Movies that will never be bad

[BloatedGuppy]

I had the complete opposite experience. Loved the movie, checked out the books, and they seriously seem like they were written by a fucking middle schooler. In the movie you get the vibe that you aren't really supposed to like scott, and nobody else really seems to like him all that much either, so even though the character is naive and obnoxious it feels like it's playing into a joke. In the books all the girls want to ride Scott's bologna pony and everyone but scott is gay, probably for scott. There's even a plotline where scott wrestles personal guilt over the fact that he's a muffin-level stud there's not enough of him to go around. The level of irony that made the character likable in the movie isn't there.

Goodness. This is rather like reading American Psycho and coming away with the perception that Patrick Bateman was portrayed as Citizen of the Year. Your interpretation of Scott is SO far from how he was actually portrayed I honestly don't know how to respond to this.

Yes, he's something of an accidental ladykiller in the books. He's charming and feckless. He's also an immature, narcissistic jerk and a completely unreliable narrator. Michael Cera's trademark gormless awkwardness and nebbishy hangdog appearance was a complete departure from his character. I'm having trouble thinking of an equivalent miscast. Maybe Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Loras Tyrell, or something. I dunno.

Also there's this really bizarre almost autistic fascination with certain trivial petty details. For example I remember they kept bringing up scott wearing sweatbands on his arms for no reason. It didn't go anywhere and it didn't build character or anything, they were just regular ass conversations, like "why do you wear those," "I dont know I kinda like em" type shit. And then they'd have another conversation later on like "I thought you were gonna stop wearing those" "oh, I guess I forgot."

This is part of the patter of the books. Ironically (in light of your complaint), much of it is brought across to the film verbatim, only the film fucks up the pacing and delivery. I'm not sure whether to blame this on Wright, or whether to attribute it to attempting to translate one medium into another and ending up with deadpan coming across as wooden.

They definitely gutted it but I think it sort of needed to be gutted. Though I guess with source material it doesn't matter. If people are drawn to it and you go a different direction with it, the same crowd might not have the same reaction.

What they ended up with was a vapid, painfully unfunny blow-by-blow of all Scott Pilgrim's superficial details (the video game/pop culture in jokes, the super powers and fight scenes, the laconic humor) and utterly missed the theme/plot. For fucks sake, the original draft for the film had him going back to fucking KNIVES, whom Wright has an inexplicable hard-on for. I can't even put into words how stupid that would've been.

 

[Rip Van Rabbit]

Lucky Number Slevin

Spoiler: Lucky Number Slevin Poster

I have no idea if it's critically acclaimed, considered trash or if it even has a cult following. I just love this movie for what it is!

The dialogue was witty, the film's mood would snap back and forth, the story is told in a unique fashion and it leads to such a satisfying conclusion.

Now I'm not bitter or anything, but how do you end up with the name "Slevin", because that is just so gosh darn awesome.

 

[Lieju]

I only recently found out that there's a lot of hate for Jurassic Park 2.

I loved the original, and it got me into paleontology, but even as a kid the theme of the responsibility of science or whatever made no sense to me.

Jurassic park 2 was more openly a silly adventure with evil people hunting dinosaurs and being mean and there being a lost world on an island and it still made no sense (how did the dinosaurs create a working ecosystem!?) but it was fun.

I have read the books, and they have their strong points, but a large part of the appeal was seeing the dinosaurs, so even if the books handle some of the themes better, I don't like them as much.

I think a lot of people are looking the original JP with nostalgia-goggles on. That's the only way I can explain why so many people have told me it's an intelligent movie.

Personally I liked The Fifth Element and Demolition Man. Objectively, they are both mediocre at best but I love them because they are so much fun.

