Entertainment
Sponsored by

Movies you were expecting to dislike that surprised you

4,234 Views | 60 Replies | Last: 13 days ago by Cinco Ranch Aggie
Cliff.Booth
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
12:53p, 11/9/25
What are some you'd put in this category?


Brokeback Mountain - I didn't see this when it came out and didn't make an effort to see it for the next 10ish years. Finally caught it on TV late one night and surprisingly found it to be a really solid movie. Not gay cowboys just for the sake of making something woke, but a poignant movie I thought had a lot of merit as a movie, in general.

Collateral: Went into it expecting "another hitman movie". So much cooler than I'd expected in so many ways. From one I'd expected to be a one-time view and forgettable to one I've watched probably 20 times and easily in my top 50 movies.

Ford v Ferrari. I just don't really care about cars, the auto industry, racing etc at all, never been my thing. I only watched it because Christian Bale is one of my favorite actors. Ended up being a lot better than I'd expected.

The Last Duel. Didn't see it when it initially came out, marketing didn't catch my interest. Not a huge Matt Damon fan, his mullet, Ben being in it, figured it would be a generic medieval movie. Watched it and was kind of blown away. Really cool movie.

What are some that were this way for yall?
Reply Quote
5
Brian Earl Spilner
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:17p, 11/9/25
AG
D&D: Honor Among Thieves

I have zero interest in D&D. Loved it.
Reply Quote
36
JCA1
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:20p, 11/9/25
AG
I've said it before. By any conceivable metric, Son In Law should be one of the worst movies ever made. But it's actually awesome and I'll stop and watch pretty much anytime I run across it.
Reply Quote
29
Zombie Jon Snow
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Brian Earl Spilner • 2:09p, 11/9/25
AG
Brian Earl Spilner said:
D&D: Honor Among Thieves

I have zero interest in D&D. Loved it.

same


A couple that really surprised me - although I would not say I necessarily expected to dislike them, just expectations were LOW....

Little Miss Sunshine

Crazy Stupid Love

And of course I don't think anyone really thought a pirate movie based on a Disney ride was going to be as good as Pirates of the Caribbean was with the quirky Jonny Depp in the lead role. Especially after Cutthroat Island which was terrible.
Reply Quote
9
1 edit
toucan82
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:37p, 11/9/25
One more for Pirates of the Caribbean

Pitch Perfect
Reply Quote
20
AGinHI
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:18p, 11/9/25
AG
That K-pop girl movie
Reply Quote
16
maroon barchetta
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
6:08p, 11/9/25
I had no expectations for Freakier Friday but it was fun!
Reply Quote
Bruce Almighty
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
6:55p, 11/9/25
AG
Face/Off
Reply Quote
2
Cinco Ranch Aggie
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
7:11p, 11/9/25
AG
Agree on Pirates of the Caribbean and Ford v Ferrari.
Reply Quote
5
maroon barchetta
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
7:17p, 11/9/25
Amelie

French movie starring Audrey Tattou (sp?)

Very quirky and European but funny


Napoleon Dynamite
That movie cracks me up

Along Came Polly
Phillip Seymour Hoffman's character is a supporting role but is hilarious. Having done community theater, I'll tell you the theater part is 100% accurate. And the Alec Baldwin character seems to have been heavily borrowed from to make his character in 30 Rock, and two other actors from 30 Rock are in that movie
Reply Quote
4
1 edit
CharleyKerfeld
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
7:37p, 11/9/25
Came here to post Pirates of the Carribean.

I also had no idea what The Matrix or Fight Club were going to be about. Ditto Pulp Fiction. I didn't think I would dislike them, I just didn't know what I was walking into.
Reply Quote
Apache
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
8:10p, 11/9/25
AG
Peanut Butter Falcon
Whiplash
The Talented Mr Ripley
Reply Quote
1
1 edit
Cinco Ranch Aggie
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
8:13p, 11/9/25
AG
Another one just occurred to me - 1984's The Terminator. Looked terrible, but I had really enjoyed Arnie in Conan the Barbarian, so I gave it a shot.
Reply Quote
1
Cinco Ranch Aggie
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
8:31p, 11/9/25
AG
And here is probably the most surprising title: Star Wars.

I was 9 when it came out. I had seen commercials. I thought it looked like garbage. I turned 10 in early June. It was now summer, school was out, we were in SW Houston off Gessner and the SW Freeway. It was a weekend. I was outside in the back yard, doing whatever interested me at the time (probably working on a fort I had built out of scrap wood), it was hotter than hell. Dad came out and asked if I wanted to go a movie. What 10-year-old sweating in the Houston summer heat is saying no to that?

We went to the 6-screen theater that used to be in a strip center off Gessner on the other side of the SW Freeway from our house. Little did I know that the "stupid looking" movie I was about to see was basically going to become a massive part of my life. Up to this point, science fiction for me had been Godzilla or Planet of the Apes. While I later started considering Star Wars to be fantasy rather than science fiction, there is no doubt that movie instilled in me a love of going to the movies, whether great ones like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, or Superman, or just fun times at the theater like Every Which Way But Loose or 1941. Star Wars gave me an appreciation for this art form that I did not previously have. And to think I thought it would be stupid.
Reply Quote
7
Lathspell
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:01p, 11/9/25
AG
I don't usually go into movies expecting not to like them. I would generally rather not even watch them, if I feel that way.

