Things in Fiction that make you cringe...

[Thaluikhain]

Well, sexual assaults, obviosuly.

Also, kids comedy bits where the hero has to pretend to be doing something embarrassing to hide whatever they are really up to.

When a hero does something awful that is supposed to be ok because they are a hero, and is not acknowledged they are wrong.

 

[Zhukov]

Oh, also, characters that have passed some point of no return making a pitiable attempt to make things right. Like that bit in District 9 where he vomits black gunk on the cake, then feebly tries to clean in off with a napkin before passing out.

when you say it like that it actually sounds pretty funny...instead of...you know, horrifying

sort of similar where the protagonist is a dick for no no real reason...or does something morally reprehensible that could have been avoided (kind of like a part in Django unchained except that is a grey area)

[sub/]does not apply so much when you know the protagonist is supposed to be an irredeemable piece of shit[/sub]

Nah, different sort of thing.

It's the pitiful futility of it that I find upsetting. The tiny, useless token action in the face of overwhelming tragedy.

Like... okay, many years ago I saw a news story about a flood somewhere in Africa. Mozambique I think. There was this guy who had escaped but lost his kids and his home. When he went back the only thing he could find was a shovel. Absolutely everything else was destroyed, just washed away or buried by mud. And he was clinging to that rusty old shovel like you wouldn't believe. Not because it had any use (he said that he couldn't even use it to dig graves since he couldn't find his kid's bodies), but because it was literally the only thing he had. Remembering that still makes me tear up a bit.

Same feeling, but obviously on a lesser scale.

 

[doxydejour]

Forced romantic interest. The type where the film is running along just fine, and then a character of the opposite gender (usually) is introduced and suddenly the protagonist is in love despite there being no chemistry at all. Urgh.

Captcha: free hat. All right! So long as it's not a fedora.

 

[the December King]

For me, it's small protagonists with obviously no or less developed muscle mass/martial skills physically beating up many larger and clearly physically superior antagonists... which puts me in the awkward position of actually having problems with almost every superhero and action movie ever.

 

[the December King]

For me, it's small protagonists with obviously no or less developed muscle mass/martial skills physically beating up many larger and clearly physically superior antagonists... which puts me in the awkward position of actually having problems with almost every superhero and action movie ever.

Physically superior doesn't always necessarily mean they will win. If it's an incredibly scrawny person beating up an Arnie sized opponent then yes. However if it's a decently buffed guy winning against an Arnie sized opponent then it's not too far fetched.

Touche, delta4062. And if I can see some skill to offset that size difference, it really helps with the plausibility. But hopefully you will agree that there are instances that come up alot with fight scenes in film, where you are left with the "that's not even remotely possible" vibe, you roll your eyes, and stash the memory in the crap bin of your mind, you know?

 

[TheMadDoctorsCat]

The abuse of either animals or very young children.

I think it's because neither group is fully capable of understanding what's happening to them or why - they just know that they're in pain. As much as torture of adults can be horrifying, the adults in question always understand the situation they're in to some degree. Add to that that they may be really unsympathetic or unlikeable characters.

But children / animals... neither of those things applies.

 

[Eddie the head]

Romance as a whole. Mostly because they end with "happily ever after" or "soul mates." Two concepts I find utterly irremediable in fiction.

 

[the December King]

The abuse of either animals or very young children.

I think it's because neither group is fully capable of understanding what's happening to them or why - they just know that they're in pain. As much as torture of adults can be horrifying, the adults in question always understand the situation they're in to some degree. Add to that that they may be really unsympathetic or unlikeable characters.

But children / animals... neither of those things applies.

You know? This is actually truly cringeworthy for me as well- it might also be more in line with the OPs original question, for me. In fact, if I get the sense that it's going to be a big part of the story, as is often the case in my preferred genre (horror), I will often opt out of watching/reading it altogether, or at least skipping the scene.

Don't get me wrong I know what you mean by that. It's the main reason why I can't stand when action movies throw in some twig supermodel that's some elite assassin with unmatched hand to hand combat. I'm never going to watch the latest Nikita TV show because every fucking image I'm shown is this incredibly skinny girl handling weapons that are actually physically demanding to carry around and use.

I hear you. Like, I can see Gina Carrano beating up other fighters, both male and female, in an action movie. I'd even buy into her winning over a few opponents at once. But she is an actual fighter. And looks it, too.

