If it's crap... We'll tell you
Sympatico's list of 22 underrated and overlooked films, do you agree?
Note: This list does not express my views, but those of the sources. I am simply putting it up to get people interested in reviewing the stars and seeing what they feel is their favourite underrated films.
"Underrated and Overlooked Films (by Eric Thaler)
Despite what the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (i.e., the 6,000 industry insiders that dole out Oscar statuettes) would want you to believe, a disproportionate number of the best movies made are ones that are overlooked by the masses and, as such, perform poorly at the box office. Moreover, these films occasionally include major Hollywood talent — even that of the vapid variety. In light of these points, here is my list of the best films you may not have seen by some of the bigger stars in Hollywood:
1.Gwyneth Paltrow (Hard Eight – 1996): Before Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA) became famous with his one-two punch of ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Magnolia,’ he wrote and directed a somewhat obscure film entitled ‘Hard Eight’ (or in some markets, ‘Sydney’). Despite playing the most hackneyed character known to Hollywood — a hooker with a heart of gold — Paltrow delivers a solid performance opposite such PTA regulars as John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Philip Baker Hall in this gritty tale of flawed humanity.
2.Nicole Kidman (Dogville – 2003): The first instalment of Lars von Trier’s infamous U.S. trilogy is a powerful piece of filmmaking. I have never seen a film come closer to (successfully) incorporating both theatrical and literary techniques. Notwithstanding its length (three hours), ‘Dogville’ possesses a creative method of storytelling that includes an indictment of U.S. politics and history as its subtext. Moreover, Kidman’s Botox-enhanced, doe-eyed persona has never been better suited to a role.
3.Ryan Gosling (The Believer – 2001): Prior to becoming half of Hollywood North's preeminent couple (with fellow Canuck Rachel McAdams as the other half), Ryan Gosling was a young actor in search of a good role. ‘The Believer’ isn’t a particularly impressive film when taken as a whole, but Gosling’s portrayal of a Jewish boy’s transition to neo-Nazism is gripping enough to justify seeing it.
4.Eric Bana (Chopper – 2000): After three consecutive lead performances in three years (‘Hulk,’ ‘Troy,’ and ‘Munich’), Eric Bana has cemented his reputation as a dependable leading man in Hollywood. Prior to this success, Bana, a native Australian, played legendary Aussie criminal Mark “Chopper” Read in this film based on Read’s best-selling autobiography. Bana’s performance is gritty and disturbing — consequently, this is a difficult film to watch, but primarily in a good way.
5.Matt Damon (Gerry – 2002): Matt “Jason Bourne” Damon is now an action-movie juggernaut and has unquestionably eclipsed his childhood pal, Ben Affleck, in box-office receipts. In ‘Gerry,’ Damon plays opposite another Affleck (Casey) in one of this decade’s most polarizing films (particularly among critics). Director Gus Van Sant creates a near-masterpiece with a film that contains virtually no dialogue and only two men — both named Gerry — who get lost in a desert. That a film of such an austere nature employs riveting cinematography is hardly a surprise, but the real payoff is the metaphysical underpinnings that are subtly exposed by its conclusion.
6.David Arquette (The Grey Zone – 2001): Mr. Courtney Cox’s filmography is littered with unfunny comedies and B-movie fodder. ‘The Grey Zone,’ however, is the most striking anomaly in Arquette’s body of work. It is relentless in the brutality it depicts. ‘Schindler’s List’ and ‘The Pianist’ may have received armfuls of Oscar hardware, but ‘The Grey Zone’ is the best Holocaust film of the three.
7.Cate Blanchett (Heaven – 2002): As a disciple of the deceased Polish master Krzysztof Kieslowski, Tom Tykwer directed the first instalment of a trilogy written by Kieslowski prior to his passing. It’s hardly surprising that both the cinematography and Cate Blanchett’s performance are stunning, but the fact Tykwer was able to coax out a performance from Giovanni Ribisi that doesn’t ruin the film speaks volumes about his directing ability.
8. Uma Thurman (Hysterical Blindness – 2002): Set in 1980s New Jersey, Thurman and co-star Juliette Lewis portray two women approaching their 30s who are looking for a meaningful relationship (i.e., a boyfriend or husband) at the local bar. I recognize this premise sounds like a trite, disposable rom-com vehicle, but the sense of desperation and pathos projected by the female leads propels this film well above its peers.
