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'Interstellar,' 'The Interview,' And The Most Disappointing Films Of 2014
Forbes ^ | December 26, 2014 | Scott Mendelson

Posted on 12/26/2014 9:25:57 AM PST by EveningStar

These ten films are not remotely the worst films of 2014, but their respective artistic failures were the most disappointing.

This is arguably the most subjective list of my year-end wrap up, with the caveat that of course all of my "best/worst" lists are as subjective as any critical analysis. None of the films on this list belong anywhere near a "worst-of" rundown, but in some ways they were more explicitly dissatisfying than the actual films I chose as the "worst" or "least favorite" films of 2014. Some were genuinely bad, some were mostly good save for a few key artistic stumbles, and all arguably represented either the tragic letdown of a much-anticipated project or a failure in execution of what looked like a surefire winner on paper. The first nine are in alphabetical order, followed by the so-called "biggest disappointment of 2014." And here we go...

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: cinema; film; movies
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To: Vendome

Saw Interstellar and the beginning was killing me softly, very long. Middle picked up a bit- then the ending with Matthew in the dimension scene, hoping his daughter would get the clue. Optics were great. Interstellar was a bit above Gravity. I had to chew off my arm to finish watching Gravity.


81 posted on 12/26/2014 4:35:52 PM PST by Engedi
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To: Vendome

Just so Unbreakable. Great movie. I wish one part would have gone faster, but it drug on and on. Other than that, it was really good. People in the audience all clapped, some stood, some said God Bless America.


82 posted on 12/26/2014 4:37:23 PM PST by Engedi
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To: Rummyfan

Oh ... I was hoping ...


83 posted on 12/26/2014 4:56:26 PM PST by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: kidd

Saw it, liked it as well. As for the music, that’s Hans Zimmer’s work; he tends to bring out the feeling that something big is happening.


84 posted on 12/27/2014 1:15:40 AM PST by setha (It is past time for the United States to take back what the world took away.)
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To: Engedi

Just saw “Unbreakable”

Excellent and feel good.

Very good story of perseverance and indomitable spirit.

Could have had a bit more tempo.

But, theater was full, everyone clapped and worth going to the theater.


85 posted on 12/27/2014 8:36:54 PM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Patton@Bastogne

I liked it.


86 posted on 12/29/2014 7:37:47 AM PST by Lazamataz ("Two parties, governing AGAINST the will of the people, not with the consent of the governed." --MrB)
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To: wastedyears

(Yeah, blast from the past.)
Just saw it, and found Interstellar amazing. Compelling plot, great character development, engaging drama, stunning visuals, creative problems and solutions. The answers to all your questions are well answered in the movie, and answering them here would take as long as just watching it.

You could fly a spaceship thru a few key plot holes, but they are very forgivable being such a compelling story.


87 posted on 09/09/2015 5:00:11 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (The world map will be quite different come 20 January 2017.)
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To: EveningStar
I saw Golly-zilla.

Not a bad popcorn flick. It was a monster movie. The people are never important.

The rest I passed on. I wanted to see "Penguins" but when I learned that someone (MO maybe?) was going to use it to preach I decided I didn't want to see it that much.

88 posted on 09/09/2015 5:07:55 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
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To: ctdonath2
I waited to see Interstellar until it was on cable tv--sat through the whole movie last night.

(warning, minor spoilers)

Visuals--excellent--especially the planets.

Plot--many big problems, but I was impressed with the betrayal at several points--very human.

The locals ridiculing NASA for faking the moon landing at the beginning were very cool--now there was a school where I would fit in...:-)

There should have been a much more detailed and coherent backstory for "the dying earth". Many other sci-fi writers have made that happen. Nanotechnology run amok is a current meme that works as in Greg Bear's book "Blood Music".

Time travel/loop concepts--the book and TV series "Flash Forward" or the book "The Chronoliths" have set the standard--this movie fell far short imho.

If you going to have a Stargate the ancient aliens is a more coherent meme--the bootstrap approach is just too much woo for my taste. Two stars out of four rating by me.
89 posted on 08/13/2017 5:04:38 AM PDT by cgbg (Hidden behind the social justice warrior mask is corruption and sexual deviance.)
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To: cgbg

The planets & time representation was excellent - until the loop. Some authors have great ideas but the story exceeds their grasp, and the consequence is embarrassing. (_Knowing_ & _Lucy_ were similar.)

“Dying earth” backstory is irrelevant. Possibly interesting, yes, but does not affect the journey beyond simply promoting it. Go look up “MacGuffin”.

Overall it was a great movie, marred by the bootstrap trying to supplant God.


90 posted on 08/13/2017 7:13:36 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
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