Your Guilty Pleasures in film (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

While this may sound like a poll, I'd like to confine it to why you find a film to be a guilty pleasure (which sort of takes it out of the "poll" country and back into a bit of the discussion area). And, please, no bagging or slagging on anybody's "guilty pleasure", this is not the thread for that sort of thing.

I'll start with:

"Bring It On"

A fast paced film full of young cheerleaders intent on being the best at the national high school cheerleading competition. I thought it treated the subject matter with a light touch, while providing enough conflict (as a catalyst for reaching down deep to come up with competitive cheerleading routines) to keep me interested.

Kirsten Dunst just absolutely holds the film together with plenty of enthusiam and a never-say-die infectious attitude. The supporting players are good, and the film doesn't really ever lag or meander at all. Plus having 2 Buffy alumni (Clare Kramer - I hardly recognized her as a blonde, and Eliza Dushku - always a pleasure to watch her in films) doesn't hurt the film at all either.

 

[Steeve Bergeron]

I like Bring It On too. Kirsten Dunst is just fantastic in that movie!
Other guilty pleasures for me:
Desperado - Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi, Quentin Tarantino. How can this be boring?
Independence Day - Lots of very cool action scenes! And I like Will Smith, much better than Adam Sandler if you ask me. But that's another story.
Logan's Run - This is the first movie I remember seeing in a theater. A very interesting story, to say the least. Jenny Agutter is magnificent!
Pitch Black - A very cool and, IMHO, underrated sci-fi/horror movie!
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - Alan Rickman is hilarious in that movie! I love his character.
Species - Natasha Henstridge is part human, part alien and very deadly. Sounds good to me!
Stargate - This is actually one of my favorite movies. I simply love the story! I will never understand why this movie is hated by so many people.
Waterworld - A movie that flopped big time. But I'm one of the few who actually likes it. Must be Jeanne Tripplehorn fault!

 

[Andy Olivera]

Ghosts Of Mars - John Carpenter and Natasha Henstridge doing a Sci-Fi variation on Assault On Precinct 13; how could I not like that?

Species 1 & 2 - Henstridge, once again, but the sequel also has some cool gore effects.

Thir13en Ghosts - Killer soundtrack and production design, plus Matthew Lillard reminds me of myself.

Twister - If it weren't for Jan De Bont's skill at creating an action sequence this would've sucked! Thank God they picked the right director. Good demo material, too.

Warlock: The Armageddon - What can I say, I love Anthony Hickox and the sheer joy with which he uses excessive violence. Even in his bad efforts, you can simply feel that this guy loves horror films.

If I can think of more I'll post them, but, even as a film buff, I don't feel guilty about enjoying most films. In fact, I should probably remove Ghosts Of Mars...

 

[Tim RH]

PEARL HARBOR...no comment.

 

[Matthew Chmiel]

100 Girls - The third best college film of all time (right behind PCU and Animal House).
Canadian Bacon - "Think of your children pledging allegiance to the maple leaf. Mayonnaise on everything. Winter 11 months of the year. Anne Murray - all day, every day." More proof that Michael Moore is a God.
The Cannonball Run - I'm still figuring out why I like this movie. I'll get back to you later.
Demons - The first time I saw the movie, I hated it. After repeat viewings, it grows on you as a fun zombie flick.
Disturbing Behavior - A good teen horror flick that would've been better if MGM didn't edit out over fifteen minutes of plot.
Evolution - The Ghostbusters III we're never going to get.
The Fast and the Furious - The first time a remake was better than the original film. A fun b-grade action flick.
Half Baked - I'm a fan of Harland Williams and David Chappelle. Also, you cannot hate Bob Saget's cameo.
Invaders From Mars - The remake, not the original. I was a fan of the film as a kid and I actually think the remake is better than the original. *ducks*
Killer Klowns From Outer Space - "What are you going to do? Knock my block off?"
My Science Project - A fun 80's teen film when John Stockwell still had hair.
The Rage: Carrie 2 - I'm one of the six people who actually like the sequel better than the original. Then again, I'm not a big fan of the original (I enjoy it, but I thought the book was better).
Rookie of the Year - "Funky butt loving." Funky butt loving indeed.
Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the 13th - I bought this sight unseen at Christmas time after reading that The Movie Reviewers From Hell called it a better and funnier film than Scary Movie and it was more in tone of Airplane!. I bought the DVD and I was laughing during the entire movie.
Stay Tuned - Peter Hyams' best film of all time.
Tapeheads - Kevin Leonard hated it.
Toys - A totally underrated film.
Tremors/Tremors 2: Aftershocks - Campy b-movie fun. It's too bad the third one was a piece of crap.
UHF - One of the funniest films of all time.
And, any Michael Bay film

 

[george kaplan]

I'll answer a bit more generally.
What is a guilty pleasure exactly? I mean what is there to be guilty about? I personally don't feel guilty about any movie I like. On the other hand, there are certain films that I know are looked down upon by others, and hence there might be some hesitation or embarrassment in admitting to like them. I think that's what most people mean when they say guilty pleasure.
I don't feel at all guilty about saying that I like Elmo Saves Christmas, but I don't do it very often for the other reasons I stated.

