Eh....*shrug*: Movies That Didn't Live Up to the Hype

[spaceytraci1208]

How many movies have you gone to see due to great buzz and reviews that left you ultimately disappointed? Here's a few of mine:

The Blair Witch Project I was so excited to see this movie and left pissed off. It had a good creep-factor, but I was denied the terror I was promised.

Dreamgirls About halfway through I wished I had stayed home and watched The Five Heartbeats instead

Bridesmaids it was more sad and infuriating than funny

[lottiedottie]

I can't hate on Bridesmaids. I thought the friendship stuff between Annie and Lillian felt really true to life. There are a couple of moments in that movie that I feel a pang of understanding of what Annie is going through.

 

I think The Hangover is my "eh, whatever" movie. By the time I saw it, it was on DVD and had heard ad nauseum about how funny it was...and then I just didn't think it was that great. I'm sure if I had seen it when it came out and in a theater I would have had slightly different perspective of it. Incidentally, I saw Bridesmaids in a crowded theater and the entire crowd was laughing like crazy. There's something to that!

[bosawks]

Avatar

I feel asleep and when I woke up and the movie still hadn't ended I was beyond pissed.

[ribboninthesky1]

Dreamgirls About halfway through I wished I had stayed home and watched The Five Heartbeats instead

Bridesmaids it was more sad and infuriating than funny

 

Agreed on both. 

 

I didn't think The Hangover was funny, either.

 

Skyfall - the last third really derailed it, and sent it into absurdity.  Which would have been fine if the film didn't take itself so damn seriously.

 

Others:

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

All Iron Man films

The Reader - couldn't even get through it

Brokeback Mountain - another I couldn't get through

The Social Network

Edited June 26, 2014 by ribboninthesky1

[Princess Sparkle]

Avatar

I feel asleep and when I woke up and the movie still hadn't ended I was beyond pissed.

Words can't describe how mad I am that I paid to see that movie. I actually laughed out loud in the theater when they said "unobtanium" because I thought it was a joke.

I thought both Kill Bills were extremely overrated. Same with Sin City - I don't have a problem with violence at all, but all three movies I thought used it both as a crutch and as a replacement for actual story content.

[Jeebus Cripes]

I agree about The Social Network.

 

The Dark Crystal is so boring. I love Jim Henson. I love Labyrinth. I just can't with this one. 

[NoWillToResist]

Agreed on Bridesmaids. Should have stuck with my gut reaction to the trailer and not allowed myself to be persuaded by the rave reviews.

 

American Hustle: Ugh. I was So. Fucking. Bored.

 

Iron Man 3. I didn't mind the first two but remember finding this one mostly unbearable.

 

I have also come the conclusion, after much forced exposure to the genre, that I cannot find it within myself to give a flying fuck about anything mafia related.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Wolverine:Origins

 

 

Such an epic trailer for a god awful movie.

 

The Matrix:Revolutions

 

see above

Edited June 26, 2014 by MrsRafaelBarba

[Sweet Tee]

Citizen Kane. I can appreciate the filming techniques that were new at the time, but the story was so, so dull.

[benteen]

Avatar

I feel asleep and when I woke up and the movie still hadn't ended I was beyond pissed.

 

Worth it from a visual standpoint but the story itself wasn't anything good.  And I didn't necessarily feel that the Navi (or whatever that species was) was entitled to my sympathy.

 

Yeah, I'm going to go with American Hustle too.  The first half was so boring that I nearly fell asleep and seriously considered walking out (something I NEVER do).  It improved in the second half and the performances were fantastic although the ending is nothing special.

 

I thought The Social Network was good but thought it wasn't anything special or groundbreaking.  I got tired of every hipster writer (on Yahoo and at Entertainment Weekly) talking about how this movie "told the story of a generation" and should have one of The King's Speech.

Edited June 26, 2014 by benteen

[CrazyDog]

Yes on Bridesmaids. Rented it, stopped watching halfway through, and didn't even vpther finishing it. I also kept hearing how awesome Wolf of Wall street was, but I just thought it was too damn long, and Jonah Hill just creeped me out.

Frozen - a cute movie, but nothing exceptional.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Yes on Bridesmaids. Rented it, stopped watching halfway through, and didn't even bother finishing it. 

