Underrated/Under Appreciated Movies
These some movies may not be 'Oscar' worthy, but they certainly deliver in terms of entertainment and enjoyment. Some of these films are of varying genres and have simply been forgotten by time. They may be direct to video releases, or made it to the big screen via a limited run, but all of these movies are definitely well worth watching.
Remember:
Cheaper production values and more obscure actors do not necessarily equal an inferior product.
Remember:
Cheaper production values and more obscure actors do not necessarily equal an inferior product.
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- DirectorDrew DaywaltDavid SchneiderStarsSeann William ScottTimm SharpPatrick BreenA crook quietly plots his revenge against the boss who murdered his brother while working for him.The movie itself is very entertaining and the soundtrack is outstanding. There is a lot of humor in this drama, but that doesn't distract from the seriousness of the situation. Its about equal parts of Fight Club and James Bond with a little bit of After Hours thrown in, for good measure. The movie has a fast pace and the plot travels forward at a good clip but not so fast that it becomes hectic.
Lou Diamond Phillips was excellent as Gregory, the gangster boss. He plays the role of a powerful and sadistic crook very well. Gregory is calm and genteel at times, and psychotic at others. Phillips is able to fold both those traits into a single character and make it seem natural. Dave Foley, of Kids in the Hall fame, is good in his supporting role as an FBI agent also. - DirectorMartin CampbellStarsRay LiottaLance HenriksenStuart WilsonA soldier convicted for murdering his commanding officer is dumped and left to die on a prison island inhabited by two camps of convicts.Some truly amazing stunts and practical effects. This is one stunning action movie from the mid 90's.
There are plenty of recognizable faces in "No Escape"; there is Ernie Hudson, Kevin Dillon, Michael Lerner, Ian McNeice who camps it up to provide plenty of humour. But at the centre of all this is Ray Liotta, not the most obvious choice for an action movie but accounts for himself quite well with a lot of time required to just stare with those icy blue eyes of his. And then there is Stuart Wilson who as Marek embraces the over the top side to his futuristic warrior character with some enjoyable sarcasm. - DirectorTim SkousenStarsJustin LongJeremy SumpterAddie LandYoung fantasy and science fiction aficionado Gavin Gore and his friends stumble onto some huge footprints in the woods. A local cop, reporter, and a renowned Sasquatch authority investigate, while two of Gavin's dim-witted neighbors hatch a scheme to profit from the situation.The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang", written and directed by Tim Skoussen and produced by the same minds that brought you the indie hit "Napoleon Dynamite".
That said, I absolutely hated "Napoleon Dynamite". "The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang" actually had moments that made me laugh. It had humorous performances, an interesting narrative style, and an awesomely bizarre performance from Carl Weathers. - DirectorAlbert PyunStarsChristopher LambertIce-TMichael Halsey100 people, who have betrayed The Syndicate, are gathered in a prison opening the next day. They are given weapons and 6 hours to kill each other. The 3 remaining share $10,000,000.A frantic action thriller from cult director, Albert Pyunn. Just make sure you watch the widescreen version.
A lot of the characters were great. Michael Halsey was excellent, Lambert was fantastic, Ice-T was awesome, all the way down to Pyun mainstays Yuji Okumoto, Thom Mathews, and Tina Coté.
The action was very solid and the film's premise was intriguing. - DirectorBob BralverStarsMichael DudikoffMark HamillSavina GersakA house wife just left her cop husband, when she picks up Justin Mckay she'll wish she never did as she's plunged into a nightmare and the grip of a psychotic killer.Mark Hamill was surprisingly terrifying as a deranged killer and Michael Dudikoff provides great performance throughout this movie.
Midnight Ride is one of the weirdest hybrid Action-Slasher Horror Movies out there. And that's what makes it stick with you all these years later. Especially enjoyable is the image of The-Dude-Ikoff strapped to the hood of a taxi while Hamill laughs it up and drives wildly through the night. - DirectorPete WalkerStarsVincent PriceChristopher LeePeter CushingAn American author finds a dilapidated Welsh manor perfect for writing until the residents host a bizarre family reunion.House Of The Long Shadows is a mystery comedy horror from Cannon Films that brings four giants of the horror world together: Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and John Carradine.
