Movies that look stupid but turn out good.

[Artemis@BC]

Throwing another into the mix (and going back a bit): Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. The trailers made it look like a bathroom humour fest, but it was much, much better than that. Plus with Michael Caine + Steve Martin, how can you lose?

And one that looked like a brainless teencom but was so much better: Easy A.

Agree with others about Galaxy Quest, How to Train Your Dragon, and Enchanted, all surpassing my expectations.

[aliceanne]

Sherlock Holmes was also a surprise for me. I love the stories by Sir A.C. Doyle, hate the dry, dowdy, PBS versions.

I saw the trailers for the movie and it looked like a typical action picture with lots of explosions and chase scenes and not much else. I picked up the dvd and loved it. It contains random characters from various SH stories and they are portrayed perfectly in all their wonderful eccentricities. Holmes and Watson are just the way I imagined them. Besides the big action scenes there are a lot of little clues strewn along the way, and you pick up more of them each time you watch it. The movie is not deep, just pure fun, as the author intended.

P.S. I loved Richard Dornbush for using the music from that movie. It suited him to a T.

[Artemis@BC]

Sherlock Holmes ... The movie is not deep, just pure fun, as the author intended.

ITA. I had an argument with the friend with whom I went to the movie. He didn't care for the "modernizing," and thought that Conan Doyle would be rolling in his grave. I disagreed strongly: Conan Doyle was a bit of a maverick himself, and had he written these characters in the 21st century I think that's pretty close to how he would have written them. I loved the film, and can't wait for the sequel due out later this year.

Of course I also really loved the new BBC TV series "Sherlock."

[aliceanne]

ITA. I had an argument with the friend with whom I went to the movie. He didn't care for the "modernizing," and thought that Conan Doyle would be rolling in his grave. I disagreed strongly: Conan Doyle was a bit of a maverick himself, and had he written these characters in the 21st century I think that's pretty close to how he would have written them. I loved the film, and can't wait for the sequel due out later this year.

Of course I also really loved the new BBC TV series "Sherlock."

LOL. I think a lot of people forget that many of the literary classics were orginally written as popular entertainment.

[Cyn]

Ratatoulle was another one that surpassed my expectations.

Ratatouille is probably my favorite Pixar/Disney movie of all time. MiniCyn liked it, but she wasn't nearly as enamored with it as I was - to the point that I could forget that Janeane Garofalo ( ) was the voice of Colette. Almost.

When it came out on DVD, MC didn't want to get one, so I bought a copy for myself . I also have the soundtrack to it (for which Michael Giacchino was nominated for an Oscar), and it's

Has anyone seen Rat Race? One of those movies that you wouldn't think much of but it was hilarious. Had a great cast with lots of cameos.

Rat Race is a freaking riot . When I was a little kid, one of my favorite movies was It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, which has a similar plot. I highly recommend renting it off of Netflix or wherever as it's definitely worth the money. I will say, though, that you have to be in a good and/or silly mood to enjoy it at its fullest.

[Artemis@BC]

Because today is the day, gotta add: Groundhog Day. The ads for it looked really silly, and if you just read the premise ... but it surpised a lot of people I think. I re-watch it every couple of years or so (on Feb 2 of course).

[mpal2]

Because today is the day, gotta add: Groundhog Day. The ads for it looked really silly, and if you just read the premise ... but it surpised a lot of people I think. I re-watch it every couple of years or so (on Feb 2 of course).

If anyone has Encore movie channels they will be playing it all day today.

[aliceanne]

What about the Night at the Museum movies? I haven't watchted them yet, but have thought about it. I can't make up my mind whether they will be stupid/funny or just plain stupid.

[rjblue]

The first one was good fun. It reminded me of the Disney movies (Nutty Professor types) of my childhood, but with better special effects. I always want to like Ben Stiller's movies.

I don't think I bothered with the second one though, the reviews were bad.

Secondhand Lions is a great movie. My family has watched it multiple times.

[Artemis@BC]

The first one (Night at the Museum) was good fun. It reminded me of the Disney movies (Nutty Professor types) of my childhood, but with better special effects. I always want to like Ben Stiller's movies.

I don't think I bothered with the second one though, the reviews were bad.

The reviews I saw were actually a lot better for the second one than for the first one. But I haven't seen either yet, so can't say from personal experience.

[mpal2]

What about the Night at the Museum movies? I haven't watchted them yet, but have thought about it. I can't make up my mind whether they will be stupid/funny or just plain stupid.

I liked the first one which really surprised me because I don't like Ben Stiller as a general rule of thumb. I ended up buying it too for a cute fluff movie to pop in for the nieces and nephew visiting. I know I've seen the 2nd one but I don't remember the storyline and haven't bought it so I'm guessing I didn't hate it or like it.

[KatieC]

What about the Night at the Museum movies? I haven't watchted them yet, but have thought about it. I can't make up my mind whether they will be stupid/funny or just plain stupid.

I saw the second one on an airplane when I didn't have any other choice. It was better than I expected. I saw the first one on TV a year later - vaguely enjoyable, but not particularly brilliant.

[reckless]

Add me to the Galaxy Quest lovers. It seemed silly to do a Star Trek parody when the Star Trek movies at the time were pretty much a parody. That's now a movie I watch yearly and, when a friend of mine who loves the movie came to visit LA, I took her to where they filmed the rock monster scene.

However, the all-time biggest surprise for me was A Christmas Story. I was on a plane with my dad and stepmom, and the stewardess read the movie description: "Little Ralphie wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. . . ." Yeah, it sounded horribly lame and you could almost hear half the passengers. Only about five or six people on the flight paid for the headsets, with my stepmom and I being two of them. When the movie played, we and the other viewers were while everyone else on the plane kept looking at us and wondering what was so funny. I think my stepmom bought the vhs of the movie the day it came out so my father would understand.

[Lanie]

Add me to the Galaxy Quest lovers. It seemed silly to do a Star Trek parody when the Star Trek movies at the time were pretty much a parody. That's now a movie I watch yearly and, when a friend of mine who loves the movie came to visit LA, I took her to where they filmed the rock monster scene.

I freaking love Galaxy Quest! for fluffy silly films.

[Twilight1]

Zach & Miri Make a Porno- It was actually a really good movie IMHO.

[Vash01]

Count me as a third person who didn't care for Sideways. I thought Paul Giamatti's character was such an unlikable little troll.

The other night there was nothing better on than Rockula. . What a hoot!

I did not care for Sideways either. Didn't care for the characters.