Movies you love that everyone else hates...

[PeteRock]

Inspired by the movies you hate that everyone else loves thread, why not turn things around and discuss films we gain enjoyment out of that seem to be universally loathed by either critics or the all-knowing intarweb.  I am interested to see what kinds of films come up as people answer for their "guilty pleasure" movies.  I am expecting much humor.  Come on, don't be embarassed.  I know we all have those movies we might be embarassed to admit that we enjoy for fear that the intarweb masses may ridicule or mock us, but it's time to stand up and embrace our guilty pleasures and be proud of some of our questionable tastes.

Some of my favorites:

Poolhall Junkies:  Because I've developed such a love of the game of pool, I certainly enjoy various film depictions of the game, such as The Hustler, Color of Money, Stickmen, and while the acting in Poolhall Junkies may be a bit wooden at times, overall I just love this movie.  Christopher Walken is obviously having an absolute blast in his role (he has a fantastic inspiration speech near the end of the film), Chaz Palminteri is great as the heartless villian, Ricky Shroder (yes you read that right) is surprisingly convincing as the big-time pro making a little on the side by hustling, the humor is quite funny and rather quotable, the music is fitting, and the pool playing showcased in the film is unbelievable.  Some of the shots are cool enough for you to skip back a few frames and watch them again.  Poolhall Junkies gets a lot of play in our house.

King Arthur:  Yeah, I said it.  This seems to be a popular film to hate on internet message boards, and it was certainly panned by critics (although Roger Ebert saw something worthwhile in this film), but I just really enjoy it.  I like the action, I am a big Clive Owen fan, Stellan Skarsgård is fantastic as the leader of the murderous Saxons, the action is bloody and frenetic, and while the history of the film may be in question (but how many films can claim pure 100% accuracy?), I enjoy it as an emotional action film.

Transformers:  I see so many lamenting this film, complaining about the close-up action sequences, or Shia LaBeouf's performance, but I'm not ashamed to say that my wife and I effing love this movie.  The action is kick-ass, the animation is phenomenal, Shia LaBeouf plays a funny and quirky character, and while some of the dialogue is painful (although have any of you actually listened to the dialogue in Star Wars, given the film's overwhelming praise), it gets a lot of play in our house, mainly when we want a fun action movie to shake the pictures off our walls.

Gone in 60 Seconds:  Yeah, I know it's "in" to hate Nicolas Cage and anything done by Jerry Bruckheimer, but I really enjoy this movie.  Outside of the ridiculous flying mustang scene, overall it's a lot of fun and features some gorgeous cars.  While the story is implausible, the dialogue is sometimes cheesy, and of course the aforementioned flying mustang, I still find it to be a lot of fun.  One of our favorite lines to quote is, "You can't negotiate turns, you can't signal properly, you can't maintain speed, you can't parallel park... hell, you can't drive, honey!  Shit, I can't swim, honey, that's why I keep my black ass out the pool!"

The Island:  I'm not sure why this movie was considered to be so bad.  I really liked the cloning premise, the action was pretty kick-ass, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson played the ignorant, inexperienced clones pretty convincingly, Steve Buscemi is great as always, and I've come to really appreciate Djimon Hounsou. 

Road House:  Some may say this makes me gay, but it's not like the "fabulous" moniker is any more flattering.  How can a movie with Patrick Swayze playing a bad-ass be bad?  "All you have to do is follow three simple rules. One, never underestimate your opponent. Expect the unexpected. Two, take it outside. Never start anything inside the bar unless it's absolutely necessary. And three, be nice. I want you to be nice until it's time to not be nice."  "How will we know when that is?"  "You won't.  I will let you know."  Pure genius.  And never has a mullet looked so good.  Sorry hepcat, but it's true.

The Wraith:  It probably doesn't get much worse than this movie, but for some reason I still enjoy it after all these years.  One of Charlie Sheen's earliest roles, playing a murdered boy brought back by a "higher power" to bring his murderers to justice.  Being that his murderers are part of a street racing gang, Mr. Sheen is also provided with a futuristic "turbo" by this higher power to take out his killers one by one in street races.  After he takes out each of his murderers by blowing up his own car, it reassembles and he drives away.  Great 80's music, Randy Quaid at his best, fast cars, and Gutterboy with his 'Cuda.  Great stuff.   

That's about all I can come up with for now, but I am sure others will have some gems to contribute that may refresh my memory about other bad movies I enjoy.

