So what are the movies that you think are way too overrated?
Obviously just about any movie listed on here, others will disagree with. So please don't argue too much over why a certain movie is really worth the hype.
My picks: 1. Titanic - an okay movie, but for as popular as it was...eh. 2. Most of Spielberg’s recent movies- Great effects, good stories, just too many inconsistencies that bug the heck out of me.
Can't think of any other right now, but I know I'll have some more.
?
Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
Moulin Rouge. It just wasn't that good.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Spiderman
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Forrest Gump
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
I second Titanic.
To add a few:
Independence Day Pearl Harbor Grease Eyes Wide Shut 2001: A Space Odyssey
Edit: mack beat me to Forrest Gump.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I love Moulin Rouge, and ID4. Pearl Harbor was bad, and Eyes Wide Shut was weird, but in my opinion not a good movie at all.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Napoleon Dynamite.
*ducks and runs*
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
The Godfather. Citizen Kane. And Gone With the Wind. Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
Tom D all those movies were truly great ground breaking movies when they came out, but I would agree. I have forced myself to watch them because they were supposed to be so great, but it felt like doing your homework, not much fun.
Almost everything by Kubrick
Star Wars III
Fahrenheit 911
Cold Mountain
The Matrix sequels
Forest Gump
Sideways
I realize it’s not a movie, but I’ll add the Sopranos
(enters witness protection)
Don’t get me wrong I thought it was good, I just didn’t think it was as great as everyone else seemed to.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Spirited Away. Enjoyable, but not as spectacular as everyone claimed it was.
Posted by Jim-Me (Member # 6426) on :
Fargo. It was just painful to me. I couldn't finish watching it.
Seconds on Napoleon Dynamite and The Godfather (the latter was good, but when FotR knocked it off the #1 spot on IMDB's top 250, they mounted a concerted effort to drag it down and get Godfater back up top... it's not THAT good)
But I loved Forrest Gump *and* Reloaded, so sorry to disagree with y'all there. In fact, I considered putting Reloaded on the underrated list because so many people here hated it.
Posted by Jhai (Member # 5633) on :
I'll second Sideways - I think it's one of the few times I've agreed with OSC about which movies suck.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Any Harry Potter movie Independence Day Pirates of the Caribbean Home Alone and its sequels How the Grinch Stole Christmas Twister (even for somebody who gres up in Tornado Alley and has been fascinated with twisters his whole life, this was an annoying movie) Signs (this movie did nothing for me) Mrs. Doubtfire Mission Imossible II all Austin Powers movies The Mummy Returns Armegeddon Pearl Harbor Batman Forever (WT*???) Ocean's Eleven (2001 version) Liar, Liar Planet of the Apes (2001 version) Pretty Woman Tootsie Air Force One
Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
I'll second Fargo.
Forrest Gump wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as people seem to think.
Posted by Destineer (Member # 821) on :
Gladiator. In my opinion, the worst movie to ever win the Best Picture Oscar.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Then I'm guessing you've never seen Cat Ballou.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
Chicago. Seriously. People were all like, "OMG! Hollywood made a movie of a Broadway Musical that DIDN'T SUCK!!! *orgasm* "
It just wasn't THAT good, or particularly impressive in its staging or editing or whatever.
Titanic is another example of a decent movie carried along by this inexplicable critical euphoria. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't all THAT.
Posted by The Pixiest (Member # 1863) on :
I'll second (or third?) Citizen Kane. I'd also like to throw in The Matrix. Everyone went gaga over it and I thought it was just ok.
The original Batman. It was worlds better than any other batman but I just couldn't get into it. Oh, and while I'm on batman, seems everyone loved Batman Begins except me as well.
I'll also second 2001. "Ok, we're done with the movie. Acid trip time!"
Pix
Posted by Jim-Me (Member # 6426) on :
Oh yeah... I hated Chicago And I thought Gladiator was much better than Titanic (as far as Best Picture stuff goes) but I gave up caring about the oscars a long time ago...
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Anything with Meryl Streep.
