Unpopular Opinions

[Wiendish Fitch]

I thought Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MO was the most foul, overrated, tedious, blatantly manipulative movie I've seen in many a moon. I recognize it's well made, well acted, and I even appreciated that nearly all the characters are kind of shitty, but, God, what a slog. Maybe I'm just uncultured and cynical, but I still feel that the movie plays like a heavy-handed, calculated checklist of critical catnip tropes. I'm not going to lie, at times it felt like the Oscar bait parody Seth Meyers made a few years back.

Edited January 18, 2019 by Wiendish Fitch

[Lonesome Rhodes]

I loved that the Flight Attendant jilts Tom Hanks in Terminal.  She was a messed up lady and just didn't have it in her to accept a kind and respectful love.  It's so rare that I see this realism.  I've known more than a few ladies like that.  I'd rather everyone have a healthier approach to relationships, but tragically many never do.

Given that this was overwhelmingly a Spielberg feel-good movie, the impact was all the more special, imo.

[Kel Varnsen]

On 1/7/2019 at 10:50 PM, festivus said:

Well this will all lead into my UO since we're talking Marvel. I just now got done watching Iron Man 2 after not seeing it for a while. I know it hits a lot of people's bottom lists and I don't really see why. I like it about as much as the first one and one reason is that it has Don Cheadle instead of Terrence Howard who I just find all around more likable and I feel like he and Tony make better friends. Loved Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer and while Mickey Rourke wasn't the greatest villain ever, he was fine and he didn't take over the movie. Plus, we had Pepper screaming for Tony to get in the car and lots of what I like to call lab porn. I love Tony in his lab. Good introduction for Black Widow too. She should have had her own movie a long time ago.

I rewatched Iron Man 2 recently and it was a lot better than I remember. If they just had a different bad guy instead of Whiplash and cast someone else instead of Mickey Rourke it would have been really good. Although the drunken party scene was kind of stupid and the thing with the arc reactor poisoning Tony made no sense because why not just move the reactor outside his body?  But there are a lot of good thinhs about that movie.

[Blergh]

While the more revelations of what the performers evidently endured is downright appalling, I have to say that I thought the original Lost Boys  (1987) was jarring in that it at first attempted to make social commentaries (re teens of divorced parents having to start life anew in a strange new place,etc.) then it went for straight horror then it went for self- parody

Spoiler

(and I thought the ending in which the literal blood bath wound up destroying their grandfather's entire house was downright unnecessarily destructive and gross)

 The sad thing is that that if they had just settled on one theme and stuck with it, it may have been an okay movie.

Spoiler

Oh and the Head Vamp's true ID was not even remotely  close to a surprise as the movie would have wanted the audience to have thought re the 'reveal'. 

Edited February 3, 2019 by Blergh
bolding

[proserpina65]

On ‎02‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 2:11 PM, Blergh said:

While the more revelations of what the performers evidently endured is downright appalling, I have to say that I thought the original Lost Boys  (1987) was jarring in that it at first attempted to make social commentaries (re teens of divorced parents having to start life anew in a strange new place,etc.) then it went for straight horror then it went for self- parody

  Reveal hidden contents

(and I thought the ending in which the literal blood bath wound up destroying their grandfather's entire house was downright unnecessarily destructive and gross)

 The sad thing is that that if they had just settled on one theme and stuck with it, it may have been an okay movie.

  Reveal hidden contents

Oh and the Head Vamp's true ID was not even remotely  close to a surprise as the movie would have wanted the audience to have thought re the 'reveal'. 

I agree about the end, although I was a little surprised by the id.  But I think it was a more than okay movie just the way it was.

[starri]

UO:  Prior to Fury Road, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome was the best of that series.

[Dancingjaneway]

Bohemian Rhapsody sucked. Rami was NOT a good choice for Freddie. He didn't have his voice, look or mannerisms down. The editing & storytelling were horrible.  I kept wondering when the movie was going to be over. It's too bad because I was really looking forward to it. 

