Rhiannon Elizabeth Irons
There are three things that are certain in this world; taxes, death, and opinions. Regardless of the topic of discussion, opinions will fly, and conversations will be heated. It’s inevitable.
When it comes to movies, everyone is a critic. Some of us have gone as far as to make a career out of our opinions. We hype movies we love, savage those we don’t, and those we feel indifferent about fall by the wayside into the void.
Last week, I brought you my Top 13 Guilty Pleasure Movies. Now, I delve into a list that will be highly controversial. Brace yourselves. Here comes my Top 13 Unpopular Movie Opinions.
Warning: There may be spoilers ahead.
13: Crossroads Is Not That Bad
Crossroads (2002) was the debut movie of Britney Spears. It was absolutely savaged by fans and critics alike upon its release. A coming-of-age story featuring music from Britney’s self-titled 3rd studio album including I Love Rock N’ Roll and I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman, Crossroads follows three high school girls as they road trip across the country to follow their dreams. Mimi (Taryn Manning) is off to L.A. for a record deal, despite the fact that she’s heavily pregnant. Kit (Zoe Saldana) tags along to see her fiancé, and as for Lucy (Britney Spears), she’s off to connect with her mother who abandoned her at a young age.
The movie isn’t a 10/10 by any means, but does it deserve all the hate it received? Hell no. Britney Spears wasn’t an actress. But against those who had more experience, she held her own. Her ability to show a range of emotions as she took us on Lucy’s journey was beyond what anyone could have expected from the Princess of Pop.
Crossroads isn’t perfect but it’s a lot better than people remember.
12: Paranormal Activity Is Boring
The horror genre goes through waves of sub-genres. In 2007, the found footage sub-genre got a massive injection with the release of Paranormal Activity. Toting actual footage of cinemagoers reacting to the events on screen in their marketing campaign, Paranormal Activity was cited as being the scariest film of the decade.
Only one problem with that claim; The film was boring.
I remember going to see it upon its release. It was the best 2 hour nap I’ve ever had. Outside of generic ‘scares’ and a subpar plot of a young couple (that had absolutely no chemistry), nothing happened until the final five minutes when the demonically possessed Katie hurls the body of her partner, Micah, at the camera set up in their bedroom, somehow killing him, before staring menacingly at the camera and showing her demonic form before the screen fades to black and credits roll.
There are slow burn films, of which I like. And then there’s this disaster.
How the hell this spawned a seven-movie franchise is beyond my knowledge. All I know is that its sequels are just as dull. If you suffer insomnia, I recommend Paranormal Activity.
11: Little Giants > The Mighty Ducks
The Mighty Ducks is a defining movie of our childhoods. It introduced most of us to Joshua Jackson. But two years later, a children’s film with the same premise was released. Instead of focusing on ice hockey, it turned its attention to peewee football.
Starring Rick Moranis and Ed O’Neill as rivaling brothers, Little Giants was highly entertaining. Ed O’Neill is Kevin O’Shea, a retired NFL player. His brother, Danny (Rick Moranis), was all about the small-town life. He wanted to play football with his brother, but in an early flashback we see the brothers as young boys. Danny was left out of being picked for teams while Kevin was captain. This extends into adulthood when Kevin returns to their hometown and opens a car dealership while Danny runs a local gas station.
Kevin becomes coach of the town’s official peewee football team but leaves the best player off the team – his niece, Becky – because she’s a girl. Cue Danny forming his own team, the Little Giants, along with his daughter to play off against Kevin’s Cowboys in a game for the right to be called Urbania’s official team.
Also starring Devon Sawa (Casper), and Shawna Waldron (The American President), Little Giants has heart, soul, football, and some fantastic comedy rolled into a feel-good family film.
Don’t get me wrong; I love The Mighty Ducks. But there’s something special about Little Giants. Maybe it’s all that rooting for the underdog that has left me with the opinion that this underdog of a film is superior…
10: Janis Is The True Villain In Mean Girls
I have multiple unpopular opinions about this film – that it’s not funny, it has a negative message, and that its predictability makes it a dull movie. But the one that sticks in my mind the most is that Janis is the true villain – not Regina.
Let me explain. Regina and Janis used to be friends. Makes sense. Both are quite manipulative characters with judgmental personalities and a vindictive streak. Plus, they both use Cady for their own personal gain.
While a lot of Mean Girls fans love Janis for her style and snappy comebacks, when you really look her character deeply, you realise that she is just as bad a Regina. After all, she wants Cady to join The Plastics to get revenge on her former friend. Infiltrate a group of vapid teenagers and bring down the head of the clique for no reason other than it’s entertaining to one person. How petty is that?
In hindsight, I guess that’s why it’s called Mean Girls…
9: The Towering Inferno Is The Most Realistic Disaster Movie
I love a good disaster movie. Dante’s Peak, Earthquake, The Poseidon Adventure, Twister, and On The Beach are all fabulous entries into the disaster movie category. But when it comes to realism, The Towering Inferno takes the cake.