I love the Fifth element. It might not have a whole lot of substance, but it's a fun ride.
Also I loved seeing the designs of Jean Giraud and Jean-Claude Mézières on the big screen. (I'm a big fan of both)

 

[jhoroz]

I dug the hell out of Back to the Future 3. I also preferred Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence over the original movie. It had more interesting ideas, and a plot that was difficult to follow, but in an entertaining way, that forced you to focus on every minor detail that was happening on screen. It had the same solipsistic, mind-screwey nature to the overall atmosphere and themes it was trying to convey that the first one did, and it even built upon it with that awesome segment where Batou and Togusa nearly got stuck in a lotus-eating machine.

Also, Batou replacing the major as the main protagonist was a solid decision and didn't detriment my enjoyment of the film at all. It gave off a very Deus Ex Human Revolution vibe in its animation style, which is ironic considering that game hadn't come out yet

 

[Norks]

Wait, you honestly mean ALL the Star Wars prequels? Including Phantom Menace and that crock of horseshit Attack of the Clones? Watch Redlettermedia's review of Phantom Menace, and then think again. Just throwing it out there.

Everyone's watched that review and they clearly don't give a damn. I don't, I love the prequels, even Attack of the Clones (Yoda fighting sith Christopher Lee? Yes please.).

Suckerpunch is one of my favourite all time movies.
Tron: Legacy was awesome and fun.
The second Matrix movie is my favourite of the series (dem fight scenes).
I didn't realise Kingdom of Heaven had any bad feeling towards it? It shouldn't. It's epic.
Or Fifth Element for that matter, I've always considered it a Sci-Fi must see.
Ang Lee version of Hulk, booyah.
Osmosis Jones, was witty creative and cute.
Away We Go was just goddamn transcendent.
The Men Who Stare At Goats was beautiful and hilarious.

 

[an annoyed writer]

I could probably list quite a few, but I'll keep it short.

The most recent example is Tron Legacy.

Now, here's the thing: I know it was bad. I freely admit that it was bad. I even make a point of saying it was bad when the film is brought up.

However, I loved the hell out of that movie. It easily made it's way onto my top ten list of my favorite films ever. And, no matter how "bad" someone tries to tell me it is, or how "dumb" they say I am for liking it, I won't change my mind.

Hear hear. Plus, the movie has some really brilliant aesthetics that know no rival. As dull as the plot is, it cannot seem to destroy the pure eye and ear candy that makes up the visuals and the reverberating beats of the soundtrack.

 

[Norks]

I forgot John Carter. John Carter was AMAZING.
Also Prometheus, I liked it. Deal with it.

 

[Tanis]

@leviticusd:
There was never a Tron remake.
Legacy was a sequel.

 

[an annoyed writer]

@leviticusd:
There was never a Tron remake.
Legacy was a sequel.

THANK. YOU. I was considering picking that nit myself, though I'm glad to see someone else beat me to it.

 

[solemnwar]

What they ended up with was a vapid, painfully unfunny blow-by-blow of all Scott Pilgrim's superficial details (the video game/pop culture in jokes, the super powers and fight scenes, the laconic humor) and utterly missed the theme/plot. For fucks sake, the original draft for the film had him going back to fucking KNIVES, whom Wright has an inexplicable hard-on for. I can't even put into words how stupid that would've been.

I believe that ending was because at the time the sixth book had not come out yet, and even the artist didn't know how he was going to end it (and was toying with the idea of Scott not getting either of the girls) so the director had him end up with Knives (they even shot it- it's on the DVDs). And then book 6 came out, and in the director's commentary he said he preferred Scott ending up with Ramona, considering he spent the whole movie fighting for her. There are a lot of people who would've preferred that he end up with Knives, though. I am not one of them however.

I still like the movie, and the books as well. There are some things in the books that didn't feel like they were explained properly, though. Like the Glow. Still have no fucking idea what it's supposed to symbolise or what the point of it was... and I've read the books multiple times. Oh well.


OT: Labyrinth. The one with David Bowie. I think it's great.

