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Post here about movies you love, which haven't gotten the mainstream notoriety you think they deserve. I don't care if people comment on what other people have posted, but I'm hoping the majority of the posts will list unique movies. (This is for selfish reasons, of course. I'm hoping to hear about movies I've missed but will be glad to see.)
I'm hoping this can be a thread somewhat like the " Interesting Space-Related News" thread, in that people will look it up and post on it whenever they come across an undeservedly overlooked movie.
I'll go first:
The Machinist, (Dir. Brad Anderson, Writ. Scott Kosar, Starring Christian Bale, with Jennifer Jason Leigh, et. al.)
This movie was brilliantly directed and acted. Christian Bale plays a machinist who hasn't slept in a year and begins to lose his grip on reality. It works as a mystery, to a certain degree, though if you approach it primarily as a mystery, you might be disappointed. What some people will think is "the twist" is pretty easy to guess, though enough details are left unanswered to provide some mystery right to the end. How this movie worked best for me is as a character study in paranoia and guilt. The direction is superb. Brad Anderson makes every facet of the film add to the atmosphere and the story, he is artistic without being "artsy".
Christian Bale has been most remarked for the amount of weight he lost to play this role. He is truly frighteningly thin, and that adds to the believability of the character. But his acting is good in ways that go far beyond the physical sacrifice for the role. He is infinitely believable as a man in turmoil, trying to understand a world increasingly strange and hostile. If it sounds like I'm dancing around the story, well, I am. It's difficult to give many details without revealing too much of the plot.
I never heard of this film when it came out. I only learned of it when Christian Bale was interviewed on NPR prior to the release of Batman Begins and the reporter commented on how he went from frighteningly thin to beefcake buff between the two films. I'm glad a checked it out.
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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I too heard of this movie in relation to Batman Begins and was curious about it. So far, you're the first person I know that's seen it. Your endorsement means I'll add it to my Netflix cue. Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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I thought "October Skies" was a great movie that didn't get much press when it came out a few years ago. It has the kid from "Day after tomorrow" (an over rated movie) in it.
Along the same lines "White Squall" was another really good coming of age story. It had Jeff Bridges in it.
I don't know if it is under rated because it was nominate for a few awards, but I don't know many other people who saw it. "Gattica" was great Sci Fi movie with no special effects. It relied totally on the story and characters.
Posts: 555 | Registered: Jun 2005
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It mixes way-over-the-top events with believable characters. Max Fischer is a poor kid whose main purpose in life is attending the rich academy Rushmore and starting up new clubs. He develops a crush on one of the teachers and goes to incredible lengths to impress her, leading to his expulsion from Rushmore. His best friend Herman Blume (Bill Murray), a Rushmore alumnus, also falls for the same teacher. Their friendship degenerates into malice as they both pursue her.
This movie is great. I've watched it half-dozen times and each time is better. I just saw Napolean Dynamite for the first time, and although the movies have some similarities, I feel that Rushmore is superior.
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I second SC Carver's picks for October Sky and Gattaca.
A Bronx Tale wasn't really anything special but I really liked it for some reason.
Let's see...here's some that may have gotten good reviews/press but weren't exactly box office hits. Garden State - Simple movie about self realization Memento - You have to piece the story together yourself. Really makes you think. Donnie Darko - Another movie that makes you think. It also has some interesting ideas about purpose. Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Comedy about crappy movies The Wrong Guy starring Dave Foley, if you're into Kids In the Hall type of humor Office Space - gives you a new perspective about work and life in general, and it's funny Clerks - Most of the humor is from dialogue. Don't watch if you're easily offended. Last of the Mohicans - Scenic and historical (kind of). Very good book too.
Some movies that we've probably seen as kids but which are still fun to watch... The Goonies The Sandlot The Princess Bride
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I'll second Camus's pick for "Memento". Another "Batman Begins" connection, Nolan directed both. He is the new "dark" movie guy in Hollywood. Most of the established big stars who were in Batman signed up for the chance to work with Nolan. I definately enjoyed both movies.
Posts: 555 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Of the movies I've watched in the last year or so, the one I think best fits this thread is Harold and Maude. It's a little strange, somewhat silly, and is just a charming movie.
Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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If it is officially underrated, doesn't that make it no longer underrated, since it's higher rating is now official?
