View Full Version : Most overrated films ever
jamie_rowe
28-10-2001, 19:39
Here are a few of my contenders...
Gladiator
Lock Stock
Blair Witch Project
Wayne's World
Blade Runner
Tomorrow Never Dies
and above all...
******' Star Wars!!!
Tell me, which lunatic asylum did they get you out of? From Russia with Love (1963)
Godfather
Taxi Driver
Any Kubrick film.
Better in the DVD and Movie Forum :)
Moving :)
Originally posted by Ono
Godfather
Taxi Driver
Any Kubrick film.
While I'm here, let me totally disagree with you :D :p
Fat Bloke
28-10-2001, 19:43
FARGO
Biggest waste of time ever!
Originally posted by Fat Bloke
FARGO
Biggest waste of time ever!
Erm, I'm going to have to disagree with you there... :p
But I'd probably go with Star Wars as well. Very entertaining? Yes, but "greatest film ever"? Hardly....
:D
Ol' Blue Eyes
28-10-2001, 19:51
The Piano. Good performances and it looks nice but oh my god, what a boring, pretentious, humourless, self-important pile of dung it is. And Harvey, for god's sake keep your pants on.
RoyJones
28-10-2001, 19:52
Most films are over-rated but the one that springs to mind is being John Malkovich which had the critics vibrating with joy, I just thought it was rather bland and silly.
Carrie and Face/Off are two that spring to mind.
Kit_Taylor
28-10-2001, 19:56
Shiri, a real assmaster of a film.
Vivid's Seven Deadly Sins is also a load of rubbish. How can such an ordinary porn film be so raved over?
charlie angel
28-10-2001, 20:24
Of recent years I'd have to say Fight Club
It's good, but it's not that good.
thespook
28-10-2001, 20:26
Star Wars TPM
American Beauty
Pulp Fiction
The Excorcist
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
A Clockwork Orange
Controversial choices in some peoples eyes, and not bad films, but as the topic says - seriously overrated!
One contender -
TRAFFIC - just so dulll IMO!
All Films are overated, everyone has the own opionion of a film, so they decide whether it's overated or not.
WOOF WOOF:cool:
I always think Citizen Kane is sooo overrated.
Creamstick
28-10-2001, 22:13
The Matrix
T2
Aliens
The Shawshank Redemption
I saw Traffic and I thought that was really dull.
Also, Star Wars I think is really overrated too (all of them!)
/Now where did I leave the fire extinguisher? :D
jeepers creepers. (in the voice of the simpsons comic book guy) "worst screening ever"
belfast-biker
28-10-2001, 23:28
Originally posted by Narshty
Carrie and Face/Off are two that spring to mind.
Face Off? You and me outside.....now....
I used to think of "Lawrence of Arabia" as one of the greatest films ever made. After a third viewing recently, I now believe it's one of the most overrated. There are many pretty images to look at, but it all gets quite tiresome after a while. It's not a bad film, but it's not that great either. IMHO. :)
ethanfox
28-10-2001, 23:33
Have to agree about all star wars
Also mention
Pulp Fiction - OK but not all that.
Anything by Ridley Scott, that man knows no subtlety.
Requiem For A Dream ( A film students wet dream)
Saving Private Ryan (Poo)
Lock Stock (Who cares really?)
Could never agree with Shawshank Redemption being mentioned as anything other than top notch.
Originally posted by Henry
I used to think of "Lawrence of Arabia" as one of the greatest films ever made. After a third viewing recently, I now believe it's one of the most overrated. There are many pretty images to look at, but it all gets quite tiresome after a while. It's not a bad film, but it's not that great either. IMHO. :)
How do you go from thinking a movie to be one of the best ever made to then thinking it is average as Gary Neville?
Originally posted by john316
How do you go from thinking a movie to be one of the best ever made to then thinking it is average as Gary Neville?
A great film should stand up on repeated viewings. Sadly for me, "Lawrence of Arabia" doesn't.
Requeim for a dream
One flew over the cuckoos nest
Eyes wide shut
I would also say titanic but haven't seen it and don't intend to.
