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Underrated movies
Posted: Jul 02, 2008 in Movies
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Building off of other movie-related threads, I'm wondering what movies you guys love that seem to have been forgotten or never really properly embraced as the great memorable films they are.
Someone mentioned "From Dusk 'Till Dawn" in one post, and that's a movie that, while it's definitely an acquired taste (and certainly not for everyone), is one crazy movie that I love to watch.
I mentioned "L.A. Confidential" as really one of the best detective movies ever made, it has an all-star cast (Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger and great supporting performances from guys like James Cromwell and David Strathairn)--that's certainly another movie that people haven't seen a lot of.
Director Curtis Hanson is the king of the underrated movie, also making "8 Mile," which a lot of people wrote off because it starred Eminem (but it's an excellent movie just the same), and "In Her Shoes," which I'd go so far to say is Cameron Diaz's best movie (though maybe that's not saying so much).
Another is "Hustle and Flow," which made Terrence Howard a star. It's an awesome movie that even I wrote off as just another gangsta movie when it was out in theaters.
So what are your gems? Movies you love that no one ever talks about?
I'm adding "Starship Troopers" from evernhamanderson's "movies you thought would suck..." post. It's highly misunderstood, but it's a great satire, and I'm surprised at how many people didn't get that movie.
Memento it's just so different that I really like it.
Memento it's just so different that I really like it.
Good call, I was going to add that one to mine...
City of God
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Amores perros
Deja Vu
Popeye (Great Musical!)
The Country Bears? Ok - I'm going to go punish myself now for even having the nerve to put that up here.
The Mariachi Trilogy
Tres Mariachis (sic) Desperado Once Upon a Time in Mexico
The Mariachi Trilogy Tres Mariachis (sic) Desperado Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Great one! Speaking of which, that reminds me of a movie line I want to add...
Pretty much anything by Luc Besson. Hardly known in the US, but great creds. The Fifth Element, The Professional. Oh, that reminds me, I want to add the original (in French) La Femme Nikita! Great movie poorly redone by Bridget Fonda. Unfortunately, that is the only version most Americans have ever seen.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Who new Johnny Depp could sing too?
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Who new Johnny Depp could sing too?
I'm not sure about Sweeney Todd being underrated. It got a lot of Oscar chatter and was a pretty big box office hit. It got a bunch of press.
It might have gotten critical acclaim, but how did it do with the "everyman"? A movie like this tends to draw a particular crowd. It also repels as many would-be movie-goers as it draws.
I think it was underrated by the general public in that the costumes, cinematography, musical score (obviously) and cast talent were WAY over the top. This was a visual/aural/acting-craft feast.
I'm not sure the average move-goer appreciates it like that.
Just some of me-n-de-wife's favorites:
Rabbit Proof Fence, Across the Universe, Color of Paradise, World's Fastest Indian, House of Yes, In America, Tender Mercies, Pollock, Tremors. So many more great independent films...
I really liked Freeway the 1996 movie with Reese Witherspoon which I didn't hear anything about when it came out but stumbled upon. House of Yes is a great one.
It might have gotten critical acclaim, but how did it do with the "everyman"? A ...
Well, we're kind of starting to get into my point, though. The movies I'm specifically thinking of are ones that people missed, not necessarily good movies that "the mainstream" rejected. And there's not much Tim Burton that flies under the radar.
I'm all about decrying the general public rejecting good movies, but Sweeney Todd did get a pretty big push with publicity, etc., and I'd wager to say that even if they haven't seen it a good number of more general moviegoers were aware of it.
But what I was going for was more movies that we love, that when we tell people about them they might say "I've never even heard of that," or something that most people just tended to miss or forget about.
I don't know...maybe in a couple of years this movie will fit in, but to me the media blitz it got is pretty fresh in my mind.
Event Horizon - really freaky movie
Top Secret - I know a lot of us have probably seen it, but you would be amazed at how many people have never heard of this hilarious film.
A little movie called Alpha Dog. If you haven't seen it, rent/buy it ASAP.
volver...this may have gotten more attention than i remember...
party monster
volver...this may have gotten more attention than i remember... party monster
No, I think that one qualifies. Penelope Cruz was really good in it!
Really most foreign films qualify, because so many Americans are so against having to read subtitles.
PCU! Possibly the best showing by Jeremy Piven until he got into the big time with "Entourage".
Also, another Piven movie, GROSS POINTE BLANK. Great action, great sub-plot over the top characters. Akroyd is a FREAK in this flick!
The Rules of Attraction
Waking Life this film is really pretty incredible. You have to watch it a few times to understand what the heck is going on, but visually it is just really amazing.
Last night I saw "Down By Law," a 1986 movie directed by Jim Jarmusch for the first time. Not sure how easily it falls into the "underrated" category, as I'm sure it's received a lot of praise. However, I never hear it being talked about, and you can certainly see how the movie has influenced others such as "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" I bet a lot of the Jarmusch films are underrated.
I rarely hear "Hook" being referenced, and that's one of my favorites, so I'd consider that to be underrated.
I'll go ahead and throw Requiem for a Dream, Rushmore and Happiness into the underrated category too.
