Super Mario Bros. (1993) – The video game put through the wringer
It's hard to find a more confusing adaptation than this loose – very loose – adaptation of the famous mustachioed plumber. We discover a dystopian underground world, strange Goombas with tiny heads, a Koopa with a haircut like a crooked banker, and a general atmosphere that recalls Blade Runner more than the Mushroom Kingdom. Despite everything, it's impossible not to watch until the end, as each scene seems to come out of a slightly vague dream (or a bad trip). A great moment of cinema... in another reality.
Batman & Robin (1997) – The height of superhero kitsch
It's impossible to talk about cult trash without mentioning this neon monument to the glory of bad choices. Skin-tight costumes with exposed nipples, frozen replicas of Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, Bat-credit card... every scene seems to have been designed to test the limits of tolerance. It's overplayed, overloaded, on everything. But it's also a precious testimony to a time when the word "sobriety" had clearly not been invented in Hollywood.
Dragonball Evolution (2009) – The adaptation that no one asked for
If we had to point to a perfect example of a failed adaptation, this one would be the favorite. Forgetting Toriyama's universe, transforming Goku into an American high school student, skipping just about everything that makes Dragon Ball great... The film ticks all the boxes for disappointment. And yet, it exists. And that's precisely what makes the experience so strange. It's as if an AI had tried to summarize a cult manga without ever having read it.
The Room (2003) – The absolute mystery of misunderstood cinema
More than a film, The Room has become a legend. Directed, written, and starring Tommy Wiseau, this shaky romantic drama fascinates as much as it disorients. Improbable dialogue, illogical situations, scenes that seem to come from another world: everything is against the grain. And that's precisely what makes it unique. Despite – or thanks to – its flaws, The Room has become a rite of passage for lovers of strange cinema. A UFO to experience at least once… with spoons to throw at the screen.
Howard the Duck (1986) – The weird ancestor of the Marvel Universe
Before the Avengers and the billions at the box office, there was Howard, a humanoid duck propelled to Earth by cosmic accident. He plays guitar, smokes cigars, and flirts with Lea Thompson in a sometimes dubious, often disconcerting atmosphere. Produced by George Lucas, this film is an unlikely mix of science fiction, comedy, and awkwardness. A true specimen of curiosity, to be watched as one would visit a museum of the strange.
These films are not good. They never have been. But they exude a strange charm, a kind of awkward sincerity that makes them unforgettable. In their own way, they also tell another story of cinema: that of failed bets, lousy ideas, and experiences that we watch together, laughing a little, sometimes to tears.
0 Comments