The Runaways - "Unfairly Overlooked". Remember Me - "Massively Underrated"
CinemaBlend's The 8 Most Unfairly Overlooked Movies of 2010
When people look back on 2010 they'll remember the big blockbusters like Toy Story 3 or Iron Man 2. Yet maybe you missed something. In a better world maybe we should have noticed these movies too. Maybe we should have actually shown up to see them. Maybe we should have been talking about them. These are the movies nearly everyone overlooked; good movies which somehow not nearly enough people saw, no one championed, and in some cases studios didn't even bother to market.
The Runaways
"When I reviewed the movie back in March I called Kristen Stewart a modern James Dean. I'm standing by that. If you've only seen her in Twilight, you've probably assumed the worst about the future vampire bride, but in The Runaways Stewart is stupendous as real life, fem rocker Joan Jett. The rest of the movie around her, isn't bad either. It's a real, seedy, drug-infested, sex-soaked rise to rock and roll fame tale, except all the rockers just happen to be girls. The film focuses primarily on the story of Runaways front girl Cherie Currie (Dakota Fanning) as she's indoctrinated into the rock and roll lifestyle, then sexed up to sell records by the zany, scene-stealing Michael Shannon as manager Ken Fowler. But it's Stewart Joan Jett who will really capture your attention, and she ends up carrying the movie. Stewart's Joan lives and breathes guitar licks, as the true talent behind the music. The rock and roll scenes are toe-tapping fun and the tale of an all girl band manufactured, unleashed, and then run aground is as interesting and fucked up as it ought to be. You'd think any movie starring Kristen Stewart would be an instant sensation, yet somehow her Twilight fandom never really seemed to notice she was in it. Maybe it was the film's hard R-rating which scared the overly chase Twilight crowd away. Whatever the reason, while the movie earned positive reviews, once it was released no one seemed to notice."
via @KStewAngel
Updated!
Film.Com's TopTen Movies of 2010.
Massively Underrated. 'Youth in Revolt' and 'Remember Me'
Youth in Revolt was an innovative comedy, but it was released during a time period where people skip the theatrical experience. And if Remember Me had featured Ryan Gosling instead of Robert Pattinson it would have been correctly hailed as great. But people got far too caught up in the ending and Pattinson's celebrity to catch that he was really freaking good in this movie. Definitely worth a watch if you you're a fan of relationship dramas.
Via pattinsonlife
Moviehole's 10 Great Films You Missed in 2010
I know, I know, ‘but it’s got that guy with more gunk in his hair than Liz Hurley does in her nether regions’ but c’mon! many-a-good-actor have started out in the cinematic mailroom and graduated to an awe-impressive high-rise suite – just look at Robin ‘Mork’ Williams, Josh ‘Goonies’ Brolin, Tom ‘Bosom Buddies’ Hanks or Stephen ‘Evil Ed’ Geoffries! (Ok, bad example) – ain’t Robert Pattinson innocent until the gavel slams down!? This film, a heartrending relationship drama (it’s both about the rapport between a young couple and also one between a young man and his estranged father) that played to the tick of a 9/11 countdown, proved there’s much more to “Twilight” vamp Robert Pattinson than blank stares, sparkles and tree hopping. Quite simply, Pattinson was an eye-opener in this film. Skeptics need see it. RPLife _lilac_wine
I included this little 'Remember Me' article in this post because like 'The Runaways' it was also treated unfairly for one reason or another. I did not include this to compare the two movies ok? Again, Rob and Kristen are not in competition with each other, neither are their movies. Just a quick friendly reminder to all those extreme-Rob and extreme-Kristen fans who 'sometimes' lurk on my blog to create utterly unnecessary drama.
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29 comments:
Imagine what this movie could have done with decent distribution!
I need to see this movie
this film was amazing! its totally unfair that it didn't get any award nominations. i can't belive they nominated angelina and johnny for golden globe for tourist. i love johnny his a good actor but the tourist was a really horrible film! i don't get how its even nominated. i guess they are so biased to anything twilight. its very unfair for the actors and actresses. i thought remember me was a really good film but yet it doesn't get nominated and EW mag named it worst movie i don't get these critics what is wrong with them? why can't they see both rob and kristen are really good actors/actress. i thought runaways, remember me, and WTTR were all GOOD! i can't belive these so called critics won't give rob and kristen a chance just because they are in twilight. this really pisses me off. can they not understand talent and great movies nowadays? they are overlooking rob and kristen's film just because they are in twilight i don't get how these "critics" can say what is talent and what isn't because they all sound like a bunch of old grumpy men. i hope robert and kristen really get the cridit they deserve. i will always support them no matter what the critics say. i mean who are they to tell me what is talent and what isn't??
