Some movie scenes require a second or third look before a viewer can fully understand what they're getting themselves into. Animators and directors love to sneak in some hilarious details when they make a movie, but only the biggest fans take the time to spot them all...
Toy Story
This is an easter egg only some hardcore film buffs would likely notice. In the movie Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear finds himself in the house of evil little boy Sid. Fans of horror and also Pixar might recognize the wallpaper as being similar to the carpet from the Overlook Hotel in The Shining.
The Godfather
If you're at the Godfather's house, be wary if he offers you an orange. In this film franchise, oranges are a bad omen. Whenever you see one on screen, that means someone is about to die. It might be a big bowl like this or a glass of OJ but be warned of whatever is coming next...
Aladdin
Prince Ali made waves as one of the most hilarious kid's films of all time, thanks to the always-funny character of the genie. In one particular scene, the magical man is waving his hand around and generating lots of unique characters. For a split second, he comes across a crab that fans might recognize as being from The Little Mermaid!
Spider-Man
Has there ever been a kiss as iconic as the Spiderman one? This scene obviously made movie-pausing history due to the unforgettable scene. This franchise made kissing upside down something to aspire to...
Grease
Grease is well remembered for its unforgettable cast, music, and this heart-pounding scene. After trying and failing to make things work with Danny Zuko, Sandra Dee realizes she must get down to his level. The line "tell me about it... stud" will live in viewers heads rent-free until the end of time...
Dirty Dancing
The whole movie is enough to make your heart skip a beat, but the ending climax is what really steals the show. When “Time Of My Life” is blasting through the speakers, Baby is lifted up high in the sky, and the crowd is in awe. It's enough to be the subject of anyone's daydreams and is pretty impressive to boot!
The Seven Year Itch
Though she might seem tame by today's standards, Marilyn Monroe was the epitome of scandal. Her dress flying up in the wind during the Seven Year Itch made her the most paused moment back in the day. Her iconic acting legacy lives on, but this photo might outrank her fame.
The Graduate
Dustin Hoffman plays Benjamin Braddock in this film about a bored young man who falls for a woman twice his age. Though they're only together for a short time, the viewer does see a scene of their affair in which Mrs. Robinson strips in front of Benjamin. Only parts of her body are seen, but it's enough for an audience to paint a picture...
Hercules
Hercules has a pretty impressive villain in its own film, but that doesn't mean other bad guys are gone for good. In the animated film, there is a moment in which the hero dons a headdress of a lion. Look a little closer and you might realize that this isn't just any lion, it's Scar from The Lion King!
From Dusk till Dawn
Pulp Fiction was one of the most influential movies of all time, so it tends to pop up in some other fan favorites every now and then. You can see the influence in one flick called From Dusk till Dawn. The restaurant that the characters eat at in this film is the same one frequented by the characters in Pulp Fiction. Small world...
American Pie
The movie American Pie paved the way for raunchy teen comedies in a way that no movie had before. Starring as an object of the male gaze was Shannon Elizabeth. Fans of the flick might remember that in this scene, viewers saw quite a lot of the character...like almost all of her...
American Beauty
For anyone who has watched this film, the scene that gets paused most often should be obvious. When the film’s protagonist, Lester, is sitting in a crowded basketball gym, he has a fantasy about one of the cheerleaders. He becomes fixated on her in a way that entranced audiences...
Mallrats
Another movie that often comes up as a favorite flick is Jaws. The franchise even gets a callout from Mallrats director Kevin Smith. The characters in the teen comedy share their names with the protagonists of Jaws, T.S. Quint, and Brodie (though spelled differently). Talk about a cool fun fact!
Toy Story 3
Recognize that big gray toy from the third installment of the Pixar classic? That's Totoro, one of the most popular animations in the world, but especially with Japanese audiences who know him from other Hayao Miyazaki works. The character is internationally beloved, and now is a staple of the genre.
Stan Lee
This guy isn't specific to any movie, because he shows up in quite a lot of them! The writer and director created the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it and frequently shows up both in Marvel films and sometimes in others. People often hit the pause button when they spy the cameo from this legend.
Sleeping With Other People
Jake and Lainey cannot make it work between them, but this movie is filled with the "will-they-won't-they" tension of it all. In one scene, Lainey (played by Alison Brie) shows up to a birthday party and dances around in her bikini. Obviously, it's a scene that made a lot of people do a pause and rewind.
