Non-Poll: Top 3 Underrated Movies of the past 17 years.

[Schmidty]

This is just a boredom thread that will hopefully expose me to a movie or two that I never gave a chance to. Here are the first three that come to mind right now (I'm sure there are many others):

1. Frailty

2. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

3. Rushmore


Now, I know that 2 of my 3 are semi-mainstream, but I've met a ton of people that never even gave them a chance. I know there a ton of "semi-mainstream" movies that I've never given a chance either, so I'm open to suggestions.

[Pumpy Tudors]

1. Fear of a Black Hat

2. Little Big League

3. Attack of the 60-Foot Centerfold

Yes, I'm serious.

[larrymcg421]

The Frighteners
The Terminal
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

[korme]

Great thread, and Schmidty you listed Rushmore so I will avert from adding it to my 3.

1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - watched it on a whim and have never been happier than doing so two years ago. Incredibly quotable and funny, not mainstream enough that a ton of people have seen it.

2. Boogie Nights - fantastically cheesey
3. Sideways - Paul Giamatti FTW

[path12]

Why 17 years?

[MJ4H]

3. Attack of the 60-Foot Centerfold

Yes, I'm serious.

Damn right you are.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Why 17 years?

Because 1990 is a clean start date.

[molson]

Brother, Where Art Thou is one of those movies that always shows up on these lists. And once you get to that point, you shouldn't be on the list anymore.

Same with Sideways.

[Abe Sargent]

Donnie Darko

Saved

[Honolulu_Blue]

I need to add "Frailty" to my Netflix que. I thought the previews looked great when I saw them back in the day. Thanks for the reminder, Schmidty.

As for "Where Brother Where Are Thou?", "Boogie Nights", "Rushmore", and "Sideways", I am not sure if I would call them underrated. All four are very good movies, but I feel as they are/have been appropriately rated/appreciated. I think all four have received quite a bit of praise, some even received some Oscar nods, and all are quite popular.

[Johnny93g]

1. Tigerland

2. Chasing Amy

3. The Way of the Gun

[korme]

Brother, Where Art Thou is one of those movies that always shows up on these lists. And once you get to that point, you shouldn't be on the list anymore.

Same with Sideways.

These lists are all relative... to the person who makes their list, as they decide what in their minds is underrated. I can't wait til you make your top 3 so I can rip you for picking the obvious ones!!!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Brother, Where Art Thou is one of those movies that always shows up on these lists. And once you get to that point, you shouldn't be on the list anymore.

Same with Sideways.

These lists are all relative... to the person who makes their list, as they decide what in their minds is underrated. I can't wait til you make your top 3 so I can rip you for picking the obvious ones!!!

FYI to molson. If you want to avoid Shorty's rippings, please consult Pumpy before making your list.

[molson]

These lists are all relative... to the person who makes their list, as they decide what in their minds is underrated. I can't wait til you make your top 3 so I can rip you for picking the obvious ones!!!

1. Godfather

2. Citizen Kane

3. Taxi Driver

None of those films ever get any credit :)

[korme]

1. Godfather

2. Citizen Kane

3. Taxi Driver

None of those films ever get any credit :)


OMG 1990 AND UP

[sabotai]

1. BASEketball

2. Boiler Room

3. Sleepy Hollow

Just going on based how oftan I see people talk about these movies on the interwebs and the telly.

[Mustang]

- The Sandlot
- A Midnight Clear
- Man on the Moon

[astrosfan64]

Harold and Kumar goto White Castle
Grandma's Boy
Mall Rats

[molson]

OMG 1990 AND UP

For Christs's sake - there's only 18 posts in this thread and 2 of those are me screwing up your question.

[korme]

Harold and Kumar goto White Castle
Grandma's Boy
Mall Rats

Good choices, I used to watch Mallrats way too often

[Crapshoot]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

[BishopMVP]

Out Cold

[Pumpy Tudors]

daaaamn is i the only one who can get this shit right

[path12]

Because 1990 is a clean start date.

Well, that was a pretty stupid question in hindsight. :o

[GreenMonster]

1. Boiler Room

2. Cop Land (ducks)

3. Above the Rim

[molson]

Wet Hot American Summer
Karate Kid
Ghost World

[Pumpy Tudors]

Wet Hot American Summer
Karate Kid
Ghost World
AND YOU DID IT AGAIN!!!!!!

(ghost world was horrifying)

[korme]

I cannot believe you listed Wet Hot American Summer. All is forgiven, molson

[chesapeake]

1. Almost Famous
2. A Mighty Wind
3. Unbreakable

[Schmidty]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Hell yeah.

[MJ4H]

3. Unbreakable
3. Unbreakable
3. Unbreakable
3. Unbreakable
3. Unbreakable


QFTAS
(quoted for truth and spam)

[path12]

(ghost world was horrifying)

OK.....enough snorting of the dandruff. YOU'RE HIGH!