9.Ethan Hawke (Tape – 2001): Ethan Hawke stars opposite Uma Thurman (prior to their divorce) in this claustrophobic, low-budget indie film. There are only three characters and it takes place exclusively inside a seedy motel room in Lansing, Michigan. The dialogue and acting are both superb, and the plot takes an interesting turn shortly after establishing the seemingly straightforward premise: old high-school friends reminisce about the past.
10. Jennifer Connelly (Dark City – 1988): ‘Dark City’ was a box-office bust, and it’s ostensibly a sci-fi film (which rarely bodes well for the demanding viewer), but this vehicle manages to defy the odds. It’s visually arresting with its mixture of the past and the future, it possesses an intricate yet accessible plot, and it boasts a strong cast consisting of Jennifer Connelly, Kiefer Sutherland, and William Hurt.
11. Claire Danes (It’s All About Love – 2003): Directed by Thomas Vinterberg (co-founder of the Dogme 95 movement), ‘It’s All About Love’ is a bizarre tale of love set in the near future with a world on the brink of collapse as the backdrop. In addition to Claire Danes, this visually hypnotic film also stars Joaquin Phoenix and Sean Penn in a very non-traditional depiction of marriage.
12. Rosario Dawson (Kids – 1995): Before the comely Rosario Dawson appeared in mainstream films of debatable quality, such as ‘The Rundown,’ ‘Alexander,’ and ‘Clerks II,’ she was discovered sitting on her front porch and was offered a role in the disturbing indie film ‘Kids.’ This film depicts a gritty sense of urban realism by mixing adolescents with guns, drugs, sex, and HIV in New York City. Not for the squeamish.
13. Christina Ricci (The Laramie Project – 2002): This film is based on approximately 200 interviews conducted in Laramie, Wyoming, after the brutal murder — via a gay hate-crime attack — of Wyoming resident Matthew Shepard. It blends actual news reports with actors portraying roles as it re-creates the chronology of events. This novel approach provides a better emotional payoff than a straight documentary or drama would.
14.Nick Nolte (Northfork – 2003): ‘Northfork’ is an absolute gem of a “lost movie.” And prior to Nick Nolte becoming a punch line for Hawaiian T-shirt and mug-shot jokes, his portrayal of a church father in an orphanage is noteworthy. The film juxtaposes a dying child with a dying town (via a forced evacuation) while utilizing magic realism and ascetic visuals for a fuller dramatic effect.
15.Jennifer Lopez (Out of Sight – 1998): I’m not going to claim J.Lo is the strongest link in ‘Out of Sight,’ but not unlike my reference to Giovanni Ribisi in ‘Heaven,’ the fact that she doesn’t detract from the film is an impressive feat. Director Steven Soderbergh is currently best known for his bloated ‘Ocean’s Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen’ franchise, but this quasi-heist film is definitely superior (and, coincidentally enough, George Clooney is the protagonist).
16.Anna Paquin (The Squid and the Whale – 2005): You know her better as Rogue from the ‘X-Men’ franchise. And some of you might claim her Oscar-winning performance in ‘The Piano’ 15 years ago trumps this one. Well, you might be right about the performance, but this is the better film. At barely 80 minutes in length, this tightly wound story of a crumbling marriage — and the attendant familial fallout — is both disturbing and hilarious (often at the same time).
17.Ralph Fiennes (Spider – 2002): Being Canadian and a part-time cinephile, I’ve been subjected to a serious dose of accolades for David Cronenberg over the past few years, and I’m not happy about it. Despite widespread praise for his two most recent films — the overrated ‘Eastern Promises’ and the borderline embarrassing ‘A History of Violence’ — the last good film he directed was ‘Spider.’ Ralph Fiennes’ portrayal of a man grappling with insanity is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
18.Selma Blair (Storytelling – 2001): Selma Blair is the most attractive short-haired actress in Hollywood, but, more importantly, she has recently established her leading-lady status opposite Ron Perlman in the ‘Hellboy’ franchise (the second instalment of which is due out this summer). Despite its moniker, ‘Storytelling’ is not suitable for family viewing. Blair adroitly plays a university student willing to be exploited to improve her creative-writing skills.
