Overrated and disappointing films

lumphammer2

Ok ok ... we all know there have been some pretty awful and panned movies made ... we all know films have got slaughtered by the critics .... some deservedly so some not ... not all films panned by critics are bad and not all films praised by critics are good!! ... I will defend some quickly and then move on to my main issue here .... first off I am an Elvis fan ... he and Charlie Rich are my 2 fav singers of all time ... I have met fans of both and Charlie fans say they are glad he was not in films like Elvis!! ... now Elvis' films are not all bad by the way .... and many are quite good and even some of the middling ones are better than other films that are rated higher ...

... which leads us .... to overrated and disappointing films .... I recently picked up DVDs of Kingsmen: The Secret Service and Shazam! ... a Bond style thriller and a Persian inspired superhero flick? ... no ... what I got instead were 2 stupid films with 2 weak lead characters who are in no way interesting ... plus a very misplaced comedic element in both that only reminds me of that 1967 Casino Royale and that 1980s Morecombe and Wise Phantom Raspberry Blower spoof ... how can the critics pan Elvis' Harem Holdiday ... which is much better and ironically does the Persian and secret service vibes better much better! ... and praise Shazam! and Kingsmen ?? ... there are 2 other films on the Kingsmen set but I do not feel compelled to watch them .... why are awful films like these 2 highly rated?? ... I would advise anyone to steer clear of Shazam! and Kingsmen: The Secret Service .... and their sequels I am sure are worse ....

What other films are out there that are highly rated but actually useless?? ...

Flinty997

Phantom Raspberry Blower was the Two Ronnie's.

I don't like the kingsman (only seen the first one) but that might be generational. I think it's unnecessarily violent for no real reason. But I know someone who likes it and disagrees but they are a lot younger than me.

Did you say DVDs? Nearly dropped my Wurthers Original when I read that.

mazdamiatamx5

Titanic.

Anything with Tom Hanks in it.

Swaine

Oppenheimer. Pile of sh1te.

Tony EH

'Don't Look Now' - Often listed in many greatest horror movie lists, I found it to be incredibly tedious.

'Come and See' - Another one that makes the greatest lists, but to me it was an absolute slog. It's essentially a 20 minute horror movie with a LOT of padding.

'The Seven Samurai' - Kurosawa's masterpiece according to some, but I've never found it anything but a complete bore for most of its running time.

'Titanic' - Fast forward to where the ship hits the iceberg, because the rest is pretty much junk, with a dreadful romance that never feels like anything but filler.

'Forest Gump' - Ridiculous and almost insulting melodrama in which an idiot glides through life. Only Hollywood could have made the movie. Gary Sinise is great in it though.

'Top Gun' - Never understood the love this movie gets. Even when it's given "ironically".

'Avatar' - Another one of Cameron's to make this list. Was always amazed at how it was received.

'Joker' - Absurdly overrated by some, when it's really just an OK movie that passes the time well enough.

'The Night of the Hunter' - One of those films that's, bafflingly, counted among the greats of Hollywood. But aside from Robert Mitchum's entertainingly crazy preacher the film is laughable in too many places to be considered good. Lilian Gish's monologue at the end is particularly awful. Interestingly enough, Charles Laughton's only movie wasn't greeted terribly well when it was released and he never directed another movie. However, in it's in subsequent years that it's developed a great reputation. I think critics got it right in 1955 though.

'Amelie' - Vastly overrated French malarkey made by a vastly overrated director.

'Life is Beautiful' - Stupid and almost insulting with a star that's never anything but irritating. Even his Oscar acceptance was annoying.

'Citizen Kane' - A film I really like, but one which has been called the Greatest Movie Ever Made on far too many occasions. However, when you take into account that Welles was only 25 when he wrote, directed and starred in it, plus all of the wonderful shots that are in the movie it's impossible not to marvel at its making. Still doesn't mean that it's not overrated. It far from disappointing though.

'The Rock' - One of the few movies that I couldn't sit through...and I've watched 'Zombie Lake'!

'Pan's Labyrinth' - When it's not dealing with the child at the centre of the story and her activities in the fantasy world, Del Toro's movie descends into ridiculous nonsense about the Spanish Civil War, with an absolutely laughable villain that's never more than an absurd cartoon. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that all of Guillermo Del Toro's movies are overrated and disappointing.

