The 60 Greatest Guilty Pleasure Movies

There are good movies, there are bad movies, and there are movies that are so infinitely terrible, cheesy, and/or sappy that it’s hard not to love them just a little bit. Even if you don’t want to admit it. Movie lovers hold a special place in their hearts for these cinematic guilty pleasures. They may hide their well-worn DVD copies in the back of a very dark closet, but they are always there—waiting to delight, no matter how embarrassingly bad they might be.

Looking for a good guilty pleasure movie to watch the next time you have the TV to yourself? Here are 60 of our favorites.

1. Anaconda (1997)

Anaconda did for snakes what Jaws did for sharks—with one major difference: Whereas Jaws is a finely-crafted, taut thriller in which much of the terror is implied, Anaconda revels in its lack of subtlety. Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, and Owen Wilson are part of a film crew dispatched to the Amazon in search of a mysterious indigenous tribe, but instead find themselves being forced to help a creepy snake hunter (Jon Voight) track down a giant anaconda. The snake, of course, is so enormous that it's laughable—which is an apt description of the whole damn premise. Though it was (understandably) a box office dud, the film gained a cult following when it debuted on home video—so much so that it has spawned four sequels, a companion novel, and several video games. —Jennifer M. Wood

2. Bad Taste (1989)

Twenty-five years before Peter Jackson was breaking box office records and winning Academy Awards, he was cutting his teeth on Bad Taste, a low-budget splatterfest that sees a group of human-eating aliens invade Earth in order to restock the fridges at their intergalactic fast food restaurant, which specializes in serving up human flesh. The movie, which marked Jackson’s feature directorial debut, took about four years to shoot; the budding auteur shot on a 25-year-old camera, on weekends, and cast himself and his friends in multiple roles. Those with an aversion to gore will probably want to skip this one; as the movie moves along, the ways in which people are killed become more bizarre and gruesome. But it’s all done in such a tongue-in-cheek way that it’s easy to see why the film has become a cult classic over the years. —JMW

3. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Though the gender and racial politics haven't aged perfectly, it's still fun to watch a young Kurt Russell as a macho truck driver helping a friend in Chinatown rescue his fiancée from supernatural thugs. The special effects, fantastic soundtrack, and crazy chase sequences make for an enjoyable ride, as long as you're not terribly concerned with character depth or development. But c'mon, just how many comedy fantasy martial arts movies are there? (Or at least ones directed by John Carpenter?) —Bess Lovejoy

4. Bloodsport (1988)

Based (very) loosely on the alleged real-life exploits of martial artist Frank Dux, Bloodsport doesn’t appear much different than other B-movie fight films that lined video shelves in the ‘80s. It stands out thanks to the charisma of Jean-Claude Van Damme, playing an earnest Dux out to honor his sensei by winning the underground Kumite tournament. As an oafish American brawler, Donald Gibb (Revenge of the Nerds) brings a buddy-cop element to the hackneyed plot; Bolo Yeung is excellent as a sneering returning champion. In his first major starring role, Van Damme proves that film stardom isn’t always about acting—though he’s actually better than he’s given credit for—but watchability: You want to watch Dux kick people expertly in the solar plexus every time this comes on television. —Jake Rossen

5. Body Double (1984)

Director Brian De Palma cribbed a lot from Alfred Hitchcock—but Body Double is more subversive, sexually charged, and more violent than anything Hitchcock ever made. (Plus, it was made in the ‘80s, and everything looks very ‘80s.) The LA film noir/erotic thriller (Hollywood doesn’t make these movies anymore) follows actor Jake Scully (Craig Wasson), who’s house-sitting for a friend and becomes a Rear Window-like voyeur, spying on his sexy neighbor (Deborah Shelton). He witnesses her brutal murder and gets caught up in solving it, which leads him to porn star Holly Body (Melanie Griffith) and to him starring in a music video for Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s “Relax.” Academics and critics have written a lot about the film: Is it misogynic, or is it self-aware? Either way, while watching, we know it’s not Hitchcock and we know it’s not as revered as De Palma’s Carrie and Scarface, but we watch because, well, maybe we’re all voyeurs, too. —Garin Pirnia

6. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Francis Ford Coppola's interpretation of Bram Stoker's novel gives us an array of brilliant performances with one glaring exception. As the title count, Gary Oldman manages to chew the Gothic scenery with only two giant fangs; Winona Ryder and Sadie Frost, as friends Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra, rebel against Victorian expectations of women; and Anthony Hopkins and Tom Waits (!) are appropriately unhinged. The lush costumes and shadowy lighting complete Coppola's Romantic reimagining of the classic vampire story. And then there's Keanu Reeves. Doing his best imitation of a tree, Reeves minces through each scene and murders his British accent, utterly inconceivable as up-and-coming young barrister Jonathan Harker. No amount of makeup and period costume can mask this miscasting. —Kat Long

7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Think of this 1992 movie as the first draft of what would become Joss Whedon's breakthrough TV show about a teenager with a birthright to protect the world from vampires. Directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, the movie went in a different direction than Whedon's series would later on, but it's still a delight to watch. Kristy Swanson stars as Buffy Summers, a blonde teen cheerleader who is horrified to realize that she's The Slayer and must pick up a stake to protect Los Angeles from vampires. (The clue that she's in the presence of vamps? Cramps!) She's assisted in her quest by her Watcher, Merrick (Donald Sutherland) and sidekick Pike (Luke Perry). Rutger Hauer stars as head vamp Luthos; Paul Reubens, a.k.a. Pee-wee Herman, plays his right-hand man, Amilyn. The cast also includes two future Oscar winners: Hilary Swank, who plays a mean girl to perfection (at one point declaring "get out of my facial!"), and Ben Affleck, who has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it role as a basketball player on a rival team. This version of Buffy is significantly more Valley Girl than the one from the TV series, but she's still a badass. And the movie definitely has the sharp humor Whedon would become famous for—which may be why this movie still manages to resonate, despite its silliness. —Erin McCarthy

