# "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:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/81 "2009-02-07T05:08:15Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > I came in here to say _The Da Vinci Code_. I was raptly fascinated by it, I stayed up until 4am reading it, and I’m pretty sure I gushed to about 12 people about what a great book it was before I began to catch on that everyone hated it. Precisely. I loved the book and felt a tad embarrassed when I found out it was considered ‘bad writing’. I loved the movie Titanic the first time I saw it. I haven’t been able to watch it again without disliking it, though. The difference is, I knew that Titanic was considered bad when I saw it. I honestly thought Davinci Code was good writing. ---
**Author:** ![Dazzling\_White\_Diamonds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/41988e/32.png) [@Dazzling\_White\_Diamonds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dazzling_White_Diamonds)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/82 "2009-02-07T05:12:06Z")
My guilty pleasures are **Big Trouble in Little China** , **Roadhouse** , **Grease** , and a few more that I’m sure will come to me later. But when these are on channels with no commercial interruptions, I will watch them from start to finish. And if **Grease** is on a commercial station, I’ll go put the DVD in. ::hangs head even lower than low:: \*\*\*eta: \*\*\*Oh, and **Total Recall**. _“Getcher ass to Mars.” “Two weeks. Twoo-ooh weeeeeekssssss…”_ ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/83 "2009-02-07T05:59:28Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > _Joe versus the Volcano_ is just about my favourite Tom Hanks movie. Not my favorite of Tom Hanks \< but dirty little secret of a movie I love\>but well in the “bad category”. What people? Superman can fly? Wolverine has metal in his skeleton? And Tom Hanks’ character can’t have a brain cloud?? ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/84 "2009-02-07T06:03:49Z")
This whole thread, I read every post and thought “What?? That’s considered a bad movie?? I loved that!” So either I’m woefully out of touch with movie reviews or I just like bad movies. ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/85 "2009-02-07T06:34:42Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Zombie movies. I love and worship zombie movies. I know what you’re thinking, “The Holy Trilogy of Night, Dawn, and Day? Shaun of the Dead? 28 Days Later? Fido? What’s not to like? These are good movies.” > > Yes, I’ve seen these - I own them. But it’s not just these zombie movies I lust after. I’ll watch anything zombie-related. The “Return of the Living Dead” series? Seen 'em - even “Rave to the Grave,” what a piece of dreck. “House of the Dead?” Check. The Last Man on Earth? Yep - it wasn’t bad. Night of the Comet? Yep - definitely bad. Planet Terror? Yep - I liked it. Resident Evils, certainly. Wicked Little Things, sure. > > I know there’s tons I haven’t seen - it’s a popular genre for filmmakers, it seems. And most are uniformly terrible. But I love 'em, I love 'em a lot. > > Mr. Snicks must really like me - he’s sat through a _lot_ of bad movies. Have you seen _[I Eat Your Skin](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058220/)_? I own this one and I watch it occasionally. I also love _[Love Goddesses of Blood Island](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0304355/)_. [Here’s a clip.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDvh-ygdqaE) Too funny. Also [Girl Gang](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0171344/), [Gun Girls](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049284/), [The Wild World of Bat Woman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ-mrXjdOq4), The Ed Wood movies with Bela Lugosi, all of Ray Haryhausen’s films. I really like 50’s through 70’s drive-in movies. ---
**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 7, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/86 "2009-02-07T07:34:31Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > 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. Screw the cineastes. Rotten Tomato scores: Ghost World 92 Almost Famous 88 Parenthood 92 A League of Their Own 75 These are hardly considered bad movies. ---
**Author:** ![Einmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Einmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Einmon)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/87 "2009-02-07T07:47:14Z")
> [@TheMerchandise](#): > > Are you my boyfriend? > > I will watch _The Replacements_ any time it’s on. Yes, the Keanu Reeves football movie. Hey, don’t be dissin’ _The Replacements_, it’s the best little football movie there is! With regards to _Twilight_ and _The Da Vinci Code_, I hated the books (sorry, guys), but I thought both movies were quite enjoyable, actually. Also, Nora Ephron movies. And, of course, _Dirty Dancing_ (I carried a WATERMELON). ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/88 "2009-02-07T08:04:01Z")
I liked Daredevil—some of the best acting I’ve seen out of Ben Affleck (not that that’s saying a lot), and a nifty cinematic take on superheroism. Great villains, to boot. Plus…remember the “C Train” guy, from near the beggining? His character’s name was “Jose Quesada.” That scene’s sure _lot_ better _now_, ain’t it? 😃 Also, I liked _G.I. Joe: The Movie._ Even Cobra-La. No, _especially_ Cobra-La. Lt. Falcon can still go overdose in a gutter somewhere for all I care, though. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/89 "2009-02-07T11:29:14Z")
