I don’t often cry “I liked it before it was cool.” But if there’s one thing about which I do have hipster syndrome, it’s The Room. Before The Disaster Artist thrust Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 “black comedy” into the spotlight, I’d long been clamoring for a theatrical adaptation of Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell’s incredible 2013 memoir. (Seriously, it’s an incredible book about the best worst movie ever.)
The release of this film, for me, was long-awaited and highly anticipated. So, without any further ado, here are five of the all-time best worst movies to watch in preparation for The Disaster Artist.
5. Troll 2
Admittedly, I’ve never seen Troll 2. Sometimes we just have better things to do than shake our heads and roll our eyes. But I’ve heard that if you’re really in the mood for some idiotic writing, hammy acting, 80s nostalgia, and complete non sequiturs, this film is right up your alley. (Not to be confused with last year’s release Trolls; there is no relation. Although, Troll 2 doesn’t even have any relation to the original 1986 Troll from which film it gets its namesake, and also, ironically, does not contain any trolls; the cover monsters are, in fact, goblins.)
4. Batman and Robin
What do you get when you put George Clooney, rubber nipples, and complete disrespect for a beloved comic book character into a blender? Ice puns. Lots and lots of ice puns. Also, Joel Schumacher’s Batman and Robin. Bane is an unintelligible mutated freak; Mr. Freeze is a pun-spewing machine; Poison Ivy is a zombie; Robin is a whiny teenager; and batman is literally no help at all. Is it fun? Yes! Does it make any sense? No!
3. Plan 9 From Outer Space
How do I describe Plan 9 From Outer Space? Because it’s not your typical 50s sci-fi camp. It’s like 50s sci-fi camp minus any kind of logic plus all of your worst nightmares blended together and served with a side of acting so bad it’s iconic. The film came with a sci-fi film book I purchased five years ago on vacation and to this day I’m kicking myself that I left Plan 9 in the hotel’s DVD player.
2. Yoga Hosers
I… really… tried not to put Yoga Hosers on this list. Because it deserves no more attention that it currently has. This kind of entertainment cannot possibly flourish. And yet it must; I am compelled to advertise it, to proclaim its nonsense from the rooftops. I will tell you nothing about Yoga Hosers, as it’s definitely best experienced totally blind. The first half will go slowly and feel like a complete waste of time, but let me assure you - the whole thing is a complete waste of time, but it gets so much better (er, worse, but better) near the end. Go watch it.
1. The Room
Did you think anything else could possibly take the top spot on my list? The Room is the Holy Grail of bad movies. Between the acting, the pacing, the story, the context, the dialogue, the transitions, the establishing shots, the “score,” and literally any other production element you could possibly think of, The Room is rife with meme-able moments. Ah, what a master class in failure. What a true love letter to ironic cinema.
