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Welcome to "Cinema Herald". My aim is to bring movie reviews to a somewhat different level. I don't know about you guys but I'm sick and tired of Critics who dissect a movie to bits. Who cares about all that deep stuff, sometimes you just want to know if you'll be entertained or not. Is it worth me spending $10? Now don't get me wrong, sometimes when we watch a movie, it does require us to put on our thinking caps and I'll do that from time to time depending on the film I review but for the most part, I just want to know if I'm going to have a laugh or a cry or even crap my pants - in other words, will it take my mind off the fact that I'm broke and my rent is due for a few hours? Movies are a public service...they are to help us escape for a few hours and forget that we're overworked and under paid.

Movies you're embarrassed to admit you like

July 4th 2010 09:11
Who hasn't been in a situation where they were in a group discussion with friends and someone just happened to have seen a movie that you liked but they didn't. Not only did they think it was really dumb but everyone else did too. They all started to rip the movie to shreds like a pack of angry wolves, however you're noticeably quiet because, well, you liked it and didn't think it was so bad but you were just too embarrassed to admit it.

Who knows why we succumb to those types of film every once in a while? We know it's dumb and makes no sense, but for some strange reason it appeals to us - it's unexplainable.

I've been perusing a few discussion forums and I came across an interesting thread where people, mostly men, were listing movies they were embarrassed to admit they like. None of the films listed were interesting and most would fall under the category of mindless drivel - and that means that most people are subject to brain anomalies - it's okay once in a while to just loose your head in junk, generally speaking.

Anyhow, here's a list of titles that came up frequently (these are not in any specific order):

1. Gigli
Larry Gigli (Ben Affleck), a lowly hit man in Los Angeles,
who is looking to finally score big, lands the perfect "job"--or so he thinks. He is assigned to kidnap Brian, the psychologically challenged younger brother of a powerful federal prosecutor, in order to save his mobster boss from incarceration. Holed-up in his one-bedroom apartment with his kidnap victim Brian, Gigli starts to realize that what he thought would be a routine assignment has become a daunting and unwieldy task. Ricki (Jennifer Lopez), a beautiful, independent-minded female gangster, is sent to assist Gigli with the kidnapping--as his boss doesn't have faith that Gigli can carry out the job on his own.

2. Necessary Roughness
Due to NCAA sanctions, the Texas State University Fightin' Armadillos must form a football team from their actual student body, with no scholarships to help, to play their football schedule. With fewer players than most teams, the makeshift team must overcome obstacles that the best teams in the country couldn't deal with. Using a 34 year old quarterback, a female placekicker and a gang of misfits, Ed "Straight Arrow" Genero must take his team to play the number one Texas Colts

3. I'm Gonna Git You Sucka!

Jack Spade returns from the army in his old ghetto neighbourhood when his brother, June Bug, dies of an apparent gold chain overdose. Jack declares war on Mr. Big, powerful local crimelord. His army is led by John Slade, his childhood idol who used to fight bad guys in the 70s. This is a parody of the Blacksploitation movies of the 70s.


4. Xanadu
Sonny Malone (Michael Beck) is a frustrated artist. He has tried to leave a job he hates--painting large display versions of record-album covers--but he shreds his efforts and throws them out the window. The pieces blow past a mural of nine dancing women. THE WOMEN GLOW INTO LIFE AND LEAP FROM THE PAINTING! and one of the mythological muses helps him and a former big-band clarinetist open a roller disco.

5. Dumb and Dumber
Lloyd and Harry are two lovable and friendly, but very stupid
friends, who struggle with every aspect of life. Working as a limo driver, Lloyd drops off the beautiful Mary at the airport and instantly falls in love with her. Watching Mary through a window, Lloyd witnesses her leave her case behind. Grabbing her case, Lloyd is too late, but soon thinks of the next best thing. Dragging Harry with him, Lloyd heads off to Aspen to deliver her personally the case. However, Holly isn't the only person after the case, as a pair of criminals are after the same case.