8. The 'Burbs (1989)

Universal Pictures released the Joe Dante-directed dark comedy The ‘Burbs on February, 17, 1989—just one day after Tom Hanks's first Oscar nomination (for 1988’s Big) was announced. Until then, Hanks had primarily been known as a comedic actor, but in the late ‘80s he began his ascent to serious A-lister. But The ‘Burbs remains one of Hanks’s finest comedies (check out 1988’s Punchline, too), mainly because it’s so absurd. Hanks plays Ray Peterson, a bored suburbanite who’s on vacation. Instead of going out of town, he and his neighbors decide to spy on new, foreign neighbors, the Klopeks. They act weird and Ray and his friends create a conspiracy that they killed another neighbor; the entire film takes place in the cul-de-sac, lending to the simple premise. Today, the film’s influences can be seen in everything from American Beauty to the 2018 horror flick Summer of 84. If you look closer, The ‘Burbs is really about distrust, bothering people, white flight, paranoia, immigration, invasion of privacy, and the dangers of ennui—that’s a lot to unpack from a wacky comedy. —GP

9. Cat in the Hat (2003)

Cat in the Hat is a movie so reviled, so despicable that Dr. Seuss’s widow, Audrey, vowed to never let Hollywood produce another live-action work based on her late husband’s books again after its release. Oh, but don’t let that fool you into thinking the movie is bad. It’s surreal and repugnant, with humor seemingly aimed that the crassest adults in the audience. But that’s what makes it such an enchanting oddity. Mike Myers’s portrayal of the Cat is both erratic and vaguely homicidal, with a darkness lurking just beneath his iconic red-and-white striped hat. In fact, the whole production is full of lewd jokes from everyone (even the kids), giving the sense that studio execs were completely asleep at the wheel when this thing was going through script drafts. But if you love the lowest of low-brow comedy, ignore the movie's abysmal 9 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and soak in the wild wonder of Cat in the Hat. —Jay Serafino

10. Cobra (1986)

Cobra isn’t just another ‘80s action movie—it can be argued that it’s the ‘80s action movie. You’ve got Sylvester Stallone (playing the beautifully named Marion "Cobra" Cobretti) as a hyper-violent cop looking to wipe Los Angeles clean of a rising organized terrorist group in the 1980s. But this guns-a-blazing mentality puts him at odds with all of his superiors and the media, who claim he’s just as big of a danger as the murderers he’s gunning down. Still, this was the ‘80s, and the rule of law was nothing in the face of vigilante justice. Though it was derided at the time as a lesser Dirty Harry knockoff, Cobra has clawed its way to being a well-deserved cult classic. —JS

11. Cocktail (1988)

In 1988, Tom Cruise made bartenders cool. But not just any bartenders—the kind that performed tricks to lure women. At one point in Cocktail, Cruise bartends at a Jamaican resort to the tune of The Beach Boys’s “Kokomo.” However, the film isn’t always glitzy. What starts off as a rom-com quickly delves into the dark underworld of chasing fame and capitalism. (It was based on a semi-autobiographical novel.) Critics called the film empty and it won Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay, and Cruise himself admitted it wasn’t his best work. More than 30 years later, though, bartenders are still cool, and the journey into making a living as a bartender and opening your own bar is still a part of the American Dream. Cocktails and Dreams, forever. —GP

12. Congo (1995)

Twilight star and future Batman Robert Pattinson has declared Congo a "masterpiece," and he is right. Released in 1995 and based on a Michael Crichton novel, this Frank Marshall-helmed movie stars Laura Linney as Karen Ross, an employee at a telecommunications company. When a team is sent to the jungle discover a lost city—and are subsequently slaughtered—Ross assembles another team to see if there are any survivors. She's accompanied by Peter Elliott (Dylan Walsh) and his mountain gorilla, Amy, who is equipped with a backpack that allows her sign language to be translated into speech. Her go-to phrase? "Amy good gorilla!" Ernie Hudson and Tim Curry also join in on the fun. In the jungle, the group finds not just the lost city but a group of murderous white gorillas and an about-to-erupt volcano. Congo is the very definition of a so-bad-it's-good movie—the VFX in the climactic fight are so terrible they're hilarious; the animatronic Amy doesn't look anything like a real gorilla; the acting is hammy—and it is a joy to watch. It will leave you declaring, "Congo good movie!" —EM

13. Dante's Peak (1997)

In this geothermal thriller, suave Pierce Brosnan is not quite believable as rugged volcanologist Harry Dalton, who just happens to be in the neighborhood when a humongous volcano threatens to spew forth a massive pyroclastic flow. He meets struggling single mom/small-town mayor Rachel (Linda Hamilton) and informs her that the volcano is about to blow. They try to convince Harry's surprisingly cavalier boss to issue an evacuation warning to the town. But by the time he does, it's too late, and Harry and Rachel—plus her elderly mom, her two kids, and one lovable dog—have to flee before lava incinerates half of the Pacific Northwest. Despite the film's bad casting and mediocre plot, some critics thought it was better than Volcano, a similar disaster flick released the same year. —KL

