# What movies were pretty much regarded as stinkers, but you secretly enjoy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075 "2012-07-13T02:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![UncaStuart](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncastuart/32/404_2.png) [@UncaStuart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaStuart)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/41 "2012-07-13T06:17:50Z")
> [@Mississippienne](#): > > Last Action Hero. > [@joebuck20](#): > > Demolition Man. Oh yeah, this is my 1993 double-feature of wonderfulness! ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/42 "2012-07-13T06:20:15Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I realize that these threads are somewhat subjective, but in what universe are these considered stinkers? Fast Times is at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. Almost Famous is at 88%. (This is one of my favorite films, and as I remember Roger Ebert’s review, he was positively giddy he loved the film so much. I think he identified with the teenage journalist character.) And L.A. Story is at _94%_. _L.A. Story_’s score at Rotten Tomatoes is based on only 33 reviews. It came out more than twenty years ago, so I’m not sure if the reviews that have made it online reflect the consensus at the time. I don’t even remember hearing about it until catching it on cable a couple years later. IMDb gives it a rating of 6.6, and a box office gross of under $29 million. I can’t find a budget figure anywhere, so I don’t know if it made or lost money, but it was hardly a rousing success. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/43 "2012-07-13T06:25:31Z")
_Judge Dredd_ - yes, the Stallone one. I know a lot of Dredd fans hated it (and it does have its problems, the comic sidekick for one) but it had fine production design (Megacity 1 for a start) and some good action pieces. Just a good, mindless actioner. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/44 "2012-07-13T06:28:04Z")
I’ll also second Contact. It’s pretty good. To the OP, > [@greenslime1951](#): > > “The Edge.” Bear runs around trying to kill Alex Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins. Alex Baldwin and Anthony Hopkins run around trying to kill each other. I like this because the scenery/cinematography is fantastic and the soundtrack is compelling. I enjoy how Anthony Hopkins takes some absolutely awful lines and makes them work. I also enjoy the premise of two men who want very much to kill each other, but can’t, because they need each other to survive (I’m sure this theme has been used before somewhere). You left out one important reason it’s very watchable: Elle Macpherson! ---
**Author:** ![flano1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f14d63/32.png) [@flano1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flano1)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/45 "2012-07-13T06:42:35Z")
john carter! ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/46 "2012-07-13T07:21:54Z")
I’ve also mentioned this in similar threads, but the version of _Heaven’s Gate_ that ended up on home video is actually a fairly interesting and reasonably watchable movie. It’s kind of in the same category as _Waterworld_ or _The Postman_ in being more notorious as financial failures, but while those had a mixed critical receptions, the theatrical version of _Heaven’s Gate_ was pretty much unanimously hated. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/47 "2012-07-13T07:44:48Z")
On reflection, I think I have the ultimate stinker that I still kinda like: _Battlefield Earth_. I’ve never read a single book by Hubbard, and I am in no way in shape or form a scientologist, but watching Travolata and Forest Whitaker play aliens just amuses me. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/48 "2012-07-13T07:59:32Z")
[54](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120577/) is a movie that tends to be hated by most people who have seen it. Mike Meyers is unrecognizable as Steve Rubell. I very rarely buy movies but I like this one so much I bought it on Bluray. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/49 "2012-07-13T08:15:52Z")
> [@Mississippienne](#): > > Last Action Hero. And the fake eyes! > [@joebuck20](#): > > _Demolition Man._ All the restaurants are Taco Bell! And Friend Bob =) > [@4d3fect](#): > > Club Paradise. > Big Trouble in Little China. The scene where Peter O’Toole comes riding in on his horse is amazing. It always makes me flashback to Lawrence of Arabia. Damn he was a pretty man when he was in his prime. And I love the over the top action hero by Kurt Russel in Big Trouble. > [@Lobot](#): > > _Mars Attacks!