Dumb fun is still fun, and we here love some dumb movies.
There is something wonderful about turning your brain off and watching a movie that just isn’t good, but reaches a point of being so bad that it becomes entertaining. Sometimes this level of quality is intentional, other times it’s not, but we are always going to be here to watch it.
So if you are looking for a really great, terrible movie, we have you covered with our Top 10 “So Bad, They’re Good” Movies to watch!
Piranha 3D
If you can handle blood, this movie is a blast. It’s like Jaws, but not expertly-made. Or is it actually expertly-made, just in a different way? Either way, the story of a lake-town overrun with spring breakers at the exact same time a cavern full of prehistoric piranhas is opened knows exactly what it is and it doesn’t make any apologies for it. It’s graphic, it’s exploitative, and it’s wonderful.
The Room
Come on, this is the king of bad movies. Tommy Wiseau’s masterpiece (????) has been a staple of bad movies for years. We don’t know if the intention behind it was to make a good movie, we don’t know what the mindset of Wiseau was when he wrote, produced, directed, and starred in it, but we do know that we can’t not have a good time when watching it. The bizarre dialogue, discrepancies in continuity, and weird pacing all create a truly unique experience.
Hobo with a Shotgun
Most of us know Rutger Hauer for his iconic role in Blade Runner, but we cannot forget his timeless portrayal of the titular hobo with the titular shotgun. It’s grindhouse at its finest with minimal plot and a whole lot violence. Seriously, the violence in this movie is absurd and we love it. It’s that kind of violence that is so over-the-top that you just laugh at it. Does that make us bad people? Maybe, but we don’t care.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHRf01Gjosk
Look, we don’t even know if we would classify this as a “bad” movie, but enough people complain about it that we are going to do so. Is the plot really that special? No. Are the characters worth caring about? Maybe not. But if the action in this movie isn’t spectacular, then we don’t what is. Michael Bay may get a lot of flack and it may be deserved, but he can craft an action set-piece unlike anyone else. The entire last 45 minutes of this movie is non-stop destruction and it is beautiful. We watch these movies with the desire to see giant, space robots beat the you-know-what out of each other and that’s exactly what we get.
Batman and Robin
This one is hard for us to put on here because part of us really hates this movie. It almost completely ruined any chances of Batman films happening ever again until Christopher Nolan pulled a magnificent comeback for the character. But we can’t deny the entertaining nature of it. There just aren’t any good ideas in this movie. From the batsuit’s nipples to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s constant ice puns as Mister Freeze, there is so much to laugh at, and that makes it enjoyable. If you haven’t seen this movie, give it a shot. Just know that we have all tried hard to forget this portrayal of Batman.
Troll 2
You may have seen the clips on YouTube and the memes that have been circulating since the internet got its hands on this gem of a movie. If not, then we implore you to give them a look, and then we implore everyone to watch the entire movie. A sequel that has absolutely no connection to the original to the point of making us wonder why it exists in the first place, this movie has some fantastically quotable moments for all the wrong reasons.
The Wicker Man (2006)
This remake of a horror classic is absolutely bizarre. Nicolas Cage puts in his usual weird acting style which is complemented by scenes of him punching a woman in a bear costume and the eternally-memed “Not the bees!” line. We are not sure why they decided to remake this movie and do so in the way that they did, but we are kind of glad they did. It’s so entertaining to watch and leaves you feeling like you just went through a bizarre theme park ride.
Freddy vs. Jason
Bad dialogue? Check. Unlikable characters? Check. Brutal final battle between two of horror’s greatest icons? Check. Ronnie Yu’s long-awaited showdown between Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees is not scary and it’s not well-done, but, boy, is it fun. We actually kind of dig the way they set up the showdown between the two characters, and while it does take a little too long to get to the actual fighting between the two, when it arrives, it is awesome. Gore, violence, and people being thrown like ragdolls every which way.
Godzilla (1998)
Okay, okay, put the pitchforks down and here us out. This is not a good movie and it was a slap in the face for Godzilla fans everywhere, but we can’t help but love how bad it is. Many of us grew up with this movie and have some fond memories of watching it as a kid. Roland Emmerich has made his career off of loud, terrible-but-entertaining movies and this is no different. Plus, the entire Baby Godzillas in the Subway section is actually kind of suspenseful. Not good, but suspenseful.
Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2
Another movie with a plethora of memes that were born from it. This sequel barely adds anything to actually-intended horror original, using flashbacks and clips from the first movie to pad its runtime. But what we do have is some of the weirdest decisions we have ever seen in film-making and a real joy to watch. The infmaous “Garbage day!” scene will make you laugh, as will the rest of the questionably acted questionable dialogue. It’s one of those slices of 80’s horror that needs to be remembered and appreciated for what it is.
The best of the worst are right here, and we guarantee that every single one of these movies will be a blast to watch, even if you don’t understand how they got to be made. We commend the minds behind these films and are grateful for the dumb fun they have given us.
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