We all know that sometimes the critics get it wrong, but we should remember that sometimes the audience gets it wrong too.
This week, Watch With Us would like to take a moment to honor our fallen soldiers on the IMDb rankings, spotlighting the 1990s in particular.
Tons of great movies have been dismissed by user reviews on IMDb, one of the best websites for getting fan-focused movie opinions from everyday people like you.
From an absurdist Martin Short comedy to an avant-garde noir and a subversive horror movie, here are five great ’90s movies with shockingly low IMDb ratings.
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‘Clifford’ (1994)
Impish youngster Clifford (Short) is forced to spend time with his uncle Martin (Charles Grodin) after his misbehavior on a flight with his parents causes an emergency landing. Martin’s girlfriend and future wife, Sarah (Mary Steenburgen), thinks the visit is a great idea to get Martin more comfortable with kids. But Martin has no idea just how difficult Clifford can be, and finds his love and livelihood soon on the line because of Clifford’s devilish ways.
Who doesn’t find it funny when a grown man plays a little kid in a movie? Short’s hilarious performance as the wickedly mischievous 10-year-old is perfectly matched by Grodin’s trademark deadpan comedy and progressive undoing at the hands of a child. The “look at me like a human boy scene” is handily one of the funniest movie moments of all time, but try not to burst into hysterics during the Dinosaur World disaster sequence, too.
‘Crash’ (1996)
Crash centers on one of the strangest fetishes you will ever hear about: automobile accidents. After film producer James Ballard (James Spader) survives a car accident, he learns that the other driver involved, Helen (Holly Hunter), is a part of a group of people who are sexually aroused by car crashes. Turned on by the fragility of their bodies and the impact of the machines, James enters into this sexual subculture, pushing his desire to further and further extremes.
David Cronenberg‘s erotic thriller is just as strange as it is genuinely sensual, featuring a great ensemble cast in addition to Spader and Hunter that includes Elias Koteas, Deborah Kara Unger and Rosanna Arquette. Controversial at the time of its release for its graphic depictions of sex, Crash has gone on to be regarded as one of Cronenberg’s best works and was even praised as better than its source material by the author of the novel it was based on, J.G. Ballard.
‘To Die For’ (1995)
Small-town cable news weather reporter Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) has dreams for her career that extend beyond the confines of her current position, hoping to one day be a big-time news anchor. Feeling that her husband (Matt Dillon) is a big part of why she’s been held back, she arranges to have him murdered by delinquent high schooler Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix). But when the plan doesn’t go as expected, Suzanne suddenly gets all the media attention she’s been looking for.
To Die For is a top-tier black comedy and handily one of Kidman’s career-best performances, as the desperate, deluded master manipulator, Suzanne. The movie imbues scathing media satire with characters that are not only empathetic but startlingly human. To Die For’s star-studded cast also includes Casey Affleck, Holland Taylor, Dan Hedaya and Wayne Knight.
‘Alien: Resurrection’ (1997)
200 years after Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) sacrificed herself for humanity’s benefit, the military has ghoulishly brought her back to life through genetic cloning for the purpose of extracting the Xenomorph DNA that’s been left inside her. After extracting an alien embryo, they hope to breed the perfect weapon. Of course, when it comes to the Xenomorphs, nothing ever goes right, and clone Ripley teams up with a band of mercenaries to kill the Xenomorphs that have escaped confinement.
Alien: Resurrection may not be as good as other installments in the Alien franchise, but it’s still a really solid movie. Helmed by French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie) and written by Joss Whedon, Alien: Resurrection is dark, creepy and features some unforgettable visuals, while also imbued with that signature Whedon humor. In addition to Weaver, the terrific cast includes Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Brad Dourif and Raymond Cruz.
‘Showgirls’ (1995)
Sometimes wrongly cited as “one of the worst movies of all time,” Showgirls has cultivated a cult following and newfound critical appreciation since its release. Paul Verhoeven’s indulgent but intelligent satire follows stripper Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley), who will do anything to get to make it as a Vegas showgirl. When she rubs shoulders with top dancer Cristal (Gina Gershon) and her boyfriend Zack (Kyle MacLachlan), Nomi lands a prestigious gig at a luxurious hotel. But she quickly finds her morals tested as she gets further in achieving her dreams.
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Showgirls went from being considered a so-bad-its-good movie to being praised as a serious satire by the likes of Jim Jarmusch, Adam McKay and famed French director Jacques Rivette, in addition to top film critics like J. Hoberman and Jonathan Rosenbaum. Now frequently regarded as a masterfully vitriolic dissection of Hollywood, the American Dream and selling out, Showgirls sees routine retrospective screenings to celebrate the film rather than make fun of it.
