Film's That You Enjoyed But The Critics Didn't

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  • RorschachRorschach Posts: 10,818
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    Skyfall wrote: »
    Many films I have seen that didn't do so well or flopped I enjoyed for what they are.

    Stardust
    Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
    Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
    Highlander
    Dredd
    The Rocketeer
    Near Dark

    Whilst I can't argue with some of your list...

    The Rocketeer received 61% positive critic reviews (it deserves more mind)
    Highlander 67%
    Stardust got 76%
    Dredd 78%
    Batman: MOTP 81%
    Scott Pilgrim 81%
    Near Dark stands at 90%!!!*

    Your threshold for "didn't do well with the critics" is set very high indeed. :D

    For me it's Wild Wild West, Cowboys and Aliens, A Life less Ordinary and Hudson Hawk (all slouching around the 20 - 30% mark). Particularly Wild Wild West, I have no idea why it's so disliked. I think it's a great Steampunk movie.


    PS - As far as your Dredd/Judge Dredd listing goes, I think Judge Dredd got the look of Mega City One very right but the character of Dredd very wrong, whilst Dredd got Dredd spot on but the city very wrong. Too much open space and normal looking people. If only there could be an unholy chimera of both films it would be outstanding. :D



    *Granted it didn't do well originally, but that wasn't the critics fault. :p
  • RyJaRyJa Posts: 900
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    The Beach
  • AchtungAchtung Posts: 10,480
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    Prometheus

    I just took it as a throwaway bit of entertainment and I enjoyed it.

    Some of the reactions from purist Alien fans was scary, I'm scared even saying that. :eek:
  • stripedcatstripedcat Posts: 6,689
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    Takae wrote: »
    Off my head:


    Drugstore Cowboy


    Did that get bad reviews then? I seem to remember that Roger Ebert gave it a very good review, he even compared it to things like "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Easy Rider". In my opinion that it was a pretty good film. Made Gus Van Sant and Matt Dillion get noticed.

    One of the films that did get a critical mauling was "Fight Club". I think only James Berardinelli(the Internet film critic) gave it a positive review. Interesting how it was one of those films that now gets plaudits.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 211
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    Dandem wrote: »
    Mindhunters.

    Stars LL Cool J. And he isn't bad either.

    Better than sex.
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    stripedcat wrote: »
    Did that get bad reviews then? I seem to remember that Roger Ebert gave it a very good review, he even compared it to things like "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Easy Rider". In my opinion that it was a pretty good film. Made Gus Van Sant and Matt Dillion get noticed.

    It did somewhat, but I didn't read many reviews. Only the ones from publications I read: Premiere UK, Details, Sky, I.D., and the usual reading fare of a young film-mad teenager. :o Most reviewers from those mags enjoyed the film, but felt Van Sant tried too hard to be cool (ironic, isn't it? :D) and that Dillon was the weakest part of the film.

    The consensus was that the portrayal was basically honest and funny, which reviewers liked, but that's about it. Their almost 'meh' reactions surprised me as I truly liked the film and had expected similar or better reactions.
  • ScooterwolfScooterwolf Posts: 2,645
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    Dandem wrote: »
    Mindhunters.

    Stars LL Cool J. And he isn't bad either.

    It's a quality film
  • clm2071clm2071 Posts: 6,637
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    I'm not one for American comedies (hated American Pie, loathed The Hangover) but Van Wilder and Due Date kept me amused despite dire reviews.

    Alien3 is a misunderstood classic imo too.

    Also Sahara, perfect brain off entertainment.
  • SuperAPJSuperAPJ Posts: 10,402
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    Probably most of the films that I watch! Well, if you enjoy the film, it shouldn't matter what some "expert" thinks of it.
  • Olls~Olls~ Posts: 3,587
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    SuperAPJ wrote: »
    Probably most of the films that I watch! Well, if you enjoy the film, it shouldn't matter what some "expert" thinks of it.

    Indeed :cool:
  • David_SteeleDavid_Steele Posts: 40
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    Hudson Hawk. I enjoyed it for what it is.
  • gasheadgashead Posts: 13,807
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    SuperAPJ wrote: »
    Probably most of the films that I watch! Well, if you enjoy the film, it shouldn't matter what some "expert" thinks of it.
    Nothing wrong with film critics in themselves, but the operative word is critics, plural.

    If you are going to read reviews, read more than one for Heaven's sake ! I can't believe some of the films that some people are claiming were critically disliked (Starship Troopers? Scott Pilgrim?). Nearly all films are disliked by at least one critic (usually Chris Tookey), but one bad review does not a flop make.
  • Trsvis_BickleTrsvis_Bickle Posts: 9,202
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    gashead wrote: »
    Nothing wrong with film critics in themselves, but the operative word is critics, plural.

    If you are going to read reviews, read more than one for Heaven's sake ! I can't believe some of the films that some people are claiming were critically disliked (Starship Troopers? Scott Pilgrim?). Nearly all films are disliked by at least one critic (usually Chris Tookey), but one bad review does not a flop make.