'Inglorious Basterds' - Tarantino's worst film by a country mile. Idiotic depiction of the war, even if it is tongue in cheek. I'd rather watch the Italian original. At least it spelt Bastards correctly.

'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' - Easily the worst of the trilogy, laden with dreadfully heavy handed and unfunny "jokes" that misfire terribly and all because a few lilly livered parents though that its predecessor was too "dark". Neither Spielberg or Lucas are funny guys and it shows. It's probably fondly remembered mostly because of the chemistry between Ford and Connery.

'Twilight' - Neutered sparkly vampires for teenage knicker wetters. I'm not the audience, but still.

'Get Out' - A mildly entertaining black comedy that's been elevated waaaaay beyond what it is by a fawning critical and audience reception. Was at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes until someone with a bit of sense disregarded the hype train and wrote a middling review.

'Fantasia' - Unbelievably tedious Disney animated movie with sequences that feel like they go on for hours, all set to classical music, so there's not even any funny dialogue to have a giggle at. The animation is, of course, fantastic. But that's not enough.

'Wonder Woman' - Lauded by critics and fans alike when it was released, I've only ever seen this as a lukewarm effort. Hideously overrated junk.

'The Bride of Frankenstein' - James Whale's sequel to his 1931 movie is often considered to be superior and his best movie by some. I thought it was absurd and nowhere near the level of excellence that 'Frankenstein' was.

'The Searchers' - Incredibly adored by movie critics and fans, John Ford's western is a turgid snoozefest. Some nice looking location footage is often offset by incredibly artificial studio shots and the characters are deeply uninteresting. Features some of the worst comedy relief moments of any of Ford's movies.

'Mad Max' - Sure, it's got great stunts and the low budget guerilla film making is quite admirable. But beyond that it's boring as hell. 'Mad Max 2' is a vast, vast, improvement.

'The Shape of Water' - Simply put, one of the most undeserving Oscar winners in history.

'The Babadook' - While mostly being good, sometimes great even, Jennifer Kent's directorial debut is leadened terribly with an awful, screeching, nightmare, child who we're supposed to feel sorry for. But I just couldn't. I wanted the Babdook to rip him to shreds...and that makes me a bad person LOL.

'The Game' - David Fincher's movie about a man who takes part in an elaborate game that gets wildly out of control is absurdly overrated by some. But the film too frequently verges on the absurd to move its plot along. The ending especially is atrocious.

'The Prestige' - Christopher Nolan's 2006 film is mostly good, with a great cast, and a nice dive into Victorian stagecraft and showmanship. But one that's completely scuppered by a bait and switch Sci-Fi finale that utterly destroys the entire movie.

'Wall-E' - A film of two halves. The good half where we see the titular droid on a deserted Earth going about his business and the boring as hell part where he goes to space. The entire movie should have stayed on Earth and should have left the humans out of it altogether.

'Sophie's Choice' - Featuring an excellent, Oscar winning, performance by La Streep and a heart breaking scene where her choice is made, Pakula's movie just trundles along, tediously, for the majority of its two and a half hours.

'The Goonies' - Vastly overrated by people who remember it due to nostalgia fuelled "memories". It has some charm but, really, the movie just isn't that good.

'Brokeback Mountain' - I'm not the audience, but even without that caveat Ang Lee's movie cured my insomnia.

'Salo, The 100 Days of Sodom' - Pasolini's extravagant exercise in degeneracy is merely an excuse to show repugnant imagery under the dubious declaration of an allegory of Italian fascism. But just as the maker of 'A Serbian Film' tried to claim that his own depraved movie was really about more lofty ideas than the visuals presented, Pasolini attempts to pass off his magnum opus as something more than simply exploitative art rings very hollow, indeed, and it is gigantically overrated in certain quarters.

'Terminator 2 Judgement Day' - Another James Cameron movie to make the list. The sequel to 1984's vastly superior 'The Terminator', 'Terminator 2' is like the louder, more brasher, younger brother of a good mate who's entertaining in small doses but very quickly overstays his welcome due to his incessant noise and want for attention.

'Picnic at Hanging Rock' - Handsomely shot but deathly dull Peter Weir movie about a true event that happened in Australia about the disappearance of some schoolgirls and their teacher during the turn of the last century, all unfolding at the speed of the slowest sloth in town.

