Madison’s Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Movies
I swear I’m not a film snob. Despite my interest in foreign and independent films coupled with my penchant for bashing mindless, “fun,” action flicks where the whole idea is to turn your brain off, I understand that not every film has to be 2001: A Space Odyssey. I, too, greatly enjoy movies that are others may consider undeniably bad, corny, lame, or all three. In fact, I’m pretty sure that everyone has “guilty pleasure” movies, and of course, I’m no exception. Here are my five favorite “guilty pleasure” movies, presented in no particular order (since I love ’em all). I’m definitely curious to hear what you guys think of these flicks, as well as what your favorite “guilty pleasure” movies are. Enjoy, and feel free to bash my choices.
A Night at the Roxbury
I first caught this movie while flipping through the channels one lazy afternoon, expecting to give it a shot for a minute or so before switching to something else. I was never a huge fan of the SNL skit on which Roxbury is based and I hadn’t heard anything about it – good or bad – from anyone. I didn’t watch from the beginning; I first started watching when the Butabi brothers finally get into the Roxbury and Steve Butabi (Will Ferrell) can’t stop saying “what’s up?’ due to “hottie overload.” That killed me, as did every other stupid joke for the rest of the movie. When Roxbury came on again, I watched it from the start and enjoyed it even more. It’s dumb, silly humor with Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan at their best. I own it on DVD and know just about every line.
You Got Served
Believe you me, I have a soft spot for dancing movies – mostly because, I suppose, I really enjoy dancing myself. Of course, I’m not that great and it usually takes me a drink or eight before I get on the dance floor (especially at weddings, where I will make an absolute spectacle of myself). Of all the dance movies, You Got Served has the worst acting but by far the best dancing. If you can get past the atrocious dialogue and completely nonsensical plot (which I can, easily), you’d see that some of the dancers in this movie can move their bodies in ways I didn’t think was physically possible. From the opening dance sequence to the giant battle at the end, it’s just filthy. It also helps that Meagan Good is in this movie – woman is absolutely gorgeous. I also own this movie on DVD.
Little Shop of Horrors
One of my dreams is to attend a production of Little Shop of Horrors on Broadway. Only right before the show is about to begin, a theater employees comes on stage to announce that, “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re terribly sorry but the actor who is playing Seymour Krelborn is terribly ill and thus we have to cancel tonight’s performance. That is, unless, someone in the audience knows every one of his lines and can sing every one of his songs.” And my hand slowly goes up, and I say, “perhaps I can be of assistance.” I also have a similar dream involving Glengary Glen Ross and Richard Roma, but there’s not nearly as much shame in that.
Of course I own this movie on DVD.
Overboard
I can’t really put my finger on why I like Overboard so much. It’s the story of a hillbilly with three kids who kidnaps an amnesic rich bitch and relegates her to a life of servitude and submission. And when the rich bitch finally gets her memory back, all is forgiven and they live together as one big happy family. Anyway, there’s something about this movie that I love and I always find myself watching it whenever it comes on cable (which is pretty frequently).
Miami Vice
Most people think this movie sucks, but I’m certainly not one of them. In fact, I’d argue that it’s a better crime/cop story than 99% of what’s out there. The plot itself – one of moles, drug cartels, and, of course, forbidden love – is very solid. Michael Mann shoots better at night than anyone working today, and like he did with L.A. in Collateral, he shows Miami for the vibrant, happening city that it is. So what’s bad about this movie? That’s easy – the dialogue. It’s laughable.
“Is that your boat?”
“It is.” “How fast does it go?”
“Very fast.”
“Show me.”
And so on. Still, there’s more than enough memorable, quotable lines sprinkled throughout Miami Vice to bring me back to it time and time again, and even the most cynical of audiences has to admit that Mann starting the movie – with no opening credits – at the Miami club Mansion to the tune of Jay-Z was awesome.
Finally, the actor who plays the guy that Crockett chokes to death toward the end of the movie used to live two houses down from me when I lived in Florida. So there’s that.
Coyote ugly. I think its the definition of a guilty pleasure movie. We watched little shop of horrors in choir which was pretty sweet. I love dance movies (its hard to admit) and if you like crazy dance scenes and cheesy dialogue, there’s a series specially on Hulu called the LXD that is directed by the guy who did Step Up. It’s soooo bad but the dancing is incredible. You should check it out if only for the dancing. I find myself wishing I could do them!
The only movie I have a problem with is You Got Served. Only because I had a friend who pretty much watched and acted like that shit was real life. Notice how I said “had?”
But hey, who am I to judge? The Cable Guy is probably my all time favorite movie and I get a lot of shit for that.
