Thread: Over rated films?

Films you've watched that you think are over rated.

A recent one for me: A few days, ago I settled down to the DVD of Pan's Labyrinth, the critics telling me that it was the best film of 2006 and my brother telling me it was fantastic and awesome.

Not so. Two isolated storylines - one dramatic, well-acted but at the same time problematic and with under-explored characters (that is, the Fascists vs Reds) and the other (the Labyrinth) surreal for no good reason, with only the faintest touches of genius (Pale Man, a great sequence with no consequence or point whatsoever), very little reason or rhyme, and it flows about as well as bitumen, stopping and starting every now and then for another inconsequential micro-adventure with the same tired motifs (excl. Pale Man). And they only touch at the very end, almost without effect.

Being left with half-and-a-bit of a film (and the "bit" being the mess that is the fantastical aspects of the film) resulted in a very dissapointed viewer.

Kill Bill volume 1 and 2. Yes I went there Seriously though, I found it a bit boring. The action in the first was ok I'll give it that but every thing else was just boring for me. I didn't like Tarretino's style with the red light and siren like music in the background.

Volume 2 was more boring, little action, loads of talking about nothing. Not my cup o' tea. Although Bill's speach about super heroes and Superman was interesting, I appreciated that.

^^^What? You're crazy! Those were great!

My most recent disapointment was "I Am Legend". Crappy special effects and complete destruction of the original story, which was the original zombie story.

My most recent good surprise was "Beowulf". I'm just sorry I missed it at the theater now (in 3-D! )

Originally Posted by Moonbeam

My most recent disapointment was "I Am Legend". Crappy special effects and complete destruction of the original story, which was the original zombie story.

I agree about the special effects, but in the novel they are regarded as vampires, not zombies!

Originally Posted by theyearthreethousand

I agree about the special effects, but in the novel they are regarded as vampires, not zombies!

Yea, they only come out at night, more like vampires. He didn't know the significance of the genre that he was inspiring.

And the vampires in Thirty Days of Night were more like zombies. That movie was pretty good tho, except for the basic premise--I know a long night would be attractive to vampires, but surely more populated places would make up for that.

Originally Posted by Identity X

Films you've watched that you think are over rated.

A recent one for me: A few days, ago I settled down to the DVD of Pan's Labyrinth, the critics telling me that it was the best film of 2006 and my brother telling me it was fantastic and awesome.

Not so. Two isolated storylines - one dramatic, well-acted but at the same time problematic and with under-explored characters (that is, the Fascists vs Reds) and the other (the Labyrinth) surreal for no good reason, with only the faintest touches of genius (Pale Man, a great sequence with no consequence or point whatsoever), very little reason or rhyme, and it flows about as well as bitumen, stopping and starting every now and then for another inconsequential micro-adventure with the same tired motifs (excl. Pale Man). And they only touch at the very end, almost without effect.

Being left with half-and-a-bit of a film (and the "bit" being the mess that is the fantastical aspects of the film) resulted in a very dissapointed viewer.

The storylines weren't isolated at all. It was a war story first and foremost. The girl just happened to be stuck somewhere that had no place for her, and she was forced to retreat deeper and deeper into her fantasy world. The contrasts and parallels between the two was amazing!

Originally Posted by NeAvO

Kill Bill volume 1 and 2.

Oh come on! Chicks fighting with swords!!! What more could you possibly want? And that flashback in the coffin to her training in episode 2 was brilliant.

Yeah I agree that the parallels between the fantasy and real world in Pan's was awesome.

I thought Narnia was way too overrated. Kill Bill 2 was boring.

I couldn't get thru Narnia either--book or movie.

I don't see how anyone could not like the Kill Bill series.

But anyway - I think I said it before, but - I think Borat was way over-rated.

Originally Posted by The Cusp

The girl just happened to be stuck somewhere that had no place for her, and she was forced to retreat deeper and deeper into her fantasy world.

But it wasn't her "fantasy world" was it? It was real, as evidenced by the sudden reaction to the mandragora burning. If it was really her fantasy world, one could almost forgive the disunity of the whole thing... but as it is not, the two halves should have been integrated better.

Come on, you have to admit that her "quests" had no consequence whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Taosaur

Anchorman--I heard a lot of praise on this movie, and it had its laughs, but nothing to make it stand out.

I agree.

Originally Posted by Identity X

But it wasn't her "fantasy world" was it? It was real, as evidenced by the sudden reaction to the mandragora burning. If it was really her fantasy world, one could almost forgive the disunity of the whole thing... but as it is not, the two halves should have been integrated better.

Come on, you have to admit that her "quests" had no consequence whatsoever.

while I can see how you would think this...the quests did have consequence. The first one, sure was only emotional with her mom. The second, two of the fairies got eaten and so she failed and could have lost the chance to go home permanently. The last one....she risked her life to take her brother, drew the captain away from the battle field and because she took the child, she was killed by the captain. Each quest had greater consequences than the last.

I do, however agree that they should have shown more fantasy, I would have liked that a lot