Nosh
Davester
29-10-2001, 01:08
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.
Originally posted by Nosh
Eyes wide shut
It seems to me Eyes Wide Shut has just as many detractors as supporters, and most certainly has not established itself as a "classic" in any shape or form.
Every single review I've read has pointed out various flaws in the film, so it was never really rated, let alone over-rated.
...don't get me started.... please!...
...ok, there's Ben Hur and Eyes Wide Shut and Vertigo and Fight Club and, of course, Gladiator and... oh, yes! YES!! Good Will Hunting!!! and Doctor Zhivago and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Lion King and... dare I say it?... Citizen Kane (IMNSHO Welles' The Magnificent Ambersons - even in its truncated, fairly butchered form - is much the better movie...) and Jurassic Park and Ivan The Terrible (Parts 1 and 2, both of which, when I was still young and slim and lovely, I watched in one sitting, causing me to say to my then SO how happy I was that Mr Eisenstein died before he could start on Part 3) and Dobermann and A.I. (too bad Mr Kubrick was such a slooow worker - if only he'd spent half the time on EWS and the rest of his allotted time on A.I. we might have had two good movies, instead of one boooring one...) and Meet Joe Black and...
. . . zzz . . .
Originally posted by Nosh
Requeim for a dream
One flew over the cuckoos nest
Eyes wide shut
I would also say titanic but haven't seen it and don't intend to.
Nosh
This is my point exactly about Titanic, people hate it before they've watched it!
Brilliant film IMO, people are just scared to admit it because they think it will make them less of a man.
The only seriously overrated film I can think of is "The Deer Hunter".
mr procter
29-10-2001, 05:13
Fight Club
Michael Brooke
29-10-2001, 08:06
<B>This is my point exactly about Titanic, people hate it before they've watched it! </B>
Nope - I hated it <U>after</U> I watched it, and my now ex-girlfriend still brings up the day I persuaded her to come and see it with me as an example of something to hold against me (I was practically on my knees apologising to her coming out of the cinema!)
<B>Brilliant film IMO, people are just scared to admit it because they think it will make them less of a man. </B>
Absolute rubbish - there are countless films I'm not remotely embarrassed to admit to crying during, but <I>Titanic</I> is most definitely not one of them!
Pike Bishop
29-10-2001, 08:59
American Beauty
Godfather Part II
Dude Where's My Car :)
Originally posted by ethanfox
Anything by Ridley Scott, that man knows no subtlety.
You are kidding of course? You may not like the films but how you can say Alien & Blade Runner are unsubtle is beyond me
:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
The whole problem with threads like this is you are very unlikely to get much of a consensus.
I would also like to add my name to list of people who hate Titianic. I saw it two days after release and was really looking forward to it. The best thing I can think to say is that there is probably a good 90 minute film in there struggling to get out.
It was the worst 3 hours I've spent in the cinema in living memory.
Vinyl-Pants
29-10-2001, 10:12
How anyone can actually like Titanic is totally beyond me. It is 2 hours 59 minutes too long, it is probably THE single most predictable film ive ever seen and lets face it the acting is hardly much cop. In fact the only enjoyment (in the most loose sense of the word) I gained from this film was the satisfaction of seeing Di Caprio die...
That being said most of these films listed as being "over-rated" were never THAT highly rated in the first place especially amongst the critics.
Citizen Kane is often touted as the best film of all time and in my opinion, like many others, it certainly is not. You cant get more over-rated than that.
Originally posted by Vinyl-Pants
it is probably THE single most predictable film ive ever seen
The ending could hardly change though, the Titanic was never going to limp into the harbour at the end was it.
Vinyl-Pants
29-10-2001, 10:43
Originally posted by Tob
The ending could hardly change though, the Titanic was never going to limp into the harbour at the end was it.
LOL thats bold simplication. I wasnt talking about the Ship I was refering the characters, interaction between them and relationships etc etc....it was predictable mush. A girly girls film :(
- "Lawrence Of Arabia" (which I find mediocre in the extreme) and "Doctor Zhivago" (an appalling waste of film) - Lean could have been a great director on the evidence of his Dickens adaptations and "Brief Encounter" but he threw his talent away.
