Two Sides of the Stinkbomb Coin

A recent post by the lovely and brilliant Rebecca got me thinking about movies tonight.

I'm almost embarrassed by how many movies I've seen. Despite the fact that there are several quintessential classics that I've somehow never gotten around to seeing (It's a Wonderful Life and Casablanca, for example - I've also never seen Johnny Got His Gun despite it being my absolute favorite book of all time - but anyone who reads a book before going to see the movie will tell you, you'll always be disappointed - the book is way better - but I digress ...) - I've seen a disproportionate amount of movies for a hot, voluptuous socialite fox such as myself. And I know there are SO many other things that would be a better way to spend my time. But I like the escape of a good silver screen story - and even some bad ones. What can I say? I love movies almost as much as I love music.

I used to be able to enjoy most movies even if they weren't good. At the very least I could have fun making fun of them with my husband or friends. But since parenthood was bestowed upon us, and since we are one of those couples NOT blessed with hoardes of friends and relatives fighting amongst themselves over who gets to watch our dear child for free, time on the town is a mere fraction of what it used to be - and going out to see a movie is a rare treat. And if I pay $8 to see a piece of garbage, frankly it really ticks me off now.

Have you ever seen The Truman Show? Everybody thinks this movie is brilliant. I didn't like it. At all. I was practically bored to tears! My husband is under the impression that I hate Jim Carrey because of my distaste for this movie. That's not it - I just hate this movie.

Another movie I hated was Napoleon Dynamite. This overly ripe poopball of a movie was hailed by so many of my peers as the funniest thing since Ridgemont High. Wrong. It was one of the most annoying experiences of my life sitting through that. I hung in there, thinking it would turn around, but I only ended up wishing I could have that two hours of my life back again.

I absolutely despise the Austin Powers movies. So much I'm not even going to bother elaborating. Same goes for the "cult classics" Rocky Horror Picture Show and A Clockwork Orange. UGH! Putrid wastes of celluloid.

On the other hand, there are a few movies that I seem to be the only one who liked them. I actually liked Kevin Costner's The Postman so much I've watched it 3 or 4 times (though I'd rather take a sharp stick in the eye than ever watch Waterworld again). Battlefield Earth was by no means a GOOD movie, but I did rather enjoy it despite myself. Ladykillers, which made IMDb's top 100 Worst Movies of ALL TIME list, really tickled me (though it could have something to do with my favorite actor Tom Hanks' cheeky portrayal of the main character). I was also absolutely, indescribably captured by Apocalypto - which I don't know if anyone else liked or not because I don't know another single soul who saw it besides the Hub (he also loved it - and the fact that either of us liked a subtitled movie is remarkable in itself).

So I was wondering, what movies crowned as masterpieces did you find less than palatable? And what movies branded as bombs did you actually like - even love?

Come on now - we're all friends here. You can tell us!