Which movies blew away your expectations when you first saw them in the theater, and which movies disappointed you the most? (1 Viewer)

[markdc]

Which movies blew away your expectations when you first saw them in the theater, and which movies disappointed you the most? Here’s my list in order of how much they wowed or disappointed me when I first saw them. I’d love to see your list! Here’s the rule though: Only mention movies that you had never seen before. For example, I saw the special editions to the original Star Wars movies in the theater when I was a teenager in the late Nineties, and while it was an awesome experience to finally see these classics on the big screen (I had seen Return of the Jedi when it was first released but was only a toddler), they wouldn’t count since I had seen them numerous times on VHS. Also, I saw Braveheart in a second-run theater and while I loved that experience, I had recently seen it on VHS for the first time. Furthermore, the movies on your list don’t have to be ones that you like or love now; they can be movies you saw in the theater as a kid but have grown out of.

10 movies that wowed me the most while viewing them in a theater:
1.Schindler’s List
2.The Lord of the Rings (all three movies)
3.Jurassic Park
4.Saving Private Ryan
5.The Passion of the Christ
6.Batman
7.Black Hawk Down
8.Mulholland Dr.
9.Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
10.The Matrix

10 movies that disappointed me the most while viewing them in a theater:
1.Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
2.Avatar
3.The Hobbit (all three movies)
4.Star Trek: Generations
5.Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
6.Alien: Resurrection
7.Stargate
8.Star Trek (JJ Abrams reboot)
9.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (both parts)
10.The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Mark

 

[iliveonramen]

A movie I think of a lot. I didn't see it in the theatre, I actually saw it streaming years after it came out, but Brokeback Mountain.

When I was younger and didn't know better, it was the punchline for jokes.

After seeing it, I was choked up and floored by how fantastic the movie was.

It's something I think of when I make assumptions or try to write things off.

 

[Artymoon]

Forrest Gump and Shawshank Redemption blew me away and left me with wanting more.

Red Sonja is the only movie I've ever walked out of.

 

[NWRatCon]

Most recently, Wicked. Knock out. Complete.

 

[Middleground]

Off the top of my head, I'd say The Kings Speech and Forrest Gump blew me away.
I was rather disappointed with Barbie. And Us.

 

[NWRatCon]

Off the top of my head, I'd say The Kings Speech and Forrest Gump blew me away.
I was rather disappointed with Barbie. And Us.

Agree on Kings Speech, hard disagree on Barbie.

 

[SNOWFLAKE]

Worst: Any movie with Steven Seagal in it.
Best is too long to list.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Napoleon with Joaquin Phoenix was disappointing. Somehow managed to turn a fascinating historical figure's story into a snoozefest.

Last film that blew me away, or exceeded expectations? Hmm...Northman turned out better than I was expecting it to be.

 

[markdc]

Worst: Any movie with Steven Seagal in it.
Best is too long to list.

Have you ever seen the 1996 actioner Executive Decision? If you haven’t, I would recommend it. The movie is about a group of terrorists who hijack an airliner while it’s in midair, so the U.S. government sends in a team of commandos led by Steven Seagal who are accompanied by a nerdy intelligence consultant played by Kurt Russell. The team flies in a special aircraft that attaches itself to the bottom of the airliner so that the team can get aboard undetected. Because of this setup, you automatically expect this movie to be a typical Seagal actioner where he kicks ass and saves the day. But in the scene where the commando team boards the airliner, something goes wrong and Seagal’s character is killed before he can even get onto the airliner, thus forcing Russell’s character to lead the team instead. Considering that Executive Decision was released when Seagal was at the height of his stardom, killing him off within the first half hour was an ingenious move that amps up the tension. It is truly an edge-of-your-seat thriller.

Mark

 

[markdc]

Napoleon with Joaquin Phoenix was disappointing. Somehow managed to turn a fascinating historical figure's story into a snoozefest.

Last film that blew me away, or exceeded expectations? Hmm...Northman turned out better than I was expecting it to be.

My dad and brother saw Napoleon and said it was awful, which is too bad because Ridley Scott has made some good historical epics, i.e. Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven. Northman was amazing.

Mark

 

[Lycanthrope]

My dad and brother saw Napoleon and said it was awful, which is too bad because Ridley Scott has made some good historical epics, i.e. Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven. Northman was amazing.

Mark

I was equally surprised how bad it (Napoleon) was.