[Simon Boccanegra]

I don't know if it's an unpopular opinion, but I thought Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark, from the same year as The Lost Boys, was a much better youth-y vampire film. I know it isn't an unpopular opinion that Bigelow is a better director than Joel Schumacher. Has he ever made anything really good, rather than guilty-pleasure good? 

[Wiendish Fitch]

1 hour ago, Simon Boccanegra said:

I don't know if it's an unpopular opinion, but I thought Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark, from the same year as The Lost Boys, was a much better youth-y vampire film. I know it isn't an unpopular opinion that Bigelow is a better director than Joel Schumacher. Has he ever made anything really good, rather than guilty-pleasure good? 

He's directed a few episodes of House of Cards without mucking it up, but that probably doesn't count.

[Simon Boccanegra]

I remember when Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, and James Gandolfini did a joint interview for Entertainment Weekly at the time they were promoting The Mexican. The interviewer asked them each to name a movie they had been in that really didn't turn out as well as they had hoped, and Julia said Dying Young (I think, although the story will still work if it was Flatliners), and James said 8mm. Then Julia whispered, "We named the same director!" Everyone had a laugh about that, and then the interviewer asked Brad if he had any Joel Schumacher movies on his credit list. 

[starri]

6 hours ago, Dancingjaneway said:

Bohemian Rhapsody sucked. Rami was NOT a good choice for Freddie. He didn't have his voice, look or mannerisms down. The editing & storytelling were horrible.  I kept wondering when the movie was going to be over. It's too bad because I was really looking forward to it. 

Ben Whishaw would have been much better.  And, y'know, actually gay.

[WritinMan]

12 hours ago, Simon Boccanegra said:

I don't know if it's an unpopular opinion, but I thought Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark, from the same year as The Lost Boys, was a much better youth-y vampire film. I know it isn't an unpopular opinion that Bigelow is a better director than Joel Schumacher. Has he ever made anything really good, rather than guilty-pleasure good? 

I like Falling Down. Also, I've never seen it, but I know some people who really like A Time to Kill.

[dkb]

On 1/10/2019 at 6:41 AM, Wiendish Fitch said:

A Star is Born (2018):

Haven't seen it yet (not interested), but someone elsewhere had this to say about Lady Gaga and the whole hype around the movie:

Agreed. She's been around for a decade (or more) and is an established megastar. Lady Gaga is the polar opposite of an ingenue.

 

^^ Same. Was just talking about this with my sister, like, Lady Gaga you are a star why are you pretending your some nobody who just landed in Hollywood!

I get that this is her first movie role, but come on, her interviews are so cringe, I can't.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 2/17/2019 at 7:06 AM, starri said:

Ben Whishaw would have been much better.  And, y'know, actually gay.

This might be a tangential unpopular opinion, but I don't think an actor's own sexual orientation should have anything to do with the roles he performs.  Skin color, or gender, or other things that are on the screen?  Sure, if it's something like having an actor who is handsome play a character that is handsome, but for what's not on the screen?  I think that's what acting is for.

Then again, I didn't know Ben Whishaw is gay (or actually, had never given it a single thought), so it would all be lost on me anyway.

[Simon Boccanegra]

I don't think your opinion is unpopular, @StatisticalOutlier, although this is a debate that's going to rage for a while. Not here on Previously TV, I mean, but in the business and the wider world. Certainly, if the rules had always been that people play their own orientation and nothing but, we would have been denied some great performances in both directions. Just last night, I caught up with Melissa McCarthy's Lee Israel in Can You Ever Forgive Me? She was the last name for me to check off of the Best Actress list, and she went right to the top of my should-win rankings. (I know Close is the odds-on favorite.) Lee Israel was a lesbian and is portrayed as such in the film, with old and new female love interests, even though the love of her life appears to be her cat. Ms. McCarthy is heterosexual as far as I know, married to Ben Falcone, who has a supporting role here.

