Yesterday, on twitter, somebody mentioned watching the movie Memento.
Now, let me jump in and say that I like most movie genres, well, excluding Horror Films (unless Shyamalan is somehow involved).
But occasionally, I am subjected to a film that I simply cannot connect with. Yes, I have been known to walk out of a movie theater on occasion.
Unfortunately, I could not escape the torture of Memento. I was at a friend’s house, with an entire group of Memento fans, one being this VERY handsome young gentlemen who would later be my husband. Suffice it to say, I had to stay. I kept saying I didn’t like it, but they kept saying “Just watch. Just watch! You’ll understand everything. Just watch.”
When I’d endured until those pivotal last moments, and all had become clear, and the credits were rolling, I looked back at my friends and said, “I want my two hours back.”
Or something like that.
Yesterday I compiled a list in my head of “I want my two hours back” movies:
- Memento
- Transformers Revenge of the Fallen
- The Horse Whisperer
- There’s Just Something About Mary
- Scream
- No Country for Old Men
What would you put on this list?
“Pooty Tang” used to be the one movie on this list for me until I ran across a friend who showed me its redeeming qualities – some of the phrases serve as good tools to invoke a laugh when I need one. “Sa da tay!”
So, that said, I’d say the animated version of “Beowulf” would be it’s replacement. I think it was just too over-the-top in some aspects in retelling the tale.
And the old standby for some for this list – “Waterworld” – I actually like.
There just aren’t many movies I’ve gone to see or seen on television or on DVD to which I just went “No way.” Guess that’s it from here!
I’ve never seen Pooty Tang. The name alone tells me I wouldn’t like it. And, I’m surprised to hear that someone redeemed it for you. Miracles do happen!
How could I forget Waterworld?!
yep… That one was a complete waste. But, glad you liked it!
“Pooty Tang” isn’t on my list of must-sees by any stretch (you could associate it with stupid humor flicks like “Joe Dirt,” only for a different culture), but it has a few qualities one can appreciate. Been discussing your post with Amanda and in the process, I remembered one on which I wanted my two hours back – “Wing Commander.” Wow – that could have been so much better.
Never heard of “Wing Commander” – probably best that I haven’t!
Election. Mama Mia! The Holiday. What Happens in Vegas. My Sister’s Keeper. Matrix 2 & 3. Wall-E. Britney Spears’ movie (shudder).
I obviously could go on and on. And I know there are many listed that other folks love. I just have a sophisticated taste in film (cue laughing out loud).
I’m not sure why some movies appeal to one person and not another. I have a dad who’s kind of a film snob (okay, a big film snob). He’s taken me to foreign films or indie films for years and 99% of the time I don’t get it, but I want to since their ‘foreign/independent’. You know what I’m saying. So, that probably has a lot to do with my movie ‘filter’. I think ‘What Would Dad Say?’
But I digress…
Loved Mama Mia. Well, let me say it better: I LOVED Meryl Streep in Mama Mia. She’s an amazing and versatile actress.
Also loved The Holiday.
hmmm… How’d we ever become friends?
I didn’t make it through The Holiday either. I stopped watching shortly after they swapped houses, Kate and Cameron were getting on my nerves. And they are 2 actresses I generally like in movies!
Walk hard.. Terrible, terrible,terrible… did I mention terrible?
So.. Are you saying it was terrible?
Obsessed. I don’t think Beyonce is a good actress…just sayin.
Fantastic Four movies.
I know there are a bunch more but they were so bad I’ve forgotten their names.
Beyonce. Every time I hear her name “Single Ladies” starts going in my head.
Wow? ‘No Country For Old Men’?? I think that’s a classic. I thought ‘Scream’ was good. Wes Craven did a good job. It just kills me how people didn’t guess who the killer was. It was a horror movie that spoofed horror movie cliches and stuck to those cliches so it was pretty obvious. And I also thought ‘Memento’ was a brilliant movie. Your expectations may have been too high considering you haven’t seen it until now.
Anyway, as for my choices….
1. We Own The Night – Great cast. Lousy movie.
2. The Matrix: Revolutions – I must have said “This sucks” 100 times while watching it.
3. Titanic – One of the most overrated pieces of garbage ever made. The Oscars lost pretty much all credibility when they gave this movie a ‘Best Picture’ award of ‘LA Confidential’ which is one of the best movies of all time.
Dontcha hate it when great casts are thrown into an awful movie? It’s so disappointing. I always think: Surely somebody saw this disaster coming.
of ‘LA Confidential’ s/b over ‘LA Confidential’
im not a big movie watcher. and i rarely actually go to the movies. so, if we’re at home, rent a movie and i find i wont like it, i’ll just start doing something else…clean, get on the puter, go shopping. its actually great for alone time.
