# "Bad" books/movies you actually like **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2009, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657 "2009-02-06T02:24:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/21 "2009-02-06T04:10:18Z")
I like formulaic romantic comedies. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/22 "2009-02-06T04:12:41Z")
Ishtar was pretty good ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/23 "2009-02-06T04:20:14Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I can watch “First Blood” anytime it’s on. And, um… “Smokey and the Bandit”, because “I’m the brother of a truck-driving mother, boogily boogily boogily.” > > Now THAT’S embarrassing. Wait… First Blood is the first Rambo movie, right? That’s the only good Rambo movie! (I have not yet seen Rambo 4). People don’t like the original Rambo movie? It’s the only one you can even remotely take seriously. 😕 > [@koeeoaddi](#): > > I liked _Congo_. I did. I may even read it again someday. > > I know. I know. My Dad, my brother, and I all read Congo around the same time. We liked it. We even went together to see the movie of it. :eek: The horror! The horror! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/24 "2009-02-06T04:20:21Z")
In these discussions, I always have to bring up _Hudson Hawk_ with Bruce Willis. The scene where he’s rolling down the road on a stretcher and has to pay a toll is classic. And who can forget Igg and Ook, who yell out “Igg! Ook!” when they get shot in the head? The joke about the villain missing an upcoming hat convention after he gets decapitated is also worth a mention. ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/25 "2009-02-06T04:40:44Z")
I really enjoyed the first two \*\*Resident Evil \*\*movies and **Ultraviolet**. Perhaps it’s a Milla Jovovich thing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/26 "2009-02-06T05:06:38Z")
I genuinely enjoy the schlocky SF, fantasy, and adventure pulp fiction written by good old L. Ron Hubbard. I occasionally reread my copies of _Slaves of Sleep_, _Typewriter in the Sky_, and the “Ole Doc Methuselah” stories. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/27 "2009-02-06T05:16:13Z")
I’d say I enjoyed about 75% of the books and movies mentioned in this thread. And I’ll throw in not just one but both of the Post-Apocalyptic films starring Kevin Costner. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/28 "2009-02-06T05:26:17Z")
> [@carlotta](#): > > I liked **Twilight** (although, while I can suspend disbelief for vampires, I am not sure I can believe that ANYONE would willingly repeat high school forever, that is truly being damned) Yeah, that was by far the most unrealistic aspect of it. 😛 Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/29 "2009-02-06T07:44:13Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > There’s nothing highbrow or elevating about **Parenthood** or **A League of Their Own** , but I’ll gladly watch either from start to finish on cable. Same with **Ghost World** and **Almost Famous**. 😕What’s bad about those movies? **Ghost World** and **Almost Famous** are fantastic. And **Parenthood** and **A League of Their Own** are pretty good flicks. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/30 "2009-02-06T08:09:06Z")
> [@Hunter\_Hawk](#): > > I genuinely enjoy the schlocky SF, fantasy, and adventure pulp fiction written by good old L. Ron Hubbard. I occasionally reread my copies of _Slaves of Sleep_, _Typewriter in the Sky_, and the “Ole Doc Methuselah” stories. I haven’t read most of his work but I really enjoyed _Battlefield Earth_. I had never heard of his day job when I read it. I tried to read his next series, the one he kept writing long after he died, but I couldn’t get into it. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/31 "2009-02-06T08:38:38Z")
I watched my VHS copy of **Road House** until it busted. The night it busted, I ordered the DVD on Amazon. The four days it took to arrive was the longest four days of my life. Not because I need to watch **Road House** every day, but because I need to be prepared to watch it every day. I always watch it with the Rifftrax now, which means I’ve heard the same jokes like 200 times, but I don’t care, they still make me laugh. As Kevin Smith said in the DVD commentary “This movie asks nothing from you.” It’s also one of the most homoerotic films ever made, and hey, the more homoerotic something is, the more I love it! I also like the original **Thirteen Ghosts** a lot. It is one of the most unintentionally hilarious movies I’ve ever seen. I mock it, but in a loving way. I will watch **The Devil’s Advocate** whenever it’s on. And **Constantine** and **Dracula** and **A Walk in the Clouds**. Because I love Keanu Reeves! As much as I love Patrick Swayze (yes, I’ve seen **Dirty Dancing** 10 million times, and I’m sure I’ll see it 10 million more before I die). Pain don’t hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/32 "2009-02-06T08:46:53Z")
Danielle Steel. For pure escapism and totally checking out, there’s nothing better (or worse, I guess!?) ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/33 "2009-02-06T08:58:54Z")
