#3
Unbroken
DIR. Angelina Jolie
SPOT ON MOST ANTICIPATED OF 2014 LIST: #31
Not only was Unbroken a bad film, it was a supremely disappointing one, but as soon as I was a quarter of the way through Laura Hillenbrand’s book I pretty much knew a filmed adaptation would be next to impossible, which is the number one reason Unbroken makes my most disappointing list and not my worst of list. I’m not sure this one ever stood a chance, especially in the hands of an unproven filmmaker as Jolie appears to have bitten off way more than she could chew.
REVIEW SNIPPET:
How Hillenbrand’s book was turned into this travesty is unfathomable. While reading the story of Zamperini you can tell early on it’s going to be a tough nut to crack. His time before becoming an Olympic runner and his efforts to even race in Hitler’s Olympics, up to and including shaking the Führer’s hand (not seen in the movie by the way), is enough for a movie in and of itself. Once he enters the war it’s more than a second chapter in his life, it’s enough to be another life altogether, a life wherein a three act structure doesn’t fit and it clearly had Jolie and the film’s team of screenwriters at a loss.
Read my full review here.
#2
Guardians of the Galaxy
DIR. James Gunn
SPOT ON MOST ANTICIPATED OF 2014 LIST: #34
I wanted to like Guardians of the Galaxy, I really did, but it just wasn’t meant to be. It would be great to join the crowd and share in the love for Marvel’s movies, or at least be able to say, “Yeah, that was fun,” but as much as I disliked Guardians it would be even worse feigning interest for something I just didn’t enjoy.
REVIEW SNIPPET:
Guardians of the Galaxy is bland, holding absolutely zero surprises. The only questions being which song from the ’70s will be used next and when will the showdown with Ronan take place so the credits can roll? I, however, know I am on the outside looking in when it comes to this opinion. As bored as I was, laughing only periodically at something Rocket said or Groot did, my audience was fully enraptured, clapping at scenes in the middle of the movie and wholly caught up in the entire thing. Different strokes for different folks I suppose, and I do hope audiences get more enjoyment out of it I did.
Read my full review here.
#1
The Monuments Men
DIR. George Clooney
SPOT ON MOST ANTICIPATED OF 2014 LIST: #13
When The Monuments Men was delayed, George Clooney told The Los Angeles Times, “We just didn’t have enough time. If any of the effects looked cheesy, the whole movie would look cheesy. We simply don’t have enough people to work enough hours to finish it.”
So, it was visual effects eh? A little more light was shed on the matter within the emails leaked from Sony, which included a back-and-forth between Clooney and Sony’s Amy Pascal.
From The Daily Beast:
On a more sympathetic note, a lengthy email correspondence between Pascal and George Clooney over The Monuments Men reveals the filmmaker’s extreme anxiety for–and lack of confidence in–the project. In an email dated January 29, 2014, with the subject line “it’s getting worse,” Clooney wrote to Pascal, “I need some protection from all the reviews. Let’s just make it a hit. I haven’t slept in 30 hours. And it’s 7 am.” Pascal replied, “we will protect you by making money… that’s the best revenge.”
In the end, it’s clear what Clooney was going for just didn’t work. The tone of the piece was way off and I think it began with the decision to make it something of a comedy rather than a dramatic telling of what is a truly compelling story. Oh well…
REVIEW SNIPPET:
Adapted from the book by Robert Edsel, The Monuments Men gave the impression Clooney and his writing partner Grant Heslov (The Ides of March) were going to turn this WWII treasure hunt of sorts into a lighter, less straight-faced feature, but what it ends up being is a rather flat, weightless journey across Europe as we watch a bunch of people drive around while telling us exactly what they’re doing at every turn. Worst of all, we never get an idea of who any of these people are. I didn’t even really know any of their names until the end and even then it might have only been a last name at best.
Read my full review here.
That does it for me, now it’s your turn. What were your most disappointing movies of 2014? What were you looking forward to seeing that just didn’t make the cut? What did others love that you just couldn’t get on board with? Let’s see your lists and reasons in the comments below.
