You might be surprised to learn this, but that office chair you're seated in? That is CGI. Strange, eh? If the fifth-dimensional hyper-sprites had wanted to be perfect, they might have just given you a regular chair instead of adding one in after the fact. Similar to this, occasionally movies will also use covertly created digital photos to get the precise shots they need, and we can't even know. After all, the reason CGI typically draws attention to itself is because it is utilized to create impossible visuals.
1. Spider-Man 2
Source: Sony
Doc Ock sacrifices himself and sinks in an Oscar-worthy close-up full of powerful dramatic gravitas – that’s pure CGI. Alfred Molina wasn’t even on set.
2. John Wick
Source: Lionsgate
This scene is a synonym for absolutely unnecessary CGI. It’s dog poop. That’s it. When the puppy leaves John’s house to poop in the lawn, the doggy waste can be seen as the little girl sprints back. They couldn’t give her laxatives, so they added CGI poop, which probably cost a few hundred – wait, $5,000?
3. Shazam!
Source: Warner Bros.
The production had trouble securing the right to shoot at the Philadelphia steps – and when they finally did, the skyline was obscured by fog, so they had to digitally recreate it.
4. Jurassic Park
Source: Universal
Ariana Richards’ stunt double fell through the roof wonderfully, but glanced at the camera. So they digitally composited the actress’ face on her – decades before digital doubles were common.
5. Iron Man 3
Source: Disney
Robert Downey Jr. injured his ankle during the final days of the shoot, but instead of halting production for six weeks, the film’s very last scene was done with a digital double. Tony Stark’s smirk, his smug eye brown lift, his intense look? All CGI, baby.
6. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1
Source: Summit Entertainment
Kristen Stewart did not lose 30 pounds, but was instead under heavy makeup, and even prosthetics were used. Still, the final touches were done with a good use of CGI (unlike that damn creepy CGI baby).
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Source: Sony
For the scene where Tony chastises Peter on top of a building, the time of day was changed late in production, so CGI was used to adjust both characters’ hair. This included lighting, the wind messing up the hair, and probably overworked FX artists.
8. Dark Shadows
Source: Warner Bros.
Johnny Depp’s Barnabas Collins never blinks, as his eye movements were digitally altered. We’d say it’s the exact opposite situation to Wesley Snipes in Blade: Trinity (where he refused to open his eyes for a scene, forcing horrible CGI trickery), but Depp deserves to be the butt of more jokes than Snipes.
9. Gone Girl
Source: Fox
Mirroring the much better-known CGI ping-pong balls in Forrest Gump, we give you: CGI gummy bears.
Tyler Perry is not a master marksman, so to get the gummy bears to hit Ben Affleck in the exact places David Fincher wanted, CGI was used.
10. Fight Club
Source: Fox
The sex scene between Helena Bonham Carter and Brad Pitt is entirely CGI. Digital models were created and twisted around in positions we’ve heard are fun. Plus, the scene even featured Matrix-like bullet-time the same year the Wachowski’s film came out, but without even caring to make a big deal about it.