Most people don’t like bad movies, and rightfully so. There’s nothing like spending your time, and likely your money, on something that just wasn’t worth it.
Some bad movies, however, are very special. They land in the hilarity zone, a zone where the movies are still god awful but are so bad that they become funny.
A great example of this is The Room by Tommy Wiseau — the film that was so hilariously bad, that you may remember they made a movie called The Disaster Artist, which is all about the making of the memorable film.
There are more movies deserving of such a distinction. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but just in case, here’s three more worth checking out.
Double Down (2007)
Written and Directed by Neil Breen
Starring: Neil Breen
(Available on YouTube)
Neil Breen just keeps making films and somehow, their quality never improves. Here, in his debut film, Double Down, Neil portrays Aaron Brand. Aaron, in essence, is the most powerful person in the world. Aaron is an incredible hacker, a decorated war veteran, bioterrorist, vigilante, assassin and government secret agent. He’s also a medium with the power to talk to several dead people throughout the film, however, how he accomplishes this is never really explained.
There is a very convoluted plot (if it could really be called a plot at all) where Aaron is avenging his dead wife by… letting loose an airborne poison on the Las Vegas strip, but he is also hired by a secret government agency to shut down the Las Vegas strip for two weeks as a secondary thing… maybe? In any event besides the unexplainable story, there’s some of the most wooden acting I’ve ever witnessed, Neil Breen himself being particularly entertaining. There are some very weird choices made throughout the film, like how Aaron eats tuna all the time, or when Aaron goes and assassinates the wrong people and shows little remorse.
Probably my favorite part of the movie is just watching Neil Breen portray the character he wrote for himself. He really tried to make the character into a badass but it comes off as really funny, especially considering that Neil Breen looks like the furthest thing away from an action star. Overall, this is an incredibly funny film – but he has many equally bad movies. You should consider inviting over some friends and having a Neil Breen-athon. Check this out if you want to watch a true comedy.
Sharknado (2013)
Written by Thunder Levin, Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante
Starring: Ian Ziering, Tara Reid
Sharknado, as the title may suggest, is a film about a tornado, and when the tornado passes over the Pacific, it sweeps up some sharks in its cyclone. Tornadoes and sharks prove to be a devastating combination, as it wreaks havoc on California. Our story follows ex-surfer Fin, who is trying to survive the sharknado while also collecting his estranged family to save them as well.
A very basic (somewhat nonsensical) concept with a very ridiculous outcome, Sharknado took the ever-growing fad of shark-related B-movies and just kind of said ‘whatever screw it.’ Sharknado is a bad movie that truly knows that it’s a bad movie. The film never tried to be serious, they knew that they were a stupid movie about bad CGI sharks that fly around and kill people.
They embraced the ridiculousness and as a result, the movie flourished into a hilarious masterpiece. The shark attack scenes are really dumb, the weapons the main characters use against their finned foes are very fun, (especially the frequent use of the chainsaw by Fin), and, as always, the acting really sucks in the best way possible. The whole movie is a wild rollercoaster ride of fun. If you want a “turn your brain off” movie and just enjoy dumb-looking sharks get cut in half, this movie is perfect for you.
Who Killed Captain Alex (2010)
Written and directed by Nabwana Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey (I.G.G.)
Starring: Kakule William, G. Puffs, Sserunya Ernest
Video joker: VJ Emmie
(Available on YouTube)
Who Killed Captain Alex is my favorite bad movie ever, period. As far as many other fans that I can deduce, this is the first-ever Ugandan action movie made (or at least seen internationally). The plot centers around a conflict between the ‘Tiger’ mafia and the army that intensifies with the murder of the titular Captain Alex. Alex’s brother, who isn’t really given a name, tries to avenge his brother’s murder. The film was made in Uganda on budget of an estimated $85 (not a typo, actually $85). One man named Nabwana I.G.G. had a dream of making a movie, so he did. He didn’t expect to make money, he just wanted to make a movie for his village. As a result, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie with more pure intentions than this one. The film itself is hilariously bad of course.
The special effects are comical, the movie is entirely spoken in ‘Luganda’ (there are subtitles) which doesn’t stop it from having a ridiculous script and considering this is the first time most of the ‘actors’ have ever acted, it’s no wonder their performances are charmingly bad. Who Killed Captain Alex is beautiful in a way that most other movies could never replicate.
This is my favorite bad movie and I think it’s worth watching regardless of who you are. It’s free on YouTube, nobody is stopping you from clicking on it and giving it a try. You absolutely won’t regret it.
