Movie
Train Dreams
The reviews were good, and it received 4 Academy Award nominations, among other awards. It was streaming, so my husband sat beside me, and we watched Train Dreams , starring Joel Edgerton. It is touted as an extraordinary story of an unremarkable life. Really, though, is any life so ordinary when we examine it closely?
By Andrea Corwin 26 days ago in Critique
Blade Runner blasted. Winner in The Most Overrated Challenge.
Have you seen the 1982 ‘cult classic’ movie Blade Runner ? You haven't? I can't say I blame you. If you have, did you love it? Hate it? After 44 years of repeated viewings, I am no longer sure. If I had to summarise Blade Runner in six words, I would say…
By Raymond G Taylor26 days ago in Critique
The Fishnet Delusion. Runner-Up in The Most Overrated Challenge. Top Story - August 2026.
I haven't written any criticism since my Master's, so I'm really grateful for the Overrated Challenge for encouraging me to do so. I have thoroughly enjoyed the process. Having always held reservations about The Rocky Horror Picture Show , it feels great to finally get them off my chest!
By Alyson Smith 26 days ago in Critique
David Lynch's MULHOLLAND DRIVE as Pretentious Pacifier. Honorable Mention in The Most Overrated Challenge.
Mulholland Drive used to be my favorite film. But ultimately it proved to be too slow, dark, arbitrary, postmodern, pretentious, paradoxically simplistic, self-indulgent, and silly to survive repeated viewings (including twice on much larger screens than my TV at home). One of the problems with Mulholland Drive is that things (e.g. freak accidents) just happen and the characters seem to have very little free will or freedom of choice and artistic expression.
By ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR27 days ago in Critique
The Fly (1986). Top Story - August 2026.
Confession. I kept bouncing from movies to TV shows to bands to actors, spoiled for choice and unable to commit to a topic. After a while, I started to wonder if the tired man staring back at me from the mirror was right. Maybe I am a contrarian hater.
By Aaron Morrison27 days ago in Critique
Frozen
Disney's Frozen was a difficult movie for me to watch because the plot was confusing. The characters felt bland with basic motives. The movie seemed overrated despite its popularity among children. Overall, I found the story hard to follow and the tropes confusing, with convenience prevailing, especially the way the plot was more overcomplicated than it needed to be. It made problems worse by extending the runtime. The problems were solvable and simple, but there were way too many songs.
By Sarah Danaher27 days ago in Critique
Don't Tell Anyone I Didn't Like Alien. Top Story - August 2026.
Any good divisive opinion should start with a preface, and here’s mine: I watched Alien a couple years ago, long after its initial release, and I’m sure it was unprecedented for its time. I am not in that time. I am in now. There is something to be said about the fact that this plot was never spoiled for me before a watch, so it did have that going for it. I liked the cat. Spoilers abound, you’ve been warned.
By Raine Neal29 days ago in Critique