'The Mission' - Probably more liked for the Morricone soundtrack than the actual content of the story. Roland Joffe's dreary yarn about two missionaries in the South American rainforest is one of the most bland pictures I've ever seen.

'Tron' - A beloved 1980's movie that's...well...kinda really dumb. An, admittedly, well shot movie for its time but also a Sci-Fi movie where's there's little science and a lot of bad fiction.

'The Last House on the Left' - Wes Craven's 1972 horror remake of Bergman's 'Jungfrukällan' has always been extremely overrated by some genre fans and while it does have some merit, the inclusion of some comedy characters and situations, complete with ridiculous music, render the whole project absurd when it should be powerful and shocking.

'Magnolia' - Overlong, convoluted and desperately pretentious, Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Magnolia' is an incredibly self important that utterly implodes at the end when everyone starts singing.

'Blow Up' - Antonioni's slow moving swinging 60's "thriller" is a turgid, crashing, bore and includes one of the most ostentatious scenes I've ever seen a movie.

'Nashville' - Rambling, unfocused and without any kind of discernable story, Robert Altman's celebrated movie clocks in at an interminable 160 minutes which feels endless.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971591#Comment_120971591

"Picnic at Hanging Rock' - movie about a true event that happened in Australia about the disappearance of some schoolgirls and their teacher during the turn of the last century"

It's not based on a true story. Thats a myth that has always followed the book around.

steinbock123

I remember when Crocodile Dundee came out, everyone seemed to think it was hilarious. I saw the trailer and it did seem like it was funny. But when I went to see the actual film, I realised that I had seen the only three funny bits in the trailer, the rest was rubbish, especially Paul Hogans acting.

Drumpot

Kingsman is great fun. Humour , like many movies to be fair, is an extremely subjective art.

I remember watching “no country for old men” and thinking , what’s all the fuss about? It’s not terrible, but it’s not amazing either , maybe watching it with older eyes would make me enjoy it more but I can’t remember much of it.

Avatar movies are fine but I really don’t get how they make so much money. They are over supported by film going audiences for some reason. You have to give it to James Cameron (titanic to boot), he just seems to have that something that audiences want to watch.

“The parasite” I just didn’t get the praise. Social commentary on economic disparities and social classes, ok and??? It was a good movie but I don’t get the reverence.

“Whiplash”. Again I enjoyed it but it doesn’t stick out as anything remarkable. There’s an awful lot of these movies where I feel like audiences , usually disconnected from human behaviour and the reality of societal dysfunctions, can connect for a moment.

I think it’s cause I feel that I am acutely aware of the hypocrisy’s and insidious elements of modern society so none of these sort of things are anything new to me. I’m also fascinated with human Behavior , having to explore/fix many aspects of my own destructive tendencies, so seeing dysfunctional, borderline abusive Behavior (like “whiplash”) is not mind blowing. In many regards , the world we live in rewards extremely toxic and abusive Behavior. Sure look at Trump at the top of the pile , then look at top executives and the proportion of probable psychopaths that get to to the top.

odyssey06

AI... I really wanted to like it but thought it was an incoherent mess.

whisky_galore

Michael Collins: regarded as a documentary in some quarters. Turned Dev into a cartoon villain for generations to come.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley: the revolutionary period for slow learners.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971727#Comment_120971727

I'm not sure the movie was trying to be a laugh a minute. Maybe the trailer oversold the comedy aspect.

Flinty997

Avatar is just a scfi movie. People like the visual spectacle and escapism. It's not trying to be anything more that that.

If I think of Kingsman as a pure comedy it makes more sense.

No country for old men is a dark film. I see the quality of it, but I think I find it a bit depressing.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971591#Comment_120971591

Tony I think you might not like any actor or film at all. That's a long list of decent movie to find no redeeming qualities in.

DAngelo Bailey

Schindlers list is the most overrated film of all time.

Drumpot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971813#Comment_120971813

I mean even the movies I feel are over rated , I can sort of understand even if I don’t share the sentiment, but the financial success of avatar I just don’t get.

I enjoy the avatar movies , maybe 6/7 out of 10 solid movies but can think of many many many more entertaining sci fi action flicks that were much better on many levels.

I mean think of “edge of tomorrow” off the top of my head. A vastly vastly more entertaining sci fi romp and yet it was a relative financial flop. How ? How do both these things happen ? How does a 3 hour movie about blue aliens do 7-8 times financially better then a far more entertaining action romp (less than 2 hours).

