# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/141 "2012-07-16T02:33:23Z")
I’ve voluntarily watched AI about 7 times. It helps that my daughter likes it too. > [@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. I like a lot of the same things about that movie too - perhaps other people were expecting a documentary or something? Similarly, Deep Impact had, for some reason, a deep impact on me. I think the bit where the kids have to run to safety with the baby reminded me of the YA apocalyptic fiction I grew up with. Tea Leoni was great, very believable, and bolstered by strong actors as her parents. For a trashy Hollywood summer blockbuster it was pretty hard-hitting, really. > [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > 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. I’ve only seen the latest one, but it was really funny - way better than I was expecting. If I had anyone to talk about it to other than my daughter and her friends then it would even count as a recent favourite. > [@Rubixcube](#): > > I am utterly shocked that the movie got such mixed reviews. It’s a fantastic and incredibly touching film, certainly one I would recommend to anyone. I watched it (Secondhand Lions) based on the recommendation of someone on another board. I did enjoy it, but thought it was a pretty OK film really, nothing outstanding; it didn’t seem like it was trying for outstanding, either. I’d happily watch it again but wouldn’t say it was fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/142 "2012-07-16T03:11:16Z")
> [@sco3tt](#): > > I must be the only person not currently operating, planning, or on the way home from a garage sale who owns a copy of **It’s Pat**. If not for YouTube I would still watch it just for the [Ween cameos](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI63CGVMnh4). The film is easier to appreciate if you imagine that’s actually Isabella Rossellini playing [Pat’s love interest](http://cinemaconn.wordpress.com/2007/08/27/its-pat/). > > [Shakes the Clown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cFyDMreB2I&t=15s) is one of my all-time favorite films though. Bobcat Goldthwait is an underappreciated filmmaker. One of my favorite scenes from **Shakes the Clown** (NSFW language.) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5srwCNx2Ti0/hqdefault.jpg "Clowns Vs Mimes") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5srwCNx2Ti0) ---
**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 16, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/143 "2012-07-16T03:14:39Z")
I think that the main issue with critics is they tend to forget that movies are also _entertainment_ and we do not always want deep inner meaning, and soulful messages. Sometimes we just want a flick to kill time, hang with friends and munch snacks to. Sometimes we want the movie equivalent to a harlequin romance novel, one of those The Destroyer kill everything that moves, or some random sword and sorcery D&D cheese. Hell, give me a tall cool lemon freezy, a bin of cut up veggies and some hummus to dip and Kull the Conqueror so I can get some good almost unclothed Kevin Sorbo goodness and I am a happy girl! Frankly, I just plain don’t ever seem to want movies with deep inner meaning, I just want entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/144 "2012-07-16T04:03:00Z")
> [@Lord\_Mondegreen](#): > > _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’ll go further. I think it’s better than Fish Called Wanda. Yep. > [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I have no idea how Pitch Black is poorly reviewed. I thought it was quite good sci fi. I adore this movie and liked the sequel(and will be seeing the 3rd one in the theater next year). [Get this. I posted how much I like Pitch Black 11 years ago to this very forum.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=81541) ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/145 "2012-07-16T04:28:05Z")
I embarassed that most of the movies that have been mentioned so far I haven’t seen. My guilty pleasure movies are **Down Periscope** and the Tom Arnold remake of **McHale’s Navy**. Rob Schneider does it for me in _Periscope._ When he gets pissed the veins in his forehead throb and he spewes little flecks of spit. He’s a pretty shitty actor, but in this film he plays borderline deranged very well. And I just want Tom Arnold’s hat and boat. ---
**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 16, 2012, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/146 "2012-07-16T10:08:21Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > Rob Schneider does it for me in _Periscope._ When he gets pissed the veins in his forehead throb and he spewes little flecks of spit. He’s a pretty shitty actor, but in this film he plays borderline deranged very well. And I just want Tom Arnold’s hat and boat. Hm, McHales Navy is an elco PT boat, I think there are 6 or 7 actual WW2 elcos still floating however, you can get an [Elco civilian yacht](http://www.boattrader.com/search-results/Make-Elco+Marine/Radius-any/Zip-06331/Sort-Length:DESC) if you like. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/147 "2012-07-16T14:30:52Z")
> [@limegreen](#): > > Tremors – all four movies. They are a must watch in my family. The first Tremors with an adorable Kevin Bacon is fantastic! Maybe you mean the sequels are stinkers? (I haven’t seen any, w/o KB, I’m not all that interested in big scary sandworms). I would think about any made-for-Syfy-Channel movie would fit this topic, I think they’re all pretty bad (though I’ve been surprised!) but sometimes I just have them on in the background and end up watching, dozing off now and then. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/148 "2012-07-16T14:32:58Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I remember really enjoying _Vibes_ (with Cyndi Lauper, Jeff Goldblum, and Peter Falk). But it’s been 20 years since I watched it. I remember that, it wasn’t bad. But it certainly didn’t lead to a movie career for Cyndi Lauper. I remember thinking how thin she looked, but un-toned - what flesh hanging from her skeleton jiggled. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/149 "2012-07-16T14:48:54Z")
