So yeah I know I start topics that hardly go anywhere.
But “underrated movies” I checked on – I did a search and I am sure some forum police will direct me to some 2012 stream. But whateves.
List here you best underrated movies. I just saw this and it had everything: race, immigration, drama, fantastic acting, and it is a western.
Truly well done. I even liked the love story.
Cyhper, the followup from the director of Cube. It isn’t a great movie, but I enjoyed it a lot.
Happy Accidents, your regular modern day Sci-fi rom-com. A year later the director did Session 9…
Session 9, A very exceptional horror film.
The Rapture (1991) I and Roger Ebert loved this movie. I thought it worked both intellectually and emotionally. Made only $1.3 million; not too popular with the few that saw it, but many of the IMDb use reviews point out its good qualities.
All of Kurosawa’s movies are celebrated because he made them, but at the same time, some feel quite underrated relative to their quality. I submit:
Record of a Living Being
Dodes’kaden
Dersu Uzala
I agree on Lone Star. Very good movie.
I would add Smoke Signals (the book’s title is the very gonzo “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven”) and Cold Comfort Farm, which is just silly fun.
They were both well reviewed, but seemingly few people know about them.
My favorite film that I don’t see getting much attention is Werner Herzog’s Stroszek. I’d never even heard of it until I picked up the big Herzog blu-ray collection, and just absolutely fell in love with it.
I might even have to rewatch it tonight.
This thread is timely, as Cop Out just popped up on Netflix, and even Kevin Smith gives this (his own) movie a lot of shit. But honestly as I’m watching it (about an hour in) I’m super into it! Everyone is really fun/funny, the story is dumb but perfect (and it converges well), and there is some fun action to boot. Given all the backstory with Bruce Willis vs. Kevin Smith on set, Willis is turning in a great performance here that I’m digging. Same with everyone (the scene with Sean William Scott in the back of the car was fucking slaying me).
ooh ooh, I’ve got one…
Oh yeah, I really wish there had been more of those.
I just picked that up on Blu Ray yesterday. It’s been on my list of stuff to watch since it came out, no idea why I never got around to it until now. Will watch it soon.
Ah you’re in for a treat my friend. It’s an absolutely cracking movie.
I often find movies that didn’t make a splash at the box office through off-the-cuff mentions on the Quarter to Three Movie podcast, sometimes in the over/under. And also, I’d notice if xtien quoted a move a lot and make a note to watch it.
Which is why my upcoming Netflix DVD shipment includes Brick and London, the latter of which is apparently mostly Chris Evans and Jason Statham philosophizing over cocaine. The 2.4 stars on Netflix wouldn’t have triggered a rental, but it sounds like it at least amused some of the movie gang.
Offhand, I’d start with John Carter. It got royally slammed, but watching it on the big screen with my son, we both enjoyed the action.
I come into this thread with a specific title in mind and it’s already been mentioned in the second post. Well done.
I vote John Carter as well. Very enjoyable movie. But to go totally against the grain I’d say Beastmaster. Which is far more enjoyable than Conan. Beastmaster has action. Conan has violence. Give me Beastmaster.
I liked John Carter too, but can’t agree with your dislike of Conan. The action choreography may not be tops, but it’s the scenes like ‘what gods do you pray to?’ or Conan stumbling on the ancient tomb that make me love it. Fuck, they had me at Mako saying “let me tell you of the days of high adventure!”
I confess I have not seen Beastmaster in over 30 years. It seemed… okay.
“Most underrated” is such a hard conversation, because to be underrated it would have to be widely seen and not be correctly appreciated. Like most cinema buffs would go “oh of course, Lone Star, one of John Sayles’ best”. And I would never call Session 9 underrated for instance, because mostly everyone who’s seen it agrees that it is great, and that’s why it’s a perennial on “top 10 horror movies you’ve missed” listicles.
So I’m going to go for “most underseen” instead
Like for instance, Save The Green Planet:
Or Asura: The City of Madness:
Ot The Truth Beneath:
Or Blues Harp:
I couldn’t make it through 30 minutes of John Carter, I thought it was an incoherent mess. I guess I should give it a second chance one day.
One of my favorite horror movies is The Descent (2005) directed by Neil Marshall. A lot of horror movies start out great and peter out by the end, this one kept giving.
Also another vote for Session 9, a movie that made me fear abandoned buildings and asbestos.
Because I had absolutely no expectations for it, I really enjoyed the movie, though I would’ve preferred the British release.