r/flicks

I rewatched Good Will Hunting recently and it honestly felt like a completely different movie compared to when I first saw it years ago.

Makes me curious what movies people here have grown more attached to over time.

What’s your favorite movie of all time that somehow gets better with every rewatch?

Something that caught my attention lately was the concept of movies that were so rushed out the door because the writers had big plans for them such as a grandiose plot, but the executives forced them to rush the film out.

Like one that I found fascinating was Suicide Squad the original 2016 movie because I was observing how one key factor that greatly hurt the movie was that it had to be made within a month, which didn’t help since the whole movie felt so disjointed in nature.

Like one of the more infamous parts was how the soundtrack felt so out of place since the original GOTG used 80s music to help the main character find his identity as I brought up that movie in particular because I heard how the OST used in Suicide Squad was basically done just to copy what GOTG did.

Hollywood still markets itself as an industry driven by visionary directors. Every awards season executives praise artistic courage while studios describe blockbuster filmmaking as the result of “believing in unique voices.”

But modern Hollywood increasingly runs on something else entirely.

Insurance.

Scheduling.

Completion guarantees.

Global release coordination.

The hidden shift inside franchise-era filmmaking is that studios now depend as heavily on logistics infrastructure as they do creative talent. In many cases, more heavily.

A director may shape the tone of a film. But billion-dollar release calendars are often controlled by executives, insurers, finance teams, and scheduling departments whose primary responsibility is reducing uncertainty.

This is why modern studios obsess over:
• actors with predictable reputations
• directors who deliver on schedule
• IP with pre-sold international value
• production systems that minimize disruption
• franchise planning years in advance

The mythology of Hollywood still centers on auteurs. The operational reality increasingly resembles large-scale corporate infrastructure management.

Even critically acclaimed successes often reflect this tension.

Studios publicly celebrate filmmakers like Greta Gerwig or the Russo Brothers, but modern blockbuster systems also require armies of analysts, coordinators, legal departments, completion bond companies, release strategists, and financial planners operating behind the scenes.

The industry still values creativity.

But creativity now has to survive inside an increasingly rigid logistical machine.

That may be the defining structural change in modern Hollywood:
the transition from a director-driven mythology to an infrastructure-driven business model.

And once you start viewing the industry through that lens, many recent Hollywood decisions suddenly make much more sense.

I will say. Warner Brothers under Medavoy and Abdy is going completely the opposite way with almost a 70’s philosophy of turning auteurs loose on non IP projects such as One Battle After Another by PTA or Coogler’s Sinners through the lens of an exploitation film. Similarly, Weapons is almost a throwback to Jaws making exploitation films with great directors on large budgets for the genre. Also a little like the 90’s version of Miramax and Dimension. This was of course before every studio developed an indie label in the 2000’s such as Paramount Classics or Warners Indie and these folded mostly except Sony Pictures Classics.

But IP dominated studio slates use to hire a director and turn over the whole tone and look of the franchise to him or her. Such as Denis has with Dune now and that tone and look will for the most part continue after he leaves in future versions. Instead, I argue more fully in my substack article (you can get my profile on my Reddit profile) that now with release dates and ongoing universes that logistics producers, accountants, marketing departments, and business executives highly control the creative process and decisions more than the director for the most part. Hopefully my abbreviated version here illustrates my argument as well as my full article.

I’m interested to hear if people agree that this is an ongoing philosophical change within studios and whether it’s good or bad for the business and the fans? If you don’t think I was clear enough, check out my Reddit profile for the detailed analysis elsewhere (perhaps long winded analysis).

Memories of Murder . The concept was great , the cinematography and BGM were both brilliancy at their peak but I didn’t like the ending. The fourth wall break scene at climax seems so childish compared to the whole movie . I understand when the movie was made /shot the real serial k*ller wasn’t arrested but still all of the hype from the very start just came to an end with loose conclusion. Expected more

I’m trying to discover more underrated movies, especially action, thriller, crime, and mystery films.

I’m looking for movies that aren’t always mentioned in the usual top lists, but still keep you hooked until the end.

I’m also collecting recommendations for a small movie discovery project, so I’d love to hear picks from real movie fans.

What’s one hidden gem you think deserves more attention?

me and my roommates watch movies together at least two times a week. I decided to screw with them one night by weeks prior editing the crap out of transformers (2007). the edits ramped up and started out with things like changing music or adding in sound effects (wilhelm scream, metal pipe sfx, etc.), but my favorite was when i edited in bleep sound effects whenever a character actually swore, or said something that when bleeped sounded worse as a bleep ("find them -> "[bleep] them"). I plan to do another edit and plan to also bleep some stuff in it, but need a movie who's unedited version has bleeps in it. this is so that I can show that to my roommates to earn their trust back and let their guard down. can you guys recommend a movie that fits the criteria? it doesn't matter the genre or rating.