With Mercury, it may be a little more complicated for some than a relatively little-known author like Israel, or someone invented like Heath Ledger's character in Brokeback Mountain or Cate Blanchett's in Carol. Mercury is such an iconic figure, and his sexuality is so much at the forefront of our understanding of him. There definitely are openly gay actors who are the right age and are very talented, and I'd hope they were considered. But if someone did consider various people and believed Malek was the best choice for the role, that's still defensible in my eyes (likewise Penn as Harvey Milk, et cetera). I will just say, in my opinion, Malek is hardly the worst decision made in connection with Bohemian Rhapsody. 

Edited February 21, 2019 by Simon Boccanegra

[methodwriter85]

I feel like if Ben Whisaw HAD been cast, people would have bitched about whitewashing.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 2/20/2019 at 7:55 AM, Simon Boccanegra said:

Mercury is such an iconic figure, and his sexuality is so much at the forefront of our understanding of him.

You know how I said I didn't know Ben Whishaw is gay? 

I was an early Queen adopter--I was in high school in 1975 and traveled 200 miles to see them in concert because I lived in the sticks.  By the time Mercury died, Queen's music had lost its appeal to me, but they remained on the radar because they'd gotten so big.  But I remember when he died and I actually thought, "He's gay?!?"  And of course in retrospect, of course he was.

.

Quote

I will just say, in my opinion, Malek is hardly the worst decision made in connection with Bohemian Rhapsody. 

It was the teeth for me.  As a long-time fan, I was really looking forward to the movie, but between the musical focus being on a period I didn't like, and the teeth I saw in the previews, I decided not to see it.

[Crs97]

My UO is that I never particularly liked Queen and think Bohemian Rhapsody is a stupid song.  

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, Crs97 said:

My UO is that I never particularly liked Queen and think Bohemian Rhapsody is a stupid song.  

Well, it was a lot of fun to be driving around singing it while stoned.  So yeah, probably a stupid song.

[Simon Boccanegra]

3 hours ago, Crs97 said:

My UO is that I never particularly liked Queen and think Bohemian Rhapsody is a stupid song.  

Same. For me, they're in a large category of "classic rock" acts whose songs everyone knows, who have tons of fans, who have continued to add new fans not born when they were riding high on the charts, but I will go the rest of my life without intentionally listening to one of their songs. It isn't that I even hate the music; it just doesn't mean anything to me. So I only hear what I'm passively exposed to, which is quite a lot, because some of their songs are inescapable. See also Led Zeppelin, Journey, Styx, Fleetwood Mac, Aerosmith, The Eagles, The Doors...

But a movie is a somewhat different thing. Artistry always trumps subject matter with me. With a narrative film about musicians, the challenge is to find the drama in the story. A lot of the fake country that the actors themselves wrote and performed in Nashville (the Robert Altman picture from the '70s, not the unrelated TV series more recently) isn't great music, but Nashville is one of my favorite movies. I do think, in theory, a great movie could have been made about Freddie Mercury and Queen and their times. I found Val Kilmer's Jim Morrison completely captivating in Oliver Stone's The Doors, although that movie had its own flaws. 

[Bill1978]

I think This Is Me from The Greatest Showman is just an average decent anthem song. I personally feel that if Rewrite The Stars had been submitted for Best Original Song as the Oscars it would have beaten the Coco song. The lyrics progress that storyline so much better than This Is Me. Plus I think the actually scene for Stars is so much better than the way This Is Me was presented within the film.

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 2/22/2019 at 7:00 PM, Simon Boccanegra said:

It isn't that I even hate the music; it just doesn't mean anything to me. So I only hear what I'm passively exposed to, which is quite a lot, because some of their songs are inescapable. See also Led Zeppelin, Journey, Styx, Fleetwood Mac, Aerosmith, The Eagles, The Doors...

