Movies that you grew to like

[Algonquin Assassin]

We seem to have a few threads on worst/best movies, but I can't see one on this subject.

 

So basically what movies have you seen that you didn't like on first viewing, but over time have grown to like?

 

For me Bervelly Hills Ninja was one of those movies I thought was so stupid the first time I saw it.

 

Thought it was corny and cheesy, but some years down the track I watched it again and I started to appreciate for what it was and it was one of Chris Farley's last movies before he passed away.

 

The Big Lebowski is another one. I was only a teen when I first saw it. Didn't get the humour, but with age it became more appealing to me when I saw it again.

[Mister Pink]

Star Wars series. I think I just dismissed it as it was often referenced and parodied in so many things, I felt I knew the movies all ready. I may been introduced to them in a way that wasn't the best too. I've seen the two most recent and now it's sort of clicked with me.

 

For some strange reason I didn't like Gangs of New York when I seen it in the cinema. I think I wasn't in to any period things at the time. I didn't have the same appreciation and love for film I do now. Being slightly more sane and losing my teenage idiot self, I love the film.

Edited September 26, 2019 by Mister Pink

[BenMitchell90]

Back when I was a stupid teenager, I thought Alien was f*cking boring and way inferior to Aliens. Now I think it's brilliant.

 

Another one would be The Dark Knight Rises. I loved parts of it when I first saw it but overall thought it was a mess, but then I caught it again sometime later and everything just clicked for me. Now it's easily my favorite of the trilogy, and the one I'll rewatch the most down the line.

[X S]

Definitely going to have to second The Dark Knight Rises. The editing and execution of the film is a bit jarring, but now I understand what Nolan was trying to create. I had to fully comprehend the motifs and allegories, and how they depicted Batman as an anti-hero in relation to the spirit of the times; the politics are heavy in TDKR. I'm also now convinced that the only thing that actually makes The Dark Knight "better" is Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker.

 

Another one for me is Shawshank Redemption. While I did like the movie the first time I saw it, I thought it was just another overrated version of the Count of Monte Cristo. After watching it a few more times, I began to appreciate it much much more.

[HaythamKenway]

Right, The Big Lebowski is a grower. At first I was quite underwhelmed too, but it's one of those movies that gets better with each subsequent viewing.

 

What else... I guess The First Avenger. The first time, I watched it back-to-back with Thor and it was a bit of a let down. I've really liked Steve's origin and training, the mission to save Bucky, but afterwards, I thought the movie just lost steam. The slow-burn retro atmosphere took a step back and made way for a generic action movie that mindlessly rushes to the ending. That hasn't changed with repeats, but I appreciate the movie for its first half even more. It's easily in my top 3 of the Marvel movies.

[Jimmy]

 

• The Dark Knight Trilogy. As a kid I thought the first 2 movies were stupid and boring. As the time passed, I grew to appreciate Heath Ledger's performance and his character manipulates the story into what it become. That's when I became interested in digging more and watched Batman Begins over and over.

 

[zuckmeslow]

i would also say the dark knight. I was blown away by batman begins when i was a kid and i remember leaving the theater after watching The dark knight and being disappointed. now i would say its one of my favorite super hero movies and my favorite batman movie But im still not a fan of the last 30 minutes with two face and the whole cell phone x ray thing.

[Algonquin Assassin]

I forgot to mention this in my OP, but The Hangover Part III was another one I grew to like. When I first saw it I couldn't stand it, thought it was garbage etc. It was the second time around I started seeing how well it tied up the loose ends from the first two movies.

 

Part II was too similar plot wise to the first one with only the setting being different, but I appreciated Part III tried something different being more of a dark comedy in tone and without that "we've woken up somewhere after getting sh*tfaced and must piece together what happened" kind of plot.

[Mukkus]

I remember being kinda numb as I watched Space 2001: A Space Odyssey about 10 years ago on tv. I'm not sure why I watched it again,but I was much more attentive during the second viewing.

[Algonquin Assassin]

Hmmm. I knew I made a thread like this so it saves me from making a new one. 

 

Anyway for some fresh perspective...