14. The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

The best disaster flicks begin with cool, smart people laughing at the doomsday predictions of a dorky scientist, sealing everyone's fate within the first 10 minutes of the movie. The Day After Tomorrow's Cassandra is climatologist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) who tries to warn the U.N. that a global superstorm is on its way. The officials dismiss his concerns and, right on cue, a ginormous blizzard envelops everything in its path. Jack tries desperately to rescue his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is in New York City for a math Olympics. Sam takes cover with a handful of diverse citizens in the New York Public Library as sea levels inch higher. Director Roland Emmerich focuses on special effects much more than scientific accuracy, but The Day After Tomorrow still teaches a worthwhile lesson: Don't laugh at the scientists! —KL

15. Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Super smart sharks and scientists trapped on an isolated ocean-based research station—what could go wrong? Everything, obviously, and it does in this 1999 sci-fi movie. Saffron Burrows plays Dr. Susan McAlester, a scientist searching for a cure for Alzheimer's; in her quest for a breakthrough, she's disregarded laws of ethics and genetically modified sharks to make them much bigger and much smarter. Joining Burrows are Thomas Jane as a shark wrangler Carter Blake; LL Cool J as Preacher, the station's parrot-loving cook; and Samuel L. Jackson as Russell Franklin, the rich guy funding the research. As a hurricane cuts off the research station from the outside world, the sharks make their move, killing off the station's inhabitants one by one. (Most memorably, Jackson becomes shark food in the middle of an inspiring monologue.) There's nothing scientifically accurate about these killer sharks, but so long as you can suspend your disbelief, this movie is a blast. —EM

16. Deep Impact (1998)

In the summer of 1998, moviegoers had a choice: watch Bruce Willis blow up an asteroid and save Earth in Armageddon, or watch Robert Duvall blow up a comet and save Earth in Deep Impact. The latter starred Tea Leoni as an MSNBC reporter who discovers that a massive comet is about to collide with our planet and extinguish life as we know it. Humanity's only hope is to send Duvall and another astronaut to the comet to detonate a nuclear bomb and destroy it before it hits Earth's atmosphere. Shockingly, this scheme fails, and citizens (including Leoni and teen couple Elijah Wood and Leelee Sobieski) are forced to vie for places in government bunkers so the human race will continue. Director Mimi Leder consulted actual NASA scientists for the film, which was a blockbuster hit—and had a bigger opening weekend than Armageddon. —KL

17. Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

Body-switching and trading places movies were popular in the 1980s, but Desperately Seeking Susan took a gritty, feminist approach to the genre. Writer/director Susan Seidelman—who in 1982 directed another woman-in-New-York film, Smithereens—cast a burgeoning Madonna in her first lead film role. By the time the film came out, Madonna had become one of the biggest stars in the world. Susan (Madonna) gets mixed up in boring New Jersey housewife Roberta’s (Rosanna Arquette) life. With a case of amnesia (a theme in ‘80s movies) and mistaken identity, Roberta starts to live out her fantasies in New York City. The movie premiered Madonna’s non-album single “Into the Groove” (and so many iconic fashion moments), and is still a strong example of what happens when two women work together to battle terrible men. It’s more than just a guilty pleasure, though; it’s essential viewing. —GP

18. Dolemite (1975)

Eddie Murphy is eyeing a comeback with the Netflix original Dolemite Is My Name, a farcical look at the making of this ‘70s blaxploitation classic. But the movie itself is already wonderfully self-aware nonsense, with convicted pimp Rudy Ray Moore ejected back onto the streets to aid cops in taking down dealers. As Dolemite, Moore is no natural thespian: When he’s not staring at the floor when delivering lines, he’s awkwardly performing kung-fu or stopping the movie dead to recite one of his stand-up rhyming routines. There is a charming ineptitude to this movie that Dolemite Is My Name remarks upon but cannot duplicate. —JR

19. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

Like a lot of films on this list, 1999’s Drop Dead Gorgeous didn’t get its due until much later; it was way ahead of its time. It’s similar to This Is Spinal Tap except set in the competitive world of beauty pageants (Drop Dead Gorgeous screenwriter Lona Williams based it on her own life). Kirsten Dunst stars as Amber Atkins, a poor high school student who wants to be the next Diane Sawyer. Her trailer park mom Annette (Ellen Barkin) and Annette’s friend Loretta (Alison Janney, who was 1999’s all-star, having starred in American Beauty, 10 Things I Hate About You, and The West Wing) encourage her to enter the Sarah Rose Cosmetics Mount Rose American Teen Princess Pageant, based in Minnesota. Amber competes against Leslie Miller (Amy Adams, in her first film role), Lisa Swenson (Brittany Murphy), and Becky Leeman (Denise Richards). In watching the film today, some of the jokes are offensive, but the film dared to joke about anorexia while simultaneously giving the characters a lot of heart. —GP

20. Clue (1985)

Whether you'd classify Clue as a guilty pleasure or just a great movie is up for debate. What's not debatable is that Clue is the greatest film adapted from a board game. The movie follows a group of six supposed strangers who convene at a mysterious house for a dinner party. Mr. Boddy (played by punk legend Lee Ving) dies, and the not-so-strangers try to solve the murder in hilarious ways. The film benefits from excellent performances from Madeline “Flames On the Side of My Face” Kahn, Tim Curry, Colleen Camp, Eileen Brennan, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, and Christopher Lloyd. When the film was released in theaters, the studio also released three alternative endings. In order to see all endings, you had to pay to see each ending at different theaters (oh how challenging and expensive the ‘80s were). But today, all endings are tacked onto the film. Clue isn’t so much a guilty pleasure as it is just a pleasure. —GP

