Unpopular Opinions

[FormerMod-a1]

I don't know.  I would add Wild Wild West and the Men In Black series to the "memorable" ones.  But, I agree that he has done many others that people often forget.

[Ohwell]

I wouldn't mind if I made a gazillion dollars like Will Smith over the years, only to have my movies forgotten.

 

Wouldn't mind at all. : )

[ruby24]

Yeah, I complained about that same thing with Angelina Jolie (her movies also get really bad reviews generally), but I guess it's true for Will Smith as well. Although at least he does still have Independence Day and Men in Black. What about The Pursuit of Happyness and Hitch? I seem to remember people really liked those, but neither are his usual action movies. Maybe I just think he was better in that than his typical action stuff, so I remember him in those more.

[Gudzilla]

Here's some of my UOs 

I really enjoyed Hudson Hawk

Joe vs the Volcano is the best Tom Hanks Meg Ryan Movie

The Waterboy is a cinematic masterpiece*

Tom Cruise's best role was in Tropic Thunder

Scarface (80's) is a comedy

 

*There may be a slight exaggeration here

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Never cared for Gwyneth Paltrow, but thought she was good in the 2003 film Sylvia. Every time Daniel Craig was shitty towards her as Ted, wanted to punch him in the damn face,

Edited June 26, 2014 by MrsRafaelBarba

[wanderingstar]

Two UOs from me:

 

• Of the three recent Batman films, my favorite is Batman Begins.
• Don't get the appeal of Leonardo Di Caprio. He's always just come across as a very average performer to me.

[Sweet Tee]

I do not like Clint Eastwood as a director. Million Dollar Baby was melodramatic crap. I also do not like Stanley Kubrick. I'll freely admit to just not getting 2001. Clearly I'm missing something because it's considered to be one of the greats. Did I watch a different movie? That's one of the dullest things I've ever seen. And I like slow paced movies. Also, The Shining was well made, but he totally screwed up the characters. And what was even the point of including Dick if he was just going to kill him off without him getting to do a thing to help?

[Lonesome Rhodes]

OK.  I'm gonna be booted for this one for sure...

 

Audrey Hepburn was never "all that" to me.  Cute?  Absolutely.  Luminescent or transcendent beauty?  Not to me.

[spaceytraci1208]

 

Two UOs from me:

 

• Of the three recent Batman films, my favorite is Batman Begins.
• Don't get the appeal of Leonardo Di Caprio. He's always just come across as a very average performer to me.

 

I'm with you on Batman Begins; I enjoyed it more as a whole than the other two. The only great thing about The Dark Knight was Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker, and I laughed a lot at The Dark Knight Rises (the sad Batman statue they unveiled at the end had me rollin!)

 

I love me some Leo though...

[Danny Franks]

OK.  I'm gonna be booted for this one for sure...

 

Audrey Hepburn was never "all that" to me.  Cute?  Absolutely.  Luminescent or transcendent beauty?  Not to me.

 

Agreed. When I think of Golden Age Hollywood beauty, it's Grace Kelly above all. A stunning, breathtaking woman. Audrey Hepburn has that cool cachet, and I think that elevates her in the minds of a lot of people, but I think "cute" is the most apt description of her elfin features.

[Shannon L.]

 

OK.  I'm gonna be booted for this one for sure...

 

Audrey Hepburn was never "all that" to me.  Cute?  Absolutely.  Luminescent or transcendent beauty?  Not to me.

Oh, I can top that--Meryl Streep is a great actor, no doubt, but I'm nowhere near as enamored with her as everyone else seems to be.  I get some of the nominations, but all of them?  Not really.

[Julia]

I haven't been moved or charmed by anything Tom Hanks has done in years and years and years, and I wasn't always before that.

[Ohwell]

I thought Audrey Hepburn was a useless twit in Breakfast at Tiffany's and I never understood what George Peppard or the other men saw in her.  I did not like her character at all.  (Thought her best work was The Nun's Story.)

[Athena]

I did not Breakfast At Tiffany's. I am an Audrey Hepburn fangirl and I've seen almost all her movies. I think those of us who love her love her beyond her features. YMMV but she had a lot charisma and had style. She was a philanthropist as well. 

