Smarter Than It Appears To Be

[T Hedge Coke]

What are some movies that appear dumb or have a reputation/expectation of idiot shenanigans, but when you really pay attention, there's some genuine intelligence going on there?

Michael Bay brings out the best in his editors, straight up. Sound and visual, the way Bay films are cut is remarkable and perhaps more remarkable for not drawing attention to how unnaturalistic and preplanned the cuts and sequencing are.

Assault on Precinct 13 should just be a shoot-em-up about a police station under siege. And it is. But it's also massively about social constraints, racism, sexism, individualism, collectivism, common decency and not flinching. The remake, of course, loses track of that, because who wants to see a movie about a strong, upstanding, good natured black cop on the LAPD taking shit and never letting it weigh him down? Or, when the cop who's been shoved in the typist pool finally gets her day and can open up on some criminals with a rifle?

Ed Wood gets a ton of flack, but how progressive are the social politics of his films compared to his contemporaries? The idea that someone did Glen or Glenda in the 50s, you know? Or, heck, Plan 9's response to the accusation humans just act with unthinking violence even when we know it won't work: the human punches the alien. Sure, now, that's just funny and glib, but at that time, suggesting the military industrial complex and shouting America wouldn't save us was tantamount to being a dirty commie fink traitor to God.

So, what else? Whatcha got?

[aNamored]

The original Assault on Precinct 13 handled those issues and the inner strength of character in a much better way, IMO.

[lboinyamouf4sho]

observe and report. had a lot more going on than it seemed, especially at the time it came out and looked much like mallcop(with that dude from king of queens) from the trailer.

[SuperCooper]

Napoleon Dynamite almost made me cry watching it the fourth or fifth time around.

[DonC]

The plot by Darth Sidious to become emperor is actually pretty well thought out. It's just that George Lucas threw in Jar Jar, midichlorians, horrible actors, stilted dialogue, bad romance and an over-reliance on CGI.

[90'sCartoonMan]

The Other Guys. And it's not even remotely subtle about it. You're presented with a movie about the two least likely characters to be in a buddy cop film, but by the end credits, you're literally being given statistics about who and what caused the financial crisis of 2007.

[T Hedge Coke]

The Other Guys. And it's not even remotely subtle about it. You're presented with a movie about the two least likely characters to be in a buddy cop film, but by the end credits, you're literally being given statistics about who and what caused the financial crisis of 2007.

That one genuinely surprised me. Not surprised to hear the chart bit was actually cut from screenings in some places, though. Seeing that was like all the immersive product placement in Josie and the Pussycats; either every funder has a sense of humor, or nobody was paying attention to those movies when they were being made.

[the goddamn batman]

I'd assume the latter. Josie and the Pussycats was a surprisingly alright movie. I remember catching it on cable and not being offended... then being pretty shocked I wasn't offended. A lot of surprising commentary on the music industry in that one.

[T Hedge Coke]

I'd assume the latter. Josie and the Pussycats was a surprisingly alright movie. I remember catching it on cable and not being offended... then being pretty shocked I wasn't offended. A lot of surprising commentary on the music industry in that one.

Ebert savaged the movie, but it was, for what it was, smarter than it appeared to be/had to be. The code for "kill the band" being "take the Chevy to the levee," should at least be worth a chuckle, even if penile implant and pussy/cat jokes don't necessarily belong in a Riverdale-based movie. And there's just product placement everywhere, which makes it hilarious and disgusting on purpose.

[edhopper]

I just saw 21 Jump Street. Some clever commentary about recycling old ideas also how intelligent, caring kids are now the cool ones instead of stupid jocks.