19.Billy Crudup (World Traveler – 2001): Were you surprised I didn’t pick ‘Jesus’ Son’ here? It’s an excellent film, too, but I think it has a bit of a cult following and is better known than this much-maligned (from the critic’s perspective) and much-ignored (from the viewer’s perspective) film. It’s a stunningly shot road movie with a flawed, but human, protagonist in search of “something” (the pacing of the film is slow and the director clearly isn’t interested in spoon-feeding the viewer — at least at first).
20.Juliette Binoche (Three Colours: Blue – 1993): Paris-born Juliette Binoche won an Oscar for her performance in ‘The English Patient’ and earned an Oscar nomination for her role opposite Johnny Depp in ‘Chocolat.’ However, her best performance is in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s absolute masterpiece ‘Blue’ (the first instalment in the ‘Three Colours Trilogy’), which is a haunting film about loss, liberty, and spirituality.
21.Ewan McGregor (Young Adam – 2003): He plays a terse drifter opposite 2007 Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton in this dark film set in 1950s Scotland. The discovery of a female corpse floating in the water leads to intrigue and physical attraction. And, more importantly, McGregor has never evoked this type of pathos in any role.
22.Franka Potente (The Princess and the Warrior – 2000): Okay, I’m not going to pretend that Franka Potente belongs on this list. By even the most lax criteria she is still unknown in Hollywood. Would it help if you knew she’s big in Germany, had an international breakthrough performance in ‘Run Lola Run,’ and played Matt Damon’s love interest in the first two instalments of the ‘Bourne’ franchise? Probably not, right? Regardless, rent this film. Notwithstanding a silly Keystones Cops-esque bank-heist scene, it is a moving art film without any pretence.
"Underrated and Overlooked Films (by Eric Thaler)
Despite what the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (i.e., the 6,000 industry insiders that dole out Oscar statuettes) would want you to believe, a disproportionate number of the best movies made are ones that are overlooked by the masses and, as such, perform poorly at the box office. Moreover, these films occasionally include major Hollywood talent — even that of the vapid variety. In light of these points, here is my list of the best films you may not have seen by some of the bigger stars in Hollywood:
1.Gwyneth Paltrow (Hard Eight – 1996): Before Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA) became famous with his one-two punch of ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Magnolia,’ he wrote and directed a somewhat obscure film entitled ‘Hard Eight’ (or in some markets, ‘Sydney’). Despite playing the most hackneyed character known to Hollywood — a hooker with a heart of gold — Paltrow delivers a solid performance opposite such PTA regulars as John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Philip Baker Hall in this gritty tale of flawed humanity.
2.Nicole Kidman (Dogville – 2003): The first instalment of Lars von Trier’s infamous U.S. trilogy is a powerful piece of filmmaking. I have never seen a film come closer to (successfully) incorporating both theatrical and literary techniques. Notwithstanding its length (three hours), ‘Dogville’ possesses a creative method of storytelling that includes an indictment of U.S. politics and history as its subtext. Moreover, Kidman’s Botox-enhanced, doe-eyed persona has never been better suited to a role.
3.Ryan Gosling (The Believer – 2001): Prior to becoming half of Hollywood North's preeminent couple (with fellow Canuck Rachel McAdams as the other half), Ryan Gosling was a young actor in search of a good role. ‘The Believer’ isn’t a particularly impressive film when taken as a whole, but Gosling’s portrayal of a Jewish boy’s transition to neo-Nazism is gripping enough to justify seeing it.
4.Eric Bana (Chopper – 2000): After three consecutive lead performances in three years (‘Hulk,’ ‘Troy,’ and ‘Munich’), Eric Bana has cemented his reputation as a dependable leading man in Hollywood. Prior to this success, Bana, a native Australian, played legendary Aussie criminal Mark “Chopper” Read in this film based on Read’s best-selling autobiography. Bana’s performance is gritty and disturbing — consequently, this is a difficult film to watch, but primarily in a good way.
