Moviemaking is an extremely collaborative process – where hundreds of people contribute to a film as it journeys from script to screen. Even though a project’s success or failure is often attributed to the strengths and shortcomings of the writer, director, and principle cast, countless professionals leave their mark on every feature film. However, from time to time, those marks are a bit more literal – as certain filmmakers, special effects gurus, and editors have inserted hidden messages into fan-favorite films. In honor of these sly creatives, we’ve compiled a list of our favori

There’s one fact that no one can deny: the Disney animators are most certainly dog people. And what’s better than a canine adventure? How about a shared universe of them? 101 Dalmatians has enough spotted dogs in a single family to worry about, but when the call goes out that the pups are in trouble, Lady and the Tramp can be seen in the city streets, along with their canine co-stars Jock and Peg. The litter’s father, Pongo also makes a Cameo in Oliver & Company, along with Jock, Peg, and the always loyal Tru

One of the big problems surrounding Star Trek Into Darkness was it seemed more concerned about paying tribute to The Wrath of Khan than actually trying to find its own identity as a movie. Instead of focusing on telling a good story, J.J. Abrams put so much fan service in Star Trek Into Darkness that it was so difficult to focus or get into the sci-fi film. The end result just upset fans because it wasn’t as good as the first reboot and its moderate box office take reflects poo

The 2013 Disney film, Frozen , catapulted to massive popularity with help from the catchy and inspirational “Let It Go.” The film also features a handful of references to previous Disney and Pixar movies, like Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Tangled attending Elsa’s coronation. Some even argue Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog also attend the event. However, you have to look more closely in other scenes to catch Frozen’s nods to Monster’s Inc. and the Mouse House. At Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Sauna a wooden figurine of Mike Wazowski is sitting on the counter, while a Micky Mouse doll is hidden on a shelf. However, Anna decides to buy winterwear instead of these references to other Disney and Pixar characters, which we’re sure was the best cho

Director Terry Gilliam is known for his offbeat visions of the future, with 12 Monkeys focused on a single prisoner, sent into the past to help scientists cure a worldwide plague that killed billions. The film opens with the hero dreaming of his younger self, watching an unknown man gunned down in a crowded airport. Unsure if the memory is real or imagined, he goes on to learn that the virus was spread on purpose by a single person, and sets out to stop it from ever happening. He fails when airport security shoots him dead in front of his younger self. The boy watches as the plane takes off, setting into motion billions of deaths, and closing the endless time loop the way it be

Just by making the original Star Wars series, George Lucas wound up inventing ILM and Skywalker Sound, industry-leading studios for special effects and music. ILM tends to get the most headlines, so the director decided to even the scales, including the logo for Skywalker Sound in Attack of The Clones . It’s clearly visible during Anakin and Obi-wan’s Coruscant chase, rotating as one of a dozen other neon signs in the entertainment district. Shameless promotion from the effects team for their audio colleagues, but we’ll allow

In what may be Pixar’s most unconventional tale to date, Ratatouille follows a rat with a flair for the culinary arts, and a young man named Linguini who hopes to become a great chef, but lacks the skills to do it. The pair realize success means combining their talents, but actually working together poses a serious challenge. When Linguini considers smuggling Remy into the kitchen in his pants, the rat isn’t on board. But the biggest reveal of the scene is Linguini’s underwear, shown to be patterned with the logo of Mr. Incredible, the star of The Incredibles. It’s one more hint that Pixar’s films all take place in one universe, while also showing that superheroes are just as famous in the fictional world of Pixar as they are in our

Additionally, Stephen Colbert also asked Abrams about his penchant for lens flares. It’s no secret that Abrams is notorious about including (sometimes unnecessarily) a number of big, bright, and distracting lens flares in all of his movies. It’s actually a popular Internet meme anytime Abrams announces a new project. The director is well aware of the number of lens flares he used in the past, but affirms that he reduced the filmmaking flourish for The Force Awakens . From Jordan Hoff

No other actor embodies the age of American Westerns like John Wayne, with his role as Ethan Edwards in The Searchers considered one of his finest roles. The film opens inside a West Texas homestead, revealing a stunning landscape as Ethan first returns home after leaving years earlier to fight in the Civil War. When his brother’s family is killed not long after, and their two daughters kidnapped, Ethan sets off to find them no matter how long it may take. The youngest daughter Debbie is finally tracked down years later, and Ethan personally delivers brings her back home. Although it’s technically a different home, she is welcomed with open arms, and the future, for once, looks bright. With no place for an aging soldier inside, Ethan is left to walk into the wild all by himself. The shot is a perfect mirror of the one which started the film, and game collectibles|https://movietriviafocus.com/ director John Ford’s iconic closing image is just one of the reasons The Searchers would go on to be seen by many as a masterpiece, and one of the greatest films ever m