If this post appears on a different day, that means I have delayed publishing it.
As I have promised before in my previous post, here I am going to make a list of my top five guilty pleasure films.
Being a film student, I am constantly taught and told about the ideal filmmaking formulas and tips that actually work. I am given loads of good films to watch from various directors, genres, styles and countries (and yes, I would admit that I still lack a lot of watching, to be honest). You name it: The Wizard of Oz, Citizen Kane, Battleship Potemkin, 2001: A Space Odyssey... whatever "snobbish" film titles which might appear on many film critics' "Best Movies" list. On and off the class, I would be given tasks to write reports on film history and its movements, or to watch videos of cinematographers talking about the development of cinematography in cinema and how to work with directors, and still many more related stuff. Basically just anything about film, especially the good ones.
But doing that should not make me or any film student be snob, though. Yes, I know that this makes us watch more quality films but let's admit it, there must be films that may not be considered good enough by most people but we still love it though. One of my screenwriting lecturers, who is an expert screenwriter, a famous script doctor/consultant and a strict guru on "somebody who wants something so bad but is having obstacles reaching it" logline/premise, once bluntly admitted in front of me and my film classmates that she actually enjoyed Michael Bay's films: Armageddon, The Rock, even the first installment of the bloody Transformers series (although gratefully not the last two). "Because they have characters," she said. What is meant by "they have characters" here is that the characters are interesting enough and they have stories to tell--something that not all films succeed in doing so.
Well, I think that's enough introduction, so let me just start writing my list, for whatever reason that is. And if any of you would think that "why would you like any of those films?", the answer would: well... and that is why this is called as a guilty pleasure list, I suppose.
P.S.: you won't find the likes of Nicolas Sparks' adapted films here. Sorry.
5. Snow Dogs (Brian Levant, 2002)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 24%
On a deeper note, this film has been a part of my life history. I remember clearly the first time I watched this film was when I was in 3rd grade. What brought me to watch this film was on one weekend (I suppose it was a Saturday), I was walking around a mall in South Jakarta with my family, where many of the DVD stores in the mall displayed this film at the New Release section. I have always loved dogs, so I begged my parents to buy me the film, but it was almost the exam week and they're afraid that I would be distracted from studying had they bought the film straightaway on that day, so they promised me that they would buy this film after I finish all my exams. And they did. The film came home to me the next weekend.
Well, there goes my journey with this film. During the summer vacation from Grade 3 to Grade 4, I would watch this film everyday, every morning to be exact. I wasn't going anywhere during that summer since my parents were working, so it was somewhat a blessing in disguise. I woke up at 7.15 am (I wonder how did I do it back then now that I can't wake up that early without an alarm--even with an alarm it's still hard), then went to the dining room to grab a bowl of cereal with milk or a loaf of bread (depends on what's available), then brought them straight to my parents' bedroom which has a TV and DVD player in it, grab the DVD from the DVD drawer, put the DVD into the DVD player and watched Cuba Gooding Jr. dealing with Siberian huskies in Alaska while eating my breakfast. Every single day, until my family's domestic worker got bored with the film and, worse, on the 20-ish day the DVD started to have scratches and become broken not long afterwards that it couldn't be played anymore. By the time I went back to the same mall to find a replacement after that summer was over and Grade 4 started, the DVD was no longer available. Gone from the market.
My first reason was only because of the dogs, but I also experienced something bigger from this film: this is where I actually learned English. Yes, I had English classes in school, but they were focused on reading, writing and speaking. Not so much on the listening part though. This film helped my listening skills. When I watched the film, I turned the English subs on and listened to what Cuba Gooding Jr., James Coburn and the dogs (yes, they're
So, apart from its flaws, sloppy screenwriting (which I finally realize after I rewatched it as a film student) and somehow unfunny comedy especially to many critics (now that I wonder why would Cuba Gooding Jr. and James Coburn--both being Oscars winners--accept the job to act in this film), I would still be proud to say that this film deserves to be in my Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Films list.
