Films which have a great reputation, but actually suck...

[glasgowken]

...and vice versa.


I realise it's all a question of perception, & opinion, one person's crap, is gold to other. This is meant to be a light hearted post.

For me that would be "The Usual Suspects". At the moment it's at number 15 on the IMDB top 250 film list.

I heard it was full of fantastic acting, & twists, but for me the only good performances were from Gabriel Byrne, & Kevin Spacey, the rest were fair at best.
And as for the "amazing twist", I saw it coming a mile away, the plot was childish. It does have some good scenes, but overall I was very unimpressed.



On the other side, a film which is usually panned by the critics, "The Postman", I loved that, can't see why it gets such bad reviews.


So, what's yours ?
BTW I'm not really talking about the mega hyped films, which usually suck anyway (Titanic, etc), but films which are well respected, or hated, within the film buff community.

[cheesemonster]

lord of the rings...
yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

[Sharon]

star wars.... all of them. They make me want to cry with boredom.

[cheesylion]

Sharon, you do realise you are going to be slated for that don't you!?

For me it would have to be Donnie Darko, hailed as a masterpiece more like a load of old masturbate!

[Toby Dammit]

I totally agree with your choice Glasgowken. THE USUAL SUSPECTS is so well respected by film buffs of a certain age (who've never seen RASHAMON). Frankly I just don't get it myself. It's entertaining enough, but one of the greatest films ever made? Huddawayandshiteman.

My main pet hate though is GONE WITH THE WIND. It lasts for about 18 hours or something, has a verbose, awful script, wooden performances by most of the cast (Leigh excepted admittedly, but her character is just horrendous), and some well dogey racist and sexist moments. It's only saving graces are Ernest Haller's superb cinematography and the always reliable Max Steiner's score.

Why, fiddle-de-don't.

Under-rated film? Tobe Hooper's DEATH TRAP, made 3 years after his smash hit THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE. Stars Neville Brand as an insane red-neck who murders the residents of his hotel with a giant alligator. Sounds stupid, but it's a fabulous, cartoon like work of sweaty madess, with an other astounding Hooper/Wayne Bell concrete score. Deserves to be better known. Other criminally under-rated stuff includes Mike Leigh's HIGH HOPES (which looks more and more like a documentary as the years pass) and TWIN PEAKES: FIRE WALK WITH ME. A huge David Lynch fan, even I didn't rate this much when it first came out. Now I think it's one of the best things he's ever made. Certainly the most depressing. A grim horror.

Oh, and DONNY DARKO, I agree Cheesylion, totally Lynch lite for teenies.

[cheesemonster]

oh, Donnie Darko - agreed!

under-rated?
I saw this late one night during channel 4's Iranian season
http://imdb.com/title/tt0117214/

is that allowed or is that too much of an obscure choice?

[james73]

Reservoir Dogs - dull, dull, dull, dull, dull....

In fact, most of Tarantino's stuff. Style over content...




James H

[glasgowken]

"The Italian Job", I detest that film

And if I hear someone say "you're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off" again, i'll deck the cunt


Spot on with Tarantino, "Pulp Fiction", sucks big time.

[VGSmiles]

I was just going to mention Pulp Fiction. I think I tried watching it twice... never understood what all the fuss is about.

Don't really have a best film right now.

[Sharon]

Reservoir Dogs - dull, dull, dull, dull, dull....

In fact, most of Tarantino's stuff. Style over content...




James H

I like style!

Though it has led me to misjudge many men...as content does afterall matter too...

[DVF]

Braveheart. Got bored and switched it off half way through. Did I miss anything interesting?

Can't think of any other crap films just now, too drunk... Oh, yes I can, The Blair Witch Project, pile'o'pish.

GK, that's blasphemy that is Watched it in a pub in Perth after the England game the other day. The waitresses were desperately trying to switch it off but couldn't work out how to do it, it was great

On the subject of underrated flicks, and I'm sure I've said this before on here, "The Hill". A film so full of good acting that there is no music in it at all from start to finish, it just doesn't need it..

In fact, I've not seen it in a while, I think I'll go watch it just now. G'night.

[Sharon]

oh yeah... braveheart. It is cringeworthily bad.

n had a guy ask me to design him a braveheart tatto one... basically he wanted mel gibson on his back. I declined politely... thinking what a sad bastard

[glasgowken]

GK, that's blasphemy that is .

What one do you mean ?

Agree with "The Hill", fantastic film

And Braveheart....blugggggh !!
Rob Roy kicks the arse off that crap. Liam Neeson is always first class.

[ghiribizzo]

Highlander. The joy of casting a Frenchman as a Scot and a Shcot with a shpeech impediment as a Shpaniard.

[DVF]

The Italian Job.