When Hollywood heavyweights Leonardo Dicaprio and director Martin Scorsese collaborate on a film, it’s guaranteed to get people talking. The 2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street” was no exception. However, unlike their previous collaborations, what people were saying wasn’t entirely positive.
Jordan Belfort, a real-life white-collar criminal who defrauded ordinary people out of millions of dollars, served as the inspiration for the film. The issue? Viewers felt that the film glamourized Belfort’s behavior and the chaotic corruption running rampant on Wall Street and shed no light on the victims.
The Exorcist
"The Exorcist" is one of the greatest horror movies of all time. Linda Blair's demonically possessed head-spinning has been terrorizing audiences since 1974! While the film is an undisputed icon of horror royalty, a plethora of controversy surrounds it.
Cinema audiences of the film reportedly had horrific physical reactions upon seeing the film, including throwing up and passing out. Along with its graphic gore, it was alleged that the film employed subliminal messaging to incite negative physical reactions from audiences. The cast and crew weren't spared either! Two main actors were seriously injured during filming, not to mention a freak fire destroyed the set! Creepy!
Justice League
Ah, the 2010s. Superhero film franchises were at their peak. DC Comic fans were overjoyed to learn that beloved director Zach Synder would be at the helm of the "Justice League" film. However, their hopes were soon dashed when Synder left the production before its completion. Joss Whedon stepped up to replace Synder; however, his efforts turned out to be in vain. Fans hated Weadon's take on the film!
DC fans were so upset that they formed their own Justice League! Their mission? To have director Zack Snyder's cut of the "Justice League" released. Finally, in 2021, the 4-hour "Synder Cut" was unveiled. To say that it received a far warmer reception is an understatement.
Nina
The iconic musical talent of Nina Simone has reverberated through the decades. It was only fitting that her story and rise to musical greatness be portrayed on film. This is exactly what filmmakers attempted to do in 2016.
The Achilles heel of the film turned out to be the choice to cast actress Zoe Saldana in the leading role of Nina Simone. Saldana had to don prosthetics and make-up as she is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, while Nina Simone was African American. Many questioned why filmmakers didn't just hire an actress of similar descent and skin tone to Nina, especially in light of the fact that roles for such actresses are already few and far between.
The Tree of Life
It wasn’t just the ending of "The Tree of Life" that was a little confusing—it was the whole movie. It centers primarily on a family living in a Texas town, though their lives are intercut with other scenes that represent everything from the dawn of time to the afterlife.
Director Terrence Malick never specified exactly what the movie was about. However, film critics have suggested that the movie prompts you to reflect on all the good and bad in your own life and how it fits into the bigger picture. Viewers were split, some adoring the abstract nature of the film while others couldn't stand it!