinLaden, because they were a huge PaperTiger - only Pakistan armed them, but stopped when they realized how useless they were (they essentially became a glorified adventure holiday for disaffected Saudi youth). For their part, the Mujahideen used to "requisition" the weaponry and vehicles sent to Bin Laden for their own purposes - and actually put them to decent use.
* While his movies haven't ever exactly been subtle, especially with the HumansAreTheRealMonsters message (literally every "zombie" movie Romero has made, including ''TheCrazies'' as well as ''NightOfTheLivingDead and sequels has the main characters almost encounter still living people who are just as, if not more, dangerous as the monsters), George A. Romero cranked the anvils up to eleven in ''DiaryOfTheDead'', where the main character flat out asks if humanity is worth saving at all over a clip of two guys using zombies for target practice. He could honestly be said to lives on this trope.
* Jigsaw's speech about the evil of insurance companies in ''{{Saw}} VI'' after [[spoiler:William rejects one of his claims for coverage after he finds a potential treatment for his cancer.]]
* The 1949 adaptation of Creator/AynRand's novel ''TheFountainhead'' is as Anvilicious as the novel it was based on.
* In StevenSeagal's ''OnDeadlyGround'', Seagal battles the thugs of an evil oil company. In the end, he delivers a speech about how evil oil companies are. Written and directed by Seagal himself, the film is one big AuthorTract.
* Left alone, ''{{Gattaca}}'' is already a borderline case of this, but some of the cut scenes on the DVD ''really'' drive the point home.
* ''Film/ADayWithoutAMexican''. The film's only purpose is to showcase the benefits of Mexican immigration to the U.S.
* "I have not spoken since I was six years old. No one knows why, not even me." ''ThePiano'' keeps laying it on, thicker and thicker, until you get to the point where the titular instrument is ''literally'' pulling the main character underwater. Only marginally redeemed by introducing us to AnnaPaquin.
* ''TheLostWeekend'' expounds its "alcoholism destroys lives" theme with very little subtlety.
* [[Film/{{Metropolis}} The mediator between head and hands must be the heart.]]
* The animated film ''QuestForCamelot''. Though the film is cute, after watching it, one can't help but wonder "could they hammer home the lessons about teamwork and ThePowerOfFriendship ''any'' harder?" Yet it's most popular song is [[BrokenAesop "I stand alone"]].
* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'': Plundering other cultures for their materials is wrong! Embracing other cultures is good! Oh, Creator/JamesCameron, [[SarcasmMode you're so subtle.]] The DVD was released on Earth Day, in case the film was too subtle for you.
* ''CSAConfederateStatesOfAmerica'' is largely hammering in about how bad slavery is and how backwards the way of thinking is. (And, if you think about it, the movie's message is completely unnecessary, since slavery has not existed in this country for well over a century. If they wanted to mount an abolitionist crusade, they were late to the party.)
* The first ''Film/{{Spider-Man|Trilogy}}'' movie was like this with its theme of "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility." One gets the feeling that perhaps anvils are neither big nor heavy enough for this message while watching the movie. It's pretty obvious that many people felt that way, as the "with great power comes great responsibility" line has been made fun of many times in numerous other films and TV shows since then; for example, ''Film/{{Kick-Ass}}'' was advertised with the tagline, "With no power comes no responsibility."
* Invoked by the title character in ''SevenFacesOfDrLao'' throughout the film, but taken to the absolute limits in the finale. The movie centers around a town about to sell out to a tycoon, with a few people believing that what they have in their town (friendships, etc) is too important to abandon for money. These intangible things are too subtle for most of the town to appreciate though, a point that Dr. Lao seems to understand. In the finale, he uses magic to tell a story, which draws close parallels to the current situation to say the least; for example, the characters in the story are identical to the townspeople and tycoon. In the story, the townspeople sell out, causing a violent rapture which seemingly kills everyone. Then, in the real town, everyone is magically teleported back to town hall to vote on the sale.
* ''FacingTheGiants'' keeps bringing up God in every other sentence; every time something good happens, who do they thank? God. It's to the point in which some might consider this Christian Propaganda disguised as a football movie.
* TheChroniclesOfNarnia movie, ''TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'' is one big anvil (made of several slightly smaller anvils). Wishing you were more attractive is equivalent to wishing you were never born and taking gold that is lying about - with no obvious reason not to - will turn you into a dragon (or, alternatively, into a gold statue).\\
Pretty much the same as the book it was based on. Since the books are intended to instill Christian morals, Lucy's desire to be as beautiful as Susan would make her guilty of the sin of envy, while Eustace is guilty of the sin of greed, Edmund of pride, Caspian of wrath... It's a pretty neat way of giving the characters trials as well as making a Christian allegory.
* ''Untraceable'' was pretty anvilicious from beginning to end. The whole plot is one big anvil about how much modern culture sucks due to its lack of empathy and glorification of violence. That being said, the internet comments that the movie ended on ''were'' amusingly accurate depictions of what one finds on various chat boards.
* ''The Doctor'' tries to show physicians should show humanity toward their patients - by making every single physician, including the protagonist, a complete and utter unfeeling JerkAss. Aside from the LittlestCancerPatient, there are almost no sympathetic characters.
* In ''Zero'', a short stop-motion film, a narrator states that all the cute little yarn people in the story are judged by a big number printed on their chest (which totally isn't a metaphor for anything). On this basis, we see all types of horrors acted out, such as child abuse, Jim Crow/Apartheid-style segregation and discrimination, and even eugenics. Problem is, the brown skinned Zeroes are the only ones we see treated badly, while the blonde haired peach puppets ranked 1-9 mingle freely. You never see any of the white puppets treat each other badly based on number alone, despite the narrator stating outright that those ranked 5 and below are considered mediocre. Thus the ranking system is reduced to thin camouflage for a message steeped in white guilt.
* ''Film/X2XMenUnited'' has general pro-gay connotations, but the negative response from Bobby's mom spells it out so clearly, it's now a TropeNamer:
-->'''Madeline Drake''': [[HaveYouTriedNotBeingAMonster Have you tried... not being a mutant?]]
* ''SuperSizeMe'' has [[TheScrappy Morgan Spurlock]] drop the anvil that "fast food for breakfast lunch and dinner all the time is bad for you" with all the subtlety of a large-scale nuke.
** Which borders on a FantasticAesop because you'd have to be a [[BeavisAndButthead complete and total idiot]] to actually eat nothing but fast food for an entire month.
* ''{{Birdemic}}'' is composed almost ''entirely'' of GlobalWarming anvils, despite ostensibly being a romantic comedy/monster movie.
* The ''[[Film/TheMatrix Matrix]]'' sequels, ''The Matrix: Reloaded'' and ''The Matrix: Revolutions'' were heavily criticized for being full of lengthy philosophical pontifications by several characters, including Councillor Hamann, The Oracle, The Merovingian (twice), Agent Smith, and Morpheus.
** Most of these speeches were extremes between HumansAreTheRealMonsters and RousseauWasRight, from both sides of the war. Perhaps the series was less anvilicious and more of a failed MindScrew or [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory ontological discourse]] to some.
* Boogie Nights is one long treatise on how being in porn ruins your life. You feel like a slut, take drugs and on and on. I'm not saying this stuff doesn't happen but it doesn't seem to be the majority. In one subplot a porn producer becomes so angry at his porn star wife banging other guys that he kills her and then himself. Strangely, the wife was played by real life porn star Nina Hartley who has been in triple marriage for years with no one killing anybody.
[[/folder]]
----