My favorite guilty pleasure movies aren’t too guilty since I will shout my love of these from the rooftops. Any teenage mutant ninja turtles movie from the first one with Elias Koteas as a bad ass Casey Jones to the cgi one, they are all awesome. Ninja Rap is in heavy rotation on my iPod, great stuff.
Rocky 4, I know it is a totally awesome movie but it really is pretty bad when you think about it.
I find all the Saw movies to be entertaining. Call me a sadist but the traps can be pretty creative.
Armageddon, The Rock, The Island and Transformers. All technically “bad” movies but awesome none the less.
Stone Cold (1991)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102984/
Great childhood memories of it, and exceeded all expectations when I saw it again as an adult
The Core!
WoW! im agree 100% with you about Miami vice, its one of my favorite movies but i am ashamed to admitted, the starting the movie is amazing and really sets the tone of the movie, and Miami is shot beautifully at night.
I’m with you about dance movies, I can’t dance to save my life so I admire those who can – I will admit I haven’t seen You Got Served tho…is that the one when it came out it had a message that the scenes hadn’t been sped up because they were krunking/crunking?
You want awesome dance movies you have to see Center Stage, it’s ballet and the acting is god awful but awesome none the less.
@ Cheryl
I’m pretty sure the crunking movie is called “Rize” or something like that. You got served has a singer from B2K and that kid that had the dread locks in sister sister, so you know “it’s street, yo”
Is this an invitation to show ours?
Some of mine guilty pleasures are:
Krull,
Clash of the Titans (original),
Event Horizon,
Meet the Feebles,
13th warrior
@ Franken
No way Event Horizon could be considered a guilty pleasure, that movie is badass!
My wife and I have a ball watching You Got Served. We fast forward to all the dancing parts. Funniest thing about the move besides Steve Harvey’s stupid cameo, their mom is ALWAYS at work until the very end of the movie.
Land of the Lost
Elf–two will ferrel movies despite my irrational blame of him as the cause for SNL’s unfunny demise.
Home Alone–marked the beginning of the end for movies with cartoon inspired physical comedy. every time it comes on, i have to giggle and watch irons and blow torches to the head.
Grandma’s Boy–this might’ve gotten less than 10% on rottentomatoes. i don’t smoke pot, don’t hate it either. it must be a fact by now that pot–or the illusion of being stoned–makes most people twice as funny. ok, a worthwhile fiction?
Space Balls–everytime i see it i take turns lafing, then apologizing. damn you, nostalgia.
any vintage adam sandler movie pre-Mr. Deeds with the exception of 50 First Dates.
@ Laura
That movie is AWFUL. So cliched. And my little sister loves it. Great example of a guilty pleasure.
@ J5
Cable Guy is brilliant. Those who don’t like it are missing out. “Dude, I got a lot of tables.”
@ Sam
Ha, I actually think the first TMNT movie, all things considered, is pretty good.
@ chuck. Nice to see I’m not alone. My favorite line in that movie is the beginning when Crockett picks up the bartender. “But you got your tan in Miami.”
@ Cheryl
There’s no crunking in YGS…but there is crip walking. Pretty amazing that slipped in there.
@ Franken PC
I like all the movies you listed. Especially Event Horizon.
@ cameron
You’d be surprised how many people really like Grandma’s Boy. What’s surprising is that you love it and don’t smoke…
@ Madison
Yeah, but I think i have a sickness when it comes to the Cable Guy. To the point where my brother and I were gonna name our xbox live names “LordChipDouglas” and “MasterStevenMCoufax” so that when we got online he would say “LORD CHIP DOUGLAS make your way to the fighting pit!” (which he still does) and I could respond “Well, it appears we are to do battle Sthteven.”
See, it’s a sickness.
A buddy of mine and I when You Got Served came out did a prank where I pretended to walk out after it ended just repeating “HOLY SHIT THEY TOTALLY GOT SERVED” then said friend (who’d be in line waiting for it) would scream “FUCK YOU YOU RUINED IT” throw his snacks and rush at me.
I guess you had to be there.
Grandma’s Boy is fantastic. Everything Nick Swardson says is gold.
The only one on your list that I’d agree with is Overboard. I think I like that one because it was on HBO a lot when I was a kid. Grandma’s Boy is a great guilty pleasure as is Event Horizon. The Ladies Man is one that I like no one listed. terrible movie but I always like it for some unknown reason.
@ Brent
The other day I read recap of the “worst saturday night live movies ever” and was shocked to find that Ladies Man had made the list. The movie is hilarious (to me) and is now on my list of guilty pleasures, I didnt even think about it cause i didnt think it was a bad movie….
SO glad you put Night at the Roxbury on here 😛 I loved that movie when I was a kid and recently bought and watched it for the first time in about 10 years.
Flash Gordon. When I first saw the movie, my mom is like…I only saw half of this, and it is cheesy and blah blah blah…I think the movie is awesome!