I'm a fairly tough critic when it comes to movies. Not that I'm a movie snob who picks apart every inconsistency and only likes erudite arthouse fare. Far from it. Like my taste in music (heck, I've got everything from Grieg to Twisted Sister on my iPod), I enjoy all types. Some of my favorites? Say Anything. RoboCop. Star Wars. (Do I even have to say the words "Original Trilogy"?) Dolores Claiborne. Ghostbusters. Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Citizen Kane. War Games. Shawshank Redemption. Blazing Saddles. Wedding Crashers. I could go on. Clearly I'm more of a sci-fi, fantasy and comedy fan, and don't really love horror, war or even period pieces like Shakespeare in Love (although that wasn't half bad.)
I don't normally go for the standard "must see" movies, though yeah, I've got my fair share of guilty pleasure films. I know they're bad, but they're good bad, y'know? Like Dodgeball. If I come across that on TV, no matter what scene it's on, I just have to watch it.
But when it comes to bad movies, movies that hurt my brain and not in a good way, there are two that will ALWAYS come to mind. The first is the Robin Williams-filled "Popeye." I remember seeing it at our local theater with my sister when we were kids. I believe my parents went to go see something more adult-oriented (get your mind out of the gutter!), while me and my sister Beth went in to see Popeye. I liked Popeye. Cute cartoon. He's kinda like a superhero. So how bad could a live-action Popeye be? Real bad, apparently. Nobody told me it was a musical! A musical? Popeye? Uh. What? My sister, who loves musicals, of course loved the film. While I tried to cry myself to sleep throughout the whole ordeal, sadly I could do nothing but wait till the movie was over for us to leave. At least Popeye got to fight some giant squid at some point.
The other movie, which is far worse in my mind and the only movie I have ever attended and seriously considered walking out in the middle of, was "Ghostbusters 2." I don't remember who I saw it with, but I most definitely would have left halfway through that cinematic piece of trash if I didn't have to rely on a ride from someone else. But like a bad novel that I've invested time in already, I just HAD to see how it ended in hopes that the producers would have some amazing last-minute save up their sleeve. No such luck. Apparently they were wearing T-shirts that day...
COUPON TIME:
If I had a coupon for money off cans of spinach, I'd post 'em right here for ya! Instead, since I'd like to hit a few select movie producers repeatedly in the head with a baseball bat, here are a few choice sporting goods coupons. Okay, I'll toss in a pair of deals for weight-lifting sites so you can bulk up without eatin' yer spinach.
15% off an order of $100 or more at The Sports Authority
Eligible items will have the following note on their product page: "15% OFF orders over $100"
Use the above link to activate the coupon. If there's a problem, enter promotion/discount code TSAMARCH at checkout.
Valid through: March 31, 2008 11:59pm ET
Valid online only. Valid for in-stock merchandise only. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offer nor is this offer valid on previous purchases. Offer excludes Treadmills, Bikes/Ellipticals, Home Gyms, select table games, trampolines & accessories, electronics/optics and the following brands: Atec, Bauer, Bladez, Bowflex, Butterfly, Callaway, Carhart, Casio, CCM, Cobra, Coleman Boats, Columbia, Crocs, DeMarini, Easton, Escape, Etyomic Research, Fly Flot, Footjoy, Front Porch Classics, Future Beach, Garmin, Goaliath, Goalrilla, Goalsetter, Ground Control, Hi-Tec, Jugs, K2, Kettler, K-Swiss, Leatherman, Leisure Life, Louisville, Louisville Slugger, Magellan, Magnum, Miken Sports, Minolta, Mission, Mizuno, Mongoose, Motorola, Muzono Golf, Nike, Nike Golf, Oakley, Penn, Pelican, Performance Tennis Frames, Pro Feet, Rawlings, Razors, Roces, Rollerblade, Salomon, Shimano, SKB, Spira, Spring Step, Taylor Made, The North Face, Tippmann, Titleist, Trend Sports, Under Armour, World Industries, Worth and select other items/brands. If the coupon doesn't seem to work on an item, it's probably excluded. Discount does not apply to gift cards, gift certificates, taxes, shipping and handling charges, gift-wrapping or similar charges. Entire order must be shipped to a single address.
