Movies We Love to Hate

Let’s start with 5 movies that are most universally hated:

Catwoman (2004) – I watched it, and I have to agree. I think it’s in the “love to hate” category because at the time people had some relatively high hopes for it. It starred one of the most popular actresses at the time; it was following some pretty impressive superhero movies like X-Men (2000) and Spider-Man (2002); we were ready for a good female superhero/supervillain movie. So the letdown was frustrating.

Cats (2019) – Considering the previous title, this one, and That Darn Cat (1997), could it be that movies with “cat” in the title are destined to fail? Well… maybe not because I do love Cat in the Hat and I hear that Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is good. Either way, I have not seen Cats, but I have also been avoiding it. I remember in high school hearing that it was a great musical, but seeing the pictures from the production I couldn’t imagine how it possibly could be. And now, I again see pictures, this time from the movie, and I get the same feeling. Add to that the bad reviews and I really doubt I’ll ever see it.

Jack and Jill (2011) – I’ve definitely seen worse, but yeah it was pretty stinky. And I think the reason it’s consistently a love-to-hate movie is because it was the tipping point for a lot of people who still liked Adam Sandler and forgave him for Click (2006), You Don’t Mess With the Zohan (2005), Grownups (2010) and a string of other disappointments. This one came out and it seemed the last of the loyal fans threw up their hands and said, “Ok, I’m out.”

Batman and Robin (1997) – From overdoing the Mr. Freeze character to bat-nipples to George Clooney as the worst iteration of Batman, you’d have to look long and hard for someone who would stand behind this garbage film. Clooney said on the Graham Norton Show that he “always apologizes” for Batman and Robin.

The Twilight Saga (2008-12) – I have to say I enjoyed the first movie. Plus, the idea behind the plot is original, clever, and engaging. And I seem to remember liking the follow-up, New Moon, mostly because of (SPOILER ALERT) Taylor Lautner’s jumping over Kristen Stewart as he turns into a wolf. However, the longer the series went the more tired I was of it. And all the hype sure didn’t help either.

But there are some that fall into this category that I don’t believe deserve it. Like…

Crash (2004)

– I do understand where the hate comes from. This movie won best picture when most people agreed the easy winner was Brokeback Mountain. But it’s still a good movie! It’s stirring, thought-provoking, and an overall well-made movie. Green Book (2018) gets a little bit of this treatment, but not as bad as Crash.

Avatar (2009) – This movie was loved for weeks on end, then suddenly became one everyone claimed to hate. It definitely has a plot that has been used already in other movies like Pocahontas (the ‘sorry for colonialism’ storyline), but lots of movies do that. Star Wars and Harry Potter share a lot of the same plot points, etc. Though this isn’t one of my all-time favourites, if it was released in theaters right now I would totally buy a ticket.

And then there are some that I’m not sure get enough hate. Like…

The Master of Disguise (2002) – I feel a bit hypocritical here, because I actually enjoyed a lot of scenes. There were definitely laugh out loud moments for me, and I still quote this movie. But overall, it really does suck. Most people seem to remember the Turtle Club scene where Dana Carvey dresses as a kind of turtle-man hybrid. It’s one of the stupidest and un-funniest scenes in all the comedies I’ve ever watched. Also, Carvey 1) gets annoying with his main character, a geeky Italian restaurant waiter, and 2) does blackface.

My Fair Lady (1964) – On the surface this didn’t look like one I would enjoy, but I didn’t anticipate just how much I would not enjoy it. I could say a lot, but mostly my issue is this: I can’t forgive this movie for ruining Audrey Hepburn for me. I mean I still love Audrey, but in this musical she overacts the role of a poor and uneducated street peddler. Her accent is exaggerated as well as her actions and expressions. It won best picture in 1965, but for my money it was the worst of the best pictures, and I’ve seen 74 of them.

The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) – Knowing the plot one can assume it will be a disturbing film. But that wasn’t what was bad about TIODM. The story has great potential, and knowing that both Val Kilmer (a big star then) and the great Marlon Brando have starring roles, it should have at least been passable. But it stunk to high heaven! And I guess I’m a little bitter about it because my hopes were up. And I guess nobody else’s was, which is probably why it doesn’t get the widespread love-hate.

So, love or hate it, we have a winner this week drawn from one of the most hated movie franchises of all time.

Congratulations Twilight (2008). This is your week.

And the Oscar goes to…

Best Actress:

Anna Kendrick as Jessica (Yes Petrina, she is pretty awesome)

Best Actor: Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen

Best Quote: “Let’s face it, I am hotter than you.” – Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black (speaking to Edward Cullen) in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

For those who may find it interesting, here is my top 10 last 10:

1. A Man for All Seasons (1966)
   

2. Terms of Endearment (1983)
   

3. Out of Africa (1985)
   

4. Patton (1970)
   

5. Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)
   

6. Oliver! (1968)
   

7. Dr. Sleep (2019)
   

8. The Last Duel (2021)
   

9. The Harder They Fall (2021) — A new entry to my list of all-time favourite westerns.

10. Spencer (2021) — This is the newest Princess Di movie. It’s not a typical biopic. If you liked Jackie (2016) you will probably like this one (same director).