Money-Wasters: The Most over-budgeted movies of 2010.

Movies cost a lot of money in hollywood. these ones cost a lot even considering that.

10. Iron Man 2-$200 Million
Should have been: $170 Million

Arguably this one's not really overbudgeted, but I didn't see $200 million the screen. What do I expect for $200 million? Innovation. What did I get? Boredom.

9. Alice in Wonderland-$200 million
Should have been: $150 million

Okay, so it was a huge visual effects extravaganza, I get it. But $200 million demands more. Again, probably not that overbudgeted, but still, a waste of $200 mil.

8. The Tourist-$100 Million
Should Have been: $80 Million

Okay, to be fair, this was an action drama. With big stars. But $100 million is a big price tag, especially considering the movie came nowhere near reaching that mark domestically.

7. Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader-$155 Million
Should have Been: $100 Million

All of the Narnia movies have been overbudgeted in my book. Prince Caspian cost $225 million, so this is a bit more reasonable. But still, there was nothing here that made it reasonably cost that much. No big stars, nothing. Just sad really, because if they'd kept the budget down, they would be swimming in the money at this point.

6. Tangled-$260 million
Should have Been: Around $150 million

Tangled has an excuse. Production started way back in 2004, and in 2008 they threw it all out and started over. The preliminary 4 years of work is included in that. Excuses though, don't get you far with me. This stands as the second most expensive movie of all time.

5. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time-$200 Million
Should have Been: $100 million

Yet another $200 million pricetag. This shows how naive Disney is. You just don't invest $200 million in a movie that's supposed to be a franchise starter. It's just bad form. Not to mention that it could have been made for much, much less.

4. Sex and the City 2-$100 Million
Should have never been made!

This is self-explanatory. Whether you saw the movie or not (I did not) you can see that this is a gross example of Hollywood excess. Just horrible.

3. The Wolf Man-$150 Million
Should Have been: $75 million

$150 million thrown at a movie nobody saw. Universal is pretty stupid for doing this.

2. Robin Hood-$200 million
Should Have been: $80 Million

I didn't think this one could be topped. $200 million on a movie that looks like it was made for five bucks. No big effects shots, nothing really epic, mostly just people riding horses through the woods. Sure, Russell Crowe probably took $20 million, Ridley Scott upwards of 25, but that still leaves $155 million to make a movie. Also, the movie sucked.

1. How do you Know-$120 Million
Should Have been: $40 million

When I saw the budget for this one, I was convinced it was a type-o. It wasn't. Haven't seen it, but unless there's an epic helicopter chase half-way through that I don't know about, there's no reason it should be this much. Sony must be down in the depths of despair, since it only made back a quarter of it's massive overbudgetedness.

Worst Movies of 2010, well that I saw.

This list is from worst to best, cuz I wanted to. Deal with it.

Keep in mind I don't go see that many movies, and I typically go to movies I think I'll like.

1. The Worst Movie of the Year--Grown Ups.

This was a waste of a good cast. Wait, no it was a waste of a bad cast. There was nothing to waste. Just a horrible movie, only one laugh in the whole thing, and it was like 2 minutes in. A truly miserable experience.

2. The Last Airbender

Predictable? Well it was really bad what can I say? Way to ruin a good show, and I've finally given up on Shyamalan. Took me long enough though, didn't it.

3. Robin Hood

Wow, just wow. What a horrible mis-fire. Everything they could have done to make this a good Robin Hood movie, they did the opposite thing. Just horrible.

4. Tron Legacy

BOOOOOOOOORING! Seriously, the most boring light-show I've ever paid to see. Aside from some cool scenes at the beginning and a nice soundtrack, this is a total waste of time and money.

5. TIME FOR CONTROVERSY!-Iron Man 2

You know it. Had to have a little controversy. Nothing happened in this movie, nothing. Nothing. Nothing. It wasn't boring, but it was meaningless. Such a disappointment after the first movie.



Dis-Honorable Mention: Prince of Persia Sands of Time

Yeah, this should have been #5, but I put Iron Man 2 to be controversial. Sue me.

NEXT TIME: The top 5 Best movies of 2010 (that I saw in 2010.

Complex Math Equations=Movie Quality

1. Robin Hood (Altered Folklore) + Ridley Scott (Director: Gladiator, Braveheart) + Russel Crowe (Actor: A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator) = Robin Hood (Generic Film Fail)

Robin Hood (Folklore) - Fun (Attribute) = Robin Hood (Altered Folkore)
Ridley Scott = Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott + Robin Hood (Altered Foklore) = Robin Hood (Genius new Vision)
Robin Hood (Genius New Vision) + Studio Interference = Robin Hood (Generic Film)
Robin Hood (Generic Film) + Russel Crowe = Robin Hood (Generic Film Fail)

2. Sherlock Holmes (Series of Novels) + Guy Ritchie (Director: RocknRolla, Snatch) + Robert Downey Jr. = Sherlock Holmes (Fun Film Win)

Sherlock Holmes (Series of Novels) = Fail
Sherlock Holmes (Series of Novels) + Film Adaptation = Much Less Fail
Sherlock Holmes (Film Adaptation) + Guy Ritchie = Sherlock Holmes (Potential Great Film)
Sherlock Holmes (Character) + Robert Downey Jr = Sherlock Holmes (Potential Great Character)
Sherlock Holmes (Potential Great Film) + Sherlock Holmes (Potential Great Character) = Sherlock Holmes (Fun Film Win)

3. Iron Man (Original Film) + Don Cheadle + Scarlett Johanssen + Samuel L. Jackson + Sam Rockwell + Mickey Rourke + Gary Shandling - Terrence Howard - Origin + Boring Midsection = Iron Man 2 (Mediocre Film Meh)

Self explanatory.

