10 great movies you really need to stop calling guilty pleasures

The term “guilty pleasure” is often used to describe a movie that someone can only enjoy in secret, for fear of what the general public will think of the movie. Often, this means that a guilty pleasure movie is one that is typically looked down upon. However, I would argue that guilty pleasure is a term that is thrown around far too often when discussing unloved movies. But what if the guilty pleasures are not actually guilty? What if they are really good movies?

From the vastness of space to the dust of the Wild West, some of these so-called “guilty pleasures” are really great movies. They often provide endearing stories full of compelling characters, but for one reason or another, whether it’s their box-office performance or a misunderstanding of the themes, these movies are treated very harshly. It’s time to set the record straightAnd embrace these movies for the misunderstood gems that they actually are.

10

Starship Troopers (1997)

Misunderstood upon release

Starship TroopersDirected by Paul Verhaven, it is an adaptation of the 1959 novel by Robert A. Heinlein. It tells the story of teenager Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dean), who enlists in the army of the United Citizen Federation, a government that rules over Earth. Earth is engaged in a war with an extraterrestrial bug species known as arachnids. Upon release, it was heavily criticized for its alleged fascist themes, and underperformed at the box office.

While a small group of fans now consider Starship Troopers For being a misinterpreted cult-classic, it deserves more than this kind of appreciation. Starship Troopers is a sharp satire of militarized fascism, with its exaggerated nationalism and excessive violence as a criticism of it. The cast is excellent, from Van Dean’s performance as Johnny, to Denise Richards as his girlfriend, Carmen, and all the cast add up. Starship Troopers‘Charm. It is a movie that is well-deserving of a re-evaluation, and an apology.

9

John Carter (2012)

What’s in a name?

John Carter Potentially only known to many audiences for its atrocious box office numbers, it became one of Disney’s worst financial investments in a movie. John Carter tells the story of the titular character after he is accidentally transported to a planet he knows as Mars and must attempt to navigate the new, alien terrain. It was criticized for its somewhat predictable story and low box-office numbers, but beyond that, John Carter is truly worthy of more appreciation.

Chief among these is the impressive scale of the movie, with its visually stunning effects and incredible score by Michael Giacchino. The cast all give solid performances as well, adding to the depth of the movie, with Taylor Kitsch’s performance as John Carter being particularly impressive. If only the movie wasn’t given the rather boring name, John CarterMore people would have been interested in watching it, giving this titan of a movie the respect and commercial success it probably deserved.

8

Batman Forever (1995)

A refreshing diversion from Batman’s tone

In fairness to Batman ForeverNo movie that had to follow Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) would have a hard time living up to them. However, a lot of the criticism was reasonable Batman ForeverMaking it many people’s guilty pleasure Batman movie to watch, is completely unfounded. One of the main problems people have with Batman Forever is its lighter tone and colorful approach when compared to the previous two movies, but It is arguably this change in tone that makes this movie so underrated.

The iconic, over-the-top performances of Jim Carrey as the Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones as Two Face are some of the highlights of the movie, pushing the story forward in a fun and exciting way. While a more “family-friendly” approach to a live-action Batman movie may have been a misguided idea, it’s hard to deny that Batman Forever Made the most out of the premise. Overall, it’s a fun superhero movie with two all-time great Batman villains in it, and shouldn’t be a guilty pleasure for anyone.

7

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Keeping the franchise fresh

The fourth installment in the Indiana Jones The franchise was met with a lukewarm response from critics and audiences. Too much CGI, too little storytelling and far too many aliens are often among the criticisms aimed at Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The CGI-heavy action sequences may detract from Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls story, but that’s ultimately a superficial problem and shouldn’t have warranted the film’s treatment being so harsh.

Introducing a son for Indiana (Harrison Ford) to interact with was a controversial choice, but nonetheless one that adds a greater layer of depth and nuance to Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls storyline while still honoring the archeology legend. It’s a movie that keeps the franchise fresh, takes new characters on new adventures, and still maintains the same spirit of exploration and fun that defined the original trilogy. This movie is not a guilty pleasure, it is a pleasure to watch.

6

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

A true fantasy epic

Although not at the same standard of quality as these Hobbit Movies that came before it, and absolutely nowhere near those Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Battle of the Five Armies It remains a heartfelt movie full of great spectacle and emotional heat. Of course, the main issue that many people point to is the fact that the filmmakers stretched one book into three movies of two and a half hours each. As such, many people have criticized The Battle of the Five Armies Unfairly, call its history bloated, and its production a money-grab.