“Weekend At Bernie’s” Favorite line : (Bernie’s corpse hits a buoy) “hey…what’s that noise?”😃 ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/150 "2012-07-16T14:51:31Z")
> [@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. Before opened thread thought of The Postman. Unlike you, though, I think it is a fine show. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/151 "2012-07-16T15:12:31Z")
_Brainsmasher-A Love Story_-Teri Hatcher and “The Dice”. “If my sister says you’re a ninja, you’re a goddamn ninja!” _Season of The Witch_-Great medieval buddy flick. _Hudson Hawk_-The plot holes actually make this story better. _Undercover Blues_-Morty! 'Nuff said. _Doctor Detroit_-“Mom, I am going to rip off your head and shit down your neck!” _Down Periscope_-This movie needs a sequel. " Now, call me a prude if you want, but I don’t think it’s good policy for the Navy to hand over a billion-dollar piece of equipment to a man who has “Welcome Aboard” tattooed on his penis." But above all of them is _Xanadu_-I like the music, the actors, the fantasy sequences, the way the two bands mesh together as they argue over what type of club to open, and what has got to be the most dramatic scene ever done roller skates as our hero decides to risk it all by heading at full speed face first. In fact, the movie makes all the sense in the world if you imagine that the full on wall smash actually happened first, and all the rest is a brain damaged hallucination as he lies in a hospital on life support. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/152 "2012-07-16T15:39:13Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Just dropped in to say **Last Action Hero** is high on my list too. > > “Practice, practice, practice!” 😃 I also thought the **Coneheads** movie was pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/153 "2012-07-16T16:30:27Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > The first Tremors with an adorable Kevin Bacon is fantastic! Maybe you mean the sequels are stinkers? (I haven’t seen any, w/o KB, I’m not all that interested in big scary sandworms). > > I would think about any made-for-Syfy-Channel movie would fit this topic, I think they’re all pretty bad (though I’ve been surprised!) but sometimes I just have them on in the background and end up watching, dozing off now and then. The second Tremor’s movie’s main actor is Mr. Ward. Just like Mr. Campbell, ANY MOVIE that stars him is, by default, great! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/154 "2012-07-16T16:37:51Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I would think about any made-for-Syfy-Channel movie would fit this topic, I think they’re all pretty bad (though I’ve been surprised!) but sometimes I just have them on in the background and end up watching, dozing off now and then. Who is the better generic Skiffy Channel small town sheriff-Colin Ferguson, or Bruce Boxleitner? ---
**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 16, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/155 "2012-07-16T16:45:15Z")
> [@BlinkingDuck](#): > > The second Tremor’s movie’s main actor is Mr. Ward. Just like Mr. Campbell, ANY MOVIE that stars him is, by default, great! Speaking of which, has anybody nominated **Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins** yet? Another popcorn flick with more cleverness than it’s given credit for. 42% at Rotten Tomates, so I hope it counts. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/156 "2012-07-16T17:18:42Z")
Any love for _**[Mom and Dad Save the World](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104905/)**_? That movie makes me laugh… thought admittedly it’s been a long long time since I’ve seen it. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/157 "2012-07-16T17:32:38Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Any love for _**[Mom and Dad Save the World](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104905/)**_? That movie makes me laugh… thought admittedly it’s been a long long time since I’ve seen it. John Lovitz’s greatest role – love it! ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/158 "2012-07-16T17:57:34Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Speaking of which, has anybody nominated **Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins** yet? Another popcorn flick with more cleverness than it’s given credit for. > > 42% at Rotten Tomates, so I hope it counts. Remo Williams: The Adventure begins is one of the finest movies ever made! The only reason it has 42% is that women don’t like it…so it goes from 100% to 50%…and 16% of guys are not really guys but some sort of demented, girly ‘men’ and so it goes to 42%. However, it really is 100%. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/159 "2012-07-16T18:07:59Z")
Is that the one with the Asian yoda guy, and the guy hopping around on thin poles? That’s about all I remember, except that it was silly and I liked it a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075/160 "2012-07-16T18:16:39Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Is that the one with the Asian yoda guy, and the guy hopping around on thin poles? That’s about all I remember, except that it was silly and I liked it a lot. He was named after a bedpan… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movies-were-pretty-much-regarded-as-stinkers-but-you-secretly-enjoy/628075.md?page=9)