21. Con Air (1997)

Nicolas Cage, John Malkovich, Dave Chappelle, and Steve Buscemi are all here to outdo each other in this explosion-filled blockbuster about a group of—you guessed it—cons taking over their prison-transport flight and attempting to fly it to sweet freedom. The movie is bursting with tongue-in-cheek mayhem—from Malkovich’s campy villainy to Cage pulling off every action-hero trope in the book. This is a movie that wears its Razzie for "Worst Reckless Disregard for Human Life and Public Property" like a badge of honor. —JS

22. Cruel Intentions (1999)

In 1999, teen movies were abundant. In fact, we haven’t seen that kind of saturation since then. Cruel Intentions, a modern-day remake of Dangerous Liaisons, took a different path than teen movies like She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You. Sarah Michelle Gellar played against type as a coke-addled villain who had a weird relationship with her stepbrother (Ryan Philippe). The scene most people remember is the spit-filled French kiss between Gellar (Kathryn) and Selma Blair (Cecile). It proved viewers were watching an atypical teen film, one that still resonates today. And it was all done to a bangin’ late-‘90s soundtrack, including the ending song “Bittersweet Symphony.” If the movie is about young love, then it was apropos for Reese Witherspoon and Philippe to fall in love on set, get married, and have two kids. But like the ending of Cruel Intentions, Philippe and Witherspoon didn’t live happily ever after (don’t worry, Philippe isn’t dead; the couple simply divorced in 2007). —GP

23. The Da Vinci Code (2006)

In Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code, badly coiffed Harvard "symbologist" Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sophie (Audrey Tautou), an innocent waif with a secret, team up to solve the killing of a curator at the Louvre who had sent Langdon a coded message before he died. From this point on, the actual plot is but a distraction to Langdon and Sophie's breathless discoveries of secret manuscripts, mysterious symbols, and conspiracies involving Opus Dei and the Illuminati, all leading to some kind of revelation about the future of humankind (I guess?). Paul Bettany plays a murderous monk and Ian McKellen shows up as an evil historian trying to put a stop to Langdon's amazing deciphering skills. Not one of Howard's better movies, but more fun than In the Heart of the Sea, at least. —KL

24. The Devil's Advocate (1997)

Al Pacino just made everything louder in the ‘90s, and his hammy peak came in 1997’s The Devil’s Advocate, where he plays the head of a sleazy New York City law firm who also happens to be Satan himself, taking a brief respite from the fires of Hell to test the morality of a young lawyer named Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) in Manhattan. Though the film meditates on heavier subject matter about the very nature of man and our relationship with religion, the movie really gets going when Pacino is in full scenery-chewing mode, climaxing in the big reveal where he bellows with biblical bravado about his dominion over Kevin’s fate and mankind itself. —JS

25. Ella Enchanted (2004)

This 2004 fairytale, based on Gail Carson Levine’s novel of the same name, has everything a good Cinderella story should: an evil stepmother, a fairy godmother, a dashing prince, a talking snake, peasant blouses, Heidi Klum as a giant, and a truly epic rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” sung by Oscar-winning actress (and contemporary dance star, based on this performance alone) Anne Hathaway, who plays the titular character. The film follows Ella in her quest to break a curse that causes her to obey every command—but since one of those commands forbids her from ever telling anyone about said curse, it makes her behavior seem quirky at best, murderous at worst, and almost always hilarious. —Ellen Gutoskey

26. Face/Off (1997)

Yes, the premise is unrealistic: John Travolta and Nic Cage surgically trade faces, and an action film is born. However, John Woo directed the movie—his first American film—and transformed the silly plot into something more profound, and should we say, fun? Nic Cage gets to be full-on Nic Cage in the film, even to the point of being sacrilegious. Woo imbued poetic imagery into action sequences in having "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" play during a pivotal scene. Who knew action paired so well with a melancholy ballad? But the reason Face/Off works so well is because it’s meant to be campy and over-the-top. You’re meant to root for Nic Cage, or is it John Travolta? OK, you root for both of them. —GP

27. Fear (1996)

The movie Fear, about a teen romance between David McCall (Mark Wahlberg) and Nicole Walker (a fledgling Reese Witherspoon), fit nicely into the mid-1990s' mini-stalker genre of The Crush, Cape Fear, and Single White Female. In fact, executive producer Brian Grazer called Fear “Fatal Attraction for teens,” replete with animal murder. One of the most iconic—and psychotic—scenes from the mid-‘90s is when Wahlberg punches himself in the chest to make it look like Nicole’s dad (William Peterson) harmed him. Even though Fear is meant to be a serious thriller, it comes off as unintentionally funny, which is one reason why it’s a joy to watch (except for the dog part). Thankfully, Witherspoon and Wahlberg moved on to Oscar fare, but Fear is a great reminder of how unhinged teen movies used to be. —GP

28. Flashdance (1983)

Roger Ebert may have described it as "great sound and flashdance, signifying nothing," but you can't deny that this story of a Pittsburgh welder and bar dancer with big dreams of becoming a ballerina (played by Jennifer Beals) did a lot for sweatshirts. Sure, the plot barely makes sense, but if you need a full-immersion in 1980s nostalgia, complete with elaborate dance sequences you may have tried to replicate in your childhood living room, this is it. —BL

29. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (1985)

In the 1980s, dance movies were a thing, especially breakdancing films. But instead of breakdancing, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun featured two teen women trying to land a spot on the show Dance TV. Sarah Jessica Parker (Janey) and Helen Hunt (Lynne) team up to compete but have obstacles in their way, like Janey’s dad not wanting her to dance (hey, Footloose), and thwarting bullies. So the movie’s a bit cheesy, and they couldn’t even get the licensing rights to use Cyndi Lauper’s version of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” but the movie’s final dance-off song (of course there’s a dance-off) “Dancing in Heaven” is ‘80s swoon-worthy, and it’s always a plus to watch nice girls win. —GP