The premise of the film is simple; At the opening party of a colossal, but poorly constructed, office and residential building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and all inside.
In a world where our greatest enemy is ourselves, it’s not really surprising that I look at this film in abject horror. It’s devasting to see the fictional 125-storey tower engulfed in flames and knowing that for those above the fire, there is no escape.
While that sounds less destructive than a volcano wiping out an entire town, there’s something inherently devastating about watching a real towering inferno. And for those who question its realism, I give you this: On 14 June, 2017, the world watched in horror as the Grenfell Tower erupted into flames. For 60 hours, the building burned. 72 people died, two later in hospital, with more than 70 injured and 223 escaping.
Instead of being sensationalized, The Towering Inferno gave audiences a realistic glimpse at the desolation that plagues all major cities around the world. One faulty wire, or power surge, will be all it takes to bring a metropolis to its knees. And that prospect is absolutely terrifying.
8: Danny Changes For Sandy
It’s no secret that I love Grease and that it’s been a big part of my life. But the constant criticism of this musical being sexist really grinds my gears. The amount of people that have told me how outdated it is because Sandy puts on a pair of leather pants at the end of the movie is astonishing.
I can feel the anger building inside me, so rather than rehashing this topic, I’m just going to direct you to my article A New Perspective: Grease Is The Word where I argue that Danny actually changed more for Sandy.
7: The Revenant Should NOT Have Netted Leo An Oscar
In 2016 Leonardo DiCaprio won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in The Revenant. At this point in time, it was almost unfathomable that Leo hadn’t won an Oscar yet, given his long and acclaimed filmography. His performance in The Revenant was practically designed to win him the award, with his physicality on full display. Every interview he did leading up to the award show highlighted the rough conditions he lived in and put his body through for the role.
However, much like Al Pacino’s win for Scent of a Woman, Leo’s win is seen more as a celebration of his career over his performance. It was a gimme win.
And if that’s not frustrating enough for those he was competing against, imagine being Tom Hardy. He delivered a better performance in The Revenant and lost out on the big award to Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies.
6: Halloween III: Season of the Witch Is A Great Stand-Alone Movie
The issue with Halloween III is that it’s connected to a franchise that has an established villain. Michael Myers was born from the mind of John Carpenter and Debra Hill in 1978 and has become the face of the franchise with his white William Shatner mask. When Halloween II came out in 1981, it was thought that Michael Myers had died in the explosion at Haddonfield Memorial Hospital.
Because John Carpenter had killed off his creation, Halloween III was supposed to start a new series based on witches. The original vision for the franchise was to be an anthology, a way of telling different stories all about the night of Halloween.
Unfortunately, audiences were miffed when they rocked up to Halloween III only for their beloved mask-wearing psycho not to be in it. Because of that, Season of the Witch was disregarded, and Michael Myers returned for Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.
But looking over the franchise that has had more restarts than a newbie gamer, Halloween III: Season of the Witch has developed cult classic status. And it’s 100% worthy of that. As a stand-alone movie, Halloween III is a great watch. It has an intriguing plot, enthralling death scenes, and a great cast lead by Tom Atkins and Dan O’Herlihy. Written and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, Halloween III excels at building folklore and creating an eerie atmosphere. It even created a catchy jingle. If it had dropped the Halloween ties and gone out on its own as simply Season of the Witch, it would have been received more positively.
At the time of writing this article, there’s 222 days until Halloween. You know what that means. “222 days ‘til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween. 222 days ‘til Halloween. Silver Shamrock.”
5: Phantom Of The Paradise Is Better Than The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Blasphemy! I know that’s what you all just screamed at the screen but hear me out.
Brian De Palma created this musical starring Paul Williams, William Finley, and Jessica Harper. Released a year before The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Phantom of the Paradise is criminally underrated. Often overshadowed by Rocky Horror, Phantom delivers over-the-top performances in a ritzy 70’s glamour setting with a killer soundtrack.
Yet to achieve cult classic status, Phantom of the Paradise has a more engaging storyline, complete with the classic Brian De Palma style that we know from films such as Carrie (which was his next feature) and Mission: Impossible.
It’s a wild ride that really needs to be seen to be believed.
4: The Reef Is Just As Good As Jaws
Jaws is phenomenal. There’s no argument there. The moment Hollywood announces a new shark movie, immediately we’re already comparing it to the Steven Spielberg classic.
While no shark movie has been as impactful as Jaws in pop culture, there have been some good entries in the killer shark sub-genre. And one of those is Australia’s own, The Reef.
Released in 2010 and loosely based on a true story, The Reef showed the world that true horror still lurks beneath the surface of the ocean.
Created by the same people who brought us the tension-filled crocodile hit, Black Water (2007), real life footage of great white sharks was integrated with the actors. No mechanical beasts were required for this modern tale.
