20. Elephant (drama)
Acclaimed by critics for its minimal style while attempting to deal with teens in a Columbine-like situation, this unmoving work by Gus Van Sant makes you want do something violent yourself.
19. Spirited Away (animated)
Japanimation. Ughh. It's a niche genre of cinema and no matter what anime fans might try to persuade you, it's the most elegant of them. But it still sucks.
18. Girlfight (drama)
The movie that put Michelle Rodriguez and director Karyn Kusama on the map. Another critic darling about a female boxer. You'd think it would be interesting. Nope. Incredibly slow-paced and uninspiring.
17. Pollock (drama)
The pretentious art film in the bunch - literally. Hardly redeeming and while Jackson Pollock's work is worth studying, this movie isn't.
16. Ice Age (animated comedy)
It was so good they made 2 sequels. And seriously, could you really care any less about the characters?
It was so good they made 2 sequels. And seriously, could you really care any less about the characters?
15. Adaption (comedy/drama)
Unlike confessions, Charlie Kaufman takes a great approach to a movie about the writing experience. Unfortunately, the book he's adapting is still really boring.
Unlike confessions, Charlie Kaufman takes a great approach to a movie about the writing experience. Unfortunately, the book he's adapting is still really boring.
14. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (drama)
I didn't really care if the guy's story was true or not. All I did not was that it was a convoluted mess masquerading as a story.
I didn't really care if the guy's story was true or not. All I did not was that it was a convoluted mess masquerading as a story.
13. Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince (fantasy)
The book was actually well-written. What happened here is the subplot of the relationship became the main plot and the exploration of the villain, Voldemort became a footnote. How does that happen? The title of the movie/book is about him!
12. Dreamgirls (musical)
You'd have to wonder if musicals are an excuse to not tell an interesting story or fresh take on an old tale. Dreamgirls seems to recycle every musical cliché out there.
11. Dancer in the Dark (musical)
Von Trier takes the Dogmé 95 movement to its conclusion here. It seems that he tries to show in this film how many cuts you can possibly have in a film. I've never felt a movie was so overcut as this and it is distracting. Bjork seems okay in it, but again - it's a musical.
10. The Reader (drama)
Another movie with the Oscar nominee pedigree - WWII setting, woman with a secret, coming of age boy and European sexuality. It falters under the weight of all the movie clichés that it lives off of.
9. Brokeback Mountain (drama)
Is it well acted? Yes. Is it that moving? Not any more than any other dramatic love story. It just happens to be about a gay love story. Perhaps it's more because it falls on the sword of the joke about indie films that Trey Parker and Matt Stone concocted years before - gay cowboys (without the pudding).
8. Sweeney Todd (musical)
Dear Mr. Burton,
While I admire your visual panache, your choice of stories leaves much to be desired. What you need is a producer to keep you selecting good projects. This is not one of them, despite the hype.
7. A Beautiful Mind (drama)
Funny that a movie about mathematics is a paint-by-the-numbers type of film. Everything is here that should be, but very non-compelling and heavy handed fashion.
6. Sideways (comedy/drama)
There seem to be a lot of these on the list. Movies that are not sure how to balance laughter and seriousness. In all seriousness, it's hard to relate to the main characters as no one is likeable and the situations are sort of a twisted funny. Yes, it might be real life. No, it's not entertaining.
5. Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith
Alright George Lucas, third time is the charm, right? He wrecked a story for a generation or two of fans with the first 2 prequels, could he do it again? Yes. The movie didn't have to be surprising, it just had to be well acted and well executed. For all the hope of salvaging the Star Wars franchise, it did nothing for it.
4. Mystic River (drama)
When Mr. Eastwood rolls a movie into theaters, I'll watch it every time. Ocassionally he goofs. And when he goofs it's big. But don't tell the Academy that. It was nominated for Best Picture despite it's lackadaisical, wandering structure
3. The Pianist (drama)
There's a reason that this movie was dismissed initially by the public - it's not terribly interesting. And Adrian Brody rubs me the wrong way. The douche-baggy wrong way. I for one am content to let Polanski's film productivity stay down while he stays in Europe.
The book was actually well-written. What happened here is the subplot of the relationship became the main plot and the exploration of the villain, Voldemort became a footnote. How does that happen? The title of the movie/book is about him!
12. Dreamgirls (musical)
You'd have to wonder if musicals are an excuse to not tell an interesting story or fresh take on an old tale. Dreamgirls seems to recycle every musical cliché out there.
11. Dancer in the Dark (musical)
Von Trier takes the Dogmé 95 movement to its conclusion here. It seems that he tries to show in this film how many cuts you can possibly have in a film. I've never felt a movie was so overcut as this and it is distracting. Bjork seems okay in it, but again - it's a musical.
10. The Reader (drama)
Another movie with the Oscar nominee pedigree - WWII setting, woman with a secret, coming of age boy and European sexuality. It falters under the weight of all the movie clichés that it lives off of.
9. Brokeback Mountain (drama)
Is it well acted? Yes. Is it that moving? Not any more than any other dramatic love story. It just happens to be about a gay love story. Perhaps it's more because it falls on the sword of the joke about indie films that Trey Parker and Matt Stone concocted years before - gay cowboys (without the pudding).
8. Sweeney Todd (musical)
Dear Mr. Burton,
While I admire your visual panache, your choice of stories leaves much to be desired. What you need is a producer to keep you selecting good projects. This is not one of them, despite the hype.
7. A Beautiful Mind (drama)
Funny that a movie about mathematics is a paint-by-the-numbers type of film. Everything is here that should be, but very non-compelling and heavy handed fashion.
6. Sideways (comedy/drama)
There seem to be a lot of these on the list. Movies that are not sure how to balance laughter and seriousness. In all seriousness, it's hard to relate to the main characters as no one is likeable and the situations are sort of a twisted funny. Yes, it might be real life. No, it's not entertaining.
5. Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith
Alright George Lucas, third time is the charm, right? He wrecked a story for a generation or two of fans with the first 2 prequels, could he do it again? Yes. The movie didn't have to be surprising, it just had to be well acted and well executed. For all the hope of salvaging the Star Wars franchise, it did nothing for it.
4. Mystic River (drama)
When Mr. Eastwood rolls a movie into theaters, I'll watch it every time. Ocassionally he goofs. And when he goofs it's big. But don't tell the Academy that. It was nominated for Best Picture despite it's lackadaisical, wandering structure
3. The Pianist (drama)
There's a reason that this movie was dismissed initially by the public - it's not terribly interesting. And Adrian Brody rubs me the wrong way. The douche-baggy wrong way. I for one am content to let Polanski's film productivity stay down while he stays in Europe.
2. Gran Torino (drama)
I just can't get over how cheesy the dialogue is in this film. It's hard to watch Clint play a facsimile of Dirty Harry here. I don't think I've ever watched a major dramatic movie before and ever felt that it was "acted" as this.
I just can't get over how cheesy the dialogue is in this film. It's hard to watch Clint play a facsimile of Dirty Harry here. I don't think I've ever watched a major dramatic movie before and ever felt that it was "acted" as this.
1. Chicago (musical)
Just because you channel your inner Bob Fosse and win best picture, doesn't mean you are any good. The most forgettable Best Picture winner of the decade.