(sorry, Meryl Streep fans)
Posted by Verily the Younger (Member # 6705) on :
Sleepless in Seattle. Everyone acts like it's the greatest love story ever told, but actually the Meg Ryan character was just a creepy two-timer. I felt bad for the Tom Hanks character when he got her at the end. Good luck, pal.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote:Sleepless in Seattle. Everyone acts like it's the greatest love story ever told, but actually the Meg Ryan character was just a creepy two-timer.
The same thing about You've Got Mail.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I liked Chicago, a lot...it was far better than I expected it to be, and much better than most hollywood adaptations of plays.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
LOTR III....I kept waiting for the Hobbits to start molesting each other at the end...the second ending, that is...or wait, was it the third? Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Let me add another vote for Signs.
"OMG, you'll be so scared!!!!!!!111!"
No. No, I won't. It was laaaaaaaaame.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
I pretty much agree with everything listed, except Forrest Gump. I loved that movie.
I was tearing up at the end, and I don't cry.
Posted by Destineer (Member # 821) on :
quote:Then I'm guessing you've never seen Cat Ballou.
Actually, I have, though I didn't realize it was a best pic winner. Let me think...
I would say that Cat Ballou has a lot more class than Gladiator, and a certain amount of cleverness. And Jane Fonda, at the time, was one fine piece of ace (in the words of Chris Farley).
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
I think they key to most of these movies being liked by people is low expectations.
People had low expectations for Chicago, which explains the overreactions when it didn't suck.
The same could be said for most of the movies in this thread. None of them are necessarily bad, per se, just not as good as the *OMG!!1! Forty-leven stars!!!* reviews would lead you to believe.
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
I have a question about Pearl Harbor: Can it really be considered overrated when nobody liked it? At least, I've never met anyone who actually said they liked it.
Can I pick just part of a movie to be overrated? Because I really enjoyed The Matrix but was stunned by people thinking the philosophy was so deep and incredible. "What if we're really in a big computer program?" is the kind of philosophical idea you have when you're 14, playing video games, and you promptly get over it. This was not a mind-blowing concept.
--Enigmatic
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
Casablanca
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
No!! Casablanca is just as good as everyone says it is!
Monty Python, however, is not. *ducks the stones*
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
I will add a vote for Gladiator being overrated. I felt like it was visually impressive but the acting and story were nothing special. It was no Braveheart.
This one I probably won't be popular for, but I thought Memento was hugely overrated. The storytelling mode was clever, but the story itself did absolutely nothing for me.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
*thinks Braveheart was overrated, or at least over-long*
*runs*
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
Oh and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was hugely overrated. I think it was a mistake to change so much visually at this point (being the third movie) even though I prefer the newer visuals. I thought that too many of the subplots that seem to become important later got pushed aside in favor of the Harry and Lupin show. I can see how if it were a standalone move it might have been good but it is part of something much larger and should have paid more attention to that. I also thought that the casting for both Lupin and Peter Petigrew were poorly done. Not that the actors are not capable but I didn't think they looked right for the roles.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I agree about Casablanca.
quote:I have a question about Pearl Harbor: Can it really be considered overrated when nobody liked it? At least, I've never met anyone who actually said they liked it.
Yes. More people should hate it.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
No need to run. I really like Braveheart but I know that not everybody does.
Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :
Pearl Harbor sucked. A LOT.
The movies that I hate are always ones that everyone knows suck...
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I disagree, once again....I have a very good ear for music, and I really liked their version of Chicago. I like plays as well, and a lot of plays don't translate well to the screen, but the movie was done in a completely different style than the play, and it worked really well.
My wife is a semi-professional musician, and she bought the soundtrack. It is safe to say we know a bit about music, really, although I do understand that people have different tastes in music as well.
Just becasue I like something doesn't mean everyone should...
Just mostly everone. Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
quote:Can I pick just part of a movie to be overrated? Because I really enjoyed The Matrix but was stunned by people thinking the philosophy was so deep and incredible. "What if we're really in a big computer program?" is the kind of philosophical idea you have when you're 14, playing video games, and you promptly get over it. This was not a mind-blowing concept.
In. F@#%ing. Deed.