Titanic
"Paint me like one of your French girls" was the most impactful line of dialogue from a movie about a sinking ship. When the uptight Rose falls for a boy from the lower deck, Jack, the two form a bond that made audiences melt. This scene is when the two of them connect on a way deeper level, plus audiences wanted to see what he would draw...
Titanic (again!)
A movie this notable deserves more than just one pausable scene. In one part of the movie, Jack and Rose find themselves alone in the back of a stagecoach and take full advantage of their time. When things get hot and steamy, someone slaps the foggy glass with their palm, and audiences couldn't help but pause and rewind the tapes...
The Dark Knight
This is a movie moment that no audience member could forget. Heath Ledger gave an excellent performance as the Joker in the film The Dark Knight. In fact, did you know that when the Joker dresses as a nurse, the name tag on his nurse uniform says “Matilda"? This is actually the name of Heath Ledger’s daughter in real life.
Basic Instinct
This 1992 film skyrocketed Sharon Stone into the spotlight as an unforgettable actress and internation sex symbol. The most paused scene in this film is when the actress sits in the interrogation room and cunningly crosses and uncrosses her legs. The scene becomes even more riveting because she is donning a mini dress.
Iron Man
This 2008 film launched the iconic Marvel Movies Series franchise and was filled to the brim with cleverly hidden Easter eggs. One of many can be found here in the Iron Man workshop. If you sneak a peek in the background of this scene, viewers can spy what looks to be the shield of Captain America.
Baby Driver
Baby Driver stunned audiences for its strange plot and killer soundtrack. In the film, there’s a scene where Baby flips through the channels and stumbles upon a few iconic shows and scenes himself. Later on in the flick, he repeats each of the dialogues that appeared in the closed captions. That's a sneaky secret!
Bridesmaids
Several of Melissa McCarthy’s movies and series shows feature her real-life husband and fellow actor Ben Falcone. Better yet, the hubby often makes appearances as someone that McCarthy gets to annoy and berate. In Bridesmaids he plays the man on the plane that McCarthy agitates before seducing. She accuses him of being an Air Marshal, which turns out to be true.
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
In this film, the influential George Lucas decided to pay homage to his good friend, Steven Spielberg with a clever little easter egg. He did this using the director's most famous film, E.T. He featured the little alien and his family as one of the many extraterrestrial species to attend the galactic senate.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
The most memorable scene from Fast Times has to be when one of the characters is daydreaming about Phoebe Cates climbing out of the pool in a red bikini. In the dream, Phoebe is visualized removing her top. Obviously, this scene is one that frequently got paused on VCRs.
Psycho
Nothing scared viewers quite as much as this Hitcock classic horror flick. This 1960 scary movie follows Bates Motel and the man who runs it. When the man is finally arrested, he looks into the camera, and for a brief moment, a human skull flashes over his face making a chilling final scene.
Before I Go To Sleep
Nicole Kidman appears in the film Before I Go To Sleep in quite a natural state of appearance. The movie follows the life of a woman whose memories fade each time she goes to bed, but that's not the most memorable part of the flick. Even though she never shows more than her back, it's enough for most viewers to imagine.
Peter Pan
Everything may have looked sweet in this animated cartoon, but somehow the animators still snuck in a few secrets. For instance, in one scene, little Peter does a jig with his shadow. For a moment, the shadow shows off a different side to this children's character...
Fight Club
“Fight Club” is based on the chilling and thrilling novel of the same name written by author Chuck Palahniuk. David Fincher’s adaptation is filled to the brim with clever Easter Eggs. One of these clips flashes Brad Pitts' character in the background before he is even announced as a character in the movie.
Wolf of Wall Street
Sure, Leonardo DiCaprio was a star in this film, but the rest of the world was enraptured by then-newcomer Margot Robbie. One of her most played and paused scenes in the movie is when Robbie seduces Leo. Wearing all pink and sitting in an all-pink room, this scene was unlike anything film buffs have seen before.
Cabin in the Woods
This film was more of a satire than an actual scary movie. The movie explored the most common tropes of horror films that many often get tired of being used over and over. Audiences often paused this scene so they could check out the whiteboard and see what else the characters would endure in the flick.
Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
There is no shortage of Indiana Jones films, and with that, no shortage of pausable scenes. However, there is one scene that stands out among the rest. The scene that’s most paused in this film is when the villain, Belloq, gives an impassioned speech while a fly slowly crawls into his mouth. Ick!
Tron
Even in the ’80s, filmmakers loved to hide little Easter eggs into major motion pictures. For example, Tron was a huge blockbuster with a lot of secrets behind the scenes. There are several parts in this cult classic where a tiny Pac-man can be seen eating his dots on the big screen. Cool!
The Little Mermaid
It seems like there’s always something inappropriate hidden under the veil of a successful Disney film. In The Little Mermaid, for instance, there is a secret during one of the most romantic scenes: the wedding! During this part of the animated flick, the priest that marries the lovebirds is a little…well…excited...
Three Men and a Baby
In this ’80s film, there’s a part that appears to have a young boy peeking behind the window drapes. The rumor mill ran wild with this, conspiracies arising that there was a ghost that haunted the cast on set. According to the cast and crew though, it was just a cardboard cutout of Ted Danson as a kid looming over them.
She’s the Man
This teen flick inspired by a Shakespeare play starred Amanda Bynes pretending to be her brother on an all-boys soccer team. When she confesses in the end, nobody believes her, until she finally lifts up her shirt to prove her truth. People paused this scene a lot trying to sneak a peek, but really all you can see is her face.
Total Recall
In this Schwarzenegger 1990 sci-fi hit, Arnold is approached by a streetwalker. She smiles and offers the actor her services that are pretty unusual. She reveals her trademark feature: three breasts instead of two. Wow!
Teen Wolf
In this classic ’80s Michael J. Fox film, the teen star plays a student that finds out he’s actually now a werewolf. One background scene is commonly paused though. If you catch the scene at just the right moment, you can spot a guy in the audience as he pulls down the pants of a woman in the bleachers.
Wizard of Oz
This classic film is shrouded in controversy and conspiracy, but there is one scene that tops it all. In the last moments of the film, it appears that a body is hanging in the woods behind the frolicking characters. It was believed by fans that it could be one of the munchkins, but the studio claims it was a large bird that got free onset. Whew!
The Simpsons
All the characters in The Simpsons have exactly four fingers... well almost everyone does. The only exception is the character of God. It’s one of those hidden messages that you don’t really notice the first time around, but once you see it, it can be incredibly hard to miss!
The Lion King
In this beloved Disney film, Simba flops down in the grass. When he does so, flower petals fly away into the wind. The petals, if you look closely, appear to form the word “sex" in the night sky. Disney later claimed that it was supposed to be “SFX” but fans have chosen to ignore that declaration.
Star Wars: A New Hope
This epic moment is a classic that gets revisited and laughed at over and over again. The scene takes place at the start of the movie when a stormtrooper in the background bumps his head on a low hanging door. This was due to the fact that the actors in the uniforms apparently couldn’t see well out of their helmets.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Jessica Rabbit is already one of the most sexualized cartoon characters of all time, and one scene just emphasizes that fact. In one scene of the film, which is often paused, it looks like you can see under her dress. One of those animators was having way too much fun at work...
Signs
This M. Night Shyamalan horror film seriously unsettled audiences when they caught the first glimpse of the spooky alien creatures on Earth. This scene has been paused many times to really get a good look at the invaders, but they kind of just look creepy. Hopefully, they're just fake...
Jurassic World
In this movie, when the pterodactyls are attacking the tourists one man hilariously saves two margaritas before he rushes for safety. It is a scene that has been made into a successful meme, but what pausers know is that this isn't just any actor. That man is none other than singer Jimmy Buffet.
Man of Steel
While a small Easter egg, this one is a fan-favorite for lovers of the series. In this scene, Superman grabs onto a satellite and is ready for battle. Don't get distracted though, because looking closely will reveal that you can see the Wayne Enterprise logo on the ship, Bruce Wayne (better known as Batman’s) company.
Wild Things
While there are many steamy and pause-worthy scenes in this 1998 film, there is one that gets the most attention. The part when Neve Campbell and Denise Richards kiss in the pool gets a lot of rewinds from fans of this flick. At least it's not all the terrifying death scenes...
