There’s no top 10 movie list that can cause more angry responses than a top ten “overrated” list. The problem is that every movie fan has their own personal list of most overrated movies. This doesn’t mean all these movies are terrible – in fact many of them will be personal favorites of other movie fans. That being said, even good or fun movies can be badly overrated. This is a list of the ten most overrated movies in modern times. This list contains a competition – further details at the bottom of the list.
After a dozen amazing movies, this was the one that Denzel Washington finally won an Oscar for. Really? Aside from the fact that this rehashed plot is nothing close to original, it feels like this movie received the attention it did because Denzel played a bad guy and that was out of character. This had the same effect that Wayne Brady as a psycho did for the Chapelle’s Show: it might be wildly popular because it’s out of character, but that doesn’t mean the movie was that good. In fact, it was very average, at best.
This isn’t a bad movie. In fact, it’s pretty good and definitely entertaining, but for all the hype that this film received it definitely qualifies as overrated. This movie is on the IMDB Top 250 list, but the dialogue isn’t overly impressive (and only a precursor to “Pulp Fiction,” which is much better), and a lot of this film is based on “tricks” like the non-chronological order and flashbacks, which are used as style choices to hide plot deficiencies. This is a good movie, but it’s hardly a best 200 ever.
Whales. Whales can connect with unknown aliens who are absolutely unstoppable, and are the only species who can save Earth, forcing time travel to 1980′s America. A very campy movie with a plot that questionable doesn’t even begin to describe. Let this one die quietly, bring back KHAN!
It seems like everyone loves this film, but once again this movie is overrated. It’s slow, and takes a long time to play out with intermittent scares. A fairly smart movie (but not overwhelmingly brilliant as many claim) with a legitimately decent twist, but the balance just isn’t right. A little too long and boring, with a twist ending that while decent, was actually not hard to figure out very early on in the film. The ending sequence is impressive, but like many other overrated films this is a decent movie that took too long and lost track of its balance.
A lot of Al Pacino movies are overrated, and it’s not hard to argue that Pacino is consistently one of the most overrated actors in Hollywood. Look he’s screaming and cussing. I’d say again, but when did Pacino stop long enough to start up “again?” While this was a breakthrough film in the sense of violence, one has to wonder how this movie got its status. The F-word is used endlessly (so much for intelligent dialogue), the violence is way over the top, and there really are much better written drug, Mafia, or violent movies. This film might be legendary, but it’s hard to argue that this movie would still hold up if it was a brand new release.
Not even going into the incredible stretching and disregard for historical truth this film reveled in, keep in mind that this was the movie that kicked the butt of “Saving Private Ryan,” “Dark City,” “American History X,” and “The Big Lebowski,” all around the awards shows, but admit it – 9 out of 10 of you had completely forgotten that this movie had ever even existed until it just appeared on this list. Ten years later and this film’s competitors will be remembered for years or even decades to come, while this movie made it’s chick flick splash and then promptly disappeared once the next one came out.
Okay, even with admitting that 2002 was a down year for films; is that really an excuse for “Chicago” to win best picture? This was an entertaining picture, but “Best Picture?” Really? “The Pianist,” “Igby Goes Down,” “Gangs of New York,” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers,” were all excellent movies, and it’s hard to accept that “Chicago” was the best of the crop here. This film was fun if you like a musical, but it’s hardly a best picture.
Another very long, absolute clichĂ©d romantic chick flick, except girlfriends went so nuts over this one that it shattered records for money brought in over an insane 9 month theatre running. This movie is the biggest moneymaker of all time? Really? “Titanic” was a long and boring soap opera without good acting, flat cardboard characters, and the all time clichĂ© of a tragic love story between two star-crossed lovers. This is one of the most overrated films of all time, and you could even make a case for this one as number one, except that there are enough people who agree with this assessment to bring it down the overrated list.
There were sections of this film that were hilarious, but there were twice as many that weren’t funny at all. Even worse, as any late night store clerk can attest, these types of jobs provide tons of funny and ridiculous stories that could have been used in this movie, but were barely even touched, instead opting for a lot of cussing and explicit sex jokes. Other parts, like Jay cussing everyone up, just aren’t that funny. This was an impressive independent film, but nothing that should have achieved the near epic status it enjoys.
Anyone who isn’t blown away by star power will see this for what it is: a sad boring film that doesn’t do “Heart of Darkness” any justice. This was terribly acted, stilted, and somehow managed to be ludicrously over dramatic without any drama. Yet this movie is widely considered one of the 100 best of all time and is lauded for its star power. “Apocalypse Now” is terribly overrated, and is on the top of this list as an example of a terrible movie that is lauded for its status over the film itself.
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Contributor: Shane Dayton
bucslim: An alternate title for this list?