 

[Rob Robson]

Blade Runner, The Machinist and Memento spring to mind. Oh, and Primer, which being a movie made on a $6.000 budget should be mandatory watching for anyone in the movie industry.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I freaking love Doom. It's not only my favorite video game-inspired movie, but it's probably in my top 20 favorite movies ever.

 

[Darks63]

Predator 2: I love this movie it's a good action flick with the pred in a urban environment. Im really hoping that it gets a movie defense force ep as well since i cant understand why ppl hate on it so much.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

A lot of people have claimed Sucker Punch sucks to me. Those people are wrong, they have been wrong, and they will always be wrong.

Sucker Punch is great.

 

[Gizmo1990]

It's funny when we adjudicate a negative opinion to "the masses", as if Star Wars of all things needs to be defended. Revenge of the Sith made 850 MILLION on an 1/8th budget. Never mind if it was good or bad - I'd say the MASSES fucking LOVED that movie. Hell, Phantom Menace made over a BILLION. It's not an acquired taste, it's fucking Star Wars. I'll attack it as much as I want. If someone thinks they're in the minority because they liked those movies, think again. Star Wars is about as popular as breathing.

Now about "movies that will never be bad" - any cult classic that has been legitimized as good by the criticism. Citizen Kane will never be bad. Never mind if I like it or not, it cannot be bad AT THIS POINT because so many critics have jerked off to that movie. Idem Casablanca, Space Odyssey, Godfather, Taxi Driver, Star Wars, Raging Bull, E.T., Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction and Lord of the Rings. These movies canonized themselves as "good" and nothing's taking that away from them.

While I know alot of people really do like revenge of the Sith saying it made money so therefor they like it is wrong. I went to see it and did not like it yet the cost of my ticket went to that total. Just because people goto see a movie/buy a game does not mean they liked it.

Again I am not saying you are wrong about Star Wars I am simply saying that you cannot use profit as a reason to show how much people like something.

 

[Actual]

I freaking love Doom. It's not only my favorite video game-inspired movie, but it's probably in my top 20 favorite movies ever.

That's what I came here to say. DOOM was a movie I loved and I've never met another person (except on the internet) who liked it even a little. I think perhaps in part it's because people wanted a horror movie and it's not scary at all. It's just such a fun action movie and with Karl Urban and The Rock starring, plus all the well clichéd supporting characters it's hard not to find someone in it to like.

I also really like the Michael Keaton Batman movies. Now, these are quite widely loved but since the Cristian Bale trilogy I've been noticing a lot of people trash-talking the older movies, and this will not stand!

 

[Vigormortis]

I could probably list quite a few, but I'll keep it short.

The most recent example is Tron Legacy.

Now, here's the thing: I know it was bad. I freely admit that it was bad. I even make a point of saying it was bad when the film is brought up.

However, I loved the hell out of that movie. It easily made it's way onto my top ten list of my favorite films ever. And, no matter how "bad" someone tries to tell me it is, or how "dumb" they say I am for liking it, I won't change my mind.

Hear hear. Plus, the movie has some really brilliant aesthetics that know no rival. As dull as the plot is, it cannot seem to destroy the pure eye and ear candy that makes up the visuals and the reverberating beats of the soundtrack.

Say what you will about Joseph Kosinski's directorial skills in terms of actor directing, but damned if one can't deny the man has an eye for set design, world building, cinematography, and general aesthetics.

Tron Legacy was a hint at this. Oblivion cemented it as fact.

As an aside: How psyched are you that Kosinski and team are moving forward with the next Tron film?

 

[an annoyed writer]

Say what you will about Joseph Kosinski's directorial skills in terms of actor directing, but damned if one can't deny the man has an eye for set design, world building, cinematography, and general aesthetics.

Tron Legacy was a hint at this. Oblivion cemented it as fact.

As an aside: How psyched are you that Kosinski and team are moving forward with the next Tron film?

