# Movies that probably aren't great but that you can't help liking...



## Aaron Scott (May 27, 2012)

A greatest movie thread's already going, but probably everyone has a film they love, can watch over and over again, but realize that in the grand scheme of things, by the textbook standards, by the common taste, is probably not that great and maybe even bad.  Nevertheless, you own it, you love it, and watching it again at certain times helps your mind reset and provides a sense of comfort.  I realize some use the term guilty pleasure, but I feel like life heaps on so much trouble that feeling guilty about pleasure is a bit perverse.

For me, I love a film from the eighties called Ice Pirates.  It was a sort of Star Wars knockoff with Robert Urich that I taped from TV and it always makes me happy.  Now I own the DVD.  As a runner-up, I actually like a comedy with Ashton Kutcher from a few years ago called My Boss' Daughter.  I saw it under the best circumstances in which to view a comedy:  with absolutely no warning or hype or previous knowledge of its existence, and at a time when my mind really needed the escape.  Nevertheless, many call it the worst film ever made, and Ashton himself is even quoted as denouncing it.

I've got a bunch of others, but those two stick out for me.  So I'd be interested in other people's loved disreputable flicks.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

"The Fifth Element" for me. For a really obscure runner-up: "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising" (which, by coincidence, has a favorite line in it including the phrase "fifth element"  ).


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## kmgiven (Jul 3, 2012)

I'm a sucker for dance movies like Center Stage, Take the Lead, Step Up, Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights... They sure ain't Shakespeare, but they're fun, and I'll watch almost anything with good dancing in it.


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## derek alvah (Jul 2, 2010)

The football movie "The Replacements". 

Of course "A Knights Tale" I've mentioned before. One of my all time favorites.

Also "Super Troopers", "Anchorman" and "Napoleon Dynamite" I've watched too many times to count.


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## bce (Nov 17, 2009)

Two:

"Where Eagles Dare"  The plot twists are great.  Have to watch it a couple of times to understand all of them.

"The Final Countdown"  Time travel plus an aircraft carrier!  Plus a headache from trying to figure it out.  What more could you ask for?


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

I love _The Ice Pirates_, too.

Another one I really love is _Jake Speed_, an Indiana Jones knock-off from the mid 1980s, where a young woman is looking for her kidnapped sister and enlists the help of a guy who may or may not be the hero of a men's adventure paperback series. John Hurt plays the villain.

I also love _Slaughter of the Innocents_, a _Silence of the Lambs_ knock-off from 1993 starring Scott Glenn and a bunch of "seen a thousand times on TV" actors. I actually prefer _Slaughter_ to _Silence_.

Another film I love is _Direct Hit_ from 1994 about a hitman who wants to retire and falls in love with his intended victim. Starring George Segal and a bunch of unknowns (including Juliet Landau who still was an unknown back then).

Finally, there is _Streets of Fire_, a very weird musical cum biker fight film from the early 1980s. The plot is that a gang of villainous bikers kidnaps a pop singer. Her ex-boyfriend and an assembly of odd characters set off to rescue. In the end, the two attractive stars don't end up together, but are both paired off with the not very attractive sidekicks. Starring Michael Paré and Amy Madigan as well as William Dafoe, Rick Moranis, Diane Lane and Kevin Spacey before either of them were famous. The music's by Jim Steinman.

Alas, except for _Streets of Fire_, none of those is available on DVD, so I have to rely on my aging VCRs.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)




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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I always liked The Last Starfighter








and 
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension!


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## Aaron Scott (May 27, 2012)

Some great cult choices here! Glad to know I'm not alone in my love of _The Ice Pirates_.


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

That would be a long and embarrassing list. I am known as a person who enjoys "beautiful" movies no matter how silly or bad they are - as long as they are pleasant, entertaining and visually striking. OK, here goes: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (I know, I know...), Starship Troopers, all Pirates of the Caribbean, both Lara Croft movies, Resident Evil(s), the Russian miniseries of Master and Margarita (nearly everyone I know HATED it), first three Indiana Jones movies, Jurassic Park, Innocent Blood, Van Helsing, Death on the Nile .... all right, I'll stop now. 
I've never seen The Iced Pirates but I added them to my Netflix queue immediately


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Good choice on Buckaroo Banzai, geoff. That's another film I haven't seen in way too long.


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

NogDog said:


> "The Fifth Element" for me.


_LOVE this movie_


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## Lyndl (Apr 2, 2010)

The Last Starfighter, Ice Pirates, Starship Troopers and Buckaroo Banzai are old favourites too. 

My two that stand out are

"Hearts and Souls"  starring Robert Downey Jr
The main character  (RD)is reunited with the four lost souls who were his guardian angels during childhood, when they all discover they have a particular purpose to fulfill before joining the afterlife, and not much time to do it.  I can watch this over and over.