30. Hackers (1995)

Remember when a story about hacking could seem like the subject of a stylish thriller rather part of the day's parade of depressing headlines? While this story of a teenage hacker who gets framed and the friends who save him (most notably a young Angelina Jolie) was panned by critics, it's become a cult classic and a darling example of 1990s cyberculture, however Hollywoodized. —BL

31. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

The first thing you notice while watching this now-cult classic is how it has absolutely nothing to do with knife-wielder, William Shatner mask-wearing Michael Myers. But maybe that’s a good thing. It does, like its two predecessors, take place during Halloween, when evil Silver Shamrock Novelties implants their Halloween masks with a Stonehenge rock chip. When children see Shamrock's commercials with a flashing pumpkin, it sets the mask off, and well, you can imagine what happens next. The Willy Wonka in Hell film wasn’t afraid to murder children, and it also wasn’t afraid to move away from the popular slashers of the time. Halloween III is a sci-fi movie about how big corporations literally kill people: Let that sink in. In recent years, people have stopped being angry at how John Carpenter, Debra Hill, and writer-director Tommy Wallace left Myers out of this movie (though, a couple of clips from the first Halloween make appearances) and have embraced how the producers didn’t need a mute killer to convey the evilness of the holiday. —GP

32. Howard the Duck (1986)

Howard the Duck was based on a Marvel comic book, and George Lucas executive-produced the film. So why is it considered to be one of the worst movies of all time? First of all, the film originally was supposed to be animated, but instead producers went the live-action route. One issue with the film is how sexualized Howard is. He reads Playduck magazine, and he and human companion Beverly (Lea Thompson) get into bed together, which borders on bestiality. But over the years, the film—which bombed terribly at the box office—has found a cult following, and Howard cameoed in Guardians of the Galaxy. Yes, Howard the Duck is a bad movie, but then again Hollywood doesn’t make this kind of lovable trash anymore. It keeps a special spot in our 1980s hearts. —GP

33. Jaws: The Revenge (1987)

Jaws (1975) didn't need a sequel, but that didn't stop movie studios from releasing three of them. The fourth installment in the Jaws franchise may be the worst, but it's also the most painfully entertaining of the followups. In Jaws: The Revenge, the surviving members of the Brody clan leave Amity Island and all the traumatic memories attached to it to go to the Bahamas. They quickly learn that they should have chosen a landlocked destination for their trip: The shark from Amity has followed them, because in case sharks in this universe weren't terrifying enough already, they're now apparently capable of seeking revenge. The movie never explains how the shark was able to find the Brodys more than 1000 miles away from their home, or why it roars when it jumps out of the water, but the ridiculous plot makes for prime guilty pleasure viewing. —Michele Debczak

34. Jennifer's Body (2009)

After Diablo Cody won a screenwriting Oscar for her touching teen pregnancy comedy Juno (2007), fans were eager to see what she would do next. Instead of staying in the realm of critical darlings, she went in a much different direction. Jennifer's Body, her second screenplay produced for the big screen, combines all the campy tropes of the teen horror and teen comedy genres. High school cheerleader Jennifer (Megan Fox) turns into a succubus after a satanic ritual gone wrong, and it's up to her best friend (Amanda Seyfried) to stop her from slaughtering their male classmates. On the surface, Jennifer's Body is a fun, raunchy gorefest, but the film's portrayal of teen girl relationships also makes it a groundbreaking work of feminist horror. —MD

35. Johnny Dangerously (1984)

Two years after directing the now-classic Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Amy Heckerling decided to helm the Michael Keaton comedy Johnny Dangerously. It parodies yet also pays homage to 1930s gangster films. Keaton plays the adverb-named titular character, who turns to a life of crime to support his sick mother. It stars then-popular TV and film stars Joe Piscopo, Griffin Dunne, Maureen Stapleton, Fast Times’s Ray Walston, Joe Flaherty, Peter Boyle, Dom DeLuise, Marilu Henner, and still popular Danny DeVito. “Weird Al” Yankovic wrote and sang the original theme song, “This Is the Life.” At the time of the film's release, not many women had directed this type of comedy. (Come to think of it, they still haven't.) Four years later, Keaton abandoned comedy to star in Clean and Sober (and took his turn as Batman a year later), and in 1995, Heckerling directed her masterpiece, Clueless. Johnny Dangerously doesn’t get discussed with Heckerling’s and Keaton’s oeuvre much, but it should—it's an almost-forgotten gem of a comedy. —GP

36. Jurassic Park III (2001)

Jurassic Park's blend of action, originality, and philosophical themes has made it one of the most beloved movies of all time. Several directors have had tried to recreate this formula—including Steven Spielberg himself with The Lost World in 1997—but none have captured the magic of the 1993 original. That's what makes Jurassic Park III a stand-out entry in the Jurassic Park franchise; instead of relying on a heavy-handed moral message or an overly-complicated plot, JP3 gives viewers a straightforward monster flick. Alan Grant—Sam Neill's his only appearance in a sequel, though he's coming back to the next one alongside Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum—is tricked into going to Isla Sorna (a.k.a. Site B, an island where InGen also created dinosaurs) to help a divorced couple find their lost son. When their plane is attacked, the group must find a way to escape the island without getting eaten. That's pretty much it in terms of plot; the rest of the movie is packed with dinosaur chase scenes that don't try to be anything other than entertaining. —MD

