Do you ever find yourself watching a Movie and wondering if the filmmakers accidentally left in the extended director's cut by mistake? If you've ever asked the question, “Wow, there is still 50 minutes left?” while watching a Film, then you know the struggle is real. Fear not, fellow movie lovers! These 12 films will have you checking your watch and wondering if time has stood still. Grab some popcorn and settle in for the long haul!
1. The Sound of Music (1965)
The Sound of Music tells the story of Maria, a young woman who becomes a governess for a wealthy family in Austria just before World War II. She soon falls in love with the children and their widowed father but faces challenges from the Nazi regime that threatens their way of life.
This musical drama is longer than most people expect because it includes several iconic musical numbers and an intricate plot that requires time to develop the characters and their relationships. Hilariously, one viewer turned to their wife after the characters got married to remark, “that was a nice ending.” only for her to comically respond, “the nazis haven't arrived.”
2. Pearl Harbor (2001)
Pearl Harbor is a historical drama that tells the story of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese during World War II. The film follows the lives of two friends who fall in love with the same woman while they also deal with the impact of the attack on their lives and the nation as a whole. This film is longer than most people expect because it includes a lot of action sequences and a complex storyline that covers multiple perspectives of the event.
3. Titanic (1997)
James Cameron's romantic disaster film tells the story of Jack and Rose, two young lovers from different social classes who board the ill-fated Titanic on its maiden voyage. The film follows their journey as they fall in love but face the harsh realities of their situation when the ship hits an iceberg and begins to sink.
Titanic involves a lot of character development and multiple subplots that contribute to the overall emotional impact of the film, which takes a long time — altogether, the movie is 3 hours and 16 minutes long. The extremely long movie was made all the more apparent back in the day when VHS tapes were popular because the movie had to be split into two parts.
You would watch what felt like a full-length movie and then need to put in the second tape to complete the other half. The tone of the movie also takes a noticeable shift when you put in the second tape.
4. The Irishman (2019)
The Irishman is a crime drama that follows the life of Frank Sheeran, a mob hitman who becomes involved with influential figures in politics and the Teamsters union. The film spans several decades, from the 1950s to the 2000s, and explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of a life of crime. While it covers a lot of ground in terms of time and narrative and features extended scenes of dialogue and reflection, most people find sitting through a 3.5-hour film torturous, even if it's made by the great Martin Scorsese.
5. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Full Metal Jacket is a war drama that follows a group of Marine recruits undergoing brutal training and eventually getting deployed to Vietnam. The film explores themes of dehumanization and the psychological toll of war. It includes iconic scenes such as the drill sergeant's insults and the sniper scene. The film's slow-paced first half focuses on character development and the brutal training process before transitioning to a more action-packed second half. One viewer claims they were surprised that Full Metal Jacket had so much runtime left but “in an excellent way.”
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
This Disney action-adventure film follows the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow as he tries to save Elizabeth Swann, the daughter of a governor, from the clutches of the undead pirate Captain Barbossa. The film features a lot of swashbuckling action, comedy, and fantasy elements such as curses and magic. This film is longer than most people expected for a Disney film at the time, at 2 hours and 23 minutes. As this cineast put it, they were surprised how much of the runtime was left, but in a good way. They just felt like they had watched the climax, and then the film continued.
7. The Hateful Eight (2015)
The Hateful Eight is a Western thriller directed by Quentin Tarantino. It follows a group of strangers stranded in a blizzard and forced to seek refuge in a remote cabin. The film explores betrayal, revenge, and justice themes and features an ensemble cast of colorful characters. With an over 3-hour runtime comprised mostly of dialogue, some film buffs think it's brilliant, while others think it's a snooze-fest. I happen to belong to the latter camp.
8. Eternals (2021)
Eternals is a superhero film that follows a group of immortal beings who have lived on Earth for thousands of years and must reunite to protect humanity from their ancient enemies, the Deviants. The film explores concepts of identity, purpose, and sacrifice. This film introduces a large ensemble of characters, each with their own backstory and motivations, and includes extended action sequences and special effects.
