Each and every year, there are plenty of movies where I completely disagree with the consensus. And to be honest, that's a good thing. While all of the films on this list are movies that I hoped to love, I think it's fair to say that criticism is much less fun if everyone agrees on everything all the time. None of these are bad movies per say (well, maybe one of them), but the hype around them certainly doesn't match their quality in my eyes. In the past, this list has included big blockbusters like Rogue One and Doctor Strange and indies like Dope and Eye in the Sky. The 2017 edition of this list features another eclectic mix of films, and there were several more that just missed the cut. You'll probably disagree with me, but that's the fun of it all. Here are my picks for the Most Overrated Films of 2017!
5. GOOD TIME
Images courtesy of A24
Even with a great performance by Robert Pattinson and the electric direction of Josh and Benny Safdie, Good Time can't put any of that raw kinetic energy to good use. Sure, I'll concede that the opening 20 minutes are downright incredible, but this seedy New York crime story quickly loses its way. The heart and soul of the movie disappears for long stretches, allowing Pattinson's deeply unlikable and amoral huckster to steal the show. Unpleasant and nasty where it should be comedic and lacking in emotional depth in its most intense moments, Good Time is a grim experience that just doesn't click. And yet, the hype on this movie hasn't died down one bit- The Film Stage just named it the best film of 2017. It's safe to say that I'll never get the love.
4. BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99
There are plenty of fans of S. Craig Zahler's bloody genre outings, so I went into Brawl in Cell Block 99 with a high degree of excitement (despite not having seen Bone Tomahawk). Nonetheless, I found myself not only disappointed, but utterly baffled by what I had just seen. How could so many people love this thing- what was all the hype about? Brawl in Cell Block 99 is vicious and ugly, a graphic and horrifying film that is brutally violent for no good reason. Deliberately paced and hopelessly self-serious, this Vince Vaughn vehicle undermines its old-school charm with a sickening narrative and soulless shocks of face-stomping violence. It is cold and calculating to an uncomfortable extent, and I was frequently repulsed by what I had seen on screen. Maybe it's just not for me, but I found Brawl in Cell Block 99 to be a disturbing and pointless waste.
3. THOR: RAGNAROK
Images: Marvel/IMDB
To be fair, I like Thor: Ragnarok. It's a fun little movie with some well-choreographed action and a few brilliant jokes, mainly thanks to the work of director Taika Waititi. But let's be honest here- Ragnarok doesn't actually work. It's a bizarre tonal mishmash of a movie, blending Waititi's signature absurdist comedy with an apocalyptic narrative that focuses on the end of Asgard as we know it. If the filmmakers had been able to stick with one story, Ragnarok probably would have been great. But the film wants to have its cake and eat it too, which results in a series of jarring shifts and an exhausting pace. I was fully expecting to adore this one, and yet it's not significantly better or worse than any of the other Thor movies. It's undeniably enjoyable, but this is far from top tier Marvel.
2. THE SHAPE OF WATER
Images courtesy of Fox Searchlight
I have a lot of admiration for The Shape of Water. And I'm not just saying that to be polite, I really do. Guillermo del Toro clearly poured his heart and soul into this film, and it's an experience that has clearly touched a lot of people in a profound and meaningful way. But as I watched this strange and peculiar love story, I felt none of that passion come to life on screen. As I said in my review, The Shape of Water exists in a closed universe, and you're either with it or you're not. As a fan of del Toro's work, I was sure that I would be swept away by a dreamy romance. Instead, I found myself waiting to be compelled by a love story that just never comes to life. It looks great, but it's a surprisingly hollow, flat adventure, a romantic thriller lacking in the necessary ingredients of the genre. Beautiful to look at, but never gripping in any conceivable way, I just don't get the hype for del Toro's latest.
1. A GHOST STORY
Images courtesy of A24
A Ghost Story may have some big, challenging ideas, but it is unquestionably the most baffling film I saw in 2017. And, I believe, intentionally so, as David Lowery was clearly trying to do something unique and radically different with his tale of a ghost roaming the afterlife. But even with some wrenching, sober emotional moments in the first half (the now-infamous pie eating scene is an all-timer), Lowery loses all control once A Ghost Story becomes the story of a spirit transcending the limits of time and space. It's extremely esoteric and brutally meandering for the hell of it, but just to make sure the audience gets what's happening, Lowery sends Will Oldham to explain the entire plot of the movie with one long monologue. It's a series of bad choices that just never pays off, and by the time A Ghost Story had ended, I was tired of pretending that this film really had anything to say. It's philosophical posturing, abandoning emotion and tender feeling in favor of grandiose statements that only serve to make the film seems smarter than it really is. Despite the boundless praise since its Sundance premiere, this one frustrated me to no end.
