Reviews by Matt

In any discussion of great movies there is always that one person who just has to disagree. That one guy who says “No way that belongs on the list.” or “That is no where near as good as everyone says it is.”

Today I shall play the part of “that guy.”

There are a ton of movies out there that I think are overrated. The criteria I used for this list are the movies I have heard good things about. These movies range from Oscar winners to movies that everyone seems to like to movies that became ingrained in popular culture. All these movies have a huge amount of hype behind them and with the exception of the number five on the list this hype is without merit.

Bring on the outrage.

Bring on the debate.

Bring on my list of the top five most overrated movies.



#5) “American Beauty”

Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is unhappy with his life. After developing a crush on his daughter’s best friend (Mena Suvari), he decides to turn his life around. He quits his dead-end job and decides to do what he wants and be happier. There is some other story with the creepy kid, who moves in next-door, and Lester’s daughter, but it has been about 3 years since I have seen it, I do not remember it that well.

Why people like it: It is loved and adored by millions. It must have been good if it won five Oscars. The performances are good, especially on Spacey’s part.

Why it is overrated: I however have never seen what the hype was about. I agree Spacey is at his best in this, but other then that, it is a dull movie.

Do not get my wrong, I am not one of those people who needs explosions and special effects to keep me interested in a movie, in fact some of my favorite movies are exactly like this; story, character development and great dialogue.
Nothing could keep me interested in the movie. It took two separate sittings about a week apart to finish it. I found myself not caring and checking to see when the movie was over.




#4 “Bad Santa”

Every holiday season Willie (Billy Bob Thornton) and Marcus (Tony Cox) pose as Santa and an elf at a mall then, on Christmas Eve, proceed to rob the mall blind. Each season they move on to a different mall and cash in. Then Willie meets some kid and his heart softens, or something.

Why people like it: Apparently it is funny.

Why it is overrated: It is not funny. It is stupid, and only a fifth grader who snuck it out of their older siblings DVD collection would laugh at it.



#3 Any M. Night Shyamalan movie made after “The Sixth Sense.”

Not a movie, I know, but I just have this deep seeded hatred of this “director” that I had to make room for him.

Why people like it: For some odd reason he is seen as a master of suspense. He has these amazing twists and is original.

Why it is overrated: Shyam-lama-ding dong is the most overrated director ever. He had one mediocre hit with “The Sixth Sense” and suddenly he gets crowned the new Alfred Hitchcock. I refuse to believe that. Hitchcock was original and movie after movie, he delivered some of the most suspenseful and mysterious movies ever made. Night is a hack. Every movie he has made since has been predictable and poorly made.

The plot of “Signs” has plot hole so big you could build a new dorm in them. Case and point: the aliens have these super powerful legs and can jump over a house yet they cannot kick down a door or better yet, the aliens are harmed by water yet they are taking over a planet that is 71 percent water.

You want another example. I never saw “The Village,” but my sister did. To see if is was as predictable as I thought I gave her what I thought was the ending, the elders are the monsters and the village is in the present day. She said that was it. Talk about a “surprise” ending.



#2 “Titanic”

Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) is some kind of rapscallion who gets a ticket on the doomed Titanic voyage across the Atlantic. He meets Rose (Kate Winslet) a fancy lady who is also on the ship.

The two fall in love.

He draws her naked.

Her boyfriend does not like her crush.

The ship hits an iceberg.

Biggest surprise in movie history-the boat sinks.

Jack dies (sorry for the spoiler, but if you have not seen it by now then you have no right to complain).

Rose carries a torch for her dead love until she is old.

Movie ends.

Roll credits.

Rack up 11 Oscar wins.

Why people like it: My best guess; the love story. Something about Jack the lower class man getting Rose, the rich upper class woman to fall in love with him, people seem to love. It is the unlikely love story that people gravitate to.
Some like the special effects. For 1997, this was a big deal. The ship sinking is impressive to watch even today when you think about how special effects have changed since the movie was released. It was a huge undertaking in the late 90s. Today with movies like “The Matrix” and “The Lord of the Rings,” “Titanic” look like claymation.

Why it is overrated: It really feels like two different movies. One is a love story and one is a disaster movie. The first half focuses on getting the audience to care about the characters, which I just could not do. They are supposed to be seen as these people we want to see survive and live a long and happy life. When Jack died I breathed a sigh of relief because the death was way too drawn out and it meant the movie was almost over.



#1 “Napoleon Dynamite”

Some loser who has a strange infatuation with Tater Tots (the pigeonholed Jon Heder, not that I am complaining) acts like a loser for 99 percent of the movie. The last one percent he dances and finally talks to the girl he has a crush on.

Why people like it: Because they are stoned or in middle school.

Why it is overrated: It is not funny. Plain and simple it is not funny. Anyone can be Napoleon and because this movie became so popular everyone did. The sign I got that showed me this movie was way out of hand was one day in depression central-Wal Mart. I was looking to feed my DVD addiction and was browsing the cheap DVD bin. I over heard some middle school aged kid saying “gosh” in that annoying Napoleon Dynamite voice. I just about punched the little twerp in the face.

Bring on the hate mail all you “Napoleon Dynamite” lovers. I will defend this choice above all others until the day I die. The others, minus the M. Night rant, I am willing to reconsider.