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Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so too is cinematic quality. Whereas some moviegoers can sit through 100 screenings of Showgirls or Road House and find something new to love about it each time, others would prefer to be subjected to two hours of extensive oral surgery. Which means that describing any movie as “good” or “bad” is an assessment that’s open to interpretation and, of course, argument. Which is all part of the fun, really.
While the determination of a movie’s value is an assessment best left up to the individual being forced to sit through said film, there are thousands of individuals—and websites—that have appointed themselves the arbiters of worthwhile media. One of the most popular among them, of course, is Rotten Tomatoes, a film review aggregator that classifies its database of movies, most of which have been reviewed by both critics and users, in one of two ways: Fresh (a.k.a. Good) and Rotten (a.k.a. Bad).
But the truth is that movies are much more deeply layered, and deserve to be analyzed in far deeper a manner than a single number can offer. Yet the Tomatometer is out there, for all the world to see, even if it doesn’t always get it right. (Which, of course, is yet another opinion.) Here are 20 so-called “Rotten” movies that are worth a second look (if not a recount).
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The Counselor (2013)
Tomatometer: 35%
Ridley Scott's star-studded suspense thriller, directed from a script written by Cormac McCarthy, is not without its flaws. And it's probably best seen with the warning that Cameron Diaz has sex with a car at one point in the film. But its twisty storyline and strong performances from Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem are intriguing enough to keep viewers watching until the end, even if the final destination falls short of spectacular.
Spaceballs (1987)
Tomatometer 54%
Comedy and horror films seem to have the biggest problem crossing over into the "Fresh" category on Rotten Tomatoes. And Mel Brooks' classic Star Wars sendup is a perfect example of that.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Tomatometer: 33%
Halloween III: Season of the Witch has never really gotten the credit it deserves, most likely because after two movies of Michael Myers-filled horror, the serial killer audiences came to associate with a Halloween film was nowhere to be found. But put aside its dated, early '80s production design, and you've got a pretty interesting story about corporate corruption and the danger of power. (And one hell of a catchy jingle.)
Halloween (2007)
Tomatometer 25%
Speaking of overly maligned films from the Halloween franchise: Rob Zombie's reimagining of the John Carpenter classic seems to have been generating audience hate before it was even a movie in the first place. And while it may not add anything new to the Michael Myers canon, its Tobe Hooper-inspired visuals and production design offer an interesting throwback to the heyday of horror movies.
Boxcar Bertha (1972)
Tomatometer: 45%
Martin Scorsese was still finding his way as a director when he released his sophomore film, a loose adaptation of the Bonnie and Clyde-like adventures of Bertha Thompson. But it's a must-see film for any fan of the legendary director, and an integral part of the development of his filmmaking process, which came even further into focus the following year, when he released Mean Streets.
The Strangers (2008)
Tomatometer: 45%
Sure, it's got a simple premise. And the bulk of the movie is grounded in scares and creepy masks, not dialogue. Nor is there much of a resolution at the end. But we dare you to watch this debut flick from director Bryan Bertino and not lose your breath or jump out of your seat at least once.
Schizopolis (1996)
Tomatometer: 59%
What a difference a single point can make. Steven Soderbergh's experimental comedy—which he wrote, directed, shot, scored, edited, and even starred in—could have been certified "fresh" if it had earned just one additional point on the Rotten Tomatoes system. But something tells us that Soderbergh, who described the film as as "wake-up call to himself" after years of making sort-of industry films after the success of sex, lies, and videotape, kind of likes that it didn't.
The Invention of Lying (2009)
Tomatometer: 58%
Its humor may be a bit more buttoned up than Ricky Gervais' other projects, but The Invention of Lying has all the intelligence, humor, and subtlety that have made the comedian/filmmaker a worldwide celebrity. The film imagines a world in which truth-telling is the natural state (when Gervais arrives for a date with Jennifer Garner, she does not hesitate to tell him—quite sweetly—"I was just masturbating"), but Gervais is able to harness the power of exaggertion and deceit.
