The BBC announced the “winners” in their Top Ten Worst Films Ever list. The choices are interesting, but they’re hardly what I consider the worst. In fact, I only agree with one of their choices, although I applaud their snarkiness. Topping (or bottoming, I guess) the list is Titanic, which certainly should be number one on the Over-hyped list of the Overstaying Its Welcome list but is hardly the worst film ever made. I think it was a terribly misguided idea for James Cameron to try and outdo A Night to Remember by having his made-up characters overshadow the inherent real-life drama of its passengers, but the movie is still a well-made and handsome production.A.I., number two on the list, was a thought-provoking blending of Spielberg’s and Kubrick’s styles. Most everyone complains about the protracted ending, but I didn’t mind it, and I appreciated the film as one of the few attempts at thought-provoking adult cinema in 2001. Other movies on the list, Vanilla Sky and Eyes Wide Shut for example, are on the list for seemingly similar reasons. They were ambitious productions which didn’t quite succeed; and this is reason enough for BBC viewers to lambaste them.
In fact, for most of their choices, there are as many good things to say about the movies as bad. Titanic might have cringe-worthy dialogue and a sophomoric love story, but the sets and special effects and attention to detail were all impressive. A.I. might have an overly long ending, but it has many great scenes and one of John Williams’ best scores in recent years. Vanilla Sky might be a bizarre amalgamation of romantic comedy and science fiction, but it has some excellent dialogue (as always, since it’s a Cameron Crowe movie). Eyes Wide Shut has Nicole Kidman in her underwear. And Blair Witch is one of the most brilliant concepts for a movie ever — how to make a full-length Hollywood movie with just a 16mm camera, a video camera, and some friends.
So, obviously, I don’t agree with their choices and I don’t agree with the mindset behind their choices. Besides, any list of worst movies is suspect when Battlefield Earth is listed eighth and not first. Now that is an inept and unforgivably bad movie.