The movie was great because I totally didn't see it coming, and about the time Agent Smith says "What good is a phone call if you are un-able-to... speak?" I started wondering "okay, what the heck is going on here?" But philosophy? Puh-leeze.
That's why I think the sequels are underrated -- they're underrated by people who overrated the first movie. The other two were sequels to the original, nothing more, nothing less. That is to say, great action flicks with nifty style and fun kung fu. Most enjoyable.
Not unlike both Star Wars trilogies, actually. The original trilogy belongs on the overrated movies list while the new trilogy belongs on the underrated movies list, because the new ones are just as good as the old ones -- which is to say, terrible, but great fun to watch. I like all six. Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
My husband sang in an operetta group in college, and was constantly pestered to be in the musicals even though he hated acting. His voice coaches wanted him to pursue a career in music, but his interests were mostly elsewhere. Though it would have been a nice fall-back if his brains failed him. He has perfect pitch, and a great ear, but he found Chicago disappointing, despite his love of Catherine Zeta-Jones.
I never said Chicago wasn't competent or enjoyable (though the story is distasteful). I just said it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
Merely a case of over-hype, though I suppose it is at least as good as most horrible Oscar-winners.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
I agree with Twinky -- it's all relative.
Posted by Cr1spy (Member # 8407) on :
Any movie with Tom Cruise in it or even worse, Nicholas Cage
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
quote:Though it would have been a nice fall-back if his brains failed him.
Brains, don't fail me now!
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
No insult intended, Twinky. It just wasn't his thing. He's not terribly outgoing and HATED being in front of people. He does have a lovely voice, though.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
I can't even tell who you might have been insulting, I just thought that was a delicious turn of phrase. I had this vision of sitting at my desk trying to solve some sort of engineering problem and saying "Nope, can't do it, my brains have failed me. I guess I'll quit my job."
Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
I liked The Matrix and its sequels. That said, I didn't think the philosophy was particularly profound, either. In fact, I would much have preferred to remain in The Matrix than have been pulled out into the reality of post apocalyptic Earth. Personally, if I could somehow become convinced that I really was a battery for some machine race, I'd probably become convert to Matrixarianism. We Matrixarians would pray to the machine gods and thank them for being so benevolent as conquerers. Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
Fight Club.
It was entertaining, but certainly not the earth shattering brilliant piece of cinema people claim it to be.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
I liked Fight Club as a love story (the movie, not the book). "I met you at a very strange time in my life." Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote: hough it would have been a nice fall-back if his brains failed him.
MY wife has perfect pitch AND a 152 IQ....
So I get what you are saying. However, JenniK's interests are in music, first and formost, which is why she is auditioning at EPCOT in three days. Not the best of singing careers, but far from the worst as well.
I never said you said all of those things. I was simply saying that I disagreed with your opinion....that I liked it for a number of reasons, and thought it was well done.
It is OK, if you ar so misguided that you don't agree with me ( ), that's life...lol...
It DID get a lot of hype, I will give you that.
My favorite part of it was actually Queen Latifa, believe it or not... Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Amen to twinky's assessment of the Matrix and Star Wars trilogies. They're all fun, entertaining movies, not anything particularly profound or amazing.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: [QB]
quote: hough it would have been a nice fall-back if his brains failed him.
MY wife has perfect pitch AND a 152 IQ....
Ron doesn't know his IQ, the last time he was tested was on some standardized test in school, and he was off their scale. It only went up to 150.
He thinks that a steady stream of popular entertainment (including, but not limited to mediocre offerings such as many of the afforementioned) has probably reduced his IQ somewhat.
He'd be mad at me if he knew I posted this, because he thinks it's dumb to care about something as arbitrary as test results that don't really mean anything. But, to my shame, I couldn't let the implied insult pass unchallenged.
Don't take the fun out of this thread because a few of us didn't much care for something you think highly of -- there have been a few listed here that I could argue with, but what is the point? Even great movies rarely live up tro their hype.
So don't make this personal.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
I don't know my IQ and I'm proud of my ignorance. My parents (both PhDs in elementary education) declined to have me tested as a child.