Was any of this music prominent/popular during your formative years?

I like "classic rock" because it's what was big during my high school years (graduated in 1975).  But even so, of the bands you mentioned, I actively like only Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith.  But a song by any of the ones you mentioned will strike a chord with me, always.  Well, except maybe some of the dirges by Journey--I actively dislike those. 

Then you have Mr. Outlier, who graduated from high school in 1985.  He likes "my" music okay, but it doesn't mean anything to him.  But his eyes light up at the mention of Billy Idol or Depeche Mode.

Fortunately, we can bond over the old bluesmen.

[proserpina65]

On ‎02‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 12:44 PM, StatisticalOutlier said:

Was any of this music prominent/popular during your formative years?

I like "classic rock" because it's what was big during my high school years (graduated in 1975).  But even so, of the bands you mentioned, I actively like only Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith.  But a song by any of the ones you mentioned will strike a chord with me, always.  Well, except maybe some of the dirges by Journey--I actively dislike those. 

Then you have Mr. Outlier, who graduated from high school in 1985.  He likes "my" music okay, but it doesn't mean anything to him.  But his eyes light up at the mention of Billy Idol or Depeche Mode.

Fortunately, we can bond over the old bluesmen.

I graduated in 1983, but have a brother who's 5 years older than me, and a lot of my musical taste (at least regarding rock music) was heavily influenced by his.  Thus our having attended two Deep Purple concerts together, twenty years apart.

[Blergh]

OK, I really enjoyed both Bradley Cooper's and Lady Gaga's performances in A Star is Born (2018). However; I'm a bit concerned that they may be crossing the line from 'chummy coworkers and fellow artists' to actively lusting for each other if not already. I mean, I've seen few folks NOT involved give enthralled looks they gave each other for extended periods during the Oscar ceremony, interviews,etc. 

  Normally I'd say ' glad they found each other and hope it works out' but for the fact that Mr. Cooper has a girlfriend who's the mother of his child. Now, if Mr. Cooper and his companion had had no children together, I'd feel bad that he's not at least attempting to tone things down out of respect for her and their bond (and would hope she would insist he not be so openly .  . .gaga over his costar but then dump him without a backwards glance if he DID cross the line). However; since they have a child together, that means that she will have to deal with him in some capacity the rest of her life AND it  would be a bit unfair to the child to have to have split custody or no father in her life from an early age if the parental union is     to falter. 

Edited February 28, 2019 by Blergh
one union too much

[Dandesun]

I consider Gaga and Cooper to be performers. This is what they do. Hell, they may be totally enamored of each other in a completely platonic way but we're so predisposed to see 'lust!!' that the rest of us are jumping to conclusions.

They could also be totally into each other and yet respectful of their own relationships (I don't know if Gaga is in one or not) because they have control over themselves. Or they just super like each other but not in an all encompassing passionate way. It could be any number of things. 

What I've seen... they really enjoy each other, they have good chemistry, they work it because that's part of the publicity for their movie. Until they announce their upcoming nuptials I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt because I don't know either one of them, really.

[Proclone]

3 hours ago, Blergh said:

OK, I really enjoyed both Bradley Cooper's and Lady Gaga's performances in A Star is Born (2018). However; I'm a bit concerned that they may be crossing the line from 'chummy coworkers and fellow artists' to actively lusting for each other if not already. I mean, I've seen few folks NOT involved give enthralled looks they gave each other for extended periods during the Oscar ceremony, interviews,etc. 

  Normally I'd say ' glad they found each other and hope it works out' but for the fact that Mr. Cooper has a girlfriend who's the mother of his child. Now, if Mr. Cooper and his companion had had no children together, I'd feel bad that he's not at least attempting to tone things down out of respect for her and their bond (and would hope she would insist he not be so openly .  . .gaga over his costar but then dump him without a backwards glance if he DID cross the line). However; since they have a child together, that means that she will have to deal with him in some capacity the rest of her life AND it  would be a bit unfair to the child to have to have split custody or no father in her life from an early age if the parental union is     to falter. 

