Let’s face it. There are certain movies that people claim to love, but deep down, they either didn’t get it, didn’t like it, or flat-out hated it. Yet, thanks to societal pressure, fear of judgment, or a misguided attempt to sound “cultured,” we all play along. These movies are like that weird dish everyone raves about but secretly spits into a napkin.
Here’s a list of 10 movies people pretend to like, peppered with a dose of sarcasm and a touch of reality.
1. Citizen Kane (1941)
The Citizen Kane of pretending to like movies.
Oh, you love Citizen Kane? That’s fascinating. Quick, what’s Rosebud? Yeah, that’s what I thought. This movie is the holy grail of “you’re uncultured if you don’t like it.” Sure, it was revolutionary for its time, but let’s be real—it’s a 2-hour black-and-white film about a dude sulking over a sled. Riveting. But if you dare criticize it, be prepared to face a film professor’s 20-minute TED Talk.
2. The Tree of Life (2011)
Nature, whispers, Brad Pitt scowling: cinema!
Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is what happens when someone accidentally drops an existential philosophy textbook into a film projector. People who say they love this movie always follow up with, “You probably didn’t understand it.” True, I didn’t. But did you? It’s 2 hours of vague metaphors, abstract shots of the universe, and a dinosaur cameo that’s somehow supposed to be profound. Spoiler: it’s not.
3. The Godfather: Part III (1990)
The sequel nobody asked for but everyone pretends was okay.
“Oh, the trilogy is iconic!” Sure, the first two. But then there’s Part III, the awkward younger sibling that nobody wants to talk about at family dinners. Even Francis Ford Coppola knows it’s not on the same level, but try saying that out loud at a film buff party, and watch people clutch their pearls like you insulted the entire mafia.
4. La La Land (2016)
Jazz hands, pastel skies, and awkward dancing.
“La La Land is a masterpiece!”—said every film student trying to impress their crush. Yes, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are adorable, but let’s not pretend their singing wasn’t Auto-Tuned into oblivion. And that ending? Oh, it’s artistic to make you cry over what could’ve been. Translation: we didn’t know how to wrap this up, so here’s some heartbreak in Technicolor.
5. Avatar (2009)
Dances with Smurfs.
James Cameron’s Avatar is the highest-grossing movie of all time, and yet, can you name a single character besides “the blue guy”? Didn’t think so. Sure, it was visually stunning, but strip away the CGI, and you’re left with a plot that’s basically FernGully: The Last Rainforest meets Pocahontas. But yeah, go ahead and pretend you’re counting the days until Avatar 3.
6. Donnie Darko (2001)
The movie that launched 1,000 confusing Reddit threads.
Everyone loves to wax poetic about Donnie Darko being a deep dive into the human psyche. But let’s be honest—most of us walked out thinking, “What did I just watch?” It’s like reading a horoscope; vague enough for you to make it fit your own interpretation. And no, pretending to understand the time-travel subplot doesn’t make you edgy—it makes you a liar.
7. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The sci-fi cure for insomnia.
“Oh, it’s a visual masterpiece!” Sure, but it’s also a 2-hour screensaver with a plot that moves slower than dial-up internet. Yes, the HAL 9000 is iconic, but let’s not pretend you didn’t fall asleep during that 10-minute light show. If you say you love it, you’re either lying or using it as white noise to meditate.
8. Joker (2019)
When incels got their Oscar moment.
Was Joaquin Phoenix amazing? Absolutely. Was the movie profound? Let’s not kid ourselves. It’s Taxi Driver in clown makeup. But hey, slapping a gritty backstory on a comic book villain is an easy way to make people feel smart for liking a “serious” film. Saying you didn’t like it is practically a felony in internet debates, so everyone just nods and pretends it’s groundbreaking.
9. The English Patient (1996)
The movie even Elaine from Seinfeld couldn’t stand.
This Oscar-winning snoozefest is 162 minutes of desert landscapes and tragic romance, which sounds great until you realize that’s literally all there is. People who claim they love it either fell asleep halfway through or confuse “long and boring” with “important.” Spoiler alert: they’re not the same thing.
10. Inception (2010)
Dream within a dream, confusion within confusion.
“Inception blew my mind!” Oh, did it? Or are you just saying that because everyone else did? Christopher Nolan’s layered dream logic was clever, sure, but let’s not act like you didn’t Google “Inception ending explained” the second the credits rolled. Admit it—you’re still trying to figure out if the top stopped spinning.
So, What’s the Deal?
Liking a movie is subjective, but pretending to like one? That’s peer pressure in cinematic form. These films aren’t bad; they just exist in that awkward space where admitting you didn’t like them feels like social suicide.
But here’s the twist: maybe it’s okay to stop pretending. Maybe we’re all just one honest conversation away from collectively admitting that Citizen Kane is overrated and Avatar is just fancy blue aliens. And maybe—just maybe—there’s one movie on this list you actually do love.
So, what does that say about you? Guess we’ll never know.
Roll credits.