 

My UO is that I don't hate the Star Wars prequels. I don't love them, but I've seen worse action and sci-fi films.

[wanderingstar]

Not sure this is a UO, but I loved the ending of Children of Men.

That said, it's best to view the film and the novella as completely separate -and only tangentially related - entities.

[ribboninthesky1]

I didn't realize it was based on a novella, but I liked the ending as well.  

[bosawks]

I hate Gone With The Wind!

Oddly, I love Carol Burmett's "Went With The Wind".

[ribboninthesky1]

I'm not enamored with Benedict Cumberbatch. In fact, I thought he was kind of awful in Star Trek.  The man chewed through scenery as if his life depended on it, providing unintentional comedy.  I still descend into giggles when I think about his "My name is Khan" scene. 

[Sweet Tee]

Agreed on Cumberbatch. It was tolerable when he just stayed in his little BBC bubble. But now he's invaded my big screen and I don't like it. It's mostly shallow as I cannot get beyond his bizarre looking face that I can't believe people find hot.

[Julia]

Third. My daughter loves Benedict Cumberbatch, and I don't understand it. I've never seen him be more than moderately good in anything, and I always think he looks like a stick insect. Of course, also I think that about the previous two Doctors, so maybe it's a british thing.

[ramble]

Don't get the appeal of Leonardo Di Caprio. He's always just come across as a very average performer to me.

Can I second & third this? I don't find him remotely attractive either.

I also don't see any appeal in Johnny Depp.

[benteen]

Can I second & third this? I don't find him remotely attractive either.

I also don't see any appeal in Johnny Depp.

 

Speaking of DiCaprio, I'm sick of him doing the same stupid accent in every single movie he does.  I wish someone would tell him just talk like a normal human being.  He might think it's brilliant but it's not.

[Athena]

I'm kinda glad Depp's star has fallen a bit these days. I really like a lot of his earlier films (Edward Scissorhands, Benny & Joon, etc.), but I personally think he hasn't been in a really good film in awhile. The bloom is off the rose. I found him attractive, but never as hot as some people did.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

I'm not enamored with Benedict Cumberbatch. In fact, I thought he was kind of awful in Star Trek.  The man chewed through scenery as if his life depended on it, providing unintentional comedy.  I still descend into giggles when I think about his "My name is Khan" scene. 

 

 

        Don't mind Benny these days, since he seems to have the ego in check.

        But the blatant whitewashing of Khan still has me feeling some

        type of way.  Must agree, his career has really picked up steam

        after Into Darkness and 12YAS.  

 

        I believe the next season of BBC Sherlock been delayed. 

Edited June 26, 2014 by MrsRafaelBarba

[aradia22]

 

 

I hate Gone With The Wind!

Oddly, I love Carol Burmett's "Went With The Wind".

I haven't been able to get through GWTW because it's four hours long (I should probably watch it in one hour installments like a miniseries) but I've seen most of the big scenes and I've liked Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh's chemistry. But Went With the Wind is amazing. I couldn't sit through more than 20 minutes of Torch Song but I still think Torchy Song is hilarious.

 

I'm kinda glad Depp's star has fallen a bit these days. I really like a lot of his earlier films (Edward Scissorhands, Benny & Joon, etc.), but I personally think he hasn't been in a really good film in awhile. The bloom is off the rose. I found him attractive, but never as hot as some people did.

I think that's probably it. I still think DiCaprio was good in Titanic and Johnny Depp has had his good films as well but I haven't really wanted to see anything they've been in recently. I think Gangs of New York was kind of terrible. There, I said it.

[Athena]

I think Gangs of New York was kind of terrible. There, I said it.

 

Agreed. I was actually thinking about it the other day because of Diaz. She was awful in that. The only good thing in that movie was Daniel Day Lewis. He stole the movie and made it bearable for me.

[Julia]

Gone With The Wind is a epic gorgeous candy box of a movie, with a really hot couple in the lead. Which is great except when something happens onscreen which reminds you that the land of lost content they spend the movie mooning over is a scant handful of wealthy people controlling the wealth of an entire region by basing their economy on kidnapping, murder and chattel slavery. The community group all the men belong to, which gets Scarlett's second husband killed so she's available to marry the money Rhett made smuggling arms to the Confederacy, was the Klan. 