1 hour ago, Dandesun said:

I consider Gaga and Cooper to be performers. This is what they do. Hell, they may be totally enamored of each other in a completely platonic way but we're so predisposed to see 'lust!!' that the rest of us are jumping to conclusions.

They could also be totally into each other and yet respectful of their own relationships (I don't know if Gaga is in one or not) because they have control over themselves. Or they just super like each other but not in an all encompassing passionate way. It could be any number of things. 

What I've seen... they really enjoy each other, they have good chemistry, they work it because that's part of the publicity for their movie. Until they announce their upcoming nuptials I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt because I don't know either one of them, really.

I said it in another post, and I'm not sure if it's really an UO, but I find speculating on celebrities relationships kind of unsavory in general.  It really isn't anyone (but his girlfriend's) business if Cooper and Gaga are or are not banging.  And I really couldn't care less.  I do agree it's weird that people seem to think that they couldn't channel their characters for a couple of minute rendition of their song though.  They are actors, pretty good ones.  

But in general, I really kind of hate celebrity gossip, especially when it pertains to relationships.  I view celebrities kind of like passing acquaintances.  They can tell me a funny story about their spouse or partner on a talk show, but generally speaking, I don't really want to know or speculate about their relationship drama any more than I want to know about the relationship drama of the guy I buy milk from.  

[Archery]

4 hours ago, Blergh said:

OK, I really enjoyed both Bradley Cooper's and Lady Gaga's performances in A Star is Born (2018). However; I'm a bit concerned that they may be crossing the line from 'chummy coworkers and fellow artists' to actively lusting for each other if not already. I mean, I've seen few folks NOT involved give enthralled looks they gave each other for extended periods during the Oscar ceremony, interviews,etc. 

  Normally I'd say ' glad they found each other and hope it works out' but for the fact that Mr. Cooper has a girlfriend who's the mother of his child. Now, if Mr. Cooper and his companion had had no children together, I'd feel bad that he's not at least attempting to tone things down out of respect for her and their bond (and would hope she would insist he not be so openly .  . .gaga over his costar but then dump him without a backwards glance if he DID cross the line). However; since they have a child together, that means that she will have to deal with him in some capacity the rest of her life AND it  would be a bit unfair to the child to have to have split custody or no father in her life from an early age if the parental union is     to falter. 

Lady Gaga is rolling her eyes at this speculation.  She thinks it's ridiculous, and that "social media is the toilet of the internet."  Please can the world put this romance rumour to rest?

[Dancingjaneway]

I think Viola Davis & Glenn Close are better actresses than Meryl Streep. I feel like Meryl is so overrated & over nominated. 

[IWantCandy71]

I liked Viola Davis in The Help, but I can't recall if I've ever seen her in anything else. I have never had a desire to watch her TV series because I have never been interested or liked anything else Shonda Rhimes has produced.

But from what I've seen of the one performance, I'm okay with the thought that Viola is better than Meryl Streep.

And I think Glenn Close is absolutely better than Meryl.  I always  have felt Glenn is one of the most underrated actresses in Hollywood. She gets some respect, but not enough.

There are quite a few others I think are better than Meryl as well-Frances McDormand and Sally Hawkins come immediately to mind. I've never seen the Shape of Water, but Sally in Maudie and A Brilliant Young Mind just floored me. She's one of the best !

Edited March 1, 2019 by IWantCandy71

[IWantCandy71]

7 hours ago, Archery said:

Lady Gaga is rolling her eyes at this speculation.  She thinks it's ridiculous, and that "social media is the toilet of the internet."  Please can the world put this romance rumour to rest?

I don't even know Lady Gaga. I've never listened to any of her music and don't really care. But she is right-social media IS the toilet of the internet.

