What HATED or highly disliked movie you ACTUALLY really enjoyed?
What HATED or highly disliked movie you ACTUALLY really enjoyed?
The reverse of that post I've made a week ago...
Rules: pick one movie or series and explain why you actually enjoyed it despite the criticism.
For me: The JJ Abrams Star Trek movies, by far the best ST stuff ever made, I couldn't take seriously the original universe with the dated effects and stiff acting, same goes for NG... These movies did ST actually great looking and much more believable, not just the effects.
For me: The JJ Abrams Star Trek movies, by far the best ST stuff ever made, I couldn't take seriously the original universe with the dated effects and stiff acting, same goes for NG... These movies did ST actually great looking and much more believable, not just the effects.
Just kidding... but not really.
Tank Girl, it got shit reviews when it came out, but has grown a cult following since then, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tank_girl
I am also partial to Dude Where’s My Car
You asked for one, but I've got two hills to die on, sorry.
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Solo: A Star Wars Story was a lot of fun and I thought it was a solid entry. I didn't really like the Sequels or Prequels, but Rogue One and Solo both stuck out as good titles to me.
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Lightyear was a good movie. I really enjoyed it and didn't really understand why it got so much flak.
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Matrix 2 & 3. I don't see, or watch, them as separate movies. Rather, together with Matrix 1, they form one big masterpiece for me. But I can see that it doesn't really fit the 100 minutes format audiences came to expect, and breaking it in three parts did not do it any good. Plus, I guess I'm just a fan of long movies as I've also sat through the original, restored "Until the End of the World," which runs for about 5 hours.
I really like Wild Wild West, I didn't watch it for forever because of how hated it is/was but thought it was actually funny and enjoyed the mix of steampunk and goofyness. Kevin Kline is always great.
I also like Jingle All the Way and watch it every few years, it's perfectly watchable until the very end when it collapses under a terrible CGI spectacle that just doesn't work
I love The Polar Express.
The most widely hated thing about it is the mocap. Not much to say here, I'm just straight-up not bothered by it. I think it looks fine. It's not incredibly expressive like a stylized animated film could be, but it doesn't look actively bad to me in any way.
The way the titular express inexplicably gains and loses rolling stock scene by scene and behaves in absurd ways like bending around the mountain are a common punchline. "BuT iT's A mAgIc TrAiN!!!" doesn't really solve it for me either. But on a casual viewing it's mostly inoffensive. A silly curiosity.
Some say the plot of the film spends too much time aimlessly noodling around and throwing in needless filler scenes. Meh. If you ask me that's where all the meat of the film is. The actual plot of the film has nothing interesting to say. "Kid doesn't believe in Santa. Magic Christmas hijinks ensue. Kid believes in Santa now. The end." Riveting. Nah, the so-called "filler" is absolutely the meal here.
The fact that the film literally has five named characters, and the main character isn't one of them is hilarious. To even get to that number you have to count both the Scrooge puppet and the kid who the elves were monitoring in a single scene as characters, and after that, one of the remaining three is Santa Claus. Just more weight to my point that the story doesn't matter, lmao.
Say what you will about the animation, but the cinematography is incredible. So many dynamic long-track camera shots from interesting angles. Especially whenever the steam locomotive is on screen. God, steam locomotives are so fucking cool. I don't even care that it's full of inaccuracies if you actually look up close. They put a lot of effort into it and that effort shows. It's quite the treat.
The set design of the North Pole is fantastic. It's admittedly kinda fucked that it's modeled after a real world Pullman company town, but I guess it's appropriate as a joke about the whole Santa's workshop thing while also incorporating a neat little nod to real life railroad lore. Beyond that, it's blindingly radiant of all that Victorian-era charm that most of the modern secular Christmas tradition is born from. The serene night snow amidst the rustic red brickwork illuminated by glowing amber gaslamps... augh, it's so aggressively cozy!