But the one I can easily point to would be K-pop Demon Hunters. Didn't even watch it on my TV. Was going to see what all the hubbub was about as i let my edible kick in to go to sleep and just played it on my laptop. Watched the whole damn thing and thought it was great.
Reply Quote
aTmAg
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:04p, 11/9/25
AG
Galaxy Quest.

I probably would have never watched that movie on purpose, but they showed it to us for free on an airline flight to appease us for being so late. It made being 3 hours late worth it. It's better than all the Star Trek movies that it mocks.
Reply Quote
17
bam02
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:35p, 11/9/25
AG
Silver Linings Playbook.
Reply Quote
6
Zombie Jon Snow
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cinco Ranch Aggie • 9:56p, 11/9/25
AG
Cinco Ranch Aggie said:
And here is probably the most surprising title: Star Wars.

I was 9 when it came out. I had seen commercials. I thought it looked like garbage. I turned 10 in early June. It was now summer, school was out, we were in SW Houston off Gessner and the SW Freeway. It was a weekend. I was outside in the back yard, doing whatever interested me at the time (probably working on a fort I had built out of scrap wood), it was hotter than hell. Dad came out and asked if I wanted to go a movie. What 10-year-old sweating in the Houston summer heat is saying no to that?

We went to the 6-screen theater that used to be in a strip center off Gessner on the other side of the SW Freeway from our house. Little did I know that the "stupid looking" movie I was about to see was basically going to become a massive part of my life. Up to this point, science fiction for me had been Godzilla or Planet of the Apes. While I later started considering Star Wars to be fantasy rather than science fiction, there is no doubt that movie instilled in me a love of going to the movies, whether great ones like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, or Superman, or just fun times at the theater like Every Which Way But Loose or 1941. Star Wars gave me an appreciation for this art form that I did not previously have. And to think I thought it would be stupid.


Yeah for sure. I totally agree with that. I was 11 and the movie had come out in May of course. But we moved back to the states in early July from Seoul Korea and had heard nothing about the movie there yet.

We landed in LA and drove to LV where my grandfather lived. After a few days there my parents decided we should go see a movie. The ads in the paper looked so dumb. And sc-fi prior to that had been terrible like flying saucer on a string bad and terrible robots or too cerebral like 2001 (for a kid). Or Godzilla monster type stuff like you said. I suppose Planet of the Apes was an exception to that.

With no social media and no friends who had seen it I fought against it and said I did not want to se a stupid sci-fi movie - my parents remind me of that to this day.

I walked out of there stunned and amazed and enthralled and demanded to go see it again immediately. Well that didn't happen but once we got settled in our new post I saw it about 10 times over the next year as it ran for a full year in most theaters. The next summer the post movie theater had it as a saturday matinee all summer for $.50 and popcorn and drink cost another $.75. Anytime we had nothing to do me and my friends would just walk over to the theater and watch it again.

Reply Quote
2
1 edit
Bruce Almighty
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
10:27p, 11/9/25
AG
Beauty and the Beast. I was 12 when that came out. I refused to watch The Little Mermaid and told my mom I would not see Beauty and the Beast in the theater with her and my dad. When it came out on vhs, my mom rented it and we watched it. I wouldn't admit to it, but I thought it was really good.
Reply Quote
3
CharleyKerfeld
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Bruce Almighty • 10:42p, 11/9/25
Bruce Almighty said:
Beauty and the Beast. I was 12 when that came out. I refused to watch The Little Mermaid and told my mom I would not see Beauty and the Beast in the theater with her and my dad. When it came out on vhs, my mom rented it and we watched it. I wouldn't admit to it, but I thought it was really good.

So your mindset had just a little change? Small to say the least?
Reply Quote
Langley
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Cliff.Booth • 11:34p, 11/9/25
Cliff.Booth said:
What are some you'd put in this category?


Brokeback Mountain - I didn't see this when it came out and didn't make an effort to see it for the next 10ish years. Finally caught it on TV late one night and surprisingly found it to be a really solid movie. Not gay cowboys just for the sake of making something woke, but a poignant movie I thought had a lot of merit as a movie, in general.

Collateral: Went into it expecting "another hitman movie". So much cooler than I'd expected in so many ways. From one I'd expected to be a one-time view and forgettable to one I've watched probably 20 times and easily in my top 50 movies.

Ford v Ferrari. I just don't really care about cars, the auto industry, racing etc at all, never been my thing. I only watched it because Christian Bale is one of my favorite actors. Ended up being a lot better than I'd expected.

The Last Duel. Didn't see it when it initially came out, marketing didn't catch my interest. Not a huge Matt Damon fan, his mullet, Ben being in it, figured it would be a generic medieval movie. Watched it and was kind of blown away. Really cool movie.

