I didn't like Contact as well.

Quoted from Demento But Rocky, I think Rocky has like 4-5 scenes that elevate the whole movie to a different level. This is one of my favorite scenes of all time, I think it's very well written.

There's a couple things I don't care for in Rocky but the one thing I really can't get past is Stallone. His trademark accent and stupid facial expressions ruin the film for me. If his persona's supposed to be part of the appeal, I don't like it but at least I can get it. If he really is supposed to be taken straight as the average joe underdog who doesn't look like he's on Quaaludes all the time then the appeal is lost on me completely.

Hate Stallone as an actor. I probably would've put Rambo on the list too but I haven't seen it. I can't say for sure but if they'd cast Pacino or somebody else (anybody, really) in the lead role, I might have a different opinion of the film altogether.

Oooooh. Shawshank Redemption. Boring tosh that deservedly made a loss at the box office. Tim Robbins wading through poo - no thanks

If we consider the Sight and Sound list, I agree with pretty much all of them except:

Citizen Kane - Good but not great. This script is far from great.

The Passion of Joan of Ark - Ok but not a good silent, imo.

L’Atalante - Just watched it the other day, it took me three days to watch because I was so bored by it.

Au hasard Balthazar - I can't even believe anyone would choose this over any other Bresson film. Oh, well.

Le Mépris - This one is okay, but not worthy of that list.

Andrei Rublev - I'm not a Tarkovsky fan to begin with, but this is one of the not so great ones.

Sátántangó - This one, imo, is technically better than Citizen Kane but a huge bore as a film in itself.

Pierrot le fou - Another Godard film. Too much Godard butt kissing on this list.

Histoire(s) du cinéma - Same.

It's strange, now that I think about it, that there are more Godard films then Kubrick films, when he's remarkably better both photographically and with the camera work. It's also very strange how Lang only gets one mention, Metropolis, but nothing like M, or the Mabuse films. Very strange indeed.

Also most of these towards the bottom of the list are "art" films that almost nobody could actually do through a studio.

-J.S.

Quoted from James McClung Gladiator

Were you not entertained?

--

From the IMDB Top 250…

Fight Club -- Impressively, an even duller mishmash of glib style and aimless, pathetic male rage than the book.

Inception -- Not even good as an action movie, let alone as "science fiction."

The Deer Hunter -- Soooooooo boring.

The Help -- Thank goodness for white people!

"Star Trek" (2009) -- Contextually, one of the worst insults to the history of film and television ever committed. In isolation, just such a dumb, pandering load of shit. Can't beat that score, though.

Off the Sight and Sound list, I think the only one that I actively dislike is Singin' in the Rain. A few good sequences do not make up for the grating dullness of the rest of the film.

Quoted from James McClung There's a couple things I don't care for in Rocky but the one thing I really can't get past is Stallone. His trademark accent and stupid facial expressions ruin the film for me. If his persona's supposed to be part of the appeal, I don't like it but at least I can get it. If he really is supposed to be taken straight as the average joe underdog who doesn't look like he's on Quaaludes all the time then the appeal is lost on me completely.

Stallone has nerve damage and paralysis on parts of his face, since birth. Hence the expressions on his face. That's why his story is appealing, he was an underdog in real life like Rocky.

Quoted from Heretic "Star Trek" (2009) -- Contextually, one of the worst insults to the history of film and television ever committed. In isolation, just such a dumb, pandering load of shit. Can't beat that score, though.

The two new Star Trek movies are horrible, especially the last one.

Very unhappy with Contact - saw it at the theater when it came out and was extremely underwhelmed.

Usual Suspects is also a movie I've never been remotely impressed with.

Fight CKLub is a flick I can easily say I disliked intensely.  I'd never spend anotehr minute with it, actually.

And, I'll take all the poison arrows that will shoot my way, by saying that I was never very impressed with The Shining - great novel, decent movie at best.  Really not sure why Kubrick was so revelled for this, as for me, it was dull and missed many highlights from the novel.

I think Gladiator is great and is the kind of movie I could watch pieces from any time.

Rocky is what it is - I'm not a fan, but it definitely has its place in history and deserves it.

Quoted from Heretic Fight Club -- Impressively, an even duller mishmash of glib style and aimless, pathetic male rage than the book. Inception -- Not even good as an action movie, let alone as "science fiction."

I hate every Fincher film with a passion. I don't even like Fincher as a person. The most smug living director.

"I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but somebody has to."

"People will say, "There are a million ways to shoot a scene", but I don't think so. I think there're two, maybe. And the other one is wrong."

"I don't know anything about Academy consideration. I don't know what an awards movie is."

"I don't know how much movies should entertain." -- Clearly.

Inception is okay, I thought. And it's not an action movie or sci-fi film btw. It's a thriller. Heist thriller to be specific.

-J.S.

Inception's another one I was far from impressed with.  Saw it at the theater and both my girlfriend and I were very underwhelmed to the point where I have zero interest in ever seeing it again.

Yes, vicarious embarrassment comes over when I watch INCEPTION – we need another kick

Curious how many called the GODFATHER – I'm with you

INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, a lot of Tarantino anyway

UP

WALL E

THE DA VINCI CODE and prequels

TREE OF LIFE

Not open for:

LOTH and anything where elves and dwarfs walk over mountains with violin music in the background

Huh.  Since we are tossing so many beloved treasures of cinema into the ash-heap -- making bold and dismissive proclaimations with a "come at me, bro" mentality -- I will join in with mine.

Chris Nolan's take on the Batman franchise never did much for me.  None of 'em.  So overblown and talky and self-important.

Not want I want from Batman, anyway.  

Quoted from PrussianMosby UP

Up is such a fantastic movie. Give it another try.

Quoted from bert Huh.  Since we are tossing so many beloved treasures of cinema into the ash-heap -- making bold and dismissive proclaimations with a "come at me, bro" mentality -- I will join in with mine. Chris Nolan's take on the Batman franchise never did much for me.  None of 'em.  So overblown and talky and self-important. Not want I want from Batman, anyway.

I agree. I only liked TDK due to Ledger's performance. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't care for it at all.

I too thought the new Batman movies sucked. Especially the first one, Begins. Didn't think too highly of Inception as well.

But, I think Memento is one of the best movies ever.

Quoted from Demento Stallone has nerve damage and paralysis on parts of his face, since birth. Hence the expressions on his face. That's why his story is appealing, he was an underdog in real life like Rocky.

Shit... did not know that. That's undoubtably my douchebag award for the day.

Quoted from Heretic Were you not entertained?

No.

I saw it when I was 12 or 13 and think I really wanted to like it because the fight scenes, both in and outside of the ring, were amazing, along with the overall look of the film. It also felt like a film for adults, first and foremost, and I really wanted to "get it." But the older I got, the more I felt like everything else that didn't revolve around violence was boring and emotionless.

I haven't seen it in several years. I could very well see it again and have a different opinion. At the same time, I know I don't like Russell Crowe or Ridley Scott. Crowe has a lot of gravitas but isn't emotive enough for my taste and plays the same character pretty much every film. Ridley Scott is good at violence and visuals but not so much as emotion or getting the best out of actors. Not particularly interested in giving it another go.

EDIT: Alien and Blade Runner are obviously masterpieces and go against what I just said. But they're two films out of a long filmography that aren't indicative of Scott's overall style. Just so no one gets the wrong idea...