"Without a Trace"    Kate Nelligan & Judd Hirsch.    A 6 year old boy goes missimg on his way home from school. The detective assigned to the case never gives up.  Long and a bit flat in the middle, but the payoff is worth it and always produces tears.


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## Aaron Scott (May 27, 2012)

I can probably now add _Krull_ to my list, caught it on TV last night, after not seeing it in a while, and it definitely has that eighties fantasy vibe to it. There is a great scene on a giant spider web. Plus, young upstarts by the names of Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltraine play some supporting parts.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

So surprised so many people know Ice Pirates.  The Last Starfighter was fun, too.  A Knight's Tale -is- great... I'm surprised someone would say otherwise.  I can't really think of any except maybe The Visitors (though I like the French version better).  I also like pretty much anything with Rowan Atkinson or Simon Pegg.

Oh!  I have one.  I have always been fascinated by Ralph Bakshi's animated version of The Lord of the Rings for some reason.  I think I'll always like Short Circuit and Batteries Not Included as well, just from being pleasant childhood memories.  I actually watched Short Circuit not too long ago and it still holds up.

I'm also a big fan of Brazil.  I'm not entirely sure where that ranks on the "people don't like it" scale, but I know it is too confusing for most anyone I know to enjoy.  I can't say I even understand it all, but I guess I'm just the weird sort of person who likes that in a movie.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Scheherazade said:


> I'm also a big fan of Brazil. I'm not entirely sure where that ranks on the "people don't like it" scale, but I know it is too confusing for most anyone I know to enjoy. I can't say I even understand it all, but I guess I'm just the weird sort of person who likes that in a movie.


_Brazil_ has got some kind of cult status due to being a Terry Gilliam film. I like it, too, but it's definitely not a mainstream film.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I like "Brazil" quite a bit (have the 3-DVD set). I'm not sure I'd put it in this category, as I think of it being more of an art film, not some purely entertainment movie that I just enjoy a lot.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

_The Chronicles of Riddick_. Some great effects, ba-a-a-d baddies, a terrific action sequence where they're racing against a deadly sunrise, and Dame Judy Dench as a ghost. It's essentially _Conan the Barbarian_ in space, right down to the final shot.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Loved _The Last Starfighter._ Also, _The Rookie_ comes to mind, true baseball story.

Betsy


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## geniebeanie (Apr 23, 2009)

One of my favorite non great movie that I enoy is Weekend At Bernies.  Unbelievable but downright funny.  I have to watch it at least twice a year.


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## derek alvah (Jul 2, 2010)

anguabell said:


> That would be a long and embarrassing list. I am known as a person who enjoys "beautiful" movies no matter how silly or bad they are - as long as they are pleasant, entertaining and visually striking. OK, here goes: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (I know, I know...), Starship Troopers, all Pirates of the Caribbean, both Lara Croft movies, Resident Evil(s), the Russian miniseries of Master and Margarita (nearly everyone I know HATED it), first three Indiana Jones movies, Jurassic Park, Innocent Blood, Van Helsing, Death on the Nile .... all right, I'll stop now.
> I've never seen The Iced Pirates but I added them to my Netflix queue immediately


If you like visually striking movies, watch "The Fall" starring Lee Pace. Easily one of the best looking blu-rays ever.


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## Hadou (Jun 1, 2011)

Aaron Scott said:


> I can probably now add _Krull_ to my list, caught it on TV last night, after not seeing it in a while, and it definitely has that eighties fantasy vibe to it. There is a great scene on a giant spider web. Plus, young upstarts by the names of Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltraine play some supporting parts.


I came in to say this.

God, I love Krull. Having watched it so many years ago and always remembering the glaive...and re-watching it many years later, I still love it. I never realized that it had Liam Neeson in it because I was more focused on the main character and not the flunkies that get recruited.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Highlander...the original. The sequels were forgettable but the original had that something

Actually the problem was the original was a complete story with no possible sequel,


Spoiler



There was only One left at the end,


...but then it was popular enough they had to make a sequel so they screwed up the whole thing


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Loved _The Last Starfighter._ Also, _The Rookie_ comes to mind, true baseball story.
> 
> Betsy


Argh! For a moment there I thought you meant that dreaful cop movie with Charlie Sheen.


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## Cege Smith (Dec 11, 2011)

Oh there are some good ones here! My obvious ones are any of the Resident Evils.

But, thinking back on so many I loved from the 80s and watched over and over again: Peggy Sue Got Married, Back to School, Weird Science, Sixteen Candles, and the first Back to the Future.