Last night I saw "Down By Law," a 1986 movie directed by Jim Jarmusch for ...
"Hook" is actually reviled as one of Spielberg's worst, though I always kind of considered it a fun little movie that was an excellent idea.
Jarmusch's films I think certainly qualify for the underrated category because they're seldom discussed by the mainstream crowd.
"Requiem for a Dream" and "Rushmore" I'd say get the apt amount of press, and I'd personally say "Rushmore" is a little overrated. It was okay, but I didn't find it to be as hilarious or brilliant as fans of it say. But that's just me. :)
"Hook" is actually reviled as one of Spielberg's worst, though I always kind of considered ...
This has made me think about a difference between underrated and under-recognized or under-appreciated. There are lots of films, like the Jarmusch ones, that it seems have not received as much attention as they deserve, especially from the mainstream, but if you do seek out reviews, you'll find good ones.
Another thing I've thought about lately is how personally, music has a huge influence on how much I like a movie. When thinking about my favorite flicks, it seems most have an awesome soundtrack or score. This definitely has an influence on why I liked Requiem and Rushmore. Requiem has a brilliant (intense!) score by Clint Mansell / Kronos Quartet and like pretty much all of Wes Anderson's movies, Rushmore's soundtrack is fantastic.
Last night I saw "Down By Law," a 1986 movie directed by Jim Jarmusch for ...
I love Down By Law or anything else by Jarmusch. Oddly enough, as I sit here typing I'm half-watching Stranger Than Paradise. I love the way he uses silence. It makes everything seem a bit more real. Heaven knows that in life we aren't always firing off witty dialogue at each other every second.
This has made me think about a difference between underrated and under-recognized or under-appreciated. There ...
A good soundtrack and/or score definitely helps a movie, and it really can punctuate how memorable a film is. Even crappy movies with great soundtracks get more run than they would have.
And I personally love "Dead Man." One of the funniest, grossest scenes I have ever seen was in that movie, and it was done in such a deadpan way. The Lance Henriksen scene where he's eating something that isn't quite fried chicken.
This is a pretty obscure one, but Cadillac Man. This is the only Robin Williams movie/besides the Fisher King that I enjoy.
Tim Robbins plays a jealous idiot who hijacks a Cadilac dealership, and Robin Williams uses his sleazy sales techniques to talk him down. This is just a really funny movie. Williams, who usually can't act his way out of a paper bag is actually funny in this movie.
This is a pretty obscure one, but Cadillac Man. This is the only Robin Williams ...
I liked Williams in "One Hour Photo," which is another underrated movie! I like how in the film they played with the conventions of the genre, and made him less of a psycho and more a sympathetic character, albeit a slightly demented one.
I will say the way they unveiled the ending and his acting there was a little spotty, but I thought it was an interesting look into the mind of a stalker.
"Run Ronnie Run". a bit juvenile & crass, but funny as well. Stars Bob Odenkirk & David Cross
Oh did like One Hour Photo, and I also liked Insomnia with Al Pacino. I guess it's a lie to say that I don't like any Robin Williams movies. I just don't really like his humor most of the time.
Oh did like One Hour Photo, and I also liked Insomnia with Al Pacino. I ...
Agreed. He's become a living cartoon, all crazy and scene-stealing, and his act is dead as can be.
I'm convinced if he and Jim Carrey ever did a movie together, the entire studio system, every multiplex in the world showing the film, and bus routes and parking garages in all of the red states would implode.
Senior Trip! It was a nice little movie by National Lampoon after Animal House but before American Pie.
Senior Trip! It was a nice little movie by National Lampoon after Animal House but ...
umm, AH was '78, & AP 99 (Senior Trip '95)so that's a 21 year gap there hoss. American Pie is NOT a National Lampoon movie. If you're going to be a 'postimus maximus', try to be more accurate Rugbyboy.
umm, AH was '78, & AP 99 (Senior Trip '95)so that's a 21 year gap ...
There may be a 21 year gap (thus I was referring to Senior Trip as the unknown movie great that filled this gap), but I did not say American Pie was made my National Lampoon. I said: "It was a nice little movie by National Lampoon(referring to Senior Trip)." You must have assumed prematurely that I was referring to American Pie as also being a National Lampoon movie, not just merely commenting on who created Senior Trip and the fact that all 3 of these movies share a similar type of genre. Don't be so quick to jump the gun P-Dub
PCU! Possibly the best showing by Jeremy Piven until he got into the big time ...
Second on both of those.
And I'll add "Kids" to the list (still the only movie that makes me actively angry at the ending).
There may be a 21 year gap (thus I was referring to Senior Trip as ...
OK, I can dig it, sorry bout that Rob, I did assume, & you know what they say about that, LOL! Regardless, Senior Trip was a very good movie!
Has anyone seen Solomon and Gaenor? A truly Dickensian/BBC period piece that is beautiful in its almost overwhelming depression.
Clay Pigeons - This is a really good movie if you haven't seen it. Vince Vaughn plays a psycho killer, and Joaquin Pheonix plays an unlucky guy that gets caught up with the wrong people.
Janeane Garafolo is in it too, back when she was hot.