Everybody Loved Them; I Cringed

Hi Roberta -- I truly hated Moulin Rouge which is the first that comes to mind.

The first movie I walked out of was Marathon Man. <shudder> There are lots of movies I don't like but I did like the Big Chill! Terms of Endearment? eh.

Well, to add to your already fine list, I would say The English Patient. Long, boring, over-acted, and not faithful to the book, but it couldn't be, could it.

I loved the English Patient. Interesting thing. I think that the English Patient is what used to be called a "woman's movie"-more about emotions and relationship than actions. I think that from what I have observed, a lot of men were turned off by it.

I turned off the Moulin Rouge DVD 15 minutes into the film. Maybe because I had seen an earlier version, with Jose Ferrer, which was a wonderful film.

I loved Terms of Endearment. Just give me a four hankie movie, and I will revel in it!

I felt that way about Deer Hunter and Apocolypse Now. After Deer Hunter came out, young, clueless college boys would ask me if i had ever seen the "russian roulette" contests shown in that movie. When i told them no, and that although that might have happened, it would be absurd to suggest that it was common, they would get huffy and tell me they didn't believe i had ever been in the army. Most historical films (which is how i categorize those) have more of an emotional, "grabber" content than any accuracy, and they usually turn me off.

That might be true Phoenix, but even stranger, The English Patient was based on a novel written by a man, our own Michael Ondaatje, Indian-Canadian, and a professor at York University, last I heard. The complexities of the novel were really unfilmable, and I was disappointed in the movie. On the other hand, I found Moulin Rouge a good romp, but couldn't stand the musical renditions of modern tunes.

The Lord of over-hyped movies: The Blair Witch Project.

boomerang- Amen to that one. If it had been a high school media class project, I would have applauded it, to give the kids a boost. As a commercial vehicle, it stank to high heaven!

Zoolander....oh wait, that was not critically acclaimed...

Zoolander was hilarious.
Maybe it's because I've seen it on tv over and over, but I never understood why Shawshenk(?) Redemption was touted so greatly.

I don't know if "everybody loved them" is overstated -- poll the guys down at the beerhall and see if they have even watched either film.

"Terms of Endearment" gets critical points for mixing comedy and pathos but many critics pointed out that it has a shameless, tear-jerking soap opera package to overlook. Some can't overlook. "The Big Chill" gets generally good reviews and was nominated for the 1984 Oscar as well as Glenn Close and Lawrence Kasden for writing (with another screen writer). Not a film I am anxious to revisit as I find it rather amiquous about relationships rather than provocative. It also has garnered reviews with reservations about whether it's a classic or not. Neither film has made a 100 best film list in a critics or directors poll.

"Moulin Rouge" is kinetic and quirky but in the grand tradition of big Hollywood musicals. It being updated with modern music, innovated camera work and sometimes eccentric performances from the actors is why some are put off by the film. I like the film.

"The English Patient" is an unsuccessful distillation of the novel but on its own is great looking, has some subtle and heartfelt performances and well written dialogue. It's all rather a mix of hope and cynicism about love and as a film standing alone I like it but not interested in revisiting it more than hundreds of other films.

"Apolcalypse Now" is two, two films in one and the coda is rather like Hoffnung's parody of the "1812 Overture." It just doesn't ring true and seems tacked on to the realism and expose formula of the "other" film. The Redux was an effort in frustration to watch, adding scenes that were almost superflous and even gratuitous. I like the documentary "Heart of Darkness" about making the film better than the film! "The Deer Hunter" is just plain too long, something he director couldn't shirk off in "Heaven's Gate" and we all know about that film. I saw the uncut version of "Heaven's Gate" when it was screened on the old LA Z Channel and it was quite simply an exercise in tedium.

I really can't think of a film I didn't like that is high on the list of critical acclaim but as far as audience favorites, there are just too many that are box office successes but yawners in my book. No real pet peeve here unless it would be Ahnold's last few films which are essentially visual action pablum. Let's hope he can give a better performance as governor. :wink:

I have to admit a fondness for Zoolander as well Slappy....

Titanic: Barfness!
Romeo and Juliet with Calire danes and that other girl, Leo: Awful!
Blair Witch Project: I'm suposed to be afraid? I'll be scared when I stop laughing!

Dang. I posted something and lost it... all that immortal prose... poof!

I never even bothered watching Titanic or Blair Witch... the reviews told me enough to know I wouldn't like them. I didn't care for the two Lord of the Rings films either though I was dragged to those by Mr.P.


I checked the afi Top 100 American Films and there are some real dogs there.

Citizen Kane is totally boring
Duck Soup is not funny
King Kong is stupid, not even camp enough to interest me
Silence of the Lambs is way too violent
Rocky -- yuck
Schindler's List -- this is entertainment?
Unforgiven? Forgetable

Disagree with Piffka, specially about "Citizen Kane" and "Unforgiven" (have not seen "Rocky" or "Schindler's List")
Totally agree with lightwizard about "Apocalypse Now" being two films: one great film, an absurd coda. Liked "Moulin Rouge" too.
Also liked "The English Patient" and "The Big Chill".
Agree with Setanta about "The Deer Hunter". Nicely filmed, but bad film.
Agree about Blair witchcrap.

My overhyped list:
"Once upon a time in the West": ( f ) artsy western.
"The Conversation": bored me to death.
"Jesus of Montreal": bored me even more.

"Chicago" and "The Hours" were regretted rentals, each providing about 20 minutes of increasing annoyance. "English Patient" was awful in print, not quite so horrible on film.

I can watch just about any "film noir" (oldies) with pleasure. Rohmer's "Autumn Tale" is the year's big hit at this house and among friends. Talk about tense, emotional tales, how about Tilda Swinton in "Deep End"? And one I like to go back to now and then, just for fun, is "Crossing Delancey."

I can also watch grass grow and paint dry, so the French film "Microcosmos" really gets me!

Golly, Tart, what was annoying about "Chicago?" Can't agree there.

"The Hours" was good storytelling -- the problem is I wasn't much interested in the stories! Kidman was extraodinary as Virginia Wolff and that was fascinating to watch. "The Lord of the Rings" was clearly the best picture of the year even over "A Beautiful Mind" which contained too many biographical distortions for my blood.

It's always obvious that films that do big box office, are lauded by the critics or both aren't going to please everyone. This thread is kind of a reverse of guilty pleasures -- those films that didn't do great box office and/or didn't exactly receive critical success that one nevertheless loves for one reason or another.

"Deep End" is an underrated gem of a film -- independents just don't receive very good distribution and sometimes critics don't see the forest for the trees.

The Deep End was one of the best films I saw that year. (2001?)

I'm fairly easy to please - as long as there is good acting or some plot involved. Explosions and car chases don't entertain me enough to keep me involved for two hours.

"The Deep End: gets a respectable 6.9 our of 10 on IMDb and a great review from Roger Ebert:

http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebert_reviews/2001/08/081501.html

The second Matrix movie. I enjoyed the first one because it was so groundbreaking but I prefer movies that focus on people and stories and not special effects. I haven't bothered to see the third installment altho' my husband and cousin-in-law begged me to go last weekend. It just costs too much to be a good sport and go to the movies nowadays just to fall asleep like I did on Star Wars, Superman, and Stargate.