 

 

        Is it just me or Melissa McCarthy has been playing that type of character   

        since Bridsmaids.

 

        Identity Thief, The Heat  and her upcoming one. 

Edited June 27, 2014 by MrsRafaelBarba

[Julia]

Thor, and I don't understand why. Great cast (even if Tom Hiddleston kind of creeps me out), interesting story, and I've enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's movies before, and it took me a couple of tries to stay awake to the end of Thor.

[ribboninthesky1]

        Is it just me or Melissa McCarthy has been playing that type of character   

        since Bridsmaids.

 

        Identity Thief, The Heat  and her upcoming one. 

 

Nope, not just you.  It's interesting, as I first became aware of her in Gilmore Girls, where her character was nothing like that. 

[Popples]

        Is it just me or Melissa McCarthy has been playing that type of character   

        since Bridsmaids.

 

        Identity Thief, The Heat  and her upcoming one. 

 

Ugh, this bothers me so much. Why does she have to look so horrible and unkempt in all her films, like she lives in a landfill? She doesn't look like that on Mike and Molly. I know it will never happen, but I would love to see a film where she looks normal, and ends up with some smoking hot guy. It happens all the time the other way around, shlubby dude dates ex-Playboy model looking women. I know this isn't the right thread for this topic, but it is so aggravating. 

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Nope, not just you.  It's interesting, as I first became aware of her in Gilmore Girls, where her character was nothing like that. 

 

        I loved her on Gilmore Girls and think  Melissa should seek out dramatic    roles.

        Mix it up a bit, though she might already be typecast. 

Edited June 27, 2014 by MrsRafaelBarba

[ribboninthesky1]

I think she's already typecast, unfortunately.  Another interesting thing: several years ago, she was in a movie with Ryan Reynolds called The Nines. Granted, it was a supporting role, but if I recall correctly, she was his wife, if not intimate life partner.  She certainly wasn't cast as the white trashy character early in her career.  But alas, it's unlikely she's going to get the role as a straight lead or romantic lead in a mainstream film.  Yes, she was confident in her sexuality in Bridesmaids, but it was also largely played as a punchline.  I think she's working with what she has, though.    

[MrsRafaelBarba]

In RomComs, Melissa would be the obligatory friend to the skinny female lead.

 

SMDH...

 

 

Never watched Mike and Molly, but heard it's a good show.

[Julia]

I think it's kind of cool that a woman has broken through to being able to play losers in unfunny big-budget comedies I'll never see. That's been a boys club for a long time now.

[ramble]

play losers in unfunny big-budget comedies I'll never see

That line made me laugh. Thanks @Julia

I don't care for a lot of the crap being sold as comedy either. I saw a few minutes of the Hangover & never wanted to see more. Does anyone remember Step Brothers? (And let me apologize in advance for reminding you.) I went with a friend & felt like I was being punished. I thought Bridesmaids was funny the first time I saw it but some girlfriends & I went right after cocktail hour so I think it was the booze. When another friend wanted to see it I went & wondered why I agreed to go.

Edited June 27, 2014 by ramble

[ribboninthesky1]

I think it's kind of cool that a woman has broken through to being able to play losers in unfunny big-budget comedies I'll never see. That's been a boys club for a long time now.

 

Ha! I've only seen Melissa in Bridesmaids - does she "get the guy" in her other typecast films? Because that's also a hallmark of those films, heh. 

[Shannon L.]

Ouch, these kinds of threads can hurt :)  But, I agree with the Bridesmaids assessments.  Also, The is the End.  I guess I just don't like that kind of humor. 

 

Any Cohen Brother's film except True Grit.  I didn't make it through Raising Arizona or Oh Brother Where Art Thou and barely made it through Burn After Reading and Fargo (dear God, it took all my husband and I had not to leave the theater on that one--we stayed because it was getting so many rave reviews that we thought for sure it would eventually get better). I never tried any of their other ones.

 

Avatar for me was a visual masterpiece (and yes, I do believe that it's the one film that you really did yourself a disservice by not seeing it in 3D and I normally avoid 3D at all costs), but the storyline?  Yeah--"meh".

[GHScorpiosRule]

How many movies have you gone to see due to great buzz and reviews that left you ultimately disappointed? Here's a few of mine:

The Blair Witch Project I was so excited to see this movie and left pissed off. It had a good creep-factor, but I was denied the terror I was promised.

