# Panned Movies that You Actually Like **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810 "2003-02-27T03:39:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Sacrilegium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f05b48/32.png) [@Sacrilegium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sacrilegium)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/81 "2003-02-28T13:37:26Z")
Another vote for _Stargate_ here. One that I’m really at odds with the rest of the universe on is _Sleepwalkers_. (spoilers ahead: ) There’s a mother and son duo that just happens to be vampire-like nearly-immortal cat/alien creatures. Or something. And they get it on together. And have weird telekenetic abilities and can become invisible. And they steal the lifeforce from innocents. And their biggest weakness is the domestic cat. And there’s a scene where someone gets killed with an ear of corn. And the lovely Alice Krige plays her role like it’s the role of her life. Everyone else seems embarassed to be there. What’s not to like? _Brotherhood of the Wolf_ (once referred to as “an explosion at the genre factory”) was also quite enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/82 "2003-02-28T17:34:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ranchoth \* > \*\*I like David Duchovny’s _Playing God_. > > There, I said it. Tear me apart if you wish, but I still hold to it. \*\* I love this movie, it has some of my all-time favorite lines in it. What I find amusing in retrospect was that after seeing it the first time I thought to myself “this Duchovny guy is an ok actor. Too bad he’s in that X-files show.” Amusing since the X-files later became one of my favorite shows 😃 I love **If Lucy Fell** and \*\* I’ve Been Waiting For You\*\*. Apparently other people at imdb don’t since they both rank a 4.9. One of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen **Rock and Roll High School Forever** ranks a pitiful 3.6, although only 200 or so people have actually _seen_ it based on the number of votes. ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/83 "2003-02-28T23:31:41Z")
I’ll join the tiny chorus of people who liked _Cutthroat Island_. I’m not sure if _Jurassic Park_ qualifies, but somebody mentioned it, and I liked it. I would add a little suspense flick with Gene Hackman and Matt Dillon called _Target._ I’m not sure what the critical reaction was to it at the time, but Maltin’s review of it is scathing, and it sank into obscurity really fast. But I adored it. ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/84 "2003-03-01T00:27:45Z")
What, I’m the only person who’s going to admit to liking **Dude, Where’s My Car**? Need I mention that there were ostriches? Insane killer ostriches? Even **Casablanca** would be improved by the presence of ostriches. ---
**Author:** ![lightingtool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@lightingtool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lightingtool)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/85 "2003-03-01T00:58:57Z")
I’m not sure if it was panned or just forgotten, but I love “Get Shorty.” Terrific one-liners. And what’s with all my friends saying “Jaws” was a bad movie? It’s a classic!! Why do they mock me… ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/86 "2003-03-01T01:03:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*The Shoveler: If we had a billionaire like Lance Hunt as our benefactor… > Mr. Furious: That’s because Lance Hunt **is** Captain Amazing > The Shoveler: Don’t start that again. Lance Hunt wears glasses. Captain Amazing doesn’t wear glasses! > Mr. Furious: He takes them off when he transforms. > The Shoveler: That doesn’t make any sense, he wouldn’t be able to see. > > The Sphinx: You must be like wolf pack, not six-pack. > Shoveler: God’s given me a gift. I shovel well. I shovel very well. > > And many more - Mystery Men is a hoot. \*\* The Sphinx: We are number one! All others are number two, or lower. And of course, there was the Bowler talking about her father’s “Accident” where he fell down an open elevator shaft onto some bullets. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/87 "2003-03-01T01:10:29Z")
The Punisher with Dolph Lundgren. I think it was decent. Would have been better without Lou Gosset Jr. He seems to kill movies just by being in them. On a side note, I heard that ole Dolph is swinging 11" of pipe down there, if you know what I mean. Anyone else heard this before? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/88 "2003-03-01T01:19:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lightingtool \* > \*\*I’m not sure if it was panned or just forgotten, but I love “Get Shorty.” Terrific one-liners. > > And what’s with all my friends saying “Jaws” was a bad movie? It’s a classic!! > > Why do they mock me… \*\* There are a lot of movies that have been mentioned here that left me thinking, “That’s supposed to be a **bad** movie?” but on this one, at least, I can say with authority that your friends are morons. _Jaws_ is a bonafide classic, beloved by critics and movie-goers alike. It made #48 on the American Film Insitute’s 100 greatest films of all time. Not to mention it was _the_ original blockbuster movie. In other words, your friends are morons. (I loved _Get Shorty_ too. “He falls pretty good for a big guy.”) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/89 "2003-03-01T01:20:44Z")
In fact, your friends are so moronic, I had to mention it twice. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/90 "2003-03-01T01:34:16Z")
Oh my gosh, I forgot about _Mystery Men_. Add me to the chorus of people who love that movie. In fact, I love it so much that I’ve rather become known for it. As in, I’ll recommend a film to someone, say for example, _Citizen Kane_, and the other person will respond with “Gee, I don’t know. I mean, you liked _Mystery Men_ for the love of God, you’re clearly not to be trusted.” I would have mentioned _Flash Gordon_ too, but is that really panned? Okay, dumb question. Obviously, it was panned by critics at the time of its release (and I can see why). But I think the cult following that’s grown up around it sort of mitigates its panned status a little bit. My theory is that once a film moves into “cult following” it moves out of “panned.” When I think panned, I’m talking about the BOTTOM OF THE BARREL. Films so hated that B movie geeks don’t even like them. ---