For fans of cinema, this film is worth watching purely for that!
Quite an entertaining watch particularly due to its mystery elements and the subsequent murders that indeed occur in the shadows. No-one is safe and it seems that no matter how hard they try, the killer is one step ahead of them all the time. - DirectorDon BluthGary GoldmanStarsMatt DamonDrew BarrymoreBill PullmanA young man learns that he has to find a hidden Earth ship before an enemy alien species does in order to secure the survival of humanity.It has been said that the greatest strength of animation is to show us things that can't be shown any other way, to show us fantastic images that can exist only in an artist's imagination.
Titan A.E. comes through in spades. From a watery planet with explosive floating hydrogen trees to planetary rings made up of giant ice crystals, Don Bluth (All Dogs Go to Heaven, Anastasia, An American Tail) and his team bring us amazing visions that have never been seen on screen before.
They do this with a combination of traditional two-dimensional cell animation and more sophisticated CGI three-dimensional animation. Other movies have tried to combine these two forms of animation with mixed results; often the result is cardboard cutout characters standing in front of dazzling, lifelike backdrops. Titan A.E. is an exception, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how well the two types of animation blended together.
Through the use of three-dimensional "virtual sets," Bluth is able to create camera movements that feel completely natural, a marked contrast with the very static setups used in earlier animated works. The end result of all this is a fully realized, gorgeous universe where the viewers can lose themselves in the wonderful sights. - DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsAdrian PasdarJenny WrightLance HenriksenA small-town farmer's son reluctantly joins a traveling group of vampires after he is bitten by a beautiful drifter.Neardark was a film that I knew about for quite some time before finally catching it on cable. Siskel and Ebert had covered it on one episode, and they quite often referred to the notorious 'bar scene' within the film. The vampires-as-junkies theme has been explored a few times (Abel Ferrara's The Addiction being one example that leaps to mind), but Neardark was the first time I had seen it explored with such literalness.
Neardark is a very sobering alternative to the world of The Lost Boys, and when a final showdown occurs it's not a very joyful event.
The style of this film has been aped since its release, but it was a truly original beast when it arrived in 1987.
A few years ago, Anchor Bay was able to give it a great double DVD release (with a very cool foil digipak foldout case) with commentary tracks and an insightful retrospective. - DirectorHarry ElfontDeborah KaplanStarsJennifer Love HewittEthan EmbryCharlie KorsmoA complete graduating class, consisting of beautiful girls, geeks and promising footballers, assemble at a rich classmate's residence for a party. Interesting developments follow at the get-together.Ranks far above all the other "teen flicks" that have hit the cinema screens recently.
Extremely likeable cast: Ethan Embry, as the daydreamer nice guy, Seth Green, showing off is talent in his part as a wigger and the photogenic Jennifer Love Hewitt, who has the part of "perfect girl" down to perfection. (Is there any other way to describe it? She really is that good at it.)
Like most good films in its genre Can't Hardly Wait has many witty moments, pace and charm. The parallels with Fast Times At Ridgemont High are obvious.
What makes this movie so much fun to watch is that it is reminiscent of an 80's film, and that is the highest compliment that I can give it.
They don't know how to make movies like Halloween and Nightmare On Elm Street anymore, they sure as hell don't know how to make films like Breakfast Club, The Sure Thing and Secret Admirer. But this film comes really close to being like those.
If you remember those movies and enjoyed them thoroughly, then watch Can't Hardly Wait. It will make you laugh and entertain you, and that is an accomplishment on its own. - DirectorWayne KramerStarsPaul WalkerNorman ReedusElijah WoodAn anthology of stories involving meth addicted white supremacists, a man looking for his kidnapped wife and an Elvis impersonator.The stories, characters and acting are all really good. It's like taking a crazy roller coaster ride.
