13 terribly reviewed movies (that we secretly love).

Let's be honest — we all have those movies we adore despite the collective eye-roll from critics and the abysmal Rotten Tomatoes scores that make film buffs wince. These cinematic guilty pleasures might not be winning Oscars anytime soon, but they've secured a special place in our hearts (and our weekend rewatch rotations).

Listen to The Spill for more horribly reviewed movies we still love to watch. Article continues after post.

Whether it's the camp factor, the nostalgia hit, or simply the joy of watching something so bad it circles back to brilliant, these critically panned films deserve our unashamed love.

So grab your popcorn and prepare for zero intellectual stimulation as we celebrate 13 terrible movies that we're secretly (or not so secretly) obsessed with.

A Family Affair.

Image: Netflix

Netflix's 2024 romantic comedy, starring Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, and Joey King, follows Zara (King), a young woman who discovers her mother Brooke (Kidman) is dating her former boss, Chris Cole (Efron), who also just happens to be a famous movie star. What starts as awkward family dinners evolves into genuine feelings between the pair, while Zara struggles with her own romantic entanglements and the strange dynamic of potentially having Efron as her stepfather.

Sometimes, you just need to watch obscenely attractive people fall in love in beautiful locations. The chemistry between Kidman and Efron is oddly compelling, and there's something delightfully comforting about a rom-com that hits every expected beat with predictability.

Showgirls.

Image: United Artists.

This 1995 erotic drama follows Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley), a mysterious drifter who hitchhikes to Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a showgirl. Working her way up from stripper to chorus girl, she navigates a cutthroat world of backstabbing, sexual exploitation, and over-the-top dance numbers. Her rivalry with reigning star Cristal Connors (Gina Gershon) drives her to increasingly desperate measures as she tries to claw her way to the top of the Vegas entertainment food chain.

What makes it magical? The complete commitment to excess. From Berkley's wildly over-the-top performance to the dialogue that no human would ever actually speak, Showgirls has transcended its critical drubbing to become the ultimate camp masterpiece. The pool scene alone deserves its own place in the Bad Movie Hall of Fame.

Grease 2.

Image: Paramount Pictures

Set two years after the original, this 1982 sequel follows Michael Carrington (Maxwell Caulfield), a British exchange student and Sandy's cousin, who falls for Pink Lady leader Stephanie Zinone (Michelle Pfeiffer). When he learns she only dates T-Birds (the school's greaser gang), he creates an alter ego as a mysterious, helmeted motorcyclist called "Cool Rider" to win her heart. Meanwhile, the T-Birds and Pink Ladies navigate teenage drama amid increasingly elaborate musical numbers about reproduction, bowling, and nuclear war.

This beloved cult classic has it all: catchy songs about young romance, a hero who transforms into a charismatic motorcycle-riding fantasy man and vibrant bowling alley musical numbers. It's gloriously earnest and charmingly unique in a way that makes it impossible not to adore.

Piranha 3D.

Image: Dimension Films

This 2010 horror comedy is set during spring break at Lake Victoria, where an underwater earthquake releases prehistoric piranhas into the popular holiday destination. As hordes of college students descend on the lake for drunken revelry, sheriff Julie Forester (Elisabeth Shue) and a seismologist (Adam Scott) race to stop the razor-toothed fish from turning the party into a bloodbath. Meanwhile, a sleazy pornographer (Jerry O'Connell) shoots a Girls Gone Wild-style video, setting up his cast and crew as perfect piranha fodder.

Director Alexandre Aja knew precisely what film he was making — a schlocky, excessive tribute to exploitation cinema that features Jerry O'Connell getting his penis bitten off in 3D. It's stupid, it's gross, and it's an absolute blast from start to finish.

Van Helsing.

Image: Universal Pictures

This 2004 action horror film stars Hugh Jackman as Gabriel Van Helsing, a monster hunter working for a secret Vatican organisation. Set in 1888, Van Helsing is sent to Transylvania to protect the last members of an ancient Romanian family from Count Dracula (Richard Roxburgh). Teaming up with Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale), he discovers Dracula is attempting to use Dr. Frankenstein's technology to bring his vampire children to life, while also dealing with werewolves, Frankenstein's monster, and his own mysterious past.

Watching Jackman battle Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and werewolves with ridiculous weapons and even more ridiculous hair is pure popcorn entertainment. It's a monster mash-up that delivers spectacle over substance — and sometimes, that's exactly what you need.

Glitter.

Image: 20th Century Studios

Mariah Carey stars in this 2001 film as Billie Frank, a talented singer haunted by childhood trauma after being abandoned by her drug-addicted mother. Set in the 1980s, Billie works as a club dancer until DJ Julian "Dice" Black (Max Beesley) discovers her voice and becomes her producer and lover. As Billie's star rises in the music industry, her relationship with Dice becomes strained by his controlling behaviour and jealousy, forcing her to choose between love and career — all while searching for her estranged mother.

What makes Glitter shine is its authentic early-2000s aesthetic and Mariah's wholehearted commitment to the role. It's a delightful time capsule of Y2K fashion, music, and storytelling that's wonderfully sincere and nostalgic. Its genuine charm makes it an endearing and iconic cultural landmark.

Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Image: New Line Cinema

This 1999 mockumentary follows a small-town Minnesota beauty pageant whose contestants start dying under mysterious circumstances. The story centres on Amber Atkins (Kirsten Dunst), a funeral home makeup artist who dreams of becoming a news anchor like her idol Diane Sawyer. As Amber competes against the wealthy, ruthless Rebecca Leeman (Denise Richards), whose mother (Kirstie Alley) runs the pageant, the body count rises. The documentary crew captures increasingly bizarre events, including patriotic gun performances, anorexic contestants, and deadly "accidents."