 

-I didn't like Tokyo Drift because I was annoyed with the lack of the original cast members and the change to a different setting, but after watching it a few times it made me realise it was pretty much the last Fast & Furious movie to still retain its street origins before becoming an all out action blockbuster that it's known for today. Although I concede that Sean becoming the new "D.K" is still pretty silly, but then again we're talking about a series where cars have 20 speed gearboxes so some concessions should be made lol. 

 

-Halloween (1978). It wasn't so much that I didn't like it, but I just didn't think it was that "scary". Infact compared to its contemporaries of the time it just came across as boring, but rediscovering it years later made me realise you don't need a sh*t ton of blood & gore to make an impact. Its gritty realism is actually what makes its a true horror masterpiece. 

[The Time Ranger]

I can't think of a movie off the top of my head but I have a tv series, and that is Star Trek, as a kid I just wrote it off as being cheesy and boring but now as an adult I appreciate it more, a lot of sci-fi movies and shows show us a dystopian future but in Star Trek it's a hopeful future of cooperation and diversity. Obviously there is still conflict but the federation ethos is an admirable one. I'm still not a trekkie but give it time and I might be.

[Guest Billy Russo]

The Godfather and The Godfather Part II.

 

The first time I tried to watch The Godfather I thought it was boring and overrated. Then I tried watching it again, and felt the same way. Then the third time was literally the charm. For some reason I just seemed to get engrossed immediately, and I appreciated almost everything about both films. Especially the first. I didn't feel bored once.

 

I honestly think it was a maturity thing. I tried watching it when I was younger, and I don't think I appreciated films as much or saw them as 'art'. If that makes sense. I liked action packed and fast paced films, which is obviously natural when you're young. Now I like and appreciate films that have a strong emphasis on dialogue. 

Edited September 25, 2019 by Billy Russo

[Algonquin Assassin]

On 9/26/2019 at 2:59 AM, Billy Russo said:

The Godfather and The Godfather Part II.

 

The first time I tried to watch The Godfather I thought it was boring and overrated. Then I tried watching it again, and felt the same way. Then the third time was literally the charm. For some reason I just seemed to get engrossed immediately, and I appreciated almost everything about both films. Especially the first. I didn't feel bored once.

 

I honestly think it was a maturity thing. I tried watching it when I was younger, and I don't think I appreciated films as much or saw them as 'art'. If that makes sense. I liked action packed and fast paced films, which is obviously natural when you're young. Now I like and appreciate films that have a strong emphasis on dialogue. 

The running times can be a bit overwhelming especially part II which is well over 3 hours if I remember so they're definitely not recommended as a "popcorn flick" persay. To be honest Goodfellas is probably a little easier to get into with its witty and dark humour, but The Godfather movies are a must IMO for fans fan of the genre or just enjoy dialogue heavy movies and character development.

[Guest Billy Russo]

6 hours ago, SonOfLiberty said:

The running times can be a bit overwhelming especially part II which is well over 3 hours if I remember so they're definitely not recommended as a "popcorn flick" persay. To be honest Goodfellas is probably a little easier to get into with its witty and dark humour, but The Godfather movies are a must IMO for fans fan of the genre or just enjoy dialogue heavy movies and character development.

Yeah, I'd usually say I enjoy Goodfellas more which pisses off some Godfather fans. The truth is, Goodfellas was just easier to get in to. I also enjoyed Scarface equally as much as both of these films which isn't a popular opinion either, I just loved the fast paced feel of Scarface and Tony Montana obviously. 

Edited September 28, 2019 by Billy Russo

[Lonely-Martin]

The Mummy/The Mummy Returns.

 

Those two movies came out and had a fair bit of press/advertising, and at the time, I just wasn't that interested. I couldn't say why other than I was just an arrogant late teen/early twenties and I was out on the chase too much, lol. I just didn't get the fuss and when I tried the first one, I couldn't get into it for whatever reason.

 

But once the kids arrived and I'd settled down with the Mrs, we all caught up to these movies, and if I could, I'd go back to my old self and slap me! These movies are so entertaining it's unreal how I missed that back then. Always felt a bit ashamed by that and these movies are a fine reminder for me to show patience with movies and open my mind more, lol. 

 

For me, easily as good as Indiana Jones and perfectly compliments those movies. Great cast.

