10 Movies You Can Never Finish

1. Cleopatra

If any movie is going to command more than four hours of your time, it'd better be pretty damn spectacular.

And that the 1963 Elizabeth Taylor-starring epic Cleopatra most certainly is not. Despite being the most expensive film ever made at the time of its release and going on to win four Oscars, Cleopatra hasn't held up all that well.

Yes, the production is remarkably exuberant, but on a pure storytelling level, the period epic falls apart by the mid-way point. There just isn't enough interest beyond the decadent visuals to keep the pic aloft for another two hours.

It's telling that the film is best remembered for almost bankrupting 20th Century Fox and the scandalous on-set romance between Taylor and co-star Richard Burton, while its narrative particulars are almost never discussed.

With so many diverse entertainment options available to consumers these days, there are precious few who would willingly subject themselves to such a shamelessly excessive movie, and even less capable of actually getting through it in a single sitting.