Under Appreciated Movies *Spoilers* (1 Viewer)

[Terrell]

Another agreement on Quigley Down Under. A beautiful film that needs a reference quality DVD.
Speaking of Tom Selleck, there's another epic, beautifully shot film that I loved, that doesn't get as much notice as I feel it should.
High Road To China
This is a visually stunning film with a terrific score from John Barry. Bess Armstrong and Tom Selleck give strong performances, and have a terrific onscreen chemistry. I want this film to come to DVD soon, in a set that does it justice.
Why Selleck never made it big as a movie star on the big screen is beyond me. The man always gives strong performances, and has range. Not to mention he is classically handsome. I guess he was forever stigmatized by his successful role as Thomas Magnum.

 

[Joshua FS]

I have to second Empire of the Sun. It wa one of those movies that we rented way back in the 80's. I was pretty little and I just remember how long it was. I watched it again a few years back and realized how amazing it was (and how it touched on a part of WWII I didn't really know about.) It was a real director's film.
Another of my favorites is Soldier. This is one great action movie. I usually get alot of flack for saying this but I feel it deserves some recognition. It's a simple movie that "does what it sets out to do". It doesn't aspire to great heights and met my expectations perfectly. Kurt Russel is just such a badass back to his Snake Pliskan days.
When oh when will they have Miller's Crossing on DVD

 

[Michael Taylor]

I have to agree with you about Soldier. The next time you watch it, be conscious of the fact that Kurt Russell has very few lines and see how much more he communicates with facial expression and body language. In a way, it makes it a different viewing experience. The first time I saw it, I liked it, but I didn't realize how much more information was conveyed nonverbally Kurt Russell than through dialog.

 

[Rob P S]

Underappreciated:

Avalon
Awakenings
Clay Pigeons
The Dish
Dominick & Eugene
A Family Thing
Hearts in Atlantis
A Home of Our Own
Hoosiers
Memphis Belle
The Mighty
My Bodyguard
October Sky
Office Space
One False Move
Rudy
Searching for Bobby Fischer
Smoke
Smoke Signals
Untamed Heart

 

[Brandon_T]

I too will second Quigly and Falling Down.

One that I have come to love and enjoy is Anna and the King. While not a Jodie Foster fan, I thought Chow Yun Fat was terrific in this film, and the cinematography in this film is simply breath taking at times. I have seen this movie several times and like it more with each viewing. It didn't do that well at the box office but sometimes that just means it is a good film.

Brandon

 

[Brenton]

Return to Oz. This film is continually lambasted for not being a clone of MGM's 1939 The Wizard of Oz, when in reality, it was never meant to be.
It is actually based on two of L. Frank Baum's original Oz books, and it is much truer to the characters and world of Oz than the sugar-coated Technicolor soundstages from the MGM film.
I love this film dearly and it was the first DVD I ever owned (but it needs an Anamorphic SE!).

 

[SteveGon]

Glad to see this thread resurrected - I was going to start a similar one on little-seen movies but I think my recommendations will fit in here.
Proof (1992)
Proof is the directorial debut of Jocelyn Moorhouse and features Russell Crowe and Hugo Weaving (Lord of the Rings, The Matrix). Weaving plays Martin, an embittered and cynical blind man who torments his housekeeper Celia (Genevieve Picot) by rebuffing her advances. Martin's hobby is photography - despite the fact that he's been blind since birth! Why does he feel compelled to take photographs? That's what Martin's new friend Andy (Russell Crowe) wants to know. Inevitably, Celia seeks solace in the company of Andy - something that will cause all three to re-examine their lives. I love that final shot!
Sadly, this little gem isn't available on DVD. A surprise, considering the stars.
Children of Nature (1991)
An old man (Gisli Halldorsson) leaves his home in the country and tries to live with his daughter and her family in the city. That doesn't work out and he is sent packing to a retirement home. Once there, he recognizes a long-ago female acquaintance and the two of them soon begin to reminisce about days long past in the isolated and now-abandoned region where they grew up. Quickly realizing that the retirement home is a literal dead end, they steal a jeep and take off for their one-time home. Can they make it back? Perhaps a little divine intervention is in order...
Set amidst the stark landscapes of Iceland, this film is beautiful to look at - director Fridrik Thor Fridriksson has a talent comparable to Werner Herzog when it comes to capturing the beauty of nature on film.
Children of Nature was Iceland's first Academy Award nominee.
Film buffs should know that the transcendent ending features a cameo by a character from a certain Wim Wenders film...
Sadly, this one isn't on DVD either.
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)
When director Francois Girard (The Red Violin) decided to film a biography of famed Canadian pianist Glenn Gould, he elected to avoid the usual conventions and instead structured the film after Bach's Goldberg Variations. Thus, the movie is a series of thirty-two vignettes that explore different aspects of Gould's life from his youth to his untimely death. This proved to be a unique and refreshing approach. Colm Feore (Face/Off, The Sum of All Fears) gives a terrific performance as the brilliant and eccentric Gould.
Columbia released this on DVD. The transfer is quite nice, but the disc is essentially bare-bones. That's too bad as I could think of quite a few interesting extras they could have added.
The Twelve Chairs (1970)
This is a seemingly forgotten little gem from Mel Brooks. Ron Moody stars as a former aristocrat in post-revolution Russia who is now a lowly clerk. He returns home to visit his dying mother-in-law and learns that she sewed the family jewels inside one of twelve dining room chairs. Unfortunately the chairs were taken away and dispersed across the country. He sets off in search of them and is followed closely by others looking to get rich. Dom DeLuise turns up as a priest, Frank Langella is a ladies man who worms his way into becoming Moody's partner, and Mel Brooks himself is the ex-aristocrat's former servant. There's lots of funny stuff here!
Available on DVD from Image.
Check 'em out!

