The Matrix was one of the few movies where I went in blind (not literally, pendants), with little idea what it was about, and it was made all the more awesome by that.
Same here. Based on what little I knew about it prior to seeing it, I was primed to expect it to be shit, but the opening sequence is so awesome that I was completely hooked.
The Matrix would have been better if they'd had a different rationale for The Machines doing all that to start with - the thermodynamics were cockeyed.
I don't think it pays to think about the science of it too closely. It's allegorical, innit. The machines are, like, symbols of "The Machine", man.
Best just to enjoy it for the fightin' and shootin'.
I assumed Fight Club was some sort of tacky post-Rocky American violence bullshit. I didn't bother going or reading about it. Then was told by somebody whose opinion I respect that I should. Was blown away. Ditto American Beauty.
Fight Club came out when I was the parent of a young baby, so I wasn't going to the cinema much in those days. And the hype put me off too. And that's why I've somehow never got round to watching it...
Damn. I should do something about that. I might watch it this weekend.
I've seen the final scene, but it didn't make much sense on its own.