This movie is stacked with talent — we're talking Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Allison Janney, and even Amy Adams before she was AMY ADAMS! It's basically a hilarious takedown of beauty pageants that'll have you crying-laughing. And honestly? Watching Denise Richards do that bizarre patriotic dance routine with a Jesus statue is worth the price of admission alone. Pure gold.

Anaconda.

Image: Columbia Pictures

This 1997 creature feature follows a documentary film crew travelling the Amazon River to find a mysterious indigenous tribe. Led by anthropologist Steven Cale (Eric Stoltz), the crew — including director Terri Flores (Jennifer Lopez) and cameraman Danny Rich (Ice Cube) —picks up stranded snake hunter Paul Serone (Jon Voight), who secretly plans to use them to capture a legendary giant anaconda. When Cale is incapacitated by a tropical insect, Serone takes control of the boat, leading them into increasingly dangerous territory as the massive serpent begins picking them off one by one.

This movie's cast is stacked. But Voight's bizarre accent and even more bizarre performance as the villainous snake hunter is the real entertainment. The special effects may have aged about as well as milk left in the sun, but there's something gloriously entertaining about watching a CGI snake regurgitate Jon Voight while he winks at the camera. It's the kind of cinematic chaos you can't help but love.

What Happens in Vegas.

Image: 20th Century Studios

After being dumped by her fiancé and fired from her job, uptight Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) heads to Las Vegas with her best friend for a wild weekend. There, she meets recently-fired slacker Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher). After a night of heavy drinking, they wake up married. Just as they agree to divorce, Jack uses Joy's quarter to win a $3 million jackpot. When they go to court to settle their divorce and determine who gets the money, the judge (Dennis Miller) freezes the winnings and sentences them to "six months of hard marriage" before they can divorce or access the cash.

Despite critics panning it, there's undeniable chemistry between the leads, and watching two beautiful people be mean to each other before inevitably falling in love is a romantic comedy formula that just works, no matter how predictable the journey.

The Ugly Truth.

Image: Columbia Pictures

Abby Richter (Katherine Heigl) is a romantically challenged morning show producer whose search for Mr. Perfect has left her hopelessly single. When her station hires Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), a crass TV personality who promises to spill the ugly truth about what makes men and women tick, she's outraged by his provocative opinions. Desperate to prove him wrong after he promises to help her land her neighbour Colin (Eric Winter), Abby reluctantly follows his advice — including wearing vibrating underwear to a business dinner — creating increasingly embarrassing situations while reluctantly discovering an attraction to Mike himself.

Butler's charm and the pair's undeniable chemistry make this problematic romance strangely watchable. Plus, the restaurant scene with the vibrating underwear is a piece of cinema that, once seen, can never be forgotten — for better or worse.

Valley of the Dolls.

Image: 20th Century Studios

Based on Jacqueline Susann's bestseller, this 1967 film follows three women seeking fame and fortune in show business. Anne Welles (Barbara Parkins) is a New England girl who becomes a model and gets involved with a cad; Neely O'Hara (Patty Duke) is a talented singer who rises to stardom only to succumb to drugs and alcohol; and Jennifer North (Sharon Tate) is a beautiful but talent-limited actress who turns to pornography to pay for her husband's medical treatment. All three women become dependent on "dolls" — slang for the pills they take to cope with their increasingly chaotic lives.

Now, this film is appreciated as the ultimate camp classic, with dialogue so deliciously awful it's quoted to this day worldwide. Patty Duke's performance as Neely O'Hara — screaming "Ted Casablanca is not a f*g!" in a bathroom — is the kind of cinematic moment that transcends conventional notions of good and bad.

After.

Image: Aviron Pictures

Based on a Harry Styles fan fiction that became a publishing phenomenon, this 2019 romance follows good-girl college freshman Tessa Young (Josephine Langford) as she meets brooding bad boy Hardin Scott (Hero Fiennes Tiffin). Despite warnings from her roommate about Hardin's reputation, Tessa is drawn to him after they're forced to work together on a project. Their passionate, tumultuous relationship is tested by Hardin's dark past, family issues, and a revelation that he initially pursued her as part of a cruel bet, forcing Tessa to question everything she thought she knew about him and herself.

But sometimes you just want to watch ridiculously attractive people engage in toxic romance with moody lighting and a pop soundtrack. It's literary fast food — not nutritious but absolutely satisfying in the moment. And, there's a trilogy of movies… so, get bingeing.

Get Over It.

Image: Miramax

High school senior Berke Landers (Ben Foster) is devastated when his longtime girlfriend Allison (Melissa Sagemiller) dumps him for Striker (Shane West), a former boy band member with a British accent. Determined to win her back, Berke auditions for the school's Shakespeare adaptation, A Midsummer Night's Rockin' Eve, directed by the flamboyant Dr. Desmond Forrest Oates (Martin Short). As Berke gets help with his lines from Kelly (Kirsten Dunst), his best friend's sister, he gradually realises he might be falling for the wrong girl, all while navigating high school drama, embarrassing parents, and surreal musical sequences.

With a supporting cast, including Sisqó, plus a random musical number featuring "Captain of the Chess Team," this is peak early 2000s teen movie madness. The Shakespeare references give it just enough intellectual cover to justify your love for what is, essentially, beautiful nonsense.

Feature Image: Columbia Pictures.