Movies We Didn't Like.

[Joe Gioielli]

It has happened to all of us. A film comes out, everyone gushes over it, our friends love it, the experts praise it. It is declared the defination of film as art, and you hate it. Not that you didn't get it, or it was in a genre you don't like. No, you got it, it was in a genre you generally like, there were no personal problems that kept you from enjoying it. You just didn't like it. And I mean 'didn't like it', not just 'it didn't move me'. I mean really didn't like it.

A few ground rules might help to keep it friendly.

#1 Everyone is a worthwhile person who has a right to his/her opinion. We love each other and nothing can ever change that. So no flaming.

#2 You can explain your choice as much, or as little, as you want.

#3 Other are not stupid for thier choices as you are not stupid for yours. So don't say that people who liked the film were morons. Remember to see rule one.

I'll start...

The Matrix - It failed for me at all levels. I didn't find the story compeling or interesting. I felt like it had been cobbled together after someone had read a primer on easter religion. I felt it was trying to be "deeper" than it really was. I hated it. I lied to everyone, pretended I thought it was cool, but in truth I never want to see another frame of that film again.

Okay, your turn...

[Nicholi Brossia]

Everytime I answer this question, I get attacked by others, but I'll go ahead and answer anyway because I'm used to it. The big disappointments with me aren't plain old movies that come out recently, its the ones that have been hyped up for years, the classic you-gotta-see-this movies, and the recent ones that win oodles of awards. There's nothing I can't stand more than a basic idea that was stretched into an entire movie - 10% creative, 90% filler.

#1 on my list is 2001: A Space Odyssey. Yes, it was cool that there was no audio/sound in space, but Stanley Kubrick had a tendancy to take 20 minutes to show a 2 minute scene in all of his movies. To me it seemed like he had an idea for a couple scenes, but stretched that into an entire, lengthy movie. My perfect example is, in 2001, when that guy is eating and reading the newspaper - took way too long in my opinion. I've also never understood the ending. To me, just because its weird, doesn't make it genius. But maybe I'm missing something.

#2 is anything by Ang Lee. Crouching Tiger won all kinds of awards, but I just couldn't bear watching it. I've always liked Chow Yun-Fat (not John Woo, but that's a different story) and was looking forward to those graceful, flying fight scenes. Plus I rather enjoy subtitled foriegn films so I thought it was a good idea. Man was I wrong. I spent the first hour trying to figure out which character was which because they all had the same haircut. Then, when I think the movie is about over... nope... they just got to the desert... two more hours to go.
Lee's version of The Hulk was an even bigger disappointment to me. The movie had excellent special effects, that's for sure. The comic has been around for years and has always been about a guy that gets angry and big and green, then tears stuff up. Pretty simple concept. The movie, however, was a love story. It was centered more around Jennifer Connelly's character than the Hulk. That just ruined it for me... and that's not even counting the editing.

I could ramble on about this for days, and probably make a lot of enemies in the process. However, I think it would be a good idea to stop for now :).

[Frank Granovski]

I love a real bad movie, one that's so stupid that it is comical, or that puts one to sleep. :-))

Which one? Er, 80% of them, though Mystery Science Theater 3000 had the best of them, plus the peanut gallery. :-))

[Aaron Koolen]

I say (like *everyone* I know who has seen it) Matrix 3 was a big pile of dogs poo. It was so boring. I'm over that stylistic combat style, and they did hardly anything new as far as SFX go. Story was weak and I just don't buy the ending at all. I felt ripped off. What? The machine made a deal with the people....Oh yeah - ok. Maybe they'll explain it in Matrix 4,5 and 6...Cause I'm sure they'll do another trilogy.

For those who want to see a movie that's come out in the last several years that actually has a new and exciting form of fight scene, get out "Equilibrium" the final fight in the movie is worth getting it for. Refreshing stuff - and it's a good movie too.

5th element is another of my bad picks. It's been a long time since I've seen it but I remember that whole 'Love saves the world' thing which I thought was just stupid (And no, I'm not an anti love story film person, I actually really like good love stories) And I felt the costumes were just a bunch of art wank - who did them? Can't remember his name now but some famous designer.

I'm stopping here too..... ;)

Aaron

[Christopher C. Murphy]

I'm going to say anything that has unmotived camera moves and horrible CG.

I saw a movie called, "Blackwood" (Michael Pare is in it as a sheriff) the other night. It was HORRIBLE on so many levels. The DP did handheld and made lots of camera moves for no good reason. Even my girlfriend was like, "What the hell is up with all the movment?" She never comments on that stuff.

