The over rated film thread

[Adam D]

First topic message reminder :

Following on from Hero's thread of ET vs Napoleon Dynamite, I thought it might be fun to see what everyone think are the films that suck balls but get universal love still.

So tell us your top 3 films and why you dislike them so much.

1. napoleon Dynamite - 'one of the funniest films ever'. i must have a very weak bladder and went to the toilet during all the funny bits. For me, I dont think the film raised one smile. Awful.

2. Anchorman - another very average film that everyone seems to love. just don't get why everyone rates it so highly. Unlike NP there were some good moments (the rival news readers gang fight for example) but still hugely over rated.

3. The Big Lebowski - another alright film that gets universal love. Dont get me wrong its not bad but its not brilliant either.

So thats my list, lets hear your and why.

[Smirnoffpriest]

I think Casino Royale was only ever a book, but it was the 1st book and was never made into a film until recently.

[Stella]

I think Casino Royale was only ever a book, but it was the 1st book and was never made into a film until recently.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Ftitle%2Ftt0061452%2F&ei=vxdsUJjwCfKa1AXy2ICoCw&usg=AFQjCNFuIllKh-uFh9ZNCInUd5qsmNnv4w

[Smirnoffpriest]

That's only a spoof Stella - I was talking about the original book and story
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casino_Royale_(novel). According to wiki the 1st proper film was the Daniel Craig one, there was the spoof you mentioned (similar to the spoof 'Spaceballs' of the Star Wars series) and apparently a episode of a TV show Climax!.

There was talk for decades about whether they'd 'do' a Casino Royale film as the book kicked off the whole James Bond legend.

[Stella]

My bad............sorry.

[incontinentia]

Those 3 films in the original post probably come under the umbrella of 'cult classics'. I have often wondered about these 'cult' films, seemingly hugely popular amongst a small hardcore fanbase but not highly regarded by the general viewing audience.

I feel the same about these films as Adam: N Dynamite was just weird. My best mates thought the Big Lebowski was the best film ever, so I tried my best to like it but couldn't. Anchorman became kinda endearing after a few watchings.

In terms of overrated films, for me most of these are of the sundance/cannes variety that are rated highly by arty farty critics but hold little appeal to the regular movie-lover. I tried my hardest to like No Country for Old Men and There will be Blood but my honest opinion is that these films are boring, despite whatever Oscars they may have won.

[Galted]

sixth sense - complete excrement, the ridiculous twist was just a gaping plot hole & easily foreseen
ace ventura
gladiator
hangover
the shining
rain man
dances with wolves
basic instinct
good will hunting

[Smirnoffpriest]

I agree with 6th Sense and Basic Instinct - but have to strongly disagree with Gladiator, Good Will Hunting, The Shinning (I mean What!!!) and Rain Man is good as well.

[Galted]

I agree with 6th Sense and Basic Instinct - but have to strongly disagree with Gladiator, Good Will Hunting, The Shinning (I mean What!!!) and Rain Man is good as well.

The 4 you disagree about weren't necessarily bad films - just grossly overrated. Am normally a fan of Jack Nicholson but his overacting in The Shining bordered on embarrassing.

[dummy_half]

I agree with Galted about Gladiator - not that it is a bad film (it's good entertainment, if a little overly long), but for me it is over-rated in being included in people's top 10 of all time list.

Good Will Hunting though should absolutely not be on that list - extremely good and well-acted film, that even manages to keep Robin Williams just about under control.

Agree with the comment a few back about many Oscar winning films of the last 10-15 years really being a load of pretentious nonsense - American Beauty being the prime example, and I also definitely don't rate Lost in Translation.

Oh, and one more for the (vastly) over-rated pile: Avatar. Clever technology does not make a good film.

[Galted]

Agree with you that Good Will Hunting was well-acted but I thought that the acting covered up the fact it didn't have much of a plot & what plot there was was just cliched & contrived. Perhaps harsh including it as it wasn't overhyped at the time, watched it recently though & was pretty disappointed.

[Stella]

Rainman was and still is a great film.

I thought The Hangover was original most of all funny.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Soz I'll have to disagree - The Shinning is Jack Nics defining performance, he's absolutely brilliant, and the film and book are classics and the film is one of the best horrors out there.

Gladiator to me is the best, or one of the best, action films out, with great performances from Crowe, Phoenix and both Oliver Reed and Richard Harris.

American Beauty is a great, clever and funny film and Spacey is awesome in it.

I wouldn't say any of them (or Rain Man with a great performance from Dustin Hoffman) are over rated, and think they are rated highly 1 coz their good films, but 2 coz they have very good performances from the leading actors.

Agree with Good Will Hunting and Avatar though

[Galted]

Rainman wasn't tragically bad, got massively sick though of people raving about Dustin Hoffman's performance which was adequate at best. Anyone can waffle on in a blank-faced monotone.

I found The Hangover very unfunny. Everyone I know who'd seen it raved about how hilarious it was - the person I watched it with was one of those & spent most of the film watching me for my reactions.

Gladiator was ruined by an overly melodramatic ending and one-dimensional characters - it did have some decent action scenes though.

[Smirnoffpriest]

As I say we'll just have to agree to disagree about Rainman and Dustins award winning performance and Gladitator.

The Hangover is, as you say, very unfunny and is of a very base and pyril humour.

[Galted]

nah, let's get abusive so the mods get involved.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Yeah why not

I'll start - you're a carpet bagger!

[Galted]

how very very dare you!!!

you wiper of other people's bottoms

[Smirnoffpriest]

clunge plunger!

[Galted]

hate to concede defeat so readily but that's genius. had to look it up on urban dictionary.