6. Center Stage
Follows the hopes and dreams of a tight-knit group of young dance students as they try to make a name for themselves and become stars in the fiercely competitive world of professional dance. Vibrant and supremely gifted, they are students who devote themselves to their art, sacrificing ordinary pleasures of life to train with the rigor of Olympic athletes. While experiencing the normal joys and sorrows, loves and conflicts of youth, they vie for a place in an ultra-selective professional dance company. Featuring a diverse musical palette--from Tchaikovsky to Jamiroquai--the story traces these fresh-faced talented friends as they strive to take their place on center stage.

7. Point Break

In the coastal town of Los Angeles, a gang of bank robbers call themselves the ex-presidents. commit their crimes while wearing masks of ex-presidents Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson. The F.B.I. believes that the members of the gang could be surfers and send young agent Johnny Utah undercover at the beach to mix with the surfers and gather information. Utah meets surfer Bodhi and gets drawn into the lifestyle of his new friend.

8. Mannequin
A young artist sees one of his mannequins in a department store and goes to work there to be close to her. She magically comes to life when he is around, and so begin the hilarious escapades.

9. Some Kind Of Wonderful
Keith (Eric Stoltz) is finishing up with high school. A sensitive loner, he prefers to work on his art over going to sporting events and hanging with the cool crowd. Instead, he
platonically whiles away the hours with Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson), the pixieish drummer girl he's known since grade school. But Keith does have one popular obsession: Amanda Jones (Lea Thompson), the most desired girl in school--and girlfriend of obnoxious rich guy Hardy Jens (Craig Scheffer). When Hardy and Amanda part ways, Keith finally has his chance---and true blue Watts will do all that she can, even it that means biting her tongue and suppressing her true feelings for her longtime friend.

10. Grease 2
Return to rockin' Rydell High for a whole new term! It's 1961, two years after the original Grease gang graduated, and there's a new crop of seniors - and new members of the coolest cliques on campus, the Pink Ladies and T-Birds. Michael Carrington is the new kid in school - but he's been branded a brainiac. Can he fix up an old motorcycle, don a leather jacket, avoid a rumble with the leader of the T-Birds, and win the heart of Pink Lady Stephanie Zinone? He's surely going to try!

11. Pootie Tang

Cool guy Pootie Tang is a crime-fighting recording artist who, despite the fact that his strange style of speech is intelligible only to a select few, becomes a hero to the children he protects.



12. The Cutting Edge
Set against the backdrop of the 1992 Olympic Figure Skating Competition, the film centers on the life of Doug Dorsey, a brash, blue collar hockey player who is destined for stardom in the NHL until an overzealous opponent leaves him blindsided. In a last ditch effort to capture the Gold, he teams up with Kate Moseley, a prima donna pairs figure skater whose domineering talent and razor-sharp wit puts Doug on very thin ice.

13. Young Einstein

Albert Einstein is the son of a Tasmanian apple farmer, who discovers the secret of splitting the beer atom to put the bubbles back into beer. When Albert travels to Sydney to patent his invention he meets beatuiful French scientist Marie Curie, as well as several unscrupulous types who try to take advantage of the naive genius and his invention.

14. Encino Man
Dave Morgan and Stoney Brown are two high school
outcasts who, while digging in Dave's backyard for a swimming pool, find and thaw out a block of ice containing a man from the Ice Ages. Dave and Stoney try to pass him off as a regular teenager and Link becomes seriously popular at school and this causes Dave and Stoney to become popular in the process. But Matt Wilson, the school's most popular guy, after being pissed at Dave and Stoney for getting friendly with his girlfriend Robyn Sweeney, discovers Link's real identity and it's a question if whether anyone will believe his story that Link is really from the Ice Ages.

15. Bring It On

Torrance is a typical all-American high schooler who, as captain of her school's championship-winning cheerleading squad, is faced with stiff competition for the national title from the inner-city, hip-hop squad the Clovers, led by Isis. Torrance's mission is further complicated when she learns that her predecessor stole cheer routines from the Clovers, who are more eager than ever to even the score. Torrance is further distracted when she finds herself falling for a most unlikely high schooler, as much an outsider as she is an insider.

I'm going to put my reputation on the line and name four movies that I'm embarrassed to admit I actually like.