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## LaRita (Oct 28, 2008)

A definite guilty pleasure is Drop Dead Gorgeous with Kirsten Dunst, Kirstie Alley, Denise Richards and Ellen Barkin, with Allison Janney in a supporting role.  This is black humor, politically incorrect and even offensive at times; but I always find it laugh-out-loud funny.  Who wouldn't want to join the Lutheran Sisterhood Gun Club?


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Tony Richards said:


> Argh! For a moment there I thought you meant that dreaful cop movie with Charlie Sheen.


That's actually what I thought of as well. But then I used to be friends with a girl who had a giant crush on Charlie Sheen, so I've seen all of his movies. And he sure made a lot of bad ones.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Chad Winters said:


> Highlander...the original. The sequels were forgettable but the original had that something
> 
> Actually the problem was the original was a complete story with no possible sequel,
> 
> ...


Merely forgettable? The sequels were awful, and got more atrocious with each new addition. To think that the guy who created _The Avengers_ was responsible for at least one of those scripts ... definitely not his best work.


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## derek alvah (Jul 2, 2010)

Tony Richards said:


> Merely forgettable? The sequels were awful, and got more atrocious with each new addition. To think that the guy who created _The Avengers_ was responsible for at least one of those scripts ... definitely not his best work.


If you mean Joss Whedon, wasn't he also responsible for the terrible Alien: Resurrection movie? Another blight on his otherwise pretty great resume. The Original Highlander and then the series are fantastic though.


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## GreenThumb (Mar 29, 2009)

I love this one probably more than should be allowed.


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## Amy Corwin (Jan 3, 2011)

I like Galaxy Quest, too.
You're right.
What's wrong with us? 

I'm also a big fan of Spaceballs. LOL


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Amy Corwin said:


> I like Galaxy Quest, too.
> You're right.
> What's wrong with us?
> 
> I'm also a big fan of Spaceballs. LOL


I'm not sure Galaxy Quest fits into the context of this thread ... everyone I know who's seen it thinks that it's terrific. Very smart, tongue-in-cheek idea, cleverly funny and satirical in parts, and with some genuinely imaginative uses of CGI. The fact that it's sf and a comedy doesn't disqualify it from being a good movie.


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## That Weird Guy.... (Apr 16, 2012)

Just a few on my list.... Gee, do you think I LOVE movies that aren't that great?


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Some of those are cult classics though! RHPS Still plays at midnight every Saturday night at 2 theaters about an hour from me. (opposite directions). Death Becomes Her is hilarious! and Soap Dish! OMG! Can it get any more twisted and funny?! Too Wong Foo,  totally campy and fun! And Patrick Swayze made a decent looking girl! Repo the Opera! Awesomesauce!


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## That Weird Guy.... (Apr 16, 2012)

Have some time to add a few more:
Oh and yes.... I LOVE Horror movies!!!




































The Remake... not the original.





































Okay... I will stop there or I might just put my entire DVD/BluRay collection on here!


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## joeyjoejoejr (Apr 19, 2012)

Sci-fi and fantasy B movies (Last Starfighter, Krull, Ice Pirates)?  Check.
Anything straight-to-video with Micheal Madsen, Rutger Hauer, or Mickey Rourke?  Check.
Awful horror movies?  Oh God yes, I stayed up late with Joe Bob Briggs watching Monster Vision and loved every minute of it when I was a kid.
But the one movie I really consider my guilty pleasure?  The one movie I would never tell my friends and family how much I love because I'm a thirty something man with a beard who likes beer and fishing and considers 300 one of his favorite movies?
Practical Magic.  Dear Lord I love that movie.  As soon as the weather starts cooling and the leaves start turning I absolutely must watch this movie.  With some Pumpkin Ginger tea.  It's just not officially Fall until I do.


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## That Weird Guy.... (Apr 16, 2012)

joeyjoejoejr said:


> The one movie I would never tell my friends and family how much I love because I'm a thirty something man with a beard who likes beer and fishing and considers 300 one of his favorite movies?
> Practical Magic.


I second this! I was in a musical on Whidbey Island while they were filming this movie. It was the summer of 1998. Got to drive past the set every day. LOVE this movie!


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

How about those old Sherlock Holmes movies with Basil Rathbone? Conan Doyle probably started spinning in his grave at the way they depicted Watson as something of a bumbling oaf, but they're still good fun.


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

joeyjoejoejr said:


> But the one movie I really consider my guilty pleasure? The one movie I would never tell my friends and family how much I love because I'm a thirty something man with a beard who likes beer and fishing and considers 300 one of his favorite movies?
> Practical Magic. Dear Lord I love that movie. As soon as the weather starts cooling and the leaves start turning I absolutely must watch this movie. With some Pumpkin Ginger tea. It's just not officially Fall until I do.


Love this!


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