Polarizing/Divisive films that you love?

[CassCade]

What are films with starkly polarizing reception from critics and audiences that you love.

mother! - I am a bigger Darren Afronsky fan since I saw Requiem for a Dream, only films of his I didn't enjoy was the fountain and Noah. Reviews and people's impressions of it kept from watching it until last week when I did and loved it very much.

The Neon Demon - after Only God Forgives, I was convinced that Refn was incapable of making another good film until I saw the Neon Demon, it was a fun ride.

Spring Breakers - from the posters and casting, I thought it was your typical teen spring break film, boy was I wrong and was pleasantly surprised.

Lars Von Tier - I feel like this thread applies to most of his filmograhy.

I feel like this goes without saying but the TLJ isn't polarizing no matter what it's very vocal minority thinks.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

It received mixed reviews at the time, but I think The Life Aquatic is an amazing movie and one of Wes Anderson's best.

 

[CassCade]

It received mixed reviews at the time, but I think The Life Aquatic is an amazing movie and one of Wes Anderson's best.

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I think it's one of his weakest films but I loved Bill Murray in it.

 

[Siggy-P]

Starship Troopers was a failure with critics at release but I love it.

Personal opinion here; RoboCop was loved because it mocked an obviously evil topic they could distance themselves from as the "other" (CEO's and unchecked capitalism) while Starship Troopers mocked the pro-fascist elements that pervade the majority of movies, hitting too close to home for said critics.

 

[Blue Sky Noise]

a whole bunch but two that come to mind right away are In the Mouth of Madness which is rotten on RT, but that's one of my favourite films, and everyone shit on Terry Gilliam's the Brothers Grimm but I enjoy it every time I watch it. Also, wouldn't say that I love it but some people call Exorcist II: The Heretic one of the worst movies ever made, imo that's a really interesting film.

 

[Sweeney Swift]

mother!
Annihilation
Neon Demon
Lars Von Trier's Melancholia
Midsommar
Last Jedi, my fav Star Wars
Frozen 2 to a lesser extent where it's been called unnecessary or worse than the first, which I vehemently disagree, and it's in fact my fav non-Midsommar film of the year, maybe even decade

A lot of my fav films get shit talked evidently but I'll continue to love what I love regardless 😊

 

[andymcc]

End of Evangelion

 

[TheTurboFD]

Shutter Island

 

[Excuse me]

Pretty much all Haneke movies. Well, Ididn't like Funny Games, that was some lame ass preaching from Haneke.

 

[ExhaustedWalrus]

I think Under The Skin is one of the best films ever made.

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

Blade Runner 2049 is divisive, right? I absolutely loved it.

 

[SweetVermouth]

I've seen mother! just yesterday and immediately that movie came to mind reading the thread title but OP already listed it. I've seen it twice actually and even though that movie is very difficult to watch, I somehow still like it. Can't really explain why.

 

[Deleted member 39374]

Spring Breakers was shit on at release but over the years people realized how ahead of its time it was. So many music videos and such copied the style and it's on like every poser cinephile's list now

It was also the first A24 movie IIRC

 

[Deleted member 25606]

Your Highness.

Prime Danny McBride, DGG, and Ben Best was still involved. And they made a fantasy film that was a comedy not a comedy making fun of fantasy but people act like it's a bad parody movie when it's not, and it has some stuff that is brilliant in it plus an amazing performance from Justin Theroux as Lezar. But it was early in their journey (Kenny Powers wouldn't catch on with the mainstream for another few years) and I bet if it came out now, same general film but with where McBride, Green, and Hill are now it would be received quite differently than it was back then.

TO THE FUCKENING!!!

 

[wenis]

mother! and Only God Forgives.

I also think The Master is PTA's only truly great film. The rest are fine.

 

[Deleted member 42105]

End of Evangelion

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Is it divisive? I know the episode 26 ending is, but I've heard almost universal praise for EoE for years now.

 

[digitalrelic]

The Fountain is unquestionably one of the greatest films ever made. I'm not one to usually say this because it sounds pretentious and snooty, but truly the majority of negative reviews (and many of the positive ones) simply didn't understand what was happening in the film.

 

[CassCade]

Starship Troopers was a failure with critics at release but I love it.

Personal opinion here; RoboCop was loved because it mocked an obviously evil topic they could distance themselves from as the "other" (CEO's and unchecked capitalism) while Starship Troopers mocked the pro-fascist elements that pervade the majority of movies, hitting too close to home for said critics.

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That's good one and now I want to rewatch it.

End of Evangelion

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I was under the impression that it was universally well received unlike the series ending which I hated myself too.

 

[lunarworks]

Ghostbusters (2016) put a huge smile on my face. Sure it had flaws, but I loved it and I'm severely disappointed we'll never get the teased sequel.

It received mixed reviews at the time, but I think The Life Aquatic is an amazing movie and one of Wes Anderson's best.

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The Life Aquatic was fantastic. The ending credits march just capped it off perfectly.

 

[Violence Jack]

I wouldn't say that I love any of these, but definitely like them:

The Neon Demon
Batman vs Superman
Sucker Punch
Iron Man 3
Solo
Friday the 13th Part 5
Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2
Showgirls
Silent Hill
Watchmen


I could've probably summed this all up by saying "almost everything Zack Snyder".