LOL To each her own.
I’m just like Tam!!
the green mile.
did NOT like that at all. My movie selection is teeny tiny. I can’t remember the last time I went to the movie theatre, and I either like something or I don’t, I’m not picky on acting, just content. I have my favorites, but this movie stands out as a ‘I want my life back for those two hours’. Admittedly I did go see it with my dad (memories blah blah blah), but neither of us enjoyed it, at least not the father-daughter-date movie we were expecting.
Really? No Green Mile? I thought that was a fantastic & soul-stirring film. Lots of metaphor.
But, definitely not a father/daughter thing. I can’t even think of a good father/daughter movie – other than Father of the Bride.
Yeah – It was too weird and I think alot of the dislike came from it not being what we had expected and the bugs spewing out of his body, and creepiness, and yeah. I’m sure there are plenty of metaphors, but like I said, I’m not much of a critic. I just didn’t like the movie.
My favorite father-daughter movie+memory was the Three Musketeers. I wore a dress and everything :] <3
I gotta say I liked “The Green Mile;” pretty much all of Stephen King’s stories – I steer away typically from the blatant horror films – are excellent.
Oh, and I haven’t seen “No Country” but it’s a Cohen Brothers project and I generally like their work a great deal.
Well, my husband loved “No Country” so… you probably will too. It’s just sooooooo dark. Too dark for me.
for the record i am going to the theater this next week for the I heart film! :]
old school
Never seen it.
‘Old ‘School’ is a movie for dudes.
Love in the Time of Cholera. I want my time and my brain cells back.
haha. I remember you telling me about that one.
1. Memento
2. Superbad. I’ll never understand why they thought it was necessary to distribute a film that Seth Rogen wrote when he was 13.
3. Old School. And, for that matter, just about any Will Ferrell movie that is not Elf or Stranger than Fiction
4. Transformers 2. Going to a midnight showing was a HUGE mistake. I never saw the first one and now I never will.
5. Hamlet 2. I’m not easily offended. I was about a million times over, which I’m sure was the point, but it simply went too far.
the first Transformers was ten times better… FYI.
I’m not a Will Ferrell fan either. That type humor just doesn’t appeal to me.
oh yeah zoolander. honestly. nobody hit me (**ducks and hides**)
I’m just not a big stupid movie fan. It was just stupid, and that wastes my time.
(i’ve only seen it once..so maybe it’d be funnier the second time…but nah…)
Ditto girlfriend, ditto. How could I forget Zoolander?!
phew! i’m glad we agree on this one :]
I with you on that one too. Didn’t make it through that one. Ugh
I agree that No Country should be on the list. I would also add Mission to Mars and Signs (Mel Gibson). In fact when my hubby and I are rating movies we compare them to Mission to Mars. That movie was a TOTAL waste of money!
KIM!!
Hi!!!!
Signs was ok for me… Drew absolutely loves it. He says there’s all sorts of spiritual symbolism in there. I don’t get it.
Gotta go with Drew on this one – Dig “Signs.” Stuff that doesn’t make any sense and has no connection whatsoever to begin with can – all of a sudden – make perfect sense and be clearly a divine plan. So I get it. But that’s why films are considered art in the broad sense – they’re open to interpretation and personal taste.
frankenweenie.
yep.
it’s a parody of Frankenstein but w/ a weenie dog.
why i watched it.
dunno.
but it definitely deserves its place on this ever-growing list of yours…very possibly one of the top 5
wow. For a second there I thought it was *not* a comedy, if you know what I mean.
Shadowlands
IQ
Hancock
The Talented Mr Ripley
Rushmore
Enchanted
The Night at the Museum 2
You must not have seen the first Night at the Museum.
I need to add that one to the list.
No I didn’t see the first. Don’t wish to either. I didn’t have a choice about seeing the second one as I had to take some of the young people at my church.
I love the story around “Shadowlands” regarding Joy Gresham and C.S. Lewis; I thought the movie was well done. Not everyone agrees and that’s the beauty of it all!
It was not the best production, but the storyline was great.
I want my two hours back from these films:
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
- Juno
- Treasure Raiders (Redbox B-Movie)
Gasp! Juno?! I LOVED LOVED LOVED juno. wow
Dance Flick(I walked out)
Napoleon dynamite(sorry Jenny)
disturbia
Little Children
The good girl
Rockstar
Me,myself and Irene
I could go on, I used to work at Blockbuster so we watched new releases before they came out…so I have seen many movies.
I didn’t get Napoleon Dynamite the first time, but now? It’s a classic!
Must agree you, Mandy, about “Napoleon Dynamite.” At first, I thought one might need to be under the influence of something to enjoy it. But I have watched several times over the years – sober, mind you – and it’s really grown on me.