37. Labyrinth (1986)

You don't really need to feel guilty watching the Jim Henson fantasia that is Labyrinth: Between the Brian Froud creatures, the Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame) script (later reworked by George Lucas among others), and David Bowie as the Goblin King, it's an unabashed delight. The plot—a young girl (Jennifer Connelly) who races through a labyrinth trying to rescue her irritating baby brother from Bowie's clutches—is mostly beside the point; the personality of the creatures, their otherworldly magic, and the bouncy soundtrack conquer all. Just don't fall into the bog of eternal stench. —BL

38. The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)

In 1985, Helen Slater starred as Billie Jean (nothing to do with Michael Jackson), a sort of Joan of Arc avatar. When local creep Mr. Pyatt attacks Billie Jean over a money dispute, her brother Binx (played by Christian Slater; no relation) shoots Mr. Pyatt to protect his sister. As a result of the incident, Billie and her friends hit the road to evade the police but set off a national media frenzy. Along the way, Billie Jean becomes a symbol for female revolution—“Fair is fair!”—even cutting her long blonde locks off. With Pat Benatar’s “Invincible” and Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell” pulsing, the gang (which includes pre-Lisa Simpson Yeardley Smith and future director Keith Gordon) eventually find victory against the oppressive male powers that be, and get the justice they deserve. —GP

39. Love Actually (2003)

This quintessential Christmas rom-com features an ensemble cast with so many recognizable British actors that it’s worth watching for that reason alone. The multiple intersecting plotlines explore many types of love, from Colin Firth’s characteristically awkward-yet-charming budding romance with his housekeeper to Liam Neeson’s earnest efforts to connect with his stepson in the wake of the boy's mother’s (Neeson’s wife’s) death. Emma Thompson weeps to Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” Hugh Grant gets down to The Pointer Sisters’s “Jump (For My Love),” and Bill Nighy acts like Bill Nighy. Love Actually is not at all subtle about trying to hit you in the happy-sad corner of your heart, and it’s a darn good shot. —EG

40. MacGruber (2010)

Like many SNL movies before it, MacGruber didn't do much business at the box office. But this flick—based on a recurring sketch about an inept MacGyver-type character who just can't figure out how to defuse the bomb—is weird, wonderful, and better than it has any right to be. In the years since its release, it's become a cult classic, with fans clamoring for a sequel. Val Kilmer is at his kitschy best, chewing scenery as villain Dieter Von Cunth; Kristen Wiig is delightfully quirky as the sidekick and love interest; and Ryan Phillippe is fantastic as the straight man to Will Forte's MacGruber. Between running gags about MacGruber's car stereo to his use of celery as a distraction to a cemetery scene that's too hilarious to spoil, MacGruber is well worth the watch. KFBR392 forever! —EM

41. Mars Attacks! (1996)

Moviegoers weren't sure what to make of Mars Attacks! when it arrived in theaters. Released just a few months after Independence Day, Tim Burton's ode to 1950s B-movies took a much less serious approach to classic alien invasion tropes, and the tone didn't land with everyone. The film was a flop, but it has since gained a cult following among fans of dark humor and campy science fiction. If you aren't interested in aliens, Mars Attacks! is still worth checking out for its star-studded cast, which includes Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Natalie Portman, Danny DeVito, and Jack Nicholson in two roles. —MD

42. The Master of Disguise (2002)

The Master of Disguise stars Dana Carvey as Pistachio Disguisey, a well-meaning dimwit who soon finds out he belongs to a long line of covert operatives called the “Masters of Disguise.” He then embarks on a mission to master the family trade in order to rescue his father from the clutches of an evil smuggler. Top disguises include a coquettishly sassy grandmother named Gammy Num Nums, a Bondian smooth-talker called Terry Suave, two silent pies (cherry and cow), and Carvey’s classic George W. Bush. If you think the plot of this film sounds like an utterly absurd excuse for Carvey to show off his penchant for impressions, you’re not wrong. And, though its Rotten Tomatoes score may be a pathetic 1 percent, we challenge you to make it through this movie without a hearty guffaw or two. —EG

43. Masters of the Universe (1987)

The world wasn’t quite ready for Masters of the Universe when it hit theaters in August 1987. Something about the mix of Conan the Barbarian and Star Wars on a Roger Corman budget just couldn’t meet the standards of audiences that wanted to see the He-Man toy line faithfully brought to life. But if you watch it now without the titanic expectations attached to it, you’ll find a campy comic book romp that features surprisingly decent special effects, plenty of Jack Kirby-inspired weirdness, and a completely dedicated Frank Langella as Skeletor. Just make peace with the fact that you will hate Gwildor from start to finish. —JS

44. The Mummy (1999)

Let's get this out of the way: The Mummy is a masterpiece. (Its sequels, and the 2017 reboot ... not so much.) Directed by Stephen Sommers and starring Brendan Fraser (playing American cad Rick O'Connell), Rachel Weisz (as librarian and wannabe Egyptologist Evelyn), and Oded Fehr (as Medjai Ardeth Bay), this movie has everything: Ancient murder and curses; a race on camels to a lost Egyptian city; creepy bugs that burrow beneath the skin; and a mummy, Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), who, when accidentally awakened by Evelyn, is hellbent on ending the world so he can be with his true love. It's a swashbuckling adventure that, luckily for us all, is often played on basic cable so we can enjoy it over and over again. As Roger Ebert wrote in his review of the movie, "There is hardly a thing I can say in its favor, except that I was cheered by nearly every minute of it. I cannot argue for the script, the direction, the acting or even the mummy, but I can say that I was not bored and sometimes I was unreasonably pleased. ... Look, art this isn't. Great trash, it isn't. Good trash, it is." Hear, hear. —EM

