Great "Bad" Movies

While watching Point Break for the 82nd time this weekend, I reached an epiphany.  Something magical happens when a group of extraordinarily talented people combines forces to work on a bad movie.  For all intensive purposes, Point Break should be terrible.   The plot is ridiculous: Witless surfers disguise themselves in presidential Halloween masks to double as the world's greatest bank robbers.    The cliches are cliche: A rookie FBI agent with something to prove teams up with an old-timer who no one takes seriously in order to take on the "Ex-Presidents."  And Keanu Reeves is the star.  This movie should have been nothing more than a guilty pleasure, "So bad, it's good" type flick,  but with two future academy-award winners at the helm, Point Break became one of the greatest action films of all time.  Too often, filmmakers attempt to achieve "greatness," and lose sight of making an enjoyable film that satisfies the audience.  Sometimes, it is all about the "suspension of disbelief," and with that here are a few more awesome movies...that are kind of bad too.  Just to be clear, these movies aren't "So bad, it's good."  They might be idiotic, but they are well made and peppered with brilliance that enables them to overcome their many flaws.

Alpha Dog
Who would have thought a film based on the kidnapping and murdering of a 15-year-old over a brother's drug debt could be so much fun. But in the hands of Nick Cassavettes and a storm of great, young acting talent, this flick plays out like a satisfying "last meal" before its inevitable end.  Yes (not really a spoiler) the kid is going to get killed, but he goes out in style that leaves the audience almost envious.

Cat's Eye
Three Steven King short horror tales seen (sorta) through the eyes of a stray cat.   There were plenty of bad films adapted from Steven King novels, but I'm drawn to this one, especially the story of James Woods attempting to quit smoking through a sadistic mob-owned service.

Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead
Like Snakes on a Plane, I'm pretty sure the awesome title existed before a plot was conceived.  Okay, this isn't a great movie, nor is it even a good movie, but I find it a cinematic accomplishment to produce a watchable work based on this fact.

Dressed to Kill
I don't know if Brian DePalma has too much to say as a filmmaker.  His films, by and large are rooted in other's greatness (like Hitchcock), but he is a master at crafting suspense and always fills his films top to bottom with plenty of nudity and violence if nothing else.  I actually don't remember much about Dressed to Kill in comparison to DePalma's other works, but I do remember enjoying the hell out of it.

The Happening
What people seem to not understand about M Night's thriller about killer plants is that it's supposed to be a pulpy B-Movie.  It might be idiotic, but it's a ton of fun and loaded with some enticing cinematic sequences.

Margaret
It took Kenneth Lonergan six years to edit his post 9/11 musing morality tale about a teenage girl who may have been responsible for a horrific bus accident.  It's rare for a film to appear on both "best of" and "worst of" year end lists, but Margaret is a work that is both maddening and thought-provoking.

Rio Bravo
Drink in delight every time John Waynes says "Dude," or pronounces Colorado as "Caaalarada."  Drink every time Walter Bremman opens his mouth to speak the language of "Pipsqueak."  And drink when Dean Martin quits drinking cold turkey...by switching to beer.  Rio Bravo is definitely a great western and great film made by one of the greatest directors cinema has every known, but it also works on another, hilarious level.

The Running Man
Well, this one isn't necessarily well made, probably since it was directed by Starsky of Starsy and Hutch, but the performances are top notch.  Arnold Schwarzenegger and Richard Dawson should have shared the Academy-Award for their faceoff in this action satire about a blood-thirsty futuristic society that delights in violent game shows as a means to escape from their dour existence.  Featuring the greatest retort to Arnold's signature "I'll be back," catch-prhase.  "Only in a rerun."

The Ten Commandments
A Passover staple for Jews across the globe that educates as well as entertains.  For example, who knew the Hebrews built the pyramids?    The Ten Commandments is not only worth seeing for the epicness within this 220 minute masterpiece, but also because it's a great revenge flick.  When Moses, played by Rabbi Charlton Heston, proclaims, "Let my people go," he is really saying, "Don't fuck with Jews."