# Movies that were a lot better than you expected (SPOILERS LIKELY) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559 "2011-11-11T02:27:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/61 "2011-11-22T10:53:04Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > And a movie that was a parody of a Disney cartoon heroine, (Actually made by Disney I think) who appears in the real world, but can’t remember the name. _Enchanted_? That was surprisingly good. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/62 "2011-11-22T11:49:31Z")
Thats the one !. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/63 "2011-11-22T16:51:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, to be fair, _The Fifth Element_ was a genuinely bad movie. It just also happened to be an incredibly fun movie. Oh, I don’t think I can call _Fifth Element_ a bad movie, at least in light of what passes for an allegedly “good” movie. A lot of people think the sixth _Star Trek_ film is a good movie, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/64 "2011-11-23T05:46:40Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > _Enchanted_? That was surprisingly good. Yes. Definitely exceeded my expectations. A gentle and affectionate spoof of all the fairytale conventions, and Amy Adams is just terrific in it. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/65 "2011-11-23T07:30:30Z")
I consider myself a pretty good judge of movie quality. I therefore, inevitably, think most movies vary from not good to total crap. Good ones are the exception not the rule. Having said that I was very surprised at recently watching **Battle: Los Angeles** and not only \*not \*finding it one of the worst movies ever as I had heard, but actually finding it pretty enjoyable. More so even than **Avatar**! (and Cameron is my favorite director). It was short, to the point, and not unreasonably unbelievable. Many complained about the grunts hack-kneed dialog, but I don’t think soldiers wax poetic too much in battle. I liked the premise, an invasion by an alien force with \*somewhat \*more advanced technology but not overwhelmingly so. I liked its frontline-only POV, no corny presidential “War Room” scenes, hence the frontline soldiers were only mildly interested in the ‘big picture’ reasons for the aliens invading. Unlike so many, I’m not bothered by the shaky-camera shooting style, I feel it is so suited for war movies like this. And I liked its inconclusive, won the battle not the war ending, it essentially matched the grunt point of view theme. A reread Roger Ebert’s review and he just got this wrong. What I used to like about him is he reviewed films on their own terms. Ever since his health problems he’s gotten very snobbish, political, and overly-opinionated in his reviews. ---
**Author:** ![ruh-roh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ruh-roh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruh-roh)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/66 "2011-11-23T20:07:17Z")
> [@Sealemon2.0](#): > > I went to see **Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?** figuring I’d probably like it ok…I really liked \*\*Fargo]/b] and **Raising Arizona** after all. I didn’t expect it to become one of my all time favorite movies. Watched “Oh Brother” because we were with friends. Expected to be bored out of my gord. Then, from the opening scene when they are running by the train, you just know what’s going to happen. Couldn’t stop laughing for the rest of the movie. My own suggestion would be “The Man From Earth”. Expected something along the lines of “Highlander”. Instead it was a wonderful play with a cast of eight people (all faces you will recognize) and a wonderful philisophical look at history. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/67 "2011-11-23T20:32:45Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > A reread Roger Ebert’s review and he just got this wrong. What I used to like about him is he reviewed films on their own terms. Ever since his health problems he’s gotten very snobbish, political, and overly-opinionated in his reviews. I read that review and wondered “Who pissed in his cornflakes?” ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/68 "2011-11-24T14:47:27Z")
> [@Glory](#): > > _Stranger Than Fiction_. I’m not a huge Will Ferrell fan, but I really liked this movie. I’ll second this. I was expecting… well, a Will Ferrell movie, and he’s not one of my favorites either. What I got was a touching and thought-provoking movie that I’m not embarrassed to admit made me cry at one point. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/69 "2011-11-24T15:55:37Z")
**Triangle**. Expected a ghost ship slasher type film, got an incredibly thrilling horror story. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/70 "2011-11-24T15:59:23Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > **Triangle**. Expected a ghost ship slasher type film, got an incredibly thrilling horror story. Oh, yeah, that was a very good movie. I just saw Cowboys and Aliens. Expected it to be…meh. I liked it. It was good. Harrison Ford’s best movie in many, many years. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/71 "2011-11-24T16:08:38Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I just saw Cowboys and Aliens. Expected it to be…meh. > > I liked it. It was good. Harrison Ford’s best movie in many, many years. It’s a real “turn brain off now” movie, though, which undercuts any chance you’ll look back on it later and think “huh, there was a whole subtext there and it was pretty clever.” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/72 "2011-11-24T16:14:47Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > It’s a real “turn brain off now” movie, though, which undercuts any chance you’ll look back on it later and think “huh, there was a whole subtext there and it was pretty clever.” Oh, it was by no means amazing, I agree. Better than most movies that came out this year, though. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/73 "2011-11-24T16:55:12Z")
Apu: Well, that is a pretty grim assessment. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/74 "2011-11-24T17:05:06Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Better than most movies that came out this year, though. That just sounds like damning with faint praise. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/75 "2011-11-24T17:22:53Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#): > > That just sounds like damning with faint praise. I think I am. 😕 It was better than I expected, though. ---
**Author:** ![OntarioGal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@OntarioGal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OntarioGal)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/76 "2011-11-24T19:19:02Z")
(oooo - my first post!) For christmas last year my nephew gave me a boxed set of Mel Brooks movies. I’m a huge fan and have seen most of them, but two were new to me: To Be Or Not To Be, and The Twelve Chairs. I watched TBONTB first. WOW! No slapstick, no silly sexual innuendo, just an incredibly well written, seriously funny movie. Great plot, great acting, great entertainment. Then I watched The 12 Chairs. O.M.G. I was completely blown away. The “quo vadis” scene (yes - Latin! In a Mel Brooks movie!) knocked my socks off. Brilliant dialog, impeccably executed. And a very young and luscious Frank Langella to boot. If you are a Mel Brooks fan - SEE THESE MOVIES! If you are not a Mel Brooks fan - SEE THESE MOVIES! ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/77 "2011-11-24T20:06:59Z")
I’ll leave mine out, since I’m sure it would rile people, but it’s intersting how many of these I went into thinking they’d be amazing and thought they were lousy. (Most of all **Up** which is like…I don’t know “sentimental” porn or something to me. I realize I’m the only person that thinks that, I’m pretty sure. I think I’m getting EXTREMELY cynical in my old age.) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/78 "2011-11-24T21:12:19Z")
I’ll get on board with Enchanted. I find the “fractured fairy tale” genre to be pretty dreadful as a whole, but very much enjoyed this film. Maybe because it was more of a (safe) send-up of Disney cartoon films than it was traditional bedtime stories. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/79 "2011-11-25T06:47:32Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Oh, I don’t think I can call _Fifth Element_ a bad movie, at least in light of what passes for an allegedly “good” movie. A lot of people think the sixth _Star Trek_ film is a good movie, for example. Well, I like _The Fifth Element,_ and I _do_ think STVI: TUC is a good Star Trek movie, but mostly just in comparison to STV. ---
**Author:** ![alindallas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@alindallas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alindallas)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2011, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559/80 "2011-11-25T07:22:13Z")
_Saving Private Ryan._ Expected: good war movie ruined by modern sensitive crap. Got: damn good war movie not ruined by modern sensitive crap. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-were-a-lot-better-than-you-expected-spoilers-likely/602559.md?page=5)