Agreed...its all about distribution. Same with WTTR and the Yellow Hankerchief. I wanted to see these two movies but I have to wait until they come out on DVD...I know WTTR will be out but I can't rely on Canada getting TYH as I can't even find a release date for this movie. Keeping my fingers crossed though...
It was really unfair that it didn't get as much recognition as it deserved! Like you said the distribution process totally and completely SUCKED! And I was actually disappointed that Michael Shannon didn't get some award nomination for Kim Fowley! Not to underestimate Kristen or Dakota but he was absolutely BRILLIANT!!
By the way I got the Runaways DVD for a Christmas gift today!! :D
It is soo unfair.. It wasnt even in the cinema in Germany.... :(
I love love the movie. I thought Kristen and dakota were fantastic in it. It should really be recognized more, because it is really hard to play a real person, and the did an amazing job.
And that they said, that Twilight fans missed it is sooo wrong. Many didnt even get the chance to go see it cause it never opened in Europe...
But I do think the R-rating was an issue...
Anyway, Kristen was AMAZING.. no matter what any of the critics say!!!
Its lovely to hear that kristen gets such good reviews for her role in the runaways, because she really deserved it, she was amazing as Joan Jett. I was blown away by her performance. Its to bad that not so many people went to see it, I think its because it was R-rated. Most twilight fans were to young too see it. I don't know why it was r-rated? its silly if it was because that lesbian kiss.
..Kris will have her own time..I believe actors with real talent will stay..same with rob!
I also wanted to see Welcome to the Rileys but it was never shown in Athens, Georgia where I live. I saw The Runaways on DVD and I loved it. It was also never shown in the theater. I loved Remember Me and saw it in the theater 5 times and I own the DVD. I thought Rob was amazing in Remember Me and I thought he should have been nominated for a Golden Globe for this movie.
I brought this dvd as soon as it came out through amazon...I've shown it to anyone and everyone and they all agree that it's good...Kristen,Dakota,Riley Keough(Elvis's granddaughter),Michael,Scout Taylor Compton,Stella Maeve and Alia Shawkat were all really great...I'm sad that it wasn't distributed properly and yes it was overlooked.....I'm sorry for Joan and Cherie as this was their lives and Joan especially is still touring...She was so proud of Kristen and so was I...she did her own singing and guitar playing as did Dakota...these 2 embodied the Runaways....Love the movie!
i thought kristen and dakota did amazing i n the runaways and i really enjoyed thier performance.they should nominated for golden glove or oscar coz tey really are fantastic.i'm so disappointed that i cant watch wttr at the cinema.im deing to watch that movie coz kristen is so good.
Its sad because it wasnt the hard R-Rating that "scared" me away.... it was the lack of showings in my local theater. Needed more distribution! I had to Netflix it :(
The Runaways is a superb movie by Floria Sigismondi. She picked the most interesting girls around for every part. Kristen Stewart is so real and sexy in this film as is Dakota and basically everyone. It would have been a hit in Europe. So sad it didn't came out. I hope the director will get the chance to do more. Kristen certainly will...
I think saying that nobody noticed that TR had been released,is selling it short. Of course everyone noticed it didn't make it to every town in the country! To quote one of my favorite black and white films from the 1940s,Cabin in the sky-"Boy where have you been?!" If the fim had had the proper distribution as they promised it would,it would have done better at the box office. We all had to hear from friends within our fandom that were lucky enough to see it and tell us about the movie. Most of us had to wait until it was released on dvd and I am really getting sick and tired of having to wait months just to see one of Kristen's films. I hope this doesn't happen with OTR,because alot of people are familiar with the book and will want to see it. I know the R-rating may have been a factor,but not all the fans in the Twilight fandom are teens. We wanted to see the movie on the big screen to support Kristen,as we want to support Rob's films. Just because they're associated with Twilight,shouldn't keep their other films from being overlooked because they play Bella and Edward.
