The "Guilty Pleasures" Movie Confession Thread (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

It seems like movie discussion has gotten into a bit of a rut around here lately. So, I thought it might be fun for some of us to confess to our guilty pleasures in film.

I've made no secret of one of my major guilty pleasure categories during the couple episodes of the HTU podcast I've contributed to. If you haven't listened, you'll have to guess what that is.

Another category I'm fond of is adaptations of "Young Adult" novels. Not just the dystopian Sci-Fi stuff, but especially the dramatic ones.

So, I'll start with a particular one I enjoy and have watched more times than I'd like to admit.



Before I Fall

Samantha Kingston (Zoey Deutch) is your typical, vapid high school girl, obsessed with her popularity, partying, the popularity of her friends, partying, her boyfriend, partying, the popularity of her boyfriend, and partying. Until one night, when she dies and is thrown into a "Groundhog Day" loop, continuously reliving her final day, only to be violently killed, again and again.

A few years ago this movie started popping up on "Suggested for you" lists for me, so I finally watched it. About 40 minutes in, I was wondering why on earth I was receiving so many suggestions to watch this typical movie about shallow high schoolers. Then, somewhere along the line, it started getting really good. In fact, there is a transition during a later route through the story where it truly became something I enjoy to watch repeatedly. I can't claim this movie is awesome, because it is definitely flawed. It seems like something important was left on the editing room floor, and it takes effort from the viewer to imagine some things which should have been portrayed better. Still, that transition to the final 30 minutes is extremely purposeful to me. I also have to tip my hat to Zoey Deutch for having the ability to portray a somewhat unlikable character without alienating the audience to the point where they simply don't care if she has a change of heart or not. I wouldn't be surprised if I've watched Before I Fall ten times over the last 4-5 years.

That's my first confession. Now, I'm hoping others might join in, such as maybe @John Dirk (yep, I'm throwing you under the bus) who might explain his love of the movie Battleship, for example.

Bring it on. I have plenty more, but let's make it a group thing.

 

[Blimpoy06]

I love Megaforce. And I am proud of it. Basically G.I. Joe on a soap opera budget.

 

[Walter Kittel]

First of many contributions to this thread...

1992's Nemesis - Directed by Albert Pyun and starring Olivier Gruner and a whole host of B film stars including Tim Thomerson, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Deborah Shelton, Brion James, and Vincent Klyn.

Gruner stars as Alex, an undercover LA police detective on the search for information pertaining to a group of rebels who are fighting efforts by the government to take over society by replacing individuals with androids. Complicating matters for Alex is the fact that he himself has a number of augmentations that blur the lines between natural and artificial life.

The film actually does have a sense of style and is somewhat visually involving. The action choreography is reasonably well done. I was a big fan of cyberpunk SF literature when it became a dominant sub-genre of SF back in the late '80s and I've always felt like this film did a better job of representing some aspects of that aesthetic than some bigger budgeted features. The acting is serviceable for the most part, and Gruner has some screen presence in this feature.

The film is undercut by a laughably bad FX sequence in the final act of the film that really takes the steam out of the picture. Also, the film is very derivative of much better films such as Blade Runner and The Terminator but it does feature some well staged action set pieces and is mildly diverting if you level set your expectations accordingly.

There is an early action segment featuring some fairly photogenic women facing off against Alex with a variety of firearms. Sort of feels like the informercial for guns featured in Jackie Brown.

Guilty pleasure all the way.

- Walter.

 

[Thomas T]

I have never felt any "guilt" whatsoever for enjoying a movie that gives me pleasure. If I like a movie, no defense (and certainly no apology) is necessary.

That being said, I suppose since I chose to respond to this thread, some movies that are great favorites that others might feel "guilt" about liking are the 1973 musical version of Lost Horizon, Summer Lovers (1982), Xanadu (1980), Perfect (1985) and The Cassandra Crossing (1976).

 

[Robin9]

I have never felt any "guilt" whatsoever for enjoying a movie that gives me pleasure. If I like a movie, no defense (and certainly no apology) is necessary.

