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Film Discussion => News and Theory => Topic started by: RegularKarate on June 02, 2009, 11:46:21 AM

Title: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: RegularKarate on June 02, 2009, 11:46:21 AM
So I've mentioned it before, but every Sunday night for the past almost two years some fellow improvisers, comics, and friends and I have used our theater to screen bad movies, drink, and make fun of them.

I thought we could have a thread for Awesomely bad movies.

Here are some things we've discovered over the years (because just being bad alone doesn't work):
- Comedies almost never work.  It's not funny to watch someone try to be funny.  The comedy has to be (for the most part) unintentional.
- In most cases, the more sincere the movie, the funner it is to watch it fail.  If it's tongue-in-cheek (most zombie movies and BLANK VS BLANKs) then it's best left on the shelf.
- Nicolas Cage is almost always a sure bet that it will be entertaining.
- Straight-to-video movies usually end up just being boring.

The more obvious bad movie kings that we have watched a number of times are The Room and Troll 2... these are legendary bad movies that deserve their legend status.

Here are some movies that have really worked well:
- Halloween 3: Season of the Witch
- The Manitou
- The Number 23
- CatWoman
- Orca
- Sonny (2002)
- The Wicker Man (2006)
- Mac and Me
- Next
- National Treasure 2
- Twilight
- Brannigan

Anyone else do this sort of thing?  Anyone have any recommendations?
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: pete on June 02, 2009, 11:54:14 AM
bloodsport is really easy.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: matt35mm on June 02, 2009, 11:56:23 AM
My friend and I had a great time making fun of Pearl Harbor.

Oh, and The Haunting, with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Tictacbk on June 02, 2009, 12:10:13 PM
If you can find it check out Fatal Skies.  It is astonishingly bad. A group of friends and I randomly caught it as a late night movie on cable and had to watch the whole thing because it was so ridiculous.

Also it stars Timothy Leary.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: polkablues on June 02, 2009, 12:15:06 PM
Highlander 2 and the remake of Rollerball.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Pas on June 02, 2009, 12:52:41 PM
The craziest time I've had watching a bad movie is Mary, Mother of Jesus with Christian Bale.

For the first half of the film we thought Christian Bale played Joseph. Then he came around as Jesus. Then we started being SURE that he played Joseph AND Jesus because they were obviously never together on the screen. Then we realized that Jesus was never with ANY other speaking characters, he was always edited in. It's so fucking surreal and strange. And good.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Kal on June 02, 2009, 01:26:09 PM
Quote from: RegularKarate on June 02, 2009, 11:46:21 AM

- Straight-to-video movies usually end up just being boring.


So the other day I rented Powder Blue. Yes, I think I'm the only person in the world that still randomly goes into Hollywood Video and browses around to rent something (I cancelled my Netflix account before moving to LA).

Anyway, I was wondering why this went straight to DVD considering the cast. 15 minutes into the movie if not less I realized.

What a piece of shit. Not even seeing Jessica Biel's ass for an hour helped. I don't understand when films have so much potential and fire power with good actors and they end up with such a shitty result. This film is like a bad version of Crash. As if Crash was not bad enough, this tried to copy Crash and make it even worse.

Anyway, I just saw this the other night so when I read this thread it reminded me of it.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Convael on June 02, 2009, 02:46:51 PM
Quote from: kal on June 02, 2009, 01:26:09 PM
Quote from: RegularKarate on June 02, 2009, 11:46:21 AM

- Straight-to-video movies usually end up just being boring.


So the other day I rented Powder Blue. Yes, I think I'm the only person in the world that still randomly goes into Hollywood Video and browses around to rent something (I cancelled my Netflix account before moving to LA).

Anyway, I was wondering why this went straight to DVD considering the cast. 15 minutes into the movie if not less I realized.

What a piece of shit. Not even seeing Jessica Biel's ass for an hour helped. I don't understand when films have so much potential and fire power with good actors and they end up with such a shitty result. This film is like a bad version of Crash. As if Crash was not bad enough, this tried to copy Crash and make it even worse.

Anyway, I just saw this the other night so when I read this thread it reminded me of it.
I watched that too...  The writing was shit, the directing was shit, the cinematography was shit and it was a rip off Magnolia.  Even the "strange natural disaster that brings everyone together" is put in at the end and Jim/Claudia's "do you wanna kiss me" *CAMERA DOLLIES IN SUPER QUICK* is repeated but to almost no effect...  Anyway I would say don't watch Powder Blue because it will just depress you that a filmmaker with such sincere intentions (not 100% sure on the sincerity) can make such a stinking pile of shit.