Smoke
Smoke Signals

 

[David Lawson]

Bringing Out The Dead, Bulworth, Mumford, Snow Falling On Cedars, and Strange Days immediately come to mind. I'll also third Smoke Signals.

Sling Blade was underrated? It wasn't overrated, to be sure, but I don't know if I can agree with that one.

 

[Alex Spindler]

Under Appreciated : Zero Effect
I am continually impressed by how layered and well crafted this wonderful gem of a film is. Perhaps a better term than under appreciated would be underviewed, as so few people have actually seen it.

"The Mysterious and Brilliant Daryl Zero..."
I can't think of any better introduction to the bizarre character of Daryl Zero than the dual Client Interview/Barroom bitchfest. It's an excellent way to convey the complex character without getting too cutesy. This is also a great example of good editing and timing, as Arlo bridges between both sides of Zero's character.
It's right from the start that the tone of the movie is set. It's clearly not a stupid comedy, but instead presented with a serious tone and moody lighting that brings out the somewhat subtle comedy all the better.
It takes close to 10 minutes before we actually see Daryl Zero, but the introduction still can't prepare us for what we see. But seeing him throughout the film in his various guises, everything falls into place. I can't credit Bill Pullman enough. I can't say that anything I had seen him in would lead me to think he could do anything this good. He handles every scene, from all of Zero's various extremes, with total success. I could imagine how many other actors in Pullman's peer group who would fumble this badly by overplaying the comedy. It's only though balance that the film really works.

The plot has a fair amount of complexity, but takes an unexpected backseat to a well crafted romantic subplot that is handled very confidently and methodically. It doesn't appear as an afterthought, but instead as the key of the entire film. It integrates with the entire film so well that nothing is wasted.
I have to also credit the writer/director, first-timer Jake Kasdan, with hitting one out of the park on his first try. Everything clicks, from the dialog, camera work, pacing, editing, and plot. I was particularly impressed with how some subtle camera movements helped to spice up the lengthy dialog exchanges.

The resolution is satisfying and the dialog really snaps, especially when Zero is on the job. All of the actors seem very comfortable in their roles and give good deliveries as well. Ben Stiller in particular is really a gift for the film, and foreshadowed his successful big budget film career well.
I can understand how this film is difficult to connect to an audience. It isn't a goofy, laugh-a-minute comedy. It isn't a completely serious drama, and it is pretty dialog driven. The leads aren't terribly well known (especially at the time of release). I just wish it would have done even better. I can't think of many more deserving films.

 

[Nate Anderson]

Singles

Singles is probably Cameron Crowe's most underappreciated film. It involves the various relationships of people who live in this Apartment complex in Seattle. It came out towards the end of the grunge era and the soundtrack album is probably better known than the movie. Still, it's a film I find myself relating to more and more as I approach the age group of the characters. Your early to mid twenties when you wonder just what the hell you're going to do with the rest of your life.
The Opposite of Sex

Christina Ricci stars in this film. It's about a girl, DeeDee (Ricci) who leaves her alcoholic mother to move in with her gay half-brother who's still mourning his dead lover, while pretending to be okay by having another boyfriend. Sounds like a downer, right? Wrong. It's absolutely hysterical, with most of the humor coming from Ricci's narration. She pokes fun at genre conventions as she marches through people's lives, leaving chaos and insanity in her wake. Lisa Kudrow is also on hand for some great one-liners. Not for the easily offended, though.
Young Sherlock Holmes

A fun movie, at times reminiscent of Temple of Doom, but still plenty amusing in it's own right, with knowing nods to Holmes canon. Woefully underappreciated and rather unknown, even if it was produced by Steven Spielberg. Luckily I was able to tape it off AMC during it's heyday in the widescreen format.
Those are my three additions to this list. I recommend all three as they are three of my favorite movies. Singles and The Opposite of Sex are both on DVD, and Young Sherlock Holmes should be.