What are some that were this way for yall?


lol gay
Reply Quote
19
Shelton98
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
5:49a, 11/10/25
AG
The Lego Movie
Reply Quote
8
Zombie Jon Snow
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
6:19a, 11/10/25
AG
Oh I thought of another....again not one I expected to dislike i guess but just surprised at how good it was. And I know several people who just caught it on a plane or something and had similar reactions...

The Founder

Reply Quote
5
Hogties
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
6:27a, 11/10/25
AG
The Barbie Movie

I couldn't imagine in any universe that I would enjoy a movie about Mattel dolls. But the set design, the cleverness of the way the world was realized, the poignant story, and some hilarious songs made me a big fan.
Reply Quote
7
Zombie Jon Snow
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
6:46a, 11/10/25
AG
Jojo Rabbit was another

My wife and son went to see it on a whim - literally at the mall and just went because it was starting soon. They then raved about it and convinced me to go see it. I recall it was released around thanksgiving and they were at the mall Christmas shopping on a day off but I was traveling for work.

I don't think I had even heard about it really. The trailer was zany of course but I'm not sure I even saw it more than once.
Reply Quote
5
cr06gis
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:16a, 11/10/25
AG
Oblivion.
Reply Quote
8
Head Ninja In Charge
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
9:34a, 11/10/25
AG
The Last Samurai
Hot Tub Time Machine
Reply Quote
4
MSFC Aggie
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to aTmAg • 9:36a, 11/10/25
AG
aTmAg said:
Galaxy Quest.

I probably would have never watched that movie on purpose, but they showed it to us for free on an airline flight to appease us for being so late. It made being 3 hours late worth it. It's better than all the Star Trek movies that it mocks.

Excellent call. I'll add Starship Troopers.....that movie looked completely stupid, but turned out to be badass.
Reply Quote
4
PDEMDHC
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to MSFC Aggie • 10:37a, 11/10/25
AG
MSFC Aggie said:
aTmAg said:
Galaxy Quest.

I probably would have never watched that movie on purpose, but they showed it to us for free on an airline flight to appease us for being so late. It made being 3 hours late worth it. It's better than all the Star Trek movies that it mocks.

Excellent call. I'll add Starship Troopers.....that movie looked completely stupid, but turned out to be badass.

So you did nazi that coming?
Reply Quote
1
Zombie Jon Snow
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to PDEMDHC • 12:50p, 11/10/25
AG
would have worked better if responding to my post - Jojo Rabbit.
Reply Quote
3
Cliff.Booth
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
In reply to Langley • 1:11p, 11/10/25
Langley said:
Cliff.Booth said:
What are some you'd put in this category?


Brokeback Mountain - I didn't see this when it came out and didn't make an effort to see it for the next 10ish years. Finally caught it on TV late one night and surprisingly found it to be a really solid movie. Not gay cowboys just for the sake of making something woke, but a poignant movie I thought had a lot of merit as a movie, in general.

Collateral: Went into it expecting "another hitman movie". So much cooler than I'd expected in so many ways. From one I'd expected to be a one-time view and forgettable to one I've watched probably 20 times and easily in my top 50 movies.

Ford v Ferrari. I just don't really care about cars, the auto industry, racing etc at all, never been my thing. I only watched it because Christian Bale is one of my favorite actors. Ended up being a lot better than I'd expected.

The Last Duel. Didn't see it when it initially came out, marketing didn't catch my interest. Not a huge Matt Damon fan, his mullet, Ben being in it, figured it would be a generic medieval movie. Watched it and was kind of blown away. Really cool movie.

What are some that were this way for yall?


lol gay


I figured it would be lol gay but Heath's performance and the score made it dme gay.
Reply Quote
1
AgGrad99
User Profile
Private Message
Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
1:27p, 11/10/25
AG
JoJo Rabbit was great, and I knew nothing about it going in.


The Lord of the Rings was another. I had zero interest in this movie, but reluctantly went with a buddy who's company rented out the theatre, when it came out. I was blown away.
Reply Quote
2
1 edit
Garrelli 5000
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:13p, 11/10/25
AG
Pitch Perfect was a great call.

My vote is for Step Brothers. I figured it was one of those movies that showed all the funniest scenes in the trailer.

Still one of the funniest movies ever made.

Another that shocked me was Fried Green Tomatoes. I fully expected a slow boring sobby chick flick but it was a great movie with great storytelling. Haven't watched in at least 15 years to know if it has held up.
Reply Quote
5
zap
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
2:39p, 11/10/25
AG
Toy Story

I remember thinking, "I don't think people will like this computer animation."

My kids also drug me to Shrek and I thought I would nap all the way through it.
Reply Quote
5
1 edit
Gnome Sayin
User Profile Ignore User Stop Ignoring
How long do you want to ignore this user?
24 hours One week Permanently Cancel
3:41p, 11/10/25
Edge of Tomorrow I knew I was going to like. The few trailers that were out there still drew me in.

Now Whiplash on the other hand: I think jazz or whatever that was is stupid and had no interest whatsoever in seeing that movie. Finally broke down and it was incredible.
Reply Quote
3
Page 1 of 2 ▼
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.