We have a thread already about great films that people plan never to see.
But what about movies you assumed would be horrible or not for you, until you actually were in a situation where you ended up seeing them, and changing your mind?
For me, it’s “Fight Club.” I assumed for a few years after it came out that it was nothing but a dumb action picture. At university, my friend had to see it for class and she asked me if I’d watch it too–I ended up totally engrossed. Now it is one of my favorite films ever.
Mean Streets. I don’t like violence (see my answer on The Departed in the other thread), but it popped up unannounced on TV – regular network TV – one night and I was immediately sucked in. Brilliant movie.
I don’t know if it’s considered “great”, but I certainly never planned on seeing The Notebook (there’s people kissing in the rain on the cover, ew). Same goes for the most recent Pride and Prejudice, but I actually liked both rather a lot.
Definitely Fight Club. My boyfriend wanted me to watch it after asking me what I thought it was about, when I replied ‘underground fighting’ you couldn’t have taken the smile off his face with a wire brush. A total jawdropper.
Definitely Before Sunrise. I hadn’t even really heard of it until its sequel (Before Sunset) came out, which I have yet to watch. On a lark, I decided to buy the DVD (for 75 cents wee). Maybe the best on-screen romance I’ve ever seen.
Also True Romance. when my then-girlfriend rented it, the only reason I thought it might not be a complete waste was Christian Slater holding a pistol on the cover, so It might be a forgetable action movie with some unintended laughs.
Me and a friend of mine were trying to woo these two chicks in college, and we’d convinced them to come over, and then we decided to go to the movies, and that was the one movie that was starting relatively soon.
I wouldn’t have seen it until years afterward if that hadn’t happened.
I thought it was too soon for such a movie, and that it would be hokey, but last night I watched World Trade Center on TV. IMNSHO it was actually very good.
Don’t know if it’s considered great by anyone other than me, but Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Henry V made me love Shakespeare. And to think I only rented the video because I had to write something about it for my English Literature class.
Nowadays, whenever I hear someone say he/she find Shakespeare boring, I would tell them to go and watch his plays, not read them. The man didn’t write novels.
I couldn’t get into one of the Star Wars movies (can’t remember and don’t care which one), so we saw Office Space instead. Great film? Well, one of my favorites. I even have an Initech coffee mug.
My wife and I went to see “Double Jeopardy” (we’d seen the trailers) but it was sold out. We decided to see “The Sixth Sense” which we knew nothing about. A lot of people have knocked this movie but we found it a great story and we were entertained. Isn’t that why you go to movies anyway?
Ai ya! I can’t imagine watching Before Sunset first. I just saw it, and it seems more like a (exceptionally well done) coda to Before Sunrise than a complete movie. I’m glad I waited and didn’t watch them in quick succession; just feels more right that way. Yes, forget you saw the sequel, watch Before Sunrise, wait a week or so, then watch Before Sunset again.
By the way (and I feel like a dork for admitting this), did anyone else get chills when Celine was playing that song on her guitar?