- "The Shawshank Redemption" : I've wasted enough words on this nonsense, so I won't repeat myself.
- "Star Wars" : Popularity doesn't equate with quality. A silly action flick with a bad script and great special effects
- "The Matrix" and "Fight Club": Both fads of 1999 which will hopefully be forgotten sooner rather than later.
- "Saving Private Ryan" and "Schindler's List": Spielberg is going down the Lean road into respectable tedium although I did like "AI" a great deal so he might have caught the decline before it had gone too far.
- "A Clockwork Orange": Intentional or not, this contains some of the worst performances ever to grace a film and I can barely believe that Kubrick as a perfectionist could have possibly been satisfied with Patrick Magee's embarrassing hamming.
- "Dances With Wolves" - a Western for people who don't have any interest in Westerns; liberal self-hatred with endless dreary landscapes and sunsets but no feeling for the genre and nothing to say about the struggle between the Native Americans and their usurpers other than "White Man - He Devil". Compared to "Ulzana's Raid" or even "The Outlaw Josey Wales", this is simplistic stuff for particularly slow children.
- Every film to win the Best Picture Oscar since 1979, with the exceptions of "Unforgiven", "Silence Of The Lambs", "American Beauty" and, if I'm feeling generous, "The English Patient" - all of which were at least interesting. The rot began when "Kramer Versus Audience" won Best Picture.
- "Betty Blue" and "Les Amants Du Pont Neuf" - Beatrice Dalle and Juliette Binoche do nothing for me really and certainly not in these ramshackle films.
Originally posted by Michael Brooke
<B>This is my point exactly about Titanic, people hate it before they've watched it! </B>
Nope - I hated it <U>after</U> I watched it, and my now ex-girlfriend still brings up the day I persuaded her to come and see it with me as an example of something to hold against me (I was practically on my knees apologising to her coming out of the cinema!)
<B>Brilliant film IMO, people are just scared to admit it because they think it will make them less of a man. </B>
Absolute rubbish - there are countless films I'm not remotely embarrassed to admit to crying during, but <I>Titanic</I> is most definitely not one of them!
Well there's always going to be exceptions for everything isn't there, but I think my statement covers a lot of people.
It baffles me how people can let a few corny lines of dialogue (and lets not forget, it was set in 1912) and an irratating lead spoil what's probably one of cinemas most exiting finalies!
I remember the first time I saw it at the cinema, I was blown away by the sheer spectacle of it all. Brilliant film, although I get no pleasure out of loving such a mainstream big budget extravaganza, I just can't help myself with "Titanic".
Gary Couzens
29-10-2001, 22:59
I didn't <u>hate</u> <i>Titanic</i>: it was watchable enough - once - in 70mm at the Odeon Leicester Square. I'm in no hurry to watch it a second time though, which is telling. <i>L.A. Confidential</i> was the best American film of that year, but <i>Titanic</i>, the more populist choice, won the Oscars.
In no particular order:
<i>The English Patient</i>: a cold, interminable film with no great chemistry between its leads. I've liked Anthony Minghella's work before and since, but this film sent me to sleep - and I saw it a second time just to make sure it wasn't just me.
<i>Beverly Hills Cop</i>: deeply mediocre except for Eddie Murphy's performance. It takes more than one element to make a good film, and in any case a little of Murphy goes a very long way for me.
<i>The Matrix</i>: takes forever to get going, and isn't anywhere as deep and meaningful as some of its fans seem to think.
<i>Natural Born Killers</i>: you have to give Oliver Stone credit for getting such an offbeat film through the major studio system, but it doesn't work for me: overblown, unsubtle, humourless satire.
All the above are films I saw twice (just to make sure). The following are pending a second viewing, just in case I change my mind:
<i>Requiem for a Dream</i> - Ellen Burstyn's performance survives, everything else is swamped by the director's look-at-me stylistics
<i>The Big Lebowski</i> - a very surprising disappointment, as I've liked everything else the Coens have done
FaustBos
30-10-2001, 01:43
Originally posted by ethanfox
Anything by Ridley Scott, that man knows no subtlety.
