10 FIlms People Love That I Think Are Just Okay Or Worse

@TearsInRain: Yes, but perhaps you could tell me why so many people seem to prefer films like 'Fargo' and 'The Big Lebowski' to 'Burn After Reading' (from my experience, most people do indeed dislike this film). 'Fargo' is unattractively sentimental, and 'The Big Lebowski' is annoyingly humanistic, yet people seem to prefer that to the delightful misanthropy of 'Burn After Reading'. Why? I'm not trying to be antagonistic, I just really want to understand why people generally don't like 'Burn After Reading'. Is it because the film is more Wildean in wit and style than some of their earlier, more naively idealistic films (sans 'Miller's Crossing', which, through its Machiavellian influences, was exceptionally mature and cynical for the brothers)? Did they miss Roger Deakins? Were they traumatised by Francis McDormand's arse? Why?

@SIngli6: Well, I can only say for myself why. Both Fargo and Big Lewbowski have much more likeable characters. Big L is a a far more effective comedy because of its humanism. Fargo is far more likeable because there is a driving force of good. None of the characters in Burn After Reading were likeable to me. In fact, I couldn't stand them. I need to have at least one person who I can relate to on some level and find either sympathetic or strong and foregoing. A lot of people say Burn After Reading is funny... absolutely not. It is very antagonizing, downtrodden, pretentious (which is a lot for Cohen Brothers), and ugly. I found no delight in the characters or the story. In Fargo I felt there was a real goal, for Marge to successfully catch the villains (which she did). In Big Lewbowski, where there wasn't a lot of story it was placed with actual clever humor and stimulating dialogue that did not make me think less of the characters but instead find humor in them. Both of those films were just more enjoyable to watch on a story and character level then Burn After Reading. Technically they're all well made, brilliantly so, I just felt Burn After Reading had no objective, and thus, it was a nuance to watch.

10 Comments

PatVB moderator on July 14, 2011 at 12:03 a.m.

I can understand not liking some of these, but we're going to have some serious beef over your opinions on Mean Girls.

TearsInRainon July 14, 2011 at 10:51 a.m.

@pat4327: Haha I have gotten that response over Mean Girls before. Sorry, I just don't get any reason why anyone could like it. It's just me I suppose.

Vincemasteron July 14, 2011 at 4:16 p.m.

I totally agree on Order of the Phoenix and Burn After Reading. However, I recently watched Labyrinth, and while I can totally see the validity to the points you make on it, I still love that movie (mostly for nostalgic purposes). I guess that's sort of the point of that list though. Well anyway, NICE LIST!

TearsInRainon July 14, 2011 at 5:08 p.m.

@Vincemaster: To each their own. Glad you liked it then :D

TearsInRainon Sept. 4, 2011 at 5:43 p.m.

I am removing the 5th Harry Potter film and Bad Lieutenant from this list because I feel after seeing them again I appreciate them a bit more then my original viewing.

SIngli6on Nov. 9, 2011 at 10:29 p.m.

I only really disagree with your appraisal of 'Burn After Reading'. Personally, I think it is their most witty, urbane, farcical, cynical, and just downright entertaining film to date. In fact, I would call it the best thing that they have ever done.

TearsInRainon Nov. 10, 2011 at 12:56 a.m.

@SIngli6: Well that's the wonderful thing of opinions. Glad you enjoyed it. I just couldn't on any level like the film.

SIngli6on Nov. 10, 2011 at 1:57 a.m.

TearsInRainon Nov. 10, 2011 at 2:43 a.m.

MrWrighton Nov. 14, 2011 at 1:07 p.m.

Completely with you on some of these, The Full Monty, Labyrinth, Mary Poppins, Serpico and Spiderman. But I do like the randomness of Burn After Reading and the way JK Simmons's character sums it all up.

	1. Burn After Reading I normally love Coen Brother's films, but lately I feel they lost their touch. It's not a bad film, but it really lacks the humor their earlier work had. I guess my reason for not praising this film is that I just don't think it delivers enough entertainment. It's more a nuance.
	2. Drag Me to Hell I haaaaaaate the characters in this film. Sam Raimi used to deliver such bad ass characters, or at least people you care about, in his earlier films. The characters in this film kill all the horror and any goofiness you can derive from it. It's hard for me to appreciate something when I am screaming "GOD I HATE HER!" this whole film. I shouldn't have to want Alison Lohman to go to hell.
	3. The Full Monty I have a pretty thick accent as I've been told. Even I have a hard time understanding some things in this film without subtitles. That is not the reason it's on this list. The reason is it is given a high score on every website as a great comedy, and when I saw it, I just thought it was okay. Didn't hate it or love it, just okay. With the praise it receives it shouldn't have been just okay. Maybe it's a guy thing?
	4. Heavy Traffic Maybe I just don't appreciate the artistic zaniness that is Ralph Bakshi, but something about this film urked me. Maybe it was the art style, maybe it was the poor audio all of Bakshi's movies have, or maybe it was that it felt a little pointless. Fire And Ice rules, nothing else by Bakshi has impressed me so far. So far.
	5. Labyrinth Blasphemy? A girl who denies Labyrinth? Well I'll have you know, I still love Bowie, especially in this film, but he's the only thing I really loved. Connelly I felt did a poor job as the lead lady and the muppet characters not as lovable as the other films. Also I didn't care for the music at all, not one of Bowie's best musical performances.
	6. Mary Poppins As a child I hated this movie. Grown up I can appreciate it, but that bad taste never really left my mouth, so to speak. It just feels overlong and uninteresting. It has been a long time since I've seen it so maybe it just needs another watch, but I don't know if I'm up to sparing the time.
	7. Mean Girls Why do people like this? That is my only question! Why?!!!!! ... Sorry, I just thought this film was horrible.
	8. No Country for Old Men Don't get me wrong, I really like this film, especially Javier Bardem's character. However, I felt the story ends rather disappointingly and overall just wasn't as good as the praise it is given claims it to be. I'd give it more of a 7/10 then a 9/10 so to say. Better then Burn After Reading, Coen Brothers.
	9. Serpico I love Al Pacino and almost every movie he's been, especially his early years. I like Serpico. Even with Pacino, Serpico felt very meh in comparison to other movies done around the time. Perhaps it just needs a rewatch and I was not in the right state of mind for this film at the time, but as it stands it is a film I can call good, but underwhelming.
	10. Spider-Man I loved Spider-Man 2. I just sort of like the first one. My main problem with it is as a comic fan, I really didn't like how the Green Goblin was put into this, or how he was made the Joker to Spider-Man in a way. While an effective villain, I would of rather seen Dafoe as the Jackal. Really this comes down to a comic book nerdiness that isn't satisfied.

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