I know there are numerous sources where one can find lists of truly ineptly crafted movies that are fun to watch despite - or maybe even because of - the total lack of talent contained within. Everything from the canon of Edward D. Wood Jr. to Barbarella and Ishtar. I'll admit a certain weakness to these underdogs of cinema; my personal favs include Christopher Walken's McBain - a must see for Simpsons fans, and >Cherry 2000 starring Melanie Girffith as a robot hunter. And while there is an appropriate place for these campy bad movies that are fun to watch, I think an equally fascinating but oft overlooked category is those films which are truly well made, impressive pieces of art, which are, nonetheless, unpleasant to watch.

So I've compiled a list of six. Comedies that make you squirm uncomfortably rather than laugh out loud. Films you're proud to say you've seen but couldn't get paid enough to sit through again. It should be noted that in compiling this list I left out movies that become nauseating because of their excessive use of bodily fluids. While I'm sure there are certainly movies that fit this definition in that category, I can't watch them. I am a squeamish girly-man. That being said, on to the list:

King of Comedy
Despite Robert DeNiro's recent attempts to prove himself America's funnyman (Analyze This, Flawless, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Meet The Parents and maybe even Men of Honor) his portrayal of failed stand up comic Rupert Pupkin will show you why this must never happen! This quote-unquote comedy by Martin Scorcese (Raging Bull - now wasn't that a million laughs?) also features an eerily straight performance by Jerry Lewis. That's right. That dork the French love here comes off as nothing but creepy. But wait, there's more! King of Comedy also features the first film performance from Sandra Bernhart as Jerry Lewis's obsessed fan. Their scenes together are truly magnificent - and unpleasant. You identify with each one, and in the process become thoroughly repulsed by the other, making you hate yourself. Brilliant! It is, however, DeNiro's obsessed oblivious Pupkin that steals show (literally). And while the anti-hero's mass media acceptance echoes the ending of Taxi Driver (another laugh riot), this time the conclusion seems oddly plausible.

Happiness
Here's a movie that you'll probably want to take a shower right after seeing, but first, you have to be impressed that Todd Solodnz got this movie made at all, much less did it very well. Forget the sensitive, insightful and even compassionate portrayal of the pedophile (now there's something we didn't need to see), everybody - and I mean everybody - in this flick is sick, perverted, twisted or just plain sad. The obscene phone caller. The Russian immigrant. The murdering neighbor. The masturbating 12 year old. Yuck! Yuck! Yuck! The scene between the pedophile and his son is touching, creepy, and may become the Psycho shower scene of the 90s. You will not see any doing a shot-for-shot remake of this in 37 years. Even then, it will be too controversial to release.

In The Company of Men
The Ultimate anti-date movie. If you want to break up with someone, rent this flick. Watch it together. Force him (or her) to talk about it afterwards (they won't want to). Sooner or later somebody will say something that will cause a relationship ending fight. It's inevitable. This film maybe startlingly perceptive, but I honestly hope not. This movie will definitely make you think. A lot of things. None of which I feel I should say, because my sweetheart may be reading this. I love you, honey.

Spanking the Monkey
Have you ever been so sexually frustrated you'd do your own mom? Dear God, I hope not. But if you ever want to know what it's like, this is the film for you. Do not, however, watch this film if you still live at home. Do not give this to your mom as a Mother's Day gift. I don't care how much you may hate her or how big a sense of humor she has. If you like David O. Russel's subsequent films, Three Kings and Flirting With Disaster, you probably won't like this one. But it's still a motherfucking good movie (see - that's a joke).

After Hours
Another reason why the phrase "A Martin Scorcese comedy" has not exactly entered the common vernacular. It stars Griffin Dunne as an everyman you'll immediately identify with. A hero whose one goal is to simply leave his crazy surroundings, which you can simply do by pressing the eject button on your VCR. And unless you're made of a very strong constitution, you probably will. But if you do you'll miss everybody from William Hurt to Terri Garr to Cheech & Chong further preventing our protagonist from simply going home! Man, you will never be more excited to see Bronson Pinchot than you will at the end of this movie. But make a game of it: invite your friends over and find out, if they were this guy, when each of them would finally kill themselves. Ha, ha! Enjoy.

Welcome to the Dollhouse
An accurate and realistic portrait of what it's like to be in Junior High, which - in case you've blocked it out - is noot exactly something you want an accurate and realistic portrait of. There's a reason why Matt Groening referred to Junior High as the "deepest pit in hell". Even people whose lives peaked in High School (you know who I'm talking about) don't want to experience those years again. Wether popular in class or not, most people laugh at this quote-unquote comedy because otherwise they'll start bawling in the aisles. This makes two of Todd Solodnz's three film entries on this list. Man, if he wasn't such a good filmmaker, I'd ignore him all together.

So in conclusion, if you want to see a good movie, I'd recommend any of these films. If you want to have a good time, don't see any of these films.