By Nathan Bussey
There’s no accounting for taste. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how groundbreaking a movie is supposed to be — there’s just something about it that rubs you the wrong way. You’ll ignore and reject all the lovely things people say about a particular film, and you might even get increasingly irate as more folks try to push you into watching it.
“Just give it a chance,” they say, like you’re a toddler who won’t try broccoli and not an adult with fully-realized tastes that you (likely) know better than they do. Maybe you eventually cave and try the movie, or maybe you don’t, but you almost always resent the effort that went into the ordeal.
All of that is to say, here’s my list of movies that I just won’t watch. Here’s why.
And if you refuse to read my article, then maybe give the video version a watch:
‘Gone With the Wind’ (1939)
Some call this one “timeless.” Do you know what isn’t “timeless?” Civil War-era gender roles and racial attitudes. This is by no means the only film that hasn’t aged well, but it has aged so poorly that I don’t even want to bother.
Or at least, I’ve heard it has aged poorly. I refuse to watch it.
‘The Sixth Sense’ (1999)
I’m a big scaredy-cat. I don’t like horror movies, I don’t like dead people, and I don’t like spoilers. Somewhere along the line, the big twist was ruined for me, and now I don’t see why I should subject myself to a film I’m certain I won’t enjoy.
‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2005)
“Pride and Prejudice” (2005) is based on a classic piece of literature. It's not one of my favorites. I know that Jane Austen is a wonderfully influential author, but that doesn’t change the fact that her books just don’t appeal to me. Regency-era romance and drama is based on too much etiquette and rules for me to enjoy it. As such, I will not be viewing “Pride and Prejudice” — no matter how big of a crush I have on Keira Knightley.
‘Into the Wild’ (2007)
I know how it ends already, because I remember reading about Christopher McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch in the film) and his tragic death. I’ve dated one too many wannabe van-life influencers to get lost in any of the escapism fantasy.
‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)
This is a film I’ve tried to watch a couple of times. I’ve seen the “I drink your milkshake” scene and wanted some more context. Daniel Day-Lewis sports a magnificent mustache, and that’s also, well, something.
I don’t have time for how ploddingly slow this movie is. It isn’t so much that I refuse to watch it as I just can’t finish it. I know it’s great, but I am not a patient enough man.
‘The Social Network’ (2010)
If I wanted to watch vaguely awkward white dudes bicker, I’d have stayed in my college Dungeons & Dragons group. I’m convinced that Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg in the film) might legitimately be a lizard person. Either way, the tech-billionaire drama doesn’t do anything to excite me. Yes, I am familiar with the impact that Facebook has had on the world, but that doesn’t mean that I’m interested in watching a dramatized version of its genesis.
‘Inception’ (2010)
I was in college when this movie came out. I couldn’t walk through my dormitory hall without seeing at least one room, with door wide open, full of dudes raving about how deep this movie was. If I had a nickel for every one of them who asked me to proofread their freshman philosophy paper that revolved entirely around this movie’s ending, I wouldn’t need to write this piece. I could sit on a beach and watch a top spin all day.
Gone With The Wind is a classic. It’s a movie. Get over it
This passes as an actual article worthy of posting on Google?
Yeah, you are an idiot. Canceling a movie from the 30’s. Wearing your Fred’s on your sleeve.
Creds.
Wow…talk about close mindedness! You only deprive yourself of some truly good movies. It seems as though I’m reading this from what I can only equate to a child, when the child says he doesn’t like a food and the child has never tried it, so how would he/she know? Silly.
I now want to watch all of these as a result of reading this pretentious drivel. Get over yourself (and your wokeness), dude.
This article gave me cancer, and I didn’t even read it. Why? Because I refuse of course.
Why the attitude?
You are very typical lazy American.
You’re full
Bro it doesn’t take that many words to admit you’re stupid
This is the stupidest list that ever existed
Honestly, your explanations do, in fact, make you sound like a toddler who won’t try broccoli. You think you have reason to dislike the society portrayed in ‘Gone With the Wind’? Bro, I’m Black. I managed to sit through it, and so I can say that I don’t think it’s a great film. But the difference is that I can say that because I experienced it, not just because it’s an excuse to remain willfully ignorant.
“I can’t deal with art that might make me uncomfortable”, is not the flex you think it is.
Gone With The Wind, is a good classic, definitely over hyped, but worth the watch; Sixth Sense is absolutely brilliant, I own it on Blu Ray, and every time I watch it, I love it; Pride And Prejudice, is fair, but really not that great; Into The Wild is decent, and entertaining, but a one watch film; There Will Be Blood, is quite a good flick (Daniel carries the show hands down); Social Network is fair (and I love Fincher), not great at all, and completely over hyped; Inception, pretty entertaining, and definitely worth a second watch, but that’s about it.
Man you nailed it! I truly can’t stand 99% of these flicks and rarely understood all the hoopla. Thanks for commenting against these horrific “masterpieces” out loud (I feel better now).
This article was a waste of my time, I started skimming by the end. Mostly the reasons for not watching are petty, I was hoping for something insightful when I clicked on it.
There’s a woke undercurrent that annoyed me I suppose, and the need to mention “vaguely awkward white dudes” for example, rather than just calling them a bunch of awkward dudes. I respect your right to your opinion, and this is mine.
I find your choices odd. At least 2 of your choices are based on great literature. I feel like you are blindly censoring based on current societal thought. GWTW is based on Margeret Mitchell’s novel, of course it won’t age well in today’s society, but you know that slavery and misogyny existed? You’re missing out.
And Pride and Prejudice? Read a book.
Your choices seem to be based on what people perceive currently, but each film you’ve chosen has a place in cinematic history. FGS, Hattie McDaniel was the first POC to receive an Oscar. I hate this article
Abso-f’in-lutely on target! The hour l spent watching the first half of GWTW was the biggest waste of time in my life. And l am an all-star time waster.
As for the other six movies, l have to tell you that you are spot on. Except for the movie Sixth Sense. The reason that is unwatchable is the director. M. Night is so busy being so much smarter than his audience. That smugness permeates the film!
Too true, no matter my religious leanings I will not watch Passion of the Christ, everyone raved about and said how graphically horrible it was an I don’t want to watch it.
What a useless article
What narcissistic, impatient and shallow article. Why is your relatively uninformed grumpy opinion valid for anyone else.
Is this for real? How can someone write and, worse, PUBLISH this garbage?
You’re hilarious. I laughed several times while reading this! Thank you!
I agree with all but Pride & Prejudice. That’s only because I love a good period piece. (But absolutely not Gone with the Wind) You are right about the annoying etiquette though lol.
lol
You’re nuts! Gone with the Wind is a superb movie!