All the pneumatic and other steampunk-adjacent elf tech is a treat as well. The film is certainly no slouch in breathing its own unique spin of whimsy into Santa's toy factory. It's not the most whimsical out there, but it's definitely putting in work.
Alan Silvestri's score is phenomenal. It's all delightfully extra. Every single song in the film that's an original composition is a banger and every song that isn't an original composition for the film is part of that time-tested canon of hits from the 50s and 60s. I think a lot of people are fed up sick of the latter but, I dunno, I grew up listening to them on my Now That's What I Call Christmas CD, and to me their sound is synonymous with that warm, nostalgic holiday cheer I get from the season. Even if I don't get around to actually watching the movie, you know damn well I'm putting The Polar Express's soundtrack in my December shuffle.
Genuine S tier Christmas film. Well worth every single fault.
I personally liked Jamie Fox as Electro.
Cats (2019). The story is good, the music is good, the casting is good. People made it a huge meme cause of the CGI, but even that is pretty well done. It has a beautiful story, and if you're a pet lover like me, it really makes you emotional. Its also fucking insane. The entire time you watch it, you just go "people spent years of their life and millions to make this". Its a very surreal experience. I've also haven't met a person who has watched the movie and didn't like it.
To be fair, I haven't met anyone who has watched the movie
John Carter
Joker: Folie à Deux
If you’re not a Joker fanboy and have an open mind, this is a damn good film.
I like Ad Astra. People hate it because they view it as a shitty scifi with lots of plot holes, but I view it from the perspective of brad pitt is actually in therapy in hypnosis or whatever to address the issues he has with his father, and the movie is really the journey through his mind and all the roadblocks and barriers he's built up internally. Then the plot holes seem reasonable and less relevant.
Wild wild west. I wish to be entertained.
It's not hated, it's squarely in the middle of 'video game movies' (so probably lower than middle to the general public) but one of my favorite movies, far and away my favorite video game movie, is 'Rampage' with Dwayne Johnson and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
I can't fathom how anyone could not enjoy that flick.
I also genuinely enjoyed 'the crew' (2002?) which most people seem to dislike (it was around 15% on rotten tomatoes last I checked)
I thought Waterworld was fine.
I'm not even going to call it a guilty pleasure, but Josie and the Pussycats was a movie that I genuinely adored long before people started to appreciate it for the satire that it is.
As a CIS male I got endlessly mocked, but I stuck to my guns.
Jupiter Ascending. It was a low writing effort but big budget high fantasy with a slightly too perfect protagonist, "science" that makes absolutely 0 sense, and a cartoonishly evil villain just absolutely chewing the scenery which is pretty common, except most most of the time the protagonist is male. I loved seeing the equivalent of my 13 y/o mary sue fanfiction on a movie screen with a massive budget (edit: and channing tatum as her loyal dog consort-boyfriend). Just this once. More than that would get as tired just as quickly as the male equivalent. But just this once it was delicious. I have the poster framed actually, the real poster from the theater, my friend who worked there saved it for me.
So many. For an example, the Star Wars Sequels (and Prequels). I think they were fine. Okay, 8 dropped a bit and had a lot of bad moments, but altogether, they were enjoyable. I had fun watching them.
Are they Oscar worthy? No. Not at all, not by a long shot, but I had fun.
I think we as a society are way too polar, it's either good or bad, trash or perfect. I think we've lost sight that things can simply be good, or fun. I had fun watching those movies. I don't think Rise of Skywalker wasted my time. Could it have been better? Of course. Was the writing lazy? Definitely at times. Did I enjoy watching it? Yes.
Freddy Got Fingered! I laughed until my sides hurt. I don't even care for Tom Green's street material all that much, but that movie is hilarious and I will defend it.
It's batshit insane, the bits are infectious, and every scene is memorable as fuck. The soundtrack is insanely good as well. There's a theory that he didn't want to make this movie, and it's a giant middle finger to the studio. Not only do I believe this, but I think Tom Green really carried that bit all the way, making one of the most ridiculous comedies of all time.
