Monday, August 16, 2010

Movie Meme Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure movie

This was was pretty easy.  There are a lot of movies that could count as guilty pleasures that I really enjoy watching.  Someone mentioned this morning one of my favorites, Joe Versus The Volcano.  The second of the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan trilogy (the others being Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail, in case you live under rocks), this movie is a stinker of the first order, starting with Hanks' hair.  He stars as Joe Banks, a mid-level working stiff who constantly feels awful.  He's diagnosed with a "brain cloud" and given just a few months to live.  Conveniently, his boss, Lloyd Bridges offers him the chance to make a lot of money and end his life on his own terms - by jumping into a volcano. 
Meg Ryan plays Banks' secretary, and then both of the daughters of Bridges.  The first sister is a "flibbertigibbet" and only conducts Banks from the plane to a boat, captained by the other sister who will bring him to the volcano.  The ship sinks, but they end up at the island anyway.  Banks and the sister realize what's going on, but jump into the volcano anyway, after falling in love and getting married.  I won't ruin the end (though I doubt you'll watch it).  The best parts of the movie don't really involve much of what I've described.  When Joe Banks realizes he's going to die, he decides to spend all his money and plan for the trip.  He hires a limo, driven by Ossie Davis, who advises him and takes him about, getting all kinds of travel equipment, like 4 large steamer trunks.  It's just a funny shopping montage, but I love it.  And then when the ship sinks, Hanks and Ryan are saved by the trunks as they pop up out of the ocean.  Hanks dances and stares at the moon, again a dumb but awesome montage.  Terrible movie, but you can't stop watching.

4 comments:

Wendymoon said...

You know, I hated this movie the first time I saw it, but now it's one of my favorites. I don't think it's terrible, I think it's great! You just have to be in the right frame of mind for it. :-)

The Taxi Driver said...

This movie shouldn't be guilty. It's great.

Buttercup said...

I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but I guess that's the point... Revenge of the Nerds. I've seen it about ten times and I always laugh.

David Bishop said...

I actually don't think this is a bad movie. Underrated for it's time. I think maybe its third act is a little weak, but it's nowhere near needing to feel guilty for enjoying.