Movies you didn't expect to like

[Attrage]

So there I am, staring blankly at my wall of dvds, unable to choose something to kill a couple hours on an idle Tuesday night. So I turned to my then room-mate’s meagre collection which mainly consisted of episodes of sex and the city and my eye came across The Constant Gardener. This was one of those movies I skipped upon it’s release because frankly, it looked boring as hell. But I figured I’d give it a go. Surprisingly I found myself absolutely riveted for two hours. I had no idea it was a kind of thriller, I thought it would be one of those movies where people, um, come to terms with things... A very pleasant surprise and a movie I would definitely recommend. What are some movies that have pleasantly surprised you?

[yellow ledbetter]

Apocalypto- say what you will about Mel Gibson, but he's a DAMN good filmmaker
the first Pirates of the Caribbean- I really just kind of expected a cruddy Disney movie, I was dead wrong
Do the Right Thing- I always kind of avoided Spike Lee movies, because I heard they're really preachy, but I just watched this in a film class and I wanna know where this movie's been all my life?

[mkiker2089]

I'll second Pirates of the Caribbean.

I thought I would HATE the first Harry Potter movie. I only went to see if because it was free and since it had a long runtime was the last movie starting. It was basically a free ticket to that or go home. I liked it so much that I own them all, some on Blu Ray even.

I expected Shutter Island to be just another cliche driven teenage style horror film. When I say teen I mean in the vein of the Scream movies where it's less horror and more action with a few loud sounds to make people jump. I was blown away by the style of film however. The movie has a sense of quality to it as well that I can't quite put to words. Everything it polished from the great soundtrack to the acting and the set pieces even.

People think I'm crazy when I say this one but Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. What amazes me most about that movie is the soundtrack that seems to spot on match the intensity of what's on the screen.

Do TV shows count?

I expected to hate Castle. It kept showing up in me "recommendations" on Hulu and I just ignored it for weeks but after having seen a few episodes it's really grown on me.

Netflix has done that to me a few times as well. IT Crowd springs to mind. It kept putting it in different categories to get my attention and I kept passing it. Finally I watched it and was hooked ever since.

[Dunnyman]

Tangled. Yeah, I'm jaded by the easy excellence that Pixar delivers each and every time, and I'd lost faith in Disney's ability to deliver a great animated film. Boy was I wrong. Funny, charming, and entertaining as all get out. Plus it was freaking gorgeously done. Not quite as slick as Pixar, but miles ahead of Dreamwork's crap.

[Dave Ryan]

Good topic!

There have been a few things that I thought I wouldn't like that I turned out liking (or loving), the most recent of which was Zombieland. But the big one for me was....

Galaxy Quest.

I honestly don't think it was necessarily wrong of me to just assume that (Disney + Tim Allen) = horrible pile of crap on a cracker. But I was on a plane, and literally had nothing else to do but watch it. And, of course, it turned out to be fabulous. Who knew?

[Andrew Forbes]

I honestly don't think it was necessarily wrong of me to just assume that (Disney + Tim Allen) = horrible pile of crap on a cracker.

Then again, Disney had nothing to do with Galaxy Quest, so...

[Gabriel Girard]

Josie And The Pussycats -there I said it!

[erich]

People think I'm crazy when I say this one but Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.

I agree! Probably my favorite non-Pixar animated movie in recent memory. I love the book, but there's no good way to make it into a movie. The best decision they made (and really the best anyone who wants to make a good movie out of a book can make) was to use the original as inspiration-only and to just focus on making a fun movie experience.

[Ptolemy]

Josie And The Pussycats -there I said it!

Me too!

hmmm, now that I'm here, I wish I had more to add.

[Dave Ryan]

I honestly don't think it was necessarily wrong of me to just assume that (Disney + Tim Allen) = horrible pile of crap on a cracker.

Then again, Disney had nothing to do with Galaxy Quest, so...

You're right. For some reason I've always had it in my head that it was a Touchstone film, but it was indeed Dreamworks....

[Dan Mancini]

I thought for sure that Doomsday would be a derivative turd. Instead: awesome fun.

[Paul Kile]

Peter Jackson's King Kong. My wife recorded it in HD on our DVR some years ago, and I figured it would be just another vapid remake (I made the mistake of watching the 1976 De Laurentiis debacle, and that's 2 hours of my life I will never get back). But I started watching this version and I was pleasantly surprised. It was clear that Jackson truly cared about Kong, and succeeded in paying homage to the 1933 film. Plus, I got to watch my wife freak out during the giant centipede scene!

And this movie had another benefit, it kicked me in the butt to go out and buy my first HD player.

[Mach6]

People think I'm crazy when I say this one but Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.

I agree! Probably my favorite non-Pixar animated movie in recent memory. I love the book, but there's no good way to make it into a movie. The best decision they made (and really the best anyone who wants to make a good movie out of a book can make) was to use the original as inspiration-only and to just focus on making a fun movie experience.

I 3rd that! It also has Bruce "FREAKIN" Campbell & Mr. T providing their awesome voices.

Dawn of the Dead (2004): After so many awful horror movie remakes (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003 anyone?), I had no desire to watch what I thought would be another one. I skipped it at the theaters & my friends basically forced me to watch it after they rented it. Damn, did I eat a lot of crow on that one. Dead easily became one of my favorite horror/action movies of the 00’s.

Rocky Balboa: I didn’t see the need for another Rocky movie & thought it was a desperate attempt by Stallone to cash in on nostalgia. Even though it got good reviews, I had very low expectations especially since Stallone was also directing. I was very surprised at how Stallone got rid of almost all the cartoonish elements of the sequels & it had the heart & gritty tone of the original. It’s the best sequel of the series & anytime I catch it on TV, I always get hooked to watch it completely.

[tucco]

Okay...one of my best friends was a girl named Marla who was in a band with me....
She LOVED Lifetime Movies....I'd be over there and she put them on and I would be like "oh god a "female oriented movie"....not that there is anything wrong with that ...I just thought they would be VERY light grandma movies or something...light romantic comedies or something...

We watched A FRIEND TO DIE FOR (which was renamed DEATH OF A CHEERLEADER due to the controversial nature of the original title)

Anyway, I loved it! It was based on the true life story of a peripherally popular girl who killed an Alpha female out of jealousy/passion...Kelly Martin, Valerie Harper and Tori Spelling were excellent.....Far more compelling than I anticipated......from '95....actually not an actual Lifetime movie but promoted as that type. I even looked into the real life case and learned something from it.

VIDEO VOYEUR was anther one I was surprised at....a true Lifetime movie....
It was also about a true story about how some guy who planted hidden cameras in his new neighbors' house couldn't be prosecuted because there were NO laws addressing the foul act...
And how the community forgave the "bad guy" until some community pillars found out that they too, were filmed at the victims house getting into their swimsuits......
Was interesting and shocking how the victims had no recourse..

I have to echo ROCKY BALBOA..... it was excellent.
Also SHUTTER ISLAND .....a very well done, high quality story

[Future Man]

I thought for sure that Doomsday would be a derivative turd. Instead: awesome fun.

I side with your expectation and add that it spilled way over the top into nihilistic gore in the 'bonfire' scene. Kennedy/Miller seemed to know to cut away or just give glimpses of such strong stuff.

[Attrage]

I thought for sure that Doomsday would be a derivative turd. Instead: awesome fun.

I'm just quoting your post because your profile pic reminded me of another one for me. I started out Hot Fuzz slumped in my chair ready to sigh and groan my way through it, but ended up, quite literally, rolling on the floor laughing my ass off.
EDIT: um, literally I rolled on the floor. My ass is still attached though.