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Movies that are "GREAT" that I just don't get the appeal...

strummingram

strummingram

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Oct 1, 2010
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Have I bitched about this before?

I finally watched the unedited version of "The Last Picture Show" last week. I read the reviews. It's Bogdanovich's best work, a superb film, a cinematic classic, etc.. I just didn't get it. I mean, okay, Cybil Shepard is way-hot, and semi-nude. But, you get to see Randy Quaid nude also, so that cancels-out the former appeal. I even watched it twice, just to see if I missed some nuance. It even made the Hank Williams soundtrack bother me, and I typically like Hank, Sr..

But, the film in general... it was just boring. I don't mind black and white films at all. I can even endear myself to odd plot lines and boring dialogue (I love Easy Rider). But, I doubt I would never watch TLPS again.

I'm the same with Taxi Driver and The Deer Hunter. Aside from two or three scenes, I'm unimpressed.

What films are duds for everyone here?
 
I remember that I watched TLPS once years ago because I heard it was supposed to be so good. But I don’t remember much about the movie at all. Like you, it seemed boring to me and I have no desire to ever watch it again.

Another movie that is considered an epic that I thought was a steaming pile is Gone With the Wind.
 
The first one that came to mind for me was 2001: A Space Odyssey. The middle third with Hal is really good, the beginning with the monkeys is boring, and I obviously haven't done the right amount of drugs to appreciate the last third. It's a well made/beautiful movie, but there are plenty of movies I'd place ahead of it in the GOAT discussion where it frequently resides.

There are a lot for me that I appreciate the artistry behind but aren't just my jam for whatever reason.
 
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TarHeelMark said:
I remember that I watched TLPS once years ago because I heard it was supposed to be so good. But I don’t remember much about the movie at all. Like you, it seemed boring to me and I have no desire to ever watch it again.

Another movie that is considered an epic that I thought was a steaming pile is Gone With the Wind.
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Gone With The Wind is a great film. Loved that movie. Sometimes, I think it's when in your life that you see them. That could be the case with TLPS. But, I kept seeing stellar reviews of it like it was some seminal piece of art that was sooo timeless.

The same thing happened with Cool Hand Luke. I saw that last fall for the first time. I just do NOT get the appeal. I barely got through that.
 
strummingram said:
I finally watched the unedited version of "The Last Picture Show" last week. I read the reviews. It's Bogdanovich's best work, a superb film, a cinematic classic, etc.. I just didn't get it.
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I totally agree. I caught The Last Picture Show a few months ago on TCM. I enjoy reading the Wikipedia entry and other summaries before watching films I've never seen before, and it is truly amazing how lauded Bogdanovich is for this movie considering it completely sucks ass.

Some good performances, including Jeff Bridges (whom I was bashing in the Kevin Costner thread) as well as Cybill Shepherd and Ellen Burstyn, but so many of Bogdanovich's choices are real head-scratchers.

TarHeelMark said:
Another movie that is considered an epic that I thought was a steaming pile is Gone With the Wind.
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I think Gone With the Wind has so much otherwise going for it, particularly the art direction and cinematography, but if I was Rhett Butler I would have handed over Vivian Leigh to the Union Army during the opening montage. Her incessant whining and "fiddle-dee-dees" for three straight hours gave me a migraine.


Apollo 13 I think is wildly overrated. Great effects and all but Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell? Seriously?!
 
Going to get roasted for this....

I didn't find The Big Lebowski good. Don't @ me.
 
dadika13 said:
Going to get roasted for this....

I didn't find The Big Lebowski good. Don't @ me.
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dadika13 said:
Going to get roasted for this....

I didn't find The Big Lebowski good. Don't @ me.
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I will say, I can understand this if you’ve only seen it once. It’s one that gets better when you watch it multiple times. It wasn’t an initial success when it got released, because it’s a movie where lines get funnier the second or third or fourth time.

Now if you’ve seen it a number of times and still don’t like it, well, that’s just like, your opinion man
 
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heelz2345 said:
I will say, I can understand this if you’ve only seen it once. It’s one that gets better when you watch it multiple times. It wasn’t an initial success when it got released, because it’s a movie where lines get funnier the second or third or fourth time.

Now if you’ve seen it a number of times and still don’t like it, well, that’s just like, your opinion man
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Other people have told me this and I have only seen it once so I don't doubt this is accurate.

Also think this is true with Anchorman. Didn't really think it was funny on first watch and now it's absolutely hysterical.
 
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heelz2345 said:
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What do you mean, what's my point? I think Apollo 13 isn't all that great although the consesus would likely disagree. That's the point behind this thread.

dadika13 said:
Tom Hanks is a national treasure and he can play any part he wants.
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Meh. I find Hanks pretty annoying on screen. The Kevin Costner thread could have just as easily been the Tom Hanks thread. In fact, I would like to counter my argument in that thread that Jeff Bridges is the most one-dimensional actor and give that dubious honor to Tom Hanks instead.
 
