Hated Films You Love

[Mofo Rising]

One of my least favorite aspects of the internet is that it often serves as a vehicle for people to complain. No real reason or discussion, just endless grousing. Since people love talking about movies, you get a lot of grousing about movies, and every once in a while there is a film that comes out that everybody loves to hate. With that, every once in a while there's a movie that everybody hates and you are kind of shy to say, "Actually, I kind of liked it."

Open the floodgates, I really enjoyed Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

Don't get me wrong, I think the entire handling of the new prequel trilogy was an out-and-out disaster. Most of this can be laid at the feet of George Lucas, who seems to be incredibly tone-deaf to the reasons people love the movies he put out twenty years ago. I gave The Phantom Menace a bit of a pass when it first came out because I was still deep in the throes of a passionate love affair with the first films. Now I wouldn't ever even consider going back for the pain it would cause me. It's the ultimate last fling with an ex-girlfriend (or boyfriend). I so wanted it to work, but the flaws were to glaring and they also ended up giving me a nasty STD (midichlorians).

That being said, I really got a kick out of Attack of the Clones. I think what worked for me is that the real story is hidden behind the dull forefront. We know that the Empire is going to rise, and all the dull political machinations are going to give rise to a truly evil empire. We also know that Anakin will fall, and the scene where he murders an entire village in revenge for his mother hint at that. There were also some truly fan-pleasing moments, such as Yoda going completely ape-s**t with a lightsaber battle.

(Also, there is a sound effect, the "seismic charge," which was the best sound effect I'd heard in a long time.)

My favorite moment, which truly worked for me, is the creation and deployment of the clone army which is also the first time we really hear the Imperial March play for the first time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiFXmbf_-k4&feature=related
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Then the movie was followed up by the execrable Revenge of the Jedi. Ah well, I had my moment of enjoyment.

So what are some films that are widely reviled that you enjoy? Have a hankering for Ishtar? Think Gigli was not that bad? Let us know.

[RCMerchant]

Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN.
As a rule-like Trevor sez in another thread-I generally don't watch remakes of classic 70's and 80's slashers-it just seems so pointless. Why mess with perfection?
In NO way is it even close to the classic original,but I found it much better than any of the original sequels-with the exception of HALLOWEEN 3-which (which is not really a sequel anyway.)
I like the white trashy beginning-but once he put the Shatner mask on-it tanked.

[Olivia Bauer]

-Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Still a child at heart)
-Resident Evil 1 & 2 (Everything after it sucks HARD)

[Jack]

I enjoyed Attack of the Clones as well.  Oh sure the writing and acting were horrible, but there were plenty of big budget special effects sequences to keep me entertained.  And I actually found the plot fairly interesting.  The way they kept switching between what Annakin was doing and what Obi Wan was doing kept the pace going along well too.

I also like Dracula 3000.  Many people proclaim it to be the absolute worst piece of excrement ever made, but for me it just worked on some utterly stupid level.  So bad it's wildly entertaining in my opinion.

Titanic is another.  Eh, I didn't think it was that bad.  A big romantic movie, I thought the characters were cute and had a bit of chemistry together. 

Then there's Battlefield Earth.  I thought it was okay;  had some really stupid parts but overall it was moderately entertaining.  So many people say it god-awful, I don't really get it.

Halloween 3.  Probably my favorite movie in the franchise.  Great characters, absurd plot, Dan O'Herlihy is an awesome villain.  It's got a great atmosphere about it too - pure '80s cheese.

[ulthar]

I don't know if these fall into the "hated" category, but two I really like that get a lot of backlash are

(1) STARGATE

When I saw this in the theater, I had heard nothing about it.  We went on a whim...wanted to see something, picked what at the ticket booth.  I was mesmerized by and thoroughly enjoyed the story.  At the time I saw it, I did not give one tiny piece of *&^% about all the things people complain, even today, about.  Blah, blah, blah.  I loved it then, and I still do upon rewatching (though that initial magic can never be recaptured after first viewing).

(2) THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

We have a movie going culture that loves to continually bash Hollywood for never doing anything creative...it's all the same old formulaic tripe.  Along comes a movie that is "different," not only in concept but in execution as well, complete with some creative marketing.

And those same people who complain about "the formula" complain that TBWP was...."different."  It was not THIS, or it was not THAT. 

The whole time I watched, I had this big huge silly grin on my face and even laughed out loud a few times.  Others around me wondered if I was psycho, I'm sure.  But I was having a darn good time, and THAT'S what a movie like this SHOULD BE.

Horror movies of today take themselves waaaaaaay too seriously.  They all want to be the scariest, the grossest, the most disturbing, and audiences (especially younger ones that have never seen a Hammer film) seem to me to have forgotten that they are just FUN visual story telling, not documentaries.

I love the irony that, for me at least, TBWP stood that expectation on its ear exactly by pretending to be a documentary!

There are two that no matter what anyone says is "wrong" with them, I loved them when I first saw them and continue to do so after multiple viewings.  To me, both of these movies capture the "magic" I expect from a movie and no one is going to talk me out of it. 

[InformationGeek]

I like all  of the Star Wars prequels due to many different reasons, with one of them being the reason for why I actually like Star Wars in general, since I never liked the series when I was a kid.

Cool World: The story is absolute crap and makes no sense whatsoever.  However, I really love the style and look of this film.  There is so much going on that it is really fun to watch, even if my brain hurts trying to make sense of it.

The Haunted Mansion: It's that Eddie Murphy film based off that ride in Disney.  Lots of people mainly don't like it for just him alone, but I think there is so much more.  The art direction, the acting for everyone else, the atmosphere, the score, the effects, and the story about the mansion and its inhabitans.

