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murlough23
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« on: January 14, 2009, 01:08:00 PM » |
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What actors, in your mind, are the kings and queens of stupid movies? (In other words, who seems to appear in a disproportionately high number of bad films by choice?) Of course there are plenty of C-list celebrities who fit the bill here, but I'm mostly talking about well-known actors and actresses who seem to want to be taken seriously and who star in mainstream, generally high-budget films.
For me, the King of Stupid Movies is Brendan Fraser. From the early days of Encino Man, George of the Jungle, Blast from the Past, etc. up through all of the Mummy films and Journey to the Center of the Earth, he seems to always be in a state of trying to revive his career with a reeeeaaaally dumb-looking campfest. The kicker? He can actually do a serious movie when his life depends on it. I've seen School Ties and Crash. I liked 'em. So I don't know what this dude's deal is.
I might just have to nominate Sandra Bullock for Queen of Stupid Movies. This includes several rom-coms that I'll admit to seeing and perhaps even liking a little in some cases (even though they were still kinda dumb), drivel that I steered entirely clear of like Miss Congeniality and its sequel, and drivel that I was unfortunate enough to see like 28 Days and Hope Floats (yeah, you know what else floats before I flush it?)
And Sandra Bullock was Brendan Fraser's wife in Crash. Go figure. (I know a lot of other folks hated that movie, so perhaps this is fitting.)
You guys got any suggestions for ascendancy to the Stupid Movies throne?
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Josh
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« Reply #1 on: January 14, 2009, 01:26:57 PM » |
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Fraser is a good choice, but how about Keanu Reeves?
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murlough23
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« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2009, 01:37:38 PM » |
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Fraser is a good choice, but how about Keanu Reeves?
Yes! I hated the first Matrix and didn't bother with the others, and Keanu did two dumb movies with Sandra Bullock. WIN. (Of course I loved the first Bill & Ted, but it's still a pretty stupid movie.) |
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Aaron
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« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2009, 02:18:56 PM » |
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Yes! I hated the first Matrix and didn't bother with the others, and Keanu did two dumb movies with Sandra Bullock.
WIN.
(Of course I loved the first Bill & Ted, but it's still a pretty stupid movie.)
Johnny Mnemonic Dracula My Own Private Idaho Point Break Dangerous Liaisons Sweet November The Gift The Watcher The Replacements Constantine Feeling Minnesota Chain Reaction Can't believe I've seen all these..ugh |
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Josh
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« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2009, 02:19:40 PM » |
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Sophomoric, stoner comedies sort of play to his strengths as an actor/human being, huh?
As for actresses, I would be inclined to add Kate Hudson to the list, were it not for her great work in Almost Famous, which is coming more and more to look like a total fluke.
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bethany
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« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2009, 02:24:08 PM » |
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As for actresses, I would be inclined to add Kate Hudson to the list, were it not for her great work in Almost Famous, which is coming more and more to look like a total fluke.
Seriously. Talk about one hit wonders. How about Drew Barrymore? |
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murlough23
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« Reply #6 on: January 14, 2009, 02:31:49 PM » |
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Kate Hudson: Tough call. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, despite the absurd premise, is some genuinely funny stuff. Alex & Emma wasn't bad. Beyond that, I guess we do get diminishing returns.
Drew Barrymore's been in too many movies that I liked to be in the running. E.T. is classic, The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates rank among my favorite comedies without being particularly moronic in the process, and I'll admit to having a soft spot for Ever After. Her filmography is sort of overrun with "what the hell was she thinking?" entries, though.
I almost want to nominate Matthew McConaughey for the sole reason that he plays the same guy in every movie, but there's the aforementioned How to Lose a Guy, plus I really liked Amistad and Contact.
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bethany
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« Reply #7 on: January 14, 2009, 02:38:13 PM » |
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I think you must have a lot higher tolerance for romantic comedies than I do. I would grudgingly let The Wedding Singer slide, but I HATED How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days. Didn't last through more than 10 mins. of 50 First Dates.
I forgot about E.T. I'd say that's the one thing that would knock her off the list, though it is a technicality, since she was like 2 years old, and ever since she's started choosing her own projects, they've been more or less uniformly bad.
