So I thought it would be fun to hear about some movies that you enjoy that most people don't like and why you like them. I'll name a few I like that most people criticize too harshly imo: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Most Chuck Norris movies that aren't Code of Silence or Lone Wolf McQuade, Highlander 2 (Special Edition), RoboCop 2, Rambo III, etc.

Did someone say Highlander 2?!

I hope this turns into a fun thread with some great discussion rather than people shouting opinions at each other. People enjoy what they enjoy, simple as that

Obviously I'm a bit of a Highlander 2 apologist; I mean it's awful as a sequel but as a standalone 90s sci-fi action flick it's pretty much average. I've always said it's probably the best shot bad film too, with wonderful lighting and sets. Plus you get to watch Sean Connery and Michael Ironside chewing on the very expensive scenery. What's not to love?

Waterworld can be quite fun if you're in the right mood and watching the Ulysses edit.

Like you I enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It's not perfect but I felt it captured the feeling of fun from the classic films, and it updated the setting and themes to the 1950s well. Is it the best, nah, but in my opinion it's not the worst in the franchise either.

If we're going the other way with unpopular opinions, films we don't enjoy that seemingly everyone else does, then I'd have to carry on my last paragraph and start with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I've never understood the love for that one. The film is so offensive to Indian culture that the government denied the film makers permission to film in India. Then you've got a prototype Jar Jar Binks as the love interest. I know it's widely hailed as a classic but I just never understood the love for this one.

Anyway, I'll shut up before I get lynched.

Nice thread!

From the ones already mentioned, I'll second HippeDalek words for Highlander 2. It's a beautfully shot film and a enjoyable movie on it's own.

I'll also vouch for Rambo III, even though it's inferior to parts I and II, it has some of the most awesome action set pieces and major scale battles before CGI. I also enjoy the soundtrack very much, as with the previous installments. And I think I can never have enough Stallone of the 80ies or early 90ies, always fun.

Going the other way with unpopular opions toward movies seemingly everyone else enjoys, it's Rambo (part IV) that I can't stand. IMO it's the movie where Stallone is in his the worst shape, but that's not really what takes it apart for me, it's rather the poorly shot action sequences with very choppy editing. Basically, the climax resumes to Rambo climbing up a vehicle with a minigun and shooting down everyone else. No creativity, no elaborate action, one of Stallene's worse IMO, but at least above part V (which I had great hopes for).

Now to add a HUGE one to the list, it would be Batman & Robin (1997).

It's a universally panned movie, that I very much enjoy. I'll quote some words by user Geof D from another forum, as I could not put it better myself:

"It's as camp as a row of tents with a nice line in sexual innuendo and that's no bad thing IMO, but I dug so much more about it than that.

Arnie is a quip-spouting blast but is also surprisingly sympathetic at times and Thurman vamps it up like a good 'un, even Alicia Silverstone's woke Batgirl is a nice change of pace. (That bit from Bats about her name not being very PC kinda stunned me, it's like the movie was made yesterday and not 22 years ago!) Michael Gough anchors the whole thing of course, he could read the phone book and still make it sound like Shakespeare. Even Clooney does a decent job, he's still playing George Clooney of course but as I'm a major fan of E.R. then I got no complaints.

The look of the movie is amazing as well, I'm not talkin' 'bout the UHD here but the actual production design in general. Forever felt like a step backwards after Returns in that respect, it seemed more hemmed in and the usage of digital wide shots for Gotham come off as a bit cheap, but on B&R they went all-out with some giant sets again as well as loads of miniatures, and some of those shots of the city's goliaths with the camera swooping past are just pure movie magic.

Not that there isn't digital stuff as well, some of which doesn't look great but there's so much stuff that does, the freeze effects still work and I gotta say, I thought the digital doubles looked superb considering that this was made well over two decades ago (and only four years after dinosaurs walked the earth once again). They look way better than other digital doubles of the period i.e. Titanic, and even some modern digital doubling IMO.

This flick's not even a guilty pleasure for me as I thoroughly enjoyed it."