 

Although the part where Rhett and Scarlett miss their big chance to realize how they feel about each other because Rhett is too insensitive to recognize how much Scarlett enjoyed being raped is a close second, disturbingness-wise.

[Ohwell]

I think Gangs of New York was kind of terrible. There, I said it.

Agreed.  However, I saw a documentary about Five Points that was much better than the movie.

[Julia]

The book it's based on is a classic. It was written in 1927 while a lot of the stuff in the movie was still going on.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

The short lived BBC America series was better than Gangs of New York.

My nickname for it,, Deadwood at the. Five Points.

I miss that show.

Copper is the. Show I'm talking about.

[Crs97]

I rolled my eyes during Love Story. Many times. Especially at the end. "Love means never having to say you're sorry"? Who writes that kind of crap?

[Rick Kitchen]

I rolled my eyes during Love Story. Many times. Especially at the end. "Love means never having to say you're sorry"? Who writes that kind of crap?

 

In Ryan O'Neal's movie after Love Story (What's Up Doc?):

Judy (Barbra Streisand): Love means never having to say you're sorry.

Howard (O'Neal): That's the dumbest thing I ever heard.

[aradia22]

 

I rolled my eyes during Love Story. Many times. Especially at the end. "Love means never having to say you're sorry"? Who writes that kind of crap?

Someone who doesn't want to ever apologize. It makes me want to rewatch Titanic while constantly reminding myself 'James Cameron wrote this.' And we all know that he's a very nice man. ;)

[Julia]

I rolled my eyes during Love Story. Many times. Especially at the end. "Love means never having to say you're sorry"? Who writes that kind of crap?

 

A guy with a doctorate in comparative literature from Harvard, of all things. In his defense, he also wrote the script for Yellow Submarine.

[Sweet Tee]

Really? How does one write something as deliciously fun as Yellow Submarine and something as dull and awful as Love Story?

[Julia]

Well, it was based on a story by someone else and four other people worked on it.

[Crs97]

Okay, this just made me laugh.  Talk about timing . . .

 

http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/ryan-oneal-ali-macgraw-reunite-say-love-story-movie-line-is-a-crock-2014276?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter

[tribeca]

I like Ben Stiller as an actor.  No problem with Ben Affleck playing Batman.  About Time was a wonderful little movie. 

[Pickles Aplenty]

 

I like Ben Stiller as an actor. 

So do I.  I think he's at his best when he's playing regular guys, though.  Whenever he plays a wacky, over-the-top character, I tune out.  He's naturally funny without having to try so hard.

[Athena]

I really liked Dan in Real Life and Crazy, Stupid Love. I like when Steve Carell plays normal everymen.

[Rick Kitchen]

I really liked Dan in Real Life and Crazy, Stupid Love. I like when Steve Carell plays normal everymen.

 

I didn't see Dan in Real Life, but I really liked Crazy, Stupid Love. and Date Night.  Plus I love the Despicable Me movies.

[Crs97]

I disliked everything about The English Patient. Everything. Why it won awards is a mystery to me.

[Wiendish Fitch]

I disliked everything about The English Patient. Everything. Why it won awards is a mystery to me.

 

 

Me, too. And I don't know how Juliette Binoche could cheat on sweet, handsome Colin Firth for oily, smarmy Ralph Fiennes.

 

For those who dislike Audrey Hepburn, I can do you one better...

 

I hate Marilyn Monroe. Seriously, I am so sick of this overrated bimbo and her inexplicable mystique I could scream. You'd swear she was the only actress with a tragic life. What about Vivien Leigh? Judy Garland? Gene Tierney? Gail Russell?

Monroe's breathy, girly voice bugs me, her acting was one-note (which would be fine, if it were, you know, good), and on top of that, I don't even think she was that attractive. As far as sex goddesses of the Golden Age go, I think Jean Harlow and Rita Hayworth were head and shoulders above Monroe. She looked very artificial to me. And I know I'm the only person alive who preferred Jane Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. She had it all over Monroe: talent, poise, sex appeal. I also don't get the moral of the movie: Lorelai is such a wonderful friend because she was trying to get Dorothy to stop… dating and playing the field? It's better to marry some poor idiot for his money rather than have harmless fun in the dating world? I don't get it! And isn't "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" an ugly little song? Hey, girls, one day you'll be old and alone! No love life, no friends, no family, not even a pet, but, hey, jewelry will keep you warm at night! You know who this song applies to? Norma friggin' Desmond!