“Movies I don’t like that other people do”
Bob: Snap
I love you for making this list. So many movies have been recommended to me, like Scarface, so I rent and watch them only to be sorely disappointed.
fail
Wow, I think you’re definition of overrated is a tad bit off. Training Day, Scarface, Resevoir Dogs and a few others(not all) in here are some of the best movies ever. How would you even know? most of the time you’re posting lists on actors and movies that are over 50 years old!!! Not every movie has to have intelligent dialogue or “the routine”, it’s what makes a unique and entertaining movie. People will pay for what they want to see, people liked Titanic, its plot and everything. I really don’t think you’re a good movie critic. This list fails. Most of lists lately have been kind of dull. I’ve sent you various suggestions, because I’m only guessing that’s what you want is suggestions from members. How about the Top 10 most influential human beings of all time or Top 10 places to hide from nuclear war…you know something along the lines of INTERESTING.
“Blacknimbus, ok I’ll spell it out for you. This is a list of overrated movies. (allegedly) Citizen Kane is regarded by many as the greatest movie ever made. So in conclusion, it shouldn’t even be mentioned on a list of overrated movies. Are we clear now?”
This is all opinion, so your apparent contention that hard facts are in play here is erroneous. And you prove that in fact Citizen Kane is the most likely to be overrated because it’s generally considered to be in the top 5 if not number one of all time. How can a movie be consider ‘overrated’ unless it’s, I don’t know, actually good? I don’t think you understand what overrated actually means…it’s hardly pejorative. At least not the way you are interpreting it.
Make your own list…you seem to be bursting to share your wisdom with the world.
I really can’t wait to see what retarded ass list you make next.
You should make a list of Top 10 overrated websites!!! You being #1! but it’s your list so you decide.
why isn’t the Godfather Trilogy not there? geez, I tried watching the first one and fell asleep, I have watch the other two and found that they were all right, nothing to get all wound up about. It is a great story, the movies not so much.
Man lists about movies bring the worst in people.Didnt Jfrater said something about not wanting any more movie listes.
BTW this list is pretty good.Could have been top 15 maybe even 20 but i agree with this list.
))
I wholly agree with every movie listed! …except perhaps Star Trek IV. It’s sci-fi – it’s supposed to be out there (and it really was with the whales).
i think they’re are way more movies that were more overrated like: SNAKES ON A PLANE! lol
“I really can’t wait to see what retarded ass list you make next.
You should make a list of Top 10 overrated websites!!! You being #1! but it’s your list so you decide.”
Lol…some of you guys really need to relax. This is a list about movies, not politics or religion. Save some of that vitriol…you’ll wear yourself out before you turn 18.
And ‘jerky’, they got you to click the link and make a post. Thanks for the blog traffic, I guess.
training day by far and above, no oscar material.
titanic, come on now. roger rabbit much better
I love how butt hurt everyone is over there precious movies being called overrated. So many movies are so much better than all of those on this list. Somebody get these people a box of tissues….
2001: mind numbing! Thats my vote.
This blog is overrared…
I loved Titanic, I do think it’s over rated at all, ok maybe leo and kate are over rated, but not the movie its self.
I have to agree with The Others. It’s a good movie, but not great like a lot of people made it out to be.
Number 1 for me is “The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonsai”… My wife loves this movie and has hyped and hyped it for me to watch. But, E-V-E-R-Y-T-I-M-E we sit down to watch it, I fall asleep within 30 minutes. I’ve had to resort to watching it in chunks and still haven’t finished it.
All of these films are more than just “over-rated” they are over-played on television and over boughten at stores to this day! Stop wasting money on stupid movies and go watch a good movie like Mullholland Drive!
we should call this list “movies that are popular that shane doesn’t like”. at least that way, people wouldn’t be offended by their baby being called overrated.
I thought The Others was a very good film. But then, I generally prefer the older, slower-paced, atmospheric films. I do not require explosions or chase scenes every five minutes to keep my attention!
Some of the movies that I feel are over-rated are The Graduate, A Clockwork Orange, and The Deer Hunter. All three of them are supposed to be fabulous movies, and at the end of all three I wanted to demand a refund of those hours of my life that I had wasted watching them!
When you think about how much money was spent to make “Clerks,” one can understand a little better why it was rated higher. They did a lot with not very much….
I disagree about “Shakespeare in Love,” I thought it was an absolutely wonderful movie….
But thank god someone finally spoke up about how overrated “Titanic” was!!!
man, someone really dropped the brilliance ball on this list.
apocalypse now is nothing short of a magnum opus.
I didnt know that The Others was popular enough to be considered overrated? I loved Titanic, I’m a woman who loves her chick flicks. I thought Denzels acting was great in trainig day, the movie was just ok though. I love this site because it lets all of us voice our opinion.
