The difference between this movie and a masterpiece
by Astyan | created - 21 Jan 2013 | updated - 21 Jan 2013 | PublicThe opinions I give here are mainly based on the scenario flaws.
Now OF COURSE, this list and what is said in it is highly subjective.
For the purpose of this list I am defining 2 kind of flaws:
- The technical flaw i.e. an obvious inconsistency
- The pffff flaw i.e. "why the hell did you write something so lame you unpredictable writer"
Note: I actually enjoyed many of these movies, I am just saying I felt like their potential was not fully used.
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1. The Matrix (1999)
R | 136 min | Action, Sci-Fi
When a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.
Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving
Votes: 2,041,020 | Gross: $171.48M
Pfff: Neo wakes up when Trinity says she loves him. So lame. I understand some girls were watching the movie too, but was it really necessary?
2. Sunshine (2007)
R | 107 min | Sci-Fi, Thriller
A team of international astronauts is sent on a dangerous mission to reignite the dying Sun with a nuclear fission bomb in 2057.
Director: Danny Boyle | Stars: Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Chris Evans, Cliff Curtis
Votes: 266,157 | Gross: $3.68M
Technical: The guys have the technology to reach the sun and stuff, but somehow the shield was not automatically adapting to the sun's position. A single guy had to do the computations on his own? How comes the Icarus 2 software couldn't do it himself? Come onnnn...
Pfff: A crazy galactic warrior monk touched by god? Really? That twist is a bit disappointing.
3. The Man from Nowhere (2010)
R | 119 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past takes on a drug-and-organ trafficking ring in hope of saving the child who is his only friend.
Director: Lee Jeong-beom | Stars: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Hee-won
Votes: 74,548 | Gross: $0.01M
Pfff: So how did the girl survive? The bad guy kung-fu killer suddenly changed his mind for no specific reason and killed the surgeon? Very unlikely.
4. Memories of Murder (2003)
Not Rated | 132 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
In a small Korean province in 1986, two detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women being found raped and murdered by an unknown culprit.
Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Roe-ha, Song Jae-ho
Votes: 214,078 | Gross: $0.01M
Pfff: The dumb teenager gets hit by the train, at the very moment he was about to reveal the secret? Naaahhhh
5. City Lights (1931)
G | 87 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
With the aid of a wealthy erratic tippler, a dewy-eyed tramp who has fallen in love with a sightless flower girl accumulates money to be able to help her medically.
Director: Charles Chaplin | Stars: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee, Harry Myers
Votes: 195,200 | Gross: $0.02M
Technical: The guys don't speak. Kidding.
6. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
R | 120 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
A teenager from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on the show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati?' When interrogated under suspicion of cheating, he revisits his past, revealing how he had all the answers.
Directors: Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan | Stars: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Saurabh Shukla, Anil Kapoor
Votes: 875,327 | Gross: $141.32M
Pfff: So at the last question, he realizes the girl is alive. Good. And so... He loses interest for the game and answers randomly because he doesn't care now that he has the girl?
When I suggested it was inconsistent someone (ok, a girl) answered: "He only wanted to find his love, the money didn't count". That's crap. If he had lost the money, the movie wouldn't have its happy ending. So he has no reason to lose interest in the game, that's lame writing.
7. The Butterfly Effect (2004)
R | 113 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Evan Treborn suffers blackouts during significant events of his life. As he grows up, he finds a way to remember these lost memories and a supernatural way to alter his life by reading his journal.
Directors: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber | Stars: Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters, Elden Henson
Votes: 519,146 | Gross: $57.94M
Technical: As in many movies involving time traveling there are too many inconsistencies to list them all.
-Sometimes Ashton comes back from his travels, sometimes he doesn't, depending on what pleases the writers.
-He had no reason to take that knife, except to shoot that fancy scene where the creepy child holds the knife.
Pfff: Every time he comes back for another life everything is or all white and perfect, or all black and miserable. Nuance doesn't exist. Once the girl is a queen, the other time she's a whore. That's way too simple and naive.
8. Two Lovers (2008)
R | 110 min | Drama, Romance
A Brooklyn-set romantic drama about a bachelor torn between the family friend his parents wish he would marry and his beautiful but volatile new neighbor.
Director: James Gray | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw, Anne Joyce
Votes: 43,408 | Gross: $3.15M
Technical/Pfff: Sooooo, when you book tickets for a top secret flight, of course, you leave the family computer without closing the window, so that the next one who uses it pops up on the tickets page. Very clever, James Bond level style.
