So-bad-they’re-good weekend binges
You haven’t seen bad until you’ve seen The Room.
The 2003 film, written and directed by the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau, has been hailed as the best worst movie of all time, but it still regularly sells out rowdy midnight showings at theaters. And now the film has gotten a star-studded “making-of ” treatment in James Franco’s The Disaster Artist.
Its resurgence is making us revisit our other favorite movies that are so bad they’re great. Here are five terrible films available to rent or stream online. ( The
Room is not available online, but you can buy the DVD or check out a spoonthrowing midnight screening.)
If you want a bad superhero movie: Batman & Robin
Before Christopher Nolan and Chris- tian Bale made Batman cool and serious again with Batman Begins, the most recent big-screen incarnation of the Caped Crusader was George Clooney’s in this laughably cartoonish film. The batsuit has prominent nipples, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a shocking blue Mr. Freeze, and Batman has a special credit card. Enough said. ❚ Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.
If you want a bad fantasy film: Troll 2
Troll 2 is another example of a bad film with such a cult following a movie was made about it. The documentary
Best Worst Film explains how this mindboggling film was made. (It is not, as you might guess, a sequel to the 1986 film
Troll, for instance.) The film is a stew of terrible acting, horrible costumes and unintentionally hilarious dialogue. ❚ Rent it on Amazon, iTunes or Vudu.
If you want a bad action film: Masters of the Universe
The case of a good actor in a bad movie: Dolph Lundgren stars in this illconceived adaptation of the popular kids’ toys. It’s bad all around, but its laughable special effects are the real star. ❚ Stream it on Starz.
If you want a bad cheesy inspirational film: Honey
Starring Jessica Alba as an aspiring choreographer and dancer, Honey makes this list because of its painfully on-the-nose and schlocky inspirational story. Yet it also makes room for cameos from the likes of Missy Elliott and Ginuwine, which are always entertaining. ❚ Stream it on Starz.
If you want a bad horror film: Anaconda
This 1997 film has a baffling starstudded cast (Jennifer Lopez! Owen Wilson! Ice Cube!) but is more like SyFy channel’s Sharknado series than a mainstream horror film. The bad decisions of its characters and the poorly aged CGI of its titular monster make for a hilarious viewing experience. ❚ Stream it on Starz.