My Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies

  Every once in a while, even those of us who heavily critique movies still admit that there are a few motion pictures that we know are substandard, yet we cannot stop watching them. So, I am not ashamed to admit that these are the films I tend to watch over and over again, regardless of how well they did with the critics or the box office.


1. Sucker Punch   

Is the story really inconsistent and terribly ridiculous? Yep. Is the acting a bit substandard? You bet. Are the messages so mixed up that you can't figure out if it's feminist or anti-feminist? Absolutely. But hey…every once in a while, it's good to cut loose and have fun. This movie has it all: hot chicks, guns, explosions, robots, ass-kicking, and an awesome soundtrack. It's all good. 

 
2. Atlantis: The Lost Empire

I will admit that even though I really love Hunchback Of Notre Dame, I have a soft spot for this underrated Disney adventure. Yes, the story is a bit flat, and there were some things that needed a bit of  polishing. But the side characters are hilarious, the cinematography is unique, and overall it's quite the experience. Sure, it may not make it onto the "Top Ten Disney Films" list, but it would most certainly be on mine. 

3. Dirty Girl

While this movie did tank at the box office and wasn't really a hit with critics, I stumbled across this film on Netflix and instantly fell in love. The main characters are hilarious, and they have such great chemistry that it makes the whole film really seem like the epic road trip it is trying to be. And sure, it may not be that gigantic in terms of the overall experience, but it's still enjoyable, and worth the time. 

4. 47 Ronin

I don't think it's a big secret that in terms of Keanu Reeves, this was not really one of his better movies. While the story is interesting, the characters are pretty typical, and even then they aren't that compelling. But I will admit, upon watching the behind-the-scenes bits for this film, I felt that they did put a lot of effort into it. If you analyze it in terms of cinematography and effects, it does come off as pretty well done. Which is why I have no problem popping in the DVD once every so often. 

5. A Series Of Unfortunate Events

With the book series now being turned into a Netflix miniseries, I looked back and realized that this film may have been a little underrated. Sure, it feels rushed, and lacks some of the depth that made the books interesting, but I still felt that this adaptation was at least a noble effort. Jim Carrey's portrayal of Count Olaf will most certainly never be matched again, and is really what makes this film worth your time. 

6. Diary Of A Wimpy Kid

If some of you saw the title for this movie and decided to keep reading, thank you. The reason this movie is on this list is because I loved the Wimpy Kid books when I was younger. But even though I wasn't that excited about the film adaptation, I did end up finding it pleasantly entertaining. It's not trying to be this grand, epic masterpiece or anything; it's just a simple, cute little comedy film, and that's all you really need to enjoy it. 

7. Twilight

I will be honest in saying that I tend to like this film the most out of the entire franchise. Yes, the acting is terrible, the dialogue is laughable, and the story is pretty one-dimensional and ridiculous. But even so,  there's a sense of nostalgia that I associate with this film. I do feel like this was the one film that was trying really hard to be what the fans wanted. And sure, it doesn't go beyond that at all, or try to be something more. To be clear, though, that's all anyone asked for, so there. It's still somewhat entertaining, and holds up in terms of nostalgia. 

8. The Stepford Wives

With all the problems that this film had during production, it's a miracle that it even ended up being made. Critics still ripped it a new one, and I will admit that there are certainly more than a few problems with it. But having grown up in the type of suburban nightmare portrayed in the movie, I guess you can say that I find this film way more interesting and funny than I probably should. Say what you want about it, but if I ever need a satirical representation of my hometown, I always turn to this movie. 

9. I Love You, Man

Even though Rush was the only reason why I watched this film in the first place, I did end up liking it. This of course came as a surprise, because I don't usually enjoy "bro" comedies. But kudos to this movie: the characters were smart, the jokes were fresh, and it did really feel like it had a heart. So with all things considered, I usually watch this film as a pick-me-up, because it never fails to make me laugh. 

10. The Brass Teapot 

Much like Dirty Girl, this was another Juno Temple film that failed to be a critical or commercial success. And similar to Dirty Girl, I still really enjoyed this movie. While predictable, it's still entertaining to watch the sequence of events play out, and there's room for some pretty funny gags along the way. All in all I do find it entertaining, and it's certainly a nice little comedy to pass the time with.