I am Jack's profound sense of disappointment
Liking a movie that other people hated can be fun.
You can feel as if you've understood a clever joke or deciphered a complex formula that left others scratching their heads. Sometimes it can even help define your personality. I am somehow pleased that I loved A.I. while other people despised it. And consider yourself judged if you thought Groundhog Day was repetitive.
But disliking (or simply liking less) a film that others enjoy usually leaves me feeling sour, especially if it's a cultish movie that my close friends admire. I keep wondering if I've missed something, or even if I should watch it again. So here are 10 movies - many of which I've enjoyed - that I can't seem to get my head around. People who love these films can feel free to extol their virtues. I'm all ears, unless you like Fight Club.
10) Citizen Kane (***1/2)
I think Orson Welles' masterpiece is a great film. It doesn't step wrong. But I have hard time with its perpetual spot atop the list of the world's greatest films. Welles introduced many new filmmaking techniques - or at least was the first to use them in a successful film - but, free from that context, I have a hard time seeing it as any better than, say, The Third Man, or Singin' in the Rain, or Rashomon, three films I enjoy more.
9) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (***)
I love Monty Python, too, but it's beyond me why this is the film everyone quotes, when Life of Brian is superior in almost every way. Life of Brian has better production values, a more cohesive story, a more satisfying ending, and full frontal nudity. Of course, those things are largely irrelevant to a Monty Python fan, who just wants some sublime silliness. But Life of Brian is better on that count, too. The Latin conjugation scene in Brian is funnier than anything in Holy Grail.
8) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (**1/2)
Tolkien lovers seem to enjoy this movie the most of the three. I like it the least. I found it far too episodic, occasionally confusing, and generally unsatisfying. It's also the only film of the three in which the extended DVD footage isn't an improvement (the Fellowship seems to spend an entire generation in the elfin forest). I do like it better as part of the 10-hour überfilm, though.
7) Braveheart (*1/2)
Bad, bad, bad. Worst best-film Oscar winner ever? I haven't come close to seeing them all, but yes. When Mel started to quiver at the end, I was sinking into my chair with embarassment. "Freedom!" he cried, and I took his advice and fled from the King Square cinema as quickly as I could. I still believe this film is why they tore that theatre down.
6) Miller's Crossing (**1/2)
A Finnish friend here in Austria practically demanded that I see this. So we watched it together, and I was overcome with a strong feeling of "Sneh." It's fine, but it's mostly a Coen brothers style piece. I'd rather watch Blood Simple. There was nothing about the dialogue, the acting, or the plot that made me think it was special. And the ambiguity of the protagonist - he seems to have no motivation beyond keeping his hat - wasn't offputting, but neither was it as intriguing as some people apparently find it. Mr. Marshall, can you help me out here?
5) Some Like it Hot (**1/2)
Constantly billed as the best comedy of all time, I enjoyed it but barely laughed. Maybe I was too young when I saw it (I was roughly 20). And the much-lauded last line isn't THAT good.
4) Blade Runner (**)
This is probably the one I feel worst about. Science fiction. Harrison Ford. Production design that's been mimicked by every future-Earth film since. And for some reason, when I watch it - I can't explain it, don't judge me - I fluctuate between annoyed and bored. Maybe I should read the story.
3) Shawshank Redemption (**1/2)
This overlong, self-important Stephen King film has been near or at the top of the Internet Movie Database's fan favourites list forever. Why? There's nothing wrong with the film exactly, but do we really need 142 minutes to get the point, "Carpe Diem"?
2) Reservoir Dogs (**1/2)
If this had been a short film - like TV short - it would have been picture perfect. But, while it's unique, I don't find the dialogue nearly so interesting as most people do. And Tim Roth's miraculous rise from the dead, at a moment when he clearly would have no blood left in his body, made me groan. Easily my least favourite Tarantino film (Four Rooms aside, natch).
1) Fight Club (*1/2)
This film starts out fantastic, descends to great, then good, then fair, then bad, then ridiculous. And, whenever I think about the film, I like it even less. The don't-talk-about-it twist is just silly. But what really gets me is that the film seems to take its materialism-is-bad message seriously. Not that I couldn't get behind a film with that message, but
a) it's a Hollywood film starring two men who probably made at least $10-million; and
b) the suggested solution seems to be terrorism and, on a personal level, self-immolation.
Or maybe I'm missing the point.
Comments?
You can feel as if you've understood a clever joke or deciphered a complex formula that left others scratching their heads. Sometimes it can even help define your personality. I am somehow pleased that I loved A.I. while other people despised it. And consider yourself judged if you thought Groundhog Day was repetitive.
But disliking (or simply liking less) a film that others enjoy usually leaves me feeling sour, especially if it's a cultish movie that my close friends admire. I keep wondering if I've missed something, or even if I should watch it again. So here are 10 movies - many of which I've enjoyed - that I can't seem to get my head around. People who love these films can feel free to extol their virtues. I'm all ears, unless you like Fight Club.
10) Citizen Kane (***1/2)
I think Orson Welles' masterpiece is a great film. It doesn't step wrong. But I have hard time with its perpetual spot atop the list of the world's greatest films. Welles introduced many new filmmaking techniques - or at least was the first to use them in a successful film - but, free from that context, I have a hard time seeing it as any better than, say, The Third Man, or Singin' in the Rain, or Rashomon, three films I enjoy more.
9) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (***)
I love Monty Python, too, but it's beyond me why this is the film everyone quotes, when Life of Brian is superior in almost every way. Life of Brian has better production values, a more cohesive story, a more satisfying ending, and full frontal nudity. Of course, those things are largely irrelevant to a Monty Python fan, who just wants some sublime silliness. But Life of Brian is better on that count, too. The Latin conjugation scene in Brian is funnier than anything in Holy Grail.
8) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (**1/2)
Tolkien lovers seem to enjoy this movie the most of the three. I like it the least. I found it far too episodic, occasionally confusing, and generally unsatisfying. It's also the only film of the three in which the extended DVD footage isn't an improvement (the Fellowship seems to spend an entire generation in the elfin forest). I do like it better as part of the 10-hour überfilm, though.
7) Braveheart (*1/2)
Bad, bad, bad. Worst best-film Oscar winner ever? I haven't come close to seeing them all, but yes. When Mel started to quiver at the end, I was sinking into my chair with embarassment. "Freedom!" he cried, and I took his advice and fled from the King Square cinema as quickly as I could. I still believe this film is why they tore that theatre down.
6) Miller's Crossing (**1/2)
A Finnish friend here in Austria practically demanded that I see this. So we watched it together, and I was overcome with a strong feeling of "Sneh." It's fine, but it's mostly a Coen brothers style piece. I'd rather watch Blood Simple. There was nothing about the dialogue, the acting, or the plot that made me think it was special. And the ambiguity of the protagonist - he seems to have no motivation beyond keeping his hat - wasn't offputting, but neither was it as intriguing as some people apparently find it. Mr. Marshall, can you help me out here?
5) Some Like it Hot (**1/2)
Constantly billed as the best comedy of all time, I enjoyed it but barely laughed. Maybe I was too young when I saw it (I was roughly 20). And the much-lauded last line isn't THAT good.
4) Blade Runner (**)
This is probably the one I feel worst about. Science fiction. Harrison Ford. Production design that's been mimicked by every future-Earth film since. And for some reason, when I watch it - I can't explain it, don't judge me - I fluctuate between annoyed and bored. Maybe I should read the story.
3) Shawshank Redemption (**1/2)
This overlong, self-important Stephen King film has been near or at the top of the Internet Movie Database's fan favourites list forever. Why? There's nothing wrong with the film exactly, but do we really need 142 minutes to get the point, "Carpe Diem"?
2) Reservoir Dogs (**1/2)
If this had been a short film - like TV short - it would have been picture perfect. But, while it's unique, I don't find the dialogue nearly so interesting as most people do. And Tim Roth's miraculous rise from the dead, at a moment when he clearly would have no blood left in his body, made me groan. Easily my least favourite Tarantino film (Four Rooms aside, natch).
1) Fight Club (*1/2)
This film starts out fantastic, descends to great, then good, then fair, then bad, then ridiculous. And, whenever I think about the film, I like it even less. The don't-talk-about-it twist is just silly. But what really gets me is that the film seems to take its materialism-is-bad message seriously. Not that I couldn't get behind a film with that message, but
a) it's a Hollywood film starring two men who probably made at least $10-million; and
b) the suggested solution seems to be terrorism and, on a personal level, self-immolation.
Or maybe I'm missing the point.
Comments?
posted by The Beaver Examiner | 10:04 p.m.
3 Comments:
I wrestled with whether or not to give Kane four stars. But I had to be honest with myself. I refuse to excuse bad movies because of their context ("Well if you read the novelization you'd realize that the Hulk was actually thinking that . . .") so I couldn't give this good movie a perfect score because it didn't stay with me after I saw it. I watched it quite awhile ago, though. I was 21, I think. Time to watch it again, no doubt.
Cheers,
John
Definitely agree on Some Like It Hot. I watched it for the first time recently and had the same reaction - good movie, not much laughter. It may be one of those movies where you had to see it at the time, or have lived through that "simpler time".
An interesting bit. I haven't seen all the films listed here, but here are some reactions in general.
Citizen Kane -- found it boring all around. I'll appreciate it's historical significance or whatever, but that doesn't mean I find it interesting or entertaining.
Life of Brian / Holy Grail -- Sketch Comedy groups tend to make rather lousy movies.
Lord of the Rings -- I only ever saw the first movie--It was so incredibly long and boring I can't even begin to think about bothering with watching the second or third. I thought the book was really long and boring too though, to be fair.
Braveheart -- This is a good little hour and twenty minute film turned into a monstrosity.
Miller's Crossing / Blade Runner / Some Like it Hot -- I haven't seen any of these.
Shawshank -- This is one of my favorite films of all time. The dialogue and acting are fantastic. No, it isn't breaking any ground particularly, but I think it does a really good job of pulling you into that world and experiencing Andy's moments.
Res Dogs -- This is one of the movies I absolutely loved when I first saw, and I still like it, but not nearly as much as I did the first few times I saw it. I don't think it ages very well. Same for Pulp Fiction.
Fight Club -- I agree entirely with your comments regarding this film.
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