Twitter makes me twitchy, which must be the intent, or else why would it have such a twitch worthy name ? 

I didn't see the Gaga/Bradley Cooper performance, and I didn't and won't see that movie. But when  you're right, you're right ! And she has the fame, she can say that and get away with it. Good for her.

Edited March 1, 2019 by IWantCandy71

[Blergh]

Archery, 

 While I DO agree with Lady Gaga's assessment re 'social media is the toilet of the internet', that in itself does NOT necessarily mean that she herself must be  100 percent truthful re the possibility of her and onetime costar Mr. Cooper having nothing but chummy, platonic feelings for each other while they intently gaze at each other and cling onto each other . Yes, I know this is an UO. 

[IWantCandy71]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

Archery, 

 While I DO agree with Lady Gaga's assessment re 'social media is the toilet of the internet', that in itself does NOT necessarily mean that she herself must be  100 percent truthful re the possibility of her and onetime costar Mr. Cooper having nothing but chumy, platonic feelings for each other while they intently gaze at each other and cling onto each other . Yes, I know this is an UO. 

Honestly, I went and watched about a half minute of it and I don't see what all the fuss is about. I didn't see it as intimate or sexy, and it's obvious they were acting.

And it wasn't good acting, either. These people were nominated for awards for this ? O-kay.

[Shannon L.]

I said this in the Academy Awards thread in the TV Specials section, but I'll say it here:  Shallow is my least favorite of the 3 songs from the movie that were put forth for nominations, however, I understand why it was the one that got nominated.  Every time I've seen it live, it doesn't have give the same feeling that it did in the movie, so I think context is important when hearing the song.  And by that I mean the time she's sitting with him in the parking lot and coming up with it off the top of her head, as well as the moment they sing the full song live on stage.  Which also means, imo, of course, that if you are a fan of the movie, then you can  appreciate their live performances because you know what unfolds in the movie.  If I hadn't seen the movie, it might have been my favorite of all nominated songs, but I still wouldn't have understood why people were making that much of a fuss about it.  It's all subjective anyway.....

Speaking of A Star is Born (2019):  My UO is that I enjoyed the last have of the movie over the first half.  There were moments I enjoyed in the first half, but the second half grabbed me more. 

[Irlandesa]

On 2/28/2019 at 2:51 PM, Archery said:

Lady Gaga is rolling her eyes at this speculation.  She thinks it's ridiculous, and that "social media is the toilet of the internet."  Please can the world put this romance rumour to rest?

On 3/1/2019 at 9:36 AM, Blergh said:

Archery, 

 While I DO agree with Lady Gaga's assessment re 'social media is the toilet of the internet', that in itself does NOT necessarily mean that she herself must be  100 percent truthful re the possibility of her and onetime costar Mr. Cooper having nothing but chummy, platonic feelings for each other while they intently gaze at each other and cling onto each other . Yes, I know this is an UO. 

I don't know if mine is an unpopular opinion or not--it's probably half and half (unpopular with people who think they're fucking and unpopular with those who think it's ridiculous spec).  While Gaga is right that social media can be a bitch, she can just take a seat when it comes to the spec about her and Bradley.  It has been a long established Hollywood tradition that co-stars and romantic co-stars talk each other up.  They're the best of friends.  They love each other....etc.  Sometimes it's true and sometimes it's exaggerated.  Even though studios aren't pushing fake relationships quite the way they did in the past, it's still considered good publicity to be flirty and imply something more even while denying.  Fan engagement, baby!

Gaga and Bradley Cooper have played the game during the promotion of A Star Is Born.  They speak very highly of one another.  They make it seem that fate brought them together on this project.  Whenever they perform the song live, they're all over one another.  In theory, it's meant to be replicating their relationship in the movie but when they perform, they refer to themselves as Bradley and Gaga. 