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murlough23
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« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2009, 02:50:22 PM » |
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I think you must have a lot higher tolerance for romantic comedies than I do. I would grudgingly let The Wedding Singer slide, but I HATED How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days. Didn't last through more than 10 mins. of 50 First Dates. I used to be a hopeless romantic, which might explain my higher tolerance for rom-coms in the 90's than now. Now real life fulfills my romantic needs and I treat movies with a higher amount of cynicism as a result. The rom-coms that I still enjoy might be terribly believable in the romance department, but I don't particularly care so long as the comedy is sharp. How to Lose a Guy and 50 First Dates pass that test for me - the former because of its humorous exaggeration of stuff that real girlfriends do to piss guys off all the time (so basically the un-romantic aspect of it), and the latter because it's ripe with amusing gags on its memory-loss premise. I can see why a lot of folks might hate both movies, though. And I've definitely been getting diminishing returns from the genre of late. |
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Vlad!
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« Reply #9 on: January 14, 2009, 02:57:58 PM » |
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I think Tom Green needs an honorable mention just for being associated with stupid stuff in so many different capacities.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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murlough23
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« Reply #10 on: January 14, 2009, 03:05:57 PM » |
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I think Tom Green needs an honorable mention just for being associated with stupid stuff in so many different capacities.
Being married to Drew Barrymore for a short while probably helped her stupid movie quotient. (I think he was in the first Charlie's Angels, which I actually enjoyed for its over-the-top stupidity. I didn't bother with the sequel.) |
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bloop
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« Reply #11 on: January 14, 2009, 03:39:34 PM » |
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Definitely Philip Seymour Hoffman and Judi Dench.  |
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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murlough23
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« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2009, 04:10:57 PM » |
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It's "Dumb Judi Dench". You forgot the honorific.
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Wildcatblue7
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« Reply #13 on: January 14, 2009, 04:20:09 PM » |
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Yes! I hated the first Matrix and didn't bother with the others, and Keanu did two dumb movies with Sandra Bullock.
WIN.
(Of course I loved the first Bill & Ted, but it's still a pretty stupid movie.)
If Keanu weren't so beautiful, I would probably hate him. That said, I like Bill & Ted (yeah, both, although the second is stoooooopid), the first Matrix, and Constantine...and the scene where he throws the dog in Point Break. haha. And I can't believe there's been no mention of Eddie Murphy yet. I think he wins hands down. |
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murlough23
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« Reply #14 on: January 14, 2009, 04:25:23 PM » |
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That said, I like Bill & Ted (yeah, both, although the second is stoooooopid) Weren't you like not even born yet when the first Bill & Ted came out? (Not that this is a bad thing, or precludes you from having any perspective on the movie. The first Star Wars just barely predates me.) And I can't believe there's been no mention of Eddie Murphy yet. I think he wins hands down. Seriously. Even after getting that Oscar nod for Dreamgirls, he seems to be determined to make the most idiotic live-action cartoons possible. Which is why he works best as an actual cartoon - see Shrek. (I can't attest to whether Dreamgirls is dumb. There are plenty of intelligent musicals that I steer clear of.) NP: "Masterswarm", Andrew Bird |
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« Last Edit: January 14, 2009, 04:27:46 PM by murlough23 »
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AldaForPresident
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« Reply #15 on: January 14, 2009, 05:38:20 PM » |
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I nominate Adam Sandler. I know most of his movies are supposed to be "funny," but whenever I see a trailer with him in it all I can do is shield my eyes in horror.
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murlough23
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« Reply #16 on: January 14, 2009, 05:43:05 PM » |
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I nominate Adam Sandler. I know most of his movies are supposed to be "funny," but whenever I see a trailer with him in it all I can do is shield my eyes in horror.
He's done a handful of "serious" movies, with varying degrees of success. Though I guess that's what all the cool comics are trying to do nowadays. |
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Aaron
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« Reply #17 on: January 14, 2009, 05:58:29 PM » |
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I think he wins hands down.
because of the last 10-12 years, yes. However, Coming to America and Beverly Hills Cop 1 are two of the funniest films I have ever seen. |
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murlough23
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« Reply #18 on: January 14, 2009, 06:00:55 PM » |
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I think everyone on the list has some notable exceptions that were actually good movies. That's what sets them apart from the glut of C-listers who automatically tip you off that it's a sleazy, over-the-top, and/or lowest-common-denominator film just by virtue of their being anywhere near it. These "Stupid Movie Monarchs" are people that we've been groomed to expect something better from, I guess.
NP: "Like a Dream", After Edmund
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Wildcatblue7
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« Reply #19 on: January 14, 2009, 09:43:50 PM » |
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Weren't you like not even born yet when the first Bill & Ted came out?
(Not that this is a bad thing, or precludes you from having any perspective on the movie. The first Star Wars just barely predates me.)