I’ve definitely had that experience with a few actors where I didn’t choose a film because of them, but after watching enough of their work, I realized I almost always enjoy what they bring to the screen. It’s not always about star power or instant recognition. Sometimes it’s about consistency, presence, and the way an actor quietly makes a movie better just by being in it.

What I appreciate most in those cases is when an actor feels dependable without ever becoming predictable. They can show up in a drama, a thriller, a comedy, or even a small supporting role, and somehow the performance still feels thoughtful and believable. That kind of range builds trust over time. You may not actively search out every movie they’re in, but once you notice the pattern, you start paying attention.

For me, it’s also interesting how this kind of appreciation develops gradually. It usually starts with one or two films that leave a good impression. Then another performance clicks. Then another. Before long, you realize you’ve liked nearly everything they’ve done, even though they weren’t the reason you clicked play in the first place. That’s a different kind of fandom — less about hype and more about earned respect.

I think the best actors are the ones who enhance a story without needing to dominate it. They make scenes feel more grounded, more human, or more memorable, even if they aren’t the center of attention. That subtle influence can be just as powerful as a flashy performance.

So the actor I’m thinking of is someone whose name alone doesn’t necessarily make me choose a movie, but whose track record makes me far more confident when I see them in the cast. Over time, they’ve become one of those people I associate with quality, even if I didn’t start out watching films just for them.

I am convinced that they messed up the final lines of The Devil Wears Prada 2.

(Great sequel by the way. Not without it's flaws but I really liked it.)

Ending (spoilers ahead):

Miranda: Something else?

Andy: Not right now.

IMO it ABSOLUTELY SHOULD HAVE ENDED WITH ANDY SAYING "That's all" or even "No. That's all."

The ending should have been:

Miranda: Something else?

Andy: No. That's all.

(*She smiles. Miranda smiles. She has a knowing smile that acknowledges everything and also says "see? I told you there was a little bit of me in you. My drive. My fire"*)

It would have been a perfect way to round off the story and as a callback, using Miranda's dismissive catchphrase and given the power to Andy, but she says it in a playful, knowing way.

Because I actually thought the movie would end with Miranda saying "that's all" to Andy but in a warmer, cheeky way. And then when Miranda actually was the one to SET UP THE CALLBACK, I was disappointed Andy didn't say it in place of her.

Also acknowledging from the first film where Miranda says Andy is "like her", to which Andy denies.

Am I the only one who thought they missed a trick here? THE LINE WAS RIGHT THERE!!

I am a child of the 1980s. We saw a movie, we liked it for what it was. However, as with anyone, there had to be a moment I saw a movie and realized it sucked. I had two:

1. Superman IV - We went to the theater. We were pumped up. It did not take long before even I, at age 8, was saying that the effects look terrible. And the story is boring. And everything is terrible. We discussed its badness in the car on the way home.

2. Leonard Part 6 - My Dad rented it. He probably saw Cosby* and its a family safe comedy and brought it home. Lame. Not one laugh, even from kids.

*Mind you, we had only positive associations with Cosby at that time.

Off the top of my head I can think of:

Days of Thunder- Probably the biggest example of this and what inspried this thread. When Days of Thunder was released in 1990s, it was a huge box office success and released to overall good reviews. No one ever considered it an Oscar winner or the next Godfather but it was consider a good if not a great Popcorn film. Both Siskel and Ebert gave it good reviews (Ebert gave it 3 out of 4 stars). The movie was praised for it's special effects, stunt work, cinematography (the best of any Tony Scott movie) and the on-screen surrogate father-son chemistry of Tom Cruise and Robert Duvall.

However, by the early 2000s, Days of Thunder developed a reputation as a bad movie. Retro-respective reviews panned it. Fans on the internet bashed it. It had an awful raiting for years in the low 5s (maybe even high 4s) on IMDB and even NASCAR fans claimed they hated it and thought it was a dumb movie. I've even seen retro-respective reviews list it as Tom Cruise and Tony Scott's worst movies.

The Godfather Part 3- When The Godfather Part 3 was released, it was always considered not as good as it's two predecessors. But for the most part critics of the day gave it great reviews. Sure there are flaws. The cousin thing is weird. And Sofia Coppola did not want to be there (was supposed to be Winona Ryder. I always wonder if Marisa Tomei would have done well in the role). Much like Days of Thunder, by the early 2000s, The Godfather Part 3 developed a reputation as a bad movie. Most of the retro-respective reviews and fan hate seems to center on Sofia Coppola's performance.

