There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who pretend they only watch critically acclaimed masterpieces, and those who know deep in their popcorn-buttered hearts that Sharknado was cinema at its finest.
And honestly… I don’t trust the first group.
If you’ve never laughed until you cried while watching Nicolas Cage punch someone in a bear suit (The Wicker Man, 2006, in case you’re curious), you haven’t really lived. Right?
So let’s get into it. Why are bad movies so ridiculously fun to watch? (And make millions every year).
Free from Expectations
A “good” movie comes with baggage.
If you sit down for a Best Picture winner, you suddenly have homework. Pay attention to the subtle symbolism, the nuanced dialogue, the Oscar-worthy performances. Basically trying to figure out why they won…
You’re not watching, you’re grading.
But in a bad movie, there’s zero pressure.
The acting might be wooden, the CGI might look like it was rendered on a 2002 Dell laptop, and the dialogue… well, is not really existent.
You can just… relax. It’s cinema without responsibility.
It’s like junk food. Nobody eats McDonald's, expecting to be excited. You eat because you know what you’re getting.
They Accidentally Become Comedies
The best bad movies don’t set out to be funny. But they turn out to be funny as hell.
That’s the charm.
The director might genuinely believe they’re creating the next Citizen Kane while the audience is howling at the fact that the boom mic is clearly visible in half the shots.
Bad movies don’t need a joke writer. They are the joke.
And that’s not a knock, actually. I know it sounds like one. But it really is the charm of good “bad” movies.
Pure Joy
There’s a strange joy in pointing out just how awful or “simple” something is.
Watching a bad movie transforms every viewer into a world-class film critic. Suddenly, you’re an expert on camera angles, lighting choices, and line delivery.
“Wow, did you see that continuity error?”
“Ugh, that CGI dinosaur looks like it escaped from a PS1 cutscene.”
None of us could do it any better. But we feel like geniuses.
They’re the Ultimate Group Activity
A masterpiece is often best enjoyed in silence. But who wants that?
You can’t exactly shout over Schindler’s List or crack jokes during Moonlight.
But a bad movie? That’s a bonding experience.
You gather your friends, order some pizza, and roast the film in real-time. That’s fun.
Enter Marvel
And Hollywood knows this. Enter Marvel. Or DC. Or any superhero movie, for that matter.
No Marvel movie is good. Not even close. The dialogue is… well non-existent, the villains are copy-pasted, and every plot boils down to the same boring stuff.
And yet… people love them.
They line up for midnight premieres. They argue about which Chris is the best Chris. People pretend to care about multiverse timelines.
None of this is “good” cinema. Or worthy of any kind of award.
But it works.
Marvel movies are proof that “bad” and “beloved” can coexist. They’re not art. They’re bad movie fun.
They embody everything about bad movies that works. Predictability, absurdity, and pure, uncut popcorn fun.
The only difference is that Marvel had a billion-dollar budget to look bad…
They Make Us Feel
Bad movies are therapeutic.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing at something, just remember tat someone got millions of dollars to make Cats(2019).
They had A-list actors. They had a budget. They had advanced technology. And yet, it was still a two-hour fever dream that scarred audiences worldwide.
They Circle Back to Genius
Some bad movies are so bad, they loop back around and become good again.
Many action movies are pure crap. But they’re also pure gold. That’s hard to beat. And we know because many people still watch “bad” action movies from decades ago. But they never watch Academy Award winners from last year.
It’s like karaoke.
Nobody goes to karaoke because the singing is good.
It’s the experience.
They Give Us Memes
Good movies give us awards. Bad movies give us memes.
I can’t name all the memes I love from bad movies. They’re all over social media.
Bad movies fuel the internet. They’re endlessly rewatchable because they’re endlessly roastable.
We’ll Always Love Them
Why are bad movies so good?
Because we will always love them.
We will always rewatch them.
They remind us that art isn’t perfect.
Sometimes it’s enough to be ridiculous, awkward, and unintentionally hilarious.
Good movies may win the trophies, but bad movies win our hearts.