Movies you regret watching

[The Duskblade]

I absolutely despised The Town. For the life of me I do not understand how it reviewed as well as it did.

Basically the film gives us a choice of the following to route for.

Hostage taking, innocent terrorizing sociopathic Bank Robbers
Slimeball Cops who trot out the "Only guilty people need lawyers" crap.
Bland Love Interest/Stockholm victim.

Which resulted in a film that was 50% romance movie about characters I hated. And 50% action movie where I didn't care who lived or died.

[8BitNinja]

And that's before you take genre into account. How can you possibly compare Jurassic Park, The Usual Suspects, Southpark: Bigger Longer Uncut and Schindler's List? Which of those is the most definitive film of its era (the 1990s)? (Leaving aside for the moment that there may be better contenders in each genre).

Only here would those three movies be compared

[2D8HP]

...I'm not familiar with Suspects, so can't comment on that....

Don't watch anything until you've seen Usual Suspects (except maybe Casablanca, Citizen Kane, and The Third Man, all from the 1940's).

Otherwise, besides Tarantino films (and he's worn out his welcome), and Gattaca the movies of the '90's just aren't that memorable to me.

Really for me everything post 1980's feels indistinct somehow. Pre 90's cultural artifacts (films, records, television etc.), I can have a good guess of when they were made, but a song or film from 1995 seems much the same as one from 2015, and it all sort of blends to me.

[Velaryon]

Not that I regret watching it, since I've never seen it, but my brother and I were randomly clicking around on IMDB when we found a summary that is pure gold:

I mean, that still sounds better than the mid-90's Romeo + Juliet film to me (the one with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes).

Speaking of films I regret watching, I hated about 95% of that film. It has been nearly 20 years since I watched it, and even then it was not by choice (freshman year English class...), but from what I remember, the only good things about the film were John Leguizamo as Tybalt and Mercutio's death scene. Harold Perrineau really nailed the death scene, but up until then I wasn't feeling his performance any more than the rest of the cast.

It felt to me at the time like a lot of the cast were reciting the dialogue but didn't really have all the emotions behind some of it, probably because most of them didn't do a lot of Shakespearean acting to begin with. Combine that with my general dislike of romance stories (especially at that age), my distaste for Leo's heartthrob years, and the fact that I wasn't watching by choice in the first place, and it was a thoroughly unpleasant experience.

At least the soundtrack was pretty decent: Garbage, Everclear, the Butthole Surfers, The Cardigans' one and only hit... probably some other decent stuff too that I don't remember. Shame it wasn't all saved for a better film.

[8BitNinja]

Milo and Otis. I watched it so many times as a kid, but I don't think I ever got through the whole thing.

If you don't know what it is, imagine Homeward Bound, but take everything out that was good about it.

[2D8HP]

Johnny Got His Gun

Harrowing.

I saw it on television as a kid, and bits of it again this decade.

Just as Reservoir Dogs is a "heist" movie that doesn't show the heist, only the buildup and aftermath, Johnny Got His Gun, is a "war" movie that doesn't show any battles.

Made in 1971, based on a 1939 novel, it definitely seems dated and of its time.

Most of it are the dreams, fantasies, and memories of a "Great War" American soldier.

It's a movie that I hope other people see, but that I don't recommend seeing, as it's powerful stuff and not pleasant.

If you shed no tears viewing it, well... your definitely different than me.

[Durzan]

The Last Airbender is the only one that I actually hated. That movie was cancer to my eyes.

[Majin]

Dragon Ball Evolution really annoyed me, but at least now I can make fun of it.

A few months ago I saw Maggie. Arnold Schwarzenegger zombie movie, but it was pretty much just family drama. It was just so boring. If it was really bad, maybe I could have at least made fun of it. But no, just boring. Only reason I watched was because my friends for some reason really wanted to see it (though even they didn't like it afterwards).

[tielemans]

"Jagten" with Mads Mikkelsen. The heavy film that generates more questions.

[sktarq]

I was actually thinking about Interstellar while watching Guardians of the Galaxy 2. There's a lot in the latter that would have driven me nuts in a movie that was trying to be even slightly realistic. By the time they were going through the "quantum asteroid field", my brain finally took the hint and shut down its suspension of disbelief centers for the night.

Naturally occurring teleporting asteroids? Sure, why not? Pass another beer, wouldya?

I wish I had that switch. Mine won't shut off for Sharknado. There is a reason I know I can't watch that kinda movie. I'm rather jealous of you honestly.

... you don't want to go full Moonraker).

Always go full Moonraker. Total Gonzo fun. Perfect for any 12 year old.

The only thing that left a lasting impression on me was the soundtrack, which I quite like.

