What Compels You To Watch Bad Movies / TV?
Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 1:11PM 
I am officially cured of my pneumonia (and there was much rejoicing) but in my final few days of laying around feeling sorry for myself I found myself watching bad movies and television with abandon. Do you do that when you're under the weather? Does the brain demand a vacation when the body shuts down?
A few days ago The Boyfriend and I watched Real Steel and in my medicated delirium I really enjoyed it. Particularly the scene in the junkyard when "Atom", our robot hero, defeats a brutish robot boxer who was so ugly he was cute. He was made of old used parts like mismatched fender biceps and a sledgehammer fist. He malfunctions and turns on himself. The boyfriend sighed dramatically, utterly pained by the movie.
If only *I* had a sledgehammer for a hand to beat myself to death with right now."
Heh.
He demanded we watch Melancholia for a third time immediately thereafter for a palette cleanser which made for the strangest double feature imaginable.
Last night I watched Revolution a second time -- glutton for punishment! -- and it remains so so terrible. The leading actress is either one of the worst ever asked to carry a series or the writers don't understand that whiny repetitive stubborness is not necessarily an appealing character trait. Why do I give genre shows so many chances? Do you share this weakness? Or maybe you have another...
I chased Revolution with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for which I blame Brooke Smith, the girl in the pit, who was playing a dangerous madame. I always love Brooke Smith but I do not love bad television. Tonight to rescue me from bad television for the forseeable future Revenge and Homeland return. Come to me awesome psychotic series, come to me!
Giant Fucking Robots, Real Steel, TV, bad movies
Reader Comments (5)
Nothing wrong with 'Real Steel'. It reminded me of the kind of summer movies they made in the 90s. It didn't have to be sarcastic and laden with irony like 'Transformers' or most teen-aimed blockbusters now. It was just enjoyable and quite sincere.
Although I'm a bit disappointed to see they're doing a sequel now. I miss the days when sometimes summer blockbusters were just one-offs. They never felt the need to do a sequel to 'Con Air' or 'Air Force One' or 'The Rock' or 'Speed'... oh wait...
Real Steel is an 80's movie made today. Of course it's offensively stupid but so were our nostalgic treasures.
All avid viewers are appreciative of junk food in television and film.
Paul Thomas Anderson made an Adam Sandler movie because he likes to watch Adam Sandler movies.
I actually really enjoyed Real Steel. I know it's ridiculous, but sometimes you need a movie that makes you feel like you're 10 years old again and Real Steel does just that. It's a silly premise, pumped with plenty of adrenaline that gives every one of its viewers a rush and even though the plot is predictable, you want to see it play out just the way you know it will. I always say that predictable movies work when you make the audience want the predictability, when your audience wants the good guy to win and wants to see every cliché in the book play out on the screen (that's one of the reasons Avatar worked for me as well).
Why watch bad movies? Because it's just so easy to.
Revenge was bangin tonight!
love Nolan's new haircut :)