I don’t see many movies. I know I am bore. The last one I saw in theatres was August Rush. I know…. It was an amazing movie. On the tv movie channel (worst 3)
The Queen
Robocop
Fried Green Tomatoes.
Oh man…. I love me some Fried Green Tomatoes. I’ve even been to the Whistle Stop Cafe in Georgia.
That’s where they filmed all of it, you know? 
Can you take me when I visit..(.someday)??
Then maybe I’ll like the movie.
What is a green tomato? you eat them?
That sounded stupid… Do green tomatoes taste good?
It’s not stupid. Really. Most people just wait to pick Tomatoes when they’re red. I don’t know if green ones are pre-ripe, or are just different – like yellow bell-peppers are different. Either way, I’ve had them and they really are good! I’m not sure if the Whistle Stop is still open – but I DO know of a restaurant or three that have FGTs on their menu!
I could DEFINITELY make that happen.
I don’t go to many movies – but, man, Solaris STILL stands out in my mind. Not only do I want my two hours back, they owe me two extra for boredom.
I am one of those who LOVES Signs!
and, for my daughters birthday (who is 26, not 15!) she asked for one thing – I am going to the New Moon opening. Prayers please, that one may end up on this list in a few weeks –
New Moon? I don’t remember hearing about that. But, feel loved – for her to ask you to go with her.
Enjoy it!
yeah, I am, because she LOVES these Twilight vampire books, I even read the series so we could gab about them – I just think I may be one of six above 30 in the crowd – but we will have a good time, i have invited her best friend her age and HER mom, who is also close to my daughter – so it will be quite the girls night out – just hoping the movie is not TOO gross, my gross meter level is VERY low, almost babyish, HA!
That sounds like a lot of fun! And if you need, just close your eyes in the gross stuff.
Revolutionary Road, The Cider House Rules, The Transporter 2 and 3, Titus. And, by the way, Napoleon Dynamite is indeed a classic!
Oh yeah, how could I forget? THE HAPPENING. It’s made me a Night Shaymalan skeptic now.
That’s the only Shyamalan movie I won’t watch. I know better. His “less-than-scary” stuff is scary enough for me.
Hmm let’s see…
Hancock
The Descent
The Village
that Waterhorse movie
All the High School Musical movies [so that's like 6 hours!]
Silence of the Lambs
And probably some British movie set in the 1800′s I can’t remember the name of
The Village? Really. Oh man I love that movie.
Yeah…I mean I guess I’d have to watch it again to see if it’s a good movie overall. When I watched it I thought it was going to be scary or something, but after they revealed the monster, it pretty much ruined the mystery and suspense, so as a “scary movie”, I thought it failed. And also, I was like 11 when I watched it.
Silence of the Lambs was just…WEIRD. Disturbing. My friend’s mom made me watch it and said it was one of her favorite movies. I guess it’s the whole generational gap that gives us different tastes. I am only 16 -.-
Silence of the Lambs??
Good one – in the sense of good one to put on that list!
Devil Wears Prada
50 First Dates – That Rob guy was a terrible local & I couldn’t get past it.
I know I have a longer list, but that’s all I can think of right now.
Oh wow. The Devil Wears Prada is one of the most … interesting social commentaries I’ve seen in a long while. Usually, Hollywood doesn’t make fun of itself. That move had a strong message… But you have to get past the teeny-boppy-ness of it!
My dad LOVES that movie. But likes to pretend he doesn’t care one way or another.
Battlefield Earth. But I think it was six or seven hours. Or felt like it. Only time I ever fell asleep in a theatre.
Terms of Endearment. Ooffa
LOVE Terms of Endearment! What are you talking about???
I TOTALLY agree with the Transformers waste of time. Totally.
You are so funny and I loved this post.
Nights in Rodanthe
7 Pounds
Hancock
Fast and Furious
WOW…Memento and No Country for Old Men?!?!
Well, I had a “wish I had my 2 hours back” moment with Premonition this weekend.
All they’ve been playing is Sandra Bullock movies on TV and for some reason my wife and I had seen nearly all of them but this one. At the end I think I said exactly the same thing: THAT’s how it ends!?!?! I want my 2 hours back!
It took me days to remember the title of the one I hated so much. How sad is that? “Being John Malkovich. Hated it. Maybe I just don’t appreciate the artistry or something.
wouldn’t put memento and transformers 2 on the list, but certainly agree with Scream and Something About Mary. I’d add Pink Floyd “The Wall”, Constantine, Pulp Fiction, Full Metal Jacket, all the Kill Bill movies. There’s more, but that’s a good start and wide range of genre.