Two Star movies that you really really like

Cafe Society
1

I’m talking about the just-plain-ol’-movies that get a two-star rating on the typical TV schedule blurb. They’re not bad; they’re not great. Critics had neither an orgasm nor a conniption over them. They didn’t sweep the Oscars (if they won anything at all). Nobody puts them on the top ten list of anything.

And yet, you found something about them endearing. Or memorable. Or charming. Or just plain entertaining. and you look forward to watching them when they come on the movie channels. Or you buy the DVD, which is usually in the $5.00 bargain barrel.

For me, a couple that stand out are Overboard and She-Devil.

In Overboard, Goldie Hawn’s trifecta performance — the rich bitch, the woman who adapts to poverty and squalor, and finally the reformed wealthy matron who sees life from both sides now — is wonderful. The movie is full of quotable lines, and the scene in the galley between her and Andrew is incredibly touching. I love this film.

In She-Devil, both Rosanne Barr and Meryl Streep completely master their roles. Barr is downright respectable as an actress in this film, and Streep captures the absolute essence of the romance nymph, Mary Fisher. (The big gold MF on her gate is hillarious.) This is another film that I always look forward to seeing.

How about you? What are some of yours?

2

Pitch Black - Excellent movie. One of my true favorites. I don’t know why this isn’t a cult classic.

Daredevil - The wife and I adore this movie. Have no idea what is wrong with rest of world.

Chronicles of Riddick - Again, an excellent sequel and great movie. Have no idea why they didn’t make enough money to make the trilogy.

Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey - Come on! Death is hilarious in this movie. “Don’t make fun of my ass. I’m in very good shape. Reaping is a great workout.”

Constantine - Again, the wife and I like this. Note: We don’t think it’s perfect, but it is a good movie. I mean, it isn’t as terrible as “Johnny Mnemonic”.

3

Joe vs the Volcano with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. I can’t help it, I just like the good-natured humor in this movie, even if it’s hokey as hell.
and
Blank Slate with Dana Carvey. Only movie he’s ever been in that I liked, but I like it a lot.

4

Vampire’s Kiss - Nicolas Cage’s acting performance is one of the best I’ve ever seen.

5

I’m not sure it truly qualifies as a two-star movie, but I have a real soft spot for Big Trouble in Little China.

“What’s that, magic potion? Good, thought so. What do we do, drink it? Good, thought so.”

6

The Blue Iguana - surprisingly good noire spoof

7

The Man With Two Brains

8

Clue - This movie is hilariously campy, and it’s really Tim Curry’s over the top performance that makes the movie what it is. Plenty of quoteable lines. And it’s usually relegated to boring Sunday afternoons on Comedy Central.

Zoolander - A movie so cheesy that even TNT won’t pick it up. Yeah, it’s bad, but in such a funny way. One of the few times I can actually stand Will Ferrel. “I’m sorry, did my pin get in the way of your ass?!? Lose five pounds immediately or get out of my sight!”

And I’ll round out my “I really just like cheesy campy juvenile movies” list with three other selections that a brief glance of my bookshelf gives me: Not Another Teen Movie, Baseketball, The Replacements. Oh and both Oceans Eleven and Oceans Twelve (wanna fight about it?)

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Rat Race. Never fails to make me laugh like crazy, but the critics community doesn’t seem to think much of it.

Robots and Madagascar. Non-Pixar animated films don’t seem to be getting much love lately, but I found both the robot world and the urbanized animals very enjoyable.

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One more I just remembered: Little Nicky. Much more clever than I expected, the character of Nicky was written very well as someone who doesn’t know the basics of life on Earth, and the minor characters were a ton of fun. The only thing I didn’t like was Adam Sandler’s affected speech; other than that, I loved everything about the movie.

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I seem to be noticing a pattern here.

For me, I say Real Men.

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What a great line! Just remembering it makes me laugh out loud! :smiley:

Another for me: Funny Farm. Probably Chevy Chase’s funniest role ever. My wife and I both love this movie. Whenever someone comes to the door, one of us calls out, “Dahhh-ling, the Culbertson’s are here.” And of course, “Mail, Mr. Fah-mah.”