[BishopMVP]

3. UnbreakableI've heard this was supposed to be a trilogy, which is why it is so much character development/backstory, but it didn't do well enough at the box office (and Shyamalan turned out to be insane.)

[thesloppy]

Glengarry Glen Ross

The Thin Red Line

Sexy Beast

Dead Man's Shoes

Twilight Samurai

(I can't count)

[Pumpy Tudors]

OK.....enough snorting of the dandruff. YOU'RE HIGH!
Ghost World is the second most depressing movie I've ever seen, and I do not go to the movies to be depressed. The only reason I paid to watch it was because I had to do it for class. Urgh.

[Schmidty]

Ghost World is the second most depressing movie I've ever seen, and I do not go to the movies to be depressed. The only reason I paid to watch it was because I had to do it for class. Urgh.

That one chick had nice boobs. That made me more jovial than I should have been I guess.

[st.cronin]

1. The Notebook (seriously)
2. Star Wars Episode 1 (but yes, 2 and 3 did suck)
3. Ever After

[Schmidty]

1. The Notebook (seriously)
2. Star Wars Episode 1 (but yes, 2 and 3 did suck)
3. Ever After

I like all three (too different degrees), but how you could insult SW: 3 - it blows me away. (That is a very awkward sentence, but my duaghter wants my attention). That was BY FAR the best of the prequals to me. Of course, I think SW is the most overrerated series ever (to me), so take it for what it is.

[tarcone]

1st date with my wife was Ever After.
A. BoonDock Saints
1. Grandms Boy
2. Just Friends
3. Old School

[st.cronin]

I like all three (too different degrees), but how you could insult SW: 3 - it blows me away. (That is a very awkward sentence, but my duaghter wants my attention). That was BY FAR the best of the prequals to me. Of course, I think SW is the most overrerated series ever (to me), so take it for what it is.

For one thing, it has a very depressing ending. I understand tragedy, but that flavor of tragedy I think just doesn't work on a modern audience. Also it seemed to me that the players involved just weren't that into it. There's a noticable difference in energy level from 1 to 2, and then again from 2 to 3.

Just my $0.02.

[Schmidty]

For one thing, it has a very depressing ending. I understand tragedy, but that flavor of tragedy I think just doesn't work on a modern audience. Also it seemed to me that the players involved just weren't that into it. There's a noticable difference in energy level from 1 to 2, and then again from 2 to 3.

Just my $0.02.

I have no idea how you were able to make any sense from my post, because I sure as hell can't. Let me rephrase it:

"I liked Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith!!!!"

[Schmidty]

I even fucked up my punctuation in my last post. :(

[st.cronin]

what better, punctuation or polls

[I. J. Reilly]

The Virgin Suicides

So I Married an Axe Murderer

Lost in Translation
(Not sure if this one is underrated, but a lot of people seemed to hate it)

[astrosfan64]

The Virgin Suicides

So I Married an Axe Murderer

Lost in Translation
(Not sure if this one is underrated, but a lot of people seemed to hate it)

So I Married an Axe Murderer - crap that should of been on my list.

Woman - woooooahhhhmannnnnnn great movie.

[Groundhog]

The Virgin Suicides

So I Married an Axe Murderer

Lost in Translation
(Not sure if this one is underrated, but a lot of people seemed to hate it)

3 great picks.

[Nwobhm]

1. American Me
2. Menace II Society (my favorite of the 90's L.A. gang movies)
3. Eyes Wide Shut

[Surtt]

Lost in Translation
(Not sure if this one is underrated, but a lot of people seemed to hate it)


These lists are all relative... to the person who makes their list, as they decide what in their minds is underrated.



I know, I know, but...
It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

[korme]

It depends on what your view on underrated or not is..

It could be:
A) Most people thought this movie was terrible but I loved it.
B) Most people have never seen this movie and it was good.
C) This movie was gold for the Academy Awards but keeping in mind the average movie goer would rather see "Saw II" than "Of Pride & Prejudice"

[cartman]

My three:

1. The already mentioned Glengarry Glen Ross (Coffee is for closers!!!)
2. Dazed and Confused (I keep getting older, they stay the same age...)
3. Bob Roberts (Don't smoke crack. It's a ghetto drug.)

[Coffee Warlord]

In no particular order.

The Ninth Gate
Crismon Tide
Idiocracy

[korme]

Some of these choices have a decently sized cult status - Dazed & Confused, Boondock Saints

Not that I have a problem witb it, just speculating.

[Abe Sargent]

Oh, my thnird film,

Donnie Darko #1
Saved #2
Ronin #3 - that movie is hot.

