# Things you expected nothing of, but turned out to be great **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 1, 2020, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498 "2020-09-01T05:09:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/61 "2020-09-03T13:00:21Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Way back in the 80’s a friend who worked at a radio station scored free preview tickets to a new action movie starring that guy from _Moonlighting_ . Bruce Willis in a thriller? We were sure it was going to suck. There’s a Netflix mini-series called ‘The Movies that Made Us’ that has an interesting episode about the making of Die Hard. The movie was kind of pieced together as they went, without even a finished script to go by when they started filming. Nobody was at all sure the movie wasn’t going to bomb. Arnie and Sly turned down the lead role, so Bruce was a last-ditch choice. Their first ads and movie posters that highlighted Bruce Willis were changed to heavily downplay his role as the star after peoples’ incredulous reaction that “that guy from Moonlighting” was playing an action hero. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/62 "2020-09-03T13:29:16Z")
Don’t forget, they had to offer it to Frank Sinatra first. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/63 "2020-09-03T13:34:55Z")
I’m trying to picture how the movie would have turned out if Sinatra had said yes… It isn’t pretty. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/64 "2020-09-03T13:36:39Z")
Thankfully he was well aware that he was now too old to play that detective again. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/65 "2020-09-03T15:54:35Z")
It was _Die Hard_. It most assuredly did not suck. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/66 "2020-09-03T15:57:36Z")
Thanks, I never knew that backstory. How on earth did such a train wreck turn out so good? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/67 "2020-09-03T16:10:42Z")
This doesn’t compute - _TT:G!_ is also very funny. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/68 "2020-09-03T20:32:01Z")
The original Mortal Kombat movie. I went in expecting to MST3K it, but it did such a good job balancing taking the source material respectfully while not abandoning the absurdity of the setup that it was just fun. IMO it’s one of the best ‘video game to movie’ adaptations around, probably the best of one from a game that isn’t a story game - adaptations of RPGs and adventure games have an easier time making a good movie since there’s a plot beyond ‘these guys keep pairing up and fighting’. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/70 "2020-09-03T21:16:14Z")
Being fiftysomething, and terminally uncool, I was only vaguely aware that a teenaged girl with neon hair and baggy clothes, who sang weird music, was the hottest thing in pop music at the time. Then, in another thread, @Infovore mentioned being blown away by some of her songs. So I wandered over to YouTube to check out this Billie Eilish person, expecting some pleasant but unremarkable pop music. I did not expect this. Or [this.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbMwTqkKSps) Wow. Just, wow. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/71 "2020-09-03T21:34:56Z")
**Veronica Mars** : A friend kept recommending the series to me, and I tried a couple of times, but I couldn’t get past the first 15 minutes or so of the first episode. (Oh, a series about high school kids being mean to each other…_meh_) But one day I stuck it out and ended up becoming a huge fan The show is smart, has great dialog, and the characters play off of each other really well. I ended up buying all 3 seasons on DVD and contributed to the Kickstarter campaign that helped to make the movie a reality. Season 4 was a long time coming, but it was worth the wait to spend a little more time with Veronica and the gang. **Fountains Of Wayne** : I was only aware of _Stacy’s Mom_ and sort of dismissed them as a one-hit wonder. But when a friend burned me copies of the first 3 albums, I discovered they were a great power-pop band with some really quirky and amusing lyrics. Got to see them several times before the band fell apart, they didn’t have a lot of pizzaz on stage, but somehow always delivered a great show. I was really saddened when Adam passed away and when Chris sang _Hackensack_ for the NJ Relief concert I have to admit I shed a few tears. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/72 "2020-09-03T23:30:43Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > It was _Die Hard_. It most assuredly did not suck. I never saw it, but I agree, any film with Alan Rickman CAN’T suck. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/73 "2020-09-04T00:23:31Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > > [@Akaj](#): > > > > It was _Die Hard_. It most assuredly did not suck. > > I never saw it, but I agree, any film with Alan Rickman CAN’T suck For heaven’s sake, get it on Netflix or something. Alan Rickman chews the scenery masterfully. That was the brilliant thing about Rickman; he could turn in a subtle, beautifully understated performance, but he could also go full-on, balls-to-the-wall, go-big-or-go-home deliciously hammy, as well. (He did the same thing - and was the only really good thing - in Kevin Costner’s _Robin Hood_.) ---
**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:** [September 4, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/74 "2020-09-04T00:36:17Z")
I frequently have very low expectations for animated movies that come out of nowhere and look very cookie-cutter, and then shamefully admonish myself when it turns out they were great fun. Examples include: - Arthur Christmas - Mr Peabody and Sherman - Secret Life Of Pets - Storks - Trolls - Smallfoot - Missing Link - Spies In Disguise ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/75 "2020-09-04T05:45:22Z")
It’s a decent series, but I lost interest early on because it really isn’t Father Brown any more. Those stories generally don’t work in a visual medium. There isn’t enough action. They had to add and change many things. He’s now a parish priest with a housekeeper and some interesting parishioners. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/76 "2020-09-04T05:54:39Z")
I saw _Die Hard_ for the first time a few months ago, solely to see the early Alan Rickman. I didn’t expect much, and I don’t watch action movies in general. Rickman was good, but he was just part of it. The entire movie is **great**! I agree with @ [Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle): see it! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/77 "2020-09-04T06:02:11Z")
Okay, this December I’ll try to squeeze it in between “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Lethal Weapon.” ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_Fairway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Mrs\_Fairway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_Fairway)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/78 "2020-09-04T11:26:52Z")
One Thanksgiving weekend, my family (including kids under age 10) wanted to see Penguins of Madagascar. I had not seen any of the other Madagascar movies, so had no expectations. I loved the movie and bought it on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/79 "2020-09-04T12:59:53Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > That was my reaction to Arnold’s **The Last Action Hero**. Funny, reflective, self-deprecating, and rather poignant, in my estimation. That’s the first one that came to mind when I saw the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/80 "2020-09-04T13:02:22Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Okay, this December I’ll try to squeeze it in between “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Lethal Weapon" Well, it _is_ a Christmas movie… ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498/81 "2020-09-04T14:12:43Z")
I think I stole it from someone here, but I always say “It’s just not Christmas 'til the Nakatomi Tower blows up.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-expected-nothing-of-but-turned-out-to-be-great/919498.md?page=5)