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Tomatometer: 47%
It almost seems as if there are two types of film fans in this world: those who like Oliver Stone and those who hate him. Though "straightforward" isn't Stone's typical storytelling style, Natural Born Killers is whatever the extreme opposite of that is. Based on a story by Quentin Tarantino, Stone pulls out seemingly every trick in his filmmaking tool kit to create this over-the-top ode to the role violence plays in the media... by being a piece of violence in the media (albeit with a purpose).
Chloe (2009)
Tomatometer: 51%
Amanda Seyfried does an admirable job playing the femme fatale in this underrated sexual thriller from Atom Egoyan, which co-stars Liam Neeson as a professor unable to resist the young girl's charms and Julianne Moore as Neeson's wife, who is equally smitten with Chloe. Wild Things it's not (and that's a good thing).
Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
Tomatometer: 31%
Wet Hot American Summer is one of those strange comedies that you catch on late-night cable one night and wake up the next morning still thinking about. Typically, the thought is, "What the hell was I watching?" But watch it again, and you'll want to watch it again and again. It may take more than one viewing, but this is cult comedy at its finest.
The Ladykillers (2004)
Tomatometer: 55%
While it's true that the Coen brothers' remake of The Ladykillers doesn't really do justice to the Alexander Mackendrick original, it too is one of those films that sometimes takes more than a single viewing to truly appreciate. Particularly when it comes to Tom Hanks' unexpectedly devious con man, Goldthwait Higginson Dorr. But the real treat is Irma P. Hall, who plays Hanks' elderly-but-with-it landlady, who begins to wonder what her new tenant is up to.
Unfaithful (2002)
Tomatometer: 49%
Diane Lane earned an Oscar nomination for her role as a woman happily married to Richard Gere, who can't resist the lure of a sexy young stranger (Olivier Martinez) she literally bumps into in New York City. Director Adrian Lyne does a bit of a role reversal on 1987's Fatal Attraction, which he also directed.
Jackass: The Movie (2002)
Tomatometer: 48%
We get that the Jackass antics aren't for everyone. But we're also pretty sure that it would be nearly impossible for anyone to resist laughing (even while cringing) if they actually sat down and watched it for an hour.
The Basketball Diaries (1995)
Tomatometer: 46%
Two years before he became the world's biggest stowaway-turned-heartthrob, Leonardo DiCaprio was dealing with sex, drugs, crime, and cancer in Scott Kalvert's thoroughly enjoyable adaptation of Jim Carroll's memoir. The film is also notable for helping Mark Wahlberg transition from Funky Bunch to Proper Actor.
The Perfect Storm (2000)
Tomatometer: 47%
Sure, it's a total popcorn flick. But as far as popcorn flicks go, The Perfect Storm is a well made, well acted, and thoroughly enjoyable one. It certainly doesn't deserve a Tomatometer ranking that logs a full eight points below Con Air! Plus, it's got a little thing known as the Clooney Factor.
Pacific Heights (1990)
Tomatometer: 43%
Michael Keaton seems to relish the chance to play the villain in John Schlesinger's tale of a rental property gone wrong in San Francisco. He chews up all of the scenery (in a good way), which makes up for the lackluster pairing of Matthew Modine and Melanie Griffith as his co-stars—and the targets of his con.
Hatchet (2006)
Tomatometer: 49%
Adam Green has fun playing with old-school horror movie tropes—the whole "group of people get stranded in a scary place" yarn—but just as much fun subverting them in the first film in his Hatchet series.
The Ice Harvest (2005)
Tomatometer: 46%
Why The Ice Harvest wasn't more widely embraced could very likely be a matter of poor marketing. With Harold Ramis as its director and John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, and Oliver Platt as its stars, audiences may have been expecting more knee-slapping comedy than this dark tale offers, but Platt alone is worth the price of admission. The script, written by Robert Benton and Robert Russo, may be predictable in points, but it all adds up to a unique play on the traditional holiday movie.
Step Brothers (2008)
Tomatometer: 55%
The biggest complaint critics seem to have with Step Brothers is actually its greatest asset: total immaturity.