# Good things in mediocre movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174 "2012-07-04T02:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/21 "2012-07-06T21:08:42Z")
Independence Day: The President’s speech. ---
**Author:** ![Rubixcube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Rubixcube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubixcube)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/22 "2012-07-06T21:36:18Z")
_Hunchback of Notre Dame_, Claude Frollo and _Hellfire_ which go down as my best and most menacing Disney villain, best villain song, and my personal favorite Disney song, in what is otherwise probably the most unremarkable Disney film of the 90’s. The raptor chase in _The Lost World_, I might also be inclined to include the T.Rex attack on the RV. Two things stand out in the otherwise forgettable _King Kong Lives_, The open heart surgery on Kong at the beginning, and a hilariously horrible joke where the protagonist gets in the love interests pants because Kong and his gal are getting it on over the hill. _Dune_, the movie is fairly forgettable especially compared to the novel and the miniseries, but my god is it gorgeous. _Waterworld_, the movie may be a bit of a mess, but man are those sets awesome, even the Costner’s sailboat is pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/23 "2012-07-07T00:20:02Z")
The 1999 version of _The Haunting_ was unscary and disappointing, but it had a really nice set. I wouldn’t call _White Hunter, Black Heart_ mediocre, exactly, but it’s not Eastwood’s best. There’s a couple scenes that I find memorable, a fight, and the very end. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/24 "2012-07-07T00:29:26Z")
“Last Picture Show” Cybill Shepherd topless in the swimming pool scene ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/25 "2012-07-07T00:49:18Z")
If we’re counting unintentionally hilarious as a “good thing,” then there’s gem of R. Lee Ermey waxing poetic about the toughness of Steven Seagal in “On Deadly Ground”: > [@](#): > > My guy in D.C. tells me that we are not dealing with a student here, we’re dealing with the Professor. Any time the military has an operation that can’t fail, they call this guy in to train the troops, OK? He’s the kind of guy that would drink a gallon of gasoline so he could piss in your campfire! You could drop this guy off at the Arctic Circle wearing a pair of bikini underwear, without his toothbrush, and tomorrow afternoon he’s going to show up at your pool side with a million dollar smile and fist full of pesos. This guy’s a professional, you got me? If he reaches this rig, we’re all gonna be nothing but a big goddamned hole right in the middle of Alaska. So let’s go find him and kill him and get rid of the son of a bitch! The movie, as clunky as it may be, is also worth a look for Michael Caine chewing the scenery in one of his “I’m just here for the paycheck” roles as a sinister, bolo-tie wearing oilman. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/26 "2012-07-07T01:36:54Z")
The Philip Seymour Hoffman [fall](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1BUuEDQSsQ) in Along Came Polly. The Stephan Merchant ending [clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIp_3rCJPuU) in Hall Pass. Sarah Silverman getting punched in the [face](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAl5xGi7urQ) in The Way of the Gun. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/27 "2012-07-07T15:32:51Z")
The Last Starfighter “What do we do?” “We die.” ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/28 "2012-07-07T15:39:14Z")
> [@Rubixcube](#): > > The raptor chase in _The Lost World_, I might also be inclined to include the T.Rex attack on the RV. I’d add Roland Tembo. Bad ass hunter! What’s not to love? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/29 "2012-07-07T15:58:39Z")
Dirty Harry - When he shoots and tortures the Scorpio killer on the football field by stomping on the gunshot and stabs wounds he gave him while the killer screams, “I have rights.” It’s so morally gut twisting. The villain is right, but hero’s cause is just. Good ole 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/30 "2012-07-07T16:51:45Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Dirty Harry - When he shoots and tortures the Scorpio killer on the football field by stomping on the gunshot and stabs wounds he gave him while the killer screams, “I have rights.” It’s so morally gut twisting. The villain is right, but hero’s cause is just. Good ole 70s. In what Universe is **Dirty Harry** a mediocre movie?! ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/31 "2012-07-07T17:12:35Z")
Taking Lives- The film opens on a young hippie looking man hitchhiking, he meets another young man traveling cheaply and they strike up a friendship. Later while on the road the hippie throw his friend in front of a truck :eek: It is very jarring and effective. Then we see him taking the clothes and items his dead friend had as he assumes his identity. Then the film flash forwards decades as Angelina Jolie is trying to track down this bizarre serial killer who steals men’s identities. The film never recovers, the first minutes until the shocker are the best part of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/32 "2012-07-07T17:16:22Z")