[Bad-example]

Starship Troopers

Richard III

Goldeneye

[cartman]

Another trio to consider:

Cannibal! The Musical
Quiz Show
Out of Sight

[korme]

OMFG I need to see Quiz Show, you just reminded me how bad Best Buy sucks (they never have it nor has any employee heard of it)

[Clark]

1. A Perfect World
2. Nobody's Fool
3. A River Runs Through It

[SteveMax58]

Unknown

12 Monkeys

Girls Gone Wild

[ntndeacon]

1. The Witches
2. Dead Again
3. Thirteen Days
4. The Station Agent
5. The 3 Burials of Melaquiades Estrada

[SplitPersonality1]

Road to Wellville
Set it Off
House of Flying Daggers

[ISiddiqui]

1) Royal Tenenbaums
2) O'Brother Where Are Thou
3) South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut

Right behind are "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle".

[Deattribution]

Go!

The Professional/Leon

Kingpin

Could list a few more, but I think for the most part those fit the bill.

[Arles]

1. Noises Off
2. The Greatest Game ever played
3. For Love of the Game
4. Unknown

Two more movies with a little more press but I think were underrated were The Count of Monte Cristo and The Game.

[oykib]

1. The Sandlot

2. Sister My Sister (come on, a great movie about incestuous lesbian French chambermaids that noboby's heard of...)

3. Gattaca

[k0ruptr]

I agree with mentions of BASEketball, It was so awesome.

I'll Say

Office Space.
Jerry Maguire (yea definitely in my mind underrated)
and For love of the game.

[Julio Riddols]

1. Waking Life
2. Martin and Orloff
3. Audition

Also receiving votes:SLC Punk, Thank You For Smoking, Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy, Idiocracy

[Abe Sargent]

I agree with mentions of BASEketball, It was so awesome.

I'll Say

Office Space.
Jerry Maguire (yea definitely in my mind underrated)
and For love of the game.

See, for me, Office Space would top my most OVERrated list since everybody seems to love it and I spot all of the issues.

[Schmidty]

3. Audition

Ugh. That movie is fucked up.

[thesloppy]

The scary thing about 'audition' is that movie is mild for Miike.

[Julio Riddols]

Ugh. That movie is fucked up.

Miike is fucked up, I agree, but I think he does the gore/horror/suspense/thriller combo better than anyone right now. :)

[WVUFAN]

1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - Fantastic film that no one watched. The director/writer also wrote the first Lethal Weapon movie.

2. Oldboy - Screwed up Korean flick about a man who is imprisoned for years, and his search to find out who did it.

3. Battle Royale - Why some American director hasn't tried remaking this, I have no idea.

[Marc Vaughan]

1. What Dreams may Come* (fantastic movie, one of my all-time favourites)
2. Serenity
3. The Terminal

*If you haven't seen this and have a significant other who's in the slightest bit romantic rent it out and watch it together ...

[thesloppy]

2. Oldboy - Screwed up Korean flick about a man who is imprisoned for years, and his search to find out who did it.


Oldboy is part of a trilogy, just in case you didn't know, and the two other films ('Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance', and 'Symapthy for Lady Vengeance') are equally as skewed and squirm-inducing.

3. Battle Royale - Why some American director hasn't tried remaking this, I have no idea.

Ohhhhhhh, but they did! And with Stone Cold Steve Austin, even.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0443473/

[WVUFAN]

Ohhhhhhh, but they did! And with Stone Cold Steve Austin, even.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0443473/

I would akin The Condemned more to "No Escape" with Ray Liotta than Battle Royale:

http://imdb.com/title/tt0110678/

[Butter]

3. Gattaca

Was just on my way to pick this one.

I'll go with a couple others:

1. The Fisher King
2. (don't know if this qualifies as underrated, but definitely under-seen) United 93
3. Road to Perdition

[korme]

No Escape was funny

[Sgran]

good calls on Starship Troopers (it's afraid!) and They Live (wait, let me see if I have this straight: the Reagan Revolution was actually aliens taking over the world? hmmm...). Here are mine:

The Prestige

12 Monkeys

Memento

The Kung-fu Hustle

In all 4 cases, no academy awards means underrated.

[Sublime 2]

1. Memento
2. Casino
3. Heat

[Jas_lov]

1. Donnie Brasco
2. Ed Wood
3. Road to Perdition

[larrymcg421]

1. What Dreams may Come* (fantastic movie, one of my all-time favourites)
2. Serenity
3. The Terminal

*If you haven't seen this and have a significant other who's in the slightest bit romantic rent it out and watch it together ...

I am so glad someone else mentioned The Terminal. It's a criminally underrated film that comes closer to capturing the pure Capra style than anything else.

[Groundhog]

3. Battle Royale - Why some American director hasn't tried remaking this, I have no idea.

Probably because it would get blamed for every school shooting that happens over the next 50 years.

