When First Impressions are Wrong.

Frank Black

Has anyone any examples of movies that they didn’t like the first time they saw them but came to appreciate on repeat viewings.

My one was LA Confidential – first saw it in a cinema over in London having heard good things about it, and I remember walking out thinking ‘what was all the fuss about.’ Maybe I was in the wrong mood but I just found it very slow and boring.

Fast forward a few years and on repeat viewing I realise that LA Confidential is in fact brilliant – love the acting, the pace and the plot and wonder how could I have not liked it first time I saw it.

Does this ever happen to anyone else?

DrumSteve

Miami Vice.

Thought it was crap the first time I saw it and the middle bit where Farrell and yer one go off to the island ruined it.

Second time I watched it made a bit more sense and was enjoyable enough. Though that "love story" still was crap.

Magic Eight Ball

The Dark Knight.

I really enjoyed Batman Begins but The Dark Knight left me pretty disappointed. I felt it was quite over bloated.

It took another 3 or 4 viewings before I warmed to it.
I still feel the Harvey Dent subplot was shoehorned in.

Phony Scott

Magic Eight Ball wrote: »

The Dark Knight.

I really enjoyed Batman Begins but The Dark Knight left me pretty disappointed. I felt it was quite over bloated.

It took another 3 or 4 viewings before I warmed to it.
I still feel the Harvey Dent subplot was shoehorned in.

On the opposite side of things, I thought Batman Begins was just alright the first time I saw it and then subsequently saw it at home and wondered what the hell I was thinking. Admittedly the fight choreography wasn't great and the soundtrack just didn't do it for me at all; it felt like such a sidestep next to Danny Elfman's grandiose soundtrack for the Tim Burton film. I still don't like the soundtrack at all and never feel like it kicks in.

Otherwise the story is terrific, Christian Bale makes a great Bruce Wayne and it is damn exciting to watch. I've watched 'The Dark Knight' three times now and figured I'd eventually warm to it, but no, its a good film, but horribly overrated.

Sad Professor

Magic Eight Ball wrote: »

It took another 3 or 4 viewings before I warmed to it.
I still feel the Harvey Dent subplot was shoehorned in.

So many people say this, but I don't know how anyone could think this. His story is far more than a sub-plot. Dent is the central character in the film. He's the only one who really changes. It would have been a far lesser film without seeing his character arc in full imo. His fall from grace at the end is essential if the Joker is to be more than just another villain. If anything was shoehorned into TDK it was the multiple action set pieces (like the one in Hong Kong). But what I admire about Nolan is that he doesn't sacrifice story for action. Of course, this means that he has to edit his films like an MTV music video in order to fit everything in, but I can live with that as long as the story is good.

black francis wrote: »

Fast forward a few years and on repeat viewing I realise that LA Confidential is in fact brilliant – love the acting, the pace and the plot and wonder how could I have not liked it first time I saw it.

I hated LA Confidential on first viewing as well. On subsequent viewings I've realised that it's actually just the ending that I hate. So I stop it now at a certain point and I find the film much better.

krudler

Sad Professor wrote: »

So many people say this, but I don't know how anyone could think this. His story is far more than a sub-plot. Dent is the central character in the film. He's the only one who really changes. It would have been a far lesser film without seeing his character arc in full imo. His fall from grace at the end is essential if the Joker is to be more than just another villain. If anything was shoehorned into TDK it was the multiple action set pieces (like the one in Hong Kong). But what I admire about Nolan is that he doesn't sacrifice story for action. Of course, this means that he has to edit his films like an MTV music video in order to fit everything in, but I can live with that as long as the story is good.

this, the holding Gotham to ransom thing is a subplot, its the Jokers intent on tearing down Dent and his crusade against crime that thes central theme of the movie. I love the bit during the climax when the Joker mentions Dent "and all the wonderful things hes done" and Batman just goes "...what did you do?" with a "oh holy sh1t" thinge to his voice, its the point of the movie where Batman actually looks vunerable, not when being assaulted by goons.

mikhail

krudler wrote: »

this, the holding Gotham to ransom thing is a subplot, its the Jokers intent on tearing down Dent and his crusade against crime that thes central theme of the movie. I love the bit during the climax when the Joker mentions Dent "and all the wonderful things hes done" and Batman just goes "...what did you do?" with a "oh holy sh1t" thinge to his voice, its the point of the movie where Batman actually looks vunerable, not when being assaulted by goons.

Very true. My favourite example of this isn't that point though. It's the interrogation room scene, when Batman clobbers The Joker. The Joker just laughs at him, "You have nothing, nothing to threaten me with - nothing to do with all your strength."

Skinfull

Finding Neverland.

And I almost hate to say it but the bluyay version sold it to me! Love this movie now and watch it more than I should.

Starship troopers for me. But it was a massive case of blinkers on my part. My mate was mad about it, and I thought it was going to be the biggest pile of shite ever.


Not the case at all. Loved it.

Kevo

Miami Vice - I didn't understand it the first time tbh. There is a key moment if the movie where

the main bad guy says: On the next load, he wants to front them in silver, but pay them in lead

. I couldn't understand his accent and didn't realise the significance at all. Second time around I watched it with subtitles and more concentration and it was actually a very good movie.


The Thing - I watched it at home and didn't really like it. I thought it was good for it's time and not great. Watched it in the cinema last month and thought it was a lot better. Brilliant for its time.

krudler

Papa Smut wrote: »

Starship troopers for me. But it was a massive case of blinkers on my part. My mate was mad about it, and I thought it was going to be the biggest pile of shite ever.


Not the case at all. Loved it.