_ > _Flash Gordon_ (1980) Both are great popcorn flicks. > [@ExTank](#): > > _The Adventures of Ford Fairlane._ > But seriously: you didn’t really think they killed the fucking Koala bear, did you? > > \*The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. \* Loved how ditsy ZuZu was, just wonderful. And the poor artist and the Mona Lisa! And how can you not like Buckaroo, like Doc Savage he is perfect at everything he tries! > [@Rubixcube](#): > > I like _Crystal Skull_, yes really. > I like the Riddick movies, all three of them, yep even _Chronicles_. Why? I honestly don’t know, heck I’ve seen _Chronicles_ four or five times and I couldn’t even give you a decent synopsis, but I do know I enjoyed it. Both good popcorn flicks, though I think the bomb scene could have been done without, and the jungle chase scene could have been cut by three quarters in Crystal Skull, but I thought it was pretty well done. > [@PSXer](#): > > and I like Escape From LA Oh my god, the surf scene! I love that. > [@The\_Tooth](#): > > Secret, shmecret. I enjoyed _Toys_ well enough, it’s not a favourite but I don’t get the hate. I like _Hudson Hawk_ as well, because let’s face it; how can you not love Sandra Bernhard and Richard E. Grant as bad guys? And Bruce Payne’s scenery chomping in _Highlander: Endgame_ is the best. Toys had its moments, I love his half brother blending into everything. I like Hudson Hawk, all he wanted was a cappucino … > [@grude](#): > > Babylon AD- > > With the caveat that I only saw the first half of the movie and never managed to see the rest 🙂 It however was badly panned, but the movie I saw was enjoyable if not groundbreaking. It was cool to see a dystopia/post apoc movie set in Russia and Asia, the market scene was cool. Pretty standard but well done, unless the last half was REALLY bad I think the hate was undue. The first half was better than the US half, but I agree, the dystopian Asia/Russia was pretty decent. I have a liking for cheesy horror movies, European and Japanese, and Italian - I really get into Mario Bava movies. [Cemetary Man/Dellamorte Dellamore](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cemetery_Man) is a good example of strange =) A bit gory, and a bit existential and a fun watch on a weekend overnight. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/50 "2012-07-13T08:59:46Z")
I’ve never made a secret of my fondness for _Death to Smoochy_. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/51 "2012-07-13T09:46:23Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’ve never made a secret of my fondness for _Death to Smoochy_. ooOo I forgot about that one - I like that one as well. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/52 "2012-07-13T10:21:08Z")
I think I’ve mentioned this before here, but I love the recent Nic Cage film _Season of the Witch_. I like most things he’s done, but even I can’t like _The Wickerman_. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/53 "2012-07-13T11:13:00Z")
Blair Witch. Most people hated it because of the ending, but I thought it was brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/54 "2012-07-13T11:47:52Z")
_Fierce Creatures_, John Cleese’s follow-up to _A Fish Called Wanda_. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 53. I don’t know whether that’s a “stinker” but I recall it being panned at the time. I really liked it, even though it was nowhere near as good as its predecessor. I also have a soft spot for both _Johnny English_ movies, which score in the 30s on Rotten Tomatoes. Certainly not masterpieces, but “comfort movies” for me. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/55 "2012-07-13T11:58:15Z")
I liked _Joe Dirt_. I thought it was sweet. ---
**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:** [July 13, 2012, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/56 "2012-07-13T11:58:28Z")
I’m a great/awful person to ask about this kind of thing…I grew up on cheesy movies, some of them even _not_ featuring rubber monster suits with the zippers showing. _GI Joe: The Movie_ The cartoon from 1987. As far as I know, I’m the only person in the world who actually liked this one. Including the creators. _Masters of the Universe_ The live action movie from 1987. What can I say, it’s got a kind of charm about it. And I love it for the villains, especially the unusually competent minions. _Daredevil_ Yep. 'Nuff said. _Stealth_ Let me put it this way…you ever go to see a movie just because an actress or actor you like appears onscreen wearing a whole-lot-of-not-much? Well, this movie has [the F/A-37 “Talon.”](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2DWmu7Vzdig/TOlU7mOa--I/AAAAAAAAAJw/dqeWoE74OF0/s1600/fa+37.jpg) And Jessica Biel is in a bikini at one point, so that’s good, too. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/57 "2012-07-13T12:22:00Z")
I couldn’t really think of one, though I knew there were quite a few. Then someone mentioned Nic Cage, and one occurred to me. Ghost Rider. I’m especially fond of the villain being hoist by his own petard when his plan comes to fruition, and it actually makes it possible for GR to beat him. That, alone, makes the whole damn film worth while. Oh…related…Constantine. Lousy adaptation of Hellblazer? Most certainly. Bad film in its own right? By no means. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/58 "2012-07-13T12:25:25Z")
Kurt Russel wasn’t the hero of Big Trouble, he was the comic sidekick. Most people don’t get that. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/59 "2012-07-13T12:59:53Z")
I have no idea how Pitch Black is poorly reviewed. I thought it was quite good sci fi. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/60 "2012-07-13T13:43:20Z")
“The Mists of Avalon” - TV miniseries featuring Julianna Marguelies - I don’t know if it’s a ‘stinker’, I read a lot of complaints that it didn’t follow the book or something. And I watched it twice on TV some years ago, and it has since disappeared never to be seen again. But I live, yes, live for that kind of costume mythological thing. (“Merln”, “Excalibur”, “Camelot” - I am so there.) “Camelot” was a failure, wasn’t it? Not for me! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075.md?page=4)