C'mon, give them another chance! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for movies that were written off by some but have redeeming qualities that make them worthy of reappraisal. Beware of spoilers!
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00:00 "You know, I thought you were stupid, Fran. But I underestimated you."
00:07 Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for movies that were written off
00:11 by some but have redeeming qualities that make them worthy of reappraisal. Beware of spoilers.
00:16 "I level with you 100 percent. Everything I told you was the truth."
00:19 Number 10. Spider-Man 3
00:22 "Who is it that breaks your fall, puts out the flames, and saves your children?"
00:27 "Spider-Man!"
00:29 "They love me."
00:31 Sequels are always difficult to get right, but if there is one we believe was unfairly maligned,
00:35 it's 2007's Spider-Man 3. Although it did very well at the box office,
00:39 the film got mixed reviews from many.
00:41 "Name, please?"
00:42 "Parker, Peter."
00:43 "Ah, here we are. Table for two. Becker."
00:51 "Parker."
00:54 "That is what I said. Becker."
00:56 It received backlash for a lot of things, like its inclusion and portrayal of Venom,
01:00 which director Sam Raimi admitted was a bad choice.
01:03 "What is this? I feel...
01:07 Wow. This feels good."
01:15 But it does have Sandman and a great cast overall. Plus, no one was disappointed by
01:19 the action scenes and terrific special effects, for which the film received multiple award
01:23 nominations. So all in all, the 2007 flick starts to feel like a worthy entry in the franchise.
01:28 9. What Dreams May Come
01:30 "You and Annie are long courtship?"
01:32 "No, actually. From the very first moment, it was like..."
01:36 "Soulmate. It's extremely rare, but it exists."
01:39 Any film that quotes Shakespeare can't be all bad, right?
01:42 This '90s fantasy drama starring Robin Williams follows Chris Nielsen,
01:46 who tries to communicate with his wife after his untimely passing.
01:49 When she dies and is sent to hell, he's determined to save her.
01:52 "What are you punishing her for?"
01:53 "No, it's not punishment."
01:54 "She's suffered enough."
01:55 "No, no, there are no judges or crimes here. Everybody's equal. It's just reality and the
02:00 way things work."
02:01 Many were unimpressed with its plot and hazy story, and most panned it accordingly.
02:05 Still, this film about spiritual love is notable for its unique portrayal of heaven
02:09 and hell as states of mind. Robin Williams and Annabella Sciorra's acting is nothing to scoff at,
02:14 either.
02:14 "He pushed away the pain so hard, he disconnected himself from the person he loved the most."
02:20 "Sometimes when you win, you lose."
02:26 If you're interested in dreams and shaking off mortal coils, this film is worth checking out.
02:31 #8. The Majestic
02:33 "Do you remember me?"
02:34 "No, but I'll sure try."
02:39 Criticized as overly sentimental and mushy, this film about a 1950s screenwriter may be
02:43 worth a second look. The Majestic follows Peter Appleton as claims of communism are levied against
02:48 him. "They're saying that you attended those meetings while you were in college. Is that
02:52 wrong, Peter? Who's 'they'? "Congress, FBI, Red Channels? It doesn't matter who 'they' is.
02:58 They know who 'they' are, that's enough."
03:00 That leads to an accident, which leads to him winding up in a small town with amnesia.
03:04 Yes, the film is something of a cheesy piont to small-town Americana, and its poor box office
03:09 performance reflected that. Even so, Jim Carrey's performance is notable, proving his versatility
03:13 beyond comic parts. "Knowing my son is alive."
03:18 "That's not too shabby, is it?"
03:22 Moreover, the critique of McCarthyism and its dangers to civil liberties makes The Majestic
03:27 important viewing. #7. The Boondock Saints
03:30 "ID just came back on these guys. They got connections with the Russian mob.
03:34 That makes it a federal matter. And Agent Smecker here is heading up the investigation
03:40 with our full cooperation." "Why don't you get me a cup of coffee?"
03:44 Irish twin brothers must escape the wrath of the Russian mafia in this tense action thriller.
03:48 Today, it has a cult following, but things were fraught at the time of release. When the decision
03:52 was made to go with a limited release, as the Columbine tragedy had just occurred,
03:56 critics were also quick to decry the over-the-top violence. And it is violent.
04:00 "Television." "Television is the explanation for this."
04:07 "You see this in bad television."
04:09 But many now believe Boondock Saints is worthy of praise. No doubt that the darkly comic tone
04:14 stylish action sequences and great performances by Willem Dafoe, Billy Connolly, and many others
04:18 helped a great deal. "What? You guys got masks?"
04:26 If you ask us, entertaining action flicks have their place, too.
04:29 #6. Vanilla Sky "When did you stop caring, David?"
04:33 "Caring about what?" "About the consequences of the promises
04:38 that you've made." "Promises?"
04:41 "Yeah, the promises." Remake fatigue is real, but did this English
04:44 language take on a Spanish sci-fi film deserve so much hate? The Tom Cruise-led flick is about
04:48 David Ames, whose face is seriously injured in a car crash. After a successful operation, however,
04:53 he notices that things are not at all as they appear. "The headaches will go away."
