In a word, “hoo-ahhh!”
Wait. Is that one word or two?
Al Pacino leads the list of 2008’s worst offenders, starring in a film that almost demolished his long and illustrious film career.
Here’s Al’s cinematic crime and four others which made watching movies this year a torture.
- “88 Minutes” - If you’re not thinking, “what were they thinking?” during every scene of this misbegotten crime thriller, then your brain may not be connected to the rest of your body. Pacino’s hair deserves special mention for defying both age and gravity.
- “Jumper” - Are movie scripts still landing on Hayden Christensen’s desk? Really? After this unholy mess? As Don King might say, “only in America!”
- “The Happening” - Let’s call it, folks. Time of M. Night Shyamalan’s career death - June 13, 2008.
- “Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?” - Morally and creatively bankrupt follow-up from “Super Size Me’s” one trick pony, Morgan Spurlock.
- “10,000 B.C.” - Who knew prehistoric man had such great dental plans? Just one of a hundred reasons why this silly actioner stunk up theaters.
Note: Here are some films that weren’t nearly as awful as advertised: “Speed Racer,” “The Women,” “The Love Guru.” And some movies I suspect would have made the list but I was fortunate enough not to have seen them - “The Hottie and the Nottie” and “Mad Money.”
Update: Here’s what CNN.com visitors voted for their best and worst films of the year.
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(Photo: Al Pacino whacks his screen reputation playing a criminal psychologist in the beyond awful film “88 Minutes.”)
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I'm an award-winning journalist and film critic with more than a decade of experience in newspapers, magazines and the Web. I'm a member of both the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association and the Denver Film Critics Society.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Another movie that was funnier than I thought was Get Smart. It was more a Steve Carrell vehicle, and we find his schtick funny.
And the Happening? Oh yeah, I want to see a movie filled with suicides, regardless of the reason. It’s f***in’ -4 degrees where I am, and I’m in the good old Midwest.
It’s funny, in the old days (for me the 70’s), even so-so movies would have something worthwhile to watch, today, there are way more movies that I will never see, even free.
Zeluna — could it be that today’s movies - the good ones - are better than ever, but the bad ones are simply intolerable?
Perhaps, maybe because the scripts were not just plug and play cliches.. the education level of writers today is so poor compared to even thirty years ago..
Pan’s Labyrinth left me gasping, it was so unexpected, I can’t remember the last time a single film did that to me. For me it was sadness wrapped in a fairy tale.
Pan’s Labyrinth caught me totally flat footed too, Zeluna …
There used to be a program at work that offered a quotation to ponder every day. Even back when he was entertaining, every time something came up about genius without culture is worthless, genius without the chops gets boring, I would think of Shyamalan. Loved the first two (hit) movies, but my word the ideas were childish. The ending of “6th Sense” took me be surprise simply because every fantasy magazine I have ever submitted to forbids exactly that idea in the guidelines. “Signs” was “Independence Day” redone on a microscopic scale. I was one of the few people who liked “The Village” but I guessed the surprise ending in about 15 minutes. “Lady in the Pool?” It takes real talent to make a movie that unbelievably BAD. And note to movie directors: don’t stick a camera in a redhead’s face if she isn’t wearing makeup.
Good stuff, Carlos … and yeah, there’s a bizarre kind of talent at work that allows you to direct a turkey like “Lady in the Water!”
My choice as worst film goes to Indiana Jones. While there probably were “worse” movies made this year, it was definitely the most disappointed I’ve ever been in a movie in my life. I kept my expectations low, but that didn’t help. Lucas, Spielberg, and Ford knew the anticipation behind the film was great, and to deliver that final product to the audience was a little insulting.
Can’t disagree, Nick. What a complete waste … and it still burns me that the film made buckets of money. That was the plan, wasn’t it? Audiences will buy any Indy sequel, so we can go through the motions and pick up a paycheck. I expect that behavior from Lucas … but not from Spielberg.
88 minutes was extremely bad. I’ve had my fill of Pacino and apparently so has the camera. Could thet get any more bad shots of an aging actor than in 88 minutes? Is it possible for him to act like anyone but himself? Since Scareface, it has all been downhill for him IMO.
What’s most disturbing to me is the complete lack of honesty in film marketing. What other industry would be allowed to put forth such misleading claims? Whatever happened to truth in advertising?
I would add “The Day the Earth Stood Still” and “Zack & Miri make a Porno.” I would prefer to have a stick jammed in my eye repeatedly than having to sit through either of those movies again.
Heidi — thought “Zack” was highly overrated by some … but I could watch Elizabeth Banks read the phone book for two hours …
Enjoyed your website and found it informative.