I admit to having taken a couple of ego-boosting, score-inflating online IQ tests -- I enjoy doing the questions where you have to mentally flip complex objects around in your head -- but I certainly don't believe the scores from those.
Posted by Jim-Me (Member # 6426) on :
Not to say that they are uncharted territory, but I think the profundities of "The Matrix" were a little more subtle than "oohh... maybe the whole world we know is just a big computer game!"
There's a great deal of wisdom in that story about what it means to be lost, what it might mean to be found, and overall an interesting mixture of Gnostic, Christian, and Buddhist ideas.
It's not that it was amazingly groundbreaking philosophy... but there was some fairly smart content for what was essentially a live-action Anime kung fu movie that also was groundbreaking in it's use of 3D modeling to enhance or even make possible spectacular scenes.
And yes, it's the kind of philosophy you stayed up late talking to your college roomie about... or posting on some sci fi author's forums about. Don't try to tell me that's not fun for you folks.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
I definitely didn't think as much of the mix of ideas as you did. To me the ideas were alternately filler and fodder for witty one-liners.
Added: And I thought those two uses were perfect for them in the context of the movies. Some of the lines were very memorable. Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
Twinky- I think your folks are absolutely right. The value of a person can never be quantified like that. My folks were... not exactly the opposite, but I was tested a LOT due to my memory condition. My mom used to brag about it to people, as if it was something cool and not something that made me a complete freak of nature... I finally got her to stop.
Those numbers don't have anything to do with a person's value or success. My dad's IQ was listed as 180 in his military record(we found it when he died - he never mentioned it), and he never got above Seargent and was a little OCD and a little paranoid. Not someone I'd really care to be like, honestly.
Erm, you may now return to your regularly scheduled thread.
Erm... I really, really hated The English Patient.
Posted by camus (Member # 8052) on :
The philosphy in The Matrix is probably deeper than 98% of other movies. It isn't exactly stuff that people haven't already thought about at some point in their lives anyway, but it is nice to actually think about the reality that the characters are in instead of being spoonfed each and every detail like Hollywood usually likes to do to its audience. However, I felt the sequels overdid the philosophy aspect by rehashing the same material without adding anything but trying to sound clever anyway. It seemed to just get in the way of the rest of the movie.
In Fight Club, when you discover the reality, it isn't really a ground breaking idea since it's been done many times already. However, I think the beauty of Fight Club is in its unique character development, excellent dialogue, and the interesting perspectives of the world that its characters have.
Overrated: Napoleon Dynamite was and is funny, but it officially reached overrated status in my book when everyone started quoting lines from it for any reason they could find, and then pretending that the quote in relation to the completely unrelated event was the funniest thing they've every uttered and then proceed to quote fifty more lines.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
quote:Napoleon Dynamite was and is funny, but it officially reached overrated status in my book when everyone started quoting lines from it for any reason they could find, and then pretending that the quote in relation to the completely unrelated event was the funniest thing they've every uttered and then proceed to quote fifty more lines.
This is how I feel about Monty Python. I watched the movie SIX TIMES before I managed to stay awake for the ending.
Posted by The Silverblue Sun (Member # 1630) on :
You people who think that CITIZEN KANE and GONE WITH THE WIND are overrated are totally crazy.
<T>
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
Katie. . . which movie? There are several Monty Python movies. Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
But, Kat, I'm not dead yet.
Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
I think what you think of as an overrated movie is going to largely depend on your friends. I mean, everyone is going to have every film hyped to a different degree for them, right?
If we're talking about movies that are overrated on this forum, I'd have to say that the LotR movies are right up there. I love them, but they're great because they didn't bastardize the books, not because they were particularly good renditions.
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
quote: And yes, it's the kind of philosophy you stayed up late talking to your college roomie about... or posting on some sci fi author's forums about. Don't try to tell me that's not fun for you folks.
I'm flattered that you think I was in college at the age of 14. Also, I think something that's being missed in a lot of the replies about various movies is that there's a difference between "overrated" and "bad". Example: I think the Matrix philosophy bits were overrated because tons of viewers DID think they were groundbreaking, amazing ideas. I never said the philosophy was bad or ruined the movie, just that it wasn't the big deal most people seemed to think.
