List compiled by Eddie on 08/08/2014
Ah the guilty pleasure, the movie that you can watch any time, any day and get enjoyment out of it even if you don’t want anyone else to know!
The guilty pleasure is a personal movie for each and every one of us and in many cases a deep dark movie secret!
Looking to open up to the world what movies we consider good choices for your guilty pleasure viewing, below we have compiled a list of the 10 best guilty pleasure movies as seen by us. Without wishing to truly recommend what are essentially B grade movies, we do wish you happy reading and happy watching!
May the guilty times roll.
For Jordan’s list click HERE
Disclaimer – plot summaries from IMDB
10. The Phantom Toolbooth (1970)
Director: Chuck Jones (Man: The Polluter)
Starring: (voices of) Mel Blanc, Butch Patrick
Milo is a boy who is bored with life. One day he comes home to find a toll booth in his room. Having nothing better to do, he gets in his toy car and drives through – only to emerge in a world full of adventure.
Tagline – It’s an Alphabeautiful Mathemagical New Musical Movie
With this trippy and hardly known animated treat based off a popular book of the same name, movie studio MGM created an inventive, wacky and all round enjoyable tale that is well worth tracking down which may just be on Youtube as copies of this one are hard to come by. My VHS cope certainly got a fair play through over my childhood.
9. Mousehunt (1997)
Directed by: Gore Verbinski (The Ring)
Starring: Nathan Lane, Lee Evans
Two stumblebum inheritors are determined to rid their antique house of a mouse who is equally determined to stay where he is.
Tagline – Who’s hunting who?
Before he found success and failure with the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and The Lone Ranger respectively, director Gore Verbinski showed a comedic and family friendly feel with this highly energetic and often quite inventive family oriented tale. If it comes on TV it’s hard to turn off.
8. Transformers (2007)
Director: Michael Bay (Bad Boys)
Starring: Shia LeBeouf, Megan Fox, Jon Voight
An ancient struggle between two Cybertronian races, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, comes to Earth, with a clue to the ultimate power held by a teenager.
Tagline – This July, our world will be transformed
While the franchise continues to live on in ever increasingly epic installments, the first Transformers ranks as one of the most purely enjoyable and eye-wateringly cool summer blockbuster of the last decade. With a quick wit, great action and a young cast on good form before they went off the rails and into paper bags, Transformers is a deserving guilty pleasure for entertainment fans.
7. The Mummy (1999)
Director: Stephen Sommers (Van Helsing)
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah
An American serving in the French Foreign Legion on an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Hamunaptra accidentally awakens a Mummy.
Tagline – Prepare. Beware. Behold
With some at the time state of the art CGI, a likeable cast and a 1950’s serials tone, The Mummy is a gloriously self-aware and fun trip to the deserts of Egypt. With Brendan Fraser on his best career form and with some great set pieces, The Mummy is today just as fun as you remember it being.
6. Pearl Harbor (2001)
Director: Michael Bay (Bad Boys 2)
Starring: Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Backinsale
Pearl Harbor follows the story of two best friends, Rafe and Danny, and their love lives as they go off to join the war.
Tagline – It takes a moment to change history. It takes love to change lives.
Now come on people (Trey Parker and Matt Stone included) Pearl Harbor is not actually that bad! Filled with some stunning action set pieces, some beautiful cinematography and a harkening back to the epics of yesteryear, Pearl Harbor is a quite enjoyable tale once you get past all the love hyperbole.
5. Death Race (2008)
Director: Paul W.S Anderson (Resident Evil)
Starring: Jason Statham, Joan Allen, Jason Clarke
Ex-con Jensen Ames is forced by the warden of a notorious prison to compete in our post-industrial world’s most popular sport: a car race in which inmates must brutalize and kill one another on the road to victory.
Tagline – Get ready for a killer race
Great action, care free performances and many a brutal character, Death Proof is a movie proud of its B grade ambitions and as it stands, a movie that is highly watchable and enjoyable against all the odds.
4. Con Air (1997)
Directed by: Simon West (The Expendables 2)
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Dave Chappelle, John Cusack
A newly released ex-con and former US Ranger finds himself trapped in a prisoner transport plane when the passengers seize control.
Tagline: Buckle up!
With a sincerely over the top premise, a cast of willing and in many cases slumming actors and with one of cinemas best mullets, Con Air is a rip roaring thrill ride through the clouds that is the perfect tonic for a Friday night movie get together.
3. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Director: Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger)
Starring: Thomas Jane, Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J
Searching for a cure to Alzheimer’s disease a group of scientists on an isolated research facility become the bait as a trio of intelligent sharks fight back.
Tagline – Bigger. Smarter. Faster. Meaner
A strange poor man’s version of Jaws, Renny Harlins CGI extravaganza is also a seriously juicy B grade treat filled with memorable death scenes, a bizarre story and the best use of Samuel L. Jackson this side of Pulp Fiction. This is one seriously enjoyable trip to the great wide ocean of guilty pleasure.
2. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Directed by: Tom Shadyac (Patch Adams)
Starring: Jim Carrey, Courtney Cox
A goofy detective specializing in animals goes in search of a missing dolphin mascot of a football team.
Tagline – He’s the best there is! (Actually, he’s the only one there is.)
Throw good taste out the window and enjoy comedian master Jim Carrey on career best form as the loveable and unbelievably insane pet detective! Given free rein to take on proceedings anyway he saw fit, Carrey owns the film and creates a memorable and classic guilty pleasure that to this day provides the laughs.