Yes, the movie can be disturbing and, at times, I wondered if I was a terrible person for laughing at some of the offensive jokes but there was something perversely entertaining about the film.
It's like a car crash but instead of backing up traffic for miles and making you wonder in the back of your head if someone died in that hunk of twisted metal, I found myself being entertained by a group of truly despicable characters doing horribly selfish things within the strangely interesting story. - DirectorMichael DowseStarsPaul KayeBeatriz BatardaKate MagowanA famous DJ in the Ibiza club scene finds the alcohol and drug-fueled party that is his life threatened by the progressive loss of his hearing.This is seriously one of the most touching pictures I've seen in a long time.
I found there was indeed funny scenes and nice thumping club music but also heart breakingly sad parts that I didn't expect in before hand.
To my surprise I got to watch a somewhat deep movie about life changing events in an interesting persons life rather than just another comedy like I had expected. - DirectorAlbert PyunStarsOlivier GrunerTim ThomersonCary-Hiroyuki TagawaAlex, a burned out LA cyborg cop, is forced by commissioner Farnsworth to find his former cyborg partner and lover Jared who's about to deliver sensitive data to cyborg terrorists who wish to wage war against humans. Is he being played?Cyberpunk action!
There are mega over the top gunfights, most of it is squibs, sparks and good old fashioned stunt work. Once this movie one kicks in it does not let up.
This is one smaller-budget production where the acting, directing, script and frenetic pace combine to make a movie more entertaining and thought provoking that many mega budget science fiction films. On top of the action, the script and atmosphere so perfectly evoke a dark, flawed future that other filmmakers should take note. - DirectorLes MayfieldStarsSean AstinBrendan FraserPauly ShoreWhen they find a frozen caveman in their back yard, two high school outcasts thaw him and introduce him to modern life while he in turn gets them to actually enjoy life.For all its silliness, this is one great film. The actors go balls out into their characters, as if unafraid of any damage they could do to their careers.
All in all, this is a great film. The cast is great, the characters and acting are great. There's even a few somewhat touching scenes here and there.
The movie sails on the wild performances of Fraser and Shore. - DirectorSam FirstenbergStarsMichael DudikoffSteve JamesJudie AronsonAmerican soldier, obviously very skilled in martial arts, single-handedly takes on mercenaries in the Philippines.Most of the action (with or without Dudikoff) isn't terribly spectacular, and many viewers will probably get a little impatient between action scenes, since the movie isn't wall-to-wall action.
Still, the movie never gets to be seriously boring; there are a few decent action scenes, and the goofiness of ninjas bouncing the story around does give the movie an entertaining cheesiness.
Plus, there is the presence of Steve James, who (despite his limited time) really gives a likable and entertaining performance, and gets to show his genuine martial arts skills. He got to show more of all this in the sequel. - DirectorSam FirstenbergStarsMichael DudikoffSteve JamesLarry PoindexterOn a remote Caribbean island, Army Ranger Joe Armstrong investigates the disappearance of several marines, which leads him to The Lion, a super-criminal who has kidnapped a local scientist and mass-produced an army of mutant Ninja warriors.The pace is quicker, giving us little chance to be bored between the action sequences. There's certainly plenty of action, with dozens of ninjas popping up everywhere at any time.
Yes, there is a cheesiness to the entire enterprise, from George Clinton's synthesizer score to the ludicrous scheme of the villain... but hey, it's a *fun* kind of cheese, one that makes you smile instead of grit your teeth. Sometimes a little silliness is what the doctor ordered, and it's also a nostalgic blast for those into '80s action movies.
Steve James is about the only one in the film that acts really, I really can't see how he never made top billing around all the cardboard actors on screen. I saw this movie many years ago and thought it was an excellent movie back in my "Ninja phase", it's bad in places and fun in others.