Im actually getting angry thinking about it. Stupid audiences 😂

magicbastarder

several worthy movies from the 80s and 90s. who thinks to themselves 'ooh, i could watch dances with wolves again'?

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971791#Comment_120971791

I think with historic movies, Braveheart etc is very hard to get to get the balance right between movie and documentary. Often they compress people and time into much simpler and smaller package for the masses. They certainly get expose people and get them interested in history, enough to go back and learn more about it.

Hard to find any neutral material that paints Dev in a wholly positive light. Other than people politically aligned with him.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971835#Comment_120971835

Personally I've realised I'm grateful a less commercially film that I like even gets made. Rather than begrudging what's a commercial hit. Because that commercial hit will provide the budget for other less successful films in the same genre.

Tom Mann Centuria

The World's End. The beginning of Pegg and Wright's climb up their own arseholes.

All elements of it are shite. It's a brutally unfunny comedy, crap sci-fi, uninteresting drama and no characters you care about.

o1s1n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971591#Comment_120971591

I think you just don't like the medium of film tbh.

Flinty997

I can see this thread is going to be a downer of negativity.

Dav010

Maybe it’s just me, I think that most of the time the winner of the Oscar for best picture is absolute shiite. They are either woke films, or trying to be too smart. There are recent exceptions like Parasite and Spotlight, Gladiator, but most are boring.

Drumpot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971875#Comment_120971875

Does Avatar help other , better or less commercially successful movies get made or does Hollywood just spend more trying to copy its ingredients? I’m not sure the success of Avatar helps in that case.

To be fair any movie that helps keeps cinemas going is a plus and for that an Avatar movie definitely helps.

But how are both avatar movies in the 10 top grossing films of all time? I just don’t get it.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971935#Comment_120971935

It just encourages more investment into the genre.

For sure summer studios take the easy out of copycats. But some will trickle down.

You mention edge of tomorrow which I like. But some associate it with a scfi groundhog day. And many hate that idea.

whisky_galore

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971852#Comment_120971852

Like most any historical figure, there's a mix of good and bad. Napoleon can be a tyrant and a reformer at the same time.

Funny thing about Dev, people voted him in not once, but multiple times.

winstonia

Night of the Hunter and Seven Samurai are two of the best films ever made.

HalloweenJack

Agree with Night of the Hunter not living up to the hype; one great performance but the rest of the film felt flat.

It would depend what criteria we're using for a film's reputation. Box office earnings frequent put me off. I have no time for Marvel films yet they seem to hog all the highest grossing records.

Awards are also tricky. Behind-the-scenes politics can frequently play a role. One thing I do notice is that an average historical biopic is frequently saved by an outstanding performance by the main actor (and lots.of Best Actor/Actress winners come from them by playing to our pre-conceptions).

I was a fan of Oppenheimer but I can see how others wouldn't be into all the hype just because of Cillian Murphy's performance.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120972037#Comment_120972037

I wonder was that because he was the least offensive person at a time when people had lots of grudges from the recent past. Never heard of him spoken of with much passion.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120971935#Comment_120971935

not sure. will try to find it, but i listened to a podcast a while back which explained that the strange near golden age of indie cinema in the 90s was largely due to the rise of the megaplex in the states; it simply created a massive boom in the number of screens and led to a demand for more movies to fill those screens, which led more movies with lower budgets being greenlit. donnie darko, being john malkovich, etc., which probably wouldn't stand a chance of being made today.

the boom ended because the cinema companies had over-leveraged themselves IIRC.

take 1999 for example - virgin suicides; fight club; american beauty; three kings; blair witch project; being john malkovich etc. the matrix came out that year too, not sure you'd describe that as an indie movie though.

anyway, while typing out this post i found the link. it's a good listen. also credits the rise of DVD as being a factor.

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-megaplex/

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120972088#Comment_120972088

I think it was Matt Damon said in an interview that some films used to be viable solely due to VHS, dvd sales etc. Not just box office. Whereas now often its solely the income from cinema thats funding the industry. Which means it limiting the type of movie that can get funding, since it has to be a box office hit.

magicbastarder

i guess the schlock horror stuff we used to see in the video shops in the 80s now has its home on cheaper sci-fi and horror channels? (well, not that i watch the stuff on those channels so have no idea if that's true!)