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People share which highly acclaimed, ultra popular films they secretly can't stand

"Sorry folks, but 'The Princess Bride' blows."

Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers, A24, Paramount Pictures

The Princess Bride (left) Everything, Everywhere all at Once (center) The Godfather (right)

The 96th Academy Awards, better known as The Oscars, will be taking place in less than a week. Meaning some films will be recognized forever as the best of the best for 2024.

…But how many of us have sat down to watch an award winning, cult classic, incredibly popular movie, only to think…is everyone else watching what I'm watching? I don't get the hype!

You're not alone. Art, as we know, is subjective, and just because a movie is liked by many, it doesn't mean it will be liked by everyone.

When Reddit user u/imnachos asked: "What is a film you didn't really enjoy that everyone seemed to like?" their question got thousands of comments from less-than-enthused moviegoers. Some choices were to be expected, such as classics that maybe don't hold up so well with a modern lens. But then a few films that seem completely harmless and universally loved made the list.

Check out the titles below:

The Notebook

"I first watched this movie when I was like 15 and of course at that age you think it’s romantic and the most beautiful love story ever. As an adult that has now experienced young love and mature adult love…. If my high school boyfriend had ever shown up out of nowhere while I was with my fiancé/now husband he would have no hold over me lol. Like I get the premise is that their love is so strong and eternal and that they’re soulmates blah blah blah but they didn’t even give her a bad fiancé. The guy she was engaged to was handsome and super kind and successful lol but sure, go back to your grouchy hermit ex you haven’t spoken to in yearssss."

A Quiet Place

"'S'on, we can talk as loud as we want next to this waterfall. Now let’s go home to our creaky home with wood floors where we have to tiptoe and use sign language….' My guy… just move next to the waterfall!"

Avatar

"Unobtainium?? That’s the best name they could come up with?"

"You could argue that it's a story about how humans gathering natural resources are blind to the devastating effects of their greed... But no, that's just a literal description of the plot. Avatar takes the nuance and context and human characters out of real-world conflict and replaces everything with a one-dimensional min-max placeholder."

The Princess Bride

"Sorry folks, but 'The Princess Bride' blows. The only interesting thing about the movie was actually in the Andre the Giant documentary, detailing the pain Andre was in throughout the filming."

Everything Everywhere All at Once

One person lamented, "I had to take breaks to watch it because it was just too much going on."

To which someone quipped, "The title does warn you."

Saltburn

"I watched it last night and did not get the hype, just the ick."

Fast & Furious

"I find them all to be ridiculously stupid. Just awful."

The MCU

" I like comics but I despise the cinematic universe."

Barbie

"It was fine. I get it’s standing as a cultural phenomenon…But it’s not as great as what people were celebrating it as. But if people found enjoyment in it then that’s good for them."

The Godfather

"I think you would have had to see it when it came out. It paved the way for the modern mafia movies. Before it, there was nothing like it, and it was probably amazing at the time."

Oppenheimer

One person referenced a review of "Oppenheimer" by writer Sam Kriss, who called it:

“…bafflingly pointlessly soulless…Less an actual film than a three-hour-long trailer: just snapshots, stitched together, each scene lasting a few minutes at most, until you start to get something like motion sickness…You get the sense that Nolan isn’t really interested in much. Not nuclear physics, not the terrible responsibilities of the atomic age, or the romance of Communism, or the cruel machinery of the US government; in fact, he doesn’t even seem to care at all about J Robert Oppenheimer, as a man or a totem. What he cares about are the following: firstly, shoving as many scientists and politicians in front of our faces as possible, so we all appreciate how thoroughly he’s done his homework, and secondly, employing a Mirror-wannabe non-linear storytelling technique for no apparent reason whatsoever. It sucks.”

Elf

"I hate 'Elf'. I can’t stand Will Ferrell. He’s not funny; he’s just loud."

Wonder Woman

"It was cool for a woman-led superhero film. But the plot was pretty mid."

You know what they say—everyone's a critic! But that's all the more reason why we need a variety of films, focusing on different perspectives, cultures, genres, you name it, so that there can be something for everyone.

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Kumail Nanjiani hilariously reassures anyone fearing change in Hollywood.

Kumail Nanjiani is an ambassador we need.

The 40-year-old actor, writer, and proud nerd has been making audiences laugh for years in shows like "Silicon Valley," and he's currently reaching a wider audience with his critically acclaimed film, "The Big Sick."

During a segment of the 90th Academy Awards, Nanjiani also offered a hilariously reassuring message to about why greater representation isn't just the right thing to do — it's good business.

