Most Overrated Movie of 2005

[The Original BJ]

Ryan Philippe's ultimate behavior is even more out-of-character and ludicrous than Howard's.

You're right! I had all but blocked that absolutely ridiculous turn of events from my memory.

[Damien]

The performances are all uneven, the coincidences border on cartoonish, and the characters behave in such ridiculous ways that I still can't particularly understand what happens in some scenes. (Terrence Howard's completely out-of-character meltdown in front of the police, followed by his calm ride out of there with his carjacker, is one of the most unbelievable scenes of the year.)

Ryan Philippe's ultimate behavior is even more out-of-character and ludicrous than Howard's.

I still voted for Capote, though.

[criddic3]

Munich

I love Steven Spielberg's movies and even awarded him my personal picks for picture/director in 2001 for A. I.

This film, while technically superb and well-acted, just didn't do it for me. It is not among his great works.

[The Original BJ]

Crash, easily.

Brokeback Mountain, Good Night, and Good Luck, A History of Violence, Grizzly Man, and The Squid and the Whale will all likely make my top ten list.

Munich, The Constant Gardener, and King Kong were not perfect, but were nonetheless three very interesting and entertaining films.

I was underwhelmed by Capote and Philip Seymour Hoffman, although I'm no fan of biopics in general. But I can't hate it, because it seems so innocuous.

Crash, on the other hand, which I had the displeasure of watching again last week, is not a terrible film, but it's not a particularly good one either. The performances are all uneven, the coincidences border on cartoonish, and the characters behave in such ridiculous ways that I still can't particularly understand what happens in some scenes. (Terrence Howard's completely out-of-character meltdown in front of the police, followed by his calm ride out of there with his carjacker, is one of the most unbelievable scenes of the year.) Add to that the fact that many people seem to think Crash is an incredibly enlightening film when it examines racial issues in such a superficial and phony manner makes it hands-down the year's most overrated film.

[filmgabber]

I voted for "Crash", a boring movie about racism that only magnifies all the stereotypes out there.

The hotshot cop is white, the young rich couple is white, the store owners are middle eastern, the fixer-upper-guy is Hispanic. And somehow, in a city the size of Los Angeles everybody is magically woven together. Gimme a break.

[VanHelsing]

or due to the fact that Grizzly Man is not shortlisted for Oscar's Best Documentary, resulting in many of us to not bother voting for it...

[Penelope]

I guess the fact that Grizzly Man is the last of these films to get a vote means that it's rated just right.

Or that not many of us have seen it to be outraged by its placement.

[rain Bard]

I guess the fact that Grizzly Man is the last of these films to get a vote means that it's rated just right.

[Cinephile101]

The Squid and the Whale, no contest. I haven't seen Crash yet, but it wasn't nearly as universally acclaimed.

[Sabin]

Capote is overrated but still is the kind of biopic that I enjoy: a specific period of time as a capsule for a person's life.

I need to see The Constant Gardener again, but I really don't think another viewing will improve Crash at all. I realize that many have come out strongly against Crash, but this backlash only seems relatively recent. I had to endure months of critic's calling it the best adult movie of the year so far (until The Constant Gardener) and my fellow students coming up to me and saying "Seriously, dude...isn't Crash just amazing?" Crash is still somehow very overrated in my mind.

[Bog]

cleared up.....I'm sorry I was dense there


my vote went to Capote simply because of what is happening recently...adored Hoffman and even Keener, Collins, and Cooper were all very good, but it looks like it's a shoe-in for every category out there now...and I'd have to say that Hoffman (despite "looks" and perpetual supporting character actor status) would be unstoppable with picture and director nods

all that being said, I was rather bored with what was going on in the film and the direction from Miller, I respect the film a great deal, but thought it would go the way more of a Nobody's Fool or Gods and Monsters type nominations and winnings, therefore I see it as most overrated

here's hoping for Haneke or Meirelles to replace Miller....

[VanHelsing]

Bog... it's my personal statement...

Somehow while watching Boys Don't Cry, I was giving my full support to the leading characters and would like to see them live happily ever after... as compared to Brokeback Mountain, I did not exactly feel any remorse that the leading actors didn't get to live happily ever after...

[kaytodd]

I liked GNGL but I do not understand why it is universally considered a shoo-in for a Best Pic nom. It was technically outstanding with good performances but it was to me no big deal. It certainly would not make my top five films I have seen this year. I just did not get caught up in the story.

Maybe I was not paying close enough attention but the main thing I took away with me after seeing GNGL was the minutiae of putting on a live news show in the 1950's. Maybe it's because I had heard and read so much about McCarthyism and Edward R. Murrow before seeing GNGL. I learned nothing new so I needed something to grab me about the way Clooney chose to tell the story. I found it admirable but sort of drab.

But technically-the cinematography, the costumes, the sets-were all wonderful. I am not surprised it is being discussed as a potential Best Pic nominee but when I walked out of the theatre I did not think it was a shoo-in.

[Okri]

Trying to decide between Capote, Crash and The Squid and the Whale is not easy. I loathed Crash with a fiery passion. But I get why some people like it. Capote and TSatW, on the other hand, were pretty dry films that should've been so much better. Capote, with it's higher ranking and more chances for awardage, gets my vote.

[OscarGuy]

I think it was more of an aside than anything.

IMO, it's A History of Violence. It was talked up and then I came out so disappointed. I mean the entire last 30 minutes of the film was such a departure from the rest of the film that it felt like they were whole-unrelated entities.