 

That's because the woods that it was portraying? The location? Montgomery County, MD? There is NO WAY POSSIBLE to ever get lost in those woods! It was beyond *stoopid.

 

*I know of what I speaketh, as I live in MD, most of my life, in Montgomery County. Those of us who worked together at a Barnes & Noble, near where this movie took place, did nothing but snark about this, it was so ridiculous.

[OakGoblinFly]

Thor, and I don't understand why. Great cast (even if Tom Hiddleston kind of creeps me out), interesting story, and I've enjoyed Kenneth Branagh's movies before, and it took me a couple of tries to stay awake to the end of Thor.

 

 

I blame the earth bound stuff with Jane for making part of Thor not so very good (plus some really weird editing choices).  I liked everything Asgard and adore Thor-Loki whenever they're together (I totally believe they're bickering, but still love each other brothers) - things with Jane, not so much.  

 

I had this same issue with Thor 2 too much earth stuff, uneven pacing, weird editing, and a criminal misuse of Christopher Eclesston.

[Rick Kitchen]

In RomComs, Melissa would be the obligatory friend to the skinny female lead.

 

SMDH...

 

 

Never watched Mike and Molly, but heard it's a good show.

 

In The Heat, she played the romantic interest.

[Sweet Tee]

Raising Arizona is about the only Nicholas Cage movie I like. I kind of like the National Treasure movies but that is only because of Justin Bartha.

[Dandesun]

I have a strange fondness for Valley Girl, to be honest. And I like the National Treasure movies because I love pulpy treasure hunts steeped in historical trappings. Plus, the first one has Sean Bean (who doesn't die for a change! Is that a spoiler?)

[methodwriter85]

   A Clockwork Orange. Malcolm McDonald in his early 20's was beautiful, but I really don't get why this movie seems like such a beloved cult hit.

Edited June 27, 2014 by methodwriter85

[jellysalmon]

There Will be Blood for me. I actually enjoyed it and some parts were spectacular but some trusted friends of mine said it was

1. the best PTA movie 

2. more enjoyable than No Country for Old Men

 

I disagree with both opinions so yea, hype not lived up to.

[Amethyst]

Silver Linings Playbook.  After seeing it, I couldn't imagine why this was getting all the awards.  

 

Co-sign on Frozen.  It was just OK.  

[Eeksquire]

Can I add any movie involving Wes Anderson? I watched The Grand Budapest Hotel last night, not realizing it was one of his, and was seriously disappointed.  Almost immediately I recognized the style and wished I had rented something else.  The Royal Tenenbaums was also terrible - the friend of mine that I saw it with and I both had wanted to leave, but didn't realize it until we left the theater and compared notes - we just kept waiting for something - anything! - to happen and it never did.

[SallyAlbright]

Definitely American Hustle. I thought it was so boring, with barely any discernible plot and lots of overacting. Amy Adams was great as usual, but Jennifer Lawrence drove me nuts with her screaming and crazy eyes. I genuinely expected to love it based on the cast and the reviews, and I sat there checking my watch every five minutes. So so disappointing. 

[GreekGeek]

Monty Python's Life of Brian. Those damn line quoters ruined it for me. Now I have absolutely no desire to see Monty Python and the Holy Grail. 

 

On the dramatic side, I felt the same way about Casablanca. Fine story, fine performances, but an inevitable letdown after decades of listening to quotes and seeing the final scene apart from the rest of the movie.

 

Lost in Translation had some amusing bits, but a Best Picture nomination? No way!

[Brn2bwild]

I could not watch The Lego Movie, literally.  The animation style gave me eyestrain.  Even if I could, there was nothing fun and engaging about the plot, which felt like it was geared toward a much younger or much different audience.  I don't get the massive hype it's received.

[topanga]

The Last Tango In Paris was described as "one of the great emotional experiences of our time." My husband and I tried to watch it on DVD last year, and our emotional experience made us say "Ewww. What is this nasty and boring crap on our screen? Turn it off. Turn it off!"

[Athena]

The Last Tango In Paris was described as "one of the great emotional experiences of our time." My husband and I tried to watch it on DVD last year, and our emotional experience made us say "Ewww. What is this nasty and boring crap on our screen? Turn it off. Turn it off!"

