What movies do you like that got abysmal reviews and/or are widely considered “bad movies”? I’m not talking about the works of Roger Corman or Ed Wood, or “Manos:The Hands of Fate,” but merely Hollywood releases that no one seems to like but you, or that can be seen as a guilty cinematic pleasure. Here’s a few of mine:
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[li]Catwoman. The story was pretty lame, and the whole thing tried to be all things to all people - a superhero movie, a corporate crime movie a la The Firm , a romance, a supernatural movie, and yet another halfhearted stab at Girl Power!, all at once. Still, it was fun for what it was. The Princess saw the ad for it on the side of a bus and demanded to see it. She settled for a poster of Halle Berry in the Catwoman costume. [/li][li]The Legend of Billie Jean. “Fair is fair!” I loved the theme song, “Invincible,” by Pat Benatar.[/li][li]The Country Bears. You have to admit, the country-rock soundtrack was pretty good. I especially liked when one of the Country Bears sings a duet with his ex-girlfriend, with the voices of Don Henley and Bonnie Raitt, and at the end of the song, the real Don Henley and Bonnie Raitt are shown sitting at the bar, commenting on the bears’ song. And who doesn’t like watching Christopher Walken chew some scenery? Part of my fondness for the movie may be due to my never having had a chance to visit the Country Bear Jamboree when they had it at Disneyland, mostly because everyone I ever went with thought it was lame and wouldn’t go in with me. By the time I had a kid and, therefore, a valid excuse to go, they’d taken the Country Bears away. 
[/li][li]Gas Food Lodging. This is the only Alison Anders movie I like. It has everything: romance, melodrama, magical realism, weird characters, a cameo by J Mascis, clips of Mexican movies starring an actress who spoke little Spanish… 
Whatever happened to Fairuza Balk, anyway? [/li][li]Napoleon Dynamite. Even though this movie was a hit, the cool people didn’t like it - maybe because it was too popular? I guess I identified with Napoleon to some extent. Oddly enough, I never bought a “Vote for Pedro” shirt. My brother-in-law gave one to his dad last Xmas (his dad’s name is Pedro). 
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If someone already did this thread, I apologize. I’m just starting it again because I never got into the first one.
Latter Days. Okay, yes, it was hackneyed and overwrought, but I mean come on, Steve Sandvoss as a hot gay Mormon.
I have to disagree here. I hate the movie, with a white hot hate, but I am the ONLY PERSON I KNOW who doesn’t LOVE the stupid thing. Everyone - cool, uncool, lame-os, jocks, stoners, bloods, wasteoids - EVERYONE around me loves this tripe but me.
Oh, well…
George
Black Knight. I can’t help but collapse into a fit of giggles by the time I’m halfway through this movie.
(insert deity here) help me, Jerry Lewis cracks me up.
I like his movies, well, most of them, although I haven’t seen one in ages. Other people I know can’t stand him in any capacity. I heard him explain to David Letterman once, that what his whole schtick was, was “nine.” It’s that nine-year-old kid who’s inside everyone. I think he was trying to touch that part of people who still have some of that unabashed silliness left in them.
I guess some people could watch “The Disorderly Orderly” without cracking a smile. Not me!
The 1967 Casino Royale
Zardoz
Exorcist II: The Heretic
The Fifth Element. It’s like candy for the eyes.
Waterworld. Kevin Costner with gills.
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers. Best movie EVER.
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers. Sequel to the best movie EVER.
Darkness Falls. Chaney Kley is gorgeous and it has that chick who played Anya. And they’re fighting the tooth-fairy.
Warlock. Lori Singer. Magic. Cheesy effects.
28 Days Later. Zombies, FTW.
Land of the Dead. See above. (Plus Simon Baker. Rawr.)
Oh, word. Linda Blair was really hot in that one too.
Battlefield Earth. There, I said it. A good film with a great film inside trying to burst out.
I just saw and loved The Island. It got terrible reviews, but I don’t know why. I thought it was great!
Death to Smootchy, although there seem to be quite a few Dopers that are with me on this one.
Gotta agree with The Fifth Element.
I generally hate action/thriller/techno-paranoia flicks, but for some reason I find Enemy of the State immensely entertaining, fun, and well-crafted. And yet most of my friends who love action/thriller/techno-paranoia flicks think it’s total crap.
Love it - doesn’t hurt that it has a phenomenal soundtrack. I’d more ask “What happened to Ione Skye?” though.
I also would second Waterworld and Fifth Element, and add:
Aeon Flux - I loved the look of it all, and Charlize too. Much better than the animated shorts.
Resident Evil - standard zombie flick, really, but then, I’m not emotionally invested in the game and I like Mila.
Underworld - clearly made by people who love the genre, and with a good tone. Me likey.
You’ve Got Mail - sure, there’s a creepy stalker element, but hey, it’s a rom-com, some leeway is allowed. Meg Ryan / Tom Hanks are a great combo.
*Heaven’s Gate * is one of my all-time favorite movies. The entire world not only hates it, but they’ve written volumes about their hate for it. I simply don’t get it.
The Postman. I found it entertaining and even a little bit moving.
Joe Vs the Volcano. I dug the cheese.
Ishtar, though most people who hate it have never seen it.
They did WHAT? Sonofa. When did they take away the goddamned Country Bears?! That chaps my ass.
I enjoyed quite a few of the movies listed.
The Fifth Element is one of my favorites.
The Postman and *Waterworld * were both entertaining to me.
I didn’t hate Ishtar.
Here are a few more.
I loved Something Different - another forum I belong to panned it.
Total Recall ,Demolition Man and Space Truckers were fun to watch.
But wait - there’s more…
(I love to say that in my announcer voice)
I’ll probably be back when my brain decides to release the other movie titles. I don’t think “the one with that dude, you know, from the other movie that I like…” is good enough for the boards.
I agree. Except for the overlong dance scenes, it’s a wonderful film.
“The Survivors”. It stared Jerry Reed, for God’s sake, but I still love it.
Grease 2 - I just love it.
The Last Action Hero got roundly panned, but I think it’s a very well-done riff on action movies and their cliches, having fun with their absurdities while retaining a basic affection for them.