1. Flash Gordon
In this update of the 1930's comic strip, Flash is a football hero who is skyjacked aboard Dr. Zarkov's rocketship along with beautiful Dale Arden. The threesome are drawn into the influence of the planet Mongo, controlled by Ming the Merciless. Ming has been testing the Earth with unnatural disasters, and deeming it a threat to his rule, he plans to destroy it. He also intends to take Dale as his concubine. Flash must avoid the amorous attentions of Ming's daughter and unite the warring kingdoms of Mongo to rescue Dale and save our world.

Why, Deni, why?!?: I have no idea. It doesn't take itself seriously, the sets are an interesting psychedelic mix of funky colors that I would imagine is what an acid trip is like, it's campy and it's just ridiculously fun to watch and laugh at.

2. Men At Work
Carl and James are two pleasant but unambitious garbage men. Carl has a telescope with which he observes his neighbors. One evening he sees a man giving a female neighbor a hard time. As she leaves he shoots the man with a pellet gun. Hiding, he and James miss two men strangling the man and leaving with the body. When he appears in a can on their route they are afraid and hide the body, fearing that they may be implicated in the death. Trying to crack the case, they spy on the woman, join up with a slightly to majorly crazed vietnam vet, kidnap a pizza man and help to protect the ecology.

Why, Deni, why?!?: Again, it's absurdly funny and doesn't take itself seriously. And hey, it sends off a strong message to protect the environment. This movie was written and directed by Emilio Esteves and he stars in it with his brother Charlie.

3. Weird Science
A pair of nerdy high-schoolers, outcasts to everyone, take to their computer and magically bring to life a stunningly beautiful woman whose devotion to them--and not to mention her special powers--make them the most desired kids on the block. The late great director of teen angst, John Hughes made a departure from his usual formula with this one. It stars Anthony Michael Hall, Robert Downey Jr., and Bill Paxton.

Why, Deni, why?!?: There were some funny moments in this one but for me it was the hilarious performance by Bill Paxton that won me over in this movie. He was sensational as the obnoxious older brother.

4. Swept Away
Amber is 40, beautiful, rich, spoiled, and arrogant beyond measure. Nothing makes this woman happy, including her wealthy but passive husband (Tony), a pharmaceutical kingpin. When Tony takes her on a private cruise from Greece to Italy, Amber is unimpressed at this impromptu no-frills vacation, and takes out her anger on the ship's first mate, Giuseppe. When a storm leaves the two shipwrecked on a deserted island, however, the tables suddenly turn.

Why, Deni, why?!?: Yeah, I know, I know. I think I'm partial to Guy Ritchie. I happen to like his movies and I'll be the first to admit that the original was far far far far more superior than this one, but there's something about this one I like, call me crazy. Maybe it's the beautiful scenery...or maybe I'm just delusional. And yes, Madonna was awful in this one BUT to be fair she did have "moments" and that's all I have to say about that.

So, is anyone up for sharing their list of movies they are embarrassed to like?

C'mon! don't be shy about it.







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21 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Jason King

July 4th 2010 09:43


Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness

Hahahaha - I love most of those films

Comment by Deni

July 4th 2010 12:22


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Hey Jason! Ha

Well I admit that some of the movies are "okay" but I don't know if I can look you in the eye if you actually liked Young Einstein.

Hmmmmm....


Comment by Jason King

July 4th 2010 21:12


Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness

Are u kidding - when Young Einstein came out I was a teenager and the film was awesome!!!! Totally loved it - haven't seen it recently but it went very well in Australia.

Centre Stage is still my fave dance film, the first three films and Swept Away I have never seen. The rest are mostly 80's or 90's films that were pretty good for their time - Point Break still makes my top 50 films of all time and Bring it On was awesome. Grease 2 was crap because Grease was so fricking awesome


Comment by Journeywoman

July 5th 2010 05:11


Great Hair Style Tips
I Dream of Hollywood
Fashion Peach
I liked Center Stage and Bring It On as well.... mostly for the dance routines (cheerleading as dancing IS a stretch but I'll allow it) and they were just a bit of fluff.

As for your list Deni, the only one I've seen is Weird Science and I can't say I was overly impressed! Swept Away looks watchable though......