I think it released in 89, so I would have been...one...barely. haha. Re: Wanderer--I guess I just find it disappointing that the same guy can take a role like Trading Places and be so funny or absolutely tear up SNL as a 20-year-old and then take horrible roles like Norbit. |
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Aaron
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« Reply #20 on: January 15, 2009, 01:57:49 AM » |
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Re: Wanderer--I guess I just find it disappointing that the same guy can take a role like Trading Places and be so funny or absolutely tear up SNL as a 20-year-old and then take horrible roles like Norbit.
I concur 100% |
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RedcoatJones
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« Reply #21 on: January 15, 2009, 08:14:02 AM » |
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How about Cuba Gooding Jr.? He showed so much promise with Jerry Maguire and Boyz in the Hood. And then:
Pearl Harbor
Rat Race
Snow Dogs
Boat Trip
Radio (his shot at the "disability" acting award)
Norbit
Daddy Day Camp
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T-Bone
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« Reply #22 on: January 15, 2009, 11:51:20 AM » |
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Ben Stiller. I can't think of a movie I like with him in it.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #23 on: January 15, 2009, 12:01:53 PM » |
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Ben Stiller. I can't think of a movie I like with him in it.
I appreciated him in Arrested Development (I realize this is not a movie) because his character fits him so well (egocentric douchebag). |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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bethany
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« Reply #24 on: January 15, 2009, 12:04:40 PM » |
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Ben Stiller. I can't think of a movie I like with him in it.
The Royal Tenenbaums? Hello? I also liked Zoolander before everyone started over-quoting it and ruining it. In other small TV turns, he had a nice little role on Freaks and Geeks in one episode. Also The Ben Stiller Show had its moments. |
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T-Bone
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« Reply #25 on: January 15, 2009, 12:17:52 PM » |
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The Royal Tenenbaums? Hello? I also liked Zoolander before everyone started over-quoting it and ruining it.
While I have heard good things about The Royal Tenenbaums I haven't seen it, so I'll reserve my judgement. I will take a stab in the dark and guess that it isn't good because of Stiller. Hated Zoolander. |
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bloop
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« Reply #26 on: January 15, 2009, 12:24:22 PM » |
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Royal Tenenbaums and Zoolander were really good. I liked "Tropic Thunder", too. Stiller's alright.
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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murlough23
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« Reply #27 on: January 15, 2009, 01:24:00 PM » |
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Man, I forgot Cuba Gooding, Jr. was even still around. His star sure fizzled fast, didn't it?
I also didn't realize that anyone other than Eddie Murphy was actually in Norbit.
I'll second Stiller being OK. Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers were hilarious, the first Madagascar was pretty good (haven't seen the sequel), Keeping the Faith still makes me laugh, and despite some of the gross-out gags not being my style, I also liked There's Something About Mary. I've seen The Royal Tenenbaums and I can't say it was bad, but it kind of weirded me out more than it amde me laugh. Stiller's been in a few movies that looked pretty stupid, but given that he's a guy I kind of expect lowbrow comedy from, I've been pleasantly surprised several times.
NP: "English House", Fleet Foxes
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NewDimension
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« Reply #28 on: January 15, 2009, 05:40:12 PM » |
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Man, I forgot Cuba Gooding, Jr. was even still around. His star sure fizzled fast, didn't it? To me, the best movie he was in, that was the most hilarious, was Snow Dogs. His brother...I forgot his name, but he does Christian rap. the first Madagascar was pretty good (haven't seen the sequel) Agreed. Stupid movies.... Stupid in the hilarious kind of way, or stupid in the unintelligently boring kind of way? Or both? I'll say.... What About Bob Mrs. Doubtfire The Santa Claus The Attack of the Terrible Tomatos There's many more I know of... |
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murlough23
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« Reply #29 on: January 15, 2009, 06:20:38 PM » |
