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'The 10 Most Overrated Films of All Time'

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Window

Member
But what about the composition and the lighting in those shots, specifically?

I didn't care much for Skyfall but I don't understand why someone has to explain why something 'looks pretty' to prove that it is indeed visually appealing to them. It may not use imagery to convey a greater meaning via good composition but it can still look prettier than most other films (which Skyfall does) and that can be an appealing quality in itself.

Also I can't say I agree with half the things listed but saying Om Shanti Om is a better alternative to Slumdog greatly reduces the value of the author's opinion for me.
 
I wasn't talking about giving movies arbitrary scores or even this article in particular, but about people who generally try to refute criticism simply saying stuff along the lines of "people have different opinions".
Criticizing a film with the word "overrated" is definitely bad, it's basically "my opinion > yous" in disguise, that's why people generally don't like this kind of stuff.

For example, this:
Oh, I forgot about The Hurt Locker. Now that was an overrated piece of shit.
Even though I don't like the movie, but I would still say this a bad way to criticize a film. And the author of the article is hardly any better, he sure did use a lot of adjectives to shit on films he didn't like, some films' criticism aren't even criticism, and the whole article is giving off "people love them so I dare not speak ill of them at first"-rant vibe, look at the first half of Inception's, what the hell is that?
 
It would have served them better to name the article "Here Are Some Films We Think Are Overrated" rather than "The 10 Most Overrated Films of All Time". Such impetuosity on the presentation level discredits their authority on the matter and does a disservice to what I actually think is a thoughtful and well argued piece overall.
 

xbhaskarx

Member
Decent list, I agree with almost all of it. As a Kurosawa fan I hate to say it but Ikiru isn't that great. I expected to see The Usual Suspects or American Beauty on the list...

Videodrome (David Cronenberg, 1983)

WTF Videodrome is brilliant, list ruined... long live the new flesh!
 

AHA-Lambda

Member
I definitely don't agree with The Departed, come on.

Personally I will echo the 2001 complaints and also add in Blade Runner.

LOL wat?

Skyfall? Really? Who overrates that? It's a middle of the road film in a 23 film series.

Some people were calling it the best bond ever at the time.

But yeah, it'd be struggling to push above decent.
 

marrec

Banned
A lot of twitchy kids with add that can't sit through a slow paced movie who regular a video game website? No, way, couldn't be that... the movie must just be worse than we think.
The only thing more boring than 2001 is the people who think they are better for thinking such a boring movie is amazing.
 
Skyfall, while I still enjoy it, was hampered by too many winks celebrating the film franchise's 50th anniversary, along with shuffling the more interesting operative exposure plot to make it personal and about M by the end. While I think "overrated" is a dumb, narcissistic concept, overrated "of all time?" I don't think so.

Didn't enjoy Inception as much as its overall reception, but still a pretty solid film. I honestly barely remember Summer 2010 in terms of films except this one and Iron Man 2 (meh). Same with Slumdog Millionaire -- beautifully shot, great soundtrack, didn't do much else for me, but I don't consider its overall reception invalid.
 

munchie64

Member
The only thing more boring than 2001 is the people who think they are better for thinking such a boring movie is amazing.
I don't think I'm better for thinking it's amazing. I just think it's amazing. And entertaining. And that it has an awesome plot.
 

- J - D -

Member
Schattenjäger;108928635 said:
I always had a problem with The Departed as it's only Infernal Affairs with Boston accents

It's not, actually. There's a rift of differences between the character dynamic between the two lead undercover cops. I'd go as far as to say that not only do people who draw direct comparisons between The Departed and Infernal Affairs miss the point of the latter, Scorsese's film does as well.

It's the one film on that list in the op that I agree with its inclusion, completely.
 

marrec

Banned
I don't think I'm better for thinking it's amazing. I just think it's amazing. And entertaining. And that it has an awesome plot.

Well you didn't attack people who criticized the film for being 'twitchy kids' or insinuate that Michael Bay is perhaps more their speed. You think it's great, I don't think it's great, we can disagree without resorting to boring ad hominem attacks.

I agree, it needs more explosions and chase scenes.

Translation:

"Have you ever seen 2001.... ON WEED?"
 
I find Braveheart to be an overrated overglorious patriot movie. Wallace is like a Jesus in the movie or some sort of messiah, historical movies should be weary of over mytholigificalaisting a main historical figure
 

munchie64

Member
Well you didn't attack people who criticized the film for being 'twitchy kids' or insinuate that Michael Bay is perhaps more their speed. You think it's great, I don't think it's great, we can disagree without resorting to boring ad hominem attacks.
Yes but the problem is that overrated can easily be used as an insult. Saying that the masses are stupid or sheep or pretentious for thinking something is good while a single person disagrees.
 

watershed

Banned
The only one I disagree with is Ikuru. The only point the article objects to is its supposed subtly. So okay, its not subtle. That doesn't take away from the rest of its greatness.
 
