Controversial movie opinions

[Calibandar]

Ok, I've noticed that without intentionally wanting to be controversial or difficult, a lot of my opinions on movies don't jive with popular consensus.

I'll give some examples.

• I actually think the new Star Wars prequel trilogy is much easier to digest than the old one. Also, while the first two films have major problems on several areas ( storytelling, dialogue), I see alot of the same problems in the OT. I think Revenge of the Sith is by far the best SW film made, and feel the OT looks incredibly dated.
  
• I think Terminator 3 is better than Terminator 1.
  
• I pretty much dislike any film made before 1980. I have seen so many of them and outside of the Godfather I haven't liked any of them. God knows I've tried but I just cannot stand these dated films ( and no this does not mean I am a fan of CGI movies; I just really prefer modern stuff).
  
• I think Terminator II is the best Science Fiction film I have seen sofar, with A.I. and Minority Report on places two and three. I really did not care for hailed classics such as Bladerunner and despised 2001: A Space Odyssey.
  

• I believe the LoTR films have a lot of merit visually but would have been quite a bit stronger if they had made far fewer unnecessary changes from the general story , details and characters of the book.
  

• No one seems to really care for Clive Owen's King Arthur movie but it's in my movie top 10. Same for The Last Samurai.
  

Now, obviously I have a lot of films that I love that most people review favourably as well, these are just opinions that I have noticed don't sit well with a lot of people I encounter. Anyone else encounter that you have really controversial movie opinions?

[Galactus]

I kind of enjoyed the Fantastic Four movies, heck, I enjoyed Ghost Rider in a "so bad it's good" way.

Also, anyone not liking Casablanca is a fool.

Overall I'm not that fond of movies.

[The Wolf Maid]

I do. It doesn't really take much for me to enjoy a movie, so sometimes I end up enjoying a film my more 'discerning' friends hated.

I thought Final Fantasy: Spirits somethingsomething (not Advent Children) was fantastic, although I was disappointed that it became more sci-fi than fantasy.

I liked The Village . And I found those who were complaining on how the Matrix Trilogy (which I liked) turned out annoying. why. All that 'we expected blah-blah this to-' must have grated on my nerves.

[Marcelo Rebelo Firqoralas]

Barbarians, all of ya!

[Analu]

[*]No one seems to really care for Clive Owen's King Arthur movie but it's in my movie top 10. Same for The Last Samurai

I also liked King Arthur and the Last Samurai. King Arthur is one of those movies that I seem to like the more I watch it. And it has Titus Pullo from Rome and the evil guy from Casino Royale in it.

Don't know how controversial these are, but:

I thought Troy was a good movie, and thought Brad Pitt made a fine Achilles. Eric Bana was a great Hector, too.

I hated Armageddon at first, but like King Arthur, it seems to get better for me upon further viewings.

I liked but didn't see what the big deal was about Pan's Labyrinth and Children of Men. Or maybe I'm just anti-Mexican director-ish (kidding).

I liked both The Prestige and The Illusionist equally and don't get why everyone here seems to think the former is so much better than the latter.

More to come later if I remember...

[Calibandar]

And it has Titus Pullo from Rome and the evil guy from Casino Royale in it.

Yep, Mads Mikkelsen, he's great.

I agree on Troy and Pitt making a fine Achilles. A lot of people do indeed disagree with that.

I liked but didn't see what the big deal was about Pan's Labyrinth and Children of Men. Or maybe I'm just anti-Mexican director-ish (kidding).

I feel the exact same way about both of these films.

I liked both The Prestige and The Illusionist equally and don't get why everyone here seems to think the former is so much better than the latter.

And again, very much in agreement. They are different from each other and in how they approach the story, but I thought both were very much worth watching. I'd give a slight edge to the Prestige.

[Max the Mostly Mediocre]

I kinda liked stuff such as the Last Samurai and Fantastic Four, but disengaging my brain is an absolute must.

Unless I go to the other extreme and ridicule the entire movie with my friends (this was how we enjoyed Apocalypto; by mercilessly mocking it).

[Arbor Gold]

I hate the movie Garden State.

My key complaint about the film was that it felt tremendously forced, with its ridiculously unbelievable "quirky" characters and set-ups and the entire conception of the Portman character. Braff has essentially admitted in interviews that this character was based on his own masturbatory, narcissistic fantasy girl, not any kind of actual female one might reasonably encounter in life. And I quote:

"I just sort of found this male fantasy of like, of like a girl that will come along and rescue you and she will be unlike every girl you have ever met in your entire life, and she will just stand out and be eccentric and different, so I just sort of wrote who, in my mind, of who Large was, who that perfect girlfriend would be."

