# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![nogravity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@nogravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nogravity)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/61 "2012-07-13T13:47:40Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > _Capt. Ron._ Kirk Russell “garrring” in an eyepatch (not escaping New York.) Family on the “boat” (it’s a stretch) opens the freezer (on a boat?) for a real seafood dinner and finds a bunch of frozen fishsticks. The little Asian (or Fillipino) guy who has obviously caught, and eaten, too many flies. He makes paper hats look good. A real feel-good movie. This. And add to the list _Overboard_. But I think it might be more of a Kurt Russell thing for me. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/62 "2012-07-13T13:53:19Z")
> [@greenslime1951](#): > > My personal stinker-favorites are: > > The Postman in “Kevin Costner.” Yes, I know it’s supposed to be the other way around, but this was as blatant a vehicle as I’ve ever seen. However, I enjoy the Reluctant Hero and Defeat the Army of Assholes tropes, as well as the sheer ludicrousness of many (many, many) of the scenes. > > “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). I have to admit, I’ve never seen The Postman because of the negative press. Whenever I see bits or pieces of it, it seems like something I might like. I suppose the same is true about Waterworld. Interesting that they’re both Kevin Costner movies; and that I’ve generally liked everything he’s ever been in. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/63 "2012-07-13T14:01:15Z")
_Hudson Hawk_ will always be a Bruce Willis classic to me. And I don’t care what anyone else thinks. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/64 "2012-07-13T14:08:37Z")
_The Running Man._ I actually love the Stephen King book, and yes I know the movie has almost nothing in common with the book, and yes I would like to see a serious movie made of the book. But taking it as it’s own standalone thing, completely divorced from the book, it’s hard not to like it for what it is, which is a great “blow shit up real good,” “turn your brain off for 90 minutes” action romp, complete with professional wrestler-style villains and a hammy performance from Richard Dawson as the evil game show host. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/65 "2012-07-13T14:11:29Z")
> [@Mississippienne](#): > > Last Action Hero. > > I will defend this movie to my dying breath. It is as perfect a fantasy-humor-action movie as has ever been made. I think a lot of people went into it expecting a standard Arnie action flick, and were put off by the layers of meta. But that’s the point of the movie – celebrating and parodying 80s/90s action cliches. And oh so quotable. > > “He killed Mozart!” > > “Schwarzenegger.” “Gesundheit.” > > Arnie shoots into his closet, a dead ninja falls out. “You knew someone was in there?!” “There’s \*always \*someone in there.” Agreed. Last Action Hero was awesome and I saw it in the theatres. I was 15 or 16 at the time so I honestly don’t recall what I went in expecting, but I thought it was great and didn’t understand why it was getting such poor reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/66 "2012-07-13T14:19:26Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I liked _Joe Dirt_. I thought it was sweet. Oh wow this is almost verbatim what I came in here to say. Endearingly sweet movie. ---
**Author:** ![Yaxche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8dc957/32.png) [@Yaxche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yaxche)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/67 "2012-07-13T14:28:30Z")
My two have already been nominated, but I’ll throw them out there again. I wouldn’t even call it “secretly enjoy”, because I’m not apologizing for them. 😉 **Hudson Hawk** & **The Last Action Hero** ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/68 "2012-07-13T14:29:34Z")
I think it was…for one thing, the main character (played by Kris Kristofferson) seems to be asleep for most of the movie. He graduated from Harvard (which was actually filmed in Cambridge, England). He then moves to Wyoming, and hangs out with ranchers…then hangs out at a lake (for another nap) while his gf indulges in some nude swimming. Anyway, one of the funnier scenes is where a Norwegian immigrant is trapped in a cattle stampede…and is yelling for help (in Norwegian)…with english subtitles. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/69 "2012-07-13T14:36:14Z")
_Pootie Tang._ Anyone in my family will watch that movie any time it is on TV since, we lost our DVD. _Idoicracy._ Another movie my family quotes liberally. If you haven’t seen it, do so. It’s a documentary. \*Joe vs. the Volcano. \* “May you live a thousand years.” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/70 "2012-07-13T14:36:53Z")
> [@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? I liked the first two-thirds of _Toys_ (it kind of jumps the shark at the music video) but _Hudson Hawk_ is pure schlock fun. > [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > I know a lot of Dredd fans hated it (and it does have its problems, the comic sidekick for one) That’s like saying “I know the Titanic had its problems, the iceberg for one”. Rob Schneider…much as I am strangely amused by _Deuce Bigalow_, he was a paragon of suck in this film. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’ve never made a secret of my fondness for _Death to Smoochy_. I have it on DVD. On my list of things to say to Jon Stewart should we ever meet in person is “The hair, Jon! What was with the hair?!?” My favorite guilty pleasure, _Undercover Blues_, only gets a 35% on Rotten Tomatoes but c’mon…two of the finest character actors working, Fiona Shaw and Stanley Tucci, chewing the scenery like woodchippers, plus Dennis Quaid and a pre-blimped Kathleen Turner being goofy - pure gold. And some very funny lines: Jane Blue: You took our child into a knife fight? Jeff Blue: It was a fair fight. Two of them, two of us… ---