That being said, I suppose since I chose to respond to this thread, some movies that are great favorites that others might feel "guilt" about liking are the 1973 musical version of Lost Horizon, Summer Lovers (1982), Xanadu (1980), Perfect (1985) and The Cassandra Crossing (1976).

I too have no sense of guilt or shame about enjoying disreputable movies. When I was younger - not so much these days - I used to love some pretty feeble movies merely because I found the leading lady irresistibly attractive.

 

[jayembee]

My guilty pleasure is Spice World. It has much of the same toe-tapping insanity of Richard Lester's Beatle movies. Not as good as those, certainly. Not by a long shot. But it has that same goofiness.

Now, I confess that I only saw Spice World once...I had it (from cable) on as background while I was packing up my apartment living in preparation for moving. I suspect that if I actually sat down and gave it all my attention, I'd be horrified. I keep hoping it'll show up on some random cable channel so I can give it another look-see.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Off the top:

Xanadu (Livvy)
Clue (Colleen)
The Lost World (Jill)

 

[Jeffrey D]

The first film that popped into my head on this topic is Weekend At Bernie’s. A preposterous plot, but there are some funny things in it.

 

[Keith Cobby]

Queen of Outer Space (Zsa Zsa, Barbara Darrow, Marilyn Buferd, Mary Ford, Joi Lansing etc etc)

 

[Scott-S]

Mine is probably Electric Dreams. It might just be I loved the soundtrack. The plot is predictable and the acting not very good but since I was really into synth music in the 80's I just loved the soundtrack. Plus, it had that 80s computer graphics that we all love. CGI changed a lot in almost 40 years.

 

[TJPC]

I am totally addicted to all 1930's musicals anyway, but I am especially addicted to the Eddie Cantor Goldwyns. I have seen each dozens of times. I would set an alarm to watch them whenever they were on. They were the first ones I made part of my permanent Betas, (when blanks cost $25.00!), and a first day buy for me when issued as a DVD set by Warner Archive.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Ha, I have some good ones that I should feel shame for:

The Lone Ranger, yes the Disney Johnny Depp one.

Deal of the Century, the William Friedkin directed, Chevy Chase starring military industrial complex comedy.

Neighbors, the Belushi comedy that totally destroys the novel it was based upon. A friend who watched it with me recently said, "Based on the pictures you like, I can't fathom how you enjoy this." while I laughed throughout it and he looked incredibly annoyed.

 

[JohnRice]

This is great.

Keep them coming.

FWIW, "Guilty Pleasures" is just a saying. It doesn't really mean you should have guilt over liking a movie.

 

[tsodcollector]

wild child from 2008,stars emma roberts and aidan quinn,was so bad,you be embarrassed.

bratz from 2007,a teen movie guilty pleasure,that is some of the biggest mess i've ever since.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

This is great.

Keep them coming.

FWIW, "Guilty Pleasures" is just a saying. It doesn't really mean you should have guilt over liking a movie.

Yes, I don't actually feel guilty, I think it is more about other people should try to make you feel shame and guilt for liking some of these pictures.

 

[jcroy]

Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus

(This was also the first bluray I purchased).

 

[TravisR]

Ha, I have some good ones that I should feel shame for:

The Lone Ranger, yes the Disney Johnny Depp one.

It takes like two hours to get there but once the William Tell Overture kicks in, there's no shame because the movie is incredibly entertaining from then on.

 

[Tino]

Battleship. Terrific action and visual effects. Better than the Most if not all of the Transformer films. Loved it.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

It takes like two hours to get there but once the William Tell Overture kicks in, there's no shame because the movie is incredibly entertaining from then on.

I like it in part because it is a film that should just not exist. It is a picture paying tribute to pictures nobody but huge film buffs would know or care about. It is really a Tonto picture with Lone Ranger in the title. It was meant to launch a new franchise and there was no way that was happening. And Gore just took an off the wall approach to it that is kind of the opposite of what you should be doing if you want to start a franchise. These aspects I love.

Don't like Hammer and wish he were not in it, but nothing can be done about that now.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Weird double post. So, I will just add that for me The Lone Ranger is more a tribute film to the history of motion pictures than a Lone Ranger film. I dig that. I guess if I went in looking for a film about the Lone Ranger I would not like it at all.