Okay, anyone who has ever written anything in their lives will tell you that this is retarded. He didn't start by trying to write a character that would feel real, that had any internal life of her own, or personality. He wrote a character who would fit into the plan he already had for the main character, who itself is just a stand-in for Zach Braff. Remember, it's a personal story about feelings and obsessions he had...So, basically, he made a character out of a wet dream. This is why she seems so empty in the film, despite the talented Ms. Portman's best efforts.

This kind of thinking just irks me. It feels like an extension of his own ego. The movie is about Zach Braff, no one else, and certainly not some girl, who's only there to satisfy his desires of what a perfect girlfriend would be. She's not allowed to be human; she's an ornament, and that's why she comes off as nothing more than a composite of cheap screenwriting devices: a pathological liar epileptic who lives in a house teeming with goofy animals and falls in love with boring drones for no reason and is utterly incapable of duplicity or guile. In other words, an imaginary friend.

[Ran]

This is a useful service -- it'll reveal those whose movie opinions I should discount based on tastes far too dissimilar to mine.

[Zulofritter]

...pathological liar epileptic who lives in a house teeming with goofy animals and falls in love with boring drones for no reason and is utterly incapable of duplicity or guile.

Woah.

Many of my friends have sacred cow movies (Star Wars, Gone With the Wind, etc.), so they're easy to irritate. But a side effect is that I don't have to try hard to have 'edgy' taste in movies.

The only trend that I really have the strength to criticize is the tendency to revere old movies; Kurosawa movies, for example. Nothing is sacred to me. If it isn't as interesting as newer entertainment, time to downgrade it.

[Ser Warpechowski]

Ok, I've noticed that without intentionally wanting to be controversial or difficult, a lot of my opinions on movies don't jive with popular consensus.

I'll give some examples.

• I actually think the new Star Wars prequel trilogy is much easier to digest than the old one. Also, while the first two films have major problems on several areas ( storytelling, dialogue), I see alot of the same problems in the OT. I think Revenge of the Sith is by far the best SW film made, and feel the OT looks incredibly dated.
  
• I think Terminator 3 is better than Terminator 1.
  
• I pretty much dislike any film made before 1980. I have seen so many of them and outside of the Godfather I haven't liked any of them. God knows I've tried but I just cannot stand these dated films ( and no this does not mean I am a fan of CGI movies; I just really prefer modern stuff).
  
• I think Terminator II is the best Science Fiction film I have seen sofar, with A.I. and Minority Report on places two and three. I really did not care for hailed classics such as Bladerunner and despised 2001: A Space Odyssey.
  

• I believe the LoTR films have a lot of merit visually but would have been quite a bit stronger if they had made far fewer unnecessary changes from the general story , details and characters of the book.
  

• No one seems to really care for Clive Owen's King Arthur movie but it's in my movie top 10. Same for The Last Samurai.
  

Now, obviously I have a lot of films that I love that most people review favourably as well, these are just opinions that I have noticed don't sit well with a lot of people I encounter. Anyone else encounter that you have really controversial movie opinions?

You´re young. Too young.

Oh, and I like the movie Doom. I always watch it when its on TV.

And Apocalypto is amazing; just because it doesnt folow american movies exactly procedures doesnt make it bad.

[maize]

Controversial movie opinions? Here we go =)

I think 'Transformers' is one of the greatest summer action flicks of all time.

The ghost army battle scene in LOTR3 completely ruined an otherwise decent movie, IMO.

'Gattaca' is one of the top 2 sci-fi movies ever made. OK maybe not, but its up there.

I was extremely disappointed by 'Casablanca'. I thought it was pretty boring, and was never moved by it. 'Breakfast at Tiffanys' however, blew me away.

I thought 'Pearl Harbor' and 'Armageddon' were very decent action popcorn flicks. Never understood the heavy criticism. I also don't get people who criticized 'Doom'. Were they expecting Shakespeare? It delivered was it was supposed to, and was a thoroughly enjoyable action/horror film.

IMO 'Kingdom of Heaven', along with Orlando Blooms performance in that movie is vastly underrated.

I never understood why 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' is heralded as it is. Perhaps because it created shockwaves at that time?

'Traffic' is every bit good as they say it is. 'Alexander' is every bit as bad as they say it is.

I also liked King Arthur and the Last Samurai. King Arthur is one of those movies that I seem to like the more I watch it.

King Arther had good acting, action, and premise. The storyline, however, was complete crap.

[aeu]

Ok, I've noticed that without intentionally wanting to be controversial or difficult, a lot of my opinions on movies don't jive with popular consensus.

Well, reading the rest of your opinions, you certainly wasn't exaggerating here.

Mine own sin: I don't hate "Waterworld" Actually, I kinda like it. Except for the end, but even that I can stomach. And the rest of it is quite good, IMO.

