Flick Critique: Some films receive more attention than they deserve

All films shared with the public have a common link: their vulnerability to critique. How the audience receives them, however, is where they drift apart. While some are hated and immediately tossed aside, a selective few are almost unanimously loved — perhaps in excess — by all. Whether it is based on the number of awards they have earned, the income they received or simply by their fame and cultural contribution, here are five movies that have definitely received more acclaim than they deserve.

First up is Christopher Nolan’s “Inception.” This movie is confusing beyond belief, to the point where a majority of the audience has no idea how the film ends. While this end leaves audiences thinking, it seems odd that a movie as complicated as “Inception” became as famous as it did. Usually, films with vague endings become cult-classics with a moderately sized followings. “Inception,” however, is an exception to the rule, becoming a massive blockbuster that left its enormous fanbase discussing the meaning of the famous spinning top. Nonetheless, its overwhelming fame, for being just a decent movie, makes “Inception” entirely overrated.

“Titanic” is next on the list of movies with too much hype. James Cameron’s film is still regarded as a staple chick-flick, even 20 years after its release. This movie, while heartwarming, is extremely overrated. Granted, the acting is excellent. The movie has several iconic scenes, like the famous “draw me like one of your French girls” scene, or the ending where two people could have certainly fit on the door. Nonetheless, the movie itself does not merit the excessive praise it has received for over two decades.

Next on the list is another one of James Cameron’s works, “Avatar.” Not only are “Avatar” and “Titanic” Cameron’s most famous movies, they are also the highest-grossing films of all time, respectively. Although “Avatar” brought technological advancements that were groundbreaking in the world of film, the overall plot of the movie seemed to fall flat. While visually stunning, the movie itself did not live up to the expectations. Its success was not necessarily congruent with the quality of the movie.

Another highly grossing — and extremely overhyped movie — is Disney’s “Frozen.”  No one can deny “Frozen” was one of the most talked about films of 2013, even winning an Academy Award and becoming one of the highest-earning films of all time. For months, the movie’s soundtrack seemed to take over everyone’s lives, invading stores’ loudspeakers and television sets around the country. However, the movie’s immense success is somewhat peculiar. Although the songs are clearly catchy, it was not something new for Disney.

Additionally, strong female characters had been previously seen in movies like “Mulan” and “Brave.” Evidently, while “Frozen” did not necessarily break away from Disney’s money-making formula, it may have combined all the right elements to create a smash hit that can be deemed as Disney’s most overrated film.

Last on the list is one of the most recognizable and well-known chick-flicks of all time, “The Notebook.” Like most of James Cameron’s movies, anything with Nicholas Sparks’ name on it will surely result in a major blockbuster hit. However, no movie based on any Sparks novel has become as iconic as “The Notebook.” The romantic movie — combined with Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams’ own off-screen relationship — is still quoted today. Additionally, its fame of being the ultimate tearjerker further contributes to the movie’s sentimentality. Nonetheless, the hype that has been constantly built around the movie has only raised audiences’ expectations so high that when they watch it, they are left unimpressed. While viewers may shed a tear or two — or a myriad, as expected with any Nicholas Sparks movie — the movie’s fame supersedes its actual plot.

These movies are not awful movies. They are landmark films that have certainly contributed to cinematographic history and culture. However, their impact and worldwide acclaim may be a tad overestimated.