Skip to main content

Most overrated movies of all time, ranked

There are plenty of great movies out there that are widely regarded as great. They’ve earned that status, and when you finally sit down to watch them, you discover that they hold up completely. The Godfather really is as good as everyone says it is. Casablanca might be 80 years old, but it’s still one of the great love stories ever committed to film.

Sometimes, though, movies earn a reputation that they don’t entirely deserve. They may be good, but they aren’t as great as everyone likes to believe. Here’s our rundown of 10 movies that fit that bill to a tee:

Recommended Videos

10. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

10. The Nightmare Before Christmas
76m
Genre
Fantasy, Animation, Family
Stars
Chris Sarandon, Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara
Directed by
Henry Selick
Watch on Disney+

The stop-motion animation in Nightmare Before Christmas is a genuine wonder, and the careful design of the movie is why most people treat is as a classic to this day. What most people fail to pay attention to, though, are the movie’s actual story beats, which are mostly rote and predictable.

Not every animated movie needs to be shocking, but Nightmare Before Christmas is only surprising in what it puts on screen and seems to lack any real imagination when it comes to how to tell a story with all those brilliantly animated pieces.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Official Trailer #1 - Animated Movie

9. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

9. The Wizard of Oz
102m
Genre
Adventure, Fantasy, Family
Stars
Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley
Directed by
Victor Fleming
Watch on HBO Max

A widely beloved movie that contains a number of genuine musical classics, The Wizard of Oz is just a little boring and conventional by modern standards. It’s design elements remain extraordinary, but it’s very hard to go into the movie without knowing every single beat of what’s going to happen.

Judy Garland is genuinely winsome as Dorothy, but the magic of the movie doesn’t feel as jaw-dropping as it once might have. It’s a lovely story, and might be great for the kids in your life, but you may turn it on and discover that it’s not the masterpiece you remember it being.

The Wizard of Oz | Digital Blu-ray Release Trailer | Warner Bros. Entertainment

8. The Breakfast Club (1985)

8. The Breakfast Club
98m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall
Directed by
John Hughes
Watch on Amazon

John Hughes’ story of five teenagers from different social circles who are forced into Saturday detention together may have added some genuine pathos to the lives of its teen characters, but it’s another movie that feels like it’s been improved on by what came after it.

The performances at the movie’s center hold up great, but the movie really falters in its final act, transforming the coolest girl in the room into a more conventionally attractive version of herself, and forcing the popular girl into the arms of the bad boy. It’s not bad, but it feels a bit generic now.

The Breakfast Club 30th Anniversary Celebration

7. American Sniper (2014)

7. American Sniper
133m
Genre
War, Action
Stars
Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner
Directed by
Clint Eastwood
Watch on Amazon

While it may have been a true phenomenon when it was released, American Sniper hasn’t aged all that well in the public imagination. The movie’s most lasting image on the internet is probably of Bradley Cooper holding a fake baby.

The movie’s actual story, which focuses on the deadliest sniper in American history, is complicated by its depiction of his various Middle Eastern adversaries and its general approach to the trauma that it’s attempting to unveil. It may have been a hit in theaters, but American Sniper was not built to last. 

American Sniper - Official Trailer [HD]

6. The King's Speech (2010)

6. The King's Speech
118m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter
Directed by
Tom Hooper
Watch on Amazon

This Best Picture winner was seen as overrated from the second it picked up the trophy, and it mostly earns that reputation. The film, which tells the story of King George VI as he ascends to the throne and struggles to overcome a speech impediment, is funny and moving in moments, but feels exactly like the kind of thing the Oscars just love to award.

Colin Firth is genuinely great in the lead role, but on the whole, The King’s Speech is a conventional story of triumph over adversity, and it’s about a man who doesn’t really have all that much adversity to overcome.

The King's Speech (2010) Official Trailer #1 - Geoffrey Rush Movie HD

5. Frozen (2013)

5. Frozen
102m
Genre
Animation, Family, Adventure, Fantasy
Stars
Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff
Directed by
Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Watch on Disney+

This movie was a genuine phenomenon upon its release in 2013, in part because of the success of the song Let It Go, but the movie doesn’t hold up all that well to the scrutiny. The animation already looks dated, and while most of the songs are pretty great, the movie’s lopsided structure is more obvious on repeat viewings.

