Book Review: Rotten Movies We Love by the Editors of Rotten Tomatoes

Book Review: Rotten Movies We Love by The Editors of Rotten Tomatoes

If you have been a regular reader of The Midnite Drive-In, you know that I often reference the website of Rotten Tomatoes when discussing how a movie is or was received by the critics. You also know that I just love to watch movies that were considered "bad" by either the critics or the public.

So, to set the scene, Rotten Tomatoes is a website that collects the overall critical reviews of movies (as established by people who actually make their living writing reviews, unlike me, who just does this for my own , and hopefully your, entertainment.)  A Rotten Tomatoes rating could go as high as 100% (movies included in this category include Seven Samurai, 12 Angry Men, and The Treasure of Sierra Madre).  Conversely, a movie could garner a rating of 0% (movies such as Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever,  Return to Blue Lagoon, Problem Child and the Nicholas Cage fiasco Left Behind). 

In the context of this rating system, the dividing line between "Fresh" and "Rotten" is about 60%. The films that the editors picked to highlight are movies that, despite the critical reception, are ones that they think are worth a second look. The highest rated movie in this volume is at 59% Fresh is The Last Dragon. And the lowest rated movie, at 0% Fresh, is the aforementioned Problem Child. The movies in this volume have either been the subject of a review on this blog, or in some cases have been on the list for future reviews, or in the case of a few, movies that I missed completely, but are now on the back burner. (This would include an odd looking movie that somehow escaped me during it's release, The Strangers from 2008).

There are also a few featured guest reviewers (the professional critics I mentioned) talking about movies that they consider worth a second look.  For instance, Leonard Maltin, whom I assume you ALL know of, considers Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla to be a "guilty pleasure". 

Of course, a few of the movies will NEVER be featured on The Midnite Drive-In, no matter what any one else might have to say. It's no secret that I don't like that whackadoodle Tom Cruise, so even though Cocktail and Legend are among the movies selected you won't find me joining the bandwagon.

Some of the movies featured are ones that I adore, of course, and have even dedicated a post to them. Hook, for one, is one that I still like (this is the lowest rated movie that Steven Spielberg ever had a hand in, even lower than 1941...) Tim Burton, another director that I have a high regard for, appears in the book with his 1996 fiasco Mars Attacks!, which remains one of the few movies I saw more than once in it's theatrical release. In my review of Xanadu I even stated that I had fluctuated in my enamoration, really liking it on first viewing, but thinking it was trash later, and reverting now to actually liking it again. Other movies that I have a special place for in my heart that are included in this book are Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and Three Amigos!, both of which I think are highly unworthy of the disparagement they have received.

The book proves that relying solely on the opinions of others, even if they are the highbrow critics that make their living from evaluating films, is sometimes entirely unfounded.  Of course, it's no secret if you have followed along with my blog, that I never let the opinion of others influence my movie watching habits. 

Keep watching this site, because I intend to watch a few of these again (or for the first time, in some cases) and post my own personal opinions (which, needless to say, should not influence you in your watching, but at least will make you aware of their status in the movie review world).

Drive safely, folks!

Quiggy