Have no idea how you can come to that conclusion. As someone else mentioned.... Alien, Blade Runner? If you want to talk unsubtle, check out Aliens. Same director who would give us the classic Titanic. <---tongue firmly in cheek here.
I can see where you might consider Gladiator to be unsubtle, but you said "anything". As for Hannibal... well, not a great film but I do like where Scott was taking things. I would love to see Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter the crime stopper. Whether its bad cops, evil terrorists, or just bad horn players, watch out, you're on the menu. But you can hardly blame Scott for an over the top screen play.
Jim
FaustBos
30-10-2001, 01:53
Originally posted by Gary Couzens
I didn't <u>hate</u> <i>Titanic</i>: it was watchable enough - once - in 70mm at the Odeon Leicester Square. I'm in no hurry to watch it a second time though, which is telling. <i>L.A. Confidential</i> was the best American film of that year, but <i>Titanic</i>, the more populist choice, won the Oscars.
Oh i'd go so far as to say I hated it :-) Should have won the oscar for most money spent only. Simply rubbish. Only holly wood could come up with a line like this:
"Rose DeWitt Bukater: Excuse me, Mr. Andrews, but I've been doing the math in my head and it seems that with the number of people there are on board, there aren't enough lifeboats."
This is of course for the people in the theater who just haven't a clue.
I remember in the states the constant and incessent campaigns to put a copy of Titanic in every bodys hand. You were getting 15 free rentals if you bought Titanic. Insanely popular film my butt. It was only economics. No way hollywood was going to have egg on its face from that turkey. Wonder how many votes were bought too.
LA confidential is a classic that will be remembered as the best picture of 97.
Originally posted by FaustBos
Oh i'd go so far as to say I hated it :-) Should have won the oscar for most money spent only. Simply rubbish. Only holly wood could come up with a line like this:
"Rose DeWitt Bukater: Excuse me, Mr. Andrews, but I've been doing the math in my head and it seems that with the number of people there are on board, there aren't enough lifeboats."
This is of course for the people in the theater who just haven't a clue.
I remember in the states the constant and incessent campaigns to put a copy of Titanic in every bodys hand. You were getting 15 free rentals if you bought Titanic. Insanely popular film my butt. It was only economics. No way hollywood was going to have egg on its face from that turkey. Wonder how many votes were bought too.
LA confidential is a classic that will be remembered as the best picture of 97.
You don't just think Rose was concerned then? I can't think of any other filmmakers that would sit at the bottom of the atlantic to make their film more authentic!
I can imagine the cast now, sat there shivering, knackered, ill saying "well...was it a hit", and getting the reply "Er no, they thought the dialogue was @@@@"
Originally posted by Creamstick
The Matrix
Aliens
Matrix is one of the greatest films of all time in my opinion and aliens is pure genius too.
Most over-rated has to be Con-Air... cheese the whole time. Especially the Diabetic guy telling Cyrus to 'Pick on someone your own size!' when hes nearly dead.
Kids and Requiem for a Dream - both essentially the same film, both with absolutely no point to be made.
Lenny Nero
30-10-2001, 11:49
Originally posted by Ol' Blue Eyes
The Piano. Good performances and it looks nice but oh my god, what a boring, pretentious, humourless, self-important pile of dung it is. And Harvey, for god's sake keep your pants on.
You gonna hate another Jane Campion's film then, 1999's Holy Smoke where Harvey Keitel obsesses over Kate Winslet, gets dressed up in a skin tight red women's dress and runs after her in the desert while the car rolls who knows where, it's such an awesome devastating and funny love story.
Cap'n Al
30-10-2001, 14:47
The one film I would genuinely call a weak example of filmmaking thus cited is <i>Forrest Gump</i>, which I was surprised hasn't been picked on yet.
Meanwhile, I continue to be amazed at the sheer quality of films that other people dislike (<i>Citizen Kane! Face/Off! The Godfather part 2!</i>).
FaustBos
30-10-2001, 15:02
Originally posted by chris21
You don't just think Rose was concerned then? I can't think of any other filmmakers that would sit at the bottom of the atlantic to make their film more authentic!