And that's all for this list, folks. Come back soon for more awards coverage, reviews, and the rest of my end-of-year lists.
5. GOOD TIME
Images courtesy of A24
Even with a great performance by Robert Pattinson and the electric direction of Josh and Benny Safdie, Good Time can't put any of that raw kinetic energy to good use. Sure, I'll concede that the opening 20 minutes are downright incredible, but this seedy New York crime story quickly loses its way. The heart and soul of the movie disappears for long stretches, allowing Pattinson's deeply unlikable and amoral huckster to steal the show. Unpleasant and nasty where it should be comedic and lacking in emotional depth in its most intense moments, Good Time is a grim experience that just doesn't click. And yet, the hype on this movie hasn't died down one bit- The Film Stage just named it the best film of 2017. It's safe to say that I'll never get the love.
4. BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99
There are plenty of fans of S. Craig Zahler's bloody genre outings, so I went into Brawl in Cell Block 99 with a high degree of excitement (despite not having seen Bone Tomahawk). Nonetheless, I found myself not only disappointed, but utterly baffled by what I had just seen. How could so many people love this thing- what was all the hype about? Brawl in Cell Block 99 is vicious and ugly, a graphic and horrifying film that is brutally violent for no good reason. Deliberately paced and hopelessly self-serious, this Vince Vaughn vehicle undermines its old-school charm with a sickening narrative and soulless shocks of face-stomping violence. It is cold and calculating to an uncomfortable extent, and I was frequently repulsed by what I had seen on screen. Maybe it's just not for me, but I found Brawl in Cell Block 99 to be a disturbing and pointless waste.
3. THOR: RAGNAROK
Images: Marvel/IMDB
To be fair, I like Thor: Ragnarok. It's a fun little movie with some well-choreographed action and a few brilliant jokes, mainly thanks to the work of director Taika Waititi. But let's be honest here- Ragnarok doesn't actually work. It's a bizarre tonal mishmash of a movie, blending Waititi's signature absurdist comedy with an apocalyptic narrative that focuses on the end of Asgard as we know it. If the filmmakers had been able to stick with one story, Ragnarok probably would have been great. But the film wants to have its cake and eat it too, which results in a series of jarring shifts and an exhausting pace. I was fully expecting to adore this one, and yet it's not significantly better or worse than any of the other Thor movies. It's undeniably enjoyable, but this is far from top tier Marvel.
2. THE SHAPE OF WATER
Images courtesy of Fox Searchlight
I have a lot of admiration for The Shape of Water. And I'm not just saying that to be polite, I really do. Guillermo del Toro clearly poured his heart and soul into this film, and it's an experience that has clearly touched a lot of people in a profound and meaningful way. But as I watched this strange and peculiar love story, I felt none of that passion come to life on screen. As I said in my review, The Shape of Water exists in a closed universe, and you're either with it or you're not. As a fan of del Toro's work, I was sure that I would be swept away by a dreamy romance. Instead, I found myself waiting to be compelled by a love story that just never comes to life. It looks great, but it's a surprisingly hollow, flat adventure, a romantic thriller lacking in the necessary ingredients of the genre. Beautiful to look at, but never gripping in any conceivable way, I just don't get the hype for del Toro's latest.
1. A GHOST STORY
Images courtesy of A24
A Ghost Story may have some big, challenging ideas, but it is unquestionably the most baffling film I saw in 2017. And, I believe, intentionally so, as David Lowery was clearly trying to do something unique and radically different with his tale of a ghost roaming the afterlife. But even with some wrenching, sober emotional moments in the first half (the now-infamous pie eating scene is an all-timer), Lowery loses all control once A Ghost Story becomes the story of a spirit transcending the limits of time and space. It's extremely esoteric and brutally meandering for the hell of it, but just to make sure the audience gets what's happening, Lowery sends Will Oldham to explain the entire plot of the movie with one long monologue. It's a series of bad choices that just never pays off, and by the time A Ghost Story had ended, I was tired of pretending that this film really had anything to say. It's philosophical posturing, abandoning emotion and tender feeling in favor of grandiose statements that only serve to make the film seems smarter than it really is. Despite the boundless praise since its Sundance premiere, this one frustrated me to no end.
And that's all for this list, folks. Come back soon for more awards coverage, reviews, and the rest of my end-of-year lists.
Comments
Post a Comment