Top Films of 2010: Disappointing Films

Looking back at 2010, local cinemas continued to offer less variety in their programming. Aiming at squeezing big bucks is understood at the expense of us having to settle with whatever available, as long as we get to see them on big screen. Thus, we have become and grown up by the familiarity of Hollywood plotting. As the Mecca continued churning out their products, we have adjusted our seats to accommodate big buckets of popcorn and enough space to check our cellphones during the screening. In other words: the films can be of any quality, as long as we are not drawn in entirely throughout their durations.
Avoiding the mere mention of "bad films" in the above explanation and below, I'd like to share with you all my disappointment over what could have been a good film. Yet, somehow the makers miss the potential of the premises or the concepts. Instead, they drove the whole filmmaking process into something like these (based on the date of viewing):

1. Nine

How can Rob Marshall fail to put sympathy or empathy to the film's characters? Isn't he supposed to be familiar enough with the leading man character, Guido Contini, the film director facing creative fizzle? Being a fan of the musical genre myself, I had had high expectation for this. Who doesn't with the enviable cast? Yet, Rob Marshall makes the film as a distant stage experience, disallowing us to relate to any of the characters, and make them looking like a window display we see from afar. 


2. Clash of the Titans


When you want to make a bad film, make it camp. When you can't remake a camp out of the original film that has achieved cult status despite (suspiciously intentionally) the bad concept, then don't. Supposedly a mindless action flick that left me bored as I kept looking at my watch and wanting the film to end, the film failed to amuse me even a little. No, not even waiting for the infamous "Release the Kranken!" line would make the film worth watching. Totally a crime for such genre.


3. Sex and the City 2

Being a fan of the series with gallery of quote-worthy one-liners, I gave this a second chance, hoping the makers would get it right this time. The misfire on the first attempt sparks a little hope of improvement. But boy, what a total major blow!
Getting a sponsor from a Middle-Eastern country's tourism board allows the film to morph into a promotional video advertisement. For that matter, I couldn't help but wonder and pitying the women forced into walking mannequin of selfish and lifeless persona. Why do we have to care about these women on big screen, again?


4. Tanah Air Beta

After the honest and earnest King, I have a firm hope for Ari Sihasale as a director and his team of filmmakers to actually have a story worth telling beyond the exotic locales. It's okay to have King built similarly along the lines of Denias, the film of which Ari produced. Yet, Tanah was too busy being enchanted by the panoramic landscape views of its set (Flores, and East Timor?), and put proper storytelling aside. As such, we are left wondering why the two main characters keep wandering faithfully to a half-baked set-up and equally anti-climactic resolution. We praise them, but we couldn't help wishing how with a little retouch the film could have had more profound emotional impact beyond looking at postcards sold in museum.


5. Knight & Day

The last time we saw the pairing of Tom Cruise & Cameron Diaz was in slightly messy but hugely watchable Vanilla Sky. The film saw Cameron takes control of every scene she's in over Tom. Important lesson to note? It didn't work otherwise. Or at least, not in the film. Then again, the whole film is already a victim for unconvincing storyline that, despite being a supposedly high-geared action film, never lifts off of the ground. Weird pacing that forces audiences to sit through the end, the film is best left forgotten.


6. Eat, Pray, Love

How can you forgive a supposedly drama/romantic comedy turned into a depressing film that leaves you loathing the film? In what arguably the most annoying character Julia Roberts has ever played, we are left scratching our head, wondering if it is possible to relate and like the character at all, something of a must-have-item for a film of this kind to succeed.
Worse, with the exception of Italy part, Ryan Murphy and team seem to be left clueless on how to capture the atmosphere of India and Indonesia in the picture. The result is bland, but this does not have worse effect than finding the whole film sucking out your positive attitude and energy. I left the cinema in full anger. Bad.romantic.comedy (or whatever the genre film is) ever.


7. Tron: Legacy

If I wanted to listen to Daft Punk electrifying scores only, here's what I do: I'll just buy the CD or download the music files and listen to the scores at my convenience at home.
I don't need to pay premium 3D price to fall asleep.


There goes my disappointment.

Obviously there are other worse films, but those fortunately/unfortunately had not been met with prior expectation or seen as having potential premise on paper. Thus, their thud quality was greeted with indifference.

Come back tomorrow for more positive aura in the best of the year! :)

-- Image of Tanah Air Beta is courtesy of www.thejakartapost.com. For all other images, courtesy of www.outnow.ch. --