 

[Patrick McCart]

UHF!

 

[Steve Christou]

DUNE David Lynch 1984. A super guilty pleasure for me, my friends hate it, I love it to bits, seen it close to a hundred times, the actors all just perfect in their parts, the set design, the cheesy effects, the music by Toto, even the screenplay was just right, can never tire of watching this mad bad epic sf. Prefer it to Attack of the Clones, which doesn't come close to being as bad as this baby.
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen: I will have Arrakis back for myself! He who controls the Spice controls the universe and what Piter did not tell you is we have control of someone who is very close, very close, to Duke Leto! This person, this traitor, will be worth more to us than ten legions of Sardaukar!
Feyd Rautha: And who is this, traitor?
Baron Vladimir Harkonnen: I won't tell you who the traitor is, or when we'll attack. However, the Duke will die before these eyes and he'll know, he'll know! that it is I, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, who encompasses his doom![cue maniacal laughter]

 

[Larry Sutliff]

SUPERGIRL and SUPERMAN IV. I know that these films suck on a number of levels, but I enjoy them anyway, thanks to good musical scores and(in the case of SUPERGIRL) cool flying f/x.

 

[Stevan Lay]

Good choice with Bring It On!.
Dude, Where's My Car - Not since White Men Can't Jump had we had a movie title turn into such a used catch phrase It's so bad that it was passable as good.
They Call Me Bruce - A classic B grade movie with a capital Bruce.
Blue Streak - Lawrence and Wilson team up well together.
A Night At The Roxbury - Will Farrell is a comic genious.
Last Actio Hero - Schwarzenegger's most underrated movie. Had some deft humour.

 

[Jack Briggs]

• 1982's Summer Lovers--silly, escapist eroticism on the beaches of Greece; fond memories of the time it came out.

• 1982's Cat People--not in the same league as the original, but how can one beat New Orleans and ... Ms. Kinsky?

• 1984's Red Dawn--a wildly improbable, implausible tale of invading Soviet/Cuban forces being terrorized by patriotic high school kids; brings out the inner patriot in the unlikeliest of people.

• 1992's Falling Down--a silly vengeance trip, but it captures the true nature of low-end living in Los Angeles uncomfortably well; just spend some time in Hollywood, and you'll see how "real" this movie is in some ways.

• 1998's 8MM--not sure how accurate its portrayal of an underground Los Angeles porn scene is, but it's a fascinating idea to contemplate; completely discombobulates in the final reel with over-the-top pyrotechnics (how can Cage's PI character get away with so much carnage?).

 

[Walter Kittel]

Following up on George's comments. Guilty pleasures ( for me ) may fall into a variety of categories, including
1) 'Mis-understood' films. Films that I genuinely believe are well crafted, but are still maligned as being bad.
2) Average or poorly crafted films, that resonate with me on some personal level due to their content; or possibly have seqments that are so well done, they elevate the enterprise above the poorer content.
3) Bad films that I enjoy. Yeah, they're crap. But I revel in their crappiness.
Of the above listed films, I'll endorse
Waterworld - Yes, it is Mad Max on the water, but I enjoy: the stunts, Costner's way cool catamaran that is sort of low tech James Bondish, Dennis Hopper, the Smokers and their vessel, and the score ( particularly early in the film. )
Dune - Great Lynch film that I enjoy for all of the reasons listed by Steve. The second half of the film compresses the Hell out of the novel, but Lynch's mixture of technology, intrigue, and byzantine set design makes it unlike any other film that I've viewed.
The Fast and The Furious - Okay the car technology is completely unrealistic, and I feel like a hypocrite for listing this choice as I tend to value realism in film; but what I do enjoy about this film is its ability to capture (somewhat) the spirit of the '70s car films that I grew up with. I will admit that part of my attraction to this film is the incredible transfer on the DVD, which is easily one of the best of my collection.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space - just so absurd and weird I have to go with it.
Edited: I'll also add Jack's Cat People - I'm not sure that this film really belongs on a guilty pleasure list, but I'll second it. I've been a fan since my first theatrical showing. Loved it for the same reasons listed by Jack.
A few others...
From Dusk Til Dawn - I tend to prefer the first half of the film, but some of the things I enjoy are: Clooney's calm demeanor contrasted against Tarantino's whacked out Richie, the film's solid soundtrack, and of course Salma Hayek as Santanico Pandemonium.
The Way of the Gun - While the film is very uneven, those parts of the film that do work I really enjoy, including: the opening scene which really establishes the film's tone, the slow chase, and James Caan.
Event Horizon - mostly for the set design. While the concept of the film is fine, if not exactly original; the execution leaves something to be desired. On the other hand, the design of the Event Horizon and the overall look of the film really help me get past the more problematic aspects of this movie.
- Walter.