**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, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/71 "2012-07-13T14:59:41Z")
Was Heaven Can Wait considered a stinker? I enjoyed that movie, and Julie Christie was beautiful. True Hollywood fantasy: the LA Rams beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl! ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/72 "2012-07-13T15:00:59Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > That’s when that song "Oh Yeah, thump thump " was used in so many comedies. Really catchy tune until it got over used. > **[Oh Yeah (Yello song)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Yeah_(Yello_song))** > > "Oh Yeah" is a single released in 1985 by the band Yello and featured on their album Stella. The song features a mix of electronic music and manipulated vocals. "Oh Yeah" became a staple in pop culture after being featured in the films Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Secret of My Success, and being the theme for Duffman in The Simpsons, among others. The song was also used in a Twix commercial back in the 1980s. > > Describing the composition of "Oh Yeah," Boris Blank said: .mw-parser-output .templat... Oh Yeah by Yello. I think there was some kind of unwritten rule in Hollywood in the 80s that all teen comedies must feature that song. One of my favorites is Spaced Invaders. I’m probably the only one who thinks so, but I find it to be a hillarious, fun flick. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/73 "2012-07-13T15:39:31Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > **Mystery Men** and **Almost Famous** died at the box office, but I can watch them both many, many times. There are lots of much better movies I don’t say that about I love Mystery Men. I saw it in the theaters, I have it on DVD, it’s awesome. **Super Mario Bros**. Yes, the live action one. It takes the elements of the games and makes a coherent story, and it doesn’t take itself seriously. **Virtuosity**. It’s basically just a chase movie. But the villain is an AI made up of a shit ton of murderers, serial killers, and other bad people, that gets a body in the real world. And it eats glass. And you get to see both Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington naked (from the back anyway). It’s an awesome popcorn movie. No secret about any of those. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/74 "2012-07-13T17:10:03Z")
As long as there is so much soul baring in this thread I will say that I like _Johnny Mnemonic_, and I won’t feel ashamed. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/75 "2012-07-13T18:06:29Z")
I’m another vote for _Hudson Hawk._ (It’s my perennial answer to this question.) Just by coincidence, right before I came upon this thread, I wrote something about it in this thread: [Three's Company: What Did This Mean? - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=658411) ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/76 "2012-07-13T18:16:59Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > _Idoicracy._ Another movie my family quotes liberally. If you haven’t seen it, do so. It’s a documentary. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like this movie. Perhaps you know a lot of the type of people this movie pokes fun at? _Napoleon Dynamite_ was not a stinker in the same sense that _Postman_ was - it was really popular with kids. But a lot of people my age (30s now) poo-poo it and/or refuse to watch it because they have some pre-conceived notions about it. I think it’s hilarious and it’s one of the few movies I’ve watched several times! Your mom goes to college! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/77 "2012-07-13T18:21:16Z")
I like **Last Action Hero** and **John Carter of Mars**. I do like **Starship Troopers** , but for al the wrong reasons. It’s the hugest divide between the intent/philosophy/scientific and engineering axccuracy/ faithfulness to original story between the book and the movie I’ve ever seen. And I include **Thye Osterman Wekend** and **Ice Station Zebra** and the DEmi Moore **Scarlet Letter** in that consideration. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/78 "2012-07-13T18:34:19Z")
> [@Rubixcube](#): > > \ > I like _Crystal Skull_, yes really. I got the feeling that most of the things that people complain about were intentional. Like the previous films _Crystal Skull_ is an homage to adventure films/serials of a specific type, but this time around it’s a tribute to those of the 50’s where commies, aliens, nukes, and other nonsense would pop up without warning. In that I think it did pretty well.\ We watched the start of this movie recently, and it actually started off pretty good. Then things just got…ridiculous. Cheesy and over-the-top and silly are all good in movies like this - “I can’t suspend my disbelief that far” is not. > [@MsWhatsit](#): > > I loved _2012_. And not ironically in an “it’s so bad it’s good!” way, either. I mean, I loved that movie. John Cusack running, driving, and flying away from lava for two and a half hours is gold. The crazy Russian business magnate, the noble but misunderstood scientist, the mournful President who goes down with his sinking ship of state, not to mention giant chunks of California sliding into the sea and an aircraft carrier slamming into the White House… man, this is making me want to go watch it again right now. One of my guilty pleasures, too. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Don’t know how much people dislike these movies, or just ignore them… > > **Joe vs. the Volcano** - Has a certain inspired silliness. It’s only bad if you think it takes place in the real world. > > **L.A. Story** - Most romantic movies try to make the protagonists as generically appealing as possible. The leads in this are quirky, but perfect for each other. (And me, I fell for Victoria Tennant a little bit the first time I saw it.) > > I saw it in the theater. I liked it at first, and like it more now. I like both of those. > [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > 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. The book is actually quite good. > [@Tengu](#): > > 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. I like both of those, too. > [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > As long as there is so much soul baring in this thread I will say that I like _Johnny Mnemonic_, and I won’t feel ashamed. And that one. Jeeze, I’ll watch damned near anything. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/79 "2012-07-13T18:35:07Z")
_Raises hand for **Howard The Duck** _ ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/80 "2012-07-13T18:42:15Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > _Summer Rental_ I love. A guy trying to give his family a good vacation and slipping on every banana. Which leads me to > > _Capt. Ron._ Kirk Russell “garrring” in an eyepatch (not escaping New York.) Family on the “boat” (it’s a stretch) opens the freezer (on a boat?) for a real seafood dinner and finds a bunch of frozen fishsticks. The little Asian (or Fillipino) guy who has obviously caught, and eaten, too many flies. He makes paper hats look good. A real feel-good movie. The seafood restaurant place with a freezer full of fishsticks is in Summer Rental. And they have to throw it off the boat to go fast enough to win the big race. And I don’t remember what Asian guy is in Captain Ron [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075.md?page=5)