4. Step Up 3D (Jon M. Chu, 2010)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 46%
Alright, I'm going to blatantly say it: let's face it, but who watches any of the Step Up films truly for its story? Because I don't--I honestly find the story not so intriguing, but I don't really care, actually. It's mainly for the dance moves and costumes! And this particular one nailed it, especially in 3D!
3. Last Holiday (Wayne Wang, 2006)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 55%
This one was released when I was 13, I guess. I didn't recall buying the film, I guess it was either my mum or dad simply because there's Queen Latifah in it. Actually, there's nothing different in the structure of the plot, but I laughed with its comedy and enjoyed Georgia Byrd's journey in Europe though (at that time, I haven't rewatched the film since I got into film school). Plus, it used to make me want to name my son Didier in hopes that my son would be a great chef just like Chef Didier (Gérard Depardieu) in the film hahaha.
In the "About Me" section of my Grade 9 paper (in my school we have to write a very simple supposedly research paper in order to graduate), I wrote this film as one of my favorite films. Now that Last Holiday does not make it into my favorite films list anymore, I would humbly put this into my Guilty Pleasure Films list.
2. 13 Going on 30 (Gary Winick, 2004)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: 64%
As the highest-scoring film from this list, this chick-flick is somewhat loved among critics and people, especially girls who are 13 *wink-wink*. This was released in 2004 and I knew the title at first as Suddenly 30. I remember the poster of this film as Jennifer Garner blowing a bubble gum (although I recall no memory of watching the film during the 2000s). In fact, I just watched this film on May 14 this year! But I'm directly loving this film!
I kinda relate with Jenna when I was 13 and 14. It's like I also don't want to be 13 or 14. I just want to be a successful adult so I don't have to undergo school and all its peer pressures (now that I'm 21 and almost 22, I regret that I wished something similar like this, LOL! Being an adult is no easy job at all!). Jennifer Garner also delivered a good performance as an adult who is actually just a 13-year-old at heart. Her character is loveable. Yes, this has plot holes and unimportant dialogues too, but I can still enjoy the film with all its comedies and romance going on. Also, I ship Jenna and Matt!
This film helped me go through all the stress and pressures that my thesis gave me. My thesis has ruined my sleeping time that I find it hard to sleep at normal times now, so my way to go through the night (which is sometimes long) is by watching films--after watching this one, it really made me feel entertained and refreshed to write my thesis again.
And then this guy. This guy. My gosh, the Hulk. How can Mark Ruffalo be so damn cute, hot and handsome, all at once?! Plus I get to see (young) him dancing to Michael Jackson's Thriller, which is one rare stuff! *fangirling*
1. Made of Honor (Paul Weiland, 2008)
Rotten Tomatoes' percentage: f****** 14%? Really? :")
This one was released when I was in Grade 9, but I didn't get to watch the film until Grade 10. My main reason of buying the film was because there's Patrick Dempsey in it--come on, Grey's Anatomy was so hyped at that time, which made people realize how beautifully handsome and loveable McDreamy is that some of them are willing to watch just about every Patrick Dempsey's film, or at least not to miss any of Grey's Anatomy Season 4's episodes. And then I realize that Michelle Monaghan is also just simply gorgeous and beautiful after watching the film (and she still is, even up until now).
Yes, I know there's nothing original in the film's story. I know Tom might have been a quite creepy character for many people. I also know that it has plot holes and the story drags in the middle. But still... I don't think it's that bad. At least both Dempsey and Monaghan delivered strong performances, where I can feel their chemistry. I even think that this is still a much better film than A Walk to Remember! *sitting at the corner of the room, facing the wall*
This film made me refuse to go out from my house to see the fireworks on 2009's New Year (or 2010, I forgot the year). I said to my parents, who asked me to go out at that New Year's Eve to see the fireworks, "I have seen enough noisy fireworks every New Year." LOL that was hilarious!
And also, for one reason, who doesn't want to see Dempsey juggling plates?! *also fangirling*
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