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What Do You Call "Those" Movies?

At lunch today, I brought up the observation that I always seem to like movies more a few days after I see them. For example, I saw the third “Lord of the Rings” movie on Wednesday. I thought it was good, but I was also kind of disappointed by the fact that it took ten hours to watch what seems to be a four hour movie in hindsight (this means that I think they could have made a single movie instead of three). Today, however, I keep thinking about how much I liked the movie, although I remember being bored when watching it the other day. As I thought more about this change of heart, I've realized this is fairly consistently across other movies I've seen.

One example is the first “Austin Powers” movie. When I was in college, a group of friends found out that I had never seen it, so they tied me to a couch and made me watch the entire thing. They laughed at every line, but I just didn't find it funny in general. I'll admit that there were a few scenes that I found funny, but I certainly didn't enjoy it as much as they had expected. A few days later, however, I found myself quoting it and started “getting” references to the movie used in everyday culture. My opinion had changed.

Now I'm also reminded of all the times I'm able to convince people to watch “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. I've found that every time I'm able to convince a first timer to watch it, they just don't enjoy it as much as I would expect. A few days later, of course, they're quoting the black knight or the knights who say “ni” or any of a hundred other quotable characters.

My question, in a long-winded way, is “what do you call those kind of movies”?

Posted: Dec 19 2003, 12:59 PM by EdKaim | with 7 comment(s)
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Comments

Christoc said:

I remember watching "The Crow" the first time, and thinking it was just so-so. The next day I was driving the golf ball ranger picker upper (at a golf course) and thought about the movie, and the more I thought about it, the better the movie became.

I don't quite know what to call it, but I guess maybe it's time for me to break down and watch some Monty Python?
# December 19, 2003 4:15 PM

Catatonic said:

I'm thinking of a similar kind of movie. The movie that isn't very good, but seems great in your memory. The longer you go without actually watching the movie, the greater it becomes in your memory. If you actually watch the movie again it's a total let-down because it doesn't live up to the memory.

Just ask anyone who buys DVD's of the movies they liked when they were kids. ("I could have sworn Revenge of the Nerds was funnier than this!")
# December 19, 2003 4:46 PM

Shannon J Hager said:

I came to the conclusion that I am getting dumber as time goes by. The first time I watched Zoolander I thought it was terrible. The second time, I thought it was great. I loved it the third time. The movie didn't get smarted so I am obviously getting dumber.
# December 19, 2003 5:12 PM

KC Lemson said:

"Zoolander" is another movie like that for me. I took my team at work, and I remember being embarrassed that the movie was so bad, I was afraid they weren't enjoying themselves. But then a few days later we started talking about the "Gasoline fight" and we couldn't stop laughing.

I just say that such movies grow on you.
# December 19, 2003 5:14 PM

KC Lemson said:

FWIW, I was posting my comment at the same time as Shannon, funny that we both chose that movie :-)
# December 19, 2003 5:15 PM

Ricky said:

"Cult Classic" ?
# December 19, 2003 6:08 PM

Josh said:

Ditto on Zoolander.

While I don't have a name for that kind of movie, I'd add The Royal Tennenbaums to the list. When I first saw it in the theater, I chuckled a few times, but really didn't get into it. I saw it AGAIN in the theater because some friends wanted to see it, and I was laughing the whole time! I've since bought the DVD and its now one of my favorite movies.
# December 19, 2003 10:12 PM
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