[CeeKay]

I love Transformers, Gone in 60 Seconds and King Arthur too!  I also like Roadhouse-  not love but enjoy watching it every now and then.

I also love all 3 of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

And Terminator 3.

[rickfc]

Transformers:  I see so many lamenting this film, complaining about the close-up action sequences, or Shia LaBeouf's performance, but I'm not ashamed to say that my wife and I effing love this movie.  The action is kick-ass, the animation is phenomenal, Shia LaBeouf plays a funny and quirky character, and while some of the dialogue is painful (although have any of you actually listened to the dialogue in Star Wars, given the film's overwhelming praise), it gets a lot of play in our house, mainly when we want a fun action movie to shake the pictures off our walls.

The Island:  I'm not sure why this movie was considered to be so bad.  I really liked the cloning premise, the action was pretty kick-ass, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson played the ignorant, inexperienced clones pretty convincingly, Steve Buscemi is great as always, and I've come to really appreciate Djimon Hounsou. 

I couldn't agree with you more, Pete.  My wife and I absolutely loved both of these movies.

[Eel Snave]

Nacho Libre.  It makes me giggle.

[Gratch]

Kung Pow:  Enter the Fist - I could watch this movie a hundred times and it would still make me laugh

[Covenant]

Starship Troopers - I can never get enough of this movie. Goofy fun, nice effects, naked chick, interesting satire on the whole "rah-rah war" concept. It might help that I never read the book, but honestly I've never had a problem separating mediums and don't bother comparing adaptations/remakes to eachother.  I just look at them as separate entities.

Dragon Wars - Caught this one on a whim and me and the wife actually enjoyed it. Not Oscar worthy or anything, but not the complete shit that most people think it is. We may be the only people on the planet who liked it though.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Rather than get into another 10 page argument on whether it sucked or not, I'll just say we had a lot of fun with this one.

Silent Hill - Lots of people think this is crap, but it's actually one of my favorite modern horror movies.

[Larraque]

Star Trek... Insurrection.

[CeeKay]

Starship Troopers - I can never get enough of this movie. Goofy fun, nice effects, naked chick, interesting satire on the whole "rah-rah war" concept. It might help that I never read the book, but honestly I've never had a problem separating mediums and don't bother comparing adaptations/remakes to eachother.  I just look at them as separate entities.

Dragon Wars - Caught this one on a whim and me and the wife actually enjoyed it. Not Oscar worthy or anything, but not the complete shit that most people think it is. We may be the only people on the planet who liked it though.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Rather than get into another 10 page argument on whether it sucked or not, I'll just say we had a lot of fun with this one.

Silent Hill - Lots of people think this is crap, but it's actually one of my favorite modern horror movies.

I agree with all of those.  Dragon Wars was a freakin' blast!

[kratz]

Along the lines of Dragon Wars, I thoroughly enjoyed 'Reign of Fire'.  I am reviled for this.

[Isgrimnur]

Very Bad Things

Four Rooms

Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter

[PeteRock]

Transformers:  I see so many lamenting this film, complaining about the close-up action sequences, or Shia LaBeouf's performance, but I'm not ashamed to say that my wife and I effing love this movie.  The action is kick-ass, the animation is phenomenal, Shia LaBeouf plays a funny and quirky character, and while some of the dialogue is painful (although have any of you actually listened to the dialogue in Star Wars, given the film's overwhelming praise), it gets a lot of play in our house, mainly when we want a fun action movie to shake the pictures off our walls.

Gone in 60 Seconds:  Yeah, I know it's "in" to hate Nicolas Cage and anything done by Jerry Bruckheimer, but I really enjoy this movie.  Outside of the ridiculous flying mustang scene, overall it's a lot of fun and features some gorgeous cars.  While the story is implausible, the dialogue is sometimes cheesy, and of course the aforementioned flying mustang, I still find it to be a lot of fun.  One of our favorite lines to quote is, "You can't negotiate turns, you can't signal properly, you can't maintain speed, you can't parallel park... hell, you can't drive, honey!  Shit, I can't swim, honey, that's why I keep my black ass out the pool!"

The Island:  I'm not sure why this movie was considered to be so bad.  I really liked the cloning premise, the action was pretty kick-ass, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson played the ignorant, inexperienced clones pretty convincingly, Steve Buscemi is great as always, and I've come to really appreciate Djimon Hounsou. 