 

[EricW]

i will agree with quiz show. sometimes i put this movie on in the background when i'm doing something else, just to hear the dialogue. it's poetic. also the acting is great. casting Raplh Fiennes was genious. all the relationships in the movies are wonderful as well, especially between Charles and his father.
i also love zero effect, though i think the set up of the movie was a bit better than the payoff.
one movie i think is underated is the way of the gun. for the type of movie it wanted to be, i think it excels. it's a throw back and a contemporary movie at the same time, and the things that happen in the movie exist on many levels.

 

[Chris Miller]

Boiler Room - Perhaps the most underrated film of recent years I can think of. This film seems to get overlooked by nearly everyone. And a lot of people confuse it with the Wesley Snipes movie "Boiling Point"
Killing Zoe - A subtle movie. Lots of very dark humor and secrets to it. It's the kind of film that deserves multiple viewings to fully appreciate it.
Bringing Out The Dead - My favorite Scorscese film. It's very alive and about as enjoyable as filmmaking gets.
Gattaca - All the praise that "Minority Report" got should have gone to this one
Summer Of Sam - Kind of marketed as a movie about a killer, when it's more a story about a neighborhood's paranoia and it's collapse. One of Spike Lee's best in my opinion.
The Rules Of Attraction - My favorite film I've seen this year. It was lost in the generation gap amongst most critics, lost in the shuffle during it's theatrical release, and just greatly overlooked in general. See it, I guarantee if nothing else that it'll stay in your head awhile...

 

[Alex Spindler]

I totally concur with Boiler Room and Gattaca. Both superb, although I was especially impressed by how much Boiler Room exceeded my trailer-based expectations. I had an impression of the potential for Gattaca based on the fairly good trailer, but I can't figure for the life of me how I ended up seeing Boiler Room. I'm sure glad I did.

 

[JohnRice]

Minority Report got praise? News to me. I thought it sucked.

I like Singles too. I hope to get it since it is dirt cheap these days. Funny two of the recent mentioned movies, The Way of the Gun and Killing Zoe are available in a super cheap two pack. I got it, but haven;t watched them yet. I did see Zoe several years ago, though.

 

[Paul_D]

I thought it sucked.

Woah! Hold the phone. Elaborate John, please. How could anyone think MR sucked?

 

[JohnS]

I can think of a really good under appreciated teen movie.
Can't Hardly Wait
Even the Directors say so as they subliminally put that message(actually says under rated) in Josie and the Pussycats-which I personally think is also under appreciated

 

[Charles J P]

Yeah, Minority Report is THE DVD that I'm waiting for right now. I can see how you dont think it "lived up" but to just say "it sucked" and then walk away. Come on, throw us a bone here.

 

[FredHD]

Scott Weinberg

You are correct!!!

"Night of the Creeps" is a horror fans wet dream.

"Who is she?"
"The Morton salt girl. How the hell should I know?"

Don't miss Fred Dekker's other Horror/comedy masterpiece

"Monster Squad"

 

[JohnRice]

I shouldn't have said that. Even though that is how I feel, it's not really in line with this thread. Suffice it to say I think Spielberg and Darkness are oil and water. No matter how hard he tries, he just doesn't have the stones to really do it. I'll check it out again on DVD and see if I feel differently.

Even though it is heavy handed, I have to agree about Josie and the Pussycats, and not just because it has Rachael Leigh Cook.

 

[Angelo.M]

Underappreciated? Hmmm.
Vanilla Sky. Exquisitely well-crafted. The press that went to the big stars should have gone to Cameron Crowe, who put his distinctive stamp on Hitchcock.
The Spanish Prisoner, House of Games, The Winslow Boy and Heist. David Mamet is well appreciated as a writer, but I think he's underappreciated as a director, and all of these films are examples of his very fine abilities in that department. In particular, Winslow was criminally undervalued, perhaps because it found Mamet working outside of his typical idiom.
Monsoon Wedding. Vastly superior to its 'Greek' counterpart, this film deserves the success that the other film is enjoying.
The Negotiator. I wanted more Kevin Spacey and Samuel Jackson on the screen together (that Pacino, De Niro, Heat problem again), and I think the movie suffered because of that. But it's great fun nontheless.
-AM