 

[Rex Bachmann]

. . . to include the original meditative beginning and the original doomful ending, at least they would failed at the boxoffice without a whole lot of egg on their faces. As it is, they screwed it up and still bombed (to use a pun) and got tons of unhoped for laughs at their expense to boot.

 

[JohnRice]

Damn Right!!!! I said in another thread recently, three hours of Jeanne Tripplehorn in loin cloth, you could ask for a lot less. Still, I don't own it.
Killer Klowns. Hilarious movie!
Falling Down. I have to disagree with you here, Jack. I find nothing silly about this film. It is actually quite serious and deep, though it has humor as well. An exceptional, under rated film.
Starship Troopers. I just crank it up and laugh.

 

[Steeve Bergeron]

I said in another thread recently, three hours of Jeanne Tripplehorn in loin cloth, you could ask for a lot less. Still, I don't own it.

I do! In DTS, no less!
I agree with you about Starship Troopers. I forgot to mention it. This movie reminds me so much of the superb PC video game StarCraft. Those bugs are essentially the Zergs. There is a scene that is almost the same as one of the missions in the game.

 

[Greg_Y]

Jack,
It sounds like you like all of those films for what they *could* have been. On that level, I'd have to agree with you re: Falling Down and 8MM. Both had interesting premises and I'd bet that both would have been better had they not been handled by Joel Schumacher. Then maybe either would have had some impact; in present form, they're like paint randomly thrown on a canvas.
I'd consider both First Blood and Texas Chainsaw Massacre to be guilty pleasures. I consider neither to be a bad movie, but I've received strange looks when admitting I enjoy both of them.

 

[SteveGon]

Revenge of the Nerds - Hey, I'm a nerd. Need I say more?

 

[Kevin M]

Children Shouldn't play with Dead Things (1972)
Incredibly bad acting all around & especially annoying acting from Alan Ormsby!
Rather good Zombie makeup for 1972 (also by Ormsby).
Crude Gay stereotypes, but still not as bad as the ones in The Bird Cage :wink:
Annoying yet surprisingly effective Creepy electronic score (I think Ormsby had a hand in this as well).
.....did I mention the bad acting?
Speaking of Alan Ormsby, he co-wrote 1982's Cat People. I try not to compare Shrader's re-make with the original because IMO they they have very different goals & plot lines.
The Original IMO was based on the idea of Myth and how old world cultures tend to put such importance & fanaticism in these superstitions that they, psychologically, make them come true. Whether or not the Cat People really existed was left up to the viewer (well...slightly).
Paul Shrader's version was (again IMO) more of a metaphor of how all of our "civilized" behavior get's thrown out the window when our sexual desires overtake us, when we get turned on we revert back to violent territorial animals, incest and all. It also had the Original's ideas of Myth but with much more going on underneath...and on top.
I like both equally.

 

[Roberto Carlo]

Patrick:
You anticipated one of my favorite guilty pleasures, Get It On Dunst's performance and the manic energy of the cheerleaders drew me in. I first watched intending to mock, but I couldn't. Everyone seemed so . . . sincere.
Where The Heart Is Everything about this film is cringe-inducing. It's essentially an infomercial for Walmart, but still I watch. Everyone is so . . . sincere.
Dinotopia Technically, I guess it's not a movie, but its badness was like a warm blanket. It was stupid and preachy, qualities I usually avoid like the plague. The special effects were far from special. But, for some reason, I watched all three nights. The dinosaurs seemed so . . . sincere.
Sphere It's bad!!! But I still like to pull out the DVD every once in a while. Samuel Jackson as a child-prodigy mathematician. Yeah, right.
Hudson Hawk I tried. I really tried. But my fellow Jersey guys Willis and Aiello got me. Besides, I like the music

 

[Patrick Sun]

I think Roberto meant to type "Bring It On" (but I sort of think I would enjoy a film called "Get It On" as well...)