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To me, the best movie he was in, that was the most hilarious, was Snow Dogs. That movie's existence was one of the first signs of his career tanking, I think. Movies with Cuba in them that I enjoyed include As Good as It Gets, What Dreams May Come (yes, it got critically reamed, but I liked that oen), and of course Jerry Ma-@%#!ing-guire. The most recent thing I've seen him in was Rat Race, which I forgot he was even in. Clearly the movie didn't stick with me. Most of what he's done in the 00's has looked unforgivingly stupid. Apparently he was in Boyz n the Hood and A Few Good Men, which I haven't seen, but which look like respectable films. His brother...I forgot his name, but he does Christian rap. Is that Omar Gooding, or does he have other brothers? I remember Omar from waaaaay back in the day when he was a host on Wild & Crazy Kids, which my brother and I watched because we had just gotten cable and we watched anything that (a) had kids in it, (b) was on Nickelodeon, and (c) annoyed our parents. That was back when I watched really dumb movies aimed at kids. I probably would have watched Snow Dogs if it had been released back then; I certainly dragged my mom to every God-awful Mighty Ducks sequel. Stupid movies.... Stupid in the hilarious kind of way, or stupid in the unintelligently boring kind of way? Or both? I suppose I've made no distinction here because I've cited actors who were in "stupid" movies that I actually liked... it's a bit subjective. Something like Bill & Ted, I'd call a "stupid movie" because it is intentionally bone-headed in terms of the attitude of its characters and the dumb jokes and so forth, but I wouldn't call it "stupid" in the sense that it has no redeeming value. You have to consider whether it's intentionally funny or unintentionally funny (i.e. humorous because it's just an inherently bad film). What About Bob Oh man... you're messing with a classic now. That movie is HILARIOUS. Sure, its lead character is an idiot savant, but that's the fun of it - how he gets the upper hand against the smart and well-mannered guy who just wants to get rid of him, without really even trying. Since you brought up a Bill Murray movie, I should mention that a former college roommate of mine, who now teaches at Pepperdine University, has run into a few celebrities at times while playing in a local basketball league. He once thought he saw Bill Murray on an opposing team, but it turned out to just be a guy who looked like Bill Murray, but who was older and not at all funny. My friend's comment: "So basically, he's like Bill Murray today." Anyway, I don't see a common thread of actors in the stupid movies you mentioned. The intent is to name actors who have been in a string of bad movies, not so much individual movies themselves (there are always plenty of those, and virtually no celebrity manages to avoid being in at least a few). And I can't believe I got this far without mentioning Ben Affleck. |
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Aaron
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« Reply #30 on: January 15, 2009, 06:31:28 PM » |
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What Dreams May Come was terrible. I want that part of my life back.
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murlough23
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« Reply #31 on: January 15, 2009, 06:33:25 PM » |
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What Dreams May Come was terrible. I want that part of my life back.
What can I say, I was a sensitive sap back then. NP: "All I Want", The Violet Burning |
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NewDimension
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« Reply #32 on: January 15, 2009, 07:29:17 PM » |
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Most of what he's done in the 00's has looked unforgivingly stupid. That's true. Is that Omar Gooding, or does he have other brothers? Yeah, that's Omar. I don't think he has any other brothers. Oh man... you're messing with a classic now. That movie is HILARIOUS. Sure, its lead character is an idiot savant, but that's the fun of it - how he gets the upper hand against the smart and well-mannered guy who just wants to get rid of him, without really even trying. It is hilarious. One of my favorite comedy movies. Since they portray Bob as an idiot, that's reason I listed it. But it's not entirely stupid since it was their intention of portraying Bob like that in the film. Anyway, I don't see a common thread of actors in the stupid movies you mentioned. The intent is to name actors who have been in a string of bad movies, not so much individual movies themselves (there are always plenty of those, and virtually no celebrity manages to avoid being in at least a few). Ah, Okay. Actors who are commonly in stupid movies... Jim Varney... in those Ernest movies. Anthony Anderson has been in some that were really stupid. Such as See Spot Run, Kangaroo Jack, & Agent Cody Banks 2.Would Jackie Chan movies count? |
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bloop
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« Reply #33 on: January 15, 2009, 07:29:35 PM » |
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And I can't believe I got this far without mentioning Ben Affleck. The more Affleck works with Kevin Smith, the better it is for him. That said, his directorial debut with "Gone Baby Gone" was decent. |
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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murlough23
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« Reply #34 on: January 15, 2009, 07:41:04 PM » |
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It is hilarious. One of my favorite comedy movies. Since they portray Bob as an idiot, that's reason I listed it. But it's not entirely stupid since it was their intention of portraying Bob like that in the film. I think that's a movie about stupidity, not a stupid movie. Different thing entirely. (Plus I don't think Bob is particularly stupid... clueless and socially awkward and in need of psychiatric help, yes, but that's not the same thing.) Jim Varney... in those Ernest movies. True, but what about the first two Toy Story films? Those are classic. (Varney will obviously not be in the third.) Would Jackie Chan movies count? Maybe. His "comedy kung fu" shtick was fun for a while, but it's gotten old. I'm not sure why I watched the sequels to Rush Hour. I didn't realize that Jackie Chan was the voice of Master Monkey in Kung Fu Panda (which was way less stupid than it looked) until the credits. NP: "Evil Urges", My Morning Jacket |
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