MSN had a recent article about movies that are considered great classics that some of today's audience think are overated. What highly rated movies or high fan favorites do you not like? Here's mine... 1.) 28 days later. Before I saw this movie every reviewer was rating this movie like it was the greatest thing ever. But me and my friends almost walked out within the first 15 minutes. Horrible acting,horrible dialogue and camera work that looked like it was shot by a college flunkie. Some film purists call this type of film making "gritty" but I call it "shitty." Some call this the best zombie movie, but it isn't a zombie movie. It's just a bunch of crazed infected people who are trying to spread a rage virus.I thought the sequal was ten times better.I will admit to walking into the theater with high expectations because of people like Roger Ebert(whom I have since ignored after his rave reviews for this and "The Blair Witch Project") and maybe my opinion will change if I see it again. I loved the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre and it was shot with a similiar style. 2.) The Shining. It wasn't a hit when it first came out but many nowadays consider this to be a classic. After watching it two times in two different stages of my life I still have the same opinion. The pacing is so slow that I almost fall to sleep.I don't mind long sequences to establish mood or characterization but there needs to be something else going on to break up the monatiny or else it becomes boring. See The Godfather for a prime example of how to masterfully mix long character building scenes with other emotions, such as violence or funny.I can see why this movie failed because it simply isn't scary and the characters are boring.My favorite Kubrick flick will always be "Full Metal Jacket." 3.)A Clockwork Orange. I don't mean to pick on Kubrick, but just what was the point of this movie? It's another cult classic that just seems too strange to be enjoyed. 4.) Apacolypse Now. I love almost everything Coppola has done, but I never got into this one. This was clearly not everyone's cup of tea and opinions are usually on the fringes of "great" or "aweful". I blame a lot of this on the unusual circumstances that Coppola went thru in making this movie. His first mistake was firing Harvey Keitel after 4 weeks into production and replacing him with Martin Sheen. While I respect Sheen, I don't think he's anywhere near the quality of actor that Keitel is. Second,(and biggest mistake) was hiring Marlon Brando. If anyone should have been fired it was him for showing up to the set overweight and not prepared(he had promised to read the novel, but didn't.) Rober Duvall gave another stunning performance as did others in the cast, but the movie in my opinion was dragged down by it's two leading men.
2001: A Space Odyessy. It's not a fucking crime to entertain your audience. I'm not asking for populist pandering, but throw us a damn bone, okay? I am not required to watch your masterpiece. On some level, you have to make me want to watch it.
I must admit, that the first time I saw Pulp Fiction I thought it was crap. It took repeat viewings for me to change my mind. But it's clearly understandable why some didn't like it. My parents went to see this because of the artwork showing Uma Thruman dancing with John Travlota. They thought this would be another Travolta dance movie. By the time it got to the MArcellas Wallace rape scene they walked out.
This is my one-line summary of every QT film ever made: A bunch of people kill each other while yelling "F*CK". The end.
QFT. Something that all independent filmakers need to keep in mind when making films: If they don't sell and they don't appeal to an audience beyond the artsy fartsy crowd, they won't last.
I do think A Clockwork Orange is a tad overrated. It's a good movie, but it's no Lolita. 2001: A Space Odyssey? Pish. I think it's grand entertainment. Loved it when I was twelve and still do. I enjoy every moment of it each time I watch it. It's not light viewing; but it's a great experience. And us arthouse crowd happen to like our damn pretentious movies; so there's no reason why a sensible director shouldn't pander to us.
Agreed 100% At the infamous jump cut is crap, it doesn't even work at all. Can't even keep the bone in shot, as it badly jump edits to another take. As for Tarantino, I like him but I always thought Pulp Fiction is overrated, Reservoir Dogs is waaay better IMO
Most recently: Juno and Little Miss Sunshine. These movies are fine, but - IMO - were not worthy of the praise heaped on them. LMS came to a crashing disjointed mess of an ending, and Juno, particularly when she was the hippest person in the room on the subject on punk bands and slasher flicks, was too clever by half. But again, good films. Just not that good.
Clockwork Orange is a fucking masterpiece, if anything the movie is way underrated. I recently saw Forrest Gump again (after watching it for the first time when it was in cinemas) - now, that's an overrated piece of crap film. Corny, clichéd, unrealistic, stupid. I don't think I've ever had as many eye-rolling moments as when I watched that ridiculous movie. Without Tom Hanks in the lead I'm guessing noone would have cared about the movie.
"Gone With the Wind". Technically a good movie, but I just don't see the appeal this thing seems to have with so many people.
Eh. Tarantino's okay. He got Chunking Express into America and he liked Old Boy. Can't say I'm a fan, though.
Completely agree with 2001: A Space Odyssey and Tarantino's work. I have to throw in Citizen Kane as well. I understand that the cinematography was very groundbreaking for its time, but I thought the story was underwhelming and I didn't give a damn about a stupid sled named "Rosebud".
Titanic. If it had been about the disaster, and *only* the disaster, I'd have given it a fair chance. But they just had to throw in that stupid shit about Jack & Rose.
Abso-fucking-lutely!!! I'd also like to add all three of the Lord of the Rings movies. God, did a lot of people get swindled out of their money with those! I'm about ready to throw Iron Man into the pot, as well. It's only been a few days and I'm already sick of hearing it. It's just another silly comicbook movie with a lot of lowbrow, puerile action.