Criticizing a film with the word "overrated" is definitely bad, it's basically "my opinion > yous" in disguise, that's why people generally don't like this kind of stuff.

I edited. I think many of those who use that term are talking out of their asses; it all depends on the reasons for which they feel that way (as I said in my original reply).

"Have you ever seen 2001.... ON WEED?"

I have, and well...
 
It's one of the most technically impressive movies of all time, which makes it extremely important. In every other way though it's a mediocre Kubrick film.



The Third Act, while having a strong start (and the only interesting character in HAL), is demolished by the Alien Hotel Space Baby epilogue. The first acts aren't near as offensive as the end of the film, though the length of time Kubrick spends focused on those monkey's comes close.

He almost takes 'Show Don't Tell' too far and shows us too much of what he's trying to tell us. About halfway through the opening act you understand what the filmmaker is trying to say, yet he's going to linger here for the next 20 minutes anyway for no discernible reason. The same could be said for every other long and lingering shot or plot element.

While I love 2001, I will agree that its pretty unyielding in its pace, but at least it's pretty upfront with you about it as literally the first five minutes is just a black screen with ominous music playing (this is even before the actual title card), so I feel its first scene puts me in the correct mindset about the pace of the movie but I could see it not working for everyone. As for HAL being the only interesting character in the third act, I always thought that was the point. Each segment has some entity evoling inot a higher form and in the third act thats HAL, so it made sence to be that he was more interesting and "human" than the actual humans.
 

demon

I don't mean to alarm you but you have dogs on your face
Full Metal Jacket should have ended at the end of basic training. The movie takes a huge nosedive after that point.

It's worth it for the cinematography during the battle scenes alone. It's fantastic.
 
The thing about 2001 is that you don't have to have ADHD to find it dull and boring. That's a very unfair insult that doesn't apply to the vast majority.

And it is completely possible to deliver an intelligent, contemplative, and immersive scifi movie while actually having good pacing. Just watch Contact, or the first two thirds of Sunshine. It doesn't have to be just the two extremes of either 2001 or... a Michael Bay movie.
 

demon

I don't mean to alarm you but you have dogs on your face
I have ADD and I love 2001. It's a work of artistic genius. It's certainly not your typical movie though.


Agreed about Inception, what a turd.
 
Million Dollar Baby is such a good movie. It was so well received when it first came out, now all of a sudden it's overrated, and now because a list says so, everyone jumps on the bandwagon to sound cool and hip.
 
The thing about 2001 is that you don't have to have ADHD to find it dull and boring. That's a very unfair insult that doesn't apply to the vast majority.

And it is completely possible to deliver an intelligent, contemplative, and immersive scifi movie while actually having good pacing. Just watch Contact, or ALL of Sunshine. It doesn't have to be just the two extremes of either 2001 or... a Michael Bay movie.

fixed.

But seriously I love everything about Sunshine, EVERYTHING.
 

Real Hero

Member
The actual most overrated films: The Shawshank Redemption. Batman Begins. The Dark Knight. Every super hero film ever made. Shindler's List. Saving Private Ryan. Forrest Gump. The Green Mile. Tom Hanks. Aliens. Titanic. Good Will Hunting. Dead Poets Society. The Artist. Les Miserables. The Kings Speech.
 

DocSeuss

Member
The thing about 2001 is that you don't have to have ADHD to find it dull and boring. That's a very unfair insult that doesn't apply to the vast majority.

And it is completely possible to deliver an intelligent, contemplative, and immersive scifi movie while actually having good pacing. Just watch Contact, or the first two thirds of Sunshine. It doesn't have to be just the two extremes of either 2001 or... a Michael Bay movie.

Contact was a truly amazing experience. I've never watched a movie that did to me the things that Contact did, and I'm still not sure what it did. What struck me the most was that it was amazingly optimistic and compassionate, in a way that a lot of sci-fi fails to be.

fixed.

But seriously I love everything about Sunshine, EVERYTHING.

I dunno, that "SO THE RELIGIOUS GUY IS CRAZY" thing was kinda dull, I thought. Felt forced into the script by the studio, and didn't seem to match the tone of the movie, especially because the journey to the sun feels like a religious experience itself.

The actual most overrated films: The Shawshank Redemption. Batman Begins. The Dark Knight. Every super hero film ever made. Shindler's List. Saving Private Ryan. Forrest Gump. The Green Mile. Tom Hanks. Aliens. Titanic. Good Will Hunting. Dead Poets Society. The Artist. Les Miserables. The Kings Speech.

Even as a cinephile, I greatly enjoyed The King's Speech. And also Aliens.
 
fixed.

But seriously I love everything about Sunshine, EVERYTHING.

I really felt betrayed by that third act. Up til that point, I felt like the movie was doing everything right and could've been the best scifi movie ever made in the last... say, 10 or 15 years. The weight of responsibility and consequences of the mission... you could feel all of that conveyed through the actors and their interactions. It really did feel realistic and true to life, which is such a breath of fresh air with Hollywood movies. It's a real shame that the third act crashed and burned and didn't keep with the realistic tone.