 

[Random Argument Man]

I have a problem with a few gory scenes. Since I've had an accident with a band-saw, anytime I see a scene when one is cutting a limb out of his body or having his limbs cut off. I skip it. I especially have a problem if they make it a long scene. Once you know the feeling of having an accident like I had, you perceive painful accidents in a new way. You don't just imagine seeing it. You imagine feeling it.

I couldn't watch 127 Hours. I was more scared of this movie than any horror movies that I've seen in my life.

On a lighter side, I pause a movie whenever a character is stuck in an awkward situation. I really make a face palm every time that happens.

 

[Quazimofo]

I can't stand overly embarrassing situations. They're good in that they get the their desired reaction from me but I just can't stand em.

Yeah, I find myself looking away from the screen basically whenever there's a painfully awkward situation occurring in the film/show etc. Even if it's supposed to be for comedy, I just can't bear to look.

Same with the skin mutilation as mentioned above. Just eugh. *shivers*

 

[WouldYouKindly]

When the writing is so dull and predictable that I can figure out what's going to be said next just from the scene of the show I'm currently watching. If I've never seen your show before and don't know the characters, I shouldn't be able to do that. If I can, you're a bad writer. This is usually followed by a facepalm and a change of channel if I have the remote.

 

[Eliam_Dar]

Not sure if this is what you had in mind but, have you seen the movie 40 Days and 40 Nights (I had to... damn chick-flicks), well *SPOILERS* at the end of the movie, the main character is visited by her ex GF, who takes advantage of him, since he was drugged.... well that's rape, but since he was a guy the movie treats it as a minor thing, I was watching it with my GF, and we actually paused the movie there, we couldn't believe how that was used for "comedic" effect.

 

[McElroy]

Really awkward situations in real life and fiction. Also when characters open up to each other with some rehearsed story for no other reason than to give "symbolism" to the following scenes. It's not gonna make me walk out of the room, but count on me calling out the ridiculousness.

 

[Gorrath]

I have a terribly difficult time watching realistic battle scenes in movies. I cannot control the physical reaction I have, including feeling nauseated and suffering from tremors in my extremities. I still go to the movies and watch films I know are going to have that kind of content, I just can't for the life of me stop the physical reaction I know I'm going to have. Still enjoy the movies though.

 

[Roguebubble]

Vomiting. I'm fine with characters being brutally murdered and corpses being carved up but as soon as someone is sick I don't want to look.

 

[tangoprime]

For me, it's small protagonists with obviously no or less developed muscle mass/martial skills physically beating up many larger and clearly physically superior antagonists... which puts me in the awkward position of actually having problems with almost every superhero and action movie ever.

Clearly, you missed the 1980's.

Spoiler

 

[tangoprime]

Really awkward situations in real life and fiction. Also when characters open up to each other with some rehearsed story for no other reason than to give "symbolism" to the following scenes. It's not gonna make me walk out of the room, but count on me calling out the ridiculousness.

I loved The Office so much, but damn did Michael make me cringe and almost not be able to watch sometimes, just in sheer embarrassment for him.

 

[the December King]

For me, it's small protagonists with obviously no or less developed muscle mass/martial skills physically beating up many larger and clearly physically superior antagonists... which puts me in the awkward position of actually having problems with almost every superhero and action movie ever.

Clearly, you missed the 1980's.

Spoiler

Ah, no, good tangoprime... I just have fond memories. (I should have clarified that I was referring to modern or current gen action flicks, heh.)

 

[tangoprime]

For me, it's small protagonists with obviously no or less developed muscle mass/martial skills physically beating up many larger and clearly physically superior antagonists... which puts me in the awkward position of actually having problems with almost every superhero and action movie ever.

Clearly, you missed the 1980's.

Spoiler

Ah, no, good tangoprime... I just have fond memories. (I should have clarified that I was referring to modern or current gen action flicks, heh.)

Haha, good to know. Yeah, nowadays only the badguys are allowed to look like the 1980's action heroes, and the good guys have to get their asses curbstomped for the first few minutes of the fight before they remember or think of some deus ex machina or checkov's gun that lets them instantly win. *sigh* They don't make 'em like they used to.

 

[Qizx]

Any time someone is tortured, I can't stand it. I don't care if the person in question is Hitler himself, I simply can NOT stand torture at all. Some movies or shows that have it I can barely stand after that.