    :D:D:D I still don't know how that guy makes a living as a professional film critic.:confused:

    I agree with you. I'd also say that the choice of critics is important. I hate the way Rotten Tomatoes seems to include reviews from people like hipster bloggers from the midwest who clearly know nothing about cinema and gives them equal ranking with, say, Philip French.

    I tend to read revierws in the FT, Guardian, Telegraph, Observer and Independent. That's plenty to give you an informed opinion.
  • quirkyquirkquirkyquirk Posts: 7,160
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    Skyfall wrote: »
    Child's Play 3
    The Frighteners
    Cowboys & Aliens
    Escape from L.A.
    Conan the Barbarian(2011)
    Twisted 2004
    Species II
    Barb Wire

    The Frighteners is a great film. It didn't do very well at the box office but it actually got alot of positive reviews from the critics.
  • yaristamanyaristaman Posts: 1,840
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    Rorschach wrote: »
    For me it's Wild Wild West, Cowboys and Aliens, A Life less Ordinary and Hudson Hawk (all slouching around the 20 - 30% mark). Particularly Wild Wild West, I have no idea why it's so disliked. I think it's a great Steampunk movie.

    Good choice. I really enjoyed this one too and never understood the criticism.
  • Johnny ClayJohnny Clay Posts: 5,315
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    Achtung wrote: »
    Prometheus

    I just took it as a throwaway bit of entertainment and I enjoyed it.

    Some of the reactions from purist Alien fans was scary, I'm scared even saying that. :eek:
    Fair enough, if that's all it takes to please you. But surely it was meant to be more than just that?

    For many, Prometheus delivered far less than was expected. I know we should all go into these things with an open mind, but there's nothing wrong in having expectations in certain cases and this was one of them.

    All it did was remind us - quite depressingly - that Ridley Scott continues to make such very messy and mediocre films these days.
  • VerenceVerence Posts: 104,578
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    Rorschach wrote: »
    For me it's Wild Wild West, Cowboys and Aliens, A Life less Ordinary and Hudson Hawk (all slouching around the 20 - 30% mark). Particularly Wild Wild West, I have no idea why it's so disliked. I think it's a great Steampunk movie.

    A few possible reasons why Wild Wild West didn't do well

    1) American audiences of a certain aqge will had very fond memories of the tv series on which the film was based and therefore would tend to look down on the film for that reason.

    2) Younger American audiences may have watched it just for Will Smith but not liked the western aspects of the film

    3) Some people may just not like Will Smith and will automatically give the thumbs down to any film he appears in
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,133
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    I really enjoyed Outlaw ( Sean Bean / Danny Dyer )

    It got a critical mauling but I loved it :D
  • Virgil TracyVirgil Tracy Posts: 26,805
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    Verence wrote: »
    A few possible reasons why Wild Wild West didn't do well

    1) American audiences of a certain aqge will had very fond memories of the tv series on which the film was based and therefore would tend to look down on the film for that reason.

    2) Younger American audiences may have watched it just for Will Smith but not liked the western aspects of the film

    3) Some people may just not like Will Smith and will automatically give the thumbs down to any film he appears in

    I remember reading an interview with Barry Sonnenfield who said that the problem was that Kevin Kline was supposed to play it like tommy lee jones did - deadpan , this was what gave MIB it's chemistry , but Kline didn't want to , and the comedy didn't work .
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 263
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    Ginger Nut wrote: »
    Hudson Hawk - universally panned.

    it's one of my favourite movies. What's not to love about a safe breaking caper set to "would you like to sing on a star".

    Oh. Very nice. Fettucini con fungi porcinni. Prego. Oh, and bring me a bottle of ketchup, will ya? :)
  • Fairyprincess0Fairyprincess0 Posts: 30,038
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    Hudson Hawk. I enjoyed it for what it is.

    There is one very good reason why everyone in this country should watch hudson hawk.

    Fred. Elliots. Head. Explodes!!
  • AbominationAbomination Posts: 6,483
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    I really enjoy all four of the current Pirates of the Caribbean movies and personally cannot wait for the next... I love the plots, most of the characters are brilliant and I can't get enough of them. At World's End is my favourite of the bunch, and I know I'm in a minority that actually likes any of them beyond the first. :)

    Also, I thought Cars 2 was quite good. I wasn't looking forward to watching it, judge it before I saw it and then ended up enjoying it - by no means the best Pixar film, but then the only Pixar film I never liked at all was UP. :p
  • Trsvis_BickleTrsvis_Bickle Posts: 9,202
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    Oh. Very nice. Fettucini con fungi porcinni. Prego. Oh, and bring me a bottle of ketchup, will ya? :)

    Only one 'n' in porcini but otherwise a good effort.:p
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 59
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    Cowboys & Aliens
  • ItsTimmyTimeItsTimmyTime Posts: 1,018
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    The Scary Movie films (I haven't seen #5) - critics mauled them, but they weren't aiming for Oscars, or even MTV Movie Awards, they were only trying to be silly. The jokes were predictable and slapstick, but they were great films to just switch off to for a while.

    Scary Movie 2 still provides plenty of quotes:
    "Take mah STRONG hand"
    "My germs!"
    "Make room for fanny..."
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