# Mediocre films that stay with you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2026, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediocre-films-that-stay-with-you/1032577 "2026-08-26T15:56:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2026, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediocre-films-that-stay-with-you/1032577/141 "2026-08-29T01:46:40Z")
> [@robby](#): > > , but while it’s a futuristic sci-fi film, it’s not set in space. Yes, but it involves aliens so that’s the blurb writer shorthand. Another movie for the list is [Freaky Tales](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21942598/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_accord_2_cdt_c_12) . The setup is about Oakland, California, in 1987. The framework is four interconnected stories with a weird connecting link about “green energy in the sky”. Pedro Pascale steals the show of course. One story is about a real rapper from the area, and another involves the freak basketball game and the actual heist that was pulled against the players. The storytelling framework is clunky and bizarre, but the way the stories are interwoven is well- done and the revenge fantasy aspect is fun. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2026, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediocre-films-that-stay-with-you/1032577/142 "2026-08-29T19:06:14Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > but it’s not like I am a huge Tamblyn fan boy or anything. Well, since we believe you that you’re not, you won’t want to watch _The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret._ David Cross is great, and Amber Tamblyn is perfect as his girlfriend-or-so-he-assumes in the first episode. Note to everyone besides Tamerlane: It’s a series, not a film, so ignore this post. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2026, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediocre-films-that-stay-with-you/1032577/143 "2026-08-29T20:18:41Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Well, since we believe you that you’re not, you won’t want to watch _The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret._ I saw like two episodes of Joan of Arcadia when it was first broadcast on TV, thought it was fine but slightly glurgy and didn’t follow up on it. A year or so ago something reminded me of its existence and the fact that it had been popular, so I thought I’d give it another shot. Nope - only available streaming on pay-per-view and I’m just not interested and motivated enough to do that. As it happens I do like David Cross, but I find he’s one of those actor/comedians with a very particular style where for me a little bit goes a long way. I find him a bit wearing over time 🙂. But maybe one of these days… ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediocre-films-that-stay-with-you/1032577/144 "2026-08-29T20:23:06Z")
One of my most self-destructive habits is… no, not chugging hot dog water, this is more debilitating … watching the trailer for a bad movie on streaming, then picking one of the actors and thinking “Hey, I wonder what other bad movies they made?” By now, it’s 2 am and I’m watching a dozen trailers. But there are actors who, if I’m flicking through trailers or TV channels, I have to watch. So I’ve seen bits of SO many Liam Neeson, Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and Jason Statham\* movies. \*What do you mean, which ones? HOW would I tell them apart?!? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediocre-films-that-stay-with-you/1032577/145 "2026-08-30T16:11:57Z")
I particularly like Doc’s alligator suit in one of the novels. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediocre-films-that-stay-with-you/1032577/146 "2026-08-30T16:44:40Z")
The horrific opening to _Cliffhanger_ stays with me, but I wish it didn’t. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mediocre-films-that-stay-with-you/1032577.md?page=7)