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Movies that seem dumb but are actually smart

I really don't know if the writers of 1990's 'Jacob's Ladder' knew that their little low budget mind-fuck horror-ish film would be taken as a film that was deep as fuck upon multiple watches, and have people analyzing it scene-by-scene even now.

'Event Horizon' will always be the tale of a ship that entered The Immaterium without a Gellar Field during the Dark Age of Technology.

'The King of New York' has been told multiple times much better, as a story about a mobster reclaiming his empire after leaving prison. This movie just turns it up to 11 at every turn, and subverts a lot of tropes. The funeral scene alone is wild as hell.
 
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Spaceman292

Banned
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One of my fav movies.
No, that's just a dumb movie that's actually dumb.
 

KrakenIPA

Member
No, that's just a dumb movie that's actually dumb.
You gonna contribute to the thread or just shit on my take? The movie's plot is dumb AF and the characters are fuckin clown shoes, but do not discount the physical comedy of Kevin James as derivative or plebian, the man is a genius when it comes to utilizing his body for laughs. He's no Chris Farley, but if anyone had to pick up that torch, it was KJ.

How about you, what movie do you think is a good fit?
 

HE1NZ

Banned
Here's another one. Last great Bond movie. Completely dismissed, but it has most depth for a Bond movie since On Your Majesty's Secret Service. It's short and doesn't do a good job developing the bad guys, but it's not about them. It's about Bond coping with the events of CS and his relationship with M. It's well made and has a lot of subtlety in non action scenes. It get better on every rewatch too.


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the man is a genius when it comes to utilizing his body for laughs. He's no Chris Farley, but if anyone had to pick up that torch, it was KJ.


wrong vince vaughn GIF



Being fat and making basic fat jokes about yourself in every single movie isn't "genius". Honey Boo Boo's mum is funnier than this dude.
 
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KrakenIPA

Member
Was Honey Boo Boo's mum on your wishlist for the next "making fat jokes" movie?

You wish you could slide across the mall floor with flair like Kevin James. You wish you could wrestle a peacock, you wish you could do a double toe-tap swan dive into the public pool. We all do. We all wish we had the drive of that man.
 
Was Honey Boo Boo's mum on your wishlist for the next "making fat jokes" movie?

You wish you could slide across the mall floor with flair like Kevin James. You wish you could wrestle a peacock, you wish you could do a double toe-tap swan dive into the public pool. We all do. We all wish we had the drive of that man.

Corporate needs you to find the differences between these two GIFs

kevin james fitness GIF by TV Land
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They're the same GIF
 

GeekyDad

Member
I thought Late Night would be a throwaway, but it ended up having some unexpected depth. A little by-the-numbers, but it ended up being ultimately good for me.
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AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
If you haven't seen Mean Girls, it isn't a dumb chick flick for teenagers. Without a shred of irony, I love this movie and watch it like once every two years.

Even if you don't enjoy your 90 minutes with it, you get some incredible eye candy.

MEAN-GIRLS.jpg
 
S

Sidney Prescott

Unconfirmed Member
A lot of people write the Saw movies off as just gore, but it's actually quite a clever franchise.

Most of them, anyway. A lot of plot twists, and character storylines carrying over multiple films. The traps are also very creative. There is a lot more to it than people give it credit.
 
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AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Oh yeah, watch this movie if you haven't. From a distance looks like completely throwaway and whatever. Is actually one of the most inventive uses of time travel in a movie I've ever seen.

Don't read a thing about it, don't give up when you're halfway through the movie and wondering where it's all going, it's a hell of a ride.

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S

Sidney Prescott

Unconfirmed Member
Oh yeah, watch this movie if you haven't. From a distance looks like completely throwaway and whatever. Is actually one of the most inventive uses of time travel in a movie I've ever seen.

Don't read a thing about it, don't give up when you're halfway through the movie and wondering where it's all going, it's a hell of a ride.

pit8y-81TDJPRX4X3-Full-Image_GalleryBackground-en-US-1589805077354._SX1080_.jpg
+1

That movie was incredible. Everyone should see it. Ethan Hawke at his best, one of the most consistent actors working today in my book. It's well worth sticking with and paying attention to it.
 

DonJorginho

Banned
A lot of people write the Saw movies off as just gore, but it's actually quite a clever franchise.

Most of them, anyway. A lot of plot twists, and character storylines carrying over multiple films. The traps are also very creative. There is a lot more to it than people give it credit.
I would agree up to IV, then the series took a nosedive, still a lot better than just needless gore like the Hostel films are though.
 

RAÏSanÏa

Member
Ravenous.

Name and premise on the surface sounds dumb gore film. Corny in so many ways, but winds up being greater than the sum of its parts and is a masterpiece cannibal movie. Smart in keeping unexplained how the supernatural elements work. Boyd's struggle with trying to understand what was happening rather than just giving into it and how that played between the main characters contributed to a lot of smart elements. Had a lot of source material. Rich hammy performance from Carlyle. Damon Albarn and Michael Nyman soundtrack.
 

Quasicat

Member
roger-rabbit.jpg


Who Framed Roger Rabbit

At first glance it's a silly cartoon/live action movie all kids can enjoy. But as an adult i appreciated a ton of things more about it.
This is an amazing movie and I’m still learning about its production. I was just reading in a book called “Whose Afraid of the Song of the South” where they focus on censored Disney movies.
Apparently in every Betty Boop short, there are 6 frames that expose her nipples. When Who Framed Roger Rabbit came to theaters, this was snuck in as a tribute to Max Fleischer but was discovered before the home video version was released and was edited out.
 

A underrated Steven King adaptation. A good tale about the cost of vengeance. The gypsy portrayal is very blithe but a lot of the performances are very good. I wouldn’t go into the movie as a horror film but rather a thriller.
Very good call. This movie got shit on pretty heavily when it came out and I hadn't seen it until maybe 5-6 years ago, but it's turned into one of my favorite King adaptations.
 

Imotekh

Member
Thinner was hilarious but I can't tell if it was meant to be. Just the setup of this fat guy being too distracted by a blowjob to avoid running over a gypsy sounds like a joke.

My pick would be Bubba Hotep
 
Babe: Pig in the City sounds like it would be some straight to video low budget trash. But Mad Max director George Miller invests this movie with so much craft and loving attention, it is a pure joy to experience. It is full of weird random characters, human as well as animal, and the set design is really unique and stylized, creating an enchanting world for Babe to get lost in. Full of all kinds of quick gags and great production.



There is a lot of incredible cinematography in this film:

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Arkam

Member
'The King of New York' has been told multiple times much better, as a story about a mobster reclaiming his empire after leaving prison. This movie just turns it up to 11 at every turn, and subverts a lot of tropes. The funeral scene alone is wild as hell.
very underrated crime movie. I had personally never heard of it til last year where I watched it on a (reluctant) whim. Was very solid. Not sure why it’s “forgotten” when it is comparable to its beloved contemporaries (like Carlitos Way).
 
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