I saw High School Musical because I had to and I couldn't stop laughing...  There's also a movie with these two people from American Idol that's probably about the worst thing ever made ever....  It's on the imdb bottom 100.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: SiliasRuby on June 02, 2009, 02:55:34 PM
Powder Blue is sooo fucking terrible...the only thing AMAZING about it is Jessica Biels Body.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: SiliasRuby on June 02, 2009, 03:07:16 PM
I'd also look at the following films that go into this catorgory (since I consider myself a expert on this):

Armageddon
Universal Soldier
Transformers
Edison Force
Zombie Strippers
Ghost Rider
House of 1000 Corpses
Demolition Man
Eraser
Double Impact
The Spirit

Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Pozer on June 02, 2009, 03:58:11 PM
Quote from: RegularKarate on June 02, 2009, 11:46:21 AM
Anyone else do this sort of thing? 

only with the signifother, and it's usually just me pokin fun and her annoyed. that's fun too. wouldnt talk to me for days after Twilight.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Pas on June 02, 2009, 04:32:46 PM
Quote from: SiliasRuby on June 02, 2009, 03:07:16 PM
I'd also look at the following films that go into this catorgory (since I consider myself a expert on this):

Armageddon
Universal Soldier
Transformers
Edison Force
Zombie Strippers
Ghost Rider
House of 1000 Corpses
Demolition Man
Eraser
Double Impact
The Spirit

Good list. As I said in an earlier thread, 80s action movies are completely priceless when translated in french. I'm guessing they're probably very funny in their original version as well.

I shall add a few, bear in mind I haven't seen these in english :

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (starts out great but loses steam as it goes along)
Road House
Tango and Cash
Femme Fatale
Mad Detective
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: RegularKarate on June 02, 2009, 05:55:06 PM
I forgot another "rule" which is that it should always be short, which is why we can't do (though I've seen and agree they're awful/good:
Quote from: SiliasRuby on June 02, 2009, 03:07:16 PM
Armageddon
Transformers

And, like I said, the heavier tongue-in-cheek stuff doesn't really work... especially when it's in the title which is why we won't do:
Quote from: SiliasRuby on June 02, 2009, 03:07:16 PM
Zombie Strippers
House of 1000 Corpses

We've already watched:
Quote from: SiliasRuby on June 02, 2009, 03:07:16 PM
Universal Soldier
Ghost Rider
The Spirit

Universal Soldier was so-so and Ghost Rider was brilliant because of the Cage factor, but The Spirit was just fucking boring... one of the biggest failures compared to the anticipation.  It was just too damned awful.

Demolition Man and Double Impact are already on the short list and I'll consider some of these others listed here too... Keep 'em coming everybody.

And Pas, Road House kind of falls into the "too awesome" category, but we did it's little brother "Next of Kin" with pretty good success.

oh, and subtitles are no good... it's hard to quip back to something you just read.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Pozer on June 02, 2009, 06:01:25 PM
more Stalloners:

Judge Dredd
Cobra
Over The Top

Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: picolas on June 02, 2009, 07:14:56 PM
my friend, a connoisseur of terrible movies (and starting a similar program), recently discovered 100 Girls.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0214388/

it's an appalling masterpiece. truly idiotic and sexist to the point of women not even having good peripheral vision.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: john on June 02, 2009, 07:43:58 PM
Quote from: Pas Rap on June 02, 2009, 04:32:46 PM

Femme Fatale


But Femme Fatale is genuinely pretty terrific.

Am I alone on that one?
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Stefen on June 02, 2009, 08:37:07 PM
boondock saints
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: SiliasRuby on June 02, 2009, 10:01:28 PM
Quote from: picolas on June 02, 2009, 07:14:56 PM
my friend, a connoisseur of terrible movies (and starting a similar program), recently discovered 100 Girls.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0214388/

it's an appalling masterpiece. truly idiotic and sexist to the point of women not even having good peripheral vision.
Hell yeah....Masterpiece!
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: MacGuffin on June 03, 2009, 01:46:19 AM
Anaconda
Deep Blue Sea
House of Wax remake
Planet of the Apes remake
The Fly II
Jaws 3-D and Jaws: The Revenge
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: polkablues on June 03, 2009, 01:57:50 AM
In the Mouth of Madness
Freddy Vs. Jason
Final Destination 2

And good lord, the High School Musical movies are the most entertaining shit I've seen in forever.  All three of them.  Back to back to back, if possible.  I'm not even joking about this, they are more fun than a thousand Nic Cage movies combined.  To make them even better, if you get the blu-ray, watch them in 1.5x fast forward (the PS3 does this; I don't know about any standalone blu-ray players).  Speeding it up makes it just slightly chipmunky, it exaggerates the digital manipulation on all the singing, and it makes the dances amazing.  Highly recommended.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: OrHowILearnedTo on June 03, 2009, 06:19:25 PM
Short Circuit anyone?
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: SiliasRuby on June 04, 2009, 11:23:40 AM
They were just talking about that on KROQ this morning with Kevin and Bean. Short Circuit that is....
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Fernando on June 04, 2009, 01:53:58 PM
My suggestion:

Commando

it's hilarious how arnie delivers every line.

