Sure, we all have guilty pleasures — you know, those movies you love that you know are terrible but love anyway. But then there are those movies that you love that you DON’T think are terrible; those movies that you think — no, you KNOW — are good movies even though everyone else in the world seems to think they’re terrible. And you just simply can’t understand why everyone else doesn’t get it like you do.
Five of us Movie Buzzers put our heads together and each picked one movie that we think doesn’t deserve all the bad things people say about it. We’re willing to step forward and state our cases to the court of public opinion. Do you agree or disagree with us? Do you have a similar feeling about another movie? Let us know in the comments below — we might even ask you to participate in a future list!
KEVIN: Land of the Lost (2009)
As both a screenwriter and self-described film critic, I amaze even myself when it comes to defending this film with a horrible reputation. Brad Silberling’s 2009 comedy Land of the Lost — starring peaking Will Ferrell and Danny McBride — was a critical and commercial flop of major proportions, with its enormously bloated budget sailing well over $100 million and its box office haul totaling just under $70 million. The plot is terribly fragmented and both the production design and lackluster CGI clearly demonstrate that the budget went elsewhere. And yet for me, the movie isn’t dull. In fact not only is it not dull, but I find it absolutely hilarious.
Whether it’s the pseudo-anthropomorphic Tyrannosaurus rex ferociously staring down Ferrell or McBride shattering the fourth wall and calling out the slow-moving Sleestak enemies, the movie somehow speaks to me. I can barely explain it with words. I can both recognize how poorly written it is — alongside the hammy acting which better serves the Anchorman movies – and collapse into hysterics when Ferrell douses himself in dinosaur urine or scoots away from the carnivorous T-rex in a “serpentine” pattern, all while the reptile watches the idiocy unfold. When Jorme Taccone’s Chaka tries to murder the explorers at every turn, resulting in some painfully funny moments, I can’t help but enjoy myself. I’m not ashamed to say that I leave the movie on whenever it pops up on TV. It makes me giggle all throughout its overlong runtime and sometimes that’s all I need to turn off my brain and have some fun.
CHRIS: Last Action Hero (1993)
Last Action Hero is overall a really clever send-up of the 1980s action movie genre. Arnold Schwarzenegger shows no fear as he parodies himself, something other “tough guy” actors would be hesitant to do at the pinnacle of their fame. I think reviewers and audiences at the time just didn’t get the jokes — they expected another “dumb” Schwarzenegger action flick and instead got a sometimes-vicious parody of everything critics hate about action movies. One would think it was speaking their language!
Some of the smartest bits involve the fake trailer of a Schwarzenegger version of Hamlet and the police captain who pairs up wacky mismatched partners, a staple of the buddy cop genre to this day (“Krause, you team up with the rabbi!” “Ratcliff, you are on duty with the cat!”) There’s also a number of great cameos, including Robert Patrick as the T-1000. But mostly Last Action Hero exposes the silliness of the endless cycle of over-the-top violence that still dominates action films today (perhaps even more so in the age of digital effects).
Okay, perhaps the more stupid jokes dulled the movie — why name a mobster character “Leo the Fart” if the movie is generally going for more satirical humor? — and John McTiernan, who directed Predator and Die Hard, was probably the wrong choice for director, too — this needed someone with a better sense of satirical comedy (perhaps screenwriter Shane Black). But Last Action Hero is completely undeserving of its bad reviews, and the studio execs who decided to open it a week after Jurassic Park were morons.
Hey, at the very least, AC/DC’s music video for “Big Gun” featuring Arnold doing his best Angus Young impression makes it all worth it.
ALISSA: Burlesque (2010)
There’s something genuinely enjoyable in the pure entertainment behind the spectacle that is the 2010 movie musical, Burlesque. Yes, the storyline itself lacks the heart-wrenching depth of Les Misérables, or even the timeless values in a tale like Wizard of Oz, for example. There’s no innovative lesson to take away from Burlesque that weekly followers of The Voice or American Idol can’t presently grasp while examining their own struggles in the face of adversity. However, there’s definite strength behind the musical numbers, which continues to pull on the heartstrings of every hopeful singer who has ever turned their hairbrush into a microphone.
Despite harsh reviews about Christina Aguilera’s capacity as an actress in her film debut and headlining co-star Cher (whose ballad in the movie won songwriter Diane Warren a Golden Globe, by the way) reaching for one last comeback, I stand by my original praise from when my review of an advanced screening back in November 2010. I was hoping there would ultimately be some sort of Burlesque-inspired fan-base for the film, perhaps in the vein of Rocky Horror Picture Show, but alas, both films are on completely different planes and speak to different cultures.
There’s no doubt about the glamour of corsets and high heels, the allure of the tease, as well as the power of a belted vibrato. However, these elements and the presence of true pop icons from today and yesterday are what make Burlesque perfect for a 21st century film-going audience and the musical genre, which continues to evolve with the Glee: The 3D Concert Movie phenomenon and last year’s Pitch Perfect. If there was some nobody filling those glittery platforms, the movie and its soundtrack would’ve completely fallen under the radar — a fate that it does not deserve. This isn’t as pathetic as 2008’s Mamma Mia!, desperate to ride the coattails of Moulin Rouge! or Rob Marshall’s Oscar-winning Chicago. Also, Burlesque is certainly not as wasteful of a movie experience like Mariah Carey’s staring role in the very forgettable Glitter.
TOM: Kicking & Screaming (2005)
2005 was an in-different year for Will Ferrell, who was just coming off a great 2004 after the success of Anchorman. He tried his hand at some more serious acting, but he was also trying to lead a film of which the cast was made up predominantly of kids – a difficult task for any actor. Kicking & Screaming has a bad rep for having a thin and predictable plot, but isn’t this the basis of many comedy films anyway? And Ferrell getting a nomination for a Razzie for worse actor in the role is laughable, as his comic timing, as it always is, is second to none in this film. His scenes in particular with Mike Ditka are brilliant. For me, Ferrell is a comedy genius who is often overlooked and labelled more of a goof rather than being celebrated for his abilities. While he throws out some of his eccentric moments in this film – mainly during his coffee addiction – he manages to simply put in a solid comedy performance.
The film is silly yes, but it’s a good silly, we know it’s not to be taken too seriously (in terms of a comedy, anyway), there’s no life message like some comedies try to sneak in, it’s just an enjoyable film that lets Will Ferrell run riot.
ALEX: The One (2001)
One of my favorite films growing up and the one that introduced me to the legend that is Jet Li was a sci-fi actioner titled The One. It was a film I must have seen at least 15 times but it was only until recently I found out nobody else actually liked it, in fact it has a 14% on Rotten Tomatoes which made my jaw drop. This movie does not deserve its awful reputation, in fact it should be enjoyed as the basic and futuristic martial arts adventure that it sets out to be. Why? Well, let’s see, it has Jet Li doing what he does best, crazy martial arts or, as I like to call, kicking ass and taking names. On top of that it’s JET LI VERSUS JET LI! Instead of wasting time having Jet Li fight some enemy we all know he can beat, he has to literally battle himself from another universe, it can’t get much better than that. Let’s also throw in a young Jason Statham who actually has hair (yes, he isn’t bald yet). So Jet Li fighting Jet Li and Jason Statham with hair, can you really ask for much more in an action movie starring these two gents? I think not.
Again, let us know in the comments below what you think about our choices — and feel free to tell us your own!
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