Five that are Seriously Overrated...

[Harry Lime]

In the spirit of congenial film discussion, what are five films that you consider seriously overrated for whatever reasons? I will list five I feel that way about and will do so with the qualifier IT IS ONLY MY OPINION. If you like said films I am happy for you. I'm only saying I DON'T. If we do this right it will be fun.

So, with that, please begin taking back praise and adulation for (drum roll please):

1) Star Wars
2) Dances With Wolves
3) Philadelphia
4) Forrest Gump
5) Titanic (James Cameron version)

Again, only my opinion. I realize the box office proved all were popular. On my scale they are all simply overrated.

Your picks?

Harry Lime

 

[Salv]

1. Tootsie - Dustin Hoffman tries to teach Jessica Lange how to be a woman. Oh, please!

and...

2. Jaws
3. Forrest Gump (I'm with you on that one Harry)
4. Mrs. Doubtfire
5. Network

 

[shamus]

I will have to respectifully disagree on Forrest Gump.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I liked DANCES WITH WOLVES. It has one of the greatest film scores I've ever heard.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

The newest KING KONG was vastly overrated, I think.

 

[StraightRazor]

1. Napoleon Dynamite

2. Titanic

3. The Untouchables

4. The Maltese Falcon

5. Gone with the Wind

 

[jamespowers]

And the number one overated piece of bloated garbage is:drum: : Love Story. :fing28: :kick:

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Every Tom Cruise film, including RISKY BUSINESS (1983).

 

[shamus]

I think that Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo was highly over-rated

 

[Feraud]

4. The Maltese Falcon

DOH!! That put a knife in my gut! Didn't you mean Casablanca?

I think that Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo was highly over-rated

Was that even rated?...:whistling

 

[StraightRazor]

DOH!! That put a knife in my gut! Didn't you mean Casablanca?

Sorry, no! I love Casablanca for the exact reasons I find TMF so tiring. The Maltese Falcon has it's strong points, (Sydney Greenstreet), but other than the great clothes, I dont get it.

 

[Andykev]

The Maltese Falcon is great

Sorry, no! I love Casablanca for the exact reasons I find TMF so tiring. The Maltese Falcon has it's strong points, (Sydney Greenstreet), but other than the great clothes, I dont get it.

The Maltese Falcon is a great film noir and brilliantly acted and directed. The entire film is about greed, and the lengths the characters go to get it.
Including murder, seduction, betrayal...and it has the gangster/private eye/gunman angles...what's not to like?

 

[StraightRazor]

Well, let me rephrase myself. I find that type of movie to be overrated. The whole murder/mystery genre I generally find rather dull. And as The Maltese Falcon sits pretty much at the top of the heap as far as that kind of murder/mystery/film noir film goes, I singled it out as being overrated. Complicated.

It's a genre better suited to the pulp novel than film.

 

[Mr. 'H']

The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon is one of the all time greats.

 

[MudInYerEye]

CHINATOWN
8 1/2
ANNIE HALL
BONNIE AND CLYDE
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

 

[MudInYerEye]

also...

also...
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH
BLUE VELVET
SCHINDLER'S LIST
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
THE APARTMENT

 

[shamus]

Again, I'll have to respectfully disagree on Annie Hall.

 

[Salv]

Definitely agree on The Man Who Fell To Earth, but I respectfully disagree on Chinatown.

 

[MudInYerEye]

Again, I'll have to respectfully disagree on Annie Hall.

I actually like ANNIE HALL, though it's not among my favorite Woody Allen movies. I like CHINATOWN as well. In fact, most of the movies I've listed I like somewhat or even alot, but somehow they've been elevated to vaunted or almost ledgendary positions among critics and fans that they're not necessarily worthy of, be it through fluke, timing, bad taste, whatever. It's amazing to me that people rate ANNIE HALL over ZELIG or CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS as THE Woody Allen film.
But what do I know?

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Some of you guys are killing me. "The Maltese Falcon," "Casablanca," and "Chinatown" overrated! Am I in the right place? This is The Fedora Lounge, isn't it? Can you rate these high enough??? Oh well, all in good fun.

"Casablanca" -A perfect sense of place, compelling characters quickly sketched with a few pithy words, Claude Reins, Rick's fedora, Ilsa's hat, Sydney Green Street, action, adventure, the sense of danger, Claude Reins, the love story between Rick and Ilsa -one of the greatest love stories ever told, Claude Reins!

If by overrated, we mean critics and the people who follow them, then I must go with:
"Chariots of Fire"
"Amadeus" -fun movie, great acting, but BEST PICTURE?
"The Crying Game"
That's all I can think of.