I’m sure the films would have been far far far better received if they hadn’t completely trashed almost every single character trait that had been established over decades and decades of world building. He took an established ip and tore it to bits to make a film. If he’d have given the characters different names no one would’ve known it was a Star Trek film. The new films have literally no continuity with all that came before. I think that’s where the hate comes from.
Alien Covenant.
People talk about the characters being unrealistic, I think they're just different to movie characters and normal humans.
I really enjoyed the film.
I really like Alien: Covenant. Micheal Fassbender is fantastic in that movie.
Awesome cinematography, awesome vibe, awesome creatures and Aliens, and a fantastic ending.\It’s my second favorite Alien movie.
Okay, thanks to that statement the flamethrowers are gonna come out; let me explain:- Alien is a nigh untouchable masterpiece.
- Alien: Covenant
- Aliens is a good movie. I don’t quiet like it as much as an Alien-Movie and also am generally not that big of a fan as quite a lot of people seem to be.
- Alien Romulus. Okay, nice movie I guess. The are some plot holes like: How do they know Ridley threw the Xenomorph out of the airlock? She is still in Cryosleep. But generally quite enjoyable. Jumping Facehuggers are a nice touch.
- Prometheus. I also don’t dislike this one. Even though they got lost in the weeds on this one a bit.
- ……
- ……
- ……
- Alien 3: Bad.
- Alien Resurrection: Utter Garbag.
Oh, man, where to start. I mean, the Kelvin Trek movies are definitely not the best Trek, but I do enjoy all of them. But speaking of contrarian appreciation, I think most of Star Trek Discovery is also pretty solid, barring perhaps the very last season.
I'm partial to Lynch's Dune, too. Maybe I just got used to it over time?
In the least hip stance possible, I actually think there are very few bad Marvel movies and most are worth at least a cheerful watch (not you, Doctor Strange 2, you suck).
Joker 2 is amazing
The twilight movie series. I've watched the entire thing at least 3 times, still love it. Meme scenes aside, they're actually quite nice
10,000 BC. Pretty sure it got a raspberry or whatever for being the worst movie.
I dont know why people think it needs to be historically accurate or believe, its an adventure movie.
Such a fun adventure.
The fact I was eight years old when it was released may have had a bearing, but the Clone Wars movie.
I liked Madame Web.
I know in most places online that’s tantamount to saying you enjoy being mean to puppies & kittens, but I enjoyed the movie.
Why? Because of the precognition plot element. Was it as smooth & impressive as Knives Out? No, but I’m still glad I watched it.
In this thread: I'm mostly finding people I feel I need to add to my "no longer like them" list for irreconcilable differences.
I'm having a hard time deciding what qualifies as "HATED" or highly disliked.
A lot of people hated Edge of Tomorrow because Tom Cruise. But I am actually quite fond of the movie.
A lot of people hate Apocolypto, and it's objectively a terrible movie from a historical as well as moral/ethical perspective, I don't disagree there. But at the end of the day it is entertaining if you can turn your brain off.
The movie "Stay" got some really bad reviews. I was absolutely blown away by it and it is one of my favourite movies of all time.
There is an often panned movie starring Robin Williams called Club Paradise. It's not a good movie but it's a fantastic feature length SNL skit.
Norm MacDonald's Dirty Work is actually pretty funny.
Terminator Genesys. It's loathed by terminator fans for a variety of reasons and I won't defend any of the writing or casting decisions, but I do give it credit for trying to do something new with the story and time aspect. I think it could have been a lot better if they took a bit more time with it and recast a few characters, but overall it's a popcorn flik to me, turn your brain off and enjoy.
TV, but same idea...
I didn't particularly hate Dexter season 5. The later seasons were worse, and of course it doesn't hold a candle to season 4... But I just don't get the flat out hate. It was fine, and I kinda liked it.