Guys it definitely wasn't the R-rating! There are tons of R-rated movies that do well in the box office! The whole marketing strategy was just wrong!
Anon 2.03, come on now, it was definitely an R-rated movie! It wasn't just the kiss, it was the drugs, the innuendos, the fact that in every five words you would hear the word fuck, and not just that one! The MPAA is pretty difficult to get away with! :P
And also @Bella Cullen, it didn't even come in Germany, really? I thought it was gonna come in the bigger countries! I live in Greece and they played it only once in a film festival in Athens (and I was so pissed because I don't live in Athens and I couldn't go) and it came out on DVD like a month ago
@Anon2:03 I don't think the kiss was the cause of the R-rating. It was the language, drugs, and sexual situations that garnered the R-rating, which IMO was accurate. But there are plenty of Twilight and Kristen fans in the appropriate age bracket. It truly seems to be lack of distribution. I'd be interested to see where it ranks on rentals and DVD sales.
@Anon12:50 Did EW really name Remember Me as one of the worst films? I really don't get how people didn't like that movie. It was so moving, shocking, and thought-provoking, I just don't understand why RM gets so much criticism. I'd like to think I can be objective and if Rob is in a stinker, I'd say so. That just is so not the case here. It certainly wasn't one of the worst movies of 2010.
Already commented on The Runaways--Thanks for adding the RM post, S.
Remember Me was extremely underrated and Rob even said maybe it could have been marketed better.
I will never forget watching that movie. Hubby was away on a business trip so I ordered Remember Me from Netflix, knowing absolutely nothing about the movie plotline. I couldn't sleep and started the movie around 2am. When the movie ended, I literally sat straight up in bed, scanning the empty room for someone, anyone, to ask if they saw the ending coming. I usually am pretty good at predicting how a movie's going to go, but I was blindsided(in a good way) by this one. I actually made my husband watch it when he came home that weekend to see if he saw any foreshadowing--the little sneak went on Amazon and read some reviews ahead of time so he knew the ending, but didn't tell me and acted like he was figuring it out as we watched it together. I was so mad at him, because you never watch it again the same way after that first time when you don't know what to expect. Anyway, I loved it so much he bought me the DVD for my birthday and we still joke about it. Rob was terrific in it as was Chris Cooper and the rest of the cast--loved the secretary.
RM got crit for the ending which they believed misused a day of tragedy. I don't know that I disagree with that, though I thought the overall movie was ok.
People can try to understand TR distribution forever or hope K's movies make it into more theaters, but Kristen is an indie actress. Besides Twi she has made no maj move to leave a movie world she loves. That means smaller distribution. It's the way it is.
They forgot to mention Eclipse in the first paragraph which was a blockbuster, a $300 million dollar blockbuster. BTW, I checked DVD sales chart and Eclipse sales are already $100,000 and it has been out, what, a week.
Somehow, I missed this movie at the box office, but purchased the DVD, by the end of this movie I was crying so hard and for so long my family had to calm me down. Rob performance moved me to great emotions and blow me away. This movie did not get the real credit it deserved. But Rob was excellent in it, showing off his acting abilities and being the executive producer on it was wise. Because I was so moved emotionally, I wrote to his agent/to him because I REMEMBERED that day.
It's all to do with marketing and promotion. Despite incredible reviews for Kristen in The Runaways, the people who made it only gave it a limited release. And limited it was. Even the R rating made it harder for people to watch. If they were relying on the teens in the Twilight fanbase (seeing as how everyone seems to think that Twilight fans are all young teenagers...which is so wrong), that already took out the majority.
As for Remember Me, they aimed it at Rob's fanbase hence the PG-13 rating. But it wasn't so much the acting that didn't get cred, because Rob's reviews were good as well, it was the overall storyline. A romantic drama? Not so much, especially when the love interest wasn't very likeable. A family drama dealing with tragedy and loss? That was what SHOULD have been promoted. Sure the ending shocked audiences, but it was moving and emotional, I definitely cried as did everyone else in the cinema. The promo for this film lost focus and I think that's the reason why it was so underrated.