5.Matt Damon (Gerry – 2002): Matt “Jason Bourne” Damon is now an action-movie juggernaut and has unquestionably eclipsed his childhood pal, Ben Affleck, in box-office receipts. In ‘Gerry,’ Damon plays opposite another Affleck (Casey) in one of this decade’s most polarizing films (particularly among critics). Director Gus Van Sant creates a near-masterpiece with a film that contains virtually no dialogue and only two men — both named Gerry — who get lost in a desert. That a film of such an austere nature employs riveting cinematography is hardly a surprise, but the real payoff is the metaphysical underpinnings that are subtly exposed by its conclusion.
6.David Arquette (The Grey Zone – 2001): Mr. Courtney Cox’s filmography is littered with unfunny comedies and B-movie fodder. ‘The Grey Zone,’ however, is the most striking anomaly in Arquette’s body of work. It is relentless in the brutality it depicts. ‘Schindler’s List’ and ‘The Pianist’ may have received armfuls of Oscar hardware, but ‘The Grey Zone’ is the best Holocaust film of the three.
7.Cate Blanchett (Heaven – 2002): As a disciple of the deceased Polish master Krzysztof Kieslowski, Tom Tykwer directed the first instalment of a trilogy written by Kieslowski prior to his passing. It’s hardly surprising that both the cinematography and Cate Blanchett’s performance are stunning, but the fact Tykwer was able to coax out a performance from Giovanni Ribisi that doesn’t ruin the film speaks volumes about his directing ability.
8. Uma Thurman (Hysterical Blindness – 2002): Set in 1980s New Jersey, Thurman and co-star Juliette Lewis portray two women approaching their 30s who are looking for a meaningful relationship (i.e., a boyfriend or husband) at the local bar. I recognize this premise sounds like a trite, disposable rom-com vehicle, but the sense of desperation and pathos projected by the female leads propels this film well above its peers.
9.Ethan Hawke (Tape – 2001): Ethan Hawke stars opposite Uma Thurman (prior to their divorce) in this claustrophobic, low-budget indie film. There are only three characters and it takes place exclusively inside a seedy motel room in Lansing, Michigan. The dialogue and acting are both superb, and the plot takes an interesting turn shortly after establishing the seemingly straightforward premise: old high-school friends reminisce about the past.
10. Jennifer Connelly (Dark City – 1988): ‘Dark City’ was a box-office bust, and it’s ostensibly a sci-fi film (which rarely bodes well for the demanding viewer), but this vehicle manages to defy the odds. It’s visually arresting with its mixture of the past and the future, it possesses an intricate yet accessible plot, and it boasts a strong cast consisting of Jennifer Connelly, Kiefer Sutherland, and William Hurt.
11. Claire Danes (It’s All About Love – 2003): Directed by Thomas Vinterberg (co-founder of the Dogme 95 movement), ‘It’s All About Love’ is a bizarre tale of love set in the near future with a world on the brink of collapse as the backdrop. In addition to Claire Danes, this visually hypnotic film also stars Joaquin Phoenix and Sean Penn in a very non-traditional depiction of marriage.
12. Rosario Dawson (Kids – 1995): Before the comely Rosario Dawson appeared in mainstream films of debatable quality, such as ‘The Rundown,’ ‘Alexander,’ and ‘Clerks II,’ she was discovered sitting on her front porch and was offered a role in the disturbing indie film ‘Kids.’ This film depicts a gritty sense of urban realism by mixing adolescents with guns, drugs, sex, and HIV in New York City. Not for the squeamish.
13. Christina Ricci (The Laramie Project – 2002): This film is based on approximately 200 interviews conducted in Laramie, Wyoming, after the brutal murder — via a gay hate-crime attack — of Wyoming resident Matthew Shepard. It blends actual news reports with actors portraying roles as it re-creates the chronology of events. This novel approach provides a better emotional payoff than a straight documentary or drama would.
14.Nick Nolte (Northfork – 2003): ‘Northfork’ is an absolute gem of a “lost movie.” And prior to Nick Nolte becoming a punch line for Hawaiian T-shirt and mug-shot jokes, his portrayal of a church father in an orphanage is noteworthy. The film juxtaposes a dying child with a dying town (via a forced evacuation) while utilizing magic realism and ascetic visuals for a fuller dramatic effect.
