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Posts with tag guilty pleasures

Moviefone Readers Dish Out Some Guilty Pleasures

Filed under: Fandom », Lists », Guilty Pleasures », Moviefone Feedback »

Before I talk about a "guilty pleasures" list, I'll start with the same disclaimer that everyone starts with when they talk about a "guilty pleasures" list: When it comes to entertainment, there shouldn't be any such thing as a guilty pleasure. If something is bad in an entertaining way, and you enjoy it, then so what? Just because you're enjoying it for reasons other than what the filmmaker intended (e.g., laughing at a movie that was supposed to be scary) doesn't mean you need to feel guilty about it. Now, if you tried to convince people that the movie is good -- not so-bad-it's-good, but actually GOOD -- well, then maybe your friends would question your taste. But hey, don't feel guilty. Let your freak flag fly!

Now then. The handsome devils at Moviefone asked readers what their favorite guilty pleasures are, and what do you know, the readers gave them some. Most of the nominated titles are ones that very few people would defend as being legitimately good, but that apparently lots of people are able to enjoy for other reasons: Battlefield Earth (pictured), Crossroads, Coyote Ugly, etc.

Having recently re-watched Anaconda for research purposes (really!), I agree with its inclusion on the list. It fails utterly at what it was trying to do, but it sure makes me laugh, particularly Jon Voight's campy performance that sounds like Christopher Walken mixed with Zorro.

The readers offer explanations for their choices, too. For example, on Howard the Duck, "Lisa41794" says, "Lea Thompson and alien duck have sex. What's more entertaining than that ... lol." What's more entertaining than that lol indeed, Lisa41794!

Check out the list and photo gallery to see what else made the list. And feel free to tell us what your favorite guilty pleasures are in the comments below.

Guilty Pleasures: Deep Rising

Filed under: Action », Horror », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Guilty Pleasures »

Take a healthy dose of The Poseidon Adventure, mix it with an unconvincing (but still effective) dash of Indiana Jones-ism, sprinkle the concoction with a goofy sense of humor -- and then throw in a whole lot of guns, gore and amazingly goopy creatures. Voila! You've just made a movie that's just as good as Stephen Sommers' Deep Rising! (Heck, maybe better!)

Starring the rectangle-jawed and entirely likeable Treat Williams as a typically rascally hero-guy, the never-more-beautiful Famke Janssen as a mega-sexy thief, and a whole bunch of colorful character actors who are given maybe eight lines of dialogue and one personality trait apiece, Deep Rising is the flick Sommers made before he hit the big-time with his off-kilter rendition of The Mummy -- which he promptly followed up with two certifiable dung-heaps: The Migraine Returns and the unwatchable Van Hellstink. (Prior to Deep Rising, Sommers directed a pair of flicks for Disney: The Adventures of Huck Finn and The Jungle Book.)

So that's six whole movies that Stephen Sommers has written/directed, and yet the only one I can go back to for repeat viewings is 1998's Deep Rising. Ostensibly a monster movie in a disaster flick suit, DR benefits from a quick pace, a good deal of action, some strong doses of very visual viscera and a bunch of actors who are clearly playing the piece with tongue planted firmly in cheek. You want to talk about plotholes, lackluster editing and a general lack of actual story, I'd listen and probably agree; Deep Rising is a genre flick that wears its glitches firmly on its sleeve (and some of the CGI is really weak) but it still moves forward with such playful abandon that I'm more than willing to overlook the rough spots (most of which arrive in Act III and during a powerfully chintzy-looking epilogue) and just enjoy the flick as snack food for the cerebellum.

Plus it stands as a reminder that Sommers can get a little gritty and nasty sometimes ... when he's not beholden to a $200 million budget and forever chasing the Holy Grail that is the PG-13 rating.

Guilty Pleasures: Bottle Rocket

Filed under: Comedy », DIY/Filmmaking », Guilty Pleasures »

It was during a playwriting seminar at the University of Texas at Austin where Wes Anderson first met Owen Wilson. In 1992, Owen brought along his brother Luke and the three created a 16mm short film called Bottle Rocket. The short, which can be viewed online (in very poor quality), caught the attention of one James L. Brooks. The producer loved Bottle Rocket so much he helped bring the project to Columbia Pictures, where it was then expanded into a feature film. Luckily for us, though unknown actors at the time, Owen and Luke Wilson were able to remain in the lead roles.