Agreed, with an addition: even the commercials he's directed are damn good. He won awards for this one:


As for the next Tron film, you bet your ass I'm psyched. That setting is one that's hard to get sick of, and if they bring back Daft Punk and Joseph Trapanese for the score, I'll at least be satisfied there.

 

[FalloutJack]

The Dark Knight Rises. Everybody keeps treating it like the idiot brother of an otherwise terrific series. Like it was a big disappointment. It wasn't to me. Sure enough, I found myself not "liking it as much" at the beginning. But over time it's grown on me. I quote the characters. I hum the music. I remember the scenes. I wanna see it again. As an epic, sweeping crime drama it was great.

'Everybody' must be a relative term, because we in Pittsburgh loved that movie. ('Course, they used our city and our football team, but it was also fecking GOOD.)

Ahh, there's too many movies to think of...

Clue will never be bad, or its cousin known as Murder By Death.

Most Mel Brooks movies will never be bad.

Frankly, alot of comedies by the old masters will never die.

Battleship may be varying mileage to other people, but I found it entertaining. It's hard to make a movie out of a boardgame, and Clue did it well because it's character-driven. Battleship has no characters in the game to draw upon. So frankly, for having nothing to work with but a hunk of plastic and electonics (and like 300 little pegs plus the ships), I call it good.

Outpost... Middle of nowhere off-limits zone, underground German lab, experimental equipment, and...undead Nazi soldier phantoms. I recommend this one to horror fans.

Tron will never die, nor Legacy.

Not to mention Lord of the Rings. That's just epic tale history, man.

 

[Salus]

Movies that I like that others tend not to like:

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace: I'm from the prequel generation, and I think many others like me who are now in their 20's are voicing their admiration for the prequels. I saw it when I was a kid and it had a huge influence on how I watch movies. Watching it as an adult I admit the writing is a let-down, the acting is often stiff and the entire tale lacks the gravity of the original trilogy, but I freaking LOVE how they fleshed out the Jedi Order, the lightsaber duel with Obi vs. Maul (one of the best fight scenes ever filmed IMHO), and the brilliance of the sound design, costuming and art direction. The makers of the prequels openly admit that George was making the movies for the kids, and I can't really overstate how much those movies fed my imagination while growing up.

Moulin Rouge: I think the common perception of this movie is that it's a chick flick with contemporary music to appeal to younger audiences. However, watch some interviews with Baz Luhrmann (the director) and you'll quickly find out how wrong that is. It did for me exactly what he intended... It was a movie which used present-day music to connect you with the (what was then perceived as) debauchery, seediness and deadly allure of the turn-of-the-century Paris underworld and Bohemian Revolution. The entire thing is NUTS, I have no idea how he convinced 20th Century Fox to give him the money to make it, but it just WORKS. It's one of the most exciting, original and moving movies I've seen.

The Great Gatsby: Maybe I'm just a sucker for Baz Luhrmann, but I think the extravagant party scenes, amazing performances from Leo, Carey and Elizabeth, and general quality make this a great movie. I don't think many directors can manipulate the emotions of longing, nostalgia, and intoxication like Baz. He really knows how to make the past come alive. As always his music has a deeper subtext, in his words, putting jazz in there would be "quaint" today so he used hip-hop, which is the new African-American music which AGAIN is criticized as devoid of artistic merit and a bad influence on our children.

Watchmen: I don't understand how people think this movie is bad. It's amazing. Zach Snyder did the best job he possibly could have in converting a super-dense graphic novel into 2 hours of film, and everything he changed, I feel was for the best (I have read the graphic novel). Yes, even the ending. I love Alan Moore but no-one is infallible, and the original ending was unfilmable anyway. The performances are AMAZING, the music is PERFECT, the art direction is FANTASTIC. Dr. Manhattan and Rorschach in particular were completely realized, straight from the panels of the novel. Perhaps the most elegant streamlining of an existing work I've ever seen on film. I find myself agreeing with every change made. Don't know why so many people weren't pleased.