I couldn't agree with you more, Pete.  My wife and I absolutely loved both of these movies.

Um, both of the three you listed?   

Along the lines of Dragon Wars, I thoroughly enjoyed 'Reign of Fire'.  I am reviled for this.

I actually enjoyed this as well.

[Jeff]

Dumb & Dumber - I like a lot of Carrey's 'antics' movies.

Signs - despite the cheesy faith lost/faith regained storyline

Wyatt Earp - an underrated western IMO

War of the Worlds - Tom Cruise/Spielberg version.

So there ya go... Jim Carrey, Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, and Tom Cruise. 4 actors pretty much universally hated by the hip & cool folks, and I like them all, at least on-screen.

[rickfc]

Along the lines of Dragon Wars, I thoroughly enjoyed 'Reign of Fire'.  I am reviled for this.

I.FUCKING.LOVED Reign of Fire.  Awesome fucking movie!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Rather than get into another 10 page argument on whether it sucked or not, I'll just say we had a lot of fun with this one.

Silent Hill - Lots of people think this is crap, but it's actually one of my favorite modern horror movies.

We had a blast with Indy 4.  I don't understand all the hate.

While I enjoyed Silent Hill, I didn't really find it all that scary for some reason.  I did like it overall, though.  

[rickfc]

Transformers:  I see so many lamenting this film, complaining about the close-up action sequences, or Shia LaBeouf's performance, but I'm not ashamed to say that my wife and I effing love this movie.  The action is kick-ass, the animation is phenomenal, Shia LaBeouf plays a funny and quirky character, and while some of the dialogue is painful (although have any of you actually listened to the dialogue in Star Wars, given the film's overwhelming praise), it gets a lot of play in our house, mainly when we want a fun action movie to shake the pictures off our walls.

The Island:  I'm not sure why this movie was considered to be so bad.  I really liked the cloning premise, the action was pretty kick-ass, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson played the ignorant, inexperienced clones pretty convincingly, Steve Buscemi is great as always, and I've come to really appreciate Djimon Hounsou. 

I couldn't agree with you more, Pete.  My wife and I absolutely loved both of these movies.

Um, both of the three you listed?   

Lol...Whoops...I forgot to take out Gone in 60...Not that I didn't like the movie, but I was very 'meh' about it. 

[PeteRock]

Transformers:  I see so many lamenting this film, complaining about the close-up action sequences, or Shia LaBeouf's performance, but I'm not ashamed to say that my wife and I effing love this movie.  The action is kick-ass, the animation is phenomenal, Shia LaBeouf plays a funny and quirky character, and while some of the dialogue is painful (although have any of you actually listened to the dialogue in Star Wars, given the film's overwhelming praise), it gets a lot of play in our house, mainly when we want a fun action movie to shake the pictures off our walls.

The Island:  I'm not sure why this movie was considered to be so bad.  I really liked the cloning premise, the action was pretty kick-ass, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson played the ignorant, inexperienced clones pretty convincingly, Steve Buscemi is great as always, and I've come to really appreciate Djimon Hounsou. 

I couldn't agree with you more, Pete.  My wife and I absolutely loved both of these movies.

Um, both of the three you listed?   

Lol...Whoops...I forgot to take out Gone in 60...Not that I didn't like the movie, but I was very 'meh' about it. 

When people ask you how old you are do you hold up some fingers and say, "This many!" and do your best to hold up the correct number?   

[Jeff]

P.S. I hope the point of this thread doesn't turn into shitting on other people's likes, and telling them what "garbage" or a "piece of shit" your choices are. 

[rickfc]

When people ask you how old you are do you hold up some fingers and say, "This many!" and do your best to hold up the correct number?   

I don't get it.  

[rickfc]

Nacho Libre.  It makes me giggle.

+1. 

Take it eeeeeesseeeeee

[LordMortis]

I'm hard pressed to come up with a movie that I love that is fairly universally hated.  Such movies probably exist but nothing rings a bell.  So rather I'll just list some movies that I didn't hate that everyone else hated:

Jersey Girl
Battlefield Earth

Neither movie will be something I'll jumping up to see again but neither movie left me wanting to get up while watching it or had me screaming at how terrible it was.

[Purge]

I didn't hate Transformers as an action movie; I hated it for being a John Hughes film with cameo appearances by GoBots.