For those of you who have never seen nor heard of the film, pic tells the story of Dignan (Owen) and Anthony (Luke), two bumbling wannabe thieves determined to take their newfound career to the next level. Anderson has said the original script (which he co-wrote with Owen Wilson) was 275-pages long. Seeing as how Bottle Rocket is all about the dialogue between characters, I can see how that may have happened.

Why is this is a guilty pleasure? Well, it's weird, but most people I come across don't like Bottle Rocket. In fact, they hate it ... and I'm not sure why. Also, being Wes Anderson's first film, Rocket usually falls into the category of annoying younger brother to Anderson's second film, Rushmore. However, I love Bottle Rocket, so much I would place it among my top 15 of all time. Crazy, right? The cocky, moronic Dignan is, by far, Owen Wilson's greatest role. While its dry comedy may not be for everyone, Bottle Rocket is definitely a fun film to watch, if only to see how Anderson and the Wilson boys got their start.

Note: Those of you in and around New York City can check out a free outdoor screening of Bottle Rocket this August 1 at the McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn.

Guilty Pleasures: The Last American Virgin

Filed under: Comedy », Drama », DIY/Filmmaking », Guilty Pleasures »

Way before American Pie came along and re-defined the teenage sex comedy, there was a little film from 1982 called The Last American Virgin. When I ask people whether or not they've ever seen this flick, nine out of ten times the answer is no. However, in my mind, The Last American Virgin has every right to stand alongside beloved cheesy 80's classics like Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Pretty in Pink. Why? Well, it's just that awesome. Oh, and it has an unbelievable soundtrack. Yay Journey!

When we examine the majority of teenage comedies from the 80's, themes of virginity and pregnancy are everywhere. Heck, these were big topics back then -- young girls getting knocked up, forced to find a way to pay for an abortion. And, on the flip side, virginity was being used as a major character flaw. Instead of rooting for our hero to save the day, all we wanted him to do was get laid. Today, your standard teenage sex comedy tends to stay away from any kind of heavy dramatic element like pregnancy and abortion, choosing to focus more on elaborate set pieces and raunchy jokes to carry a film.

Guilty Pleasures: Encino Man

Filed under: Comedy », Fandom », Guilty Pleasures »

1992 was a great year for my high school best friend. She was dealing with a serious Brendan Fraser obsession, you see, and that year saw the release of both School Ties and Encino Man. Because I'm such a good friend, I supported the obsession (it also help that it was summer, and there was seriously nothing to do): I went with her to see the former at a dollar theater every day for a freaking week, and agreed to sit with her and watch the latter, despite the already-odious presence of Pauly Shore.

The thing is, though, that as time went by, my complaining about repeated viewings of Encino Man decreased, while I began to bellyache about having to watch School Ties (Honestly, there's only so much silliness that even Matt Damon and Randall Batinkoff can get you through). And when Encino Man comes on cable, even now? I watch it. I realize most of you aren't going to believe this, but I've realized something: it's a good movie. Seriously! And what it lacks in quality, it makes up for in heart -- I honestly can't think of another movie that so convincingly -- and unexpectedly -- sells the seriousness of friendship and a "Be yourself, dammit!" message without either pandering or sacrificing the silly humor that makes the whole thing work.

The Worst Movies Of 2005: A Wretch-rospective

Filed under: Tom Cruise », Steven Spielberg », Lists »



Editor's Note
: When it came time to assign the year-end "Worst Of" list, Cinematical writers Erik Davis and Robert Newton both jumped at the chance. Rather than put them in the steel cage and let them fight to the death (something which parent company AOL frowns upon), we are letting them tag-team with this "Wurst Movies Of 2005" feature:

Erik Davis: I'm probably not going to be very popular for this choice (especially among Scientologists), but I have to start off with…

10. War of the Worlds – Okay, so Tom Cruise didn’t defeat the Aliens by giving them a computer virus (with a Macintosh) à la Independence Day, but that still doesn’t excuse this film from sucking up the hype and spewing it all over our faces as we left the theater.

Robert Newton: I'm a big sci-fi fan, and am always pained to see a fetid floater like Snore Of The Worlds or Aeon Flux or The Island, but for me, the most leaden of all genre turds was…

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