**Author:** ![boo\_boo\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e4f/32.png) [@boo\_boo\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boo_boo_bear)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/91 "2003-03-01T01:39:39Z")
David Lynch’s **Dune**. I was a huge Dune fan as a youngster and although I was disappointed in the movie on many levels, it was fascinating visually and I kept thinking “yeah, that’s what X would have looked like”… I never saw the remake (was it a Sci-Fi Channel remake?) although many have said it’s better than Lynch’s version (which was so heavily panned that a cheap animated version of Dune would probably received rave reviews compared to Lynch’s). I dunno… I just really, really liked it… although I’ve yet to meet _anyone_ who even “sort of” liked it… I, too, thought **Joe vs. the Volcano** was hilarious… (my two cents…) -bbb- ---
**Author:** ![Zap\_Rowsdower](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3da27b/32.png) [@Zap\_Rowsdower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zap_Rowsdower)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/92 "2003-03-01T01:56:01Z")
**The Neighbors** with John Belushi and Dan Akroyd. I have not seen it for several years I always enjoyed it. I thought it was quirky and odd and liked the way Belushi played straight and Akroyd was the crazy one. For a while I would watch it a few times a year, it always made me laugh. Much better than the later **Burbs** ---
**Author:** ![Leap\_of\_Faith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/278dde/32.png) [@Leap\_of\_Faith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leap_of_Faith)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/93 "2003-03-01T02:11:10Z")
I’ve got to second most of those, especially Mystery Men and Bedazzled. Three that I’d add would be Showgirls (for no good reason I can explain, I just liked the movie) Airheads (another Brandon Fraiser movie) and Army of Darkness ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/94 "2003-03-01T04:35:34Z")
I laughed my rear off watching the movie with the real big alligator and Bridget Fonda. I’ve watched it twice now and I still can’t figure out why it only gets one star. (Anybody remember its name?) ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/95 "2003-03-01T04:49:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ring \* > \*\*I laughed my rear off watching the movie with the real big alligator and Bridget Fonda. I’ve watched it twice now and I still can’t figure out why it only gets one star. (Anybody remember its name?) \*\* _Lake Placid_! Oliver Platt is so hilarious in that movie–and Betty White, too. Another Bridget Fonda movie that was panned was _Point of No Return_. Maybe it’s not as good as _La Femme Nikita_, but I really like it anyway. _Get Shorty_ wasn’t panned at all–IIRC it received pretty favorable reviews from critics and everyone I know likes it. Maybe we’re confusing “under-rated” with “panned.” ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/96 "2003-03-01T04:53:24Z")
There’s a number of movies already mentioned that I think are great. I’m surprised some of these were panned. **Cabin Boy, Dirty Work, The Postman** and **The Fifth Element** are all classic Cinema as far as I’m concerned. Jet Li’s **Romeo Must Die** is part of the bizarre trend of martial artists teaming up with Hip Hop stars (in this case the late Aaliyah). It’s widely hailed as how not to do a martial arts movie, and the wire/compu-fu is a little much, but overall I found it extremely enjoyable. I also find the humor and the (deliberately, probably) over-the-top style of **The Big Hit** worthy of my time. ---
**Author:** ![Ring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Ring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ring)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/97 "2003-03-01T05:06:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tangent \* > \*\*_Lake Placid_! Oliver Platt is so hilarious in that movie–and Betty White, too. > > Another Bridget Fonda movie that was panned was _Point of No Return_. Maybe it’s not as good as _La Femme Nikita_, but I really like it anyway. > \*\* Who’s Oliver Platt? The rural sheriff? If so he was funnier than hell. Man oh man did Bridget look good in the _Point of No Return_ (If it’s the one I think it is) ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/98 "2003-03-01T07:46:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by boo\_boo\_bear \* > \*\*David Lynch’s **Dune**. I was a huge Dune fan as a youngster and although I was disappointed in the movie on many levels, it was fascinating visually and I kept thinking “yeah, that’s what X would have looked like”… > > I never saw the remake (was it a Sci-Fi Channel remake?) although many have said it’s better than Lynch’s version (which was so heavily panned that a cheap animated version of Dune would probably received rave reviews compared to Lynch’s). > > I dunno… I just really, really liked it… although I’ve yet to meet _anyone_ who even “sort of” liked it… > > I, too, thought **Joe vs. the Volcano** was hilarious… > > (my two cents…) > > -bbb- \*\* Actually, Lynch’s Dune is better on some fronts. The SFX were far better (I liked the Barqoue feeling of Lynchs’s dune far better) as well as the costumes, but the story and the voiceovers were bad. Not to mention that BS with the milking cat, the wieridng modules and the thropters. The Sci-fi version’s big advantage was that the story was understandable, but I was really disappointed with the costumes and the effects, as well as the sets. I just felt like it was far too "Star Trek"y. Most of the desert scenes were clearly shot inside the a sudio, the glowglobes were cheap beachballs and the stillsuits… ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/99 "2003-03-01T07:52:04Z")
“Lake Placid” was, as far as I can tell, treated poorly simply because it was a giant alligator movie. It was a great giant alligator movie, possibly the best of all time. One of the things I look for in a critic is the ability to deal with a flick on its own terms. Yes, it’s a raunchy teen sex comedy, but is it a good raunchy teen sex comedy? I pretty much knew from the trailer that it wasn’t trying to be “Citizen Kane”. Then again, I quite liked “Evolution” and “Eight Legged Freaks”. ---
**Author:** ![Tommyturtle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Tommyturtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tommyturtle)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810/100 "2003-03-01T08:01:58Z")
Wasn’t The Long Kiss Goodnight hated by Siskel and Ebert when it came out? Man I loooooved that movie…ever line of dialog and every frame(seen it over 20 times) Geena Davis as a kind of female Bond…GREAT flick! I also liked Godzilla…the new one…For some reason everyone said they hated it but it grossed a biiiiiig pile of bucks so someone watched it besides me [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panned-movies-that-you-actually-like/157810.md?page=6)