I see a lot of movies, so my tolerance for low quality is pretty high. I’m usually able to enjoy movies on their own merits, although of course there are exceptions. This is steering into “so bad it’s good” territory, but I _loved_ D-War, which may have been the dumbest movie ever made. It has that oddness quality that dubbed asian monster movies usually have, except that it has actual American actors actually speaking in that same odd stilted way that dubbed over dialogue sounds like. Lots of ridiculous things happen - flashbacks within flashbacks, characters actually saying “that doesn’t make any sense!” when the plot isn’t making sense, characters put in mortal danger and then suddenly being ok for no reason (except for a bandaid!). And of course, dinosaurs! In ancient Korea! With missiles! And dragons! Versus helicopters! Me and my brother were literally laughing out loud during the entire movie, to the point of tears. And in addition to the (unintended) comedy, the dragon action sequences are actually pretty kick ass. It was kind of like what would happen if two ten year olds, one korean, and one american, wrote a script about their toys from different companies, and were for some reason given a large budget to go out and produce it. ---
**Author:** ![echowit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@echowit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echowit)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/90 "2009-02-11T07:26:09Z")
Re: Congo – My experience exactly. The book is as good as the movie is bad. ---
**Author:** ![echowit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@echowit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echowit)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/91 "2009-02-11T07:53:27Z")
I’ve read SD for some time now, but this thread finally got me to register. So many great “Bad” movies & books. So many kindred spirits, apparently. Here’s a sample of my ? tastes ? re some of the stuff mentioned. Congo - What happened to the Ross Glacier? - another strong female put in her place, I guess - Liked the book - Hated the movie: Divinci Code - Liked the movie - Hated the book: In truth I did not finish the book Eaters of the Dead (Movie: 13th Warrior) Great book, pretty good movie Have no clue if any books exist but liked these movies: ``` Starship Trooper - Great Bug Hunt ( "Bug Hunt" from a great sequel) Joe v. the Volcano - Meg Ryan at her best (plus Meg Ryan AND Meg Ryan) Dragonslayer - In truth, almost anything w/ dragons (for some reason) Lake Placid - Not really a dragon, I guess, but does have Brigitte Fonda ``` ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/92 "2009-02-11T08:10:22Z")
I enjoy the HELL out of what could be the worst movie ever made. “Human Highway” by Neil Young. Starring Devo. Anyone seen it? I love it! ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/93 "2009-02-11T14:35:22Z")
**How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days** - Love that movie, one of my favorite rom-coms ever. It’s so funny watching Matt McConaughey squirm while Kate Hudson tortures him, and watching her eventually give in to his charms. The best bit was with Kate’s friend pretending to be a “couples counselor” and accusing him of being gay. **Little Nicky** - A lot of clever stuff. Funny bits with background characters, and Adam Sandler really does a good job of acting like someone who genuinely never experienced life on planet Earth. “I got hit by two lights attached to a lot of metal!” “That’s called a train, son. Now get back up there.” Greatly underappreciated, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/94 "2009-02-11T14:39:52Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > 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. I enjoyed both the book (recently re-read, as a matter of fact) and the movie. I don’t understand all the hate - I loved Johnny in the movie. He was hawt! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/95 "2009-02-11T14:46:02Z")
Having grown up on cheap afternoon movies, I _love_ bad films. I even hold a Bad Film Festival about once a year, and was doing so long before MST3K was around. In this thread, I’ll agree on the original **House on Haunted Hill** and with **Starship Troopers** (I hate the film for what it did to the novel, but find a perverse satisfacion in watching a film that is so completely _wrong_ on so many levels.) You want others? **The Giant Claw** – profoundly bad, with the worst special effects ever **Robot Monster** and **Plan 9 From Outer Space** – THE classic BadFilms **The Prehistoric Sound** and **Tales from the Past** **From Hell it Came** – evil man reincarnated as a walking _tree_. Must be seen to be believed. **Attack of the 50 foot Woman** – their ambition was bigger than their special efects budget, or expertise. Or their writing skills. **The Cyclops** – It had Lon Chaney, Jr., and was shot inn Cinemascope, but it looks cheap and makeshift, for all that. I’m surprised they never did this on MST3K. ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/96 "2009-02-11T14:46:51Z")
As I’ve said in other movie threads, I can’t resist the Travolta Trilogy of Cheese:_Saturday Night Fever_,_Urban Cowboy_, and _Stayin’ Alive_. All of the die hard Ahnuld the Governator fans hated _Last Action Hero_, but I gotta watch every time it comes on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/97 "2009-02-11T14:49:28Z")
“Street Fighter” with Jean-Claude Van Damme. Absolutely love it. It’s one of my favorite movies. Totally looking forward to the new Chun-Li movie coming out this month. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/98 "2009-02-11T14:50:36Z")
I really liked Joe vs the Volcano, Starship Troopers (movie) and… and and… I thought The Postman was a fine flick! {running for cover now} ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657/99 "2009-02-11T14:54:24Z")
missed the edit window. L. Ron Hubbard I also enjoyed his 10 book series (CIA parody) if I remember correctly. Funny series. There are a lot of books/movies listed above that I’ve really enjoyed. I guess I’m still marching (offbeat) to my own drummer but I likes what I likes. I love the Dune prequels. House Atriedes, House Harkonnen, House Corrino were outstanding, but many Dune lovers completely disregard Brian Herbert’s (IMO) talents. Have any of your seen “What a Girl Wants?” I love this teen movie. Love. It. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-books-movies-you-actually-like/484657.md?page=4)