However, most viewers were in agreement that it was a long wait with no worthwhile payoff. With a 2-hour 37-minute runtime, nothing interesting happens to justify the pacing.
9. Black Adam (2022)
Black Adam is a superhero film that tells the origin story of the eponymous character, a powerful antihero in the DC Comics universe. Played by Dwayne Johnson, Black Adam is a former slave who gains incredible powers from an ancient wizard and seeks revenge against those who have wronged him. Though the movie is only 2 hours, spectators felt like it was much longer.
10. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Extended Edition (2001-2003)
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a high-fantasy epic based on the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. The films follow the journey of Frodo Baggins and a group of companions as they try to destroy the One Ring, a powerful artifact that could bring about the end of the world.
The extended edition of the films includes additional scenes and footage that were not included in the theatrical releases, adding to the overall depth and richness of the story. While you're likely a super fan if you're watching the extended cut, some viewers remark that they were (pleasantly) surprised at how much additional footage there was for already very long films.
11. Barbarian (2022)
Upon arriving at her rental home, a young woman finds a stranger has already taken up residence. Despite her reservations, she chooses to stay the night, only to realize that her unexpected house guest is the least of her worries. This horror film was an absolute trip. At no point did I know what would happen next, especially after encountering the first shocking film sequence that sets you up for where this film is going (anywhere you're not expecting).
12. Avatar (2009)
This science-fiction epic takes place on the alien world of Pandora, where humans are mining a rare mineral while clashing with the native Na'vi people. The film follows the journey of Jake Sully, a paraplegic Marine who becomes involved with the Na'vi and leads a rebellion against the humans.
The film is quite long, with a 2-hour and 42-minute runtime. While amazed by CGI's ground-breaking visual achievements, most audiences felt the story was about an hour longer than necessary. I watched this for the first time this past year, and I thought it was going to end halfway through. The sequel faced the same complaints.
This thread inspired this post.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
The 13 Movies So Awful They Scored Zero on Rotten Tomatoes
Receiving a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes is a sought-after accomplishment all directors and filmmakers hope to achieve. But do you ever wonder what happens when a movie is so bad that it totally tanks at the box office?
Perhaps more difficult are those movies so awful they reach a zero on the Tomatometer, meaning no critic liked a single aspect of the film. So instead, they watched each dire moment, waiting for something decent to occur, but it never did.
Here are 13 movies that achieved a perfect zero on Rotten Tomatoes.
10 TV Shows That Should Have Quit While They Were Ahead
What TV show started great but ruined its reputation by staying entirely too far past its prime? I can think of a few, but I don't want to spoil the ending.
After being surveyed, the Internet responded with these television series that should have quit while they were ahead.
10 TV Shows That Should Have Quit While They Were Ahead
10 Surprising Movies That No One Cares About Anymore
Someone recently expressed they were searching for movies that exist but aren't a big deal anymore, despite a massive appeal and success initially.
They gave these examples, “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The Bodyguard (two huge Kevin Costner films with enormous hit songs that no one has watched since 1997). The Revenant (Leo gets an Oscar, but can you remember anything besides the bear scene?). Seabiscuit. What else?” Here are the top responses.
10 Surprising Movies That No One Cares About Anymore
10 Most Hated Characters on The Big Bang Theory
Recently someone online asked, “Who do you consider the most unlikable on the show?” Do you think you know who took the number one spot on the list?
Here are the ten top-voted responses from the show's fans.
10 Most Hated Characters on The Big Bang Theory
10 Awesome Obscure 80s Movies No One Seems To Remember
Are you tired of the same well-known films on every 80s movie list? You're not alone.
An online discussion inquires, “What obscure 80s movie did you love that no one else seems to remember?” Here are the top responses.
10 Awesome Obscure 80s Movies No One Seems To Remember