You lucky human you. If that was the only thing that stuck in my head I would be eternally grateful. Just the image of pot belly piglets with horns tacked on top and being called Auroch is a haunting piece of cinematic idiocy.

Blade Runner does do a great job at telling a noir story in an impersonal dystopian future. But -- nobody plugs their brain into a computer, nor is much information technology of any variety featured in the movie. The humming heart of cyberpunk is the interaction between humans and machines -- artificial intelligences, virtual and augmented realities, and replacement parts for people.....Also, the movie is based on material that isn't cyberpunk.

But the Replicants ARE artificial intelligences. They are thinking creations of mankind and how we deal and interact with them. The fact that they are biologic rather than electronic doesn't stop them being cyberpunk. As for the source. That does include virtual reality. It also deals with the metaphysical differences between robotic vs biologic creatures in their whole Mercerism thing and the values expressed therein. So yes it is very much cyberpunk.

[8BitNinja]

Finding Dory. It's not that the movie was bad, it's just that Finding Nemo set expectations for it that it never met.

[Leewei]

But the Replicants ARE artificial intelligences. They are thinking creations of mankind and how we deal and interact with them. The fact that they are biologic rather than electronic doesn't stop them being cyberpunk.

Androids and artificial beings have been around a lot longer than the cyberpunk genre. It doesn't stop Bladerunner from being cyberpunk, but it doesn't nudge it solidly into the category, either.

As for the source. That does include virtual reality.

What scene?

It also deals with the metaphysical differences between robotic vs biologic creatures in their whole Mercerism thing and the values expressed therein. So yes it is very much cyberpunk.

If we're talking about the movie, how much screen time does Mercerism get? I'd agree that it's a cyberpunk-related philosophy, but the movie barely touches it.

Aside from these, I've done a bit more reading into the genre. William Gibson's authoring of Neuromancer coincided with Bladerunner's release. He actually scrapped and re-wrote Neuromancer after seeing the movie. (He felt the book would be received as too derivative.) This certainly shows Bladerunner as a significant influence upon the genre.

Also, keep in mind, my stated position is that Bladerunner is cyberpunk, but I still have some reservations. Our only disagreement here is degree.

[Leewei]

Finding Dory. It's not that the movie was bad, it's just that Finding Nemo set expectations for it that it never met.

Had the ending been handled differently, I would have enjoyed this a lot better. Having seen this within a few days of Secret Life of Pets, I'd had my fill of cartoon animals driving trucks.

[sktarq]

What scene?

The devices that spawned Mercerism - they create the virtual reality of climbing the hill and having a conversation with Mercer.

It's not a key scene per se but it is included in the world as part of it.

I would also point out that one of key splits between people and replicants are the emotional and empathetic side that replicants are closer machine intelligence than not.
In terms of the movie I would say it is cyberpunk. well cyberPUNK. It gave a lot more in feel, tone, and imagery to the genre than anything else. I would consider it a foundational work of the genre. It isn't the direction that much of later cyberpunk would go which I think somewhat redefined/refined the ideas of the genre. I would say Johnny Mnemonic (or most of deeply cyberpunk movies) has more to do with Blade Runner than say 2001 or even the movie version of Total Recall.

[Honest Tiefling]

1) Killer Drag Queens on Crack...Which had none of the three. The main character was probably more trans, barely did any killing, and there was no crack. I wanted ONE thing from this movie, and that was sassy drag queens killing people fabulously. What I didn't sign up for was a sub-plot about DOLLS. Oddly, this is listed on IMDB as 'Killer Drag Queens on Dope', which still isn't the drug used by the main characters. Maybe there was some sort of auxiliary drug use I missed, I don't know.

2) Promethus was terrible. The opening bugged me as I have a degree in Anthropology, so by the logic used to find the dorky aliens, English men have giant dangly bits due to the Cernes Abbas Giant. And then the scientist lady flips her **** because her lady bits don't work. How the heck did this incompetent thing get allowed to travel into space if she's that unstable? I liked Charlize Theron's character on the sole basis that she hated the rest of the crew and that made me sympathize with her and her alone.

3) Some are going to disagree, but Moulin Rogue. I cannot stand Obi-wan's voice in that. The editing was utterly distracting, the songs weren't terribly well done and the plot was stupid. I'm not terribly fond of rom-coms to begin with, but over the top visuals are typically my thing but it just didn't work.

[Some Android]

Sausage Party.

It was like 2 AM, I couldn't sleep, and I decided I'd give it an unbiased chance. I don't think I've ever been more wrong.