I think they probably like each other but I think the love fest has been 100% publicity for the show and they're not lusting after one another or having sex...etc. But, IMO, they have been deliberate about it so for her to roll her eyes at social media and the speculation is disingenuous. 

[IWantCandy71]

Yes, but I think people these days jump on the littlest things and make mountains out of molehills. The kind of crowd that is so quick to think they may have had an affair or whatever, is the same kind of crowd who imply others are doing the same, no matter what their behavior. It's the same mentality with fictional characters as well as real people. It's the same mentality that effectively ruined the TV show "Sherlock" for me (that, and the crappy, horrible writing). Just because two people obviously care about one another, it does not mean they are "in" love, or that the interest is romantic or sexual in any way, shape, or form. It's not that co stars don't dilly dally from time to time. But IMO, the ones that usually are doing it-the public never finds out, or doesn't find out unless they have a child together or marry, or someone busts them.

I guess it takes more for me than what I saw, to assume something is going on. I got nothing from them other than a performance, literally.

Edited March 4, 2019 by IWantCandy71

[UYI]

On 2/17/2019 at 5:29 AM, Simon Boccanegra said:

I don't know if it's an unpopular opinion, but I thought Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark, from the same year as The Lost Boys, was a much better youth-y vampire film. I know it isn't an unpopular opinion that Bigelow is a better director than Joel Schumacher. Has he ever made anything really good, rather than guilty-pleasure good? 

I mean, I love St. Elmo's Fire, but that probably counts as a guilty pleasure, so never mind. 🙂

OTOH, liking St. Elmo's Fire is not exactly a popular opinion, so it's still appropriate for this thread!

I don't know how much of a UO this is, but I really wish Steve Martin had done more serious roles in his career. I especially love him in Parenthood. He has comedic scenes in that movie, but that's not what I remember it for overall (not even the cowboy scenes, great as those are). 

[Simon Boccanegra]

Oh, yes, Martin was wonderful in Parenthood. He is a more versatile actor than he gets credit for, as anyone who saw him in The Spanish Prisoner or Pennies from Heaven knows.  

[cpcathy]

I really liked Pennies from Heaven and I thought he was really good in it.

I thought most people either dislike that movie or have forgotten about it.

Edited March 20, 2019 by cpcathy

[IWantCandy71]

One of my favorite performances of Steve Martin is in "A Simple Twist of Fate". It's based on Silas Marner(or inspired by, but it generally follows the plot of that story). He wrote the script for this movie, too, and produced as well I think. It's not a great movie, but I like it because it's more dramatic (maybe his first true dramatic role(circa  1994) than funny. And, he plays the banjo onscreen. Plus, Gabriel Byrne and Catherine O'Hara. I liked it and have always meant to buy a copy because while it's average at best, it's lovable in that it actually tells a story and has characters you care about and invest in.

Which is a rarity with all the superhero junk these days, and a lot of other movies concentrating on CGI and gimmicks rather than telling good stories.

Edited March 20, 2019 by IWantCandy71

[WritinMan]

Another "serious" Steve Martin movie I've always liked is The Spanish Prisoner. Not a really big part, but he does a good job with it.

EDIT: Just saw someone else mentioned this above....

Edited March 20, 2019 by WritinMan
Added stuff!

[kathyk24]

My favorite Steve Martin dramatic performance is Leap of Faith. He plays Jack a traveling evangelist and his monologs are incredible.

[Mannahatta]

Speaking of impressive Steve Martin performances.... In "All of Me" (1984), his character, a lawyer, spent most of the movie with his right side inhabited by the soul of Lily Tomlin's character, a self-centered, recently deceased millionaire. And he pulled it off! He was great in it and received a couple of prestigious awards for his performance. But I always thought he should have at least been nominated for an Academy award. Comedic performances - especially when it's physical comedy - seem to be generally overlooked by the Academy. Guess they're afraid of not looking classy. Lol

[Simon Boccanegra]