The Lone Ranger (2013). Yeah it's at least a half hour longer than it should have been but I thought it was a fun movie
The Prince of Persia movie. Also God's of Egypt.
I honestly thought Morbius was a breath of fresh air for ditching the "Self-aware, meta, woke!" trends that MCU was chasing and just told a dark transhumanist story with super heroish themes.
Like I'd rather watch Morbius again than most of the MCU films made Post-End Game.
And Warcraft really wasn't a bad movie at all, it was just bitten by the "Anything that is in the Fantasy Genre is automatically a LOTR ripoff!" bug that had been going around for awhile.
If it had came out around the time when audiences stopped caring about what critics think (Sonic's 2020 film seems to be where that started), it would have done a lot better (Sonic leading the way for video game movies being taken seriously also would have helped)...
Hell if Warcraft (2016) had come out in 2020, that would have been after Blizzard's fall from grace ("Don't you guys have phones? No? Time to shit all over the WoW lore and ruin Overwatch then!"), meaning that people would probably
Finally, I'm still firmly in the camp that in 10 years people will come around on the sequels like they did for the prequels (Last Jedi might still be considered the "Not as good" one admittedly). I can't say the same about the various "Franchise fatigue? What's that?" shows that Disney
keptkeeps greenlighting though."Alcolyte was a good show, but no one saw it? Damn, time to release Skeleton Crew I guess!"
Wouldn't say really enjoyed, but Cats didn't deserve the hate it got. I saw it with my (then) girlfriend about five years ago when Frozen 2 was sold out and we had the choice of seeing this, Star Wars Episode IX, or Jumanji: The Next Level instead. We chose Cats.
I'm gonna ignore the elephant in the room that's the atrocious CGI, and say that Tom Hooper didn't do a terrible job besides that. Most of the movie adaptations of each song were at least on-par with the musical. 'Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats', 'Bustopher Jones' and 'Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat' were the three that stood out as the movie's best songs.
Only three songs were far worse than the musical, and they were big ones...
The Old Gumbie Cat was awful. Rebel Wilson absolutely butchered Jennyanydots by portraying her as a fat lazy glutton, complete with awful voice, awful ad-lib jokes thrown around the song and a part where she literally starts munching on CGI humanoid cockroaches marching around the dinner table. I mean... as much as I hate James Corden, he at least played the role of Bustopher Jones (a literal aristocratic fat-cat) really well, and unlike Wilson, his ad-libs were actually funny. I'd keep him in the cast, 100%.
The Rum Tum Tugger is another bad one. Jason Derulo's vocal performance was really weak, but I don't have much else to say about it.
Magical Mr Mistoffelees was the worst though. Hooper legitimately took the most iconic song from Cats and massacred it by portraying the titular musician who ultimately saves Old Deuteronomy as a nervous wreck. This is one that the Rum Tum Tugger should have sang, like in the original West End/Broadway musical. I got what he was trying to do with this decision but it just didn't work.
If I were in Tom Hooper's shoes, there are four things I'd change:
- Redo the CGI
- Replace Rebel Wilson with Lea Michele. She is probably one of the best actresses who could play Jennyanydots.
- Replace Jason Derulo with Brendon Urie. Imagine Panic! At The Disco's frontman singing the Rum Tum Tugger and Magical Mr Mistoffelees. 'Nuff said...
- Redo the three bad songs listed above to make them more like the musical.
Rat Race
Blonde
Jupiter's Ascending.. it was nice 👍
Caddo Lake
Hackers
The trailer park boys movies.
I had to look it up to remember the name, but Agent F.O.X. It's one of those cheapo 3D kids films (looks original instead of being a rip-off and actually looks good animation wise) that is cheesy. Sometimes it's good to watch B-rate 3D kids films so you can die of how cringe it is, despite from what I can remember the movie not being 100% cringe like 99% of all cheap 3D kids films (but still cringe).