I can imagine the cast now, sat there shivering, knackered, ill saying "well...was it a hit", and getting the reply "Er no, they thought the dialogue was @@@@"
Dont agree. I was watching a film, not a documentary. I would have been happy to see any and all underwater scenes filmed in a studio. Hey, get lukas, he'll just have them made for your on PC.
Yes, I do think the dialog is very important to the film. There were a number of other examples. If Cameron is so concerned about authenticity, why have the prim and proper girl flip the bird while going down the elevator.
Too much time spent on effects, not enough of scripting. Thats the problem with Titanic.
I remember reading that Cameron was interested in a space project but has insisted upon going up in a space shuttle so that he can get it right. I've heard of method acting, but method directing?
Please don't get me wrong. I actually like Cameron because he is over the top in some ways. Abyss and T2 are great films IMHO, and even Aliens is ok. I feel that with Titanic, he missed it. For a number of reasons. Rent A Night to Remember if you want to see a good film about the Titanic.
Jim
FaustBos
30-10-2001, 15:05
Anyone feel Air Force One belongs on this list?. When I finally saw this movie, I laughed so hard I thought I'd need surgery. Especially the fat lady parachuting from the back of AF1.
Jim
WithNail and I
Whats all the fuss about ?
One word = Boring
Kit_Taylor
30-10-2001, 16:46
Bloody Leon!
As hard as I try to find a really shredding review of this one, I'm forever blinded by the warm glow of appreciation surrounding this lukewarm film.
Originally posted by FaustBos
Dont agree. I was watching a film, not a documentary. I would have been happy to see any and all underwater scenes filmed in a studio. Hey, get lukas, he'll just have them made for your on PC.
Yes, I do think the dialog is very important to the film. There were a number of other examples. If Cameron is so concerned about authenticity, why have the prim and proper girl flip the bird while going down the elevator.
Too much time spent on effects, not enough of scripting. Thats the problem with Titanic.
I remember reading that Cameron was interested in a space project but has insisted upon going up in a space shuttle so that he can get it right. I've heard of method acting, but method directing?
I think Cameron had Rose "Flip the bird" to show how she felt freed from her life of restrictions by Jack.
And I'm probably right too:)
Please don't get me wrong. I actually like Cameron because he is over the top in some ways. Abyss and T2 are great films IMHO, and even Aliens is ok. I feel that with Titanic, he missed it. For a number of reasons. Rent A Night to Remember if you want to see a good film about the Titanic.
Jim
Mmmm, don't understand why my last post came out like that!
How come my reply was half way through the quote and in bold?
Strange:confused:
bddidier
31-10-2001, 09:01
Originally posted by Cap'n Al
The one film I would genuinely call a weak example of filmmaking thus cited is <i>Forrest Gump</i>, which I was surprised hasn't been picked on yet.
Meanwhile, I continue to be amazed at the sheer quality of films that other people dislike (<i>Citizen Kane! Face/Off! The Godfather part 2!</i>).
I agree, with Blair Witch Project it's probably the only movie I've ever hated.
Yonathan Gal
31-10-2001, 10:19
Shakespeare in Love : was terrible!
Star Wars TPM: Was one of the worst films ever made
FaustBos
31-10-2001, 10:47
Originally posted by chris21
Mmmm, don't understand why my last post came out like that!
How come my reply was half way through the quote and in bold?
Strange:confused:
Strange, I didnt even realize you posted, I thought it was all part of the post. Well, do you really think flipping the bird was in common practice in the early 1900s?
I dont intend to watch the film again to cite other examples, i'm sure there are websites galore devoted to this :-)
I truely wish I liked the film better, but I dont. Glad you enjoyed it though.
Jim
Three spring to mind.
WithNail and I
Titanic
The Phantom Menace
And I forgot Evolution(truly not funny)
Ridcully
31-10-2001, 17:31
Genuinely unimpressed by Traffic.
And The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Michael Mackenzie
31-10-2001, 21:25
I also hate Titanic. I've watched it three times now, and it doesn't improve with additional viewings. I fail to understand what people see in it. I can't believe Cameron took three hours just to sink the bloody thing.
stantheman
31-10-2001, 22:26
Unbreakable.
