I love good movies. Recently I watched “Fargo” for the first time in a few years, and it was fantastic. For me, there’s not much that can beat the experience of sitting down with friends and enjoying something really special.
But I also love bad movies. Especially really bad ones.
There can be something oddly fun about watching something that is just downright awful. And it isn’t just because I’m a mean man who likes to say mean things about stuff I don’t like.
Of course, there are some bad movies I don’t enjoy watching. For example, I didn’t enjoy watching the remake of “Mulan” that just came out. Its badness is more of the miserable type, the kind that makes your soul wish it was somewhere else.
It can be hard to find the line between the miserable bad and the fun bad, but you definitely know it when you see it. However, I do think the best bad movies generally have two qualities.
One, they’re initially viewed with minimal expectations or prior attachments. It’s no fun when a movie you expect to be good ends up being bad and letting you down. As a fan of the original series of “Gilmore Girls,” I was absolutely crushed when I saw “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” and quickly realized it was terrible. What you want is something you either know will be bad or know nothing about. That’s where the fun begins.
Two, the best bad movies are absolutely off-the-walls insane. No one wants to watch something that just keeps dragging on with absolutely nothing happening. Even though it wasn’t too long, I was still disappointed by how boring “Dark Phoenix” was. It’s always fun to come across something you are enjoying just because of how wild it is. You want movies to surprise you, both good ones and bad ones.
Personally, I find it a blast to sit down for a movie and find out it’s a really enjoyable mess on my own accord. But, I also love sharing the terrible stuff I find with others, so here are some of my personal favorite bad movies.
“The Room”
You gotta love the classics. Easily one of the most famous bad movies around, “The Room” deserves every ounce of renown it has gotten over the years. It’s a great introduction to the world of movies that are so bad they’re good. Unfortunately, it currently isn’t available to stream anywhere, but if it does come back it’s a must watch.
“Serenity”
This one’s a deeper cut, but easily one of my favorites. A not insignificant amount of the movie is dedicated to Matthew McConaughey shouting at random people, and it even has an amazing twist in the middle. Don’t worry, I won’t spoil it. It’s even on Amazon Prime, so if you're a member you don’t have to pay a dime, if you're a member.
“The Bye Bye Man”
In addition to having one of the worst titles I have ever seen, “The Bye Bye Man” is a terribly crafted horror movie that I absolutely adore. Nothing about it is scary, and everything about it is accidentally comical. It’s a fantastic disaster, and one of my go-to bad movies. And it’s on Netflix. Watch it now.
Of course there are many others I could recommend, but there are tons of lists online where you can find countless options.
I highly recommend taking a dive into the world of bad movies, because they can be a real comfort in times like these. While good stuff is important too, it’s nice to know there’s a universe full of awful movies I can watch and not think about too much.
Because sometimes it’s nice to turn your brain off.
