Are there any films you thought were terrible but are still glad you watched?

[paulofilmo]

ayy it comes to this. perhaps rate without watching xx

[Stewball]

No.

[mattorama12]

Yes, absolutely. There are a lot of things I hope to get out of watching movies as a pastime. Entertainment and insight* are first and foremost. Any movie that succeeds at one or both of those areas could not be considered terrible. And any movie that fails completely in both should be considered terrible. But there are some other reasons I watch movies, including as a sort of "film education". So there are movies that are historically noteworthy that I find terrible, but I'm glad that I've seen. Intolerance would fit into this category. Then I also enjoy the collective cultural experience of movies. So there are times where there is a terrible, but popular, movie that I'm glad I've seen because it's brought me joy to discuss it with others. Star Trek (2009) and Pearl Harbor fit in here. Finally, it's also sometimes helpful to see terrible movies to better understand what makes movies good (or bad).

*There's probably a better word to use for describing what I mean by this, since the word "insight" suggests some sort of revelation or new knowledge. But by "insight" here, I mean more just the concept of themes explored, emotional resonance, or any of those sort of abstract concepts that make up the side of art that isn't simply entertainment.

[coffee]

There are some infamously terrible films which are mentioned all the time. I'm glad that I've seen those so that I can understand a reference.

Examples include The Happening, Independence Day, Batman Forever and others.

[amazedemon]

Troll 2
I usually find some redeeming features in the films I watch, which makes almost all blockbusters not terrible, but Troll 2 is unintentionally terribly made and the only terrible film I'd revisit (under the right circumstances).

[NIV7]

As a horror fan, my floor for what I think is necessary in a movie has continually dropped, and my appreciation for / recognition of a movie that is entirely unremarkable or recommendable but absolutely watchable and functional has grown immensely. Seriously, just add any random horror movie (especially if it includes "A Film By" in the poster/trailer) and you'll instantly regreeeee—I mean, you'll be able to appreciate the many small things most movies do that do work (even if the main narrative/actors/sound/visuals are wretched).

Jeux D'Enfants (2003) is one of the few movies that was enjoyable the whole way through, and then it has an ending that I have never stopped raging over. It's a perfect ending, it absolutely follows from everything that's gone before, and I hate it so much, I hate it I hate it i hate it i hate i hate i hate it

Almost certainly worth watching though I wouldn't expect you to have the same reaction (nor that it would be as intense). Doesn't seem like it's the exact feeling you're looking for, but maybe an adjacent vibe.

Anyway, moving on; I've seen a lot of (horror) movies that are entirely worthless (apart from helping to appreciate that movies are tough to make, so every one is basically a miracle), so I recommend adding random horror, but YMMV.

[CHIMP]

Red Dragon, because:

• - it really made me think a lot about what Manhunter did better and why, and it's interesting to be able to compare two films from the same source material with scenes that are near-identical on the page
  - it made me appreciate how much casting matters more than cast, and the utility of a performance to a film mattering more than how acclaimed a particular star is in general (at least for its quality, if not its box office take)
  - it made me recognise the closet-homosexual subtext in the source material