[Mister Pink]

4 hours ago, Billy Russo said:

Yeah, I'd usually say I enjoy Goodfellas more which pisses off some Godfather fans. The truth is, Goodfellas was just easier to get in to. I also enjoyed Scarface equally as much as both of these films which isn't a popular opinion either, I just loved the fast paced feel of Scarface and Tony Montana obviously. 

The Godfather is of course a classic and I remember seeing it in full for the first time when I was 17. Even at 17 you would hear how it good it is forever and it's a film I knew of, seen parodies of, seen snippets of, since I could remember. But it wasn't until I was 17 that I got a copy of it on DVD and sat down to give it a good watch. Man, it just clicked with me. I loved it. 

 

Goodfellas, I've watched more times though. Goodfellas is one of my favourite films. I think it's because there are so many characters and the timeline keeps moving. Each viewing you pick something new up. I have probably watched it about 10-20 times. I think Goodfellas, it's style, just packs in more content than say, The Godfather. That's why I'll be more inclined to watch it over The Godfather, even though The Godfather was like this awakening for me. 

 

Scarface, for all it's excess and borderline cheese, is still a great film in my eyes. It's just so crazy. It think it's a brilliant dystopic contrast to the American Dream. It's the American Dream nightmare story. What it if a money hungry, ego-maniacal psychopath, follows the American Dream? You get Scarface. I used to think Scarface was ridiculously over-the-top and it some ways it is but it's not like people didn't live that life. We just don't meet them. It's a tiny minority of the population but if you ever watched Cocaine Cowboys documentary, it makes Scarface seem realistic. It's of it's time. The 1980s were all about excess and flamboyancy. It's film that marks a time and place, just like The Godfather. 

[Guest Billy Russo]

I used to think Avatar was supremely overrated and I actually hated it at some point, I hated hearing about it, but I watched it recently and I enjoyed it a lot. I went in with too high of expectations the first time I watched it, and being pressured to like it diminished it. Watching it now with a fresh set of eyes, and just calming down my expectations made me enjoy it a lot more. I couldn't remember the story at all, so it was basically like watching it again for the first time but more grown up and aware that I might not like it. I think I just went in with a way better frame of mind.

[JareCzech]

old Disney movies, Alien, Terminator, Star Wars, Bad Boys, Tarantino movies, classics you know

[-l-]

A standout of the Noir genre.

 

 

 

Also, good soundtrack:

 

 

 

[TwistOfLime21]

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

 

I was just waiting for something to happen but nothing really did until the last twenty or so minutes. Rick filmed a scene. Cliff drove around. Sharon watched a movie. Rick and Cliff watched TV. That was the movie for all of two hours.

 

I knew very little about the Sharon Tate / Charles Manson backstory but I still knew there was something to it. When I left the theatre, I was thinking that there was no way that the guy that made the likes of Inglorious Basterds and The Hateful Eight just made that snoozefest. I gave the movie a bit of research, found out who were real people, who the Mansons were etc, but also realized that its a day in the life sort of movie rather than a plot driven movie, so when I watched it again from that perspective, it changed my opinion on it. I absolutely loved it and its now my favourite movie.

[-l-]

It was worth rewatching.

 

 

 

 

[Mister Pink]

10 hours ago, TwistOfLime21 said:

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

 

I was just waiting for something to happen but nothing really did until the last twenty or so minutes. Rick filmed a scene. Cliff drove around. Sharon watched a movie. Rick and Cliff watched TV. That was the movie for all of two hours.

 

I knew very little about the Sharon Tate / Charles Manson backstory but I still knew there was something to it. When I left the theatre, I was thinking that there was no way that the guy that made the likes of Inglorious Basterds and The Hateful Eight just made that snoozefest. I gave the movie a bit of research, found out who were real people, who the Mansons were etc, but also realized that its a day in the life sort of movie rather than a plot driven movie, so when I watched it again from that perspective, it changed my opinion on it. I absolutely loved it and its now my favourite movie.

I had read Helter Skelter when I was a teenager. I really enjoyed it. I was once really interested in Manson and the murders. So Once Upon A Time In Hollywood immediately clicked with me. But it's good you read up on it and changed your perspective. 

