Guilty Pleasures
midlandsmovies • May 29, 2020
Midlands Movies Feature - Guilty Pleasures
By Jake Stevenson
“What’s your favourite film?” A relatively easy question for most people to answer when asked. Star Wars, The Godfather & The Shawshank Redemption would be a lot of people’s responses, and you’d nod approvingly or shout excitedly in agreement.
But what your reaction be if someone said with no hint of irony, Analyse This? Or Michael J Fox’s third finest hour (behind BTTF & Teen Wolf) The Secret Of My Success? You’d probably ask them to repeat their selection in case you’d misheard them, or laugh in their faces. You’d probably then proceed to tell them why they’re wrong in many, many ways by using many, many colourful expletives. However, perhaps that person, is simply being what most people aren’t when discussing their favourite film, honest. All their doing is accepting the fact that their guilty pleasure isn’t something to feel so guilty about.
My guilty pleasure is Major League… I feel dirty in admitting that but it’s the truth. I first discovered the 1989 baseball comedy starring Tom Berenger, a pre-Tiger Blood Charlie Sheen & a young Rene Russo in the mid-nineties. I can’t recall the exact circumstances of how I came to watch it, other than it was late and it was on BBC1. I stayed awake all the way through, mildly entertained by the oh so wacky team mates valiantly trying to win a pennant in order to foil the nefarious plans of the team’s owner Rachel Phelps (the wickedly cougar-ish Margaret Whitton). “Hang on” you’re thinking, “mildly entertained? Shouldn’t you have found it a classic underdog, comedy romp if you like it so much?” Well yes I should, but I’m all too aware of how middle of the road it is. If it was that funny and that well-made, it would’ve been valued as such and therefore wouldn’t be kept out of sight, like the black sheep of my brain’s mind when discussing all things film. I like it so much due to its mediocrity, not in spite of it. Because it’s so bland, because there’s no stand out comedic set piece to rival the campfire scene from Blazing Saddles or the razor sharp patter of The Odd Couple you can watch it from start to finish pretty much completely zoned-out and not have your enjoyment of affected in any way.
To be honest, I watch it mostly when I’m ill because I can fall asleep, miss 20 minutes and not feel the need to rewind it, safe in the knowledge that I’ve not missed anything vitally important. You try watching Goodfellas or Interstellar whilst feeling the drowsy effects of Night Nurse in less than five hours, it’s impossible. Schindler’s List, City Of God & The Shining or all cold stone classics, but despite the fact you’re in awe at the varying degrees of artistry on show, you wouldn’t watch them on a wet February afternoon would you? Much better to veg out to Bad Boys.
Most people can appreciate the complex flavours of a dish like Asparagus, Pea, Broad Bean & Herb Salad on a Warm Tomato Tart Fine, with Whipped Briliat Savarin Brie, but day to day they’d always prefer a chip supper.
You shouldn’t have to feel snobby when listing your favourite cinematic dishes. For every medium-rare chateaubriand like Blade Runner, you can enjoy every once in a while, there’s the ham & cheese toastie of the original Fast & Furious to chow down on more often.
I know this may be coming across like I’m an advocate for the (further) dumbing down of popular culture but all I’m suggesting is for people not to feel so guilty about their guilty pleasures. If you enjoy it, don’t feel ashamed about it, shout it from the roof tops, embarrassment be damned!
My favourite film of all time is Major Le… Fight Club!
On Sunday 26th April Midlands Movies Editor Michael Sales & awards ceremony co-host Ed Stagg (BBC Radio) announced the nominations for the 2026 Midlands Movies Awards live from the Queen of Bradgate Vintage Cinema in Leicester. A big thanks was given to the entire Jury Panel of industry experts who gave up their precious time to watch a huge selection of creative projects and as always, had a difficult time choosing from the excellent number of films from the region. You can read the full list of nominations across all 16 categories below and watch our announcement videos here: Part 1 & Part 2 And please also check out our great awards partner Chrome Video Best Actress in a Leading Role Karendip Phull for Family Kate Bracken for The Lace Rachel Baker for Throwing Fruit Chloe Wade for How Long Sophie Bullock for Ma Prison Best Animated Film Of All the Things by Steff Lee Big Red by James Pyle Statue in the Garden by Qianhui Yu Butterfly by Jacob Christie Best Director Luke Worrall for The Waterline Lily Portman for Quiet Jack Richardson for Daniel’s Room Jonathan Hawes for Sorry We’re Closed Sophia Dall'Aglio for Man from Mars Best Documentary Nothing's Impossible by Jacob Thomas McClean A Birmingham Symphony by Jemma Saunders We Bring Light: Leicester's Diwali Legacy by Kieran Vyas The Sunshine Café by Jill Lampert Through the Viewfinder by William North Best Sound (Editing or Mixing) Neil Evans & his team for Artificial Insanity Alasdair Gretton for Dead on Distribution Deepanjali Patel for Earworm David Hamilton-Smith for The Pause Heidi Wilson for Of All The Things Best Actor in a Supporting Role Devon Junior for Lazar Tim Sparrow for Safety Net Shaiek Ahmed Rana for Family Luke Rollason for Quiet Peter Willoughby for A Story of Spring Best Visual & Special Effects Jake Wesley-Worrall for Soul Trader Steve Askey & team for The Correction Unit Nick Willett, Matt Burkey & Jayne Hyman for Black Goat JaqD SFX MUA, Mind Magic Studios and Ben Harker for Beyond the Witching Hour Pete Key, Jai Blanks and Jacob Christie for Countenance Best Cinematography Gary Rogers for The Pause Laurence Mason-Guetta for Sorry We’re Closed Ian Snape for Soul Trader Ash Connaughton for Daniel’s Room Duane Adamoli for Surfing (nominations continue below...)
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