15% off a purchase of $75 or more at Dick's Sporting Goods
Eligible items will have the following note on their product page: "Receive 15% off your order of $75 or more"
Use this link to activate the coupon. If there's a problem, enter promotion/discount code DSP_1575 at checkout.
Valid through: March 31, 2008 11:59pm ET
Valid online only. Limit $200 discount per customer. Valid for in-stock merchandise only. Offer excludes all electronics/optics. Offer excludes Atec, Bauer, Bowflex, Carhartt, Callaway, CCM, Cobra, Coleman Boats, Columbia, DeMarini, Easton, Escape, Fitness Quest, Fly Flot, Footjoy, Future Beach, Garmin, Heelys, Hi-Tec, Horizon, Jugs, K2, Kettler, K-Swiss, Leisure Life, Louisville, Louisville Slugger, Magellan, Magnum, Marmot, Miken Sports, Minolta, Mission, Mongoose, Motorola, Muzono Golf, Nike, Nike Golf, Oakley, Pelican, Pro Feet, Puma, Rawlings, Razors, Roces, Rollerblade, Salomon, Spira, Spring Step, Sole, Taylor Made, The North Face, Titleist, Trend Sports, Under Armour, World Industries, Worth and select other items. If the coupon doesn't seem to work on an item, the brand is probably excluded. Not valid on the purchase of gift certificates and gift cards, taxes, shipping and handling charges, gift wrapping and similar charges. Not valid on previous purchases. Valid online only.
$1 Trial Offer at Total Gym
The risk-free trial offer lets you try the Total Gym in your home for 30 days with a single payment of just $1.00. If you decide to keep the Total Gym, you'll be billed additional payments.
$100 off a Bowflex Home Gym
Total purchase must be $1000 or more.
Use promo code W1HA1.
Valid through: March 31, 2008 11:59pm PT
Valid online only. Offer excludes the Bowflex Revolution Home Gym. Cannot be combined with other offers and excludes previously placed orders. Offer not valid at retail stores or outlets.
6 Responses to “Money Back Guarantee”
Ugh....you had to remind me of Popeye, on a monday morning no less! That was painful. What is it with Robin Williams, he either does a great movie or one worthy of a public toilet. The great ones (in my opinion of course): Awakenings, Dead Poets, Good Morning Vietnam. The horrible: Popeye, RV, Jack, to name a few.
@Kyle - Thank you, buddy. You are only the 2nd person I've met in my life (the other is my friend Pat), who agrees with me on the pure atrocity level of Popeye the movie. Sorry to ruin your Monday morning in the process...
I never got the chance to see Robin Williams in Popeye, but I'll take your word for it that it was truly repugnant. LOL
Kyle, I have to agree that RV stunk big time...it was one of those movies that you find yourself waiting for it get better (or funnier) and before you know it, you've invested so much time in it, you figure you might as well finish watching the darn thing....of course, in the end, you realize you should have stopped watching when you first started getting the feeling that it was going nowhere. Oh...I really liked him in Good Will Hunting as well, one of my very favorite movies
Julie, agree with you on Good Will Hunting! I forgot about that role. I like Robin Williams in those serious roles rather than the 'over the top' stuff.
Great post, I've never rated Robin Williams as a comedy actor or comedian, I just don't get his style of comedy, it's not funny and so childish that even kids don't get it! Keanu Reeves is totally over rated as well. Worst film ever is the Adams Family, it just didn't work.
Sometimes Robin Williams can be a little over the top but I like him. I didn't care to much for the Popeye movie. I am a back in the day Popeye cartoon freak.