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January 25, 2011
Eight 2010 Box Office Flops Destined
to Become Cult Classics
Movies that horrified audiences, enraged critics, and lost tons of money — but just might stand the test of time.
By Gil Feliciano
8. MacGruber
Budget: $10 million
Box Office: $8,525,600
Critic's Comment:
"My advice? Wear gloves, a surgical mask, and get the proper inoculations before entering the theater. It's the first sexually transmitted comedy of the year." — Elias Savada, Film Threat
Thanks largely to a lackluster promotion campaign, MacGruber is destined to end up in the two-dollar DVD bin at Walmart. However, the same audience that dug flicks like Pineapple Express will discover — and dig — MacGruber.
7. Cop Out
Budget: $30 million
Box Office: $44,875,481
Critic's Comment:
"Whether or not it's a huge hit in its theatrical release, Cop Out will definitely become the kind of movie that will make you drop the remote when it starts popping up on cable." — Alonso Duralde, Queer Sighted
Cop Out, Kevin Smith's homage to 1980s buddy-cop films, seems likely to die a slow death on late-night TNT, sharing the fate of the films that inspired it. However, movies like The Last Boy Scout and Cobra were once flops but are now considered basic-cable classics by a generation raised on bad puns and unnecessary explosions. It is fair to suggest that Cop Out may be revered by the same generation.
6. Splice
Budget: $30 million
Box Office: $17,010,170
Critic's Comment:
"Shocking, hilarious, and creepy, one of the better horror films of the last decade." — Bob Grimm, Reno News and Review
Splice is a rare creature indeed — a horror movie that's as invested in ethical questions as it is cheap scares. This may not have helped it at the box office, but it might intrigue future Netflix streamers looking for some intellect in their horror films.
5. Jonah Hex
Budget: $47 million
Box Office: $10,547,117
Critic's Comment:
"The Western, with its code of short tempers and cheap life, sprang from the Civil War, but few Westerns connect the dots to demonstrate how the war must have created hollow nihilists the way Jonah Hex does." — Kyle Smith, New York Post
At seventy-five minutes, this film gives viewers just the right amount of idiocy to warrant guilty pleasure. The flops that become cult classics aren't long and boring like The American or The Tourist, they're short and stupid like Jonah Hex.
Commentarium (31 Comments)
I hate to say this, but I actually really enjoyed Jonah Hex.
Whoa...that is like saying you like AIDS, or syphilis. Another great comic book source that got botched.
Scott Pilgrim was seriously the most fun movie I saw last year. I'm still baffled that it didn't catch on.
Why wasn't Scott Pilgrim advertised better? Nobody was intrigued by the trailers, which showed none of what made that movie awesome.
That bit about "The Last Boy Scout" and "Cobra" being basic cable classics now....you were kidding, right? I watch way too many cable movies and "Cobra," in particular, is never even shown.
Jonah Hex was so awful I couldn't sit through the whole thing. A cult classic has to be at least entertaining... Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is fab. Plus, it's got some sweet music.
i'm embarrassed to say i've seen and liked two of those, and proud to say i loved Scott Pilgrim. So at least some of this list is right.
I tried my best to turn people on to Splice, but whatever. Redbox it tonight. The Village Voice review said it best: "... watch it with the right audience, and you'll have a party on your hands."
McGruber was lame the first time it was a sketch on SNL - not even a very good parody. The second time they did a sketch it was irritating. After that it was downright annoying. And you seriously expect me to watch a movie based on the idea? In your dreams.
Splice was awesome, scary moments, cheesy moments, unbelieveable moments and a cool creature.
Scott Pilgrim seemed tailor-made for an audience that no longer pays to see movies.... I downloaded it... Sssssh...
First page, no; second page, yeah; Scott Pilgrim, definitely.
Surprised, but glad, not to see Kick-Ass on this list.
I'm in Scott Pilgrim's target audience, and it seriously sucked. 4/10, would NOT watch again.