[Noop]

1. 9 Songs
2. Caligola
3. The Weather Man

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

Looking for Richard--Pacino's take on Richard III/mixes comments from academia with scenes from the play
I Spy--Kelly Robinson!
The Red Violin--don't think Samuel L. Jackson gets enough credit for his role in this movie.

[14ers]

Brother, Where Art Thou is one of those movies that always shows up on these lists. And once you get to that point, you shouldn't be on the list anymore.

Same with Sideways.
God Yes! IF you would have added Lost in Translation you may have had the 3 most OVERATED movies in the last 17 years.


My 3 Underated movies are.
1) Suicide Kings (I love this movie)
2) Second Hand Lions (Great Family movie)
3) The Dish (Shows how much NASA has tampered with the moon landing video and pictures)

[sterlingice]

I've heard this was supposed to be a trilogy, which is why it is so much character development/backstory, but it didn't do well enough at the box office (and Shyamalan turned out to be insane.)

I must have missed the "Shyamalan turned out to be insane" news. What happened?

SI

[sabotai]

I would akin The Condemned more to "No Escape" with Ray Liotta than Battle Royale:

http://imdb.com/title/tt0110678/

But there is this...

http://imdb.com/title/tt0814023/

Since I don't have IMDBPro, I don't see anything but the title, and I did hear rumors that it was being remade.

I was thinking of mentioning Oldboy, Battle Royale or some of Miike's films, but they are very popular among people who actually do watch foreign films, so I don't consider them underrated (instead I consider the average american unworldy :) ).

If anyone thinks Audition is messed up, watch Ichi The Killer or Visitor Q. Those movies will change you...I also recommend Imprint, a short movie he did for Showtime's Masters of Horror (Showtime would not air it because it was too graphic, but they released it on DVD).

[thesloppy]

If anyone thinks Audition is messed up, watch Ichi The Killer or Visitor Q. Those movies will change you...

Anytime the opening credits emerge from a puddle of sperm you know you're in for a good time.



I know I've asked this before (with no response), but are there any Takeshi Kitano fans on the board? One of my favorite Japanese directors (and stars), and I think his 'Boiling Point' is vastly underrated, even by Kitano fans.

[BYU 14]

I am so glad someone else mentioned The Terminal. It's a criminally underrated film that comes closer to capturing the pure Capra style than anything else.

I loved The Terminal as well
Two others I don't think get enough credit are Green Street Hooligans and White Man's Burden.

[Klinglerware]

Shall We Dance? (The Japanese Version)

The Ice Storm

I'll Do Anything

[dime]

red rock west.

modern noir done right.

[k0ruptr]

I loved The Terminal as well
Two others I don't think get enough credit are Green Street Hooligans and White Man's Burden.

Green Street is one of my favorite movies ever.

[sabotai]

I know I've asked this before (with no response), but are there any Takeshi Kitano fans on the board? One of my favorite Japanese directors (and stars), and I think his 'Boiling Point' is vastly underrated, even by Kitano fans.

He played the teacher in Battle Royale. I haven't gotten around to seeing any of his movies yet (ones he directed).

[thesloppy]

He played the teacher in Battle Royale. I haven't gotten around to seeing any of his movies yet (ones he directed).

Yes he did, I think he was even named Kitano in the film.

Sonatine, and Fireworks are widely considered Kitano's tops, and proably what I'd recommend for starters, as well as his take on Zatoichi, the blind swordsman. I'd love to hear your opinion if you catch one in the near future.

[BishopMVP]

I must have missed the "Shyamalan turned out to be insane" news. What happened?

SIThere was a book written called "The Man Who Heard Voices" about Shyamalan and Lady in the Water that leaves no doubt either Shyamalan or the author are insane.


Kung Fu Hustle was another great choice by someone in this thread.

[mauchow]

we woo we woowe weooowe ew woo

[Schmidty]

You know, at the risk of seeming lame, I just watched this with my daughter:

The Iron Giant

[sabotai]

You know, at the risk of seeming lame, I just watched this with my daughter:

The Iron Giant

I've actually heard good things about that movie (from adults). I think I've seen part of it, but not the whole thing.

[Schmidty]

I've actually heard good things about that movie (from adults). I think I've seen part of it, but not the whole thing.

Well, I teared up at the end, which I don't do, so....there you go.

[Groundhog]

Yeah, The Iron Giant is a great film. I got teary as well.

[Honolulu_Blue]

You know, at the risk of seeming lame, I just watched this with my daughter:

The Iron Giant

Well, I teared up at the end, which I don't do, so....there you go.

Yeah, The Iron Giant is a great film. I got teary as well.

That movie is awesome. I love it. It has some insanely high rating over at Rotten Tomatoes. I think close to 100% positive or something. It's woefully overlooked.

I always tear up at the end as well.