JumpCutz

"Sometimes, a bad movie can score sympathy points for at least sucking with gusto, especially when it's ill-conceived from the get-go and does its best with what it has. But there is a special circle of hell reserved for those movies that had something going for it "legacy, star power, production value"and threw it away by phoning it in. Here are some of the worst F-yous to paying audiences we've seen in a while".


Pretty good list.


The pictures chosen for that article are pretty spot-on. They really fit in the context of the article - all the actors looked bored shitless and were only doing it for the paycheck.

http://www.premiere.com/Feature/The-...-Memory?cid=25

godzilla rules

When I saw the title of this thread, the first movie that popped into my head was Year One and what do you know, it's on the list. They hit the mark on almost every movie. I would add X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Friday the 13th (2009). Both had incredible potential and blew it.

AnonomusBob15

good list. I hate most of those save for Crystal Skull and Zohan.

Perkinsun Dzees

I'm surprised that Rush Hour 3 didn't make the list. Even Jackie Chan looked bored in it.

tylergfoster

I think this list is way off the mark. Admittedly, most of these are bad movies, but none of them seemed motivated by boredom.

- I feel like the first half of I Am Legend is pretty great, even with the stupid CG creatures; and Will Smith seems perfectly invested in his slightly-crazy performance.

- The Strangers is a tiny independent, which are generally not the kinds of movies that are made in a "coasting" mode. I didn't think it was great, but I feel like a group of dedicated people definitely came together to make a movie they thought would be brutal and scary.

- Fred Claus could have been a great movie -- I really think Vince Vaughn is, despite is insistence on avoiding work, one of the funnier comedy actors working today, and I'm hoping he'll get something great, since I've liked his performances but not so much his movies. I haven't actually seen it, but from the bits and pieces I've caught I agree that it looks awful. Still, if I was him, why would I not make a movie where Paul Giamatti plays Santa and Kevin Spacey is the villain? If only it hadn't also opted to be a kid's movie, it might have been hilarious.

- I enjoyed Blade: Trinity when I saw it in theaters. It's certainly not Blade II, and it didn't hold up on later viewings, but the problem listed by the article lands on the shoulders of the producers, writers and director -- it's a choice to build up Biel and Reynolds, not laziness.

- I don't know what happened to Year One. It was awful. More like Harold Ramis or Jack Black losing their comedy skills, or a terrible script, though, than laziness.

- Didn't see Ghost Rider, didn't see Semi-Pro, didn't see Zohan.

- Indiana Jones was ruined by George Lucas not knowing what a good script is and Steven Spielberg not being interested. Again, I feel like people were on board and invested.

As for what I think would be a more accurate example, I felt 21 was the epitome of a lazy movie. Kevin Spacey and Laurence Fishburne were absolutely cashing a paycheck in that one, the script is awful, the movie is glossy and pandering, and it didn't give a shit about the book it was adapting. And where is a "lazy movie" list without Seltzer/Friedberg (yeah, yeah, no real "star power" in those, other than Alyson Hannigan and Kal Penn -- not exactly box-office champs -- but still)?

UAIOE

I think this was supposed to be a list of "lazy movies from people who actually can do better".

I don't see how Seltzer/Friedberg could ever be on that list.

tanman

It's kind of hard to tell what suckiness is caused by laziness.

If it's acting then I say Keanu Reeves in anything that he does. He just seems lazy but that could just be his personality. But then again in Bill and Ted he had a personality.

Solid Snake

Well would you blame Reeves for his acting or the director for the lack of wanting some different type of acting from his actor?

Dr. DVD

I agree with the list save for #10 and #1. I found both of them solidly entertaining, but slightly flawed. Indy 4 was disappointing, but there was no way around that after the build-up. I really have to question any time a movie involving George Lucas is on a list like that, as I feel the writers are just bandwagoning as opposed to feeling it actually belongs on it,

devilshalo

I see a glaring omission.

UAIOE

Yeah, "Love Guru" really should have been #1.

That was a lazy "let's take stuff that was funny 10 years ago and do it again." movie.

Jason

I'd say all of the ___ Movie films. Epic Movie, Date Movie, Meet the Spartans. Take what was hot a year ago, replace the popular character with a caricature, and make fart jokes. Sheesh.

Groucho

Seeing Will Smith on there made me think of Hancock. Not necessarily a lazy movie overall, but for some reason they didn't really bother with a third act.

Yeti4623

Friday the 13th 2009 is decent/average. I would've done quite a few things differently, but above all, even with the same script, it would've been better, if it had a more raw, realistic tone. It looked too much like a music video.

Sonic

What's next on site lists, women filming movies while having on a tampon?

Sheesh.

Btw doesn't Nicholas Cage always got that bored expression in all his movies? lol

tanman

That's a good point. That's why I never know if he's capable of more. For the most part they seem to cast him because of that acting. So I don't know which came first.

tanman

Oh, good point. If there ever was lazy film making this is it.

Count Dooku

Those guys aren't lazy. They're working their butts off.

That lame crap is just the best they can do.

Would you go to the Special Olympics and criticize the athletes?

Dr. DVD

You forgot to add Carmen Electra.

fumanstan

Hancock seems like it was put together more "lazy" then I Am Legend to me.

As for the others on the list, Blade Trinity also had problems with Snipes, didn't it? Seemed like it's issues were chalked up to the staff and Goyer rather then just laziness. I think there's a difference between a film being lazy versus being bad for other reasons.

Solid Snake

I mean, I like him in Point Break..and he's a lot different in that from say the Matrix films and The Day The Earth Stood Still.

UAIOE

I usually find that if anything has Carmen Electra in it, it's not worth seeing.

DRG

Shrek 3 really needs to be on this list. Talk about a paint-by-numbers, 'let's just get our paychecks' movie.

Also, I'm shocked there weren't any romantic comedies on there. If anything that is the laziest genre... What Happens in Vegas, anyone?

islandclaws

I have to agree with I Am Legend. It could have been awesome, even with the script and everything just as it is now, but the absymal CGI ruined the film for me permanently. Even worse knowing that they had practical FX people lined up to play the creatures but went with all CG at the (obviously) last minute.

UAIOE

I think most romantic comedies are "by the numbers", how does one tell when one of them is "lazy"?