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Um.. Yea, I'm going to need you to come in tomorrow... I agree Office space is great, but can you call it under rated. I would say it has a big following. You can buy Office Space t-shirts in the mall.
Posts: 555 | Registered: Jun 2005
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What if it was "The Official underappreciated by the majority of people movie thread"? Of course, that doesn't have the same ring to it that "underrated" has. Edit: this was to mph
Posts: 853 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Real Genius and Searching for Bobby Fischer were great movies that were only moderately successful, while I'd like to jump on the bandwagons for Keeping the Faith and October Sky.
Rushmore, Clerks, and Memento are also great, but I feel they got pretty good props from most people.
Courage Under Fire didn't get the box office or oscar nods of Glory, but is quite good as well.
I loved Hudson Hawk, which was widely panned.
The Private Eyes, with Tim Conway and Don Knotts was good old-fashioned funny and never got much play.
Big Trouble (based on a Dave Barry novel) got pulled early due to 9/11...
But I'm gonna pick as my two most underrated movies of all time: Young Sherlock Holmes and Time Bandits
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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People bashed it very badly when it was released...it wasn't a funny, happy Judy Garland musical.
It was dark, weird, disturbing in many places.
It's also a wonderfully-acted, beautiful film that's true to the spirit of L. Frank Baum's earliest Oz books...even if it does combine characters and plots from the second and third books mixed with some conceits from the MGM film.
Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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Nominated for 2 Oscars, if it hadn't been a Canadian film it might have actually won them. The movie is about community, and explores it by following the lives of the people in a small town torn apart by grief (though it doesn't dwell on it, but looks at the repercussions of it). Without a doubt Atom Egoyan finest work as a director, the movie also has a wonderfully subtle performance by Ian Holme. The movie is a breathtaking experience and contains, in my opinion, the most heart breaking shot in film.
Posts: 3243 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Strictly Ballroom, which isn't underrated on Hatrack, but other than Hatrack, I've never met anyone who has actually heard of it, let alone seen it. It's one of my all time favorite movies.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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American Movie (independent documentary about a guy trying to make a movie...hilarious and tragic.)
Posts: 232 | Registered: Jan 2005
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Smoke Signals (movie about a young native american man transporting his father's ashes...best depiction of forgiveness i've ever seen on film.)
Posts: 232 | Registered: Jan 2005
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I've heard of Strictly Ballroom, but never saw it...
Glory is awesome, but, having been nominated for a bunch of academy awards, it's hard to say it's "most underrated"
Posts: 3846 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I was hoping for a bit more about why you think the movie is great. Convince me I should see it. Some of you are doing this but most are just listing names of films. [/dictator of thread mode] Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Welcome Home Roxy Carmichael The Color Purple Empire of the Sun Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Outland Posts: 289 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Death to Smoochy, with Robin Williams, Edward Norton, Catherine Keener and Jon Stewart. The critics absolutely HATED this movie - I believe the average rating was a D - and it did quite poorly at the box office, as people seemed to believe the reviewers.
I went with a friend (back in the day - it's at least four years old), and the two of us were rolling around on the ground howling with laughter. Death to Smoochy is one of the funniest movies I've possibly ever seen, and no one knows about it.
I also believe the ratings for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story were a bit low for how clever the movie was, but I don't know that it's officially underrated...
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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Episode I is the worst Star Wars movie ever, hands down. Between the "Yippee"s and the immortal "Are you an angel?" line, I think the lowlight was, naturally, the extended role of one Jar-Jar Binks. At least Episode II had two good-looking guys to drool over when the movie sucked.
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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I've been lurking for a while, but this topic finally got me to post. With a crowd of SciFi fans, the best underrated movie out there is Galaxy Quest. When I first saw it in the theater, I was sure I would pass out from not breathing for the laughing. Having seen most of the Star Trek episodes/movies out there, there is no better parody of them that also celebrates the fun.
The plot is simple: The washed up stars of the Galaxy Quest tv show gets hired for a gig that turns out to be real aliens and a real working model of their ship. Tony Shalub is fabulous as the engineer who is calm always (so different than his great 'Monk' character). The most laughs come from the character of 'Guy', the unnamed extra who always dies on the away missions.
Watch this one again and again. I do.
Posts: 1 | Registered: Aug 2005
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It's funny how many of these movies make me think "How is that underrated? Everybody I know LOVES that movie!"
