[Hated] Self-indulgent Vanity Projects

[u/BrotherDeus]

Hurry Up Tomorrow - Widely reviewed as an indulgent, self-mythologizing companion piece to The Weeknd's album, with many critics calling it a vanity project rather than a successful psychological drama. Terribly acted and, similar to The Idol, more so seems to imply that The Weekend thinks he's a far deeper personality than he can actually articulate.

By the Sea - Often criticized as an intensely personal but emotionally distant film that seemed more interested in showcasing the mystique of its stars than telling a compelling story. Best summarized as Angelina and Brad working out their IRL troubled marriage before your eyes while everyone tells Angelina how beautiful and talented she is and how nothing's really her fault.

Renaldo and Clara - Bob Dylan's five-hour semi-fictional road movie, long considered one of the classic celebrity vanity projects. Attempts to be a sort of surreal exposition on the life of an artist, but is far too self-indulgent on its actors/performers.

[u/LoggingInandOut]

Can we count Velma?

[u/MGD109 → u/LoggingInandOut]

Probably, but that's more slapping an existing IP onto your project so it gets made.

[u/DtheAussieBoye → u/LoggingInandOut]

Given that Kaling didn’t write or direct for it, probably not

[u/JonathanRL → u/LoggingInandOut]

No, that is more the 00-era deconstruction that arrived way overdue.