Movies that SHOULD have stunk but you wound up liking

[Joelist]

This is basically the reverse of the "movies you walked out on" thread. Which (if any) movies did you see that by all rights SHOULD have stunk but turned out not to be too bad?

The one that comes to my mind is "Trancers". By all rights (super low budget, chessy costumes, cast of unknowns, producer known for bad cheap films) this should have been a complete dog. Instead it was surprisingly watchable chiefly because Tim Thomerson and Helen Hunt played well off each other and the script was better than such dreck usually gets.

 

[Overmind One]

I have to include The Cloud Atlas in this category because the critics hated it. I absolutely LOVE this movie. I have now seen it at least 10 times and it has the same depth and complexity that The Matrix had (also mixed reviews). It turned out to be (for me) a poignant piece describing the connectedness of the Universe. It was a fair articulation of the pervasive "We Are One" theme of the Matrix and my overall belief system of everything in the Universe simply being aspects/parts of ONE large entity.

I would also add The Man from Earth which was such a jaw droppingly awesome movie (to me) that I have also watched it at least 5 times since I acquired it. I loved the storytelling, the fact that it was done in a single set. LOVED IT. I recommend it to my friends who are soft-scifi fans. Lastly, all of the kaiju movies. I find them ALL entertaining, no matter how cheesy the giant monster costumes are, and no matter how bad the English dubbing is. The little boy in me feels joy watching the giant beasts stomping Tokyo.

 

[Tripler]

The Man from Earth is excellent excellent excellent . All top notch acting . Excellent story .
--- merged: Aug 28, 2013 at 1:49 PM ---
The Lost Room is also friggin awesome

 

[Joelist]

So why should The Man from Earth or The Lost Room have stunk?

 

[Overmind One]

The Man from Earth is excellent excellent excellent . All top notch acting . Excellent story .
--- merged: Aug 28, 2013 at 1:49 PM ---
The Lost Room is also friggin awesome

THANKS! I have not seen that. Im getting it now.
--- merged: Aug 28, 2013 at 11:53 PM ---

So why should The Man from Earth or The Lost Room have stunk?

The Man From Earth cannot really have a trailer. This "trailer" is not flattering, nor does it give a clue what the movie is really about or how it is executed. No pew pew, no fancy sets, just some snippets of dialogue:


Watching that without knowing the context would (and did) make me think the movie would suck. OMG, it soooo didnt. . I have not seen The Lost Room and I am going to watch it as soon as my download is done.

 

[Overmind One]

The Man from Earth is excellent excellent excellent . All top notch acting . Excellent story .
--- merged: Aug 28, 2013 at 1:49 PM ---
The Lost Room is also friggin awesome

OMG, you bastard! Im so hooked....you did not say this was a miniseries. Im HOOKED! This slipped by me and I didnt hear about it? OMG!!!!! I cant stop watching it. Im on the third episode.

 

[Joelist]

I have to add a low budget number named Crossworlds to this list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossworlds

I caught this on Amazon Prime and the whole thing screams low budget - mostly unknown cast after Rutger Hauer, minimal sets and SFX. Despite this there is enough story plus the leads have a real chemistry together that the film works. It isn't Citizen Kane but its watchable and a bit more due to its droll sense of humor.

 

[Overmind One]

Episode 5! If any of you have never seen The Lost Room, it is a MUST SEE miniseries. Im hoping its complete!

 

[Tripler]

Absolutl

OMG, you bastard! Im so hooked....you did not say this was a miniseries. Im HOOKED! This slipped by me and I didnt hear about it? OMG!!!!! I cant stop watching it. Im on the third episode.

Yup ,,, I bought the DVD and still enjoy watching it . What a thrill ride . Actors are outstanding in the lost room . Creepy also lol . Glad you are enjoying it . I wish it had become a series . Kinda a prelude to ware house 13 would you not say
--- merged: Sep 1, 2013 8:32 PM ---
The Lost Room just seemed to slip by me also and then I saw an episode on the Space channel and got hooked also . Had no idea what I was about to watch but was so pleasantly surprised

 

[Tripler]

 

[Overmind One]

Absolutl


Yup ,,, I bought the DVD and still enjoy watching it . What a thrill ride . Actors are outstanding in the lost room . Creepy also lol . Glad you are enjoying it . I wish it had become a series . Kinda a prelude to ware house 13 would you not say
--- merged: Sep 1, 2013 at 1:32 PM ---
The Lost Room just seemed to slip by me also and then I saw an episode on the Space channel and got hooked also . Had no idea what I was about to watch but was so pleasantly surprised

LOVED IT. But ya know, it ended with closure of the main story. Its probably fortunate that they did that, because though it did not become a series, the story it told was basically complete. There were many dangling threads, but not enough for me to feel like I was hanging from one of them. Perhaps shows should do this miniseries format and allow the stories to only go as far as the KNOWN budget/run of the show. No cliffhanger at the end of it. That means that if it does not go further, it is basically a closed story.

Sure, they could have gone further with it, but they didnt really have to. LOVED IT!

 

[Gatefan1976]

Finally watched cloud atlas.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Finally watched cloud atlas.

And ... that's all you have to say about it, huh?

 

[Gatefan1976]

And ... that's all you have to say about it, huh?

No, have lots to say about it, but..............
It's like expecting the Michael bay/ JJ Abrams audience to understand Schindlers List *today*
That shit just ain't gonna happen.

 

[Bluce Ree]

No, have lots to say about it, but..............
It's like expecting the Michael bay/ JJ Abrams audience to understand Schindlers List *today*
That shit just ain't gonna happen.

You mean Shandling's List. Yes, that's what it was. MICHAEL BAY #1!!!

 

[Gatefan1976]

You mean Shandling's List. Yes, that's what it was. MICHAEL BAY #1!!!

Oh dear GOD
You are Wright!!!
how could I confuse the two!!
I must hide my head in shame.......

 

[Bluce Ree]

Oh dear GOD
You are Wright!!!
how could I confuse the two!!
I must hide my head in shame.......

 

[Gatefan1976]

You know that according to our simian friend, I must love you now.........

Methinks someone is projecting..............

 

[Overmind One]

No, have lots to say about it, but..............
It's like expecting the Michael bay/ JJ Abrams audience to understand Schindlers List *today*
That shit just ain't gonna happen.

So, is this good or bad? I was floored by The Cloud Atlas.

 

[Gatefan1976]

So, is this good or bad? I was floored by The Cloud Atlas.

It was good, but it delivered it's message badly.
They should have stuck to the "traditional" 3 timezones (past/pres/future) to explain the interconnectivity, ditched the stupid "birthmark" shit (Are these all fewking Harry Potter wannabe's??), and told the story that way.
Don't get me wrong, the 5-6 timeframes was BETTER, but I am hardly surprised it tanked with them. Peeps don't go to movies to think, they go for eye candy.