Celebs at Broadway event
2 accidents close I-75 southbound
.jpg)
Glamour's Women of the Year
Home > Blogs > Sir Critic on Cinema > Archives > 2008 > December > 30 > Entry
Highlighting the lowlights of 2008
Since I’m lucky enough to choose which films I review, I’m usually able to avoid real stinkers. This year, I counted only three films that got a D-range grade. Even so, there were still plenty of moments to make my eyes roll and my stomach turn.
Worst Film: 10,000 B.C. This stupid, turgid mess certainly seemed to last 10,000 years. Full review.
Worst Sequel: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor: So badly directed it actually made a fight between Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh boring. And it made Maria Bello, the replacement for Rachel Weisz, less than appealing to boot. Full review.
Worst Remake: The Day the Earth Stood Still, or The Two Hours Time Stood Still. Full review.
Biggest Disappointment: Quantum of Solace, with its frenzied-to-the-point-of-incomprehension action scenes. A major letdown after the triumph of Casino Royale.
Most overpraised film: Milk. Too many critics confused a great subject and a great lead performance with great filmmaking, which was in short supply.
Worst Trailer: Beverly Hills Chihuahua. And yet the thing still made $93 million. Yeesh. To borrow a phrase from critic Leonard Maltin, “I don’t expect ten-year-olds to be critical; I just pray that someday someone will introduce them to something better.”
Worst Waste of Resources: How Mamma Mia! underused Amanda Seyfried, the one and only cast member who had a truly great singing voice.
Worst Come-On: “You’re like a drug to me. Like my own personal brand of heroin,” from Twilight. I wonder how far I’d get if I told a girl that she beats an acid trip any day of the week.
Worst Hypocrites: Megaplex Theatres in Utah, which would not play Zack and Miri Make a Porno, but had absolutely no problem playing Saw V.
Most Pathetic Onscreen Death: It happens in Seven Pounds. I won’t give anything away except to say one word: Jellyfish.
Most Insufferable Complainers: The people who complained about the “nuke the fridge” scene from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Because after all, the appeal of Indy’s adventures was always their gritty realism, Spare me. Second runner-up: The people who said WALL-E denigrated the obese. Third-runner up: The grossly misguided Special Olympics protest against Tropic Thunder.
Biggest cause for alarm in 2009: The sequel to Alvin and the Chipmunks is actually called the “Squeakuel.” Oy. Please New Year, let’s be late.
Coming Wednesday: The other end of the spectrum, the best movies of the year. For now, tell me: What were your least favorite movies or movie moments from 2008?
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Lists
Comments
By JT
December 31, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this
Worst supposedly scary movie (by far): “The Happening”. So boring! My better half asked me in the middle if there was something better on TV. I’m sure there was.By Alice
December 30, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
Mamma Mia was only the worst if you dislike musicals. Although Amanda does have a great voice, I didn’t leave the theater thinking “I wish I could have heard Amanda’s voice more.” Musicals are so much more than just vocal talent. Also, I agree with you in regards to people that complain ONLY about the Indy fridge scene, but there were so many things wrong with that movie that the fridge scene might have been a highlight. It was a cross between Roswell and Looney Tunes. Was it the worst of the year? Not even close, but that doesn’t say much. As a HUGE movie fan, I think Hollywood produces so much crap anymore that it’s a complete waste of time and money to go to the movie theater more than twice a year.By Kim
December 30, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this
Lucky for me - I have you to keep me from sitting through the duds - ha! So I haven’t seen any of those and didn’t see any movies that I thought were real stinkers. I do agree on the whiners though - that Indy fridge argument was so funny. Okay - we totally bought the alien skull that comes back to life when placed upon the neck of its owner and the ability to straddle two speeding vehicles through the jungle while fighting - but that “nuke fridge” just made it unbelievable - ha ha! And I enjoyed Twilight - but agree on some of the dialog - what - did they get George Lucas to write that? It reminds me of the painfully lame dialog between Padme and Anakin. Luckily the Twilight actors did a little better job in delivering them, so I was merely shaking my head instead of shuddering from head to toe.By Lea
December 30, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
About that quote: ‘Worst Come-On: “You;re like a drug to me. Like my own personal brand of heroin,” from Twilight.’ - I think that’s funny, only because I am a fan of the book series and the quote was even sappier than that. Edward was actually trying to explain to Bella why he couldn’t stay away from her - and why she should stay away from him. ::giggle::By acl
December 30, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
Worst Scary Movie: The StrangersBy Kim S.
December 30, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this
Worst film of the year - “Mama Mia”. Nothing else comes even remotely close. “Australia” was also quite bad. As for a bad rental, the only ones coming immediately to mind are “The Eye” and the “Prom Night” remake, proof that I’ll rent just about anything, or get it from Netflix.