1. Hot Rod (2007)
Director: Akiva Schaffer (The Watch)
Starring: Andy Samberg, Danny McBride, Isla Fisher
Self-proclaimed stuntman Rod Kimble is preparing for the jump of his life – to clear fifteen buses to raise money for his abusive stepfather Frank’s life-saving heart operation.
Tagline – Smack destiny in the face
With a film filled with endlessly quotable dialogue, a story that is nearly non-existent and with the best ever falling down a cliff scene we have the ever loveable and seriously re-watchable Hot Rod. Before the Lonely Island crew really took off they did their best work here in what is a comedy film for everyone willing to smack logic in the face.
Honourable mentions – Cutthroat Island, Mindhunters, Saw, Tremors, Hall Pass, The Last Action Hero, I-Spy, National Security, The Day After Tomorrow, Daylight, Dante’s Peak, What Lies Beneath, Lake Placid, Anaconda, Congo, Behind Enemy Lines, The Butterfly Effect.
Does this list make you cringe or smile with satisfaction knowing that someone else out there in the world likes your hidden favourite? Let us know in the comments below or let us know what are your recommended guilty pleasure treats!
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I second Anaconda, Lake Placid(!!) and What Lies Beneath but I love Hot Rod, no guilt there, it’s a hilarious comedy! I still sometimes think “Why am I saying what what way?” and laugh out loud, alone, like a weirdo. So funny.
Haha not weird at all I reckon all that love Hot Rod are quoting that movie far more often than they would care to admit. Talking about it makes me want to rush home and watch it.
Eddie
You should go home and watch it cause I’m freaking pumped, I’ve been drinking green tea all day.
Hhaa – this is my hat now, totally my hat.
Eddie
EXCELLENT LIST! I’ll admit, I didn’t see #10 on your list, but I’m sure it’s a great one because I love all of the other movies! A fine selection indeed!
Cheers Abstract, Phantom Toolbooth is such a blast, well worth a YouTube one day. An oddity unlike anything else I have seen.
Eddie
LOL at Pearl Harbour and Anaconda. How did you know! Great list. 🙂
Good to know there is other shame filled fans out there 🙂
Eddie
Con Air is my “I’m stressed from work and I don’t want to think tonight” movie. But I’d vote for the original Death Race 2000 over the remake.
I reckon everyone needs those type of movies mate, Con Air is just great guilty pleasure entertainment.
Eddie
#2,4,7 are mine, too. Fun list! 🙂
Great to hear Cindy 🙂 you can join me in being ashamed of myself but also I make no regrets for picking them.
Eddie
Deep Blue Sea, Con Air excellent.
Fuck with me, and we’ll see who shits on the sidewalk. (Guilty, Guilty, Guilty)
Guilty as charged 🙂
Eddie
Hot Rod is definitely on my list! It’s hilarious every time I watch it!
Great to hear Rebecca, I would say I must of watched it at least 7 – 8 times and it is as you say funny every time.
Eddie
I haven’t seen it in way too long. Guess that means I’ll be watching it one of these days!
I am getting tempted to as well – feels like far to long since I enjoyed Rod and his gang.
Eddie
Same here!
I still love The Mummy (RIP good-looking Brendan Fraser) and the first Transformers (RIP less douchey Shia ) was actually enjoyable.
They are great RIPs, there was a time when Fraser was actually quite likeable.
Eddie
A list with a bunch of movies I agree on (a few I have not seen yet). Your arguments were well-presented and the list was in general good.
Cheers mate, there all good in a guilty pleasure type way.
Eddie
Can’t go with you on Pearl Harbor. I think it’s embarrassing. People really died and deserve better than mindless explosions and stupid romance.
I respect that opinion, I think it actually shows off some of the bravery that occurred in the day though and highlights the horror once the romance stops.
Eddie
I can respect yours too. Dont you think though that the dialogue is awfully corny?
Oh yeh there are moments in that film that makes one cringe, no doubt about it.
Eddie
I’ve been trying to think of guilty pleasure movies of mine. I guess it would be stupid rom coms like Miss Congeniality and Legally Blonde. I’m also a sucker for almost any Christmas movie
I can’t deny that those rom coms are weirdly funny, even if I can’t say I’d recommend them 🙂
Eddie
Definition of a guilty pleasure I guess
I’m going to come up with my own list
We look forward to seeing what you choose Smiling.
Eddie
Here’s what I came up with. Would love if you would take a look and comment. Thanks for the inspiration for the post.
Rachel
http://smilingldsgirl.com/2014/08/09/guilty-pleasure-movies/
They made a movie of The Phantom Tollbooth? I loved the book.
You have to see it Abbi, I think it’s on YouTube.
Eddie
Pearl Harbor, Transformers, and Con Air. Love ’em all. Hot Rod? Not so much. A friend showed me it last semester and I was pretty bored.
Man I just love Hot Rod, always been a movie I can chuck on at any time and enjoy it.
Eddie
Just not my type of comedy.
Can appreciate that man, like most Lonely Island stuff you love it or you don’t.
Eddie
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Your list definitely makes me smile! I love Deep Blue Sea, Transformers, and Death Race, I haven’t seen Ace Ventura and Mousehunt in a while but I believe I did enjoy Ace Ventura a lot 🙂 For me, any guilty pleasure list would have to include Resident Evil (if you want a specific movie, it would be Retribution).
Ha Jordan would be stoked about the Resident Evil call – seems like a lot find that one overwhelming enjoyable.
Eddie
Love the list. Honourable mentions are great too. All incredibly light and wonderful. Needs more stallone!
Ha cool to hear buddy, I reckon every list needs more Stallone 🙂
Eddie
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Awesome! 😉