15.Jennifer Lopez (Out of Sight – 1998): I’m not going to claim J.Lo is the strongest link in ‘Out of Sight,’ but not unlike my reference to Giovanni Ribisi in ‘Heaven,’ the fact that she doesn’t detract from the film is an impressive feat. Director Steven Soderbergh is currently best known for his bloated ‘Ocean’s Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen’ franchise, but this quasi-heist film is definitely superior (and, coincidentally enough, George Clooney is the protagonist).
16.Anna Paquin (The Squid and the Whale – 2005): You know her better as Rogue from the ‘X-Men’ franchise. And some of you might claim her Oscar-winning performance in ‘The Piano’ 15 years ago trumps this one. Well, you might be right about the performance, but this is the better film. At barely 80 minutes in length, this tightly wound story of a crumbling marriage — and the attendant familial fallout — is both disturbing and hilarious (often at the same time).
17.Ralph Fiennes (Spider – 2002): Being Canadian and a part-time cinephile, I’ve been subjected to a serious dose of accolades for David Cronenberg over the past few years, and I’m not happy about it. Despite widespread praise for his two most recent films — the overrated ‘Eastern Promises’ and the borderline embarrassing ‘A History of Violence’ — the last good film he directed was ‘Spider.’ Ralph Fiennes’ portrayal of a man grappling with insanity is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
18.Selma Blair (Storytelling – 2001): Selma Blair is the most attractive short-haired actress in Hollywood, but, more importantly, she has recently established her leading-lady status opposite Ron Perlman in the ‘Hellboy’ franchise (the second instalment of which is due out this summer). Despite its moniker, ‘Storytelling’ is not suitable for family viewing. Blair adroitly plays a university student willing to be exploited to improve her creative-writing skills.
19.Billy Crudup (World Traveler – 2001): Were you surprised I didn’t pick ‘Jesus’ Son’ here? It’s an excellent film, too, but I think it has a bit of a cult following and is better known than this much-maligned (from the critic’s perspective) and much-ignored (from the viewer’s perspective) film. It’s a stunningly shot road movie with a flawed, but human, protagonist in search of “something” (the pacing of the film is slow and the director clearly isn’t interested in spoon-feeding the viewer — at least at first).
20.Juliette Binoche (Three Colours: Blue – 1993): Paris-born Juliette Binoche won an Oscar for her performance in ‘The English Patient’ and earned an Oscar nomination for her role opposite Johnny Depp in ‘Chocolat.’ However, her best performance is in Krzysztof Kieslowski’s absolute masterpiece ‘Blue’ (the first instalment in the ‘Three Colours Trilogy’), which is a haunting film about loss, liberty, and spirituality.
21.Ewan McGregor (Young Adam – 2003): He plays a terse drifter opposite 2007 Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton in this dark film set in 1950s Scotland. The discovery of a female corpse floating in the water leads to intrigue and physical attraction. And, more importantly, McGregor has never evoked this type of pathos in any role.
22.Franka Potente (The Princess and the Warrior – 2000): Okay, I’m not going to pretend that Franka Potente belongs on this list. By even the most lax criteria she is still unknown in Hollywood. Would it help if you knew she’s big in Germany, had an international breakthrough performance in ‘Run Lola Run,’ and played Matt Damon’s love interest in the first two instalments of the ‘Bourne’ franchise? Probably not, right? Regardless, rent this film. Notwithstanding a silly Keystones Cops-esque bank-heist scene, it is a moving art film without any pretence.
Tags: and, films, overlooked, underrated
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by The Eyeball Kid on
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You can edit it.
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Why are the actors listed ahead of the films themselves? The guy makes the films seem like an afterthought by presenting them like that. Is he saying they should stay overlooked?
Tape was okay. Dark City was amazing. I hear similar things about most of the other ones.
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Permalink Reply by Cyrus on
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Wow, this list...ain't so good. Just the fact the reviewer has the BALLS to say that the entirely mediocre film The Grey Zone is better than Schindler's List and The Pianist...just plain stupid. Also "Spider" was one of the worst Cronenberg films to me personally and his dismissal of A History of Violence and Eastern Promises is typical indie film snob nonsense.