--Enigmatic
Posted by SC Carver (Member # 8173) on :
I'll second the English Patient. I really thought about leaving the theater and I never do that. Boring and long, truly a winning combination.
Posted by Jim-Me (Member # 6426) on :
Not to harp on the matrix, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I appreciate an action movie with a little brain as well, which was why I really enjoyed the original Die Hard so much.
Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
Die Hard is so totally overra- *chortle* No, I can't even type that with a straight face. Die Hard is FREAKING AWESOME! It's such a great movie it's probably still used as a descriptor in Hollywood script-pitching. (It's Die Hard on a plane, with Jodie Foster!)
--Enigmatic
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
You mean Flight Plan?
Fight Club is vastly overrated in my mind.
But Monty Python (Life of Brian, and Holy Grail) are the best thing ever committed to film.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
I still need to see the original Die Hard.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Aw, it's the best one.
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
50 points to Lyrhawn for playing "Name that Die Hard Movie Pitch"
Twinky, you've never seen Die Hard? No wonder you keep saying you consider yourself a boy. You're not allowed in the Man Club until you see Die Hard.
--Enigmatic
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Don't attack me, but don't you think "Wizard of Oz" is over-rated? The acting, the plot, the weird choreography -- all of it seems a bit second rate. Except Garland's voice. That is pure magic.
And Lord of the Rings? Really disliked it. I can summarize most of it: Aagh! A Nasty Monster! Run Away! Gratuitous dismemberment! Run Away!
Oy!
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
You forgot: Look, a long-haired pretty boy! Ogle!
--Enigmatic
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
I enjoyed the Matrix not because of its philosophy, but because of the character arcs in an interesting science fiction world. I hated the sequel because it totally betrayed the logical progression of any of those story arcs in favor of "gee whiz ain't that kewl" flash and sparkle. But I had an entire thread devoted to that after Reloaded (which, it seems, has since been purged from the archive).... and I refused to taint my brain with Revolutions.
I think that the sequels are more "overhyped" than overrated, though. I don't think they're "rated" all that well... but the premovie hype was immense. Same for ::shudder:: Independence Day (what a load of tripe that was) and Underworld (which thankfully can't even be considered overrated... cuz it was entirely forgettable after all the hype and gloss).
Posted by The Reader (Member # 3636) on :
I also think The Matrix was overrated. I liked it, but it wasn't the amazing thing that people made it to be. I guess that's the definition of overhyped. I really can't think of any more right now.
I want to play! It's Die Hard in a mineshaft with Judd Hirsch and Jennifer Anniston!
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
The Dukes Of Hazard. Everybody says its terrible, but that's still over-rating it.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
Magnolia.
The intro leads you to believe that all the characters will be tied together in some amazing coincidence. You slog through it for like four hours, and all you get is frogs. The performances were good and all, but... I swear that director should be forced to make twelve sixteen minute movies to make up for his gross self-indulgence in shite like that.
FROGS!
[ August 16, 2005, 09:12 AM: Message edited by: Olivet ]
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
Olivia. You are dead to me.
Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
I know you love that movie. But you don't like stuff in the Whedonverse, have never read a Harry Potter book and you think Gary Oldman is Canadian.
But I still like you.
You like Kevin Smith? He thought Magnolia was self-indulgent, too.
Maybe it's an age thing. After 30, angst and frogs just doesn't cut it. Sorry.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Shrek II. I was bored for nearly the first hour, and then the last half hour or so wasn't anything special.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jon Boy: Shrek II. I was bored for nearly the first hour, and then the last half hour or so wasn't anything special.
And the middle wasn't all that great, either.
Posted by Jon Boy (Member # 4284) on :
Well, it had a running time of 92 minutes, so I assume that by "the middle," you're referring to the two minutes not covered by my boring first hour and not-anything-special last half hour.
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It is safe to say we know a bit about music, really, although I do understand that people have different tastes in music as well. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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I finally got her to stop.![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)