I’ll start: “Happy Death Day”
I’ve not seen it since it came out but Crank (2006) is a terrible, dumb action comedy that has no right being that entertaining. It’s sequel Crank High Voltage is less good but also still enjoyable. I should rewatch them see if that’s rose tinted glasses or not!
Aren’t those movies in the same universe as Glass and Split?
I do not believe so! They’re not superhero films, are you thinking of Unbreakable?
Yes I absolutely am! Thank you!
Crank is great! Another JS movie in that category is The Transporter. Totally a B action movie but the premise is unique, the fight scenes are clever (the oil fight!), and the electronic music score is très magnifique. The love aspect, however, is terribly written and cringey. Crank did that part better, and Amy Smart is hilarious.
The first Transporter is a genuinely good film, the 2nd is also pretty decent. But I’m not sure the third and 4th are worth the time of day.
I’m going to have to make a list of the movies recommended here that I want to watch. Lots of interesting picks. Cool idea for a post.
Con Air
It is absolutely not well written but I just love how the film and all the actors are completely aware of how dumb the entire thing is.
Oh, and casting Chief Engineer Miles O’Brien as the jerk that everyone hates is the icing on this guilty-pleasure cake.
Con Air is an amazing “Sunday evening after eating too much dinner” film.
The In-Laws (2003)
Right before his daughter’s wedding, a man finds out his future son-in-law’s dad is a spy.
The Cell (2000)
A detective has to enter the mind of a serial killer and search his dreams for the location of his latest victim before time runs out.
Skulls (2000)
At an ivy league school, a law student joins a secret fraternity known only as “The Skulls.”
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
Two stoners get the munchies for White Castle cheeseburger sliders.
Swiss Army Man (2016)
I’m not even going to try and explain this.
Old School (2003)
A group of men wanting to relive their college days start a fraternity at a nearby school.
There are so many movies I could list but for now I’ll go with About Time (2013). Everything about it makes it seem like it would be a dumb sappy romcom but it manages to hit hard.
EDIT: This is the type of image they used to market the film, which is really misleading.
A few that come to mind
2022 - Lovecraftian Horror/Dark Comedy/Fantasy - Glorious
2019 - Mystery/Horror/Thriller/- The Colour Out Of Space (or Color Out Of Space)
2015 - Action/Violence/Scifi - Hardcore Henry
2010 - Action/Violence - Machete
2010 - Action/Comedy/Romance - Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
2009 - Zombie Horror/Dark Comedy - George: A Zombie Intervention (or George’s Intervention)
2009 - Adventure/Fantasy/Scifi - Ink
1999 - Adventure/Comedy/Fantasy - Dogma
1997 - Action/Adventure/Scifi - The Game
All were really good movies that I myself initially passed over (numerous times even) before coming back a while later to be blown away on the first watch. Most of these I ordered on dvd as the credits were still rolling. I can list some more if you like any of these.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Surprisingly good action and a decent plot to boot.
Cop Land.
I didn’t have Sly Stallone outacting Robert Deniro as a possibility, but then that movie happened.
Cop Land is amazing. Most people forget that Stallone has been nominated for three academy awards.
Doom 2005 wasn’t bad.
Reanimator
The Suicide Squad from 2021. The previous Suicide Squad movie was a disaster and you’re making ANOTHER ONE? That movie had no right to be as entertaining as it was.
Also The Batman. Comic book movie: check. Comic book character that has been done to death: check. Everything has to be grim and dark and realistic: check. When I say “everything has to be dark” I also mean the visuals: check. But it was fine, surprisingly.
James Gunn can make decent cape slop
Teknolust (2002)
CW: y2k aesthetic, Tilda Swinton in multiple roles.
Do not read wikipedia’s synopsis of it first unless you want to spoil it. you can find it here on archive.org.
American Werewolf in London
The title alone makes it sound like a cheesy 80s goofy movie…and it kinda is. But the practical effects are right up there with The Thing. It makes you invested in the characters and the main conflict is really tough. It’s more dark and gritty than you would expect, especially near the end. The werewolf transformation scene has some of the best practical effects in film. It’s stomach churning.
Event Horizon. The trailers made it seem like just another 90s sci-fi horror flick trying to ride the Alien high, but it ended up being such a good movie with a tight script, beautiful set design, actually smart characters, and great acting.
I will forever mourn the movie we could have had. The theatrical cut ended up being a Disney movie compared to the original. Alas, all footage is lost to time.
Keanu Reeves holds two places on my list; Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure and Johnny Mnemonic.