Dungeons & Dragons The film sucked on many levels. But, Tom Baker has a short scene as an elf healer and it is _wonderful_! His acting is a magical thing to behold. ---
**Author:** ![Rubixcube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Rubixcube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubixcube)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/33 "2012-07-07T17:40:59Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Dungeons & Dragons > > The film sucked on many levels. But, Tom Baker has a short scene as an elf healer and it is _wonderful_! His acting is a magical thing to behold. That and the film has what is easily the most hilarious villain ever put of film. In fact the entire movie is worth seeing just for him, I promise you’ll never stop laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/34 "2012-07-07T19:00:47Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Basically, the movie starts off like all the other **Final Destination** movies: a man miraculously avoids dying in some horrible accident. Shortly thereafter, the guy, relieved at dodging the Reaper (at least temporarily), celebrates by making love to his girlfriend/fiancé/wife. Unfortunately, like the other movies, strange incidents occur until he’s finally snuffed out in some hideous fashion in some type of absurd “Rube Goldberg” scenario. This followed by news that his girlfriend/fiancé/wife is pregnant. I don’t remember if it’s on the DVD or not, but this is how the first movie was originally supposed to end. Before Ali Larter left Devon Sawa in the cabin, there’s a cut scene of them having wild monkey sex. He ends up knocking her up and the presence of this child that shouldn’t be is what shuts off the out-of-control power cable at the end. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/35 "2012-07-07T19:27:32Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > In what Universe is **Dirty Harry** a mediocre movie?! Mine. It’s not bad, but I don’t think it approaches very good or great. 3/5 ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/36 "2012-07-07T19:31:42Z")
Night Of The Demons 2 It’s a pretty standard direct to video horror movie. But one scene stands out. A nun is confronting the villain with a huge crucifix and vials of holy water. She loses them. The villain says ‘What are ya gonna do now? Without your toys?’. The nun taps her chest and says “I have everything I need right here. It’s a little thing called faith.” ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/37 "2012-07-07T19:45:06Z")
Howling 2- Your Sister Is A Werewolf Simply awful. But two things stand out as great- Sybil Danning’s nudity The song (whose title I forget and whose lyrics I can’t find a decent copy of online) “I belong now, in my room again On the prowl now, through your dreams again Howling” ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/38 "2012-07-07T20:40:49Z")
> [@Rubixcube](#): > > _Hunchback of Notre Dame_, Claude Frollo and _Hellfire_ which go down as my best and most menacing Disney villain, best villain song, and my personal favorite Disney song, in what is otherwise probably the most unremarkable Disney film of the 90’s. > > The raptor chase in _The Lost World_, I might also be inclined to include the T.Rex attack on the RV. > > Two things stand out in the otherwise forgettable _King Kong Lives_, The open heart surgery on Kong at the beginning, and a hilariously horrible joke where the protagonist gets in the love interests pants because Kong and his gal are getting it on over the hill. > > _Dune_, the movie is fairly forgettable especially compared to the novel and the miniseries, but my god is it gorgeous. > > _Waterworld_, the movie may be a bit of a mess, but man are those sets awesome, even the Costner’s sailboat is pretty cool. Agreed 10000 times for the Hunchback call you just made. He really is the most evil, awful villain, in anotherwise forgettable movie. Also agree with Dune. Beautiful movie overall, but it’s more or less an uninspired summary of the novel. Waterworld was another movie that was a marvel to look at, but its beauty was only skin deep. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/39 "2012-07-07T22:09:15Z")
The awful cartoon version of ‘Return of the King’ has the hilariously memorable song “Where there’s a whip there’s a way”. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174/40 "2012-07-07T22:13:57Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > The awful cartoon version of ‘Return of the King’ has the hilariously memorable song “Where there’s a whip there’s a way”. Viewing it these days, Rankin Bass Hobbit had terrible, terrible animation. But, IMO the voice acting, sound effects, and music are great. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-things-in-mediocre-movies/627174.md?page=3)