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Permalink Reply by Tea Dog on -
The Spill crew should make up their own list of what movies they like best that are either underrated or overlooked films.
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Permalink Reply by The Mighty Celestial on -
Where? I wanna see it.
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Tell Me Something: Great "Se7en"-ish Korean film with a good mystery and shocking gore
Uzumaki (or "The Vortex"): A small village gets "possessed" by the concept of vortexes. As weird as it sounds. This is what Tim Burton would have directed if he were Japanese and really into horror.
A Chinese Ghost Story: Classic chinese surreal, everybody flies and has magic powers, type horror/comedy with 2 sequels both just as good. Evil Dead fans tend to like these.
Visitor Q: From Takashi Miike ("Audition") comes this twisted family dynamic comedy(?) that goes WAY past any good taste boundaries. Reminds me of early John Waters stuff in a way, but better quality.
Tetsuo: The Iron Man: Twisted black and white film about a metal virus that infects two guys in different ways and they battle it out like monsters in a godzilla film. Brilliant stop-motion effects and some truly shocking moments that will be forever imprinted on your retinas. Kind of arty and confusing at points for some, but is a classic.
Versus: Gangsters running around in the "Forest of Resurrection" all get zombified, but don't slow down from it, but in fact start kung-fuing all humans in sight. Twisty weird evil deadish action/horror with a neat Highlander twist.
The Story of Ricky: Absolutely the silliest action exploitation film ever made. Tons of gore so over-the-top and ridiculous, you'll simply laugh your ass off. One of the best party movies ever made.
Attack the Gas Station: Funny Korean film about an older gang that holds the employees of a gas station hostage, but more and more of the friends and enemies of their hostages keep showing up and it turns into something like "The Ref". Unexpectedly good.
Battle Royale: Ok, you've heard of it, but if you haven't seen this yet, go out now and do so. A school class put on an island with lots of weapons is given three days to whittle themselves down to 1 survivor or everybody dies. This is the very definition of a cult classic.
A Bullet in the Head: One of John Woo's lesser known (on these shores) chinese films, but arguably his best. Not so much an action film as "Hardboiled" or "The Killer", but a drama about friendship being severely tested in Vietnam. It's been called John Woo's "Apocolypse Now", and is truly moving and terrific.
Moon Over Tao: Beyond weird, this colorful Japanese film includes Samurai, aliens, and giant monsters. Hard to describe, this has to be seen to be believed.
Fist of Legend: If you always wondered why people are such freaks for Jet Li, this movie is why. It's a loose remake of Bruce Lee's "The Chinese Connection" and is based on a true story. No flying and wires in this one, just the fastest and most painful looking kung-fu ever seen. Absolutely essential.
Dragons Forever: The BEST Jackie Chan flick. Stars all 3 brothers (Jackie, Samo Hung, and Yuen Biao) doing stunts and action so fast and crazy you'll swear someone had to have died making this.
Fulltime Killer: Two professional assassins go head to head to claim supremacy. This is got great stylish action, but at its heart is a funny send-up of John Woo films. Written by one of Austin's own, former Vulcan video employee Joey O'Bryan.
The Returner: Mix together "The Professional", "The Terminator", "E.T." and Transformers. Give it a good cast and neat Matrixy special effects and you get this Japanese version of a summer sci-fi blockbuster that is more than just a little entertaining.
Shaolin Soccer: Chinese funnyman Stephen Chow put together this recent screwball classic mixing the "Bad News Bears" formula together with bizarro special effects and martial arts. Most have already sought this one out, but if you've missed it, now's the time to pick up this sure-fire entertaining evening.
Full Contact: The best Chow Yun Fat film not directed by John Woo, this was groundbreaking when it came out, and still packs a hell of an action gun movie punch.
American
The Woman Chaser: Patrick Warburton stars in this black and white dark comedy about a man looking for a way to leave his mark on the world, and decides to write and direct a film. Twisted, funny, classic and no body knows about it. This is going in my personal collection for sure the moment it comes out on DVD.