Burn After Reading
In this dark 2008 comedy starring both Brad Pitt and George Clooney, Clooney’s character returns to his house and Pitt quickly hides in his closet. Clooney heads there to return his gun and is so shocked to see Pitt in there that he shoots him in the head. It happens so fast that you could miss it — thankfully most people are able to pause and rewind.
Toy Story
In the most famous Pixar film, Toy Story, there is a commonly found Pixar Easter Egg. In almost every Pixar film, there’s a hidden Mickey Mouse somewhere in the flick. In this scene, which takes place in Andy’s room, there’s a watch clock that features Mickey Mouse pointing to the time.
Frozen
At Elsa’s coronation, two recognizable guests can be spotted walking onto the palace grounds. Rapunzel and Flynn from Tangled are seen entering the castle for the big day, Rapunzel with her short hair as seen at the end of her film. Looks like they didn't bring a wedding gift though...
Love, Simon
This film swept the nation for its inclusive portrayal of LGBT relationships. The character of Martin makes a joke at the lunch table to Abby that actually gives a clue as to the identity of the mysterious Blue character. He says, “Hey, what do you get when you mix black and. Jewish? It’s Blue-ish.”
The Departed
In the Leonardo DiCaprio film, The Departed, an “X” can always be found on the screen right before a character dies. It's a sneaky way of letting the audience know that a character is about to be x-ed ouot of the film. If you see one, get ready for some blood and gore...
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Ace Ventura is on the case! When two apples are placed alongside a banana on Lt. Lois Einhorn’s desk, this is actually an example of foreshadowing in film. The apples are alluding to the reveal that Lt. Lois was first born with male genitalia.
Iron Man 2
This is something for the serious fans of Marvel movies. Tony Stark saves a little boy in Iron Man 2. The little kid in the mask that Tony Stark saves in the film actually grows up to be Spider-Man, making them in the same universe after all!
Toy Story 3
Remember the evil Sid from Toy Story? Well, if you look closely at the garbage man’s shirt in Toy Story 3, you’ll recognize it as matching the one that the terrifying bully wore in the initial film. It seems that audiences got to watch Sid grow up after all!
Frozen
The intro to the song “Love is an Open Door” in Frozen when the characters say “We finish each other’s…sandwiches!” is actually a bit that first appeared on Arrested Development. Maybe it's a case of parallel thinking, or maybe the writer was just a fan. Either way, someone gets to finish a sandwich!
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The passage on Nick Fury’s tombstone quotes a passage from Ezekial 25:17. If this looks familiar, you probably recognize it from another famous speech from a different film. It's famously spoken by actor Samuel L. Jackson’s character in Pulp Fiction.
Back to the Future
When Marty accidentally crashing his car into one of two pine trees in the past, it affects the future in a subtle way. He travels back to the future and keen eyes might notice that the name of the mall changes from Twin Pines to Lone Pine Mall. The action even took away one of the pine trees on the sign.
Fight Club
Coffee lovers should be able to notice this strange feature of Fight Club. Another pausable moment in Fight Club happens, well, throughout the whole film. David Fincher made the artistic decision to hide a Starbucks coffee cup in almost every scene throughout the entirety of the movie. Why? Who knows.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Most movie buffs would also likely consider themselves to fans of the iconic Star Wars series. For that reason, it's not too shocking that this film features two of that series' most famous characters. Hieroglyphics of C-3PO and R2-D2 are sketched into the background of the scene on one of the posts.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
There is no shortage of Star Wars references in film, especially is other adventure flicks like Indiana Jones. In this Indiana Jones film, the characters drive past a club named “Club Obi-Wan,” another nod to the iconic franchise. What's next, a Han Solo milkshake mention?
Beauty and the Beast
Ah, a tale as old as time. In the classic Disney animation for Beauty and the Beast, Gaston falls to his death. When he makes his early exit, you can see skulls appearing in the pupils of his eyes. Luckily, most kids probabkly didn't catch this hidden clue...
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Even nearly perfect movies have their own accidents. Harry Potter made a mistake when filming a scene between evil Draco Malfoy and the protagonist Harry Potter. During the scene where Harry and Draco are fighting, you can see a cameraman clearly in the backround, trying to get the perfect shot.
