Top Ten Great Films that Turned Out to be Awful

Top Ten 'Great' Films That Turned Out to be Awful!

Picture the scene- you have your nibbles, popcorn and drinks organised, Saturday night has been set aside because that film you have been waiting for ages to watch has just found its way into your DVD player. Said film has been recommended dozens of times to you, you have a sneaky look at its rating on IMDB.com, and yes it's good. You hit play.... then two hours later you have to open your doors and windows because the film stunk your place out. We've all had these 'that's two hours of my life that I'm never getting back' moments. So I thought it was high time that we named and shamed these films that were such a let down!

10. Withnail and I

I was so looking forward to this so-called cult comedy classic, but found it completely one-dimensional. I found myself waiting and waiting for the film to kick in, but no, it's just a story about two middle class dossers, or actors (as they claim) who wangle a holiday to the Lakes. A real let down. 

9. The Birds

Sorry Mr Hitchcock as I am one of your biggest fans, but I found this 'classic', nothing more than a classic turkey. Basically a flock of birds invades a town, pecking people to death seemingly at random. There are no allusions to as to why these birds are here, or what will make them go. I suppose it is mildly scary, but this doesn't justify the years of plaudits it has received. Mr Hitchcock, I really did try to like this... honest.

8. 28 Days Later

Looking back there was a great cast here- Christopher Eccleston and Cillian Murphy to name a couple. Terrible script, terrible acting, terrible film. I certainly do not understand the hype. I found this film to be laughable. Although in certain places I cried... cried at the fact I paid to watch this drivel at the cinema. Do we really need another zombie movie? 

7. Top Gun

Hollywood schmaltze at it's worst. Intellectually devoid. I thought films were supposed to have a plot? Tom Cruise setting the tone for his career. 'It's just a bit of fun...', yeah well don't act like it's a classic then, because believe me, it ain't!

6. E. T. 

I was looking forward to seeing this film as it is one of the most famous and celebrated movies of all time. It turned out to be sentimental and to use an Americanism, phony. It felt as if I was expected to feel emotional. But guess what? I didn't. I ran as fast as I could to post it back to BlockBuster.

5. Slumdog Millionaire

Again it pains me to include this as Danny Boyle is one of my favourites, but with 8 Oscar wins I expected ALOT. There is minimal chemistry between the leads in this cheesy, clumsy and over-hyped melodrama.

4. Bridget Jones' Diary

As is the case with seemingly all popular books, they HAVE to make a movie out of them, just to squeeze more cash from the 'franchise'. Bridget Jones being no exception. Even in the snooty world of the Radio Times Film Review this film received 5 stars, in the process sitting the film next to the likes of Schindler's List and the Godfather... oh how we laughed. Or cried. I remember watching this film just waiting for the kick start. Waiting, and waiting... then the credits rolled. I actually said aloud, "was that it?" Just like any other RomCom.

3. Ghost

My wife will hate me for including this, but it is just another overly hyped, overly sentimental, completely unbelievable melodrama. Utterly predictable, it has not stood the test of time. We see Swayze in his typical role- the lady's muscle man, which is a pity because he was capable of alot more depth.

2. Four Weddings and a Funeral

There's Hugh Grant playing the bumbling Englishman... hmmm. I found the episodic nature of the film highly unsettling, whilst Andie McDowell is completely unconvincing. I doubt a threesome having, self absorbed, adulterous woman would be so softly spoken and easy going in real life. Once again, somehow a completely unrealistic love story has garnered a reputation as classic.

And the winner (or loser) of the Top Ten 'Great' Films that Turned out to be Awful is.........

1. The Royal Tenenbaums

I watched this film. Then I watched it again. Then I watched it to search for why the hell it was given a 5 star in my film book! It is completely unfunny, overly long, slow, miserable even. I think what was missing was a *LAUGH NOW* light above my TV, but mine must have been lost in the post. I'll leave the final word to deconstructingjamie1984 who posted this on IMDB.com- "Frankly I would have more fun detaching my testicles and selling them on eBay". Need I say any more?