Watch this, Not That: Summer Edition

The long-anticipated summer edition of what I so pompously wrote about in spring. Without further ado, watch this not that, summer edition.

Watch This

Iron Man 2 (May 7)
Directed by: Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Zathura, Elf)
Written by: Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder)
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Paul Bettany

The surprise hit of 2008, making over $300 million domestically. I was determined to hate the first film, but I just couldn't do it, and I'm at least a little excited for the sequel, due out this Friday. All the major cast is solid, adding Scarlett Johansson (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Prestige), academy award nominee Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), Sam Rockwell (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Galaxy Quest), Samuel L. Jackson (Unbreakable, Pulp Fiction) and Don Cheadle (Ocean's 13, Traitor) to replace Terrence Howard. Of concern however, is the change in writers from Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby (Children of Men), Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Punisher: War Zone), to relative newcomer Justin Theroux (who appeared recently on NBC's "Parks & Recreation"). Also, early word of mouth is largely luke-warm, making this sound like another Spiderman 2 (or for people who liked Spiderman 2, insert Spiderman 3).

Trailer for Iron Man 2 (Even though I know you've already seen it)

The A-Team (June 11)
Directed by: Joe Carnahan (Smokin' Aces, Narc)
Written by: Brian Bloom, Michael Brandt (Wanted, 3:10 to Yuma), Skip Woods (Hitman, Swordfish)
Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Sharlto Copley, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

Based on the infamously cheesy 80's TV show of the same name, this movie looks like it has potential for awesomeness. Then again, it might be a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions, but either way I recommend a watch. I haven't seen any of Joe Carnahan's work, but the critics seem to think it was mostly solid. The same goes for writer Michael Brandt, but Skip Woods has a less glowing resume. Liam Neeson is always fantastic, but the rest of the cast seems mediocre at best. The main reason this is on the "watch" list is due to a lack of better stuff out there in mid-June.

Trailer for The A-Team

Toy Story 3 (June 18)
Directed by: Lee Unkrich (Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc, Cars)
Written by: Michael Arndt (Litte Miss Sunshine)
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Michael Freaking Keaton, Bonnie Hunt, Wallace Shawn

I'm probably the biggest skeptic this film has, most everyone seems excited for it, but I'm not so sure. Lee Unkrich's last film Cars was a phenomenal disappointment for me, and the writers of the original Toy Stories aren't returning. Still, definitely going to see it and recommend that you do to. Plus, Michael Keaton is the man.

Toy Story 3: The Trailer

Despicable Me (July 9)
Directed by: Pierre Coffin (Gary's Fall), Chris Renaud (No time for Nuts)
Written by: Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul (Horton Hears a Who, College Road Trip)
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Jason Segel, Ken Jeong, Will Arnett, Julie Andrews, Russell Brand, Danny McBride

I love animated films. I really do. So even though it has two new-coming directors, writers of serviceable, but largely uninspired kids films and enough big-name stars to sink any treasure ship, let alone a film, I want to see this. To quote the trailer, "This is garbage! You like this stuff?" Yes, yes I do.

Despicable Me Trailer

Dinner for Shmucks (July 23)
Directed by: Jay Roach (Meet the Parents, Austin Powers)
Written by: Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul *Mentioned Above*
Starring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifianakis

Comedies are perhaps the hardest genre of film to market these days. Making a film stand out as a comedy is incredibly difficult, and there is really no known workable formula for success (unless you're talking Rom Com). Two tactics are big-name stars and an insanely original premise. Neither have a very good success rate. Dinner for Shmucks has both, and I think it looks darn funny. I haven't liked Jay Roach's previous work, it was all a bit too mean-spirited, and I think there may be more of that this time around. Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul don't inspire much confidence either. But I still think this is at least worth a look, queue the trailer.

Roll Film

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (August 10)
Directed by: Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead)
Written by: Edgar Wright, Michael Bacall (Bookies, Maniac)
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, Alison Pill

Scott Pilgrim looks like the kind of movie that will either be non-stop total win, or non-stop total fail. However, with Edgar Wright aboard (I've never seen his films, but others rave about them) it looks like win is the order of the day. Still, Michael Macall isn't the one he worked with on his best received films, and Michael Cera hasn't exactly shown diversity in his acting set. I remain open-minded, and will definitely give this one a chance.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The Trailer