It may have stretched the story of ​​Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) more than necessary, but that does not make The Battle of the Five Armies An empty movie in general. It manages to nail the actual battle itself (although the CGI is, admittedly, soulless at times) and produces a satisfying conclusion to the Hobbit Trilogy. The movie also manages to balance the grand spectacle with intimate moments of emotional resonance, and I have no doubt that fans, one day, will look to The Battle of the Five Armies In a new, positive light.

5

Cars 2 (2011)

Overheated for its tonal shift

A spy movie, but with cars! What’s not to love? According to both critics and fans alike, a lot, with Cars 2 Often placing very low in Pixar rankings. Cars 2 was a daring departure from the premise of the 2006 original, focusing on Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) as he is mistaken for a spy by Finn McMissile (Michael Caine), and unwittingly recruited into his mission. The audience was surprised to see such a deviation from the tone of the first movie – from a small-town story to an international mission of espionage to uncover a conspiracy about the World Grand Prix.

Tonal whiplash aside, Cars 2 is a movie that still has a great, action-packed story to tell. Audiences get to learn more about the Cars universe, while Pixar’s CGI efforts and technical prowess are on full display. That’s not even mentioning the rather mature messaging about being true to yourself and the importance of loyalty. It’s a downright great movie And does not deserve the unfair status of guilty pleasure at all.

4

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

A solid MCU installment

Avengers: Age of Ultron is a great superhero movie. The introduction of so many new characters and subplots may be convoluted at first, but it only highlights Age of Ultron to new heights. The main problem with this movie is how Ultron himself is arguably wasted by dying at the end, and should have appeared in more MCU projects. But even that doesn’t detract from the story-pack of a movie that sees the Avengers reunite to save the world.

Age of Ultron It’s not a guilty pleasure, it’s a rich film that doesn’t even notice the weight of expectations on its back. It balances spectacle with intimacy, gives each member of the stacked ensemble cast their moment to shine, and lays the crucial groundwork for future acclaimed MCU projectsEspecially Captain America: Civil War (2016). If you had to choose the weakest Avengers Movie, one would probably choose Age of Ultron Out of instinct, but honestly, the movie deserves more than that.

3

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Love it or hate it, you definitely watched it

When audiences talk about divisive movies, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi Will probably be mentioned. Loved by critics (91% on Rotten Tomatoes), questioned by audiences (41% on Rotten Tomatoes), but constantly talked about, The Last Jedi is actually a very good addition to these Star Wars Franchise (by Rotten tomatoes). The main criticism the movie faces is its constant subversion of expectations, especially in the way Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) was portrayed.

Ultimately, audiences can feel however they want to feel about Luke’s character, but it’s impossible to deny that his disillusioned hermit bow in The Last Jedi Is worth watching, with Hamill giving an excellent performance. Visually stunning, thematically rich, and above all, bold, The Last Jedi Tried something new, and was crucified by fans for it. It’s about time this movie gets the respect it deserves for being such a visionary and ambitious entry to the franchise.

2

The Lone Ranger (2013)

Disney’s West is criminally underrated

In a similar way to John CarterThe primary reason many audiences talk about The Lone Ranger Is because of how bad it flopped at the box office. There is one infallible piece of criticism that cannot be disputed when it comes to The Lone RangerAnd that’s the casting of Johnny Depp, a white man, as the Ranger’s Native American companion, Tonto. Apart from this big mistake, The Lone Ranger is one of the most unique, comedic and dramatic Westerns of all time.

Yes, it’s a long movie, with a runtime of over two and a half hours, but it’s full of action, incredible set pieces and razor sharp dialogue. in particular, The Lone RangerThe topics about the oppression of Native Americans in the US. it. deserve to be appreciated more, Send a bold message to the historically whitewashed western genre. Entertaining, epic, but sometimes dark, The Lone Ranger Shouldn’t be anywhere near the term guilty pleasure movie.

1

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

It’s certainly encouraging to see more people coming to appreciate the third installment in Sam Raimi. Spider-Man trilogy, but it still remains controversial to like, for some reason (by movieweb). It was heavily criticized for being too crowded – with three villains, Peter Parker’s (Tobey Maguire) personal struggles, and the iconic “emo Peter Parker” dance. This is a movie that deserves another shot at appreciation, with its apparently “overwrought” narrative actually being one of the highlights of the movie.

The inevitable chaos that comes with so much in history makes Spider-Man 3 One of the most enjoyable Spider-Man Movies ever. Each rewatch reveals a new detail that you missed the first time, giving the movie a timeless charm that still hasn’t worn off. Sure, it’s messy in parts, but that doesn’t stop it Spider-Man 3 Its great fun and also an ambitious addition to the series.

Sources: movieweb, Rotten tomatoes.