Crouthcing Tiger.
Phantom Menace.
American Beauty.
Scream.
Bridget Jones.
Four Weddings.
Billy Elliot.
Last Tango in Paris
A Bridge to Far
Kramer V Kramer
Coming Home
Audition
X-Men
Stormriders
Gone with the Wind
Full Monty
Crocadile Dundee( Remember the hype about this, I do!)
Erm..........sure I've loads more.
FaustBos
31-10-2001, 22:56
Originally posted by Whiggles
I also hate Titanic. I've watched it three times now, and it doesn't improve with additional viewings. I fail to understand what people see in it. I can't believe Cameron took three hours just to sink the bloody thing.
Always thought it was ironic that Cameron took longer to sink the ship than the iceberg did :-) hehehe
JIm
Originally posted by FaustBos
Always thought it was ironic that Cameron took longer to sink the ship than the iceberg did :-) hehehe
JIm
Arghhhhh!! The ship sank in real time, in other words as long as it actually took on the night! I thought this was one of the most known facts about the film. I'm off for some valium to calm my nerves, please no more posts about Titanic;)
FaustBos
01-11-2001, 10:30
wow, chris21, relax, it was a joke. ok so you like cameron, we get it. Bet you can't wait for the sequel too. :-)
Jim
ADDED LATER:
Hey chris21, we can take this to another thread if you like, but you have me curious now. I went back to read all your posts. You really DO like this movie. In all seriousness, what is it about the movie that you like?
I wanted to like this movie so much. I don't think i've waited so anxiously to see a movie before. It was delayed in the US for some reason, I can't remember why, and came out around Christmas time. Its all you could hear about was Titanic. In fact, I went to some other movies before it was released that paled in comparison to even the Titanic Trailer.
But when I saw it, it just didnt do it for me. I have my reasons, and would love to discuss them... rationally.
But ok, you peaked my curiosity and i'm listening. The other odd thing is up until Titanic, I was enjoyined DiCaprios career and his choice of films. But a discussion on Titanic will stray from the intent of this thread, so let me know if you want to move somepalce else.
Jim
Titanic
The English Patient
Basically anything which has won oscars!!
(Or starring Gweneth Paltrow (except seven)
kerbcrawler
01-11-2001, 15:11
Pulp Fiction tops my list. This film only highlights to me how much Reservoir Dogs benefitted from a low budget and lots of planning.
Also up there would be Heat, Manhunter, Shawshank Redemption, Aliens, Terminator (both of them), Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, Snatch, Lock Stock..., Raging Bull, Mean Streets, ET, Star Wars, anything by Brian De Palma, Roberto Rodriguez, Ken Loach and Mike Leigh.... and the list goes on...
FaustBos
01-11-2001, 15:15
Originally posted by kerbcrawler
Pulp Fiction tops my list. This film only highlights to me how much Reservoir Dogs benefitted from a low budget and lots of planning.
Also up there would be Heat, Manhunter, Shawshank Redemption, Aliens, Terminator (both of them), Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, Snatch, Lock Stock..., Raging Bull, Mean Streets, ET, Star Wars, anything by Brian De Palma, Roberto Rodriguez, Ken Loach and Mike Leigh.... and the list goes on... Wow, when I see lists like this, it makes me wonder what movies you actually appreciate, or whether this is a joke. But perhaps that belongs in another thread.
kerbcrawler
01-11-2001, 15:48
I was thinking the same thing... and it's my list!! But it's no joke and it's not that I dislike all the films there - it's just that I think they're overrated and hugely so in some cases.
FaustBos
01-11-2001, 15:52
Originally posted by kerbcrawler
I was thinking the same thing... and it's my list!! But it's no joke and it's not that I dislike all the films there - it's just that I think they're overrated and hugely so in some cases. Ah well, that makes a bit more sense. Threads like this seem to stray into "Movies that suck" and things like that.
I can definitely see where you are coming from now. I was like this with ET and Close encounters. I never understood the hype on those.
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