Return of the Jedi - This might be the best example. Return of the Jedi was released to glowing reviews and critical acclaim across the board. The movie was universally loved by fans and critics alike. For many years, the argument of the best Star Wars film was not between A New Hope (then just called Star Wars) and Empire but between Empire and Jedi. This can even be seen in Clerks when Randal most famously asked which movie Dante liked better Empire or Jedi. Dante responds with Empire to which Randal responds with "blasphemy!"

I feel like most of the hate for Return of the Jedi is due to it almost having a "Seinfeld isn't Funny" effect. When Return of the Jedi was released in 1983, it was the first time we saw a green lightsaber, the first time we saw a large scale Space Battle with two entire fleets going at it, the first time we saw Jabba the Hut, the first time we saw the Emperor in person and force lightning. All of that stuff has since kind of entered into pop culture. In the case of Fleet vs Fleet space battles it became common starting in the 90s with games like Wing Commander, shows like Deep Space 9 and Babylon 5 as well into the 2000s with things such as Battlestar Galactica, Halo, Mass Effective, etc. It just became a normal depiction.

Also the edits from the "Special Editions" in my opinion hurt Return of the Jedi the most. Both the added editions of Return of the Jedi were awful. Not only that but Jabba showing up in ANH and the Emperor of course in the prequels kind of ruins the revivals in Jedi.

Also I feel like younger audiences that often watch Star Wars in chronological order and not release order, strongly get the "Seinfeld isn't funny effect" from Jedi. I've also seen posts on r/StarWars from people claiming that when their friends went to see Jedi in theaters in 1983, all of them universally hated it and everyone walked out thinking it was a bad movie. Or claiming they remember how disappointed everyone was back in 83 with Jedi. To me this sounds like revisionist history.

What other films have had this effect?

Seems like every director has at least one. Maybe it was early and they learned from their mistakes. Maybe they needed some fast money. Maybe they were obligated. Discuss.

I was surprised that I only learned of it through wikipedia, the broadcast media he once held a high place in appears to have overlooked his passing? I myself was not a fan, due to his bitchy vindictive style, which you can see illuminated a little more in his wikipedia page.

To be fair, Curry Barker’s Obsession is undoubtedly a horror movie first (or at least upon first watch). Watching it the first time I was disturbed, anxious, and terrified. However, the film had a lot of dark funny moments. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising a former sketch comedy director/actor would end up including so much humor in their film.

It was the kind of film that just stayed with me such that I had to see it another time. Upon the second watch it felt much more familiar and while still disturbing in many ways, it felt much more like a black comedy upon the second watch. I found myself laughing out loud at moments the rest of the audience was probably feeling disturbed.

Black comedies can do that. For instance, as a big Ari Aster fan I knew he had a keen sense for including that kind of humor and I felt like the only one in my theater laughing at certain parts of Eddington (I don’t think that audience was much aware of Aster’s previous work).

It certainly seems like black comedy is becoming more mainstream see other recent hit The Drama. This seems to be more of a societal thirst as Kristoffer Borgli has had this style of humor across his films even before The Drama.

Black comedy films are some of the most fun to see at a theater because it always gets this extra punch of “you’re not supposed to laugh at this moment, your teacher just announced their child passed away and your friend gives you a diabolical look” type of moment. It’s funny how audiences almost seem hesitant to laugh until they hear someone else letting it out. You just won’t get the same feeling watching this at home on streaming. So I definitely encourage anyone to see Obsession while it is still in theaters. Also seeing it in Dolby makes a huge difference for the sound design so definitely choose that if you have the option.

I just had to ask because I was watching a movie review by Double Toasted on the movie itself since the movie was basically one of the worst comedies Myers had done.

Like when I look back at the original Austin Powers, it’s hard to explain what made it work so well as something just felt so good about the writing aspects that I have to question what made the lead actor from the movie want to sabotage his career with again the Love Guru.

I was struggling for a while with tracking which movies are coming out soon, and sites like IMDb are too crowded for this simple task, so I created a site devoted to a single purpose - see the calendar of new releases and add the ones I like to a watchlist.

It was meant to be a small tool for myself, but then I thought it might be useful for others, so I opened it up for everyone. I posted it to some other subreddits already and it was very warmly received, so I thought I'd share it with all of you as well - maybe you'll find it useful too 😄

It's https://moviereleaseradar.com/ - a simple movie release tracker without ads or subscriptions. Free forever.