Underrated movies you probably missed

John Peterson3 said:Pearl Harbor comes to mind first. People expected some epic historical masterpiece, seemingly forgetting Michael Bay was behind the camera. :nezna: No matter how much people trash it, I find it incredibly fun to watch.

The Island is another Bay project. Even though he pivoted it into an action chase, it’s still a great flick. It’s a shame they left out some interesting premises—like two "adults" being completely lost in the world—but still.

raja also considers Reign of Fire a bad movie. My take is the same as it was for Pearl Harbor: it's great at what it is. Seriously? We're talking about dragons here. Dafuq?!

There are plenty of movies worth watching just for the sake of it. Most get trashed because of personal taste or audience expectations, but if you look at them objectively, they're perfectly solid ways to kill time. People brought up John Carter, which both critics and audiences hated, but as a film, it's just a fun adventure. Nothing more, nothing less.

man, Pearl Harbor is actually worse than Armageddon, seriously.

Richard Wilson4 said:What are your absolute favorite movies that flopped for no good reason?

John Carter is still pretty fresh in my mind. Honestly, it did great overseas, but the studios here in the States didn't account for that, so they missed the mark financially.

Then you’ve got stuff like Postman or Hudson Hawk.

There are tons of them, obviously. Some people just assume if a movie bombed at the box office, it must be trash. That’s not always true. In fact, a lot of total garbage actually makes a killing at the theater...

Which ones are your favorites?

The marketing for John Carter was fundamentally flawed, specifically regarding its positioning.

The fact that it was a Disney production led people to categorize it as a family-friendly film geared toward younger audiences, which implies limited violence, sex, and profanity. By suppressing those elements, they effectively lowered the expectations and interest of a much larger demographic of viewers.

Who the fuck is John Carter? What younger viewer is going to know that this is based on the 1917 fantasy novel Princess from Mars by the author of Tarzan?
Since there had never been a prior film adaptation, this lack of familiarity with the source material also alienated the younger audience.

I think we first need to pin down what we actually mean by "what the audience overlooked." There are a few ways you could look at that phrase. One possibility is that there just wasn't much of an audience, though that doesn't necessarily mean the movie was bad—it might have been great for the people who did see it. Another way to look at it is if a huge crowd saw it, but most people didn't enjoy it. I guess producers wouldn't really call that a failure since the film still moved plenty of tickets and brought in revenue. A third angle is that "the audience" often includes critics too. It's also worth noting how much more common individual commentary has become lately through various websites. About twenty years ago, you could mostly only read professional reviews or talk about a movie face-to-face. Nowadays, you can just jump on IMDb and find thousands of individual reviews from anyone who wants to share their thoughts.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:man, Pearl Harbor is actually worse than Armageddon, seriously.

True, though it depends on your perspective. I know exactly what to expect from Bay, so I’m rarely disappointed. He makes popcorn movies, and that’s exactly what they’re meant for.

It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth when you consider the kind of films that could be made with the budget Bay is handed, but that's a different conversation.

Neither Armageddon nor Pearl Harbor are as bad as people make them out to be. If you go in knowing what you're getting, there's no reason to complain. Just relax and enjoy it. That's my approach.

Keith Jones36 said:The marketing for John Carter was fundamentally flawed, specifically regarding its positioning.

The fact that it was a Disney production led people to categorize it as a family-friendly film geared toward younger audiences, which implies limited violence, sex, and profanity. By suppressing those elements, they effectively lowered the expectations and interest of a much larger demographic of viewers.

Who the fuck is John Carter? What younger viewer is going to know that this is based on the 1917 fantasy novel Princess from Mars by the author of Tarzan?
Since there had never been a prior film adaptation, this lack of familiarity with the source material also alienated the younger audience.

That's a massive production failure. So many films and shows get ruined because a studio like Disney strips away every drop of blood and profanity. Small details, but they matter.

I have the whole Barsoom series by Burroughs on my computer. I was planning to work my way through the books after seeing the first JC trailer. But based on the little I've read, Burroughs didn't exactly pack his books with sex, swearing, and violence—at least not more than what we saw on screen.