I TOTALLY agree with Scarface. Although I own it and LOVE Al Pacino I think the hype of it has led people to believe it is one of the best gangster movies off all time. To be honest I personally think Casino, Goodfellas, Heat, and Carlito’s Way was better.
140 Mathilda. I have never seen a clockwork orange and I want to see it badly because I still hear all the hype about it today. Im sad to hear its overrated
Finally, someone has told the world (or atleast the universe
) the truth about some of Hollywood’s supposed greatest films. Damn fine list, Shane. Damn fine indeed.
I hate Titanic. Not because of the ‘over-night sensation’ of the film. Not because of it’s place on IMDB’s list, which is way too high in my opinion. No.
The reason that I hate Titanic is because that film was so critically acclaimed that it bled over into my senior prom night. Yup, our senior prom’s theme song for 1998 could have and should have been Cindy Lauper’s song Time After Time, but nooooooo Celine Dion’s song My Heart Will Go On was the hit of the night…over-night sensation.
We sat down at a table during that song in a sort of silent protest. Not like that made any kind of difference, but hey, I enjoyed my prom night otherwise.
disc-
I really think I’m the only one in the world who doesn’t like that movie..it jsut really did nothing for me and everyone else thinks it’s an uberbig deal..Just my opinion that it’s overrrated, but if I wrote this list I’d never put it on there, as I know how many people like it. Although if there is ever a “calle’s most overrated films” list, oy can bet money that’ll be number one.
And Snakes on a Plane was wonderful, and here’s why. I got what I paid for. There were snakes, and they were on a plane. Pure and simple, great movie.
Apocalypse Now is not overrated.
“a sad boring film that doesn’t do “Heart of Darkness” any justice”
Shane: Did you even read Heart of Darkness? I’m sick of seeing movies that try and match the book page for page. They are doomed from the start. Its people like Coppola, Milius and Herr who we need writing screenplays from books. They took what was at the core of Conrad’s book and translated it beautifully to reflect the current time. I just don’t think you get it, yet. Sad and boring? Pop in an adderall and watch it again. Not the redux though…its overrated.
Quiana-
Go ahead and see it, it’s reallllly good. Read the book first though, but just a warning you may have to print out an online dictionary for the first couple chapters until you understand all the words. I think you can google Clockwork Orange dictionaries.
I TOTALLY agree with Scarface! Although I love Al Pacino and the movie I believe the hype of it all has led people to believe that it is the best gangster movie ever. To be honest…I personally believe that Heat and Carlito’s Way was better. Even Goodfellas was better
Yeah, I think Fight Club should be on this list, way overrated. I agree with all of these choices, though. I didn’t think The Others was that popular to begin with, anyways.
Aso, if you notice, most of these movies are in frequent sydication on television…
Great list, but you made 2 mistakes…
(1) Should be on: CLOCKWORK ORANGE – The awfulness of this movie cannot be overstated, but let me try: Awful, awful, awful, etc., etc., etc.
(2) Should be off: SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE – I still swoon thinking about this movie!
Thanks Callie, will do!! I would much rather read the book first anyway. The books are usually better.
Man you have no depth of film knowledge. The vast majority of acclaimed critics, writers, and actors would heartily disagree with you. This list is too much of a 1 person perspective than a well-rounded presentation that lists on this site should be.
OCean’s Thirteen should be on this lest. It was unecessary, and I think that Titanic should be at the #1 slot. Plot? THE BOAT SANK! I only wanted to see the last 30 miinutes for the effects…
JFrater–
Received the movie–Once Upon A Time in the West. Amazing.
Many thanks for the competition prize!!!!
–Dow
another movie i thought was rediculously overrated was boondock saints. it’s really not even close to good. oooh they have a little saying, ooooh they’re irish (scottish? don’t care) the movie is boring.
the hype that surrounds clerks isn’t because of the intelligent dialouge, but mainly due to the fact that they only had something like $35,000 to make it, and succeded, if clerks is number 2 then by logic the blair witch project would have to be number 1, every other film i would probably agree on
worse list ever.
please stop watching movies.
Here’s an idea. For those who say ‘this sucks, how about a list on ____’…go create a list. Really.
Most overrated: Dark Knight.
Nowhere near as good as Batman Begins.
As good as Heath was his performance was quite similar to Brandon Lee in The Crow. (Another movie overrated due to death. The film would have been better if it didn’t have to work around his mid shoot death.)
119. Bob:
I vote for your title.
I didn’t know Star Trek IV was rated at all. Is one of the worst Star Trek movies, many people agree.
Even Titanic and Shakespeare in Love are what they wanted to be: bad twee commercial films.
About Apocalypse Now … let me see…
Nerdy guy: Hi Shane!
Shane: Hi. I’m going to see Apocalypse Now couse I’ve just read Heart of Darkness
Ng: I don’t know what Heart of Darkness is but the movie is much better. Is so good that you’ll have to boot your eyes out after watching it.