If you can watch the scene in Blackwood when their in the basement and the main actor is on trial...it's so bad that I couldn't turn it off! Is that good or bad?

Murph

[Robert Knecht Schmidt]

Titanic. A Beautiful Mind.

(For the latter, see also, if you can find it, Milan Paurich's review "Nash Rambler" from the Cleveland Free Times. Zingers from that one include "Since no one bothered revoking Howard’s Directors Guild membership after last year’s abysmal Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we’re treated to this latest turkey, possibly the most inept, and certainly the most offensive, of his career" and "...[Jennifer] Connelly channeling Demi Moore at her most tremulous...")

[Federico Dib]

<<<-- it's so bad that I couldn't turn it off! Is that good or bad?
Murph -->>>

I´d like to comment on this a bit..

I saw this movie in the paralel showcase of Sitges Fantastic Movie Festival.
It´s a Filipinian movie from the 80´s called:

"She-man: Mistress of the Universe"...

It´s some weird parody of He-Man... but in a small shore town in Filipines... with a lot of transvestites, weird gags, and even weirder actors.. with very-very low budget FX... and very 80´s look... you get the picture..

It even has a weirdest storyline...
The thing had no subtitles (I don´t speak Filipino)... the sound was horrible and it was projected on a crappy ultra low-res screen.. I think it was probably downloaded from the internet..

But for some reason I couldn´t stand up and leave (it was free entrance too)...
This festival has a lot of horror flicks.. but this comedy gave more nightmares than when I saw the exorcist at 8.

From almost every point of view this is a Bad movie... but It´s going to stick in my mind forever...

For example... ask me If I remember something from Mission Impossible.... well there was Tom Cruise, and I had fun at the theatre.. but nothing more..

So I guess it´s like a circle... if a movie is so bad.. that they actually had to make a big effort to do it like that.. then it comes around and it´s not bad at all, because you are getting entertained.. isn´t that what most of the films are looking to do anyway?

(Hey.. like my beer philosophy?)

[Christopher C. Murphy]

Federico,

You are so right! I believe the same thing - some of the most memorable experience at the movies were with bad movies.

My friends and I use to get roaring drunk before going into "bad" movies...like chick flicks. Just for fun we'd go in and cause trouble. I know that was bad...and on here I posted that I was going to try and stop that behaviour. But, hey...I was only 15!

Murph

[Marco Leavitt]

The Waterboy. I actually like Adam Sandler, but man. There's like three jokes in that whole movie.

[Dylan Couper]

The Deer Hunter...
It won best friggen picture?!? WTF!?! My DVD fast forward button almost wore out. By the time they got to the russian roulette scene, I was ready to play along!

The worst part is that I bought this steamer on DVD. Anyone want to trade???

[Rob Lohman]

I actually liked the whole Matrix trilogy, especalliy since I started
reading more into all kinds of stuff. I didn't like all of it, but mostly
I did.

Aaron: I have the same with the 5th element. Everybody seems
to like it. Except for me (well, us then, heh).

Oh oh... I also really disliked eXistenZ and the Thirteenth Floor
(now that I'm talking about SF anyway), wow that was bad.

[Dylan Couper]

Oh yeah, I nearly forgot my most hated movie of all time...
Daredevil
Ugh! Even typing it makes me want to hurl...

[John Hudson]

Anything by Kubrick. I'm sorry; I never have gotten it.

Anything by John Woo; I mean, I like a few of the films for film sake, but overall, I can't believe this guy is a succesful director. His action scenes remind me of The A Team.

The Matrix films; don't hate it, definatley don't love it. Just not as wowed as everyone else I guess. It's okay, and that's it.

Anything by Renny Harlin; see John Woo comment above.

Anything by Robert Rodriguez; I know, props to El Mariachi and the success story; but I think he is sooooooooo overrated.

Kevin Smith; I love his films in terms of dialog, but think he can't direct his way out of a paper hat. I think he is a kick arse screenwriter, but should stick to writing.

[Federico Dib]

I´ll jump in again...
What´s up with Gangs of New York? I mean where is the hour that is missing?

Big dissappointment... I like very much every Martin´s movies I´ve seen.
I like Daniel Day Lewis... I´d like to direct him some time..
I like Di Caprio... (yes I think he is a very good actor)..
I even liked Cameron Diaz in this one...

But where the F@#% is the rest of the movie? There has to be more somewhere..

Well I hope they come up with a special Extended-Director´sCut version soon...

[Steve Nunez]

Big Fish

...didn't like it- plain and simple!