People Are Sharing The 23 Movies That Just Didn't Live Up To Their Expectations
by Casey Rackham · BuzzFeedRecently, Reddit user u/NumanLover asked this question: "What masterpiece film do you actually not like nor understand why others do?"
Here are some of the most top-voted responses:
1. The Godfather (1972)
"It's too damn long and felt like two different movies. I do not get it."
2. American Psycho (2000)
"I recently saw American Psycho for the first time and I thought it was great and very funny. But I have been told that it's not a comedy and I don't understand what other people are getting from it.
Edit: what I have learned from the comments is that the movie isn't a comedy, it's a dark ironic satire, it definitely is a comedy, the book is a comedy but the movie isn't, the movie is a comedy but the book isn't, and I should pretend I've never seen it and not mention it again."
3. Citizen Kane (1941)
"I know it’s often touted as the GOAT of films, with groundbreaking techniques and narrative innovations, but sitting through it felt like attending a seminar on why it's important rather than enjoying a movie. Maybe I'm just more of a popcorn flick kind of person, but I kept waiting for the plot to pick up speed. By the time they revealed the whole Rosebud mystery, I was more interested in what snacks were left in my pantry. I respect its place in cinema history, but on my list of thrilling viewings, it's right down there with watching paint dry."
4. Oppenheimer (2023)
"Every time it felt like it was going to end it just...kept...going. You'd be like, 'Ah yes, it has been a long while and this looks like a nice place to concl- oh. Oh, ok sure.' And then another 1 hour and 20 minutes left for you to experience exactly that another three to five times."
5. The Shining (1980)
"Ostensibly a film about a man's descent into madness, but he's clearly batshit insane when the story begins. One of the reasons Stephen King hates it too."
6. Annie Hall (or any Woody Allen movie)
"I think some are OK, but I don't think they are as good as many people think they are."
7. The English Patient (1996)
"Elaine was right."
8. Poor Things (2023)
"Artistically, it's an absolutely beautifully shot film. I saw it in 2023 and it just made me feel so gross watching it. Bleh. If I hadn’t been with friends, I would’ve just walked out."
9. Interstellar (2014)
"Now don't get me wrong, I respect it cinematically and acting-wise, I can see why it was a masterpiece. But there was a time when on my dating profile I put that I liked more complex movies and every. single. guy. would ask how much I liked Interstellar. I didn't consider Interstellar complex in a film sense, more that it was complex in a science sense."
10. Inception (2010)
"I like Inception, but I think it has several flaws Nolan fans choose to ignore. The worst one is that most characters have very little personality or development. Cobb is by far the most developed and he's still not particularly complex or interesting. I genuinely think that Hans Zimmer's music does most of the heavy lifting, in terms of creating an emotional response in the viewer."
11. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
"I watched this movie (AFTER having read the book) and asked myself, 'Who would understand this?' I'm a huge Arthur C. Clarke fan, but I sympathize with anyone who has only seen the movie."
12. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
"I watched Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy recently and, despite the good performances that are present throughout, I found it dreadfully boring and not all that interesting, to be honest. I don't know if people consider it a masterpiece, or just good, but I honestly didn't like it all that much. Shame, because I love most of the actors who are in it."
13. The Irishman (2019)
"It’s just boring AF."
14. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
"Most people seem to think Breakfast at Tiffany's is a wonderful picture. Even disregarding the Mickey Rooney silliness, I just find it mediocre."
15. Crash (2005)
"I wouldn't consider it a masterpiece, although it won Best Picture at the Oscars."
16. Scarface (1983)
"The worst accents ever recorded on film. It is a shit movie and poorly acted."
17. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
"I don't know what to think about this movie other than the fact that it semi-accurately represents 2008 4chan to a T."
18. Boyhood (2014)
"I don't think I hate it — I like the concept, and I can't fault the acting throughout. But I just found it kinda boring."
19. The Princess Bride (1987)
"It's an incredibly basic story. Yes, I have read the book as well. It just feels bland and basic to me. I love the actors in it, so I get that adds charm, but there isn't anything that stands out to me."
20. The Royal Tenenbaums (or any Wes Anderson movie)
"I've liked some of his movies, but I feel like as time goes by, they are more and more about style over substance. He has such a distinct visual style that if you don't absolutely love it, the movies can get old pretty quickly. The writing is very of its (hipster-coded 2000s) time."
21. The Big Lebowski (1998)
"I kinda enjoyed it when I watched it with a group and got carried by the atmosphere, but my two attempts at watching it alone left me quite puzzled as to why the movie gets so much praise. It’s not horrible, but, in my view, it's just OK and definitely not great."
22. Pulp Fiction (1994)
"Pulp Fiction felt like a handful of great five-minute throwaway scenes no one knew what to do with."
23. Titanic (1997)
"It's a groundbreaking piece of melodramatic trash."