Snooze Fests: 15 Films That’ll Make You Question the Meaning of Excitement
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 are still 50 minutes left?” while watching a film, then you know the struggle is real.
Fear not, fellow movie lovers! These 15 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. Babylon (2022)
Babylon seems to be one of those films people thought might be good, and then were very bored throughout its entirety. While it has a great cast, many members say that it was extremely uninteresting. It's one of those films where either people think it's brilliant where others don't understand the point of it.
2. The Titanic (1997)
Several members lament that Titanic was actually one of the most boring films they have ever watched. With its popularity, many cannot understand the fascination with the movie itself. While the first half of the movie goes pretty quickly, once the ship hits the iceberg, it takes forever for the ship to sink.
3. 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 German regime that threaten 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.
4. 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.
5. Gone Girl (2014)
While fans of the book of the same name knew what they were probably getting into when watching this movie, this movie can feel extremely long for anyone who doesn't know that this movie isn't a romantic comedy, but instead a dark mystery. Overall, people do love this film, but if it's not your cup of tea, it could seem too long.
6. 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.
7. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Warner Bros. Pictures.
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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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 film follows 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.
13. 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).
14. Avatar (2009)
This science-fiction epic takes place in 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.
15. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
While a lot of friends loved the first Wonder Woman movie with Gal Gadot, the second one is too long and really, not a great movie. Superhero movies have been getting longer and longer in recent years, but it's even harder to watch these lengthy movies when they're not a good movie in the first place.
Source: Reddit.
Jaimee Marshall is a culture writer, avid movie buff, and political junkie. She spends the bulk of her time watching and critiquing films, writing political op-eds, and dabbling in philosophy. She has a Communication Studies degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she flirted with several different majors before deciding to pursue writing. As a result, she has a diverse educational background, having studied economics, political science, psychology, business admin, rhetoric, and debate.
At Wealth of Geeks, Jaimee places an emphasis on film and television analysis, ranking the best [and worst] in media so you can find more diamonds in the rough and waste less time on box-office duds. You can find her articles on politics and culture in Evie Magazine, Katie Couric Media, Lotus Eaters, and Her Campus. You can also find her find her episode of Popcorned Planet, where she analyzes the Johnny Depp & Amber Heard trial. She has written extensively about due process, free speech, and pop culture.