The UHD is just marvelous, one of the best in the format so far.

That's why I'm trying to put together a compilation of original audio to go along with this gread video souce. I already have the BD DTHD 5.1 48kHz/16-bit, the flipper DVD DD 5.1 384kbps and I'm trying to have the LD (PCM and AC-3) ripped (I'll gift the both the US and JP versions of the LD to whoever vouches to have it done).

(2020-06-22, 04:51 PM)BDgeek Wrote: it's rather the poorly shot action sequences with very choppy editing.

I've not seen much of the Rambo series, but that criticism of Part IV could be applied to just about any modern action flick in my opinion. Part of it is bound to be me getting old and saying "they don't make 'em like they used to" but to be honest I don't think they do. I find most modern action films go in for a lot of close ups, fast editing, shaky cam and try and imply the action rather than just showing it. At the other end of the spectrum Mad Max: Fury Road was such a breath of fresh air when it comes to action editing. No matter how chaotic and utterly insane the action gets you never lose track of what's going on and you get to see and enjoy the whole spectacle.

(2020-06-22, 05:07 PM)BDgeek Wrote: Now to add a HUGE one to the list, it would be Batman & Robin (1997).

I only saw it once, years ago, probably on VHS, but it was certainly knowingly dumb and campy. I'm a lot more familiar with Batman Forever which is similar in many ways, but B&R amped it all up. A lot of fun when you're in the right mood, but I guess I can understand Batman fans at the time wanting something a bit more like the Burton films and getting frustrated.

Actually that leads me onto another controversial dislike of mine; Christopher Nolan. I liked his early works but I didn't enjoy his first two Batman films (I didn't see the third) and I stopped bothering with his films after Inception. I'll admit that I'm curious about Interstellar but I've not got around to it yet.

Postal by Uwe Boll. One of my favorite movies of all time. That job interview scene kills me every time, google it if you want to see it. In my opinion everything else Uwe Boll did is trash, but this one is gold.

(2020-06-22, 06:25 PM)TomArrow Wrote: Postal by Uwe Boll. One of my favorite movies of all time. That job interview scene kills me every time, google it if you want to see it. In my opinion everything else Uwe Boll did is trash, but this one is gold.

Anyone who challenges his internet critics to a boxing match is ok in my book

Batman V Superman - Theatrical version. Thought it was the best DC movie ever made (even before the excellent Ultimate cut), but it gets a lot of hate.

Also, King Kong (1976) - one of my all time favorites

Speed Racer - absolute joy watching that and it has a dancing monkey called Chim Chim!

HippieDalek,

I'm a 100% with you there in regards to modern action movies and I'm put off by a lot of them. But I have a level of tolerance, othewise there wouldn't be anything enjoyable anymore.

My problem with Rambo (IV), which is generally considered a good movie, and Last Blood (V) is that these modern practices are taken to extreme levels, with the aggravation that they come from a series that did it so right in the first place. I'll go on and say Parts II and III are among the best and most extravagant action and war set pieces put to film.

There's tons impressive looking of explosions, helicopter action, tanks, horses, boats, lone wolf hide-and-seek. Part III also has a very impressive and well staged Stick Fight that opens the movie. Great stuff!

As for Fury Road, even though it has many old school qualities you mentioned, I can't stand the sped up camara. For me, it cancels out all of the positive points. Furthermore, I didn't enjoy Tom Hardy's take on Max and the script does him no justice by turning him into a wimp and almost beast like character.

As for Batman Forever (1995), even though it's generally better regarded movie than B&R, it's one I don't enjoy (though I've seen it over 10 times, LOL). For me it's very inconsistent, it feels like it's wrestling with the two sides of wanting to do a serious Batman character but not a serious Batman film. It's like and oil and water, as they just don't mix. The flow of the story feels a touch choppy as well. But B&R goes Full Schumacher and it's so much more enjoyable for it IMO.

And as I put before, Forever felt like a step backwards after Returns in production design and special effects.