[wallflower75]

I'm home!!!  I'm among people who don't get Angelina Jolie's allure, think Tom Cruise is overrated (although I will admit I have great difficulty separating his off-screen antics from his on-screen ones), and so much more!!

 

My unpopular opinions?  I'll just name a couple:

 

I didn't like The Notebook.  Or Jerry Maguire.  Or many other movies that over the years have been considered "classic romances."  They simply don't do it for me, and I can't explain why because I enjoy a good romance--don't believe me, look at my the selections on my Kindle.  But in spite of everything I know about it now, I still enjoy Gone with the Wind.

 

I have never liked The Wizard of Oz.

 

And I do not care for Woody Allen movies--with the exception of Blue Jasmine, which I thought was very good.  Then again, it was a modern take on A Streetcar Named Desire, which is one of my favorites, which is probably why I liked it.

[ribboninthesky1]

Me, too. And I don't know how Juliette Binoche could cheat on sweet, handsome Colin Firth for oily, smarmy Ralph Fiennes.

 

Wait, I thought that was Kristin Scott Thomas? Wasn't Juliette Binoche the nurse of Fiennes' character?

 

Genre UPO: I cannot stand most period films, particularly Victorian era.  They usually bore me to tears.  Plus, when I see women/girls in those corsets, my own breathing automatically constricts.  

Edited June 29, 2014 by ribboninthesky1

[Wiendish Fitch]

Me, too. And I don't know how Juliette Binoche could cheat on sweet, handsome Colin Firth for oily, smarmy Ralph Fiennes.

Wait, I thought that was Kristin Scott Thomas? Wasn't Juliette Binoche the nurse of Fiennes' character?

 

 

(smacks forehead) D'oh! Stupid me! Forgive my brain fart.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Wiendish Fitch

[AstaCharles]

I was never a big fan of Mary Poppins. I liked everyone else in the movie but I just never liked Mary that much. Then someone made a Youtube video of the movie trailer as a horror film and I thought 'Thank God I'm not the only one that gets the creeps from her!"

[Crs97]

I cannot stand Marilyn Monroe either! With her breathy voice that I guess is supposed to be sexy and her one acting expression that seemed to consist only of opening her eyes really wide - I don't get her appeal.

I have tried to watch a couple of Woody Allen movies and don't get them at all.

While Al Pacino can be a very good actor, I think of him as mostly a scenery chewer. And his Oscar-winning "Scent of a Woman"? I think Chris O'Donnell should have testified against the kids who damaged the head guy's car so Al's big speech is a whole lot of hot air saying nothing and defending the wrong principle in my unpopular opinion.

[spaceytraci1208]

While Al Pacino can be a very good actor, I think of him as mostly a scenery chewer.

Agreed! I'm not sure at what point of his career he decided Yelling=Acting. Only really worked for me in his closing argument scene in ...And Justice For All. One of my favorite movie speeches.

[Pickles Aplenty]

Mike Stoklasa of Red Letter Media recently described Johnny Depp as a great performer, not a great actor, and I have to agree with him.  I have always tried to pinpoint what it was about Johnny Depp that didn't quite work for me, but that's it.  Weird roles do not always equal "meaty" ones, and I think that's where JD really flails as an actor.

 

I enjoy Marilyn Monroe, but I totally understand why other people wouldn't.  She's basically a representation of everything that was wrong with gender roles at that time, and it can be uncomfortable to watch.  I have always liked Audrey Hepburn, and I think the fact that she wasn't drop-dead gorgeous was part of her appeal.  She was gamine and doe-eyed and slightly gawky, and she really stood out among the sea of, well, Marilyn Monroes at that time.  Also, I think she was a great actress.  The one I can't muster any love for is Julie Andrews.  She's not a very memorable presence to me, TBH.  She's squeaky clean and charming, I guess, but mostly she just annoys me.  I can't bring myself to finish either Mary Poppins or The Sound of Music because of her.  She grates.