I own over 250 movies, but there are a few movies I don’t have that I just love. When I joined a site that allowed me to watch other Netflixes, these were some of the first movies I searched for because I haven’t seen them in a while. When I browse through other people’s blogs, everyone posts their favourite film for the holidays, specific genres, or by actor and director. I wanted to break free from those prototype lists (no offence) and share with you some movies that would be nowhere near people’s favourite lists. I’m sure some of you will read through my list and scratch your head, but I do hope to own these trashy movies someday.
Not Another Teen Movie
One of the first movies to make fun of many stories in a film, Not Another Teen Movie, is something that my mom and boyfriend can enjoy when I visit home. They actually own this movie and watch it regularly more than I do. It’s hard to pick just one scene that I love, but the prom dance sequence is probably the best. When Reggie sings, “I’m only in this song because I’m a black guy,” it is hilarious and the moment I look forward to every time. Plus, this movie chronicles what Captain America was doing during high school before becoming super jacked on the green stuff and saving the world. Twice.
IMDb Rating: 5.7/10
Metascore: 32/100
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 28% critics 56% audience
Roger Ebert: 2/4
Do I Own It? No
National Lampoon’s Van Wilder
Everyone loves Ryan Reynolds, right? Even if you love or hate him, we can all agree he does put himself in some really horrible movies; remember The Green Lantern? Yeah, me neither. Anyways when he was first becoming a household name, he was the college king in Van Wilder. I love how resourceful he was after seven years of being in school. Nothing ever happened there without his knowledge or approval, and when he finally meets Gwen, he decides it’s time to grow up. It’s the only way he’s gonna win over the most beautiful girl he’s ever met.
IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
Metascore: 26/100
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 18% critics 74% audience
Roger Ebert: 1/4
Do I Own It? No
Wedding Daze
In 2007 I was bored browsing movies on Netflix when I stumbled across Wedding Daze. After watching this 1:30 movie about two complete strangers running away to get married, I called the local video store and bought it on DVD. My grandmother wanted to know what I had spent all afternoon laughing about, so I watched it with her, and she seemed to enjoy it just as well. The story is really crazy and all over the place, but the thing I love most about this movie is Jason Biggs, and Isla Fisher meet, get engaged, and then fall in love. It has just the right amount of charm in it to make me smile when I watch it.
IMDb Rating: 5.7/10
Metascore: n/a
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 33% critics 38% audience
Roger Ebert: n/a
Do I Own It? DVD
Sea of Love
If I have any creditability left at this point, I want to say that except for Insomnia and Heat, Sea of Love may be one of my favourite Al Pacino movies ever. A few years back, I went through an Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro phase when I tried to watch all their movies I had yet to see. Sea of Love is a great thriller where you don’t know if Pacino, an NYPD detective, is falling in love with the killer or if she is just a sexy lady he’s hooking up with. If you are smart enough, you can piece together the story and how the characters all intersect; if not, then you’ll have to wait until the end to see what happens. I think my favourite part about this movie is how tired and heartbroken Pacino’s character is until he meets Ellen Barkin’s character, Helen. After their one-night stand turns into something more, he will do anything to be with her without even knowing if she’s his number one suspect.
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Metascore: n/a
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 76% critics 66% audience
Roger Ebert: 3/4
Do I Own It? DVD
She’s Out of My League
While working on this list, I watched She’s Out of My League yesterday. I love this movie because when a guy like Jay Baruchel can date a gorgeous girl like Alice Eve, it gives hope to all everyone not named George Clooney. It would be tough to pick one scene that I love when the movie is comedy gold from start to finish. This would be one of my favourite T.J. Miller roles, while Krysten Ritter shines as Eve’s disapproving sarcastic friend. I love the banter between Miller and Ritter throughout the whole movie, on top of listening to all the horrible advice Baruchel’s character gets.
IMDb Rating:
Metascore: 46/100
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 58% critics 59% audience
Roger Ebert: 3/4
Do I Own It? Blu-Ray
Wrong Turn
Alright, so I don’t expect the Wrong Turn movie to make anyone’s favourite lists. What started out as a tremendous b-level horror franchise has slowly turned into a disgrace to the original concept and characters. I have seen all the Wrong Turns releases, but nothing will ever match the first one. It was a fresh idea for the horror genre because there are only a certain number of ways to kill people, and this was new.
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Metascore: 32/100
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 41% critics 54% audience
Roger Ebert: n/a
Do I Own It? No
Accepted
Who wouldn’t want to attend the South Harmon Institute of Technology?!?
At first glance, most people think this movie is so stupid that they would never bother to watch it. I hate to say it, but you may be missing out on one ridiculously look at one man’s attempt to create a fake college. Justin Long is at his best in the movie. He’s smart, funny, and the leader these rejects are looking for. If they ever made a sequel to this movie to see how the college is doing several years down the road, I would totally support such a project. Some of you may not laugh as much as I do every time I watch this, but this is a diamond in the rough.
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Metascore: 47/100
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 36% critics 72% audience
Roger Ebert: n/a
Do I Own It? DVD
The Longest Yard
The majority of moviegoers hate Adam Sandler. Even if I put hate in capital letters, that wouldn’t describe those feelings, but you get the point. In the 1990’s he was a comedy hero with hilarious roles, then the 2000s came, and he lost everything. The one gem out of the last decade that I absolutely love is The Longest Yard. The 1974 version is held in high regard to this movie despite an extremely talented cast of actors, comedians, wrestlers, rappers, and former NFL players. Chris Rock is at his best here as Caretaker, the black inmate filled with one-liners and knowledge of getting things. My favourite parts are the “Foot…ball…tree…outs. What the hell is a tree-out?” scene, “Superstar vs. Half a Star” discussion, and “You’re as maniacal as a box of kittens” debate. The Longest Yard is one of my favourite sports movies ever.
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Metascore: 48/100
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 31% critics 62% audience
Roger Ebert: 3/4
Do I Own It? No
Eurotrip
The best part of this movie is simply “Scotty Doesn’t Know,” performed by Matt Damon. In all seriousness, that song is on my iPod, and I actually reference Scotty all the time whenever something goes wrong. This movie won’t be for everyone, but this is one of my all-time favourite raunchy comedies.
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Metascore: 45/100
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 46% critics 75% audience
Roger Ebert: n/a
Do I Own It? Blu-Ray
Armageddon
All you need to know is that I can quote this movie from start to finish.
If I had to estimate how many times I’ve seen Armageddon, I’d say somewhere between 250-500 times. For some reason, this was my hockey game-day afternoon nap movie when I was growing up. I’d literally watch it all the time, and the funny thing is I never went to see it at the theatres! Everyone I know hates this movie and thinks it’s garbage because Michael Bay directed it. Some of you need to just overlook the director and the funny unrealistic story about the end of the world, to fall in love with the characters and their hilarious one-liners. None of these guys are have been appropriately trained for their mission, but hey, we only live once, right? Try to tell me that every time you hear “Leaving on a Jet Plane” by John Denver, you don’t picture Ben Affleck, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Steve Buscemi singing entirely out of tune as they board the ship to take them to their death. Most people cry when the main character dies, but the part that gets me every single time is when Will Patton’s Chick character meets his son again. So touching.
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
Metascore: 42/100
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 39% critics 73% audience
Roger Ebert: 1/4
Do I Own It? DVD
Is there a movie, no matter how bad it is, that you still love?