04:57 "No, these...these are more than headaches. These are like steel plates slicing through my
05:04 every thought." Vanilla Sky may not be as riveting as its counterpart, but it is faithful to its
05:09 themes of faith, technology, and ethics. Is it hard to make heads or tails of it at times? Yes,
05:13 but sometimes things being open to interpretation is part of the point,
05:17 as is the protagonist being hard to root for. "This is a revolution of the mind."
05:22 "Thank you for the coffee." All in all, this is a remake worth checking out.
05:36 5. The Village
05:37 "You may run from sorrow as we have. Sorrow will find you.
05:42 It can smell you." M. Night Shyamalan can't catch a break, can he? With such a mixed filmmaking
05:51 career, some gems are bound to be overlooked. The Village centers on its title location and
05:56 the people living there, seemingly terrorized by creatures in the woods.
05:59 "I ask permission to cross into the Forbidden Woods and travel to the nearest town. I will
06:05 gather new medicines, and I will return." The plot twist the story largely hinges on was widely
06:10 seen as easy to guess, which contributed to critics at the time rating it rather harshly.
06:14 But like Shyamalan's similarly creepy film signs, The Village's moody atmosphere and
06:18 themes of alienation and trauma are not to be dismissed. That's even more true considering
06:23 the insular communities and authoritarian tendencies in today's world. "If there were
06:26 no limitations, what could be done?" "What are you asking me?"
06:34 Number 4. Hook
06:35 "I got it." "I got it?" "I found it!" "I lost it."
06:43 "Just hold that heavy thought, Peter!" Derided by some for its typically Spielbergian
06:50 sentimentality, this Peter Pan film nevertheless has a lot going for it. The premise reimagines
06:54 Peter Pan as a busy lawyer who has a distant relationship with his family.
06:58 "Your children love you. They want to play with you. How long do you think that lasts?"
07:04 "Soon Jack may not even want you to come to his games."
07:09 When his kids are taken by Captain Hook, he must remember his past and reconnect with
07:12 his inner child. It's a creative take on the tale we know, complete with colorful cinematography
07:17 and gorgeous costumes. Critics may have been largely underwhelmed, but general audiences
07:21 have seemingly found themselves hooked on the story. "What do you want, old man?"
07:25 "Just you." Perhaps it's time to pay this Neverland another visit?
07:34 3. National Treasure "What was the secret?"
07:36 "A treasure. A treasure beyond all imagining." Any movie that has a treasure map on the back
07:48 of the Declaration of Independence is definitely worth considering. Here, historian and treasure
07:53 hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates acts on a hint from his grandfather about a hidden treasure,
07:57 incurring the attention of bad actors. "Ian, I'm not going to let you steal the
08:03 Declaration of Independence." "Okay. From this point on, all you're going to be is a hindrance."
08:10 National Treasure is an old-fashioned adventure film at its core, which surely made it a target
08:15 for hatred. Dubious premise aside, it's a real treat for fans of the genre. Much of the fun
08:19 stems from Nicolas Cage, who delivers the trademark lively, unhinged acting we cannot dare our eyes
08:24 away from. "Hi. Do you have a cell phone I could borrow?" Also, Sean Bean survives. It's a miracle.
08:35 2. Waterworld "You know what this is?"
08:38 "I drop it, you burn." "We all burn. Now wait, wait, wait."
08:50 The costliest film made at the time of release, Waterworld is perhaps more relevant than ever.
08:54 Set in a world where climate change has melted the polar ice caps,
08:58 it follows the Mariner on his journey to the fabled dry land.
09:01 "They say if you read the marks on the child, they'll lead you all the way to dry land."
09:07 "Dry land's a myth." "Oh, some still believe."
09:11 It's a big blockbuster with a brain, yet many were disappointed, feeling its message was
09:15 compromised by spectacle. Still, we can't overlook the way the amazing effects and
09:18 cinematography come together to create a convincing universe.
09:21 "It seems to be some ancient form of geographic location. Latitude, longitude.
09:27 It doesn't make sense, though. The numbers, they seem to be backwards or something."
09:31 "It's upside down." While the plot and characters may be lacking in spots,
09:35 it's a well-made and perfectly good sci-fi flick.
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09:52 1. The Godfather Part 3
09:56 "Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment."
10:02 Admittedly, The Godfather really is a tough act to follow. With such pressure and sky-high
10:06 expectations, it was inevitable that its sequels would get the short end of the critical stick,
10:11 at least at first. The fact that Part 3 was reportedly called more of an epilogue than
10:15 part of the central story didn't help matters.
10:17 "I have come here because our business together is done. We have prospered,
10:25 and now it is time for us to dissolve the business relationship."
10:30 But this is still a Godfather film, and Michael's repentance and futile attempts to
10:34 extricate him and his family from his life of crime makes for a compelling tragedy.
10:38 Dividing performances and execution aside, Part 3 is a bittersweet coda that
10:42 chronicles the end of Michael's journey with poignant, clear-eyed logic.
10:45 "Give me a chance to redeem myself, and I will sin no more."
10:56 Which other critically lambasted trash is your hidden treasure?
10:59 Let us know in the comments down below.
11:00 "See?"
11:10 "We need more juice."
11:14 "I need more heat."
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11:23 [Music]