[Dienekes]

3) Some are going to disagree, but Moulin Rogue. I cannot stand Obi-wan's voice in that. The editing was utterly distracting, the songs weren't terribly well done and the plot was stupid. I'm not terribly fond of rom-coms to begin with, but over the top visuals are typically my thing but it just didn't work.

No, no. I'm right there with you. That movie is crap.

[digiman619]

3) Some are going to disagree, but Moulin Rogue. I cannot stand Obi-wan's voice in that. The editing was utterly distracting, the songs weren't terribly well done and the plot was stupid. I'm not terribly fond of rom-coms to begin with, but over the top visuals are typically my thing but it just didn't work.

No, no. I'm right there with you. That movie is crap.

I will second this one; it felt like a music video with delusions of grandeur.

[tomandtish]

Sausage Party.

It was like 2 AM, I couldn't sleep, and I decided I'd give it an unbiased chance. I don't think I've ever been more wrong.

Yeah, I think I mentioned that one earlier in the thread. That was just horrible. And to make things worse, my folks apparently started showing it to my nephew on netflix last week. They saw "animated" and didn't bother reading any further....

To clarify, my nephew is 4.

[Knaight]

No, no. I'm right there with you. That movie is crap.

I wouldn't say I regret watching it, but I was thoroughly unimpressed.

[Darth Ultron]

The Core.

Such a bad, bad movie.

[2D8HP]

Mostly of the movies I see are from DVD's that my wife gets from the library.

Last night she brought home Elle a French film that was directed by Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, etc.).

Just so very much squick.

I do not recommend it.

[-D-]

Alien: Covenant.

[JBPuffin]

My greatest regret-film has to be Eraserhead...dear God. I cannot describe the incomprehensible, disgusting mess that movie was, and I wish I could bleach it from my memory.

Other than that...nothing I really despise. I'm a generous patron with low enough standards to pass the average movie (or so-bad-it's-good-ones, like the most recent Hercules or the Sharknado cycle).

[Honest Tiefling]

Oh, another pick for movie I regret watching: World War Z. I spent the latter half of that movie hoping that the chick from the IDF would do something. Why would you EVER make a brainless action flick with a side character from the military and not have them kill something!??!?!

[JBPuffin]

Not that I regret watching it, since I've never seen it, but my brother and I were randomly clicking around on IMDB when we found a summary that is pure gold:

There is so much wrong about that summary...but on the other hand, I'd totally play that NWoD campaign.

[Gnoman]

Mostly of the movies I see are from DVD's that my wife gets from the library.

Last night she brought home Elle a French film that was directed by Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, etc.).

Just so very much squick.

I do not recommend it.

After looking it up, I regret ever hearing of that movie. The entire concept is profoundly disturbing, and not in a good way.

[Bohandas]

L'Illusionniste, Pan's Labryinth, and 2001 A Space Odyssey are the main three that come to mind. While I have seen a few movies that were worse and that I would probably not watch again the others were at least 'unusually' bad if that makes any sense; the fact of having watched Tommy or Manos: The Hands of Fate for example is mildly interesting in and of itself, even if the movies themselves were not, whereas the other three felt like a waste of time to watch even once.

EDIT:
An honorable mention goes to Jame Cameron's Avatar, which was interesting when I first watched it but upon later introspection grew to disgust me after I realized that it is 1.) Sanctimonious 2.) Pretentious and 3.) An inferior quality knockoff of Fern Gully

[Bohandas]

How can you possibly compare Jurassic Park, The Usual Suspects, Southpark: Bigger Longer Uncut and Schindler's List? Which of those is the most definitive film of its era (the 1990s)?

Ooh! I know! It's Jurassic Park!

(another film, btw, that was completely stupid but that I don't actually regret watching)

[JBPuffin]

L'Illusionniste, Pan's Labryinth, and 2001 A Space Odyssey are the main three that come to mind. While I have seen a few movies that were worse and that I would probably not watch again the others were at least 'unusually' bad if that makes any sense; the fact of having watched Tommy or Manos: The Hands of Fate for example is mildly interesting in and of itself, even if the movies themselves were not, whereas the other three felt like a waste of time to watch even once.

EDIT:
An honorable mention goes to Jame Cameron's Avatar, which was interesting when I first watched it but upon later introspection grew to disgust me after I realized that it is 1.) Sanctimonious 2.) Pretentious and 3.) An inferior quality knockoff of Fern Gully

1. I think I was shown Fern Gully three times in school, and I always missed the title slide. And large parts during which I fell asleep (trees? Meh). Avatar isn't a magnum opus, bu I don't think its quite that bad.

2. Manos is an example of why some people should not do what they want to do...there's a reason MST3K is why that movie is so well known - it's that much utter garbage.