The only movie that I've ever felt embarrassed about liking is The Sound of Music but that was when I was a kid, and I gave up feeling embarrassed about films ages ago

Fun post!

Comment by Deni

July 5th 2010 05:49


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Journeywoman, the forum listed the films as "embarrassed to like" but I think it's safe to say that it's just a figure of speech for movies no one would want to be caught dead paying money for...also it's important to note that most of the people who participated are men...which explains why a trip to the cinema to see Center Stage and liking it, would not be the coolest thing to admit to your mates.

Jason - I know a handful of Aussies who ripped YOUNG EINSTEIN to shreds and claim that it's an embarrassment, along with Crocodile Dundee It's interesting to see that not everyone felt that way. My husband would rather eat dirt than see it again.

Cheers and thanks for stopping by.


Comment by David O'Connell

July 5th 2010 06:43


Screen Fanatic
Yeah, a really fun article Deni! Actually, I can't believe how few of these films I've seen..............which may be a blessing in disguise of course! My God, I'm not sure I've seen any of them in their entirety to be honest! About 6 or 7 I've seen snippets or chunks of but couldn't last the distance!!
I'll have to have a think about this.................certainly two films I liked from last year that everyone else bagged were Knowing and The Lovely Bones. Not sure how embarrassing they are or will be in a few years time. Will delve deeper and see if I can come up with some that are close to unmentionables!

Comment by Journeywoman

July 5th 2010 07:33


Great Hair Style Tips
I Dream of Hollywood
Fashion Peach
I feel bad for men who feel they have to conform to some old school notion of masculinity, and feel embarrassed about liking certain films. Just one more reason it's fabulous to be a woman!

Comment by Deni

July 5th 2010 08:04


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Hi David and thanks . I have a few reviews to write up and I'm actually being lazy by posting something easy and breezy because it is desperately hot where I am now. It was 39 degrees , at least, over the weekend and the humidity is oppressive (sigh).

A lot of these are American movies that tanked as soon as they were released with the exception of a few. I'm sure you can find them at the $1 Video Store if you guys have them in Australia.



Comment by Jason King

July 5th 2010 21:24


Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness

I am sure if I watched Young Einstein now I would want to eat dirt but back then as a teenager it was a joyous and hysterical experience. I am pretty sure this film was the end of Yahoo Serious.

And JW - I have no shame - I love Centre Stage and Sound of Music is an annual guilty pleasure hahaha

Comment by JohnDoe

July 6th 2010 00:13


Film & TV on DVD
Fun post Deni, some atrocities for sure in the list though Flash Gordon, I'm Gunna Git You sucka and Point Break can be included in my own submission


far too many to list all but here are a few that spring to mind as guilty pleasures/ embarrassing:

Smokin' Aces
Shoot Em Up
DePalma's Femme Fatale
Better of Dead
Valley of the Dolls
Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill
Beat Street
Tattoo
Harley Davidson and The M
The Hot Spot
Very Bad Things
Ladyhawke
Pink Flamingos
Hudson Hawk


Ok, that's enough of a confession

Comment by ShaunK

July 6th 2010 00:43


Screen Adventure
Hey Deni - fun post
I've got the title to end all titles

'Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man' - can you get any more tacky

Also the Bill and Ted films are guilty pleasures, and lets not forget that guy in Police Academy who makes those sounds - no, not Bobcat Goldwaith - the other guy!

I'm also have a soft spot for some of those Adam Sandler films

But the one that takes the cake for me and I even did a review championing it is Pauly Shore Is Dead (click here to read more) - written and directed by and starring - PAULY SHORE - I actually met him a few weeks ago when I bumped into him on the street, it was underwhelming to say the least and he's aged terribly.

See it - and prepare to be in awe haha

Comment by ShaunK

July 6th 2010 00:49


Screen Adventure
P.S. SpaceJam starring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny rox my little sox off and lets not forget Cool World with Brad Pitt

Comment by Deni

July 6th 2010 01:55


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Jason - the Aussies I know NEVER liked it...I wonder what happened to Yahoo Serious? I'll have wiki him. I remember him, Jacko and Paul Hogan were the first wave of Australian imports popular in the states. Jacko used to do all those Energizer battery commercials. Needless to say the second wave was a much better crop with Hugh Jackman, Heath Ledger, Russel Crowe, and Eric Banna.

