The ever-over-hyped award season is well underway – culminating with the Academy Awards this Sunday. At Kolbeco, we are big fans of movies. It’s embarrassing how many times we quote our favorite movies during meetings. However, we can be tough critics as well. Indeed, some of America’s most beloved classics aren’t our favorite movies. This year, we decided to take a Festivus approach to these movies and air our grievances against Hollywood.
(Drum roll please.) Here are the nominations for Worst Picture:
O’ Brother Where Art Thou (2000)
Nine times out of 10, if it is Oscar-worthy, or something with a big start that receives a lot of attention, I’ll hate it. But I fell for the hype with this movie – ALMOST. Where art the interest? Where dost the time go? All the hype about this movie, and I couldn’t get past the first 30 minutes. I tried watching this movie TWICE with no luck. I couldn’t connect with the story. Maybe a telling sign is I can watch any of the Harry Potter movies, any time one is on – commercials and all – that this just wasn’t happening. #HP4EVR #DullHumor #NotaGeorgeGal. – Erin Celuch
Top Gun (1986)
I’ll most likely get a lot of resentment for saying this, but I hate Tom Cruise. Maybe hate is too strong of a word, I don’t know him personally, so I’ll just say that I strongly dislike him. I find him to be highly creepy. But that could be brushed aside if he was a good actor. But there lies the problem. I don’t think he’s a good actor at all, in fact his acting makes me feel uncomfortable. With Top Gun in particular, I just couldn’t get into the movie. I was distracted the entire time by his horrible acting and how uncomfortable the whole film made me feel. Ultimately, I do not feel the need. The need for speed. Or the need to ever watch this movie again. – Erica Skrivan
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
A movie that I did not like is The Wolf of Wall Street. There was so much hype and anticipation that surrounded the release… all in all, it looked promising. For me, the movie just took it too far, and not just in one scene, but over and over again. I left the theater feeling like I wasted 3 hours & $30. – Angela Haarman
James Bond (all of them)
I really dislike James Bond movies. While the special effects, car chases and that kind of thing can be entertaining and adrenaline-pumping, the plots, scripts and acting are always so far beyond cheesy. They end up being laughable. Sorry 007. – Lauren Kolbe
Star Wars (All of them)
If you are male, from the Midwest and didn’t immediately make sports teams, you were required to love these films. And I did…when I was seven and mostly due to light saber fights. Let me sum up the Star Wars 1977 pitch for you: “Good guys fight bad guys. In space. And in the end, good wins…maybe? Dun-dun-dun!” It’s a boring and predictable set of chess pieces and a spoon-fed plot. Harrison Ford and his depiction of lovable, sarcastic Han Solo make the series somewhat bearable. What I cannot stand is the over-hyped machine around the thing. It’s a mediocre movie with way to much marketing and fanfare. “But, Jeremy, it shaped your childhood and had an effect on cinema at large, and it was an important movie.” Right. So was “Porky’s.” And no one is holding conventions for that fine film. If you want a good space drama, check out “Enemy Mine.” At least in that one, you get to see the sane Quaid brother impregnate Louis Gossett Jr. – Jeremy Nulik
Dumb and Dumber & Ace Ventura (1994)
I really dislike Dumb and Dumber and Ace Ventura. There’s something about the humor in these movies that I don’t find funny. Don’t get me wrong, I like Jim Carrey just fine, but I don’t find him funny in these roles. – Danieal Broz
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What are some popular, perhaps even award winning films, that you hate? Feel free to let us know in the comments, we want to hear you air your grievances!
Photo Credit: George Clooney = Brilliant via photopin (license)
photo credit: TOTP via photopin(license)
photo credit: Red Granite Pictures via photopin(license)
photo credit: Something’s not quite right… (3 of 4) via photopin(license)
photo credit: NO-03-R002 via photopin (license)
photo credit: Dumb and Dumber (1994) via photopin (license)