[maize]

Mine own sin: I don't hate "Waterworld" Actually, I kinda like it. Except for the end, but even that I can stomach. And the rest of it is quite good, IMO.

I sort of agree with you. I wanted to get my money back after paying at the theater, but after a few reruns on TV, it grows on you

[Ser Warpechowski]

Maize, I agree with most of your words.

The Ghost Army did ruin most of the movie in LOTR. It was way beyond lame.

Gattaca is my favorite movie out of all I´ve seen so far, not just Sci-fi.

I didnt like Pearl Harbor, but I did like Armagedon, and I enjoyed it more than Deep Impact.

I do agree: Kingdom of Heaven is very underated. I havent watched the Director´s Cut yet, but everyone says its even better than the original one.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Two words: Jessica Biel. That is what made the movie work (she is smoking hot).

[aeu]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Two words: Jessica Biel. That is what made the movie work (she is smoking hot).

I think he was talking about the original.

[Galactus]

I loathe Braveheart.

And again, very much in agreement. They are different from each other and in how they approach the story, but I thought both were very much worth watching. I'd give a slight edge to the Prestige.

I think the Prestige wins simply on production values and (slightly) acting. But I liked both.

I actually felt sorry for the prince in the Illusionist, but again, that might be becuase of having too much historical context.

I thought Troy was a good movie, and thought Brad Pitt made a fine Achilles. Eric Bana was a great Hector, too.

Agreed. I liked Troy.

I do agree: Kingdom of Heaven is very underated. I havent watched the Director´s Cut yet, but everyone says its even better than the original one.

Agreed, Kingdom of Heaven was much better than expected.

My main problem with The Last Samurai was that I had just finished reading a book about the Meji Restoration, so I couldn't help cheering for the peasant-conscripts gunning down their feudal overlords.

Which uh... Probably wasn't what the director wanted.

[maize]

Gattaca is my favorite movie out of all I´ve seen so far, not just Sci-fi.

This man knows his movies.

I do agree: Kingdom of Heaven is very underated. I havent watched the Director´s Cut yet, but everyone says its even better than the original one.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Two words: Jessica Biel. That is what made the movie work (she is smoking hot).

Yep, the directors cut explains some gaps in the story, such as why Bloom's character had intricate knowledge of siege warfare and cavalry fighting.

And just to create more controversy, I truly think Jordana Brewster blows Jessica Biel away. She is the only actress that prevented me from losing all faith in humanity after watching "D.E.B.S."

I think he was talking about the original.

Yep

[sio]

My movie choices tend to be pretty mainstream - Serenity, LotR etc., however I normally detest drama movies, especially the ones everyone seems to like. One exception to this is Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... And Spring.

I also thought The Godfather was nothing special.

I like the Phantom Menace. There, I said it.

[naz]

• I believe the LoTR films have a lot of merit visually but would have been quite a bit stronger if they had made far fewer unnecessary changes from the general story , details and characters of the book.

The ghost army battle scene in LOTR3 completely ruined an otherwise decent movie, IMO.

'Gattaca' is one of the top 2 sci-fi movies ever made. OK maybe not, but its up there.

'Traffic' is every bit good as they say it is. 'Alexander' is every bit as bad as they say it is.

Some of these are not really very controversial opinions, I believe. I'd venture to say they're even the popular opinion.

Mine own sin: I don't hate "Waterworld" Actually, I kinda like it. Except for the end, but even that I can stomach. And the rest of it is quite good, IMO.

I also liked Waterworld. I have a pet theory called "The Waterworld Effect". Essentially, this movie marked the psuedo-beginning of when ordinary fans starting paying attention in earnest to the budgets and box office earnings of movies. It had gotten so much hype about its overblown budget and weather woes that I think people were just eager for it to fail. Kevin Costner's career never recovered. Which, btw, leads to my own controversial movie opinions:

• I like Kevin Costner and think he's gotten a bad rap (see above). Dances with Wolves is an amazing film. I will admit, he was a poor choice to play Robin Hood, however.
  
• I also enjoyed The Postman, for that matter.
  
• I've tried several times and I've yet to be able to sit through Citizen Kane. I don't know why.
  
• One of my top 10 favorite movies is Joe vs. the Volcano.
  
• Even though I was a huge Star Wars fan growing up (I've watched all 3 originals over 30x each), I just can't sit through them anymore. I've had enough. It's like listening to Stairway to Heaven. [This one isn't really controversial, it's just controversial for anyone who knows me.]
  
• I don't think Steven Speilberg is a very good director. I do enjoy his movies, but I don't revere him as others do.
  
• I think Tom Cruise can be good in certain roles.
  
• I think Adam Sandler can be great in certain roles. He should forevermore lay off the Happy Gilmore-type films and do more Punch Drunk Love-type roles. That role was tailor-made for Sandler and he nailed it.