Is it worthwhile to watch bad movies?
Absolutely.
I learned this the day I stumbled across Roger Corman’s catalog. To IMDB reviewers and casual film fans, he’s one of the worst director-producers of all time.
But zoom out, and he might be the most important filmmaker who ever lived. His “bad” movies launched Coppola, Scorsese, Cameron, and Demme. He gave us Little Shop of Horrors, Death Race 2000, and Chopping Mall. And he proved something Hollywood never wants you to know: you don’t need prestige or polish to inspire creativity—you just need to get the film made.
That’s the trick. “Bad” movies often give birth to greatness.
Even better, they’re usually more imaginative than the blockbusters. Why? Because the more money you sink into a project, the less risk you take. Think Disney is going to gamble with Marvel? Not a chance. One wrong move and the fans riot. Just look at the forums when a single casting decision goes sideways.
B movies don’t have that problem. They’re free to do whatever the hell they want because nobody’s watching with folded arms and a billion-dollar spreadsheet. That freedom means wild ideas—films that shoot for the moon.
Do they miss? Constantly. But when they land, it’s glorious—better than anything a safe blockbuster will ever deliver.
@movies@piefed.social
Thing is, I’ve been burned by both critics and “the voice of the people” more times than I can count.
Marvel and DC movies? Most folks eat them up. Me, I can barely sit through them. They’re the poster children for everything broken about modern blockbusters.
Meanwhile, the consensus trashes Asylum movies—but Nazis at the Center of the Earth was a blast. Near-universally panned, yet I had an amazing time with it.
So yes, sometimes the consensus gets it right… except when it doesn’t.
I hear you. I feel the same about overrated Marvel movies. The trick is to find critics that share your tastes, and ideally to find a few who share your tastes for different genres. I think this was easier in the age of print newspapers. You can trust J. Hoberman for serious movies, but not so much for silly ones. If you find yourself agreeing with a review, you might check if they’re on the Rotten Tomatoes critic list to figure out if their other reviews follow your tastes.