here's proof: (that happens early in the movie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8K87H3T1UU
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: modage on June 04, 2009, 02:06:26 PM
my old roommate and i did a lot of Nic Cage movies a few years ago.  i told him we still need to watch Bangkok Dangerous, Ghost Rider and Next.  i'm not sure if National Treasure 2 has quite enough Cage-ness to be worthwhile.  can't wait for Bad Lieutenant.

i really want to watch Tiptoes, too.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Pas on June 04, 2009, 02:43:50 PM
Last Action Hero !!!
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: SiliasRuby on June 06, 2009, 11:13:05 PM
The Pleasure Drivers
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: MacGuffin on June 06, 2009, 11:16:01 PM
10,000 BC
Day After Tomorrow
Godzilla

Basically any Roland Emmerich flick
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Reinhold on June 06, 2009, 11:29:19 PM
Showdown in Little Tokyo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efvcBxna4OQ

Dolph Lundgren, Brandon Lee, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and Tia Carrere in a buddy cop/yakuza film from the early 90's.


my personal favorite line: "just in case we get killed, i wanted to tell you that you've got the biggest dick i've ever seen on a man."

plus in the first scene dolph lundgren swings from the ceiling on an unexplained rope into an illegal kickboxing match. i want to recreate that scene for my wedding.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: The Perineum Falcon on June 07, 2009, 04:58:30 PM
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.obscurehorror.com%2Fscarecrow2.jpg&hash=167ced7db65accae4d00092736d2265145d65f78)
I think it's precisely what you're looking for. I saw this years ago (totally sober) and couldn't stop CRYING. It also features an appearance by that guy that played Candyman.

Also, check out Shark Attack 3: Megaladon, it has the greatest special effects, EVER, as witnessed in this classic scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nzd0R_OeOc :bravo:
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: OrHowILearnedTo on June 08, 2009, 01:59:19 AM
Quote from: The Perineum Falcon on June 07, 2009, 04:58:30 PM
Also, check out Shark Attack 3: Megaladon, it has the greatest special effects, EVER, as witnessed in this classic scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nzd0R_OeOc :bravo:

This reminded me to post this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3OfXJddqQU
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: RegularKarate on June 08, 2009, 02:22:53 PM
I have avoided those big-shark movies... like I said, the straight to video stuff is almost 100% no-good for this thing.  I think it just goes against the formula that makes for a good bad-movie-night movie.  There has been be some real sincere effort and money is a big part of that.  If there wasn't enough money poured in to get it released theatrically, it usually doesn't come out the right kind of bad for this venue.  Same with stuff like that Scarecrow slayer movie.  I'm sure they're entertaining to watch... just not necessarily for this.

Last night we watched the Rollerball remake.  It was insanely terrible... that's the kind of trainwreck I love to watch at this thing.  What was up with the ten minute action scene randomly shot on video in night-vision?  Thanks for that suggestion, polka!
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: polkablues on June 08, 2009, 07:55:14 PM
Quote from: RegularKarate on June 08, 2009, 02:22:53 PM
Last night we watched the Rollerball remake.  It was insanely terrible... that's the kind of trainwreck I love to watch at this thing.  What was up with the ten minute action scene randomly shot on video in night-vision?  Thanks for that suggestion, polka!

The absolute doofiest thing about that movie, which was comprised entirely of doofiness, was the real-time ratings counter in the head office.  Every time something violent happened in the rollerball match, the ratings would instantly go up.  Clearly, the implication was that people who watch Rollerball are freaking psychic and somehow get a feeling that something entertaining has just happened in something they're not watching, and they should immediately tune in.

Also, Chris Klein's fake stubble.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: Pas on October 25, 2010, 08:45:20 PM
How awesome was Universal Soldier:Regeneration  :shock:

The Andrew twist was really smart and well played. "Do you often contemplate the complexity of life? YES OR NO?" ...where do they find this stuff?

Dolph Lundgren is a pretty sweet actor, of course. While Van Damme is disappointing when it comes to lines in this, he does provides the laughs in the extras and he fights perfect. That new MMA actor Mike Pyle, the one who plays the non-UniSol: perfect John Cena type actor. Maybe better (better looking, looks a lot smarter). Arlovsky was a good silent-villain type. I will bet 100$ that these two guys would've been shit in this were it not for this John Hyams guy. He is now the active DVD-action director to watch. His style reminds of the greatest classics of the early-to-mid-90s, with no trace of hideous modern type action. His stunts are completely pre-Matrix AND pre-Bourne, the two culprits of the death of action cinema.

I can't believe I blind bought that blu-ray, I was hoping for a really funny turd and got a kick ass actioner. what a lucky strike.
Title: Re: The Worst is The Best!
Post by: pete on October 26, 2010, 04:10:17 AM
john hyams is peter hyams' son, peter hyams directed timecop and 2010 and a whole bunch of movies.  I guess directing van damme became like a family business.  I know a bit about this producer who's behind a few van damme franchises and wants to launch similar careers from wrestling and mma stars right now, he's kinda a character.