9. Buried (2010)
R | 95 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Paul is a U.S. truck driver working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap.
Director: Rodrigo Cortés | Stars: Ryan Reynolds, José Luis García-Pérez, Robert Paterson, Stephen Tobolowsky
Votes: 168,078 | Gross: $1.03M
Technical: Case study: You catch a guy. You want him dead, and have nothing to obtain from him. What do you do? Answer: You kill him. Answer of the guys who wrote buried: You give him a Blackberry for free, you bury him alive, making sure he has enough batteries and network to call for help. Then you just wait until he dies. (???)
10. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
PG | 136 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Two Jedi escape a hostile blockade to find allies and come across a young boy who may bring balance to the Force, but the long dormant Sith resurface to claim their original glory.
Director: George Lucas | Stars: Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd
Votes: 852,496 | Gross: $474.54M
Pfff: So how did Anakin become a bad guy? Well, it was basically just an annoying stupid teenager rebellion. Come onnnn. The subject wasn't rich enough to find something else?
11. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
PG | 142 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Ten years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala, while Obi-Wan Kenobi discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi.
Director: George Lucas | Stars: Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Lee
Votes: 755,418 | Gross: $310.68M
12. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
PG-13 | 140 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Three years into the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan pursues a new threat, while Anakin is lured by Chancellor Palpatine into a sinister plot to rule the galaxy.
Director: George Lucas | Stars: Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Samuel L. Jackson
Votes: 841,310 | Gross: $380.26M
13. The Bourne Legacy (2012)
PG-13 | 135 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
An expansion of the universe from Robert Ludlum's novels, centered on a new hero whose stakes have been triggered by the events of the previous three films.
Director: Tony Gilroy | Stars: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Scott Glenn
Votes: 314,846 | Gross: $113.20M
Technical: So Edward Norton wants to cancel the whole supermen thing, because he wants to make sure all of this remains secret and discreet. So what does he do? HE TRIES TO KILL EVERYBODY. ALRIGHT MAN, NICE MOVE. Everyone knows that's the way you keep things clean and calm. Killing a whole lab of researchers, and secret agents. Especially when these secret agents are the supermen you created. How could this perfect plan possibly go wrong?
14. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
R | 144 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Balian of Ibelin travels to Jerusalem during the Crusades of the 12th century, and there he finds himself as the defender of the city and its people.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Martin Hancock
Votes: 312,282 | Gross: $47.40M
Pfff: Orlando Bloom is obviously a good guy, so good he is stupid, so gooood the whole plot is stupid.
15. Avatar (2009)
PG-13 | 162 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez
Votes: 1,381,179 | Gross: $760.51M
Pfff: Trees good, mean machines bad. Pfff: Me blue person, me needs you white person.
16. 2012 (I) (2009)
PG-13 | 158 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A frustrated writer struggles to keep his family alive when a series of global catastrophes threatens to annihilate mankind.
Director: Roland Emmerich | Stars: John Cusack, Thandiwe Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet
Votes: 396,347 | Gross: $166.11M
Pfff: Does it need words. No I am not going to comment the scenario. After all nobody watches such movies for the scenario.
17. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
PG-13 | 124 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Jack Hall, paleoclimatologist, must make a daring trek from Washington, D.C. to New York City to reach his son, trapped in the cross-hairs of a sudden international storm which plunges the planet into a new Ice Age.
Director: Roland Emmerich | Stars: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum, Dash Mihok
Votes: 474,262 | Gross: $186.74M
Technical/Pfff: So the father wants to find his son to save him. He therefore starts a dangerous expedition to find him. He kills his friends on the way who were somehow willing to sacrifice themselves for this hopeless mission (brave brave dudes). But, huhh... what were you going to do when you find your son? Nothing right? Because actually you have NOTHING more than he already has. Actually he just DOESN'T NEED YOU. This whole mission is pointless. Fortunately for the writers, the cold goes away before the expedition ends, so that this huge inconsistency remains kind of hidden.
18. Prometheus (I) (2012)
R | 124 min | Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Following clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron
Votes: 641,571 | Gross: $126.48M
Technical/Pfff/TerribleMovie: I... I don't know what to say. From the inconsistent beliefs in god of the characters, to the guy who loses hope after 5 hours of searching even though they already made huge discoveries, to the "let's remove our helmets", to the zombie who somehow lost himself to pop up in this movie, to the... Nothing works in this scenario. Nothing nothing nothing.