Correct me if I'm wrong. If that's the case, it might give me a real reason to dive into the full series.

They aren't even movies, they're animated... But they are absolute masterpieces, and honestly, it sucks how few people have actually sat down to watch them.

Mary and Max
Persepolis

Hey, check this out... I honestly think we can all get behind

Strange Days (1995) directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

I remember back when it first came out, a buddy and I headed over to the AMC theater in downtown Chicago... and there were maybe six other people (!) in the whole audience for the screening. What a total disaster! But looking back, I really feel like it has managed to carve out its own cult classic status over the years, and people have definitely learned to appreciate it more. 🙂

silentcanyon58 said:Hey, check this out... I honestly think we can all get behind

Strange Days (1995) directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

I remember back when it first came out, a buddy and I headed over to the AMC theater in downtown Chicago... and there were maybe six other people (!) in the whole audience for the screening. What a total disaster! But looking back, I really feel like it has managed to carve out its own cult classic status over the years, and people have definitely learned to appreciate it more. 🙂

Solid recommendation. Re-watched this about three months ago. Great film.

silentcanyon58 said:Hey, check this out... I honestly think we can all get behind

Strange Days (1995) directed by Kathryn Bigelow.

I remember back when it first came out, a buddy and I headed over to the AMC theater in downtown Chicago... and there were maybe six other people (!) in the whole audience for the screening. What a total disaster! But looking back, I really feel like it has managed to carve out its own cult classic status over the years, and people have definitely learned to appreciate it more. 🙂

the most underrated movie ever

Rachel Ortiz33 said:man, Pearl Harbor is actually worse than Armageddon, seriously.

I'm right there with you. This person acts like they know exactly what to expect from Michael Bay. Well, newsflash: we all know exactly what's coming, and it's an absolute train wreck every single time! It’s just endless, cheap sentimentality and mindless, stupid moments shoved into a movie that actually had the potential to be serious. We aren't talking about some sci-fi flick he made; this was supposed to be a film based on actual historical events. It's a disgrace.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:man, Pearl Harbor is actually worse than Armageddon, seriously.

If you ask me, the real winner here is http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/?ref_=sr_1 😁

wanderingridge1 said:I'm right there with you. This person acts like they know exactly what to expect from Michael Bay. Well, newsflash: we all know exactly what's coming, and it's an absolute train wreck every single time! It’s just endless, cheap sentimentality and mindless, stupid moments shoved into a movie that actually had the potential to be serious. We aren't talking about some sci-fi flick he made; this was supposed to be a film based on actual historical events. It's a disgrace.

If you ask me, the real winner here is http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/?ref_=sr_1 😁

That’s a contradictory take. If you truly knew what to expect, the cheesiness and stupidity wouldn't catch you off guard. The same goes for the fact that it isn't a serious, fact-based film.

Wait, what? It was directed by Michael Bay!

Totally Strange Days👍
Was digging through my old hard drive archives earlier—and man, these movies definitely belong on the "underrated/underappreciated" list:
Things to do in Denver When you're dead
One False Move ( 1992 ) u Turn ( 1997 ) out of sight ( 1998 ) hard Eight ( 1996 ) Another day in Paradise
One False Move ( 1992 ) u Turn ( 1997 ) out of sight ( 1998 ) hard Eight ( 1996 ) Another day in Paradise
One False Move ( 1992 ) u Turn ( 1997 ) out of sight ( 1998 ) hard Eight ( 1996 ) Another day in Paradise
One False Move ( 1992 ) u Turn ( 1997 ) out of sight ( 1998 ) hard Eight ( 1996 ) Another day in Paradise
One False Move ( 1992 ) u Turn ( 1997 ) out of sight ( 1998 ) hard Eight ( 1996 ) Another day in Paradise
The Hudsucker proxy ( 1994 ) a Life Less Ordinary ( 1997 ) Trees lounge
The Hudsucker proxy ( 1994 ) a Life Less Ordinary ( 1997 ) Trees lounge
The Hudsucker proxy ( 1994 ) a Life Less Ordinary ( 1997 ) Trees lounge