45. No Holds Barred (1989)

Before Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena, Hulk Hogan was the undisputed king of all things pro wrestling and the next surefire Hollywood action icon. There was only one problem: 1989’s No Holds Barred came out. The movie fittingly starred Hogan as a pro wrestler named Rip Thomas as he squared off against an adversary known as Zeus, who disregarded wrestling’s choreographed nature to challenge Rip to a real fight live on TV. Critics and fans soundly rejected Hogan’s attempt at movie stardom at the time, but viewed now, it's a perfect example of schlocky '80s cinema. —JS

46. Overboard (1987)

Nothing is funnier than movies that make rich people poor, and the 1980s had plenty of them (e.g. Coming to America, Life Stinks, Maid to Order, Taking Care of Business). The best of the bunch is the Leslie Dixon-penned Overboard. Rich b*tch Joanna Stayton (Goldie Hawn) falls off her yacht, gets amnesia, and gets adopted by her revenge-seeking handyman (Kurt Russell). He throws her into a life of squalor, and forces her to take care of his three messy kids. The premise sounds disturbing—some critics have panned the film’s gaslighting—but in the end, Joanna becomes a better person. —GP

47. Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959)

This sci-fi/gothic mashup about aliens who come to Earth to raise the dead is almost the definition of a guilty pleasure: Though it was meant to be taken seriously, it's so wonderfully bad that it's impossible to do so. Paper plates stand in for flying saucers (though some say they used hubcaps instead); a platinum-haired psychic serves as narrator; Vampira moons about. As a bonus, it features the last footage of Bela Lugosi, which director Ed Wood initially shot for another project entirely. —BL

48. Point Break (1991)

In Point Break, Keanu Reeves brings essential Keanu vibes to the role of FBI agent Johnny Utah, who is sent uncover to bust a bank robbery ring populated by surfing thrill-seekers and led by philosopher-slash-skydiver Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). What could have been a rote actioner is elevated thanks to Swayze’s committed performance, beautiful footage of the airborne action, and a seemingly normal Gary Busey as Reeves’s loyal partner. —JR

49. The Princess Diaries (2001)

Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews co-star in this 2001 adaptation of Meg Cabot’s classic coming-of-age novel, in which an ungainly, frizzy-haired teenager named Mia Thermopolis (Hathaway) discovers she’s the only living heir to the throne of Genovia, a fictional European country. While Mia struggles to decide whether or not to accept the job offer, she agrees to attend a series of “princess lessons” given by her very dignified, sleek-haired grandmother, Queen Clarisse (Andrews). Between sessions—which range from mastering her monarchical wave to perfecting her posture with the help of a tightly-knotted Hermes scarf—Mia navigates the painfully relatable pitfalls of high school: diabolical cheerleaders, unlikely crushes, and extremely opinionated best friends. Though the socially awkward outcast and the posh, persnickety grandmother seem like caricatures in the making, Hathaway and Andrews both play their characters with such humor and vulnerability that the film is sweet, laugh-out-loud funny, and deliciously rewatchable. —EG

50. Road House (1989)

Why is this absurd action melodrama about a deep-thinking bouncer (Patrick Swayze) so beloved by so many? Probably because that dopey premise is executed with total sincerity. As Dalton, Swayze is recruited to come help clean up the Double Deuce bar from scamming employees and the local town heavy (Ben Gazzara). In the hands of a burly action film star, Road House would probably have been quickly forgotten. But Swayze brings a weird humanity to the cartoonish proceedings, spouting saloon wisdom (“Pain don’t hurt”) and moving with the grace of the professional stage dancer he used to be. Despite Dalton’s meditative states, Road House is never pretentious. It knows what it was destined to be—a late-night cable choice—and more than lives up to its own modest potential. —JR

51. Rocky IV (1985)

The further away the Rocky franchise moved from the 1976 original, the harder it became to recall that the movie that birthed it was a sweet and sentimental love story. By the time Rocky IV rolled around, Stallone had stripped off every ounce of baby fat and character idiosyncrasies. This Rocky looks like a Ralph Lauren model, lives on a palatial estate, and gifts his leech brother-in-law Paulie (Burt Young) a robot that attempts to seduce him. He also avenges the loss of friend Apollo Creed by challenging uber-Soviet Ivan Drago to a boxing match that might end the Cold War. Never again would the Rocky series plumb to such ridiculous depths, including a training sequence where Rocky manages to prepare for a title bout by never once getting in the ring to spar. Yet it’s also the most distinct expression of the Rocky formula, a perfectly polished and glossy movie that plays the franchise’s notes like your favorite Survivor song. —JR

52. She's the Man (2006)

After the women’s soccer team gets cut from Viola’s (Amanda Bynes) high school, she decides to take her twin brother Sebastian’s place at a neighboring boarding school and earn a spot on the men’s team instead. If watching Amanda Bynes intentionally botch an impersonation of a high school boy isn’t enough of a selling point, maybe this will be: Viola inevitably falls for her roommate-slash-teammate, an emotionally inarticulate Adonis named Duke (Channing Tatum) who, of course, thinks she’s a dude—and a total wacko, at that. Meanwhile, Duke is crushing on it-girl Olivia, Olivia is crushing on Viola-as-Sebastian, and there are several exes who are trying to make life as complicated as possible for just about everyone. If you think it sounds like there’s way too much going on in this plot, you can direct your complaints to Mr. William Shakespeare himself; it’s based on Twelfth Night. —EG