19. Aliens (1986)
R | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser
Votes: 759,151 | Gross: $85.16M
Pfff: So the girl doesn't die after being taken by the aliens? Naaahhhh I don't think so. Cameron you soft heart.
20. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
PG-13 | 105 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
A substance designed to help the brain repair itself gives advanced intelligence to a chimpanzee who leads an ape uprising.
Director: Rupert Wyatt | Stars: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, Karin Konoval
Votes: 555,667 | Gross: $176.76M
Technical: A scientist is infected by a dangerous virus and starts coughing blood. He therefore roams in the city, spreading the disease, instead of going to an hospital. Of course.
21. Limitless (I) (2011)
PG-13 | 105 min | Sci-Fi, Thriller
A mysterious pill that enables the user to access 100% of his brain's abilities transforms a struggling writer into a financial wizard, but it also puts him in a new world with many dangers.
Director: Neil Burger | Stars: Bradley Cooper, Anna Friel, Abbie Cornish, Robert De Niro
Votes: 609,940 | Gross: $79.25M
Technical: He didn't need to borrow that money.
Technical: There is no reason why he wasn't able to pay back that money.
Technical: When he realizes he's gonna need other pills, he just has a few left. Didn't see that coming huh clever boy? Very very consistent with the over-intelligent dude you're supposed to be.
Pfff: Nobody believes he's actually gonna jump.
22. Road to Perdition (2002)
R | 117 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A mob enforcer's son in 1930s Illinois witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take to the road, and his father down a path of redemption and revenge.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Tom Hanks, Tyler Hoechlin, Paul Newman
Votes: 283,559 | Gross: $104.45M
Pfff: The last minute arrival of the killer, the boy too good to shoot, the last second shot of the father... Soooo laaaame...
23. Blade Runner (1982)
R | 117 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
A blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos
Votes: 819,353 | Gross: $32.87M
Pfff: What the bad guy is basically saying at the end: "So now that you are at my mercy, you, the guy I chased the whole movie and who killed all my friends, I am going to let you go for no reason. Have a good life, high five." (???)
24. Munich (2005)
R | 164 min | Action, Drama, History
After the Black September capture and massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics, five men are chosen to eliminate the people responsible for that fateful day.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Marie-Josée Croze, Ciarán Hinds
Votes: 237,634 | Gross: $47.40M
Technical: Have you noticed that every single time a character is given some attention in the movie, he gets killed in the next 15 minutes? It works a few times and then becomes predictable and annoying.
25. Phone Booth (2002)
R | 81 min | Crime, Thriller
Publicist Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, pinned down by an extortionist's sniper rifle. Unable to leave or receive outside help, Stuart's negotiation with the caller leads to a jaw-dropping climax.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell
Votes: 284,795 | Gross: $46.57M
Technical: Almost genuine quotation from the movie: "-I'm a killer, I kill pedophilians and terrorists. -So why do you want to kill me ? -Because you cheated on your wife. -But it doesn't make any sense ! *beep* Oh god you're right... Too late, let's make the movie anyway."
26. Shooter (I) (2007)
R | 124 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A marksman living in exile is coaxed back into action after hearing of a plot to kill the President. After being-double crossed for the attempt and on the run, he sets out for the real killer and the truth.
Director: Antoine Fuqua | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Michael Peña, Rhona Mitra, Danny Glover
Votes: 353,628 | Gross: $47.00M
Pfff: Killing all the bad guys without answering any question is a way to end a movie. Maybe not the most thoughtful and deep though.
27. The Kingdom (2007)
R | 110 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A team of U.S. government agents are sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East.
Director: Peter Berg | Stars: Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
Votes: 131,991 | Gross: $47.54M
???: This movie is actually racist.
28. Payback (I) (1999)
R | 100 min | Action, Crime, Drama
After a successful heist, Porter is left for dead. Once he recovers, he seeks vengeance and wants his share of the money.
Director: Brian Helgeland | Stars: Mel Gibson, Gregg Henry, Maria Bello, David Paymer
Votes: 145,100 | Gross: $81.53M
Pfff: So the guy wants his revenge and doesn't accept any sensible negotiation. Not a too complex concept.
29. Source Code (2011)
PG-13 | 93 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
A soldier wakes up in someone else's body and discovers he's part of an experimental government program to find the bomber of a commuter train within 8 minutes.
Director: Duncan Jones | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright
Votes: 547,616 | Gross: $54.71M
Pfff: So the young guy knows more about what's happening than the scientist who built the whole thing because he "feels" it? Naahhhh...
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