SmartStupidStupidSmart StupidStupidSmartSmart

So it all started with this post, entitled "ETC: Do You Know the Difference Between a Smart Stupid Movie and a Stupid Smart Movie?" over at 50 Books, which as you all know from my repeated bashing you over the head with it, is one of my two favorite blogs. Here is the most important excerpt (though I reccommend reading the entire post):

"Here's my theory. Pretty much all movies can be slotted into four categories:

• smart smart - a movie that wants to be smart and succeeds, i.e. The Philadelphia Story
• stupid smart - a movie that tries to be smart and fails, i.e. almost anything by Steven Soderbergh
• smart stupid - an entertainingly stupid movie made by smart people, i.e. Super Troopers
• stupid stupid - an unentertainingly stupid movie made by stupid people, i.e. anything starring Rob Schneider

Since there are tragically few smart smart movies in the entire history of film production, your best value for your movie dollar is smart stupid. These are predominantly the movies I like."

What a revolutionary idea for me - lover of all movies ultra-depressing, serious, stressful, heartbreaking, or instructional. This idea cracked open a whole new world for this movie watcher. Hence, I turned to the experts in my life, the illustrious S & L.

Me:

So. I am totally new to the idea of smart stupid movies. I like the sound of that! So... check out this post, and send me your thoughts. Agree? Disagree? Agree in principle but not in movie choice?? I bow to you, oh cinema experts, to guide me.
I await your expert opinions, so opine away.

Movie expert (my lovely friend L)'s wise words (excerpted from email):

1) For re-watchability, nothing beats a smart-stupid movie. Usually, there are no bad crying episodes involved and no gut wrenching "oh i don't think the main character should do that..."

2) They are funny. And nothing beats funny.

Me:

That's such a good point about re-watchability! I rarely rewatch. That's probably because my favorite movies are depressing or completely stressful!

The ones I do (or used to) rewatch are the sweet, funny ones that cheered me up - Pretty Woman, Easter Parade (Judy Garland and Fred Astaire), Beauty and the Beast, Amelie - and now that you mention it, I used to just watch my favorite parts of those when I needed cheering up!

This whole smart-stupid movie thing is a whole new world for me. I'm excited about it!

Are the American Pie movies stupid-stupid, or smart-stupid? I loved the first two and laughed my ass off. And I'm OK with it if they are stupid-stupid. I'm just trying to get a handle on our new lingo.

I have never seen The Big Lebowski. (ducks, cringes)

OK Everyone, Guide me. Discuss.