# Movies and TV you had a low opinion of going in, but were pleasantly surprised by **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2021, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329 "2021-06-01T03:40:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329/121 "2021-06-24T15:13:08Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I’m assuming you are talking about the tv show. I found the movie to be better. I saw the show, first season anyway, before I watched (or even knew there was) the movie. I enjoyed both. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329/122 "2021-06-24T15:46:04Z")
Back in 2018 I wanted to see the DC Universe’s Aquaman in the theater. My kids argued that we should see the animated **Into the Spiderverse** instead. I thought, “It’s a cartoon Spiderman !? Can’t be any good.” But I relented and they were right. It’s a funky, trippy interpretation of Spiderman with a clever story, lots of action and some humor. I eventually did see Aquaman, and meh… ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329/123 "2021-06-24T17:09:47Z")
**Zombieland** - Jesse Eisenberg has locked down the cover of Punchable Face magazine like Oprah has with O. Woody Harrelson and Emma Stone are not a draw for me at all. And a comedy about zombies is as stale as the pizza you find under a couch cushion at a frat house. But somehow it was funny despite all of that and I am glad I watched it. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329/124 "2021-06-24T19:40:56Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I slightly disagree. Steve Carrell and Catherine Keener are a delight to watch but there was a lot in that film that made me uncomfortable, most notably the scene where Carrell’s character runs off from the hot tub scene with Elizabeth Banks and Seth Rogan just wanders in to take his place and “it’s all good”. I realize that the immaturity of the characters is the point in large part but still, it was a little jerk-heavy for my tastes. Agreed that that scene is dodgy - there was no suggestion that she was too drunk to make decisions, or that he’d use force or manipulation, but it still felt wrong, especially compared to the rest of the movie. However, going on the title and summary I’d have expected the whole movie to be that level of almost-wrong, so it still exceeded my expectations. And the woman he got together with was an adult woman with a complicated background and kids from more than one relationship, like often happens for people in their forties looking for a new relationship. Seeing a 40ish single Mom as a positive, cheerful, complex character is unusual in any movie, all the moreso when she’s the love interest rather than the main character. Most of the characters didn’t seem like jerks to me, just ordinary people with flaws and overall good intentions. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2021, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329/125 "2021-06-24T19:54:07Z")
I had no desire to watch Downtown Abbey, expecting it to be about a bunch of old nuns in the rundown part of town. After several years, someone pointed out that I was misreading and misunderstanding the title, and I gave it a try. VERY pleasantly surprised! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329/126 "2021-06-25T00:28:20Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > expecting it to be about a bunch of old nuns in the rundown part of town That’s _Call The Midwife_. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2021, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329/127 "2021-06-25T01:20:08Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > That’s _Call The Midwife_ . That’s set where I live but is filmed everywhere except here. Which is extra strange since some roads here actually do look the same, if you move the cars away (like you have to do in every filming location). ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329/128 "2021-06-26T23:48:34Z")
Around '76 mum brought SNL to my attention, and initially I was like - well, if _mum’s_ recommending this… But then came the Bass-o-matic, and for the next four or so years I was a buyer!!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-and-tv-you-had-a-low-opinion-of-going-in-but-were-pleasantly-surprised-by/943329.md?page=6)