There are basically no songs in the movie’s final hour, when things get way more serious than they probably should. The story of sisterly love at the movie’s center feels genuinely revolutionary, but other than that, Frozen is a pretty average animated movie.

Disney's Frozen Official Trailer

4. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

4. Driving Miss Daisy
99m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd
Directed by
Bruce Beresford
Watch on HBO Max

Driving Miss Daisy was problematic in 1989, and even though it won Best Picture at the Oscars, that didn’t exactly help its reputation. The movie tells the story of a wealthy older woman who is prejudiced against Black people and winds up with a Black driver.

As the two bond with one another, they begin to understand one another better, and come to see that they aren’t so different after all. That may sound corny, but that’s only because Driving Miss Daisy is. Oh, and it also manages to fundamentally misunderstand racism in America. Not great.

Driving Miss Daisy (1989) Official Trailer #1 - Morgan Freeman Movie HD

3. Fight Club (1999)

3. Fight Club
139m
Genre
Drama, Thriller, Comedy
Stars
Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter
Directed by
David Fincher
Watch on Amazon

Fight Club earned cult status the second it hit theaters, and it’s a movie that some people take very seriously, and others treat as the satire it was originally intended to be.

Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t work all that well as either thing, and winds up stuck in a no man’s land between the two. Brad Pitt is legitimately great as Tyler Durden, but so much of what Fight Club is about feels ao asinine and pointless today that it basically falls apart the second you know what’s really going on.

Fight Club | #TBT Trailer | 20th Century FOX

2. Forrest Gump (1994)

2. Forrest Gump
142m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise
Directed by
Robert Zemeckis
Watch on Amazon

Perhaps the most baffling phenomenon of all time, Forrest Gump is a movie about baby boomer nostalgia that came out at exactly the right moment. Forrest interacts with a number of major historical figures in this sweeping epic, but the movie’s rah-rah American spirit and irrational hatred of hippies make it feel far squarer today than it may have at the time.

Tom Hanks finds a way through what could have been a career-ending performance, but Forrest Gump is cloying and sentimental without all that much to redeem it.

1. The Blind Side (2009)

1. The Blind Side
129m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron
Directed by
John Lee Hancock
Watch on Amazon

Sandra Bullock is a powerful force, but even she can’t save The Blind Side from all the clichés that consume it. The movie tells the true story of Michael Oher, a boy who was nearly homeless, is taken in by a wealthy Southern family, and ultimately becomes a football star. It’s inspirational, but it’s also pretty cloying, and plays into a lot of pretty boring white savior tropes.

The Blind Side (2009) Official Trailer - Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw Movie HD
Movie images and data from:
Topics
Joe Allen
Joe Allen is a freelance writer at Digital Trends, where he covers Movies and TV. He frequently writes streaming…
10 best heist movies of all time, ranked
Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer as Neil McCauley and Chris Shiherlis aiming guns at something off-camera in Heat.

When movies successfully make criminal masterminds look cool, heist flicks end up being some of the most entertaining types of films to get the blood pumping from the comfort of one's couch. The greatest heist films combine careful preparation and strategizing with the high-stakes action and thrilling obstacles of executing those plans with everything at stake.
From engrossing classics like Heat and A Fish Called Wanda to stylish hits like Ocean's Eleven and Inception, the best heist movies are guaranteed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Expect meticulously crafted plots, shocking twists, and thrilling stories from these spectacular heist movies that set the gold standard for the genre.
10. Point Break (1991)

Keanu Reeves stars as FBI agent Johnny Utah in Point Break, which sees him tasked with infiltrating a gang of bank robbers known as the "Ex-Presidents" because of their distinctive masks. It turns out that they're also a rowdy group of adrenaline junkies getting their thrill from surfing, and Utah is drawn to their exciting lifestyle. The undercover agent soon forms an unexpected bond with the criminals, especially with their charismatic leader, Bodhi (Patrick Swayze).
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Point Break uses the surfer subculture as a unique backdrop for its exhilarating story. The heist movie is often over-the-top and sometimes downright absurd, which is what makes it so memorable and entertaining. It's also notable for Reeves' role, for which he performs an impressive balancing act between the role of a serious agent and a more comical fake surfer. The film hasn't been forgotten to time, with its cult following ensuring that new generations will continue to discover the bizarrely delightful action movie from the 1990s.
9. Baby Driver (2017)

Read more
3 underrated movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in February 2025
Reese Witherspoon and Will Ferrell reluctantly dancing together in You're Cordially Invited.