 

Thankfully, I quite like many films that are more about human interactions and just people living.  I know they can be boring to others.   And I can see how if someone wasn't familiar with the Manson story may just see OUTIH and think it's boring. There's a huge amount of context missing if you don't know the story surrounding it. 

 

That film made really re-ignite my love for Tarantino. I went off him a bit. I think I got a bit movie-snobby for a bit. But I saw that film in the cinema and was really happy to see it. Since then I re-watched Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown (which I just love), True Romance (personal fav) and still need to get around to watching Hateful 8. 

[sabitsuki]

Eraserhead.

 

15 year old me thought it was some pretentious arthouse crap. It's now one of my favorite movies of all time.

 

The sound design and atmosphere are still pretty unparalleled, it's pretty amazing how Lynch can manage to unnerve with that film with such a small budget.

[Badman_]

Western movies in general. I was never a huge fan and avoided watching most of the classics for quite a while, but then Red Dead Redemption happened and it totally changed my perspective.

 

Also, Blade Runner. I used to think of it as just an old boring flick and it's now one of my favorite films of all time.

Edited January 17 by Wolfman_

[Donald Lov]

American Psycho. I thought it was a vulgar, nonsensical psycho fantasy at first, but I've since then discovered there is a lot more to it than it might seem.

[paperbagdude]

I remember watching Blade Runner 2049 a couple of years ago and didn't really think too much of it as I had not even watched the original. The visuals were mesmerizing and well done, but I couldn't catch up with the narrative and it progressed without me understanding what happened prior to the next scene. Over the years, I gave myself time to watch the original, rewatch 2049 and read into the universe of Blade Runner.

 

By the end, I realized the movie was (at least to me) a satisfying sequel to the original, with its SFX and soundtrack incorporated with respect to the original. Learning of the replicant struggle and that of Officer K and their fates really puts humanity into perspective and leaves room for reflection days, if not months after. What does it mean to be human? How is humanity applied differently to those born biologically than those synthesized? Does emotions make us human? Is it our superior intelligence?

 

Not many movies leave you philosophical, so when it does, I make it among my favorites.

[-l-]

I didn't like it the first time, but years later, I thought it wasn't that bad.

 

 

 

[Big Molio]

Blade Runner

 

When this came out in 1982, I was only eight years old. We had it on VHS at home and I tried to watch it but found it boring and difficult to understand. It was only as I got older did I appreciate what a seminal work Ridley Scott's film is. Now I absolutely love it. You can pause the film whereever you want, and every frame of Blade Runner is a sci-fi masterpiece.

 

[-l-]

Harry Potter. It turned out different with some solid scenes. The magnificent universe and the unique feeling gave me good chills.

[Lonely-Martin]

14 hours ago, Big Molio said:

Blade Runner

 

When this came out in 1982, I was only eight years old. We had it on VHS at home and I tried to watch it but found it boring and difficult to understand. It was only as I got older did I appreciate what a seminal work Ridley Scott's film is. Now I absolutely love it. You can pause the film whereever you want, and every frame of Blade Runner is a sci-fi masterpiece.

 

 

Absolutely!

 

I wasn't into sci-fi much as a youngster. Arnie's stuff aside as I always loved his movies from day dot. But movies like Blade Runner or 2001 A Space Odyssey, and stuff like Star Wars or Star Trek etc just went by me back then. Partly too immature, partly because I loved my boobs n violence from horror or simpler action films overall.

 

But as I got older and I went back as my love of film, attention span and understanding all grew, and though I still love my action/horror and gratuitous stuff of course, these are movies that shot high up very in my favourites list. Blade Runner particularly because it really has a cracking rewatchability about it. Great themes explored, beautiful set design and practical effects (which from my love of horror is of a huge appeal to me) and awesome score help the movie become a real gem. Had to buy the fancy 30th anniversary box with all the other versions (and toy car) plus the documentary Dangerous Days that covering the troubled production and how the film was misunderstood initially before going on to become probably the biggest of cult movies with the likes of Evil Dead etc.

 

Since then other films popped up that I grew to love of the genre too. Contact with Jodie Foster another, James Cameron's The Abyss, and Interstellar I instantly fell in love with TBH, though I generally agree with most criticism of Chris Nolan's ways, but that film I feel is his his best outside of the Dark Knight trilogy.