But what makes The Reef stand out from the swarm of shark movies is the realistic tension that builds as the film progresses. Five friends set out on a sailboat that they’re delivering to Indonesia. The boat capsizes and they’re left with a decision: Do they stay with the boat, or make a swim towards land? Four of them opt for making the swim, while one stays behind. As they head towards what they assume is the direction of the Australian coast, a shark begins to stalk them. Building on our fears of being eaten alive, the tension is equal to, if not greater, than that delivered in Jaws.
The performances are exceptional, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the balance of suspense and action is perfection. The Reef is superior to most shark films, and dare I say it, rivals Jaws.
3: Citizen Kane Is Not The Greatest Film Of All Time
If you already haven’t been offended by this article, you will be with this. No, I don’t think that Citizen Kane is the greatest movie of all time, despite a million and one lists telling me otherwise. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate Citizen Kane and what it’s done for the film industry. Orson Welles is phenomenal in it. But the storyline… Yeah, this is where I jump ship.
Citizen Kane follows a group of reporters trying to decipher the final word ever spoken by Charles Foster Kane, a millionaire newspaper tycoon. The film begins with a news reel detailing Kane’s life for the masses, and then from there, viewers are shown flashbacks from Kane’s life. As the reporters investigate further, the viewers see a display of a fascinating man’s rise to fame, and how he eventually fell off the top of the world.
The story, bouncing from past to present, can be confusing at times for audiences. Not to mention that at times the action on screen is frightfully dull. There are certainly other contenders for what could be considered the greatest film of all time. To Kill A Mockingbird springs to mind with it’s message of inclusivity and not judging a book by its cover. Or how about Gone With The Wind? The Wizard Of Oz? Breakfast At Tiffany’s? Top Gun: Maverick? I’m joking with that last one, but for some people out there, Top Gun: Maverick might just be the greatest film they ever saw.
Point is, for me, Citizen Kane isn’t all that.
2: Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy Is Mediocre
Originally, this entry was going to be about how without Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight was mediocre at best. But after recently revisiting the trilogy, I’ve come to realise that Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises are just… meh.
Let’s kick this off with a mention that I’m a DC fan. If you’ve tuned into QUIZarenaLIVE at any point, you’ll know that. So, when I learned the Bats was coming back and that Ra’s al Ghul and Dr. Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. Scarecrow, were going to be the big bads of Batman Begins, I was excited. Unfortunately, the character development was lacking. And don’t get me started on Christian Bale as Batman. He was a great Bruce Wayne, but laughable as Bats. And yes, I think a lot of it had to do with that voice.
Then came the news that Heath Ledger was cast as Joker in The Dark Knight. I had high hopes for what Heath could do. At this point, the only big screen Joker we had was Jack Nicholson and those were some big shoes to fill. (Side note – Jack is still my favourite Joker)
When news broke in 2008 that Heath had died, audiences flocked to the cinema to see his performance. Heath was exceptional. There’s no question about that. And I will go on the record to say that if he hadn’t have died, there’s a good chance that movie would not have made as much money as it did. Why? Because everything else about that movie was average at best. I like Michael Caine and Aaron Eckhart, but as Alfred and Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face, they were lackluster.
The Dark Knight Rises was a feeble attempt to capitalize on the success of The Dark Knight. Released four years later, the marketing focused squarely on Bane, played by Tom Hardy. I like Tom Hardy. I do not like him as Bane. Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman, was also a huge letdown.
But what pissed me off the most with The Dark Knight Rises is that Bane isn’t the one in charge. He’s a lacky. To Talia al Ghul, nonetheless. What. The. Fuck?!
The only saving grace for these films was the solid performance from Gary Oldman as Commissioner Jim Gordon. Everything else was just… meh.
1: The Exorcist Is Overrated
I haven’t exactly been shy about voicing my dislike of what is arguably one of the greatest horror movies of all time.
The Exorcist did for demonic possession what Jaws did for shark movies. Instantly, every film featuring possession is immediately compared to it, and rightfully so. The film is well made, with a solid story, exceptional acting, and is instantly quotable.
So, why am I calling it overrated? Much like how I feel about Citizen Kane, The Exorcist takes out first place on every list it’s a part of, particularly if that list is about the scariest horror movies of all time. While I appreciate The Exorcist for what it’s done for the horror genre, it doesn’t mean I have to agree with it being considered the scariest film of all time. There are a lot of films that I consider scarier than The Exorcist.
I think a lot of my dislike for the film comes from the fact that, despite growing up in a religious household and attending Catholic schools, my beliefs have changed, and I view the movie with a cynicism reserved for non-believers.
For me, truly terrifying movies consist of events that I could encounter in real life. Being Australian, I found Wolf Creek terrifying because a crazed outback killer is a reality. The chances, however, of me encountering a demonic possession are pretty remote.
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The one thing to remember with this list is that my opinions are just that: my opinions. They’re subject to change over time. Some of these you might agree with, others you won’t. It doesn’t mean one opinion is right or wrong. It means we have been able to formulate our own ideas about cinema based on our experiences. If you want to debate these with me, you can. But be respectful. I don't judge you based on your opinions so please don't personally attack me for mine.
What are some of your unpopular opinions about movies? Sound off in the comments below.