[Closed] Films ..... That you didn't expect to be good but were .......

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The chorus

The Kings speech

"The Day the Earth Stood Still" (on last night.
Never seen it before, thought it'd be pants but actually rather enjoyed the whole "wooden Keanu" thing he does so well.. In fact MrsBouy commented on his ability to act like he isn't acting, at which point I spilt my Lapsang all over the carpet rug.. Took me until the 4th advert to clear it up.. Still a bit damp this morning..
Oh, the film, erm yes quite enjoyable until the "we've run out of money" ending.

The Slammin' Salmon. (a broken lizard film)
Expected it to be terrible (as many US comedies are), had a few beers and laughed quite a lot. Not for everyone but not at all bad.

Golden Compass that was on the telly last night... read and loved the pullman books, well, apart from the 3rd one in the series which ended up being a bit shit. Nothing like the books really but beautifully shot.

No no no, Skyline was one of the worst ever for me, truly terrible!

Warrior really took me by surprise, expected a UFC cheese fest, but instead I found it hugely enjoyable.

nobtwidler - Member

The Kings speech

I think the Kings Speech got what it deserved!

Looking for under the radar films, or those that weren't "in fashion" at the time.

Good call on The Day the Earth Stood Still - agreed on the ending 😆

Maltloaf - Member

The chorus

Looks good.

Duly added to the list.

[b]Amelie[/b]. Saw a trailer for it, around Xmas time I think it was, thought 'jeeze that looks right soppy', just happened to be switched to C4 when it came on, ended up watching it.

Thought it was brilliant. Really beautiful film. Totally different to what I'd expected, and so good it's one of me fave films. 🙂

amelie from montemarte? would like to see that. i'm intrigued by it. the soundtrack has popped up on spotify a few times and it's piqued my interest.

'juno' got good reviews but i didn't think it was 'my sort of film'. when it came on the telly though i was sat in front of it, thought i'd give it a go, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Up

Agreed on Amelie ..... do love Audrey Tautou 😳

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Now back to the films 😛

17 again
Twilight
Ice Age 3
...well, not really. That's what I tell myself for agreeing to go and see them...

clueless. I love that film 😳

Skyline was just awful terrible film ranks as one of the worst I've ever seen.

Snakes on a Plane - So, so bad, its actually quite good.
Amelie - Lush
Pans Labrynth - Fantastic.

Sorry forgot.

Piranha - Watched to kill some time and nothing else was on, was great cheesy film.

I watched Pan's Labyrinth last night, it made me feel distinctly uncomfortable. Though I was also quite hungover, it could have equally been that

Garden State. With Zach Braff in the lead role as well as directing and writing (I think), I thought it was going to be utter rubbish. Turned out to be nearly as good as eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, worth a watch.

How strange! Myself and Mr Derekstarhip were just discussing this over a brew in the works kitchen (not a euphemism). 😯

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He'll be along shortly to tell you about some Norwegian vampire movies 'cause he's a bit of a euro-ponce when it comes to films.

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Didn't really want to go and see it but went because wife wanted to go, great film.

Pirates of the Caribbean (the first one)

Assumed it would be gash, was actually properly entertaining and witty.

All the rest in the series that I've seen have been gash though.

Josie and the Pussycats. Don't mock - it's actually ****ing funny. Friend of mine had to practically batter me around the head until I agreed to watch it.

Sin City

Expected it to be terrible, not quite sure why, but I absolutely loved it! One of my favourite films for sure...

Attack the block. It wasn't great but was certainly better than I thought it would be.

I too thought Skyline was appallingly bad, the script was awful and there were moments in the cinema when what felt like the entire audience burst out laughing at a supposedly 'tender' moment that was played in an amateur dramatic way.

However, following Skyline I had low expectations of Battle: Los Angeles, but was pleasantly surprised. It's no Saving Private Ryan, but it did feel like Black Hawk Down with aliens.

