Have you ever felt that irresistible urge to watch a movie so bad it's good? We're not talking about so-bad-it's-boring; we're diving headfirst into the cinematic abyss of hilariously awful films. Those films that make you question all your life choices, but in the most entertaining way possible. If you're nodding along, you're in the right place. Because let's be honest, sometimes a critically acclaimed masterpiece just won't scratch that itch for pure, unadulterated cinematic trash.
Some film buffs only seek out the 'best' movies, carefully curated and highly rated. But what about the rest of us? What about those who appreciate the unique, often unintentional, comedic value of a truly terrible film? I'd even go so far as to call those 'best-movie-only' folks "missing out."
Think about it: What's more fun than dissecting nonsensical dialogue, marveling at bewildering acting choices, and squinting at blurry camerawork? A bad movie can be a masterclass in what not to do, a bizarre, beautiful trainwreck that inspires you to think, "Hey, maybe I could make a movie!" A truly awful film provides a kind of schadenfreude that a good movie simply can't replicate.
So, where do you find these cinematic gems (or should we say, cubic zirconia)? That’s where Letterboxd comes in. Letterboxd, for those unfamiliar, is a fantastic social media platform for movie lovers. It's a place to track what you've watched, write reviews, and discover new films. But here's where it gets controversial... We're using it to find the worst! By scouring Letterboxd's massive database (over a million films and counting!) and sorting by the lowest average score for each decade, we can unearth the absolute bottom of the barrel.
I've taken on the arduous task of identifying the single lowest-rated film from each decade, going all the way back to the dawn of cinema. What you'll find below is a curated list of cinematic atrocities, spanning over a century of questionable filmmaking.
And this is the part most people miss... I haven’t seen all of these cinematic disasters. As of this writing, I've only subjected myself to eight out of the ten films on this list. But consider it a testament to the power of bad movies that I'm already planning my next descent into cinematic madness.
So, without further ado, I present to you:
The Worst Movie of Every Decade, According to Letterboxd
According to the discerning (and sometimes forgiving) users of Letterboxd, these are the absolute worst movies from each decade, stretching back over a century. Prepare to be amazed, appalled, and possibly inspired.
[Links to other articles, such as Five-Star Reviews of Infamously Bad Movies and The Best Oscar Best Picture Winners Ever, would be placed here]
Now, I'm curious... have you seen any of these cinematic stinkers? Do you agree with Letterboxd's assessment, or do you think a different film deserves the title of 'Worst of the Decade'? Let me know in the comments! And more importantly, what's your favorite 'so bad it's good' movie? Maybe it'll end up on next decade's list!