I loved The Island, Starship Troopers and George of The Jungle. I didn't even mind Monkeybone, although I didn't love it I didn't hate it either.

[Moliere]

Poolhall Junkies:  Because I've developed such a love of the game of pool, I certainly enjoy various film depictions of the game, such as The Hustler, Color of Money, Stickmen, and while the acting in Poolhall Junkies may be a bit wooden at times, overall I just love this movie.  Christopher Walken is obviously having an absolute blast in his role (he has a fantastic inspiration speech near the end of the film), Chaz Palminteri is great as the heartless villian, Ricky Shroder (yes you read that right) is surprisingly convincing as the big-time pro making a little on the side by hustling, the humor is quite funny and rather quotable, the music is fitting, and the pool playing showcased in the film is unbelievable.  Some of the shots are cool enough for you to skip back a few frames and watch them again.  Poolhall Junkies gets a lot of play in our house.

People hate this movie? I would think it falls in the category of movies you love that no one else has heard of. Being a pool player I have a reason to watch it, but for everyone else it probably falls below their radar.

Kevin Costner is my guilty pleasure. I like epic futuristic movies.
The Postman
Waterworld

I'm also fascinated by prison movies. They are like psychological experiments into human nature.
American History X
Blood In Blood Out
Con Air
King Rat

Kurt Russell movies:
Soldier
Big Trouble in Little China

[Eel Snave]

Nacho Libre.  It makes me giggle.

+1. 

Take it eeeeeesseeeeee

It gave me no eagle powers!

[Gratch]

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

[Purge]

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

It was decidedly "Meh".

[rickfc]

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

It was decidedly "Meh".

You take that back!

[PR_GMR]

Transformers:  I see so many lamenting this film, complaining about the close-up action sequences, or Shia LaBeouf's performance, but I'm not ashamed to say that my wife and I effing love this movie.  The action is kick-ass, the animation is phenomenal, Shia LaBeouf plays a funny and quirky character, and while some of the dialogue is painful (although have any of you actually listened to the dialogue in Star Wars, given the film's overwhelming praise), it gets a lot of play in our house, mainly when we want a fun action movie to shake the pictures off our walls.

Thank you. I hated Michael Bay as much as the next guy, but he did a good treatment of the Transformers franchise, as much as people bitch about Shia or the action sequences. I'm now excited for the sequel and think the franchise is in good hands.

Movies I like that everyone else hates:

Horror movies (pretty much everything ranging from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to The Evil Dead to Shaun Of The Dead to Hostel to The Descent and many in between. I don't care if people pass judgement on me for 'being sick' or whatever faulty psychological profile they append to horror movie fans. I love me a well-done horror flick.)

David Lynch movies like Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Lost Highway and even Inland Empire. I *get* what Lynch does in his movies even if it turns off 98 percent of the population. While we are it, David Lynch's Dune wasn't half bad, and I detest the cheesy Sci-Fi channel Dune miniseries.

The recent Neil Marshall 80s tribute sci-fi horror flick, Doomsday (which is out on DVD). I don't care what people say--it's one hell of a hilarious, entertaining B-movie flick.

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. People at large missed the point of it--an action popcorn movie sequel which tips its hat to cheesy 40s movie serials. The Indiana Jones series was never meant to be 'high class action' or whatever the hell people expected after 'Raiders'. They were always supposed to be over-the-top action sequences, funny one-liners, non-stop fun, and I thought the last movie got all these things (mostly right)

I got some more, but let me stop here for now.

[hepcat]

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

It was decidedly "Meh".

You take that back!

anyone who hates jack burton should turn in their man card, move to Wimplevania and take up sewing!   

[PeteRock]

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

That's why I didn't place it in my list.  I didn't know it was possible to dislike this movie.  I don't even think it's legal.

[Eel Snave]

I loved the new Indiana Jones too!  I just loved how each scene was more over the top than the next.  As soon as Indiana Jones escaped a nuclear blast in a fridge, I knew what kind of movie this was going to be:  A movie that would make me feel like an 8-year-old kid at the theater saying, "Cool!  Awesome!  Radical!"  That's quite frankly what I wanted.

[rickfc]

I don't 'love' this movie, but after seeing it mentioned in the Mummy thread, I just have to mention it:

The Scorpion King

I don't know why, really, but I was entertained watching it.  A preemptive  to all of you that are going to give me shit for it. 

