5 for love; 5 for hate

Every so often I surprise someone by stating that I love or hate a movie about which they think I would have the opposite opinion. I have gone ahead and picked 5 of each that seem to be the biggest surprises. Know ahead of time that some of the ones I love I readily admit aren't very good movies, but there is something about them that I love. Also, they won't be in any specific order. So here we go

5 Movies I Love that surprise people

5. 2 fast 2 furious- You can certainly chalk this movie to the group I know is bad, but still love. I was not a huge fan of the original, but there was something exciting about the sequel. I know the story, acting and script are all terrible, but if I am looking for something to watch, I often find myself pulling this off my DVD shelf. Having Eva mendes in it doesn't hurt, but more than that is the climatic car chase that is so out of hand ludicrous, I can't help but be incredibly entertained by it.

4. Dude, Where's my car- I can often be considered at the forefront of hating stupid comedies, but there are exceptions to every rule and this is my biggest exception. A pot smoking comedy featuring a giant alien chick, a dude stripper, cupboards of pudding, German time travelers and a pre-famous Jennifer Garner can't be all bad, right? right? Actually this line from the movie totally sums it up "Wait a second, let's recap. Last night, we lost my car, we accepted stolen money from a transsexual stripper, and now some space nerds want us to find something we can't pronounce. I hate to say it, Chester, but maybe we need to cut back on the shibbying." Perfect

3. Mean Girls- I am not sure why I have to put this on the list, but it really surprises people to find out I genuinely love this movie and not only for Lindsay Lohan's rack. It is awfully funny, biting and honest and of course has Lindsay Lohan's rack at it's peak. Tina Fey wrote a very funny script and I can put it on anytime and just laugh my troubles away. I am not sure why people would think I would hate it because it seems to have everything I want in my life- hot chicks and fast dialog.

2. The Notebook- OK I admit it, I had absolutely no desire to see this movie at all. If it had not been for a hot girl asking me to, I never in a million years would have sat through it. However, when I did sit through I found myself enjoying it. Then I saw it a second time and enjoyed it even more. Yes, it is a bit hokey and it manipulates the emotions of the audience like no one's business, but it is very effective. At some point I started to believe the characters did in fact have the deepest longest sustaining love in the history of the world. The acting is better than these types of movies usually get and the end is both heart breaking and heartwarming and oh hell with it, it made me tear up! There, I said it. Judge away, bitches!

1. Hostel- Seeing as how I loathe the Saw movies and generally despise the torture porn genre, this might be the biggest surprise and it is the movie I find myself most defending on this list. Now, I know that when I watch this movie I am most likely reading much further into it than was intended by the director, but I think there is something more to Hostel than just torture porn. When I watch it I see a very interesting remark about society and human nature. I see a movie that believes if you have the good in life you have to prepare for the bad. It says to me Utopia comes at a price, plain and simple. I would never recommend it to any living soul, but if you want a more full account of why I love it, just ask me.

5 movies I hate that surprise people

5. Gladiator- It is almost against the laws of being a guy to hate such a brutal movie, but I do. it is slow, over acted, or directed and just fully over done. Russell Crowe was not at all impressive in any way and I just wanted the movie to reach it's climax a whole lot sooner than it did. It pains me to recall sitting through it and I would love it if I never had to sit through all 155 minutes of this bloated garbage ever again.

4. Braveheart- I guess this thing kind of falls into the same category as Gladiator, but people are always shocked to hear I hate it. What guy hates a movie that is so bloody and battle heavy? Well easy, when it is not in battle it is so over the top boring that I barely stayed awake. Mel Gibson can be good, but this is not good Gibson, this is preening, mugging and showy Gibson at his very worst. Just thinking about this movie makes me go nearly catatonic.

3. Monty Python and the Holy Grail- I do not get the whole Monty Python thing and the grail is the movie that comes up the mot. Sure there is some comedy found during the movie, but overall it is just noise that does not entertain me in any way. Add to the fact that it has an insulting ending bordering on the worst ending in any movie ever and you have just some bad movie watching experiences. I know people love it and I know it will continue to be considered a classic, but I will never get it. I just don't find it funny, interesting or redeeming in any way and I would be happy if people would stop trying to explain what makes it so funny.

2. A Beautiful Mind- Apparently it is a crime for hardcore film lovers to hate this movie, but I do. People can never get over my disdain for such a film, but it exists. The movie is oddly paced, overacted, over directed and just lacks a certain quality a movie needs to be interesting. Russell Crowe was not nearly as impressive as people think he was and nothing in it did anything for me. I was so bored I actually considered leaving, but figured it would have to get good at some point, right? Wrong!

1. Christmas Story- This choice actually raises ire more than any of the other ones. I will not sit here and bash the movie because I understand why people love it, but I just don't get it. I find the lead kid to be obnoxious, not likable and I guess the comedy just doesn't work for me. I know it is widely considered a classic and is quoted endlessly, but it really just does not work for me. It isn't very funny and it just doesn't fill me with the warm Christmas fuzzies like a good Christmas movie does.

So there you have it. You will notice left Finding Nemo off the list. That is because at this point no one is surprised by my hatred for that movie since I have made it incredibly clear! Feel free to express your surprise at any of my picks or add your own to either list. I am always curious as what other people think!