53. Showgirls (1995)

Three years after Basic Instinct ruled the box office, writer Joe Eszterhas and director Paul Verhoeven joined forces yet again to create what is no doubt the Citizen Kane of stripper movies. Saved by the Bell star Elizabeth Berkley shed her good girl image—along with all of her clothing—to play Nomi Malone, a dancer/stripper who hitchhikes her way to Las Vegas to pursue her dream of becoming a showgirl. It doesn’t take long for Nomi to learn that Sin City earned its moniker for a reason, and that if she wants to succeed she’ll have to play dirty. Film critic David Keyes may have described it best when he wrote that Showgirls “is a long, ambitious and shocking exercise that aims so high—and with such detached logic—that we are driven to watch on in the same manner that eyewitnesses watch on at a train wreck.” And that’s the point: Showgirls is guilty pleasure movie-watching at its very best, as it’s impossible to look away. —JMW

54. Signs (2002)

Signs marked the beginning of the end for M. Night Shyamalan. He had delivered one of the best twist endings of all time with The Sixth Sense in 1999, and the reveal at the end of his 2002 science fiction flick felt silly in comparison. But whether or not you buy that a race of beings who are deathly allergic to water would choose to invade Earth, it's hard to deny that Signs is one of Shyamalan's better films. Unlike most movies in the genre, it moves out of the city and shows an alien invasion from the perspective of one family on an isolated farm. The director takes a note from Spielberg's playbook and builds suspense by showing the silhouette of a creature on a roof or an unearthly foot disappearing into a cornfield rather than revealing the aliens outright. And though the early 2000s effects haven't aged perfectly, the birthday party scene is still terrifying. —MD

55. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

Before 2005’s Sin City and 2007’s 300 turned bluescreen, digital moviemaking into box office gold, there was the underappreciated Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow in 2004. Directed by Kerry Conran with production design from brother Kevin, Sky Captain threw viewers into the world of mad scientists, giant robots, and daring pilots, all with a unique visual style that borrowed from the pulp-y stylings of Golden Age comic books and Fleischer Brother cartoons. But solid reviews couldn’t save Sky Captain from the box office, and despite a cast that included Jude Law and Angelina Jolie, it still flopped with ticket buyers. —JS

56. Swiss Army Man (2016)

This quirky movie is the brainchild of the directing duo DANIELS, who might be best known for their wonderfully weird music video for Lil Jon and DJ Snake's "Turn Down for What." Swiss Army Man (2016) stars Paul Dano as Hank, a man trapped on a deserted island, and Daniel Radcliffe as Manny, a reanimated and extremely flatulent corpse whose farts allow Hank to ride him like a jet ski back to populated land. There's no denying that this movie is weird—after all, Hank uses Manny's boner as a compass to point him toward home—but it's also funny and strangely sweet, and somehow makes "Cotton Eye Joe" bearable. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll watch over and over again when you need a pick-me-up. —EM

57. Tremors (1990)

What could be better than Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward teaming up to kill graboids? In 1990, Tremors launched a long franchise of films and a short-lived TV show. (Last year, a pilot for a Tremors reboot TV show starring Kevin Bacon was killed.) The first film in the franchise knows how to balance comedy with horror, and takes its ridiculous premise of snake-like creatures terrorizing Perfection, Nevada, seriously. The cast is diverse: Store owner Walter Chang (Victor Wong) offers a safe retreat, and Family Ties’s dad Michael Gross and country singer Reba McEntire tote an impressive arsenal. The chemistry between Bacon and Ward is undeniable, too, as the characters are opposites and fight with one another in spite of people dying. And the movie is endlessly quotable: “That means we’re stuck. That pisses me off.” —GP

58. Venom (2018)

Many superhero movies of late have been super serious—dark and gritty affairs that are more dour than fun. Venom is not that kind of movie. Tom Hardy stars as Eddie Brock, who becomes bonded to the tater tot-loving alien symbiote Venom—who, like Brock, is a loser on his own planet. The back-and-forth between Brock and Venom is hilarious, and the action sequences are nuts. The movie isn't good, exactly, but the longer you watch, the more you'll think, "this movie is kind of incredible." Make yourself some tater tots and pop on Venom—you won't regret it. —EM

59. Weekend at Bernie's (1999)

It’s hard to imagine that a studio today would green light a movie with this premise: Two schmucks visit their boss’s beach house in the Hamptons for the weekend, find him dead, and then decide to pass him off as still alive. Yet somehow the film works, and that’s because of the realistic chemistry between schmucks Andrew McCarthy (who knew he was such a good comedic actor?) and Jonathan Silverman. Even though the film revolves around a dead body, the movie never becomes cynical, or really comments on death. But it does dip into necrophilia (thankfully, offscreen)—“The guy gets laid more dead than I do alive,” McCarthy’s Larry quips. Weekend at Bernie’s was successful enough to spawn a sequel (skip that one) and other dead-body movies like Swiss Army Man; get a shout-out on the show Succession; and generate several Bernie Sanders memes. —GP

60. Who's That Girl (1987)

In 1987, Madonna had already starred in three movies, including the ill-fated Shanghai Surprise. Her music career was still doing well, but her acting? Not so much. The Bringing Up Baby-like Who’s that Girl bombed big time at the box office, and it’s easy to see why. Madonna plays Nikki Finn, who gets out of prison for something she didn’t do. She meets attorney Louden Trott (Griffith Dunne), who’s about to marry Wendy (played by Sixteen Candles’s Haviland Morris), an insufferable rich woman. But because Nikki’s Betty Boop-like, he decides she’s the one for him. In many ways the movie is a chaotic mess, which is also why it kind of works. A bow-tied cougar named Murray coupled with Madonna’s catchy songs “Causing a Commotion” and “Who’s That Girl” (she named a subsequent world tour after the song), and Dunne’s straight man performance makes this a must-see. —GP