5 Films That Everyone Likes, But I Don’t

I feel like sometimes I’m left out because of the movies I like, but sometimes the movies I dislike get me into more trouble, especially with idiots online. If you haven’t watched my favourite movie I’m Not There then get off this list, and go and watch it please. But, there are films where I really just don’t understand why people are obsessed with them so much. There are some films where I can understand why people are obsessed with them, but I cannot see myself liking them any time soon. And finally, there are films that I flat out hate, and I will let you know about it if you ask me. Some of the films on this list I have actually watched multiple times, and have tried really hard to enjoy, some of the films on this list I watched once and couldn’t see myself watching again, and some of the films on this list are the type that if I have to sit through them once more, I’m calling the police. I like to read reviews about films as well, which means that with a few of the films on this list I’ve even read about other people’s love for them, and yet, I cannot see myself appreciating them any further.

I more or less research everywhere and everything when it comes to liking or disliking a movie (unless it’s Bohemian Rhapsody that s*** is just pure torture to watch). But, in the end, if I have not resolved the issue then I can honestly say that I do not like the movie, and I probably never will. I feel like everyone is entitled to their own opinion when it comes to film, but you have to understand that some people’s opinions, because of an education in the subject, are valued more than others. For example: me giving medical opinions isn’t going to be valued as much as someone who is a doctor giving their medical opinion. Someone who isn’t an artist giving art opinions isn’t going to be valued as much as an art teacher, art critic, or a painter giving art opinions. Someone who isn’t a holder of a film degree (whether it be BA or MA) isn’t going to have an opinion as valued as someone who does. I didn’t think I needed to write that one down for you, but here we are. But, be that as it may, everyone is entitled to their own opinion until you start getting technical. Then you can shove off the people without an education. Let’s begin without further introduction:

5. 'Man of Steel'

I thought this film was particularly bad because it made Superman boring. How on earth do you make DC’s biggest selling superhero, the ultimate superhero, THE SUPERMAN, boring? This is totally and completely beyond me. The other thing is that I discovered that the reason it was so boring was because of Henry Cavill’s wooden acting style. He has no real expression, and absolutely zero charisma. Superman needs to be loved and Henry Cavill doesn’t invite you to love him. It was mostly his acting that ruined the film for me. Sorry Cavill fans. Again, it’s okay for other people to enjoy this film, and, for a long time, I tried to as well. But I really, really cannot even begin to describe how many times I watched this film and yet we’ve gotten nowhere.

4. 'A Clockwork Orange'

I know what you’re going to say, but please, listen to this; or rather, read it. The first reason I wasn’t overly fond of the film was because of the way it used shock value to present literally every aspect of doomed youth. There were large chunks of the book that were interpreted by shock value, and other aspects of the book that were lost in the over-the-top nature of the film (possibly for the impact of satire, but clearly its lost all its meaning). For example: it mostly lost the theme of organised order vs the disassociated youth in all the mirage of shock and horror. You kind of forget that it’s there mostly, and concentrate on Alex making a damned fool of himself. I also feel like the filmmaking itself may be revolutionary for its time, but the techniques are overused. It has become one of those films that every aspiring young cinephile seems to love for some reason, or a favourite of every edgy young teen that wants to be edgy and rebellious for no reason whatsoever, whilst they sit quite comfortably tweeting about it from an iPhone their parents bought for them. It’s a film for the rebellious teens who have nothing to be rebellious about. But they want to be taken seriously, and considered “cinephiles,” or “young aspiring filmmakers,” and yet, they can’t tell their dutch tilt from their dolly shot. Oh dear me.

3. 'Love Actually'

The most middle class wh*** girl film to ever exist, but mainly I don’t like it because of the fact it stars, you guessed it, Hugh Grant. I hate that ratty man. I don’t think I could tell you a film I hated more than this one with a gun to my head. Hugh Grant makes me want to be physically sick, and I honestly I cannot think of a single reason I would want to watch this film.

2. 'Titanic'

I think I’ve watched this film many, many more times than I would’ve liked to. I also think that a lot of people tend to agree that this film is (if not vastly) overrated. I have little idea about what makes it so great apart from aspects of the cinematography, which are alright at best. Some of those wide shots are just too damn long. It’s overly dramatic without being charming, and it’s a massively overworked movie. There’s working on a movie, which makes it good and fluent, and then there’s overworking a movie where you can tell that the filmmaker wants to make it so overly dramatic that it gets really distasteful. I’m not saying the movie is bad, I’m saying it’s had far too many over-dramatic elements put into it. It’s also overplayed, overdone, and yet it isn’t even a great achievement of cinema. The acting is pretty good, but the cinematography style is something everyone was experimenting with then, and I think Titanic just hit it big because it had the most money to work with in the first place. Except for the shots of the ship sinking, which really make the movie what it is—Titanic’s filmmaking pretty much sinks in everything else.

1. 'Avatar'

Admittedly, I have only actually paid attention to this film once; when I went to see it in the cinemas on the day it came out. Apart from that, every other time it’s been on, I haven’t been overly interested in it. There’s something about James Cameron’s work which seems too overdone for me. Like with Titanic, the film doesn’t seem natural at all—it feels like too many methods are being crammed into one short space of film. It wholly made the film feel a bit flat. After you’ve watched it once, you really can’t be “wowed” by it again. I’m not going to lie—at the tender age of 14, I was just about “wowed” the first time. Ultimately, it’s one of those films that has become background noise whilst you work or cook or do something else.

Conclusion

There will always be films which some people like, and some people don’t. There will always be opinions of people that you don’t like, and some you do. There will also be opinions on topics that are valued more than yours or even, mine. But, trust me when I say this—to talk about film’s technicalities—you need to know about them to begin with. I have had many funny fights with people who claim to know about film, and can’t name a single shot type or angle. But that’s besides the point. When it comes to discussing the technicalities of film, you need to know different shots, and this doesn’t mean getting every single degree in film under the sun. All you need to do is read a damn book.

Namely this one: Ed Sikov’s Introduction to Film.

Start there, and we can discuss film together.