Recommending a theme for Thursday Movie Picks and getting picked is always an honour. The ironic part is that I never prepare for the themes I recommend myself. When I recommended Movies That Haven’t Aged Well I had something in mind. Now, months later, I have no idea what I was trying to recommend. But have no fear, here are three movies that haven’t aged well in my opinion. What movies am I talking about? Well of course the ones with CGI! In the past years technology has become so advanced that some past CGI feels especially awkward. And I guess in that sense these movies that used this wonky CGI truly haven’t aged well.
3. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (2001)
Going to anger all the Harry Potter fans but hear me out. The first two movies have the unfortunate luck of being made during what I think was the turning point of CGI. The beginning of 00’s CGI was still at the cusp of trying hard but having some setbacks. The first Harry Potter movie has some setbacks. It has many great and wonderful, partly practical CGI moments! but it also has that awful bathroom troll. That thing just did not age well compared to the later movies. Heck, even some of the third movie’s CGI creatures are a bit wonky. (CGI aside… there’s also the issue with the author of the series now. Which was initially where I wanted to take this theme but then I didn’t want to go too dark.)
2. SCOOBY-DOO (2002)
What do you expect from a 00’s kids movie? To crack open that CGI magic and deliver something amazing? Well depends. I feel like some CGI is done well even then because it doesn’t take a big bite that was too hard to swallow. I feel like Scooby-Doo didn’t go that way. There are some alien creatures here and they just look very bad. The dog doesn’t look half bad but I can tell they spent much more time on that. Anyway. I hardly remember this and I probably will never watch it again. Also talking animals… outside the animation context, do they even appeal to people anymore?
1. HULK (2003)
If we’re going to talk about bad CGI I guess it’s impossible to avoid the 2003 Hulk. This is where I met the green monster who gets angry and well.. it did not go as planned. While many bad CGI movies can be forgiven I feel like Hulk cannot. It just feels wrong, and I think it’s mostly due to the colour green. It’s just too bright and too weird. But… every memory is a memory to have as a memory I guess, even a wonky green Hulk? This Hulk is by the way my least favourite and I remember maybe like 2,5% of this movie (even though I remember the origin story of Hulk very well).
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BYÂ WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
3
Can’t argue with these choices. As much as I love the CG, it doesn’t hold up. It’s crazy how something like Jurassic Park still looks good today but these other late 90’s/early 00’s films just look awful.
I know!! So many 80’s, 90’s look better than the 00’s CGI. I feel like they got more stuff and went overboard while movies like Blade Runner and Jurassic Park still look great!
Yeah, those visual effects are dated. I can’t believe you didn’t go for The Mummy Returns with the unveiling of the Scorpion King… whoo… now those were awful visual effects and they’ve aged badly.
It’s because I haven’t seen that Mummy Returns Scorpion King moment…… and proud of it. 😀
I am kind of sick of CGI to be honest because they forget the old fashioned way may still be better in many respects. Jurassic Park is still excellent and even the original King Kong with the stop motion is better. That scene with the ogre was not the best but I can even pick the first Avengers movie at the beginning. When they were flying through the woods and fighting the bad guys, I thought I was watching a preview of some bad game to play. I realized, after about 30 seconds or so that this was the start of the film…it was very unreal. Thankfully, I never saw this Scooby-Doo and will stick with the original cartoon. I never saw this version of The Hulk and actually like the original TV Show with Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. One of the worst I saw was some movie about an Earthquake and volcano exploding starring Anne Heche and Tommy Lee Jones. I was watching this dreck and thought it was some horrible TV movie with weak special effects until I saw Tommy Lee Jones in the film. Yikes!
They truly have. Remember when Fury Road came out and everyone was like in awe because it felt so powerful.. practical stunts right there!! I feel like more movies need to be like that but I get it’s probably a lot to do with money AND time. Ah, I haven’t seen the Earthquake movie but I’m glad I haven’t seen it.
Oh don’t worry – I grew up with Harry Potter and not even I can watch the first two movies any more – the CGI is cringey!
I know right! It’s pretty bad. 😀