Clueless is ace...

As is the Princess Bride... (and the book is even better!)

For low budget sci-fi I'd suggest Dark Star for the connoisseur... or maybe Hardware...

The Princess Bride , is a classic.

Dark Star is fantastic! Rent it if you can find it.

I used to have a decent collection of rubbish films on VHS, some of which were so bad they were good. Alas, the video recorder has gone to the great resting place in the sky (the loft) and the film languish in the garage.

Bad Taste is worth a watch though, one of Peter Jackson's first films and so gory it's funny.

Waterworld

Got absolutely panned by critics, was considered a huge box office flop (although i believe it has eventually made money now)...everyone seemed to hate it at the time, and most still seem to hate it

However whenever i see it is on TV i'll happily watch, must have seen it about 5 or 6 times now 😀

Perfume

Waterworld

Got absolutely panned by critics, was considered a huge box office flop (although i believe it has eventually made money now)...everyone seemed to hate it at the time, and most still seem to hate it

Mark Kermode has written quite a bit about how this film has gone on to make a very handsome profit over the years in his latest book. Quite interesting.

The Princess Bride , is a classic.

Quite possibly the best film ever made. 🙂

hush (think it was called hush) low budget british film about human trafficking, surprisingly tense and well acted the whole way through

Trust - bigger budget but seems to not really see any kinda release over here, about a girl being groomed on internet. uncomfortable viewing, well acted

Layer Cake

Chocolat[s]e[/s]

Amilie is a truly excellent film but I expected it to be so it doesn't count. Up - Thought it would be a kids movie, well done but nothing amazing and it got very dusty in my room after a few minutes.

District 9 - Alien film on a low budget set in SA with unknown actors - Brilliant film IMHO

I too thought Skyline was appallingly bad, the script was awful and there were moments in the cinema when what felt like the entire audience burst out laughing at a supposedly 'tender' moment that was played in an amateur dramatic way.

It is throughly appaling but the alien stuff is well done and original, I enjoyed those bits, ok the ending is a 'little' OTT. I did enjoy it and tried to make my g/f & neighbour just watch those bits, they were adamant they wanted the whole film.. for about 10 minutes.

However, following Skyline I had low expectations of Battle: Los Angeles, but was pleasantly surprised. It's no Saving Private Ryan, but it did feel like Black Hawk Down with aliens.

It almost exactly Black Hawk down ( I hope Eckhart felt a little guilty stealing the last scene from Bana).. but I did enjoy it, but then I love Black Hawk down.

clueless. I love that film

+ 1 For Princess Bride - if you disagree then "prepare to die"

Moon.
30 Minutes or Less.

District 13
Nigh****ch/Daywatch
Crying Freeman

+ 1 For Princess Bride - if you disagree then "prepare to die"

Have you lot ever said "inconceivable" on Twitter? If not, you should.

'The Damned United'

Despite having little interest in football, or Leeds (apologies to the people of Leeds) I really enjoyed it.

Starlight.

Great film..

Adentureland, from about 1987 was suprising entertaining.

Chocolat. Superb.

Clueless? AS IF!! 😉

This I thought was going to be baaaaad. I'm a bit of a syfy fan (stuff like this not the stupid gory stuff) and when this came out I was kinda "hmmmm.. ould be ok" turned out to Most Excellent and each and every time it comes on TV I record it and watch at leisure.. brilliant.

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win win - new comedy with paul giamatti, nice gentle pace. on that note - Cold Souls with paul giamatti 🙂

MrsBouy prodded me in the ribs about this one, "arrrrgh I thought, Tommy Lee Jones is in it!, ermm nah nah thanks" Turned out to be Most Excellent. (as per the other thread)

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The American - expected a rubbishy George Clooney action film but it is a really good moody atmospheric film.