 

Honestly, what is with this movie? You could maybe argue that it some nice shots of Paris, but it was boring and very creepy. I could barely pay attention to it and some of my friends who had seen at another time admitted to falling asleep during it. I am also really uncomfortable with what Maria Schneider said about the director and the infamous butter scene. I'm really glad I saw Brando's earlier and better works before his 70s movies, both in this movie and Apocalypse Now, he shows almost no charisma. Just creepiness.

[Julia]

I'm incredibly cynical, so you'd want to take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I think most of the buzz about this movie was about it being extra-code and having anal sex in it.

[xls]

I second or third Blair Witch Project and raise you a Paranormal Activity, "was that it?" BORRRRING! Thank God I saw them on cable and didn't pay theater prices for them.

 

Gravity, Maybe the CGI was worth the price of admission, but mostly it was Sandra Bullock flying around going "Ahhhhhhhh"

All these CGI-busy movies are starting  to look alike to me.

[Kel Varnsen]

Silver Linings Playbook.  After seeing it, I couldn't imagine why this was getting all the awards.  

 

I wondered the same thing. I mean the acting was good, but for the most part it seemed like a very typical romantic comedy. I mean I remember watching it with my wife (who loves romcoms) and about half way through she said that she hoped that Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence get together in the end. I said that I wasn't sure it was that kind of movie. I based that on that being a typical romcom ending, and I thought a movie that received so many awards would do something different. I was really surprised when that is basically what happened at the end.

[xls]

That's because the woods that it was portraying? The location? Montgomery County, MD? There is NO WAY POSSIBLE to ever get lost in those woods! It was beyond *stoopid.

 

*I know of what I speaketh, as I live in MD, most of my life, in Montgomery County. Those of us who worked together at a Barnes & Noble, near where this movie took place, did nothing but snark about this, it was so ridiculous.

I know WV here surrounded by wooded hills, I hit right after school and explored for hours by myself. No maps, just trails and visual land marks.

I would have left those bitches and have been waiting in the car.

And a stack of rocks scary? 

[annzeepark914]

Since we loved Midnight in Paris, we figured To Rome With Love would be just as wonderful.  One of the dullest, slowest movies I've ever seen.  We couldn't wait for the movie to end.  Alec Baldwin was annoying and Jesse Eisenberg was so irritating (how does he keep getting roles? all he does is look disgusted about everything and anything).

Edited July 18, 2014 by annzeepark914

[candall]

Re The Blair Witch Project: I used to go to Sundance WAY back in the day when people were begging you to watch their films and it wasn't a celebrity-fest. The BWP was a midnight show and no one had ever heard of it. The next morning, that's all anyone talked about, everywhere you went. SO scary--was it real or WHAT?!

Personally I never saw it. I read a review wherein a woman said her daughter wasn't able to walk past a tree for six months after seeing the movie. I live in the woods--I can't afford to be nervous about trees.

[wanderingstar]

Dreamgirls

 

 

I like this movie, but I agree: when I finally saw it, I remember thinking "That's it?"

 

I have also come the conclusion, after much forced exposure to the genre, that I cannot find it within myself to give a flying fuck about anything mafia related.

 

 

My people! Mafia movies are automatic zzzzz for me.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Gillian Rosh

[pootlus]

Re The Blair Witch Project: I used to go to Sundance WAY back in the day when people were begging you to watch their films and it wasn't a celebrity-fest. The BWP was a midnight show and no one had ever heard of it. The next morning, that's all anyone talked about, everywhere you went. SO scary--was it real or WHAT?!

Personally I never saw it. I read a review wherein a woman said her daughter wasn't able to walk past a tree for six months after seeing the movie. I live in the woods--I can't afford to be nervous about trees.

 

Ha.  Where the heck does the daughter live that not being able to walk past a tree isn't a seriously debilitating condition?

 

I saw The Blair Witch Project when I was killing time in Sydney waiting for my long-distance bus to depart.  To say I was utterly bored would be an understatement - plus, I hate it when people panic and flail in movies for no reason.  Panic almost always never helps any situation, ever, especially one in which you could easily extricate yourself if you applied a bit of logic.