[Smirnoffpriest]

I've got a whole bag full of them mate - soz!

It comes from having the mind of a child, and the body of disgruntled sumo wrestler!

[Galted]

Just used it on a colleague now he's looking it up. Very effective if you use the f*g word before.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Damn right! if he comes back with anything, tell him he's a scrotum polisher!

[Galted]

Cheers, but he's far too slow-witted to come back with anything.

[Smirnoffpriest]

They're always the best sort of people to insult! lol

[Galted]

speaking about having the mind of a child - look up the c word on urban dicitionary, hours of entertainment - 61 & 93 are my favourites so far

[Morgannwg]

Yet to see Good Will Hunting, Rainman and The Shining. I liked Gladiator, the Sixth Sense and Basic Instinct. I first watched Basic Instinct when I was 14, maybe you can guess why I loved it so much. Dumb story though. The rest of the picks from the past few hours I agree with.

[Smirnoffpriest]

speaking about having the mind of a child - look up the c word on urban dicitionary, hours of entertainment - 61 & 93 are my favourites so far

I'll have a look when I get home, I can't access the Urban Dictionary in work and didn't get home til 11 last night.

I've been trying to find the link to the fake wikipedia website where anyone can add pages on people/events/places ect but they have to be totally factually incorrect and funny. I think Wales is listed as being it's own fiefdom in the carribean - whose biggest export is sheep rustling advice!

[Galted]

Probably uncyclopedia you're thinking of.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Yet to see Good Will Hunting, Rainman and The Shining. I liked Gladiator, the Sixth Sense and Basic Instinct. I first watched Basic Instinct when I was 14, maybe you can guess why I loved it so much. Dumb story though. The rest of the picks from the past few hours I agree with.

I can def understand your 14 year old self liking Basic Instinct Morg!

A film I can't believe I've forgotten how over rated it is - is Heat! Ridiculously over rated, and very very boring and poorly put together, scandulously under used Pacino and De Niro as well. LA Takedown (which Heat is a remake of) is much better, but isn't great.

[Biltong]

Taken - One of the most over rated films ever. I don't honestly see the magnetism that attracts everyone to an 'OAP' flying to Paris and playing out an average at best plot. Holly Valance is in this, surely that sums it up.

Isn't that the one where Liam Neeson play the father?

I thought that was brilliant

[Biltong]

Yet to see Good Will Hunting, Rainman and The Shining. I liked Gladiator, the Sixth Sense and Basic Instinct. I first watched Basic Instinct when I was 14, maybe you can guess why I loved it so much. Dumb story though. The rest of the picks from the past few hours I agree with.

Good Will Hunting - good
Rainman - good
The Shining - meh
Gladiator - great
Sixth sense - I see dead people
Basic Instinct - apart from one or two scenes - meh

[Stella]

Taken took a little bit of flak from the critics, so can it be overrated?

I thought it was decent switch your brain off stuff.

[dummy_half]

I've started watching Heat about 4 times and never made it beyond the first hour. Just never got into it sufficiently to motivate myself to keep going for another 2 hours.

Basic Instinct is a fairly mediocre film, but I can certainly see why you'd have been interested in seeing it at 14.

As a quick aside, anyone else remember Channel 4 showing films of a particularly adult content with a triangle in the corner of the screen? Certainly had the desired effect of making sure I as a teenager didn't tune in

[Morgannwg]

Heat was okay I thought. Do people on this thread dislike Val Kilmer? He's a good actor but seems to have a poor reputation.

And Sharon Stone sill does it for me. Wouldn't mind re-watching Basic, but off to see Taken 2 tonight. Orange wednesdays is a must do.

[Smirnoffpriest]

I like Val Kilmer, but it annoys me that he barely does any films these days.

[Hero]

Avengers

Just seen it and whilst it had some great moments it certainly did not live up to the hype I had built up for it.

[Guest]

Heat was okay I thought. Do people on this thread dislike Val Kilmer? He's a good actor but seems to have a poor reputation.

Ever seen Top Secret? Kilmer is the man in that.

[teassoc]

Heat was okay I thought. Do people on this thread dislike Val Kilmer? He's a good actor but seems to have a poor reputation.

Ever seen Top Secret? Kilmer is the man in that.

The only film that I really enjoyed of his was The Doors (1991) where he played Jim Morrison. He's sure been in a lot of nothing films over the years.

[teassoc]

I found Prometheus a bit disappointing. I was really looking forward to it, but it had nothing like the excitement and tension of the early Alien films.

[Hero]

Heat was okay I thought. Do people on this thread dislike Val Kilmer? He's a good actor but seems to have a poor reputation.

Ever seen Top Secret? Kilmer is the man in that.

The only film that I really enjoyed of his was The Doors (1991) where he played Jim Morrison. He's sure been in a lot of nothing films over the years.

As Doc Holiday in Tombstone he was half decent I thought.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Top Secret is a good film, not anywhere near Airplane though, and Kilmer is very good in it.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Not that I really like the film, but Kilmer was really good in Willow as well - and also I never realised that he's 'Elvis' in True Romance (or at least the imaginary person Christian Slater talks to), thanks IMDB! - looking through his recent films though almost all in the last 5-8 years are pretty small/poor films.

[Hero]

Now that film has to be one of the most underrated films, always get overlooked for Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs but IMO easily up there with both.

[Guest]

The last Kilmer film I watched was Streets of Blood which is possibly the worst film I have ever seen. Just awful.

[Smirnoffpriest]

Now that film has to be one of the most underrated films, always get overlooked for Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs but IMO easily up there with both.

I'd definately agree with that, a great mix of Tarrantino and Tony Scott

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