Underrated/Overrated
07-13-07, 11:33 PM
#1
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Underrated/Overrated
What two movies by a particular director or star do you feel are underrated and overrated, respectively? Provide some reasoning as well.
I find that Curse of the Jade Scorpion has been overly targeted in recent reviews as being one of Woody's recent disasters. Like most of Woody's movies these days, it's not a masterpiece, but I think he's still on top of his game, and the mystery is a relatively interesting clothesline plot. However, the reviews its getting bashed in are usually for Scoop, which gets mild praise from most of the reviews I read. I thought it was dismal, an overlong waste of talent that features Woody at his most...well, saddening -- watching him stutter for a minute to come up with a joke is almost interminable.
I also think Bad Boys II gets a lot of flak it doesn't deserve, its bombastic over-the-top insistence on being the Biggest Summer Spectacle Ever is almost admirable (although its equal indulgence in a massive 147m runtime is not so commendable). Instead, everyone seems to be thrilled with Transformers, a movie I thought was a poorly written and edited, incoherently directed bit of ego-massage as Bay acted as if he was "dumbing down" his already dumb schtick to please the masses. Chop 30 minutes, zoom out during the fights, and remove the annoying, Jar Jar Binks-level chittering robot comic relief and you might have something. And, sorry to say it, lose Megan Fox for a different hottie with at least some remote shred of personality or you might as well just use her Maxim cover as a stand-in.
I find that Curse of the Jade Scorpion has been overly targeted in recent reviews as being one of Woody's recent disasters. Like most of Woody's movies these days, it's not a masterpiece, but I think he's still on top of his game, and the mystery is a relatively interesting clothesline plot. However, the reviews its getting bashed in are usually for Scoop, which gets mild praise from most of the reviews I read. I thought it was dismal, an overlong waste of talent that features Woody at his most...well, saddening -- watching him stutter for a minute to come up with a joke is almost interminable.
I also think Bad Boys II gets a lot of flak it doesn't deserve, its bombastic over-the-top insistence on being the Biggest Summer Spectacle Ever is almost admirable (although its equal indulgence in a massive 147m runtime is not so commendable). Instead, everyone seems to be thrilled with Transformers, a movie I thought was a poorly written and edited, incoherently directed bit of ego-massage as Bay acted as if he was "dumbing down" his already dumb schtick to please the masses. Chop 30 minutes, zoom out during the fights, and remove the annoying, Jar Jar Binks-level chittering robot comic relief and you might have something. And, sorry to say it, lose Megan Fox for a different hottie with at least some remote shred of personality or you might as well just use her Maxim cover as a stand-in.
Last edited by tylergfoster; 07-14-07 at 12:52 PM.
07-14-07, 12:10 AM
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Those words are overrated. 
Um, I feel that The Man Who Wasn't There doesn't get a lot of credit among the Coen brothers' body of works. However, it is my favorite of their movies.
On the other hand, I feel that North By Northwest gets way more credit than it deserves. I've never really understood why this movie is considered one of the very best Hitchcock movies (or why it's ranked as the 24th greatest movie of all-time on IMDB's laughable little list). Sure, I liked the movie. But of the nine Hitchcock movies I've seen, I'd rank it at #8.
I also feel that Fight Club is vastly overrated by the general populace because I think the average person loves this movie for all the wrong reasons and I think the average person just gets caught up with the OMG PLOT TWIST or the terrorism crap at the end of the movie and entirely misses the very clever social satire on contemporary masculine and corporate America presented within the movie's first hour. Once again, don't get me wrong. I like this movie, I like it a lot in fact. But every time I see it listed at the very top of somebody's top 20 list, I wince and wonder if they too like it for all the wrong reasons.
Um, I feel that The Man Who Wasn't There doesn't get a lot of credit among the Coen brothers' body of works. However, it is my favorite of their movies.
On the other hand, I feel that North By Northwest gets way more credit than it deserves. I've never really understood why this movie is considered one of the very best Hitchcock movies (or why it's ranked as the 24th greatest movie of all-time on IMDB's laughable little list). Sure, I liked the movie. But of the nine Hitchcock movies I've seen, I'd rank it at #8.
I also feel that Fight Club is vastly overrated by the general populace because I think the average person loves this movie for all the wrong reasons and I think the average person just gets caught up with the OMG PLOT TWIST or the terrorism crap at the end of the movie and entirely misses the very clever social satire on contemporary masculine and corporate America presented within the movie's first hour. Once again, don't get me wrong. I like this movie, I like it a lot in fact. But every time I see it listed at the very top of somebody's top 20 list, I wince and wonder if they too like it for all the wrong reasons.
Last edited by wilky61; 07-14-07 at 12:12 AM.
07-14-07, 12:17 AM
#3
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oh that's easy,
overrated: 'Chasing Amy' - the dialogue and sheer idiocy made me wanna barf.
underrated: 'Spring Forward' with Liev Schreiber and Ned Beatty - best film about male friendship.
overrated: 'Chasing Amy' - the dialogue and sheer idiocy made me wanna barf.
underrated: 'Spring Forward' with Liev Schreiber and Ned Beatty - best film about male friendship.
