One of my favorite, if overused, ideas is that it takes a village to raise a child.
Unfortunately, "Prometheus" falls on the side of excess, with a leaden yet hyperactive exposition of its frequently overblown (although sometimes poetic) text by Mr. Fabre and Jeroen Olyslaegers; a few overused theatrical ideas (sand, axes, bondage); and a surprisingly plodding pace.
Don't do the overused volcano idea-unless you can make yours standout and be different.
The TrIte remains a uniquely riveting experience sure to inspire an array of reactions—speechlessness included.
The metaphor of making lemonade when life hands you lemons is a good, although somewhat overused example of this idea.
Ditch the overused baking soda volcano idea.
Last week was "Sinister," which was a step up, but basically recycled a bunch of creaky plot ideas so overused that they now qualify as conventions: family arrives at new house, kids start acting spooky, objects start moving on their own, and each casual closing of a door triggers a noise so loud that the characters — and, of course, the audience — are physiologically forced to jump.
But Ms. Warner is almost like a friend to Georges, which I believe gives a much better sub-plot than the overused 'smart kid is bullied and confides in science teacher' idea.
What may have been a good idea or symbol at one time quickly became overused and then misused.
Originally published as a series of articles for the New Yorker and later, in 1963, as a book, Eichmann in Jerusalem coins the overused and oft-misunderstood phrase "the banality of evil," an idea that sparked a tremendous backlash against Arendt, with many accusing her of using the concept to humanize and to some degree exonerate Eichmann and others like him.