[claws]

Rob Zombie's Halloween II (2009) - So much hate for this but I think it's actually a masterpiece.

Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis (2005) - Never seen part 5 but I do have a soft spot for this one.

Mountaintop Motel Massacre (1986) - I never understood the hate. This movie is pretty bad but also lots of fun in my opinion.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) - People will always hate it but I don't care. H3 is awesome.

The Blair Witch Project (1999) - I think it's funny that lots of people prefer the sequel which is just bad.

[ChaosTheory]

I don't know if these fall into the "hated" category, but two I really like that get a lot of backlash are

(1) STARGATE

When I saw this in the theater, I had heard nothing about it.  We went on a whim...wanted to see something, picked what at the ticket booth.  I was mesmerized by and thoroughly enjoyed the story.  At the time I saw it, I did not give one tiny piece of *&^% about all the things people complain, even today, about.  Blah, blah, blah.  I loved it then, and I still do upon rewatching (though that initial magic can never be recaptured after first viewing).
 

That's a really good movie, certainly the best thing Roland Emmerich's ever made.  It's kind of funny seeing that giant THE END on the screen now though, after it's launched so many shows and DTV movies 

VACANCY gets a lot of hate but I love it.  My only issue with it is a character is still alive at the end who really shouldn't be, considering what happened to them....

I also love the CRANK movies.  If you're going to make a stupid action movie you might as well pull out all the stops.

And now the really bad one.....I liked THE KING'S SPEECH.  Did it deserve to sweep the Oscars?  No.  But it had great performances, especially from Geoffrey Rush, and I was invested in the story - which is more than I can say for that 3 hour slog THE SOCIAL NETWORK.  God, what happened to Fincher?  But I digress.....

[bob]

Manos, Leonard Part 6, Revenge of the Sith not counting the usual bad-good b movies

[tracy]

I like all  of the Star Wars prequels due to many different reasons, with one of them being the reason for why I actually like Star Wars in general, since I never liked the series when I was a kid.

Cool World: The story is absolute crap and makes no sense whatsoever.  However, I really love the style and look of this film.  There is so much going on that it is really fun to watch, even if my brain hurts trying to make sense of it.

The Haunted Mansion: It's that Eddie Murphy film based off that ride in Disney.  Lots of people mainly don't like it for just him alone, but I think there is so much more.  The art direction, the acting for everyone else, the atmosphere, the score, the effects, and the story about the mansion and its inhabitans.

I'm pleased that someone else enjoyed "The Haunted Mansion". I was leery because I wondered how in the world could a ride be a movie....however,it was obvious that they went to the trouble to produce an actual story. It was nicely done.

[Chainsawmidget]

-Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day
-Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Still a child at heart)
-Resident Evil 1 & 2 (Everything after it sucks HARD)

I havent' seen Boondock Saints, but I'll agree with the other ones.  I'd also agree with the people saying Halloween 3. 

Streetfighter and SUper Mario bros were also very energetic entertaining and just all around fun movies that didn't take themselves too seriously and has some nice performances. 

Spider-man 3 also seems to get a lot of hate from the scenes were Peter Parker was trying to act cool, but I loved them.   They showed even his idea of beng cool was pretty dorky. 

[Allhallowsday]

...(2) THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
We have a movie going culture that loves to continually bash Hollywood for never doing anything creative...it's all the same old formulaic tripe.  Along comes a movie that is "different," not only in concept but in execution as well, complete with some creative marketing...I love the irony that, for me at least, TBWP stood that expectation on its ear exactly by pretending to be a documentary!
...

It's worth pointing out that THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT is not a "Hollywood" movie, but an independent film.  Considering it made over 200 million, I don't know how "hated" it is. 

[Kaseykockroach]

I always preferred The Lost World to the first Jurassic Park.
I tend to think of Spielberg as competent at creating isolated sequences that provoke a specific response ala Pavlov. He's horrible at building them up into interesting films though, and that suspense sequences like the San Diego bit or the run from the Raptors is precisely the evidence I'd adduce: a nifty sequence, but a patchy film (with a couple of other nifty sequences in it) that's still miles better than the first Jurassic Park which has many of the same deficiencies as The Lost World, but far less effective action sequences..

[ulthar]

It's worth pointing out that THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT is not a "Hollywood" movie, but an independent film.  

You are missing my point.  Hollywood cranks out what they think will sell, and the formula works for them.  Something new comes along that is gets a lot of popular press, and TONS of people bash it....bean counters are not going to look at that sort of commentary and think "movie goers want different."  At least I cannot imagine they would.

Considering it made over 200 million, I don't know how "hated" it is.  

My fist line:

"I don't know if these fall into the "hated" category, but two I really like that get a lot of backlash"

I have read on this very site, and others, numerous comments like "TBWP is stupid," etc, and it's usually to point out a bunch of plot holes or continuity errors (no more than any other HOLLYWOOD horror movie).

Again, for the third time in a week or so, Box Office != Quality, and certainly Box Office != Fan Acceptance.

Imdb has it at 6.8, not a great score, and the requisite imdb forum entries discussing everything that's wrong with it are present.

85% for critics on Rotten Tomatoes...but only 47% lay voters give it 3 or more stars (out of 5).  It's average rating on that site is 2.5/5, lower than IMDB.

No matter how much profit it made, it's NOT loved by fans...

But I liked it then, and like it now..I gave my opinion and some reasons why ...  If you disagree, let's hear THAT instead of trying to point out some great revelation regarding how wrong I am...  

[Kaseykockroach]

Every movie has its haters. EVERY movie. :P
Yes, even Gremlins 2: The New Batch. No, I don't why either.