Pfft. You people. You are not even able to embarrass yourselves properly. “Ooooh. I like _Citizen Kane_, and _The sound and the fury_… I’m such an illiterate.” Please. Rob Schneider movies. I’ve seen’em all. From _The animal_ to _Judge Dredd_. Yeah. Now top **THAT**. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/34 "2009-02-06T09:33:17Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > 😕What’s bad about those movies? **Ghost World** and **Almost Famous** are fantastic. And **Parenthood** and **A League of Their Own** are pretty good flicks. They are, to serious cineastes, approximately what Applebee’s and TGI Friday’s are to gourmands: Okay in a pinch, but nothing you’d mistake for first-rate. They are competent without being groundbreaking. They challenge nothing of your preconceived notions of cinema or life. One was directed by Opie, another by Laverne. They are devoid of snob appeal. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/35 "2009-02-06T09:45:57Z")
I liked the 1996 version of [The Island of Dr. Moreau](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_of_Dr._Moreau_(1996_film)). I think I saw it three times in the theater. ETA: If I ever change my user name, I think I’ll choose **Five-Finger Man** and see if anyone gets the reference. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/36 "2009-02-06T10:13:32Z")
I actually prefer the 1931 version of _The Maltese Falcon_ to the John Huston remake. And Ricardo Cortez is a much better Sam Spade than Humphrey Bogart. There, I’ve said it! ---
**Author:** ![DellieM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@DellieM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DellieM)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/37 "2009-02-06T11:10:44Z")
I loved Last Action Hero. And 13 Ghosts. So now can I join your club? ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/38 "2009-02-06T11:56:16Z")
I totally dug _National Treasure_. (The first one, haven’t seen the sequel.) Loved the pacing, loved the history geek bits, and…I think Nicolas Cage is a very talented comedic actor THERE I SAID IT. He and Diane Kruger had great timing, and they both do understated comedy well. Also there were car chases and explosions. ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/39 "2009-02-06T12:13:22Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > My Dad, my brother, and I all read Congo around the same time. We liked it. We even went together to see the movie of it. > > :eek: > > The horror! The horror! Heh, I’ve got you beat! _I OWN THE DVD!!_ And I actually _watch_ it once every couple of months! True, I picked it up off the discount rack, but once you admit to watching it regularly, I don’t think it even matters. I went so far as to double check I was buying the widescreen version. But _I’m_ not a geek! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/40 "2009-02-06T12:20:13Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > I’m going to be a brave girl, and admit that… > > …that I… > > …that I… > > _deep breath_ > > “Hello, my name is Malleus, Incus, Stapes!, and I enjoyed the _DaVinci Code_” > > I downright loved it, actually. Okay, maybe some of the trappings were a bit silly, but underneath the crazy conspiracy theories (and what thriller doesn’t involve crazy conspiracy theories?), it was a puzzle mystery. A lateral thinking puzzle. And I don’t care if you think I’m a cultural philistine. > > Also, _Eragon_. Yes, I am aware of the book’s many flaws. I haven’t been able to properly enjoy the last book, because of all the snarky comments and reviews. But I still think the story is compelling (and is starting to slightly depart from “Star Wars”), and goshdarnit, it’s not _that_ bad. And if you think it is, please keep it to yourself, thank you. > > What books have you guys had to hide under the bed from the culture snobs? I loved the book; the film would have been better if I hadn’t read it. I wouldn’t have cast Tom Hanks: he just isn’t the kind of guy I was imagining. Audrey Tautou on the other hand…I could look at her all day. If you’ve never seen “Dirty Pretty Things,” you must. > [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I can watch “First Blood” anytime it’s on. And, um… . I own the DVD. It has a “survival mode” thing where descriptions of weapons and tactics pop up on screen as the movie plays. Kinda kewl. Actually the thing that mars it is that stupid Dan Hill song. > [@Linty\_Fresh](#): > > Bwuhhh?! Those movies _rocked!_ So did **Almost Famous** and **Parenthood**. Lurv Parenthood. So many great quotes in that one. \*Student 1 at College: Someone’s gone to the roof of the bell tower with a rifle! Dean at College: It’s Kevin Buckman! His father totally screwed him up! Student 2 at College: What’s he yelling? Kevin Buckman Age 21: YOU MADE ME PLAY SECOND BASE! Gil: [Yelling through a megaphone] Son, I’m sorry. I did all the best I could. [Kevin shoots the megaphone from his hands] Gil: Nice shot son! It’s important to be supportive. Come on lets sing one of the old tunes. "When you’re sliding into home and your pants are full of foam, Diarrhea - " \* Gil: “Yeah, well if [grandma’s] so smart, how come she’s sitting in the neighbor’s car?” > [@Yookeroo](#): > > 😕What’s bad about those movies? **Ghost World** and **Almost Famous** are fantastic. And **Parenthood** and **A League of Their Own** are pretty good flicks. “A League of their Own,” OMG. That “Big Band” music in the soundtrack really puts me in the era. Plus, there’s no crying in baseball. OK, I have to add “Red Dawn.” I own the DVD. Watching it makes me want to run out and buy a bunch of American flags or something. And “JFK.” Yeah, I know the science isn’t all right, nor is the history. Still. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657.md?page=3)