*

JD, you have added some greats to your list - I can actually add some of yours to mine.

Ladyhawke
Beat Street
Smoking Aces

Better Off Dead is a cult a cult classic.

I loved Beat Street.

*

Shaun - Please tell me that you don't like Little Nicky...please tell me. I started to get into Sandler when he did The Wedding Singer and I loved him in Spanglish.


Comment by Bryn

July 6th 2010 05:35


Horrorphile
I enjoyed Bring it On ... Two words: Eliza Dushku in cheerleader outfit.

Flash Gordon ... Hell, I saw that when it came out! And I own it. Deep sci-fi fantasy trash. Love the green stinger beastie in the wood!

Point Break. Kathryn knows how to inject adrenalin into a movie. I can't stand either of the two male leads, yet its a guilty pleasure. Go figure.

My wife loves Xanadu, might be her favourite movie. I can hear my brain cells popping when she puts it on ...

And a grab bag of my own guilty pleasures? Ummmm .... You know, I don't really have any (that I'm prepared to admit) that I actually own ...

Tango & Cash perhaps? But that's actually quite good. Zandalee and Emmanuelle, maybe. Actually I own several Emmanuelle movies ... Hmmmm.

There are probably more cases of movies that everyone else seems to love that I can't stand ...





Comment by ShaunK

July 6th 2010 06:19


Screen Adventure
My wife loves Xanadu, might be her favourite movie. I can hear my brain cells popping when she puts it on ...

hahahah

I was actually talking more about Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore maybe - oh and of course how could I forget his masterpiece - Dont Mess With The Zohan

Another one I'd like to bring to the table is Raw Deal with Arnold Schwarzenegger.


Comment by Matt Shea

July 6th 2010 09:33


20/20 Filmsight
Great post, Deni, and nobody should be embarrassed to admit a fondness for I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.

Flash Gordon? 'Diiiiiiiive!!!!' Nothing wrong with that...

But I have to join you in actually enjoying Men at Work when I last saw it. I may have been 13 when I last saw it, but that still counts... and you only have to mention its name to have most pop culture nerds keeling over in stitches. It's got Keith David - what more could you want?!!?

Comment by Bryn

July 6th 2010 23:39


Horrorphile
Adam Sandler is torture for me, I can't stand the man, or any of his movies. I'd rather watch a turd.

Comment by Deni

July 7th 2010 01:12


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Byn - Hahaha! Tell us how you really feel about Sandler.

Matt - Men At Work is one of those silly movies I can watch over and over again. I haven't seen it recently but I wonder if it still holds the same appeal. Keith David is excellent in it.


Comment by Michaelie

July 8th 2010 09:45


Flick Wit
Hmmm, I have the film adaptation of 'Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure' in my DVD collection (based on the book by John Cleland, written sometime in the 1700s).

Guilty pleasures of mine are Julia Roberts flicks like Pretty Woman, Notting Hill, Erin Brockovitch. They are such good mindless entertainment whenever I'm feeling depressed (OK, no excuses, I like them any old time!)

I love all of the Die Hard movies, even the last one, because it's got Timothy Olyphant as a bad-egg.

Really though, I'm not embarrassed about liking any of these. I'd be embarrassed if I liked either of the SATC movies...

Fun post Deni!

Comment by Deni

July 8th 2010 10:19


Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Michaelie,

I HATE "Pretty Woman". I loathe that movie only because I read the original script. It was actually supposed to be dark and edgier than the fluff they made it into. Come to think of it, I wasn't a particular fan of Erin Brockovitch either...perfect example of Julia Roberts getting an Oscar simply because she's Julia Roberts. Ohhh, don't get me started.

The first Die Hard is a classic - nothing to be ashamed about there.

I like Timothy Olyphant actually. Have you seen Catch And Release? Really cute movie with him and Jennifer Garner.

Anyhow, thanks for stopping by.

Deni

Comment by Michaelie

July 8th 2010 21:36


Flick Wit
No haven't seen it Deni... but I hate Garner like you hate Roberts!


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