Oh! Oh! And Big Business with Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler. “I’m gonna raise some hay-ell, and kick some snooty New York ay-yes.”

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There are two types of “two star” movies: ones that are thoroghly enjoyable, but deserve it, and ones that are sadly underrated. I collect movies, and I have quite a few of both kinds.

As far as those already mentioned: She-Devil is in the latter category. There’s hardly a thing wrong with this charming, smart little flick. Pitch Black is not charming or little, but it too is a movie with almost no flaws. And Big Trouble In Little China IS perfect! As Lemur866 noted, however, it’s not a two-star; even in a TV Guide it would get 3.

**Clue ** and Ocean’s Eleven are in the “just fun” category for me, as is Jurassic Park 3, with its oddly good cast and solid pacing. Too, Ridley Scott’s pretty, silly Legend is something I can happily watch even now.

I like a cop movie called The Corruptor with Chow Yun Fat and Mark Wahlberg, but I’m on the fence about where it belongs. I suspect it’s with the chucklers, because it would need to be shook out and brushed down, and possibly just plain thrown out and started over again, before it could be a truly Great Film.

Likewise, I’m unsure about Proof of Life, but with it I tilt the other way - I think it’s much better than it seems at first glance, and it has a special place in my heart, even with the presence of Meg Ryan (or should I say non-presence? :p)

More underrated gems: The Cutting Edge is possibly the only romantic comedy I’ve liked since Annie Hall (which no one would ever give two stars, of course!)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country should get more attention than it does. I’m not sure if House of Cards would end up with two or three stars, but it is quietly wonderful.

I’ve confined myself to things you might actually see on network TV sometimes. Nevertheless I should probably stop now or I’ll go on all day. I may start a spin-off thread about overrated movies, though since I already have one movie thread still semi-active, perhaps it should wait.

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One of my brothers feels the same way. I think he watched this movie about fifty times in one summer. He insists it’s a hidden classic. I still haven’t seen it, because I love my brother, but he scares me sometimes. :smiley:

15

**The Hudsucker Proxy ** seems to be the forgotten and unloved stepchild of Cohen Bros. movies. Ebert gave it, yep, two stars. But I love this movie! So many great lines. The “invention of the hula hoop” sequence, set to the music by Khachaturian, is especially inspired.

Let’s see, what else…

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Generally crapped on, but it tickled me.

A couple of Stallone flicks: **Cliffhanger ** and Demolition Man. Better than some he has done for sure; not as good as others – but I liked them more than most, I think.

Soapdish. Good cast; funny sorta-spoof of daytime TV and the personalities that inhabit that world.

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Ooh, Demolition Man! Good choice.

And it made me think of another godawful action movie that I’ll nonetheless watch every time it’s on: Schwartzenegger’s Running Man.

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I opened this thread to post the same sentiment. I’ve a very soft spot for Ol’ Hornhead.

I second The Hudsucker Proxy, and add The Addams Family.

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I’d say Intolerable Cruelty was sort of a two-star Coen Bros. movie and I think that it’s really funny.

The way Billy Bob says, “I love you like a son of a bitch”. He eats the pre-nup with BBQ sauce as the scheme dawns on Clooney and he starts clapping and yelling, “Brilliant!”

Some of the court scenes are hilarious. The guy with the dog, and the steno reading that back, “bones bones tasty bones who loves bones crunchy bones he loves bones bones tasty bones.”

The guy with the berry spoons.

Cedric does some funny stuff.

A couple scenes drag, but the plot twists are pretty solid.

Also, Gangs of New York. Actually, it’s more like a “4 star or zero star” movie, but I’m in the 4-star camp.

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I love that movie.

Blast From the Past. I always watch it when it’s on, no matter how late I have to stay up.
Better Off Dead. Way. Too. Funny. “Sorry your mom blew up, Ricky…”
Galaxy Quest. Tim Allen does William Shatner better than William Shatner.

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Star Wars

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Those are two Star movies I really liked.