Never Been Kissed
Did you catch this clever line? In the “famous couples” prom scene, a couple dressed as pregnant Mary and Joseph make an attempt to sit at Kirsten’s table. She tells them there’s no room for them, a reference to the biblical story of there not being any room at the Inn for the birth of Jesus.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
In this film, there are literal Easter eggs hidden within certain scenes, like the kind you can make breakfast with. The rumor is that the cast and crew had an actual Easter egg hunt on set and couldn’t find them all. The result is a seriously fun fact for fans of the franchise.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
While this fun fact is so far still not proven, there’s a good chance it's real. A theory emerged from this film that during the silent scene with Rey and an older Luke Skywalker, a gravestone can be seen in the background. Who do you think could be buried under there?
The Rescuers
In this 1977 film, the clever animators clearly had some childish ideas. In The Rescuers, a nude woman is seen in the background through a window. Even weirder is that she's not even animated, making her all the more noticable.
Anchorman
Anchorman made waves as one of the funniest flicks from Will Ferrell. The Mexican restaurant that Veronica visits with her female coworkers has quite an unusual name. For audiences that speak Spanish, “Escupimos en su Alimento” is hilarious since it translates to “We Spit in your Food."
Fast Five
Does the character Han Seoul-Oh ring any bells? Does it sound anything like some sort of intergalactic scoundrel? This just proves the concept that no matter what movie or television show you’re watching, you’re never too far from yet another hidden Star Wars reference.
Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter is growing up in the movies, and so are the other students at Hogwarts. In the credit sequence at the end of the film, the Marauder’s Map shows two unidentified people in a bit of a suspicious arrangement in a corner of the school. Make your own assumptions for what they were up to...
I Am Legend
What movie can't Will Smith do? There's one special scene in this film that superhero fans will love. When Will Smith is in Times Square during the hunting sequence, he passes underneath a billboard that is advertising a Batman and Superman team-up, which was released shortly after...
The Matrix Reloaded
In The Matrix Reloaded, many of the license plates are subtle references to a piece of biblical scripture. Smith’s plate reads IS5416 which corresponds to Isaiah 54:16, “Behold, I have created the smith, who blows the fire of coals and produces weapons for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy.” Sounds pretty damning...
Terminator 2
The title song for James Cameron’s beloved Terminator 2 was “You Could be Mine” by Guns N’ Roses. Although he never stated the reason publicly for why he left, he pushes clues throughout the film. In one scene, the terminator pulls out his gun from a box of roses. Pretty spot on...
Jurassic Park
In the film, Ian Malcolm warns that a park of only female dinosaurs wasn’t going to stay in business for very long. He was right, and it was actually foreshadowed when Alan Grant rides to the island and is struggling with the seatbelt. In the end, he creates his own solution, just like mother nature did later in the movie.
Robocop
The plot of this film references the Bible quite frequently throughout. Even though he is half man and half machine, he is the hero of a corrupt city that is killed, resurrected, and emerges as a robotic savior, just like Jesus in the Bible (without the robot qualities). He even walks on water, a classic Bible story.
Cloverfield
In the final part of the film, Beth and Rob take shelter underneath a bridge in Central Park. Only moments after, an air raid strike buries the couple together presumably kills the creature. In the credits, however, there’s audio that when reversed, sounds like a report saying “it’s still alive.”
Batman Begins
When Jim Gordon reveals to Batman that a new criminal has surfaced in the closing scenes of this movie, the Jokers calling card is shown, making it apparent that he would come in for the sequel. A closer look shows that the playing card was signed into evidence by someone called J Kerr. Short for Joe Kerr an alias the villain has adopted.
Man of Steel
When in doubt, it's best to bring Superman to the scene...unless Batman is available. In one part of this movie, Zod discovers his heat vision in a battle and causes a skyscraper to fall apart on Superman. In one of the cubicles, you can see a poster that says the phrase “Keep Calm and Call Batman.”
Boogie Nights
No one saw this pausable scene coming. These final moments of the 1997 Paul Thomas Anderson movie Boogie Nights shocked audiences thanks to actor Mark Wahlberg dropping his trousers for an expository reveal. Let’s just say he’s pretty confident with how the movie was received...
Scanner
In this mystery-horror flick about the psychic powers of Michael Ironside, fans fell in love with the extreme goriness of the character's skills. In one frequently paused part, he gets angry and uses his powers to make a guy's head explode. The scene is gruesome and seriously bloody, but also addicting to watch.