silentcanyon58:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Oi3ehb2uRr...senger_006.jpg 🙂

wanderingridge1 said:I'm right there with you. This person acts like they know exactly what to expect from Michael Bay. Well, newsflash: we all know exactly what's coming, and it's an absolute train wreck every single time! It’s just endless, cheap sentimentality and mindless, stupid moments shoved into a movie that actually had the potential to be serious. We aren't talking about some sci-fi flick he made; this was supposed to be a film based on actual historical events. It's a disgrace.

If you ask me, the real winner here is http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256/?ref_=sr_1 😁

Well, you know, since we're already talking about Carpenter, I’d have to go with in The Mouth of Madness any day of the week! It’s such an incredible horror film, and I truly feel like audiences in the States unfairly overlooked it when it first came out. 🙂

silentcanyon58 said:Well, you know, since we're already talking about Carpenter, I’d have to go with in The Mouth of Madness any day of the week! It’s such an incredible horror film, and I truly feel like audiences in the States unfairly overlooked it when it first came out. 🙂

What's the plot?

iTMOM is such a killer psychological horror—immediately makes me think of Zulawski's Possession (1981)
Another great example:
http://www.leninimports.com/julie_ch..._dvd_cover.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069995/
then there's T. Scott's The Hunger (1983)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085701/
after that, most studios were basically blacklisting anything involving T. S. for a while. Personally? I think the movie is awesome and just totally "underrated"

Casey Cox2 said:iTMOM is such a killer psychological horror—immediately makes me think of Zulawski's Possession (1981)
Another great example:
http://www.leninimports.com/julie_ch..._dvd_cover.jpg
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069995/
then there's T. Scott's The Hunger (1983)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085701/
after that, most studios were basically blacklisting anything involving T. S. for a while. Personally? I think the movie is awesome and just totally "underrated"

I definitely need to sit down and watch iTMOM and The Hunger, plus Don't Look Now.
You really hit the nail on the head with those classy picks👍

People always bring up *Carlito's Way* when talking about Pacino's underrated stuff, but honestly? I think *Love Affair* (1989) belongs on that list too. That trio absolutely crushed it.
Then you've got Stone Talk mentioning *Talk Radio* (1988), where he basically introduced us to Bogart—total shame he didn't land more standout roles after that, because he was incredible in it.
And speaking of R. Scott, it kind of reminds me of
*Someone to Watch Over Me* (1987)

I was just sitting here thinking about this one movie that I honestly consider a masterpiece, yet it feels like almost nobody ever talks about it. It’s one of those hidden gems that really sticks with you.

The Ledge

Don't go confusing him with the Man on the Ledge.

This was an absolutely stellar piece of drama. It manages to be incredibly tense from start to finish, which is no small feat given how small the cast is. Every single one of them delivers a masterclass performance. You’ve got Charlie Hunnam, Terrence Howard, and Liv Tyler all turning in top-tier work here. Honestly, even with such a limited number of characters on screen, the weight of the acting carries the entire thing.
Look, I’m going to drop a recommendation here because I feel like people need to see this. It’s a fresh, striking piece of cinema that really hits home. It isn't just some mindless blockbuster; it actually digs deep into the complexities of love and—more importantly—the nature of faith. It’s one of those films that stays with you long after the credits roll.

So, I was thinking about this one movie that almost nobody in my circle seems to have heard of, it's called 😁 The Womb... honestly, it's kind of brilliant, though maybe a little twisted if you ask me 👍
Check out this trailer

I mean, seriously, just pay attention to the lead actress's facial expressions throughout the whole thing 🙂

First off, The Big Lebowski by the Coen brothers
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118715/

It got trashed by critics at first and totally flopped in theaters... but somehow it found its crowd later and became an absolute classic. People actually hold annual meetups dedicated to this flick now.

Of course, there's that one movie most people just don't get—it bombed back in the day, but I think it's pure genius:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120669/
by Terry Gilliam