No country for old men

Wendell rides among the bodies - "These boys is all swole up. So this was earlier: getting set to trade. Then, whoa, differences...You know: might not of even been no money
Bell - That's possible
Wendell - But you don't believe it
Bell - No. Probably I don't
Wendell - It's a mess, ain't it Sheriff?
Bell - If it ain't it'll do til a mess gets here.

Brilliant

Another of my faves now. Again I started off with the "Ohhh but it's Georgie boy in it, it's gonna be crap..whine, whinge, tut"

Turned out Most Excellent indeed.

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Bridesmaids - Thought It would be cack , but was pretty funny.
Kung Fu Hustle - Awesome
Amelie - Audrey Tatou is gorgeous .
The Butterfly Effect - Really dont like Ashton Kutcher but the film was good.

I thought would be tripe purely because of the title and with no logical basis -

Stranger than Fiction

Was awesome.

A matter of life and death. I mean it's got David Niven in it FFS! Brilliant film.

The last Star Trek movie. The Loon is a bit of a Trekkie so decided to treat him. It was ace! Pure entertainment.

+1 for Clueless and The Princess Bride.

St Trinians (either if the new ones). I thought they were going to be awful but were infact brilliant.

The Hangover - proved to have a bit more substance than I had expected.

+1 for Moon and District 9, both great budget films that look fantastic on Blu-ray.

Skyline? Terrible film that just seemed to stop suddenly like they had run out of money.
Battle: Los Angeles. Had high hopes but despite having good visuals and sound the story was dull and very predictable.

Moon and District 9. Two films that I watched expecting not to think much of them but what a surprise. Great visuals and sound, terrific acting and fantastic stories that are original and though provoking. Go watch them, I do regularly.

[i]The Hangover - proved to have a bit more substance than I had expected. [/i]

Oh yeah. I thoroughly anticipated it being awful when it was actually quite good indeed. Very funny.

Sadly not that terrible bathtub time machine load of rubbish.

Bikebouy, thank you for reminding me... Had pretty low expectations of No Country For Old Men, but my god what a film! Was definitely one of the best films I watched this year, if not the best. Highly recommended if you don't mid a bit of gratuitous violence!

As others have said, had very low expectations of Black Hawk Down, went to the cinema to watch it (was stuck in Brussels with little else to do on a Sunday afternoon) and had even lower hopes when I saw there was literally 3 of us in the entire audience! But wow, what a film! One of the best conflict/war based films for sure, and the way it goes about completely de-romanticising the usual American wartime gungho attitudes etc, and plunges into the grimness of desperation and reality. Worth a watch by anyone!

Now for my big guilty secret... Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion! Was expecting total and utter trash, but two things got in the way and made me really like it. Number one, it has Mira Sorvino in it!!! Number 2, it's a story which pretty much everyone can relate too, even if you've never told porkies at a reunion about what you're up to, we all secretly hope we've made more of a success of ourselves than some of our old classmates...

The Social Network.

Quite a dull premise but it was pretty funny.

And Justin Timberlake was great in it - never expected that, either.

Just watched Antichrist heard loads of bad things about it on its release but wow, people of a squeamish nature or nervy disposition may want to give it a miss but it's a film I'm definatley glad I watched even though I'll admit to not fully understanding it.
Beautifully to look at, the actors would have have been up for oscars if it wasn't so controversial, I was gripped from start to finish and may even watch again, but be warned there's lots of graphic sex, violence and some of the most disturbing imagery I've seen in a film.
Great stuff

Kpax - cant explain why but every time I see it, I find it strangely uplifting

Intermission - How did that one sneak under the radar - Funny and serious at the same time , and well acted too .

Kick ass

Bad Santa funniest christmas film I have ever seen.

Wind that Shakes the Barley-Ken Loach film-nuff said.

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I couldn't handle Skyline. Saw it on a whim.. regretted every moment. Except the exploding kitchen with only 2 walls. That was quality entertainment.

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I was skeptical it would be worth seeing before the first time I watched it...