Years, or even decades, after a Film release, it often sees critical reappraisals. Movies that were immediately dismissed become acclaimed, and vice versa.
A recent online discussion examines which recent(ish) movies people think will receive a reappraisal in the future.
1. Iron Man And Other MCU Films
Several movie lovers thought that Iron Man and the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that have followed in the decade and a half since would be looked at differently in the future. But thoughts varied on how they would be looked at. For example, one film fan says that they think the franchise’s quality will decline so significantly that early films in the MCU, like Iron Man, will be more highly praised. Alternately, another believes that all the movies in the franchise will be looked at as overly praised upon release in the future.
2. Top Gun: Maverick
One film fan thinks Top Gun: Maverick only received critical praise because it was so much better than anyone expected it to be and that once that surprise wears off, the movie won’t be remembered as much more than a fun blockbuster. Some disagree, citing that action filmmaking is phenomenal, while others go even further to say that the movie will be rightfully considered a “straight-up propaganda schlock.”
3. Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes
A film that didn’t receive much attention or a major release, Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes is a brilliantly small-scale science fiction film that explores what would happen if a group of people found themselves in a two-minute time loop. One user calls the movie “one of the most clever and satisfying sci-fi concepts on a tiny budget I’ve ever seen” and says the film “has to get its due at some point!”
4. One Cut of the Dead
One Cut of the Dead is another film that never received a major release, but one user believes it will get the attention it deserves in the future. The film, which includes a breathtaking 37-minute long take, is a delightful meta-comedy about moviemaking and the lengths people go to to get things right.
5. Annihilation
Based on the novel of the same name by Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation did well enough with critics upon release, but many users lament that so few people seem to have seen it. The movie follows a group of scientists who venture into a mysterious “shimmer” that appears around a comet after it strikes Earth. It’s an equally beautiful and horrifying science fiction film that multiple film fans hope will gain broader appreciation.
6. Hulk (2003)
A distinctly non-MCU superhero movie that one movie lover is sure will receive the proper attention and praise one day, Ang Lee’s Hulk is one of the most idiosyncratic movies ever made. The film, which tells an origin story for the titular character, is one of the few movies that are incredibly formally inventive in how it attempts to bring the feeling of reading a comic book to the screen.
7. Only God Forgives
The original poster says they believe Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives will receive a positive reappraisal in the future. Several respondents agree that the film about a drug dealer coming into conflict with a mysterious policeman, often criticized for offering “style over substance,” will be appreciated in due time. Some, however, strongly disagree, with one user saying that the film should receive a reappraisal but that we should consider it even worse than the poor reviews it received upon release.
8. The Village
M. Night Shyamalan’s career has had highs and lows. But some believe that even The Village, a movie considered a low point in his filmography upon release, will see a greater appreciation in the future. Others agree that the movie deserves to be better remembered, with one noting that they’ve already heard some people discussing it more positively.
9. Go
A personal favorite of mine simply for the delightful Timothy Olyphant performance it offers, Go is a movie that one film fan will surely see a wave of new fans when a 1990s revival takes off. The user says that Go, which follows three different intertwining stories about raves and the drugs used at them, is “the perfect 90s film.”
10. Knock Knock
Another film I love that I’m elevating beyond the level of the person who says they think it will be more appreciated in the future. That commenter says the film is terrible but deserves attention as a so-bad-it’s-good movie for fans of bad movies. I’d go so far as to say that the film, which is a remake of 1977’s Death Game, is a hilarious, sexy, and effectively thrilling movie that will one day be viewed as one of the director Eli Roth’s best.
Speed Racer (2008)
While multiple fans of the Wachowski sisters think that their adaptation of Cloud Atlas will see a reevaluation in the future, there’s one who believes that it’s actually their live-action Speed Racer that will be the Wachowski film that becomes a classic. Having just seen the movie in theaters at a repertory screening, I agree, and I’m not the only one. Another fan responds that they knew it was a masterpiece the first time they saw it in theaters.
Death to Smoochy (2002)
One comedy lover says that Danny Devito’s Death to Smoochy will be reappraised in the coming years as a wonderfully silly movie that doesn’t take itself seriously. They say the film about a Barney-like TV show and the feuding adults behind its scenes is “a film fun-house that perfectly mirrors the subject matter.”
Miami Vice (2006)
Michael Mann’s 2006 adaptation of the classic 1980s TV show he helped develop was panned upon its release as an impenetrable movie because of its complicated plot and then brand-new digital cinematography. But several fans adore the movie and believe it will one day be seen as one of the director’s best films. One says, “It’s such a great action drama, gorgeously, mesmerizingly shot, riveting acting, and of course, the signature Mann action set pieces.” Another celebrates that the film “portrays professionals talking to each other instead of to the audience.”
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)
One film lover says that Everything Everywhere All At Once’s Best Picture win will “be looked back on in a similar way to how we look back on Crash (2004).” They argue that the multiverse-hopping movie about a family of Chinese American immigrants includes “messaging [that is] poorly thought out and overly simplistic to the point of being harmful.”
Malignant (2021)
A horror fan says that horror movies always take some time to be correctly appreciated and cites the recent James Wan film Malignant as one they believe will come to be celebrated as a classic in the future. The movie about a young woman who begins to have visions of murders happening in real time was divisive upon its release, and while it certainly has its supporters (like me), many found the film too silly for horror.
Source: Reddit.