"There's so many movies from different points of view that are making a ton of money," he said. "Don't do it because it's better for society and representation, even though it is. Do it because you'll get rich. You'll get that promotion, right?"

It's not about picking winners and losers. It's about representation and diversity.

There was a serious tone to much of this year's Oscars ceremony — and understandably so.

That's what made Nanjiani's comment so refreshing: He managed to address the need for greater diversity in pop culture by cleverly pointing out that films made by women and people of color — including "Black Panther," "Wonder Woman," and "Get Out" — have been huge hits over the past year.

Audiences, including the "straight white dudes" Nanjiani mentioned, are hungry for diverse stories and characters.

"Some of my favorite movies are by straight white dudes about straight white dudes," he said. "Now, straight white dudes can watch movies starring me and you relate to that. It's not that hard. I've done it my whole life."

There's nothing to fear about greater inclusion.

As with any social movement, there are those who continue to resist progress. Some critics are trying to tie the Oscars' declining audience to an increased focus on social issues, but that decline has been happening for years. In an increasingly fractured media landscape, events like the Oscars just aren't the monolithic symbols of culture they once were, even if they're still a big deal.

As Sarah Silverman said in her own segment of the video, "Some people, really, in their hearts they are threatened, or they are scared. And there's nothing to be scared of. It's just equality."

Nanjiani's not afraid to speak out about the stories and recognition that are sometimes overlooked.

Nanjiani, an immigrant from Pakistan, hasn't only had to grapple with his own identity in Hollywood. While critics lavished attention on him for his work in "The Big Sick", he often found himself forced to bring attention to his wife Emily V. Gordon, who co-wrote the film. During the montage, he jokingly brought up another of his wife's ideas:

"Emily, my wife, had this idea where she wanted to start a website called 'Muslims having fun,' which is just, like, Muslims eating ice cream and riding roller coasters and laughing and having fun. Because she gets to see that, and most of America doesn't."

[rebelmouse-image 19346726 dam="1" original_size="1202x647" caption="Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani. Photo by Punk Toad/Flickr." expand=1]Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani. Photo by Punk Toad/Flickr.

Audiences are speaking up with their wallets and it turns out they love diversity.

Moviegoers are backing up what Nanjiani had to say about the monetary gains of greater representation in Hollywood. "Black Panther" has been so successful that it's giving the latest "Star Wars" film a run for its money. "Wonder Woman" was so beloved by fans and critics alike it helped pump life back into a struggling DC Comics film franchise. Meanwhile, "Get Out" turned the thriller genre on its head, making a huge amount of money and winning an Oscar for Jordan Peele's original screenplay.

As Nanjiani so wisely explained, these aren't threats to anyone, including "straight white guys." They are exactly the kind of variety audiences crave when they go to the movies for a compelling plot and characters they connect with.

Sometimes doing the right thing also happens to be very good for business.

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Actor Rose Marie shamed her harasser in 1954 and paid dearly for it.

To hear some critics tell it, sexual harassment and assault are modern problems brought on by loosening sexual mores, the infiltration of women into male spaces, and the abandonment of "traditional" values.

A tragic counterpoint is the story of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" star Rose Marie who, at 94, wrote an op-ed for the Hollywood Reporter about being harassed at work in 1954 and her heartbreaking experience when she tried to verbally shame her harasser.

Rose Marie. Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images.

Marie wrote that her moment came on the set of the musical "Top Banana." The actor and comedian clapped back at her harasser — a producer on the film — and, predictably, suffered professional consequences as a result.

The producer of the film came up to me after I'd run through the song called "I Fought Every Step of the Way," which had boxing references, and said that he could show me a few positions. He wasn't referring to boxing. I laughed it off, but he said he was serious and that the picture could be mine.

Well, in front of everyone onstage, I said, "You son of a bitch, you couldn't get it up if a flag went by." Needless to say, that didn't go over well with him, and all my musical numbers were cut from the film. I had no idea that his reaction to my refusal would be so bad.

I realized then that the rumors of the casting couch weren't jokes and why some actresses were getting breaks and why others, sometimes way more talented, weren't.



Marie's story illustrates why victims of harassment and abuse often don't "fight back."

A recent University of Michigan analysis found that less than a third of all people who have experienced workplace harassment reported it. Of those who didn't, most were afraid of being branded "troublemakers" and being subjected to sidelining, marginalization, or worse.

Those fears are founded. A 2016 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission analysis found that 75% of reporters experienced some form of retaliation.

If we're only hearing about these stories now, that may be because victims finally feel they will be believed.

Dustin Hoffman. Photo by Lars Niki/Getty Images.