Don't go into this with a straight face, try and enjoy it as a fun "straight to video" movie. - DirectorSam FirstenbergStarsMichael DudikoffSteve JamesJames BoothA senator is targeted by the Pentangle, a right wing paramilitary group. His pal, a former CIA agent and martial artist, tries to help him. The group kidnaps the agent's sister and tries to hunt him down, "The Most Dangerous Game" style.One can hardly fail to notice that "Avenging Force" has a rather hard edge. There certainly are elements and plot developments with which some viewers could take issue.
The overall entertainment value is substantial; this may be the most accomplished movie on the resume of action specialist Sam Firstenberg ("American Ninja", "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo"). Having been shot on location in Louisiana, it does have some solid production values. It dives into the action right away.
Steve James also provides a fantastic performance in this movie. - DirectorJoseph ZitoStarsChuck NorrisRichard LynchMelissa ProphetA one-man army comes to the rescue when the United States are invaded by communists.Director Zito does a good job & keeps the action coming thick & fast, this has a huge body count & features plenty of mindless destruction which is what we all want really. The action is well staged & it looks to have had a sizable amount of money behind it. This is one of those films where no-one ever seems to have to reload their weapons especially rocket launchers which only hold one rocket at time...
With a supposed budget of about $10,000,000 there's a lot of bang on screen for the money, this was Norris's fifth film for Canon & was probably made at the height of his fame which is why it's decent, has good production values & is well made. The acting isn't great, Lynch is an OK villain, a reporter Melissa Prophet turns up occasionally & then totally disappears about 20 minutes before it finishes while it was probably a very good decision to not give Chuck himself any dialogue expect for the odd one-liner.
Invasion U.S.A. is a top 80's action film, definitely worth a watch. - DirectorIain SoftleyStarsJonny Lee MillerAngelina JolieJesse BradfordTeenage hackers discover a criminal conspiracy with plans to use a computer virus that will capsize five oil tankers.The movie is great despite all the false statements, fake guis and totally absurd methods of cracking. Quite frankly if you are a computer geek don't expect anything close to the real deal, it would never make a good movie for the public.
The movie here is behind the whole "hacking" front. It is the development of characters the build up of a plot and an exciting climax and satisfying denouement. Simply put, it' s an exciting, fun and a great throwback to the early 90's. The soundtrack is are absolutely amazing too. - DirectorCharles BandStarsTim ThomersonHelen HuntMichael StefaniA gruff bounty hunter travels back in time to 1980s Los Angeles to stop a twisted criminal who can transform people into zombie-like creatures."Trancers" is one of the most enjoyable B-movies ever made.
The time travel plot and "fish-out-of-water" aspects make it similar to the first "Terminator," but try to imagine that classic film with an infinitely lower budget and a more highly developed sense of humor.
Overall, an effective blend of the sci-fi and detective genres, and a good indicator of what imagination and a good sense of humor can accomplish in the absence of cash. - DirectorStephen KingStarsEmilio EstevezPat HingleLaura HarringtonA group of people try to survive when machines start to come alive and become homicidal.Very funny and entertaining, B-grade action/sci-fi flick. There's mass destruction and tons of carnage as everything on-screen is blown to bits.
The scene with vending machines alone is worth the price of admission. These crazy vending machines start attacking these kids by shooting out cans at mach speed. It's hilarious.
I also loved the soundtrack. The whole movie is like an AC/DC concert.
The best part of the movie is that no one is shown any sympathy, not even kids; in one stand-out scene, a steam-roller comes out of nowhere and completely squashes this innocent kid.
Maximum Overdrive is an explosive, outrageous cult classic. - DirectorDavid PalmerDax ShepardStarsDax ShepardKristen BellBradley CooperFormer getaway driver Charles Bronson jeopardizes his Witness Protection Plan identity in order to help his girlfriend get to Los Angeles. The feds and Charles' former gang chase them on the road."Hit and Run" is a comedy that combines comedy, some action and lots of cars. The film has a True Romance feel, only infused into a chase movie. The action set-pieces are fantastic. Simple, beautiful, effective. Slow motion burnouts, lovingly filmed, fish