I think you all know what I mean when I call a movie “disappointing”, but just to make sure there isn’t any confusion, the following ten films are the ten films I went into with the firm belief they would entertain me to a certain level. Not to say I assumed they would all have a shot at my top ten, but to say I expected more, and in some cases much more.
We’ve all been disappointed with movies and, I think, at times we’ll even lie to ourselves about how much we liked a movie knowing we just wasted time and money on something that A) didn’t live up to our expectations; B) wasted our time; C) wasted our money; and D) quite simply let us down. If you’re anything like me movies as art and entertainment are important to you, and nothing is worse than when they let you down.
A couple of movies that didn’t make my top ten, but I felt should still be mentioned, are Joaquin Phoenix’s mockumentary I’m Still Here, which quite simply wasted a slam dunk opportunity in an attempt to be outrageous. Also, Joe Johnston’s The Wolfman, which pretty much lost my interest when Mark Romanek fell off the project. Due Date was a rather disappointing (and mean-spirited) follow-up to The Hangover and Angelina Jolie’s Salt could have been so much better.
I could continue with the likes of Megamind, The Tourist, Tales from Earthsea and Winnebago Man, but I will spare you from an endless list of titles alone and move straight into the top ten…
The biggest problem with Red is that it’s R-rated material dumbed down to satisfy a larger audience. This film could have simply blown the doors off of 2010 with raunchy and witty humor and over-the-top violence with a cast that begged to be utilized. Instead, it seems they were simply content with using celebrity faces and a stuffed pig joke that could be seen from miles away. I guess if you didn’t know the woman Malkovich accosted was a villain until she pulled out a bazooka this may be a film for you, otherwise I’m sure you’re with me in thinking this was a rather large disappointment.
For my full review click here.
I read the book and watched the trailer and was convinced this would be one of those rare adaptations that would actually improve on the source material. Wrong. This film is devoid of emotion and is only infrequently lifted up by a couple of good performances, beautiful cinematography and a pleasing score from Rachel Portman.
For my full review click here.
When the director and star of the final two films in the Bourne trilogy get together you expect quality. I don’t care what the project is. This is probably why Green Zone was one of the most disappointing movies of the year as we watch Matt Damon run around for 115 minutes hammering into the audience’s head that there are NO WMDS! Yeah, we get it! Now please try and tell us a story!
For my full review click here.
Here’s a film I don’t dislike, it was just a flat-out disappointment. The trailers for this film were brilliant and perhaps they’re to blame for my lackluster response to what felt like a very small film trying to convince me it was larger than it was. Ben Affleck is a talented director and I may have just expected too much, but The Town just didn’t do it for me.
For my full review click here.
Chalk this one up to the online hype machine. The buzz for this film coming out of Sundance would lead you to believe it is some masterpiece of sci-fi cinema. Then, it turned out to be a steaming pile of dung, damn near defying expectations and slapping me around as if I’d had been duped into one of Jigsaw’s traps. This is the only film to make both my Worst of 2010 and Most Disappointing of 2010 lists. At least it has consistency going for it.
For my full review click here.