I loved the new Indiana Jones too!  I just loved how each scene was more over the top than the next.  As soon as Indiana Jones escaped a nuclear blast in a fridge, I knew what kind of movie this was going to be:  A movie that would make me feel like an 8-year-old kid at the theater saying, "Cool!  Awesome!  Radical!"  That's quite frankly what I wanted.

That's quite frankly what the first 3 were too. 

[Blackjack]

How about...

Roadhouse (1989)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098206/

-From Patrick Swayze's short-lived attempt to be an Action Star (I guess he was worried Dirty Dancing and Ghost had turned his image into a wuss)
-The late guitarist Jeff Healey's only screen credit. He's pretty awful as an actor, but the soundtrack has some fine performances by his band.
-Repellent, sleazy, mysognonistic , hyper-violent, poorly reviewed and... I love it. 

Rest Stop
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787505/

-A terrible, direct-to-video gorefest that shows up on cable (FX I think) from time to time, in heavily edited form
-Joey Lawrence shows up as an unfortunate deputy
-I think they wanted the female heroine to come off as smart and resourceful but most reviewers (critics or would-be fans) seem to agree she just comes off as Dumb.
-I don't really understand the ending at all
-It probably makes stuff like Hostel and Saw seem like Citizen Kane by comparison, and yet, I love it!    However, the video box art is so tasteless (even for its genre), that I can't bring myself to buy it. 

I do wonder if someone competent took the same basic storyline (trapped at a deserted rest stop, and plant the movie in that location almost the whole way), what they might be able to do with it.

[Toe]

I like the 2nd and 3rd Matrix movies 

[Kev199]

Mission to Mars:  I loved it.  Sure it moved slow, but not every space movie can be an action packed thrill ride.

[hepcat]

The first time you hear Swayze utter the line, "It's my way or the highway" in Roadhouse, you just know that quality has walked in the door....

While we are it, David Lynch's Dune wasn't half bad

lynch's sets, costumes, casting and overall vision of Dune is head and shoulders above every attempt ever made to put this series on film (I'd go so far as to say that the sci fi channel's adaption basically took the look from the first one and used it for their adaptation almost completely).  the only downfall was the way the story got chewed up and spit out for general consumption.  if lynch had been even a bit more faithful to the source, i predict that his version of Dune would've become the definitive version.

[PeteRock]

The first time you hear Swayze utter the line, "It's my way or the highway" in Roadhouse, you just know that quality has walked in the door....

And the level of complexity and depth of the dialogue only continues to impress with later quotes such as, "Pain don't hurt," and "Calling me sir is like putting an elevator in an outhouse.  It don't belong."  But the high point of the film has to be, "Nobody ever wins a fight."  Rarely does a film include such poignant and deep philosophy. 

[Purge]

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

It was decidedly "Meh".

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

It was decidedly "Meh".

You take that back!

I only watched it 7 years ago so it's age helped me not be so impressed by it. Plus, it's a knockoff of Duke Nukem in almost every way possible.

[Purge]

I thought Roeper and Whats-His-Name had an interesting take: (although I detest Roeper immensely)

How did their aliens end up in the indy flick, and not in the X-files?

[hepcat]

The first time you hear Swayze utter the line, "It's my way or the highway" in Roadhouse, you just know that quality has walked in the door....

And the level of complexity and depth of the dialogue only continues to impress with later quotes such as, "Pain don't hurt," and "Calling me sir is like putting an elevator in an outhouse.  It don't belong."  But the high point of the film has to be, "Nobody ever wins a fight."  Rarely does a film include such poignant and deep philosophy. 

I actually would like to see someone teach a college course on philosophy using Roadhouse as the main source material.  I feel that such "edutainment" would eventually produce a class of "warrior/philosophers" that could eventually wrest control of this great country and lead us to a Nietzschen future much like the one Khan Noonian Singh envisioned in Star Trek 2:  The Wrath of the Hair Plug.

[joeyjazz]

Dumb & Dumber - I like a lot of Carrey's 'antics' movies.

Are there really people out there who don't like this movie?  What was all that 'one in a million' talk?

[Gratch]

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

It was decidedly "Meh".

Big Trouble in Little China

I challenge you to find a single person that doesn't like this movie.  It's simply unpossible.

It was decidedly "Meh".

You take that back!

I only watched it 7 years ago so it's age helped me not be so impressed by it. Plus, it's a knockoff of Duke Nukem in almost every way possible.

You say that like it's a bad thing...