Heels Noir said:
What do you mean, what's my point? I think Apollo 13 isn't all that great although the consesus would likely disagree. That's the point behind this thread.

Meh. I find Hanks pretty annoying on screen. The Kevin Costner thread could have just as easily been the Tom Hanks thread. In fact, I would like to counter my argument in that thread that Jeff Bridges is the most one-dimensional actor and give that dubious honor to Tom Hanks instead.
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Well I meant specifically why you thought Hanks was poorly suited to play Jim Lovell as opposed to the movie being not one of your favorites, but considering you seem to dislike Hanks period (which is insane to me, but whatever) answered that
 
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dadika13 said:
Other people have told me this and I have only seen it once so I don't doubt this is accurate.

Also think this is true with Anchorman. Didn't really think it was funny on first watch and now it's absolutely hysterical.
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I was the same way. I watched it once... didn't really get it. Then, a few years later, I watched it again... it was funnier. Then again, even more funny. After the 65th time, it's a timeless masterpiece worthy of a time capsule and sending into space.
 
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Heels Noir said:
I know heelz is quite knowledgeable and I respect his opinions, but he doesn't even fully appreciate 2001: A Space Odyssey. We're talking Stanley Kubrick, the greatest auteur of all-time for crying out loud.
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I appreciate it, I get the art of it and I really like pretty much all the other Kubrick movies I’ve seen, I just think those parts in 2001 drag. If it was all the part with Hal, I’d be totally on board. I get why people love it, it’s very well made, but I just don’t have it as high on my “all time” list
 
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Heels Noir said:
Meh. I find Hanks pretty annoying on screen. The Kevin Costner thread could have just as easily been the Tom Hanks thread. In fact, I would like to counter my argument in that thread that Jeff Bridges is the most one-dimensional actor and give that dubious honor to Tom Hanks instead.
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Wow... that's interesting. I was going back through all of the Hanks films I know well- all the different characters- trying to find some kind of correlation. He won back-to-back Best Actor oscars for two completely different characters. I will say this, I always thought his Forrest Gump was overrated. I liked it, but all the brushes-with-greatness were overkill, and one FM classic song every 10 seconds got old. But, Hanks killed it.

Castaway is another one he nails. I feel bad for you in a way. Hating Hanks is like hating banana pudding.
 
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Regarding Kubrick: I personally like Dr Strangelove, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, Spartacus, and the parts I’ve seen of Clockwork Orange (been meaning to watch it beginning to end for a long time, just haven’t yet) more than 2001. I can appreciate 2001 especially in the context of special effects technology of the time, and what it did for sci-fi as a genre, but the stuff with the apes and the acid trip ending goes too long for me. The middle part is A++
 
My entry is pretty much any superhero/comic book movie ever made. That goes for Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Ant Man, Man Man... the X-Men, Y-Men, Z-Men, and whatever combinations of those guys fighting each other, friending each other, etc.
 
Hark_The_Sound_2010 said:
My entry is pretty much any superhero/comic book movie ever made. That goes for Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Ant Man, Man Man... the X-Men, Y-Men, Z-Men, and whatever combinations of those guys fighting each other, friending each other, etc.
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You mean besides Keaton/Nicholson/Burton Batman right? Cause if not, I refer you to the GFY thread.
 
@Heels Noir is correct in that 2001: A Space Odyssey is an amazing film.

But Tom Hanks might be the greatest actor of his generation. It's pure lunacy to describe him as "one dimensional."
 
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Hark_The_Sound_2010 said:
My entry is pretty much any superhero/comic book movie ever made. That goes for Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Iron Man, Ant Man, Man Man... the X-Men, Y-Men, Z-Men, and whatever combinations of those guys fighting each other, friending each other, etc.
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OMG, yes to this. I'm sooooo over superhero movies. I won't watch them anymore.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying 2001 isn’t “great” but I just don’t think it’s as “great” as some of Kubrick’s other movies. For a number of filmmakers, their 6th or 7th best movie is still a lot better than some filmmakers top movie
 
heelz2345 said:
Regarding Kubrick: I personally like Dr Strangelove, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, Spartacus, and the parts I’ve seen of Clockwork Orange (been meaning to watch it beginning to end for a long time, just haven’t yet) more than 2001. I can appreciate 2001 especially in the context of special effects technology of the time, and what it did for sci-fi as a genre, but the stuff with the apes and the acid trip ending goes too long for me. The middle part is A++
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That's another "classic" that eluded me: Dr. Strangelove. I guess I'm expecting more than I should. I keep thinking some of these are not working for me because I waited so late in life to see them. I dunno. Spartacus, I saw when I was a kid on TBS Sunday movie with my dad. That movie was baaaad-ass!

Never saw Space Odyssey either. Clockwork was good, but too over-the-top for me. The Shining was awesome. Full Metal Jacket was in-fan-freeking-tessible awesome.
 
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