Against the Crowd blogathon by Wendell of Dell on Movies returns for its third year. As for this year, he's partnering with KG Movie Rants to host this annual blog event, where bloggers are asked to choose a movie we love that most people don't and a movie we dislike that most people like. Here are some rules to follow.
- Pick one movie that "everyone" loves (the more iconic, the better). That movie must have a score of at least 75% on rottentomatoes.com. Tell us why you hate it.
- Pick one movie that "everyone" hates (the more notorious, the better). That movie must have a score of less than 35% on rottentomatoes.com. Tell us why you love it.
- Include the tomato meter scores of both movies.
- Use one of the banners in this post, or feel free to create your own.
Before we continue to this year's anti-mainstream take, you can check my last year's post where I debunk a catchy musical for being out of tune while an Ashton Kutcher flick plays perfect notes.
As for 2016, I am gonna:
Boo to Trainwreck
Dubbed as one of the most fresh comedies of 2015, Judd Apatow's Trainwreck currently holds 85% Tomato Score and has been certified fresh with consensus: "Trainwreck drags commitment out of all but the most rom-com-phobic filmgoers with sharp humor, relatable characters, and hilarious work from Amy Schumer. "
The universal truth is: Amy Schumer's a real talent, but Trainwreck isn't an enjoyable film at all. Sinking deep in subversive-cliche and bawdy feminism, Trainwreck tries so hard to humanize its main character - while the overly annoying character isn't helping. The comedy works sometimes, but some other times, there's nothing but raunchiness and rudeness.
What I regret most is: it's less Apatow but more Schumer. Apatow's movies usually have the laughs and the heart, but this one lacks of the latter. With Schumer's script highlighting tons of sexism and gender superiority attempts, it makes Trainwreck more annoying than enlightening.
I usually take a satire to sexism in such positive lights. Some people call this movie a counter-sexism movement, which I saw as a degradation of a term. From a general perspective, it's more of a reverse-sexism. It's rude; it's frustrating; and it's proud.
Yay to Deep Rising
There was a moment when Stephen Sommers made summer blockbuster enticing, like seriously enticing. A combination of B-movie tropes with hi-fi effects of the generation results in most guilty pleasure movies we can't simply forget.
Deep Rising (1998) is one of his finest works. Centering on a group of mercenary arranged to sabotage a cruise when an underwater creature rises from the depth preying on all passengers; it's a creepy-sometimes-silly formulaic monster movie which set in the heart of the ocean. While some silly subplots convolute the whole plot, it's actually a straightforward one.
Furthermore, it has all the elements that make it a fun movie. All the right B-movie thrills and suspense; a rebel protagonist by Treat Williams; femme fatale by Famke Janssen; mysterious monster and clever blood splattering action sequences. All the joy of summer blockbuster horror action is a monumental one; it's a thing I barely see nowadays.
The best part is the ending. The 'Now what?' cliffhanger after all the suspense and terrors, which kinda makes you excited for more!
