Overhyped books / movies / music?

[flame boy]

I have just started reading Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" after having it on my book shelf for ages, I have read nothing but good stuff about it and so far I am really enjoying it. I was worried that I would start reading it and think it was awful - luckily that's not the case. Have you read any books or seen any movies or listened to any albums which had a lot of hype and you found them to be really disappointing?

The most disappointing book for me was "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire, long before the musical or its mass-popularity a friend suggested I give it a read. I liked the descriptions and the settings but I found the book overall to be a real bore. Another book I never got on with was Catch 22. I really wanted to enjoy it but found myself struggling.

Movie-wise I really didnt like "Black Hawk Down" - that was a real let down, as was "Gladiator". I watched both of them after everyone had sang their praises and I expected a lot more. I have found with movies that the underrated flicks are the classics, far too many new movies get "oh-my-gawd-this-is-the-best-movie-EVER" status.

What about you?

 

[B_theOtherJJ]

FAME (the new version) was a bomb...

 

[B_Hamadim]

The taste differs from person to another, If I liked a movie, you may hate it and vice versa.

I loved Gladiator and considering getting the blu-ray edition.

 

[SilverTrain]

Slumdog Millionaire - overrated

I dug Black Hawk Down. I liked Gladiator, too, although I'm not sure about Best Picture.

 

[flame boy]

Slumdog Millionaire - overrated

Oh god YES! Slumdog Millionaire was another movie I watched a few months later. It was alright, but it really didnt (in my opinion) warrant the crazy level of praise it achieved.

 

[Robert53]

The Christian bible over the years has received a lot of press, readings and hype. It is much overated as a nonfiction history. Now, as a fiction book, it would certainly get high marks for creativity!

 

[B_theOtherJJ]

Slumdog was riding a Bollywood trend wave, thats all

 

[mitchymo]

The Blair Witch Project

 

[D_Tim McGnaw]

Oh god YES! Slumdog Millionaire was another movie I watched a few months later. It was alright, but it really didnt (in my opinion) warrant the crazy level of praise it achieved.

Completely agree with you about Slumdog Millionaire. Every Jim Carey movie is overrated even the crap ones.

I read "The Road" and thought is was total crap, I think JM Coetzee's "Summertime" is total gak ( mind you I'm not a fan of JMC's writing anyway, it's also overrated ) and I'm not keen on Simon Mawer's "The Glass Room" either.

I love "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel, a deserved Booker Prize winner in my opinion.

 

[D_Ireonsyd_Colonrinse]

I believe the Holy Bible is overrated. As well as the paintings of Andy Warhol. Neil Simon plays, Bauhaus architecture, Joan Crawford movies.

 

[B_bi_mmf]

The Christian bible over the years has received a lot of press, readings and hype. It is much overated as a nonfiction history. Now, as a fiction book, it would certainly get high marks for creativity!

Yeah, man, it takes the cake!

 

[LowRida]

Napoleon Dynamite. I heard it was the greatest movie out there and there was all this hype and everyone was wearing the vote for pedro shirts and quoting lines in the movie then I watched it. I thought my brain went to sleep. I felt like I was losing brain matter right there and then. I still want that 90 mins back of my life.

 

[SilverTrain]

Napoleon Dynamite. I heard it was the greatest movie out there and there was all this hype and everyone was wearing the vote for pedro shirts and quoting lines in the movie then I watched it. I thought my brain went to sleep.

Ditto

 

[elegant20]

Citizen Kane...it was just hyped to be the greatest thing since slice bread. But it really was just a bore of a movie. Even Orson Welles didn't think this movie was all that great.

 

[D_Percival Puddleford Pukehorn]

Every Jim Carey movie is overrated even the crap ones.

.

not so! Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind is a brilliant film!

 

[D_Percival Puddleford Pukehorn]

Citizen Kane...it was just hyped to be the greatest thing since slice bread. But it really was just a bore of a movie. Even Orson Welles didn't think this movie was all that great.

i concur.

 

[superbot]

Da Vinci Code book.Utter Tripe!

 

[Sergeant_Torpedo]

This perenial issue is not that of over-hype (we live in an age of media hyperbole) but of lack of judgement on our behalf. Writers, directors, even actors have abrogated all self respect; they will happily promote a product even though in private they find disappointing or rubbish. Once over they would have kept their own counsel. Nepotism is rife within the media, real talent is being stifled on an unparalleld scale. Films in particular have become formulaic courtesy of Hollywood, the Brits follow like puppies. Some worthy talent is still coming out of Europe. Fritter your money away on trash if you must: it is your free choice. But why do you have to see a movie, read a book within 3 days of its first review. In most cases you'd be better off waiting until it is shown on tv or get your smug backsides off your over upholstered sofas and visit the public library.

 

[D_Portelay Porquesword]

The Blair Witch project was a total bust for me. Stupid in fact.
I read Wicked as well, I found it a bit tedious and forced myself to read it. It just didn't grab me.

The Wolverine movie was a let down. Hugh Jackman makes for great eye candy and all but the story was just not there for me.

Australia was touted to be a grand sweeping film, that it was but it just lacked the punch other movies of its genre carried. The photography was fantastic.

 

[superbot]

Music: Scissor Sisters.Film:Any Quentin Tarrentino Film.