Ah, the American Cinematheque … dedicated to celebrating only the greatest films in the history of cinema, the cream of the crop, the best of the … not so fast. Who is to say there's anything wrong with firing up the projection room to pay homage to those films that aren't so high-falutin', the ones that make you chortle, shudder and cringe in all the very best ways. Certainly not the 'Theque, as they are set to prove with “So Bad, They're Brilliant,” a series of mondo-cheesy titles guaranteed to make you guffaw and roll your eyes with equal abandon. Amongst the highlights will be Ann-Margret's saucy Kitten With a Whip (pictured) going head-to-head with potboiler-y Pia Zadora in The Lonely Lady, and the Grease reunion you never wanted to see (but, secretly, you love it — don't lie) with Olivia Neutron-Bomb in Xanadu and El Travolta in Staying Alive. And if you really think you have a bad-film stomach of steel, start lining up now for the clunktastic double feature of Mariah Carey's narcissistic epic, Glitter, with the cookie-cutter bubble-gum antics of American Idol … um, spinoff? … From Justin to Kelly. Frankly, we wish this series were two weeks long. And we've got suggestions. Call us, guys.

Aug. 13-19, 2009

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