Shane: Don’t worry I just want to see some action with a famous cast without wondering if the movie is telling me any deeper message. So I will enjoy it for sure…
¬¬
130. akelly318:
snakes on a plane will never be rated enough XD
Cool. Another list guaranteed to generate a lot of responses. Add these movies to the next list:
Fight Club
Do the Right Thing
Shawshank Redemption
Star Wars
Pulp Fiction
Metropolis
A ClockWork Orange
Where is Batman : The Dark Knight ?
Seriously who wrote this list?
I need to kick his(her) ass.
I love Shakespeare in Love, Titanic and Reservoir Dogs!
And I think that MT (comment 164) is absolutely wrong about most of the movies he suggested.
I suggest Forrest Gump.
That movie isn’t even good, but everyone loves it.
Whyyyyyyyyyy?
Your forgot The English Patient. One of the most boring filmes I’ve watched. Everybody loved it. I felt like an alien when I told people what I think of the movie at the time, almost just like Elaine in Seinfeld that was ostricised and lost her job because of her dislike of the movie.
Awesome list!! Not only clerks, but ANY kevin smith movie is overrated.
Love the list even though I don’t agree with Reservoir Dogs, Star Trek IV (campy fun), Clerks, and Apocalypse Now. If you remember that Apocalypse now was in 1979, just a short time after the US finally got out of Vietanm. That was pretty cutting edge stuff for the day (IMDB has Kramer vs. Kramer & the Muppet Movie as the top grossing films of 1979).
Chicago is a great example of many movies that I classify as overrated. The whole time I watched it kept thinking, “This is a decent movie, but I am not sure why it is so hyped.” Moulin Rouge is one of the few movies in the last ten years that I bailed on…in fact, give Nicole her own section. Her bad acting in Eyes Wide Shut really stands out in a film filled with faults and disappointments.
Shakespeare in Love – Turd.
Garrett: Interesting call on Star Wars. I like the film, but the acting is awful!
Skipps: Good call on Little Miss Sunshine. I like dark comedies, but not depressing comedies (John Cusack I’m looking right at you).
I am in the tank for Kubrick (note my handle) but I understand that he does not have universal appeal. I was recently flipping channels and came across Path of Glory (1957). I missed the opening credits and was not familiar with the movie but I still found it compelling. I thought the battle scenes were very impressive for the time and the subject matter (WWI). It was only at the end that I saw it was directed by Stan the Man.
I love alot of these movies…. am I overrated? But then I do tend to like alot of movies. I don’t know, maybe it is just me. I don’t listen to what other people say good or bad, I will watch the movie for myself and make my own decision.
so reservoir dogs is overrated and pulp fiction isn’t. ok.
well, i for one do not agree
Hopefully this hasn’t been mentioned already, but who really reads the comments down here anyway? Cloverfield was highly, highly overrated. I was totally let down when I saw that movie, as was about everyone who bought into the hype on the internet. Bad acting, weak plot, and the monster was not even that cool
I think that the Godfather and the Dark Knight are very overrated but are still very good. I disagree with Clerks and Reservoir Dogs but I haven’t seen most of the others except for Scarface which I agree is overrated but still good. Clerks is one of my favorite movies.
other than training day and chicago, you are an idiot.
I actually enjoyed “Shakespear in Love”. I think the only reason it catches so much flack is because it won Best Picture, an honor it really didn’t deserve.
Forrest Gump is overrated. The gimmick of inserting Tom Hanks into historical footage is cute but the story is as light as the feather that opens and closes it. It’s also extremely anti-intellectual … All the good things happen to the stupid guy while all the bad things happen to the smart girl. Hmmmm.
Crash is also overrated. It could have been a Lifetime made-for-TV movie and no one would have known the difference.
this might be heresy to some, but i got blade runner for winning a competition here, thanks jayfray, but it was pretty bad. fell asleep twice.
Star Wars is not overrated. Love it or hate it, it permanentaly changed the film industry and the series is still remains a benchmark for all scifi films.
Star Trek IV should not be on this list, not because its a good movie (it ain’t) but because it is not overrated. Who is overrating this movie? It didn’t win awards, doesn’t appear on any top scifi film lists and I don’t think it is even a favorite among Trekkies. What it does have the distinction of being is the highest grossing Trek film, but that isn’t saying much.
Crash should take its place, this is my pic for worst Best Picture. Titanic is overrated, no doubt, but it is an entertaining movie for what it is and what it tries to be. I don’t agree with it winning Best Picture, but I can understand why, it is old-fashioned Hollywood spectacle that made a lot of money. Crash on the other hand is garbage, poorly written, heavy handed trash. Racism is bad? Gee, thanks for letting me know, Haggis.