 

[grang]

Definitely agree on mother! The Fountain too.

Not sure if it counts but I know loads of people that hated it, but The Tree of Life is one of my favorite movies of all time

Lords of Salem is Rob Zombie's best movie

I really like most of Lars von Trier's stuff, especially Melancholia

 

[Reckheim]

A.I ... thought it was a great movie with a great ending. Super heart breaking.

 

[Aurongel]

American Psycho was ahead of its time and is one of the most subversive pro-feminism films of its decade.

 

[C.Mongler]

I thought Suspria 2018 was really damn good, but I can absolutely see why people would hate it.

 

[Nameless]

Suspiria (2018) is my "Film of The Decade" and one of my all-time favorites, full-stop. While the first watch was like a religious experience, just how insanely dense & ambitious it is truly comes across with subsequent viewings. I've seen it SEVEN times just this year, and honestly can't recall developing such an intense, rapturous obsession with a film before — certainly not as an adult.

It's definitely polarizing. 66% on RT last I checked, and most people either think it's a self indulgent slog, or a masterpiece.

Spoiler

It's a fucking masterpiece!

 

[Deception]

Prometheus. I acknowledge all of the valid criticism for this movie damnit do I love it.

 

[voOsh]

Your Highness.

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LOL not a movie I expected to see in this thread but I totally agree it would be received much differently now as opposed to when it was released. I don't think it is a great film but a solid 7/10 stoner flick. It is certainly better than the 27% RT score would lead you to believe.

 

[Prolepro]

American Psycho was ahead of its time and is one of the most subversive pro-feminism films of its decade.

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[WhySoDevious]

Watchmen

V for Vendetta

I guess people don't like them because they deviated from the source material, but I had never read either when I watched the movies and I enjoyed the hell out of them. I still do.

 

[misho8723]

Watchmen (my favorite comicbook movie of all time)
Silent Hill
Interview with the Vampire
V for Vendetta
FFC's Dracula
Brotherhood of the Wolf

 

[Strangelove_77]

Definitely Von Trier.

 

[Rogue Blue]

The Last Jedi, and having just watched it again on Netflix, I love it even more. It actually gets better the more times I watch it.

 

[Loxley]

The Last Jedi. Like nearly every Star Wars film, it has problems, but nothing that ruins the experience for me.

 

[Ragnar]

The Neon Demon - after Only God Forgives, I was convinced that Refn was incapable of making another good film until I saw the Neon Demon, it was a fun ride.

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Very related: I enjoyed Only God Forgives a great deal. In my personal opinion, not a weak film in Refn's filmography.

 

[andymcc]

Is it divisive? I know the episode 26 ending is, but I've heard almost universal praise for EoE for years now.

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it used to be very divisive.

 

[Bumrush]

Blade Runner 2049 is divisive, right? I absolutely loved it.

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It's not divisive in the slightest though

 

[Bor Gullet]

Revenge of the Sith is pretty polarizing on here.

It's one of my favorites.

 

[shaneo632]

A Ghost Story - totally get why people would hate it, but it really worked for me.

 

[ClickyCal']

Blade Runner 2049 is divisive, right? I absolutely loved it.

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It's not divisive in any way. Everyone loves it.

 

[Rei no Otaku]

Sucker Punch. I've had people getting very angry at me for even saying I like it. I enjoyed the whole thing.

 

[Deleted member 31133]

The Fountain directed by Darren Aronofsky is what I like to call a marmite movie. It has a 51% RT rating, but I fucking love it. Possibly in my top five films of all time.

It received mixed reviews at the time, but I think The Life Aquatic is an amazing movie and one of Wes Anderson's best.

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Finally! At last somebody else who agrees Life Aquatic is one of Anderson's best films. Very beautiful movie, both visually and emotionally. Still can't understand why people dislike it.

 

[Slayven]

Hudson Hawk, people say it is bad but I love that movie. Probably my favorite Bruce Willis movie, even counting Diehard

 

[Mona]

Dead Man's Chest is my favorite pirates movie

 

[GeeTeeCee]

I loved Only God Forgives, but didn't much care for The Neon Demon.

Quite enjoyed that horror film Apostle on Netflix too.

 

[gitaroomanlives]

Spider-Man 3.

Always defended it and still defend it to this day. It's got its problems, sure, but I still love it. Emo Peter Maguire is and always will be GOAT

 

[BDS]

I'm generally an apologist for the second and third Matrix and Pirates movies.

I also love Scott Pilgrim which I guess is polarizing around here?

 

[Doctor_Thomas]

It's not divisive in the slightest though

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It's not divisive in any way. Everyone loves it.

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Ah, fantastic, I was under the impression that when it came out there was a lot of people who didn't like it.

 

[Cipher Peon]

I was going to say

mother!, Spring Breakers, and Neon Demon.

OP you are a person of great taste.

 

[thecouncil]

The Village. Shyamalan's best movie.

The Lady in the Water is another great Shyamalan movie.

 

[Shokunin]

Man, I love The New World.

"Mother, now I know where you live."