What withered, disconnected soul wrote this article? It is painfully obvious you have no idea what makes good or cult-worthy cinema, and moreover it seems as though you have no understanding of the demographics that did actually enjoy one or more of these movies. The people that like Pineapple Express liking the ridiculous garbage that was MacGruber? The former was apparently over your head (as frightening as that is), whereas the latter is barely suitable for consumption by anyone over the age of 12. Cop Out cult-worthy? It was easily one of the most forgettable movies I have ever seen. Scott Pilgrim was the only hit you had in this complete miss of an article, which makes me think it fostered the idea for your "thesis" and you subsequently picked movies at random afterward to pad your article. Whoever decided you should be paid to write garbage like this should be fired, and so should you.
macgruber was the funniest movie of the year...without question.
I enjoyed Pineapple Express and McGruber respectfully. James Franco really elevated that movie. If you are truly a stoner, you will understand and greatly appreciate the subtle nuances of his performance. If he didn't get stoned to prepare for that role he's just a phenomenal actor. McGruber was an hour and change of nonsense. You knew what you were in for before you saw the movie so stop complaining. Paradoy was so overdone it was almost palpable. And there were some genuinely funny moments in their absurdity. But then again I'm big on painfully obvious cliches, especially when the character is far from the embodiment of them. I wouldn't go as far as to say cult classic for Mcgrubs's though.
I have to admit, when I first heard about Scott Pilgrim I was not excited.
"Oh Michel Cera. Again?"
No. I was wrong. My friend then got me into.
I read the books.
I saw the movie.
I cosplayed Ramona.
My friends and I can't stop quoting it.
Scott Pilgrim was a waste of time Michael Cera ruined it so much that even Ramona couldn't save it.
The whole point of a cult classic is a small part of the population will fanatically love it, the rest will either ignore or lambast it. Of course a lot of people reading this article are gonna disagree with some of the choices. People like different shit. Live with it.
@iurch damn staight!!
also cop out is probably one of bruces best cop movies yet. and it is smith's best since clerks animated!
the writer of this appaars to be confused slightly as half this list is not cult classics(rocky horror) but guity pleasures(90% of bruce willis movies)
So you think Scott Pilgrim might become a cult fave, huh? Way to go out on a limb.
Was this article written 3 months ago and bumped multiple times?
Scott Pilgrim was a surprise to me - I never heard of it and got sucked into it on a transatlantic flight 2 weeks ago. While I wouldn't have paid to see it in a theater, it was a blast of the future that I am thrilled to have seen. After landing, I spent my whole layover trying to dig up info on it, wondering why I had never heard of it! $60 million to make? wow!
Saw Scott Pilgrim for free with bonus from Amazon.
It was simply great. Whoever made the trailer just did not get it.
What made Pilgrim so great were a lot of the pithy remarks and well displayed
video game references. There is just a hint of it in the Trailer, and it is kind of good
in a way that they did not give away all that much, but unfortunately it did not show
enough to grab the audience it deserved.
re: MacGruber will be appreciated by those who liked Pineapple Express
...NOPE
The fuck is this? The list was going okay but Burlesque? No. Just no. I was expecting Kick-Ass in there and it was nowhere to be seen.
Saw Splice (okaaayyyeeee), Daybreakers (solid, but the end could have been darker), Piranha (big fun party movie, Boobs & Splatter) and Scott Pilgrim (on of last years best movies). Dropped Cop out and MacGruber because of bad ratings. Burlesque? Never!
i love silent bob, but i can't make it through copout. i feel bad.
anyone know when downloading sex:nerve.com is coming back on?no seriously i mean i only saw it once but i didn't see it from the beginning but i did see most of it and it some good stuff.my personal favorites being when the women at the party were getting groped by the strippers among other things.anyway anyone know when it's coming back on or some other way i could watch it?because it last came in 2005 on hbo and that was it.never seen again and i've been really trying to watch it since and have yet been able to.can anyone help me,please?thank you oh and p.s my pick would be ''red'' with bruce willis and morgan freeman
I am glad to say i saw Scott Pilgrim at the cinema and then demanded all of my friends do the same.
I assure you piracy had little to do with its poor showing.
Blame the crappy marketing and shitty trailers.
PS: Splice and Piranha 3D were awesome.
i see no one answered my question.i'm not a pervert for anyone thinkin that.i just want to know if it's coming back on if ever.it's like isaid earlier.it came on once but i didn't see it from the beginning and i just want to see it again.that's it.if it's not coming back on hbo ever again is there anyone out there who has a copy of it by chance?i would really like to see it again.
Now you say something