10 "Guilty Pleasure" Movies You Shouldn't Be Ashamed To Love

6. Hostel (2005)

Hostel captured the attention of the masses at the time of its realise, mainly thanks to our obsession with the "torture porn" subgenre (which was at the height of its popularity back in 2005), but has become increasingly unpopular in recent years. Eli Roth's gruesome little horror flick has since been regulated to "guilty pleasure" status - admitting that you like it, whatever the reason, is bound to provoke raised eyebrows from those view it as mostly pointless. But Hostel is far more worthwhile than the naysayers would have you believe - not to mention it's a blast.

Okay, so there's no denying that there is something inherently appealing about the narrative set-up: backpackers are abducted by a shady corporation and are sold to rich people who pay to torture and kill them. Roth clearly relishes the chance to gross out his audience, but he's merely having fun - as with his underrated debut Cabin Fever - in a heightened B-movie sense. The effects aren't realistic; they're purposely pulpy - and don't forget that the movie itself is an apt and relevant critique on society's obsession with consumerism, and not "just another Saw rip-off."