Oh, and Moon's another great scifi movie with good pacing. It's not moving at a breakneck pace, but it keeps you invested and intrigued. There's a rich human element to latch onto and it's not just a dull lifeless experience like 2001.
 
I dunno, that "SO THE RELIGIOUS GUY IS CRAZY" thing was kinda dull, I thought. Felt forced into the script by the studio, and didn't seem to match the tone of the movie, especially because the journey to the sun feels like a religious experience itself.

Its probably the most jarring tonal shift I've seen in a movie, but I guess I've watched it so many times that I've grown to accept it. It didn't strike me as a move by the studio( don't know if it was or not) just danny boyle wanking off to his own kinetic style.
 
And it is completely possible to deliver an intelligent, contemplative, and immersive scifi movie while actually having good pacing.
Define pacing, please? I found all four acts thoroughly engaging and hypnotizing, from beginning to end. The tone of the movie was consistent throughout and it remained faithful to its theme to the very end.
 

Parch

Member
I think that list is fair. Not that they're bad films, but the ones I've seen were just meh to me. Nothing especially memorable or anything I'd want to watch again. When I see the list of award nominations then I can agree that these could be considered overrated.

For some of the other movies mentioned in this thread, they might not be favorites but they are definitely memorable.
 

Aurongel

Member
Apparently no one's allowed to have differing opinions anymore, we must use whatever hyperbolic language possible to convince others that our subjective view of something is correct.
 
The thing about 2001 is that you don't have to have ADHD to find it dull and boring. That's a very unfair insult that doesn't apply to the vast majority.

And it is completely possible to deliver an intelligent, contemplative, and immersive scifi movie while actually having good pacing. Just watch Contact, or the first two thirds of Sunshine. It doesn't have to be just the two extremes of either 2001 or... a Michael Bay movie.

But slow pacing isn't inherently bad. Breaking Bad for instance, I don't think I would have been half as connected to the characters without seeing all those slow moments.
Still, there are some people who can't accept it under any circumstances though. Maybe I can learn to accept their point of view, but these are still oppinions that need to be ignored, not pedestaled, at least from where I'm sitting.
 

Stet

Banned
Oh, and Moon's another great scifi movie with good pacing. It's not moving at a breakneck pace, but it keeps you invested and intrigued. There's a rich human element to latch onto and it's not just a dull lifeless experience like 2001.

What a weird thing to say, considering how frequently Moon and 2001 were compared for their similar pacing.
 

big ander

Member
we'd be better off as a culture if every writer who sincerely spends time making "overrated/underrated" value judgments was rendered illiterate

it's perfectly fine to talk about how/why you diverge from popular opinion on a work. that can lead to interesting writing. but the second you make your main point "here are the areas where everyone else is wrong, and my unique little superior goddamn snowflake of taste preferences is right" you are irrevocably garbage
 

FStop7

Banned
I find this an agreeable list.

Casino Royale - an awesome reboot of James Bond's backstory. The board's been cleared and everything has been reset. We're through the exposition in the neatest way possible. This is gonna be a great run!

Quantum of Solace - OK, so... this is SPECTRE, right? We're setting up for that. What is Quantum? What was up with the mustache twirling Latin American dictator - that guy was straight out of Roger Moore era Bond. And still even more exposition? OK. NOW that this is over it's time for James Bond to be James Bond, right?

Skyfall - MORE exposition? More Bond and M Show? Wait, we JUST got through establishing Bond as a brand new Double 0 agent who's finally found his path and now the movie is all about how he's old and washed up? What the fuck? How does that even make any sense?

It's been a shitshow.
 
But slow pacing isn't inherently bad. Breaking Bad for instance, I don't think I would have been half as connected to the characters without seeing all those slow moments.
Still, there are some people who can't accept it under any circumstances though. Maybe I can learn to accept their point of view, but these are still oppinions that need to be ignored, not pedestaled, at least from where I'm sitting.

Yeah, but Breaking Bad has those human characters that you like and grow attached with and root for. They're relateable and human and have emotions. You recognize their verbal tics and flaws and gradually gain insight into who they are.

The humans in 2001 might as well be robots. Kubrick (intentionally) drains them of all emotion and humanity and personality. You watch them scrapping microwaved pudding off of their space tray and you wonder why you're spending your life watching this.
 
The humans in 2001 might as well be robots. Kubrick (intentionally) drains them of all emotion and humanity and personality. You watch them scrapping microwaved pudding off of their space tray and you wonder why you're spending your life watching this.

Thats virtually every Kubrick movie post Strangelove

(The robot, lifeless part, not the this is boring part)

You don't really come to a Kubrick move for complex human emotion and warmth.
 

Aurongel

Member
The whole point of 2001's human characters is that they were supposed to be more artificial than HAL by the end of the film. When HAL is being shutdown, he expresses fear in a way that none of the human characters do.
 
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