But then I remember that a lot of people I know are pretty big movie buffs.
I just watched (like, 20 minutes ago) An Evening with Kevin Smith. Credit where credit is due: it was borrowed from ElJay. It's an awesome movie, just a collection of segments from his campus Q&A tour but filled with hilarious stories and weird trivia. Definitely worth watching for anyone who enjoys any of his actual films.
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Rock & Rule One of the best animated movies from the 80's. Didn't get enough publicity or movie house showings so it died quickly. Awesome music by classic rock icons. Finally out in dvd at last!
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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The Adventures of Mark Twain--I used to watch this as a kid all the time. It is an excellent claymation film that portrays several of his short stories, including the Diaries of Adam and Eve.
I'll second or whatever Memento, that's a great movie.
I'm not really sure if this movie is under-rated, but I really loved Elizabeth with Cate Blanchet.
Posts: 681 | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Epictetus: I'm not really sure if this movie is under-rated, but I really loved Elizabeth with Cate Blanchet.
Not underrated at all, and I completely agree. I can watch this movie at any time of any day I love it so much. Although, interestingly enough, the first time I saw it was in a class (and for said class) called "Women in Turkish Society."
Posts: 3932 | Registered: Sep 1999
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Some movies that I show all my friends when I first meet them include Memento, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Cannibal! The Musical, and Tampopo.
Memento was voted for several times, but the gist of it is that we follow a guy who has no short term memory as he tries to solve his wife's murder. So that we get some of the sense of his disorientation, we watch the movie in short bits but the bits are not in sequence. Half of the clips start at the end of the overall plot and go backwards. The other half start at the beginning and go forwards. That sounds confusing, I know, if you haven't already seen it, but it's really not too hard to follow and all my friends have been blown away by it.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock musical following Hedwig and her band. Hedwig's story is gradually illuminated from her music and from flashbacks to her childhood in the communist half of Berlin, her botched sex-change operation, her music being stolen by a boy she fell in love with, and her eventual acceptance of who she really is and deciding to live her life without the masks she's been wearing throughout the movie.
Cannibal! The Musical is Trey Parker and Matt Stone's first movie, made over spring break when they were going to school together. It's very silly, and very amateurish, but also very fun. It follows Alferd Packer who was convicted of cannibalism in Colorado Territory. The songs all obnoxiously get in your head.
Lastly Tampopo is a live-action Japanese movie which mostly follows a woman named Tampopo and her quest, with the help of a truck driver friend, to make perfect Ramen noodles. The main story is also intersperced with vignettes following other Japanese people in their love of good food.
Posts: 1751 | Registered: Jun 1999
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Whale Rider. It's so sad that no one ever mentions when they think of perfect movies. It's also sad that not many people have seen this.
Posts: 116 | Registered: Jul 2003
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Way too many of these movies are quite mainstream and are a little overrated, IMHO.
My vote would go for Bandits... but maybe that's just my Bruce Willis fetish talking. Also, eXistenZ. But maybe that's just my Jude Law fetish talking. Oh, I'll shut up now. Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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I didn't think he was asking for non-mainstream movies, just movies we thought were better than their reception.
Posts: 289 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by MyrddinFyre: Way too many of these movies are quite mainstream and are a little overrated, IMHO.
What's your criteria for mainstream? I don't think a movie has to exactly be an independent film in order to not be classified as mainstream. I consider mainstream to be more or less a box office hit, meaning it made a lot of money when it was orignially shown in theaters. Movies like Clerks and Office Space had horrible results at the box office but have since gained kind of a cult following.
Overrated is a personal opinion. Anything that doesn't meet your personal expectations could be considered overrated. The fact that one person thinks a movie is overrated doesn't mean that other people aren't going to like it.
With that said, here are a couple other perhaps overrated movies that I personally thought were a bit underrated when they were originally released.
Pi - a movie with a mathematical premise (everything can be described through mathematical formulas). It doesn't have as much to do with the number pi, but has some interesting ideas about the power of mathematics and our limited knowledge of how it works in the universe. The movie style is interesting as well.
Requiem For a Dream - Very strong characters and acting. Jennifer Connelly is the only one that I know from other movies. It shows in very dramatic fashion the power and consequences of addiction and how three people's lives spiral out of control because of it.
Posts: 1256 | Registered: May 2005
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