Thats cos its fcuking awesome, anyone who thinks otherwise is just wrong

Frank Black

krudler wrote: »

Thats cos its fcuking awesome, anyone who thinks otherwise is just wrong

I remeber watching it the first time thinking wtf?

Then Sergeant Zim throws his knife through Ace's hand - it was so OTT it cracked me up. Really enjoyed the rest of the film.

ziedth

"the enemy cannot push a button if you disable his hand" I just LOL'd thinking of that. Great film.

In regards the OP it's hard for me because if I don't like a film I'll very rarely go back to it. But I'll go for seven as I was a bit young first time around and allot went over my head but I still thought it was ok. Many years later on the second viewing I realised how good it was.

nyarlthotepful

I thought Blade Runner was dull the first time I saw it. I watched it expecting to see all of the good things that other people had seen about it. I thought it was completely overrated what with the dodgy pacing and all that. It's only now that I appreciate that it did something with films that hadn't been done before. It is culturally significant for that reason. Also it is rather aesthetically pleasing. The plot isn't too bad either. I'm never going to love it but I did enjoy it and like it on the second viewing.

keane2097

I actually thought Pulp Fiction was a bit meh the first time I saw it.

I thought the interweaving stories were a cool plot device but found the actual content of the stories a bit underwhelming.

Of course I was fairly young, and the film had been built up beyond belief before I actually watched it which definitely negatively impacted my impression of it.

I've watched it a bunch of times since and now recognise it for the masterpiece it is, the dialogue is just unbelievable in it.

Mickeroo

A lot of Wes Anderson's movies improved on repeat viewings for me. Royal Tenenbaums is one of my favourites now but at first i thought it was just ok.

Anchorman also, first time I watched it I thought it was a bit hit and miss but now I can quote every line

The Mad Hatter

À bout de souffle just seemed long, odd and uninteresting when I first watched it. It wasn't until after that images and memories from the film kept popping into my head unexpectedly that I'd realised it had a big impact on me.

The Recliner

Mickeroo wrote: »

A lot of Wes Anderson's movies improved on repeat viewings for me. Royal Tenenbaums is one of my favourites now but at first i thought it was just ok.

Anchorman also, first time I watched it I thought it was a bit hit and miss but now I can quote every line

Agreee with both of these

I really really didn't like The Royal Tenenbaums the first time I saw it but knew I sort of should, waited a few years and gave it another go and loved it

Anchorman was the same, wasn't overly impressed but it has improved with repeated viewings

I would also mention Scott Pilgrim, wasn't fussed about it leaving the cinema but appreciate it more following subsequent viewings

jaykhunter

i dunno if it's the same thing but i turned off Fellowship of the Ring after an hour and 30 Days of Night after about 35 minutes, it was far too boring. I'm glad i came back (probably a year later) and stuck thru it because both films really turn out great.

lampsie

Turning it on its head slightly; I remember watching K-Pax with Kevin Spacey and thinking at the time that it was an incredibly profound movie. Watched it several months later and scratched my head wondering what I was thinking...

ricero

The social network. First time watching I actually turned the movie off before the end I hated it that bad. It was mainly due to the fact that there is not one likeable person in the movie. I watched it again knowing this fact and loved the movie and actually felt sorry for andrew garfields characther

TheIrishGrover

Now this will probably get me into trouble but: Heat

I remember all the hype about Pacino and DeNiro being in the same scene together for the first time and all that and when I went to see it in the cinema I completely ignored all the other plots and actors going on around Pacino and De Niro and was actually a little underwhelmed by "the scene".
However, after watching it a few years later on DVD it was like a whole new movie. The whole ensemble is amazing. Kilmer (in his best performance IMHO), Sizemore, Judd and Voight, all the way to the minor characters like Wes Studi and Dennis Hayesbert. Totally ignored 'em all the first time. What a dumbass!!

Mickeroo

TheIrishGrover wrote: »

Now this will probably get me into trouble but: Heat

I remember all the hype about Pacino and DeNiro being in the same scene together for the first time and all that and when I went to see it in the cinema I completely ignored all the other plots and actors going on around Pacino and De Niro and was actually a little underwhelmed by "the scene".
However, after watching it a few years later on DVD it was like a whole new movie. The whole ensemble is amazing. Kilmer (in his best performance IMHO), Sizemore, Judd and Voight, all the way to the minor characters like Wes Studi and Dennis Hayesbert. Totally ignored 'em all the first time. What a dumbass!!

I actually haven't seen Heat since way back when it first came out and I don't remember being blown away, probably because of my feable young mind at the time, definitley one I need to revisit soon.

Frank Black

Mickeroo wrote: »

I actually haven't seen Heat since way back when it first came out and I don't remember being blown away, probably because of my feable young mind at the time, definitely one I need to revisit soon.

Yep, first time I saw Heat I was very underwhelmed. They hyped up the De Niro/Pacino thing way too much at the time - it kinda suffocated the movie.
I've seen it a few times since and have grown to love it -a movie that improves on repeat viewings.

mikemac

Inception
I got lost, then got confused and in the end couldn't care less what happened. Wondered what the hype was

Watched it a second time and concentrated properly, loved it!

doolox

.....until I realised that the Drover and the Manager were two different people. Then it made a lot more sense. All those mid 30's rugged australian types look alike to me and had me confused. Also confused about the mixed race main protoganist in the film and his need to avoid the cops at all costs. Then I did a bit of research about the lost generations and the forced separation of children from their mothers. Similar violations of basic human rights were done in Ireland regarding unmarried mothers and their children. I thought that Australia might have been more benevolent regarding human rights but the casual way the native original Australians could be shot or abused appalled me.