-T
I don't understand why people criticize the ending of RM. If you listen to the interview with the screenwriter he talked about how he wanted to really personalize the tragedy of that day and narrow the focus to one character and his family/friends to emphasize how people were going about their everyday lives and in one instance it changed everything for them. And isn't that just as tragic and important as remembering the huge numbers lost and the way it changed the nation?
I sincerely get the Remember Me review. It was amazing. And the ending gets a lot of crap but
*spoiler alert*
that is what makes the ending so amazing. The people in 9-11 wouldn't want to be remembered for the event but for who they were. And it really brought back that feeling of how it legitimately felt that morning. Shocking. Out of nowhere. Not what anyone expected. Its what made it artistically beautiful. And frankly I was surprised that Remember Me did not get AMAZING reviews. And I agree with the film.com, that while Rob did a killer job, the critics would have been more favorable if he was Ryan Gosling as opposed to "the" Robert Pattinson, heartthrob.
He can be BEAUTIFUL POPULAR AND TALENTED all at once. But critics, especially those of the LA and NY Times are slow to embrace him artistically. Because Twilight (and Harry Potter) are "teen" fare they want to remain all artsy and classy... and embracing a star of a teen movie is not a way to retain their pretentiousness. (most intense form of pretentious dishevelment I've ever seen - commentree reference)
Both Kristen and Robert have been given the gift of stardom. But in some ways its a gift and a curse because they want to take that stardom and translate it to dramatic, artistic movies. And the film critic community seems to almost resent this. Nothing makes me more mad then when someone sees The Runaways and is all like oh she can act. OR wow she was actually pretty decent. Snarky backhanded compliments. Because Kristen has always been a stupendous actress. I just wish that the critics would open their minds a little bit rather than be so abrupt to pigeon hole them.
On a side note while I'm writing this lengthy complainy comment I am noticing the pic of Rob and Kris from Eclipse press. And I JUST realized that Kris has Edward's Cullen wrist band on. And I must have seen that pic a thousand times.
I get a prize for being observant.
Also, another thing I was WAY WAY WAY L2P was that I did NOT realize that it was ROB who coined the term Robust Butt. Heard it for the first time in the Twi Commentary the other night. LOL
*SuzyQ*
PS
Am I the only one that is simply DYING for some airport pics. I miss Rob and Kristen's faces SO SO SO SO much. I mean I love their privacy. I want their privacy. But maybe we could have 99% privacy. And one tinieee weeeennnieee little itsy bitsy fan pic. Yes, that is the second thing on my Christmas list. Robsten pics. I'm such an addict!!!
@SuzyQ: I love your "lengthy, complainy comment"! Being LTP myself, I'm still catching up! I especially agree that I love their privacy, but one little fan pic would be the greatest Christmas present! Just one little pic with their sexy airport strut going on would help get me through this Sahara Desert Drought!
Both movies MASSIVELY UNDERRATED---I'm PO'D BIG TIME--MOVING ON.......
I could go on and on about RM...one of my fav. movies.Plain and simple it was the first fictional movie with 911 as a background storyline and many critics in the U.S. were not ready to deal with this yet hence the attack on the movie.The screenwriter/director were thoughtful and tried to protray one man's complicated emotional/trauma filled life and the events prior to his 9/11 waiting for his father in the twin towers.I found myself reflective for a long time after the film about all the tragedy of 911 and the loss of not only Tyler but so many other beautiful humans who lost their lives that day. I own the DVD and asked my husband to watch it b/c I wanted him to see Rob as not some "vampire"guy but a wonderful actor.
"And if Remember Me had featured Ryan Gosling instead of Robert Pattinson it would have been correctly hailed as great" So true. I still can't get over how critics bashed it and Rob's performance. I'm so sick of critics thinking Rob is just some "overrated celeb" or just "the twilight actor" Its like they won't give him a chance. Rob did a great indie and its so sad that he got trashed for it :(
I agree with you these movie were MASSIVELY underrated and the Critics are so snarky sometime that sometime you not sure if they actually are giving a compliment. But this year is gonna be Rob and Kris year to shine even more. So I hope they keep their condescending fingers nimble. Especially Roger Ebert. I like him but when he said Kris was absolutely wonderful but may the Saints save her from Twilight I was PO'D!
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