Twenty Most Overrated Films of All Time: Part 1

Big Hollywood ^ | 03.13.11

[Perdogg]

This year was actually a good year for movies, as I’ve written repeatedly. The King’s Speech was great; so was Toy Story 3; Inception may go down as one of the most creative films of all time. The Fighter was excellent as well.

Then there were the overrated films. Black Swan was atrociously awful, another Aronofsky masterpiece of self-aggrandizing bullcrap. The Kids Are All Right was a TV movie masquerading as a prestige film because it was about lesbians. True Grit was a remake.

[Jeff Winston]

Yes, some of these take multiple viewings to really appreciate.

[boop]

Mel Brooks had his day. Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein were his peak. History of the World part 1, he was on the downslope. He’s done nothing of note in 30 years. I think he was funny because in 1974, those movies were “edgy”. Like how people think the original SNL cast was so funny in 1975. The “edginess” wears off eventually.

[Lou L]

I’m way late to this thread, and I haven’t bothered to read everything to see if this has already been said. I believe anything by Woody Allen, and any movie with Robin Williams in it, are terribly over-rated.

[Future Snake Eater]

I agree with most of these except for "Blade Runner" (brilliant) and "Matrix" (very original). Most of the rest were merely OK or pretty good.

Best movies that I've seen recently (in no particular order)...

1) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
2) Inglorious Basterds
3) Inception
4) Toy Story 3
5) How to Train Your Dragon

However, I do recommend avoiding "I Am Number Four" at all costs. My wife and I wasted a perfectly good, very rare child-free outing to see it. Holy crap was it bad. "Smallville" meets "X-Files" meets "Twilight". Just godawful.

I'm hoping to be viewing the acclaimed (not really) "Birdemic: Shock and Terror" soon!

[altura]

Philadelphia was saved by Tom Hanks who’s always great in movies (maybe not so much in real life) and Denzel Washington.

It had one of the stupidest premises ever and was maudlin and manipulative.

[Frantzie]

Scene in State of Grace where Oldman carries Penn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vog2Iu9xZh8

[BADROTOFINGER]

So many of these movies have the MST3K guys making fun of them and you can get the .mp3s for it at www.rifftrax.com. Worth every penny too...

[Age of Reason]

I enjoyed Gettysburg, Braveheart, Blackhawk Down, Schindler's List, Patton, Das Boot, Battle of Britain, Lord of the Rings (which I took as the author's own experience of WWII).

There are others.

Saving Private Ryan was OK, but would have been better with a different storyline.

[dfwgator]

Titanic - never wanted to see it again, but it was a vastly entertaining movie and sometimes that’s all I ask.

If you really want to see Titanic, this will save a lot of time

Titanic in 5 Seconds

[GOPsterinMA]

Good choices.

Agree.

[mountn man]

Forrest Gump - didn’t think it was all that until I saw it again. It’s all that.

I was pretty much the same way. Maybe because I had gone with a friend, who is easy led by the crowd, and gets excited over what other people say and do.

But in all honesty, I think Hanks was great in pulling off Gump. But that was after seeing it the second and 3rd time.

[Age of Reason]

Apocalypse Now had some entertaining parts like that.

Otherwise the movie stunk.

Even the title is stupid.

[mountn man]

A co-worker told me that movies like that are fun to watch while stoned.

In other words, lower your cognitive abilities to that of a potato, and the movie makes perfect sense and becomes funny.

[re_nortex]

I don’t understand people who say that “Citizen Kane” may be influential technically, but it’s not an enjoyable movie to watch. I’ve seen it many times, and it’s one of my top five movies. If I’m flipping around and land on it, I can’t turn it off. It’s just one great scene or line of dialogue after another. And the story of seeing the girl with the parasol on the ferry 40 years before, never meeting her, but thinking about her every day since, is the type of thing that maybe you have to have some years on you, like I do, to really appreciate.

I'm with you 100% in your on-target evaluation. When Kane comes on, I completely cast aside all of its (well-deserved) reputation for technical innovation, use of black and white and such.

I watch it for the sheer enjoyment of an intriguing tale, well told with excellent character development and good pacing of the plot development. I think maybe some don't like Kane because they watch it with an excessive sense of ponderous seriosity, treating it like a relic instead of a vastly entertaining film.

And the portion you mentioned (Leland played by Joseph Cotten) as he rewinds his memories in his advanced age is just superb. "...about that cigar..." :-)

[Fledermaus]

Inception was one of the most boring films I ever saw.

[Jeff Winston]

BTW, here’s another overrated actor to add to your list:

Christian Bale.

[anchorclankor]

Strange kind of love - Starring Gabby Hays and Lassie

[mountn man]

and any movie with Robin Williams in it, are terribly over-rated.

Watch Mrs. Doubtfire. Robin Williams was great in it. I have to watch it every time I come across it(well almost, I've seen it a little too often recently).

[Gumption]

LOL! Twice LOL!

[lonestar]

I liked Forrest Gump.