The stories themselves span decades. In 2004, former writers assistant Amaani Lyle sued Warner Bros. for racial and gender-based harassment she said she endured in the "Friends" writers room almost 20 years ago. (Lyle ultimately lost the suit in 2006.) Earlier this year, writer Anna Graham Hunter described being verbal harassed by actor Dustin Hoffman on the set of "Death of a Salesman" in 1985 — 32 years ago. And those are just the very tip of the iceberg.

When it comes to gender-based harassment and abuse, there was nothing good about the "good ol' days."

Women were harassed, abused, intimidated, and blackballed in the workplace back then too. Their overwhelmingly male bosses helped forge a culture of silence where victims were often too isolated and too professionally vulnerable to speak out.

We should be grateful that those days are, slowly but surely, coming to an end.

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See stunning before and after shots of coral reefs as ocean temps rose by only 2 degrees.

This is what it looks like when a piece of coral dies.

[rebelmouse-image 19532184 dam="1" original_size="500x281" caption="GIF via Netflix/Exposure Labs/YouTube, from the film "Chasing Coral."" expand=1]GIF via Netflix/Exposure Labs/YouTube, from the film "Chasing Coral."

This is a phenomenon known as coral bleaching, now captured in the award-winning documentary "Chasing Coral." To get these impressive shots, a team of photographers, divers, and scientists traveled the world to capture time-lapse photographs of coral bleaching events.

"The beauty with time-lapse photography is that you have the ability to shift how we as humans see and perceive changes that may move in the slow lane," says photographer Zack Rago.

Getting these images was a challenge. Divers had to spend hours each day battling the currents. And it could be emotionally difficult too.

"Being the person on the ground experiencing those changes is certainly emotionally taxing. I have a deep connection to coral reef ecosystems. Spending as much time as I have documenting their death is something that fills me with guilt and shame to this day," explains Rago. "At the same time, I also cherish those dives because I know that our team has revealed this issue to the world in meaningful and powerful way."

When asked if there was any single dive that was especially hard, Rago says yes. "There is one dive that was particularly difficult. In the hours leading up to the dive, I actually watched the first edit of our time-lapses. Seeing the images from day one and immediately going back out to those dying reefs was the single most emotionally challenging dive I’ll likely ever do."

Coral bleaching happens when the water around a reef becomes too warm.

During a bleaching event, the coral polyps (tiny creatures that actually make the reef) are effectively cooked, slowly turning white before dying. It doesn't take much, the episodes captured in Chasing Coral were the result of only a two-degree rise in water temperature, according to The New York Times.

Once the coral is dead, brown, sludgy algae take over, turning the once vibrant reef into something that looks like a parking lot.

[rebelmouse-image 19532185 dam="1" original_size="500x281" caption="GIF via Netflix/Exposure Labs/YouTube, from the film "Chasing Coral."" expand=1]GIF via Netflix/Exposure Labs/YouTube, from the film "Chasing Coral."

This deadly warming is fueled by climate change, as more than 90% of the excess heat in our atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean.

"Coral reefs are in trouble. We know that if current trends prevail, we will lose the majority of corals on the planet in the coming decades," says Rago. Scientists have warned that, given current trends, we could lose most corals within 30 years. Vast swaths of the Great Barrier Reef (where these photos were taken) may already be past the point of no return.

Rago is planning to head back to the Great Barrier Reef this November to help identify "super corals" that could help scientists breed heat-resistant reefs.

As climate change becomes the new norm, it can be difficult to remember how the world once looked.

"We need to protect what we can right now," says Rago.

There are already a lot of exciting efforts underway. Nations around the world are currently rallying around stopping or mollifying the effects of climate change, with 169 different countries joining in on the landmark Paris 2015 climate agreement.

As they work out the best way to stop this, photography like these amazing time-lapse images can be a touch point for us — something to stick in our minds. And, if we fail, they can be a record for future generations.

"This problem may be hidden in our ocean, but the solutions start with us," Rago says. By sharing these images, people can help inspire friends, family members, or business or political leaders to action.

"Chasing Coral" premiered on Netflix in July 2017 and is still available to watch as of this writing.

If you want to see more, you can watch this three-minute video, including some of the time-lapse images, below:

Time-lapse video captures a disturbing phenomenon known as cor...

These before-and-after images remind us of what's really at stake in the climate conversations at #COP23. (via Chasing Coral)

Posted by Upworthy on Friday, November 10, 2017

The team was also able to capture a weird, rare event known as coral fluorescence, which is well worth a watch. If you'd like to find out more about the film, you can visit their website.

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