Straight to Hell:Alex Cox ("Repo Man") directed this western comedy starring a very overweight Courtney Love and Joe Strummer. It takes place modern day, but its about criminals from the city hiding out in a small town stuck in an old west mentality who are desperately addicted to coffee. The shootout scene where everyone has a cup of espresso in one hand and a gun in the other while the score plays a combination piece of the Folgers "drip" jingle and Ennio Moriccone, is laugh out loud funny.
Freeway: "Little Red Riding Hood" updated with Reese Whitherspoon as little red in the hood and Keifer Sutherland as the wolf. So funny and inappropriate, it probably has more in common with the original dark twisted fairy tale than the sanitized version we read as kids does.
Videodrome: I am constantly amazed at how many people have not seen this, David Cronenberg's best film. James Woods stars as a sleazy porn cable site producer who starts getting addicted to a mysterious show with nothing but torture and murder. Soon he starts have whacked-out freudian hallucinations that he can't seperate from reality, and in fact, may be more real than reality. Just amazing.
Near Dark: Redneck vampires in the south are testing the new kid to see if he's got the ruthlessness in him to be part of their travelling RV cabal. Stars Lance Henriksen, and Bill Paxton. This is easily one of the most entertaining and different vampire films ever made. "I hate it when they ain't been shaved!"
Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Best...rock...musical...ever. Seriously. See the movie. Buy the soundtrack. Dress in drag.
Equilibrium: Somehow, this great sci-fi actioner almost completely missed the theaters on its way to home video. Christian Bale is a goverment agent who goes about destroying all art, and anything that causes emotion. But soon, he is on the run himself as he can't hide from his own feelings. Remarkable for it's new concept in action, "Gun-kata" which is too cool to describe. Just see it.
Somewhere in Time: Ok, I'll admit that this is really corny, but it gets to me everytime. Christopher Reeve is a writer who falls in love with a picture of a woman from long-ago and figures out how to send himself back in time to be with her. A 3 hanky film, but extremely well done and memorable.
Closet Land: Only Alan Rickman and Madeleine Stowe star in this one room film about a children's story writer who is abducted by the goverment and tortured psychologically to get her to admit that her tales are allegories for revolution. Disturbing and unforgettable.
France
King of Hearts: This wonderfully quirky and charming film from the 60's is about a soldier during WWI who wanders into a small French village that has been abandoned by its residents and taken over by the inmates of the local asylum. Of course, the soldier doesn't realize that this is the case, so becomes a bit confused. Really funny allegory for anti-war.
Man Bites Dog: Two film students find themselves a genuine active serial killer and get him to agree to let them make a documentary about him. You laugh until they throw in your face what you're laughing about, and then you KNOW you're a sick piece of crap.
Elsewhere
Meet The Feebles: Imagine "The Muppet Show" if it was directed and written by Russ Meyers. This is an earlier film from Peter Jackson (yes, that Peter Jackson) about sex, drugs and violence behind the scenes in a world much like Jim Henson's creation. So twisted and fucked up, you won't believe puppets could do things that make you want to puke.
Day of the Beast: Completely weird and funny spanish film by the director of the equally good Accion Mutante. A priest discovers the exact time the anti-christ is to be born, so he sets off to kill him, joining some odd people along the way. VERY heretical.
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Permalink Reply by Mikael Gustavsson on -
Nice list. I've seen a couple of the films. But what sucks with these kinds of lists is that it's near impossible to find the movies.
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Permalink Reply by Mikael Gustavsson on
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You haven't seen Dark City or The Squid and the Whale, have you?
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Permalink Reply by The Mighty Celestial on
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Here are some of mine. I would say, however, that since movie opinions are so incedibly relative, that mine are movies that I really enjoy alot, but almost see no discussion about 'em ever. At least, from what I've seen & read.
( Oh, & since I'm working right now, or supposed to be, I haven't put much thought into their order. These are just offa the top of my big ol' head).
1. - Ghost World/Art School Confidential ( since they're both Daniel Clowes, a tie I guess. I dunno....)
2. - Searching For Bobby Fischer
3. - Made
4. - The Apostle
5. - Jackie Brown
6. - Six Degrees Of Separation
7. - Salton Sea
8. - Fresh
9. - Dolores Clairborne
10. - Spartan
Honorable mention to Quiz Show & Rounders. Also, I know Equilibrium gets some props, but not as much as I would've expected.
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