It’s a lazy February evening or weekend. Perhaps the weather outside is atrocious, and you just want to stay in and veg on the couch. Maybe it’s Valentine’s Day, and you curl up with your partner after dinner to watch a good flick. Amazon Prime Video is a good place to start.
You might think you've seen everything worth watching on the streamer, but think again. These are three underrated movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in February 2025.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
You’re Cordially Invited (2025)
You're Cordially Invited - Final Trailer | Prime Video
The fact that You're Cordially Invited is so new makes it underrated. Early reviews have been mixed, but we suspect they’ll improve as more and more people watch. Or it could be the case of yet another comedy film that gets unsavory reviews yet is still downright fun to watch. The cast alone will pique your interest, made up of a who’s who of comedy, including Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, and Meredith Hagner, a scene stealer in the Apple TV+ series Bad Monkey. In You're Cordially Invited, a wedding venue is double booked. One bride, Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan), and her dad, Jim (Will Ferrell), prepare for war with the other bride, Neve (Meredith Hagner), and her sister and wedding planner, Margot (Reese Witherspoon).
As one of the most anticipated Amazon Prime Video movies of 2025, You’re Cordially Invited is one of those silly wedding comedies to watch when there’s nothing else on. Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times says that Ferrell and Witherspoon “play off each other with impeccable timing, and the supporting cast is universally terrific.”

Stream You’re Cordially Invited on Amazon Prime Video.
Blink Twice (2024)
BLINK TWICE | Official Trailer
Blink Twice received decent reviews, but it’s one of those movies that’s easy to pass over, especially when so many other great movies came out last year alongside it. If you haven’t yet watched the psychological thriller, check it out. Directed and produced by Zoe Kravitz and starring Channing Tatum, it’s about a nail artist and cocktail waitress named Frida (Naomi Ackie) who crosses paths with a billionaire tech mogul named Slater (Tatum) one night at an event where she’s working. He invites her and her friend Jess (Alia Shawkat) to a private island; they think it’s an opportunity of a lifetime. At first, it seems this is indeed the case. But then, strange things start happening.
You should watch to find out where the story goes, as it takes creepy twists and turns. Radio Times’ Jeremy Aspinall praises the “stylish visuals and foreboding sound” that “deftly tease out the mystery until a furious finale reveals the sinister truth.”

Read more
10 best shows based on true crimes, ranked
The cast of Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story TV Hero.

Some of the best true crime shows of all time are based on true stories. When done right, these true crime series can offer captivating dives into notorious cases that can leave viewers questioning the world around them. The TV shows feature raw portrayals of the perspectives of criminal minds, the systemic failures that contribute to the cases, and the narratives of those caught in the middle.
From the riveting The Dropout to the popular Narcos, the greatest true crime shows deliver their own unique lens into real-life horrors. These meticulously detailed retellings are often unsettling and unforgettable, shedding light on the harrowing true events they're based on.
10. American Crime Story (2016-)

For fans of anthology series, American Crime Story is a must-see. Each season reimagines some of the most notorious crimes in modern history, exploring high-profile cases and the chaos that surrounded them. The first season, The People v. O.J. Simpson, ensures that every detail of the courtroom drama is laid bare, from the "dream team" legal strategy to the racial and gender politics that ignited national debates. Season 2, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, shifts focus to the chilling spree that ended with the murder of fashion icon Gianni Versace (Édgar Ramírez). The third and final season so far is titled Impeachment and explores the Clinton–Lewinsky scandal, examining the political crisis and its effects.

Read more