The trio of All of Me, Little Shop of Horrors, and Roxanne, all within three years, even got inveterate Martin hater Roger Ebert to change his tune. Up until then, he had panned Martin as reliably as Pauline Kael panned Meryl Streep. He goes into detail in this 1991 interview/feature, which was written at the time of L.A. Story (another classic).    

https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/no-longer-crazy-just-wildly-talented-its-steve-martin

[scarynikki12]

I think Leonardo DiCaprio is a fantastic actor and I honestly enjoy everything he's in, no matter the quality of the movie, because he's so good.  Now, that said, my favorite Leo roles are the ones where he's clearly just enjoying his work.  He always enjoyed himself when he works with Scorsese and this is also true with Catch Me If You Can, Django Unchained, and now Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.  The actual role can be serious or lighthearted but Leo enjoying himself is so much better than Leo taking himself seriously.  I hope that he does a lot more of these roles now that he has his Oscar.

It was hard picking the right thread for this but I settled on this one because I feel confident that this is not what he thinks, therefore it qualifies as unpopular.

[Anduin]

Quentin Tarantino. He may be a nice person, but I hate his movies. They just don't click with me. They do whatever the opposite of click is. Yes, even Pulp Fiction. However, they often have good music. I'll listen to the soundtrack as long as I don't have to watch the rest of it.

[kiddo82]

I like Pulp Fiction but my UO is that Travolta is baaaad in it.  It's especially noticeable because he spends most of the movie next to Samuel Jackson who just oozes natural charisma.

[Simon Boccanegra]

The only Tarantino flick I've ever not enjoyed while it was going on is The Hateful Eight, which I found hateful indeed (and endless), to the point of being difficult to get through. The concluding segment of the Coen brothers' Buster Scruggs anthology lays waste to it in a fraction of the time.  

But I never want to see a Tarantino a second time, even the ones I consider his best. The one I have seen more than once, Pulp Fiction, didn't really reward the revisit. So he's not my auteur. It's kind of like watching a top spinning around, and then it stops moving and falls to the floor with a clank and no longer seems like much. You can start it spinning again, but you've already seen what it can do.  

[Danny Franks]

I don't think I've seen a Quentin Tarantino movie since Jackie Brown, a movie I didn't like. The gimmick of 'old, Hollywood has-been gets a career resurrection' was already tiresome. But his movies just don't appeal to me, and I think the media saturation of Kill Bill destroyed any vestiges of interest I might have had in his work.

Edited March 26, 2019 by Danny Franks

[kiddo82]

I re-watched Captain America Civil War today in preparation for End Game.  (my friend and I call this now yearly tradition of going through the more tent pole movies prior to next one our "homework.")  Anyway, my UO is that should something, let's say, "permanent", happen to Stark in Endgame I wouldn't be upset.  I guess I feel this way every time I watch Civil War but I feel like it gets deeper with each subsequent viewing.  I'm tired of his man pain, daddy issues, and hypocrisy.  Not saying I completely side with Cap on the whole Sokovia accords either, but Tony is so insufferable throughout I can't stand it.  He appoints himself as moral compass of the group because he grew a conscience after he was rightfully called out for the consequences of his actions in Age of Ultron and then abandons that stance the second the conflict becomes about him.  And get over the fact that your dad knew Steve, Tony.  Get over it.  It doesn't mean he didn't love you or wasn't proud of you.  The man who refers to himself as "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" can't cope with the fact that his dad had a man crush once upon a time?  Then Tony shows up in Spiderman and acts all alpha and omega again.  Although I don't hate the idea of him and Nebula just hanging out on Titan all that time after Infinity War because I'm sure she has no problem putting him in his place.  At least her daddy issues are more than justified.  

[slf]

Steve Martin looks like he doesn't have real skin. I don't know how else to describe it. I kinda feel bad  for saying it but it's unsettling to me.

Paul Rudd has visibly aged, for pete's sake!

Edited March 25, 2019 by slf