 

I have to say I was completely underwhelmed by Donnie Darko.  Everyone raved about it, but I thought it was pretty boring.

 

I found Star Trek: Into Darkness completely underwhelming also.  I loved the first one, but the second one was a big pile of 'meh' and a total and utter waste of Cumberbatch.

[Danny Franks]

I blame the earth bound stuff with Jane for making part of Thor not so very good (plus some really weird editing choices).  I liked everything Asgard and adore Thor-Loki whenever they're together (I totally believe they're bickering, but still love each other brothers) - things with Jane, not so much.  

 

I had this same issue with Thor 2 too much earth stuff, uneven pacing, weird editing, and a criminal misuse of Christopher Eclesston.

 

It's the opposite for me. Thor interacting with humans on Earth was great, even if Jane was kind of one-note. But as soon as he goes back to Asgard to fight Loki? Drooping eyelids for me, I'm afraid. But I generally find myself bored with extended action sequences. I don't see much point in them, when the only question is 'how will the hero win?'. They just feel like they're there to pad out the movie and avoid the need to put more actual plot in.

 

I find that Nolan's Batman movies absolutely, categorically do not live up to any of the hype that they've received. The last two, in particular, are boring, sterile and lacking anything approaching charm and wit and fun. Just tedious treks through one director's repertoire and one actor's increasingly tiresome performances. The third movie didn't even have a charismatic villain to enjoy. Bane was a joke.

[bosawks]

I saw The Blair Witch Project when I was killing time in Sydney waiting for my long-distance bus to depart.  To say I was utterly bored would be an understatement - plus, I hate it when people panic and flail in movies for no reason.  Panic almost always never helps any situation, ever, especially one in which you could easily extricate yourself if you applied a bit of logic.

 

I was on of those lucky few who got motion sick during The Blair Witch Project and I went on opening weekend so when everyone asked if it was scary all I could respond was that the floor of the theatre certainly was..............

[Dirtybubble]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the ultimated let down Star Wars Episode I.  It's almost a cliche' joke how hyped it was and how bad it turned out to be.  "I haven't been this dissapointed since Star Wars Episode I".

[OakGoblinFly]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the ultimated let down Star Wars Episode I.  It's almost a cliche' joke how hyped it was and how bad it turned out to be.  "I haven't been this dissapointed since Star Wars Episode I".

 

 

There were no Star War films released after 1983; that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

I find that Nolan's Batman movies absolutely, categorically do not live up to any of the hype that they've received. The last two, in particular, are boring, sterile and lacking anything approaching charm and wit and fun. Just tedious treks through one director's repertoire and one actor's increasingly tiresome performances. The third movie didn't even have a charismatic villain to enjoy. Bane was a joke.

 

 

I think that's true of just about any film - none ever lives up to the hype.  I think I would have felt less "disappointed" in some films if people didn't proclaim it "earth shattering" or "innovative" or "the best thing ever" - I think that's why I stay away (as much as one can in today's world of instant information) from spoilers, teasers, articles, and stories related to any film (or book or television program) that I am really interested in seeing - this way I can avoid most of the "hype" and enjoy the film (book or television program) as it was meant to be seen.

[NoWillToResist]

 

Personally I never saw it. I read a review wherein a woman said her daughter wasn't able to walk past a tree for six months after seeing the movie. I live in the woods--I can't afford to be nervous about trees.

 

I find the polarizing reactions to this movie utterly fascinating. I had heard so many people scoffing about this film's scariness that I consented to see it (since I don't like scary movies). And holy God, did it fuck me up. I can understand why some people were completely underwhelmed, but for someone like me who has an overactive imagination, intense dislike/fear of darkness, and falls victim to full-on willies if I find myself in a wooded area? Yeah, that movie terrified me.  I didn't really care about the characters, but I just felt such visceral panic at the situation (alone, stranded, in the dark, in the woods, creepy sounds and items in the woods etc.)

 

I had trouble visiting friends' cottages after that. Not even joking.

[Jamoche]

I found Star Trek: Into Darkness completely underwhelming also.  I loved the first one, but the second one was a big pile of 'meh' and a total and utter waste of Cumberbatch.

I don't think I stopped ranting about how bad that was for at least half an hour after walking out of the cinema. What a complete and utter waste of talent and 40 years of built-up goodwill.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Jamoche