07-14-07, 01:11 AM
#5
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by wilky61
Those words are overrated.
Um, I feel that The Man Who Wasn't There doesn't get a lot of credit among the Coen brothers' body of works. However, it is my favorite of their movies.
On the other hand, I feel that North By Northwest gets way more credit than it deserves. I've never really understood why this movie is considered one of the very best Hitchcock movies (or why it's ranked as the 24th greatest movie of all-time on IMDB's laughable little list). Sure, I liked the movie. But of the nine Hitchcock movies I've seen, I'd rank it at #8.
I also feel that Fight Club is vastly overrated by the general populace because I think the average person loves this movie for all the wrong reasons and I think the average person just gets caught up with the OMG PLOT TWIST or the terrorism crap at the end of the movie and entirely misses the very clever social satire on contemporary masculine and corporate America presented within the movie's first hour. Once again, don't get me wrong. I like this movie, I like it a lot in fact. But every time I see it listed at the very top of somebody's top 20 list, I wince and wonder if they too like it for all the wrong reasons.
Um, I feel that The Man Who Wasn't There doesn't get a lot of credit among the Coen brothers' body of works. However, it is my favorite of their movies.
On the other hand, I feel that North By Northwest gets way more credit than it deserves. I've never really understood why this movie is considered one of the very best Hitchcock movies (or why it's ranked as the 24th greatest movie of all-time on IMDB's laughable little list). Sure, I liked the movie. But of the nine Hitchcock movies I've seen, I'd rank it at #8.
I also feel that Fight Club is vastly overrated by the general populace because I think the average person loves this movie for all the wrong reasons and I think the average person just gets caught up with the OMG PLOT TWIST or the terrorism crap at the end of the movie and entirely misses the very clever social satire on contemporary masculine and corporate America presented within the movie's first hour. Once again, don't get me wrong. I like this movie, I like it a lot in fact. But every time I see it listed at the very top of somebody's top 20 list, I wince and wonder if they too like it for all the wrong reasons.
Overrated: Most Pixar movies, I like em, but don't consider them classics.
Underrated: Tough call.
07-14-07, 03:20 AM
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Originally Posted by wilky61
Those words are overrated.
Overrated: Crash
Underrated: The Conversation
07-14-07, 12:53 PM
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Agree with The Man Who Wasn't There but I'm sure I'll get a lot of flak for saying that, in comparison, I think Fargo is overrated. It's alright but I have to work to get past a certain point before I'll be able to stay with the movie all the way to the end.
07-15-07, 07:20 AM
#9
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Bob Clark (Director):
Overrated: A Christmas Story
Underrated: Black Christmas
Dennis Hopper (Actor):
Overrated: Speed
Underrated: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
I could probally think of more...
Overrated: A Christmas Story
Underrated: Black Christmas
Dennis Hopper (Actor):
Overrated: Speed
Underrated: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
I could probally think of more...
07-15-07, 08:00 AM
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Originally Posted by gfoots
Overrated: The Graduate
Underrated: The Taking of Pelham 123
Underrated: The Taking of Pelham 123
Overrated I still have to say Vertigo.
I love Hitchcock, I have most of his movies, but I could never see the big deal about this one.
07-17-07, 01:03 PM
#16
Moderator
Overrated - Aliens
Underrated - Alien<sup>3</sup>
Underrated - Alien<sup>3</sup>
07-17-07, 01:10 PM
#19
DVD Talk Hero
Ridley Scott:
Overrated - Gladiator
Underrated - Kingdom of Heaven
Robert Zemeckis:
Overrated - Forrest Gump
Underrated - Death Becomes Her
Overrated - Gladiator
Underrated - Kingdom of Heaven
Robert Zemeckis:
Overrated - Forrest Gump
Underrated - Death Becomes Her
07-17-07, 01:15 PM
#21
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Originally Posted by nateman241
Bob Clark (Director):
Overrated: A Christmas Story
Underrated: Black Christmas
Dennis Hopper (Actor):
Overrated: Speed
Underrated: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
I could probally think of more...
Overrated: A Christmas Story
Underrated: Black Christmas
Dennis Hopper (Actor):
Overrated: Speed
Underrated: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
I could probally think of more...
07-17-07, 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by droidguy1119
Instead, everyone seems to be thrilled with Transformers, a movie I thought was a poorly written and edited, incoherently directed bit of ego-massage as Bay acted as if he was "dumbing down" his already dumb schtick to please the masses. Chop 30 minutes, zoom out during the fights, and remove the annoying, Jar Jar Binks-level chittering robot comic relief and you might have something. And, sorry to say it, lose Megan Fox for a different hottie with at least some remote shred of personality or you might as well just use her Maxim cover as a stand-in.
It think it's just the fanboy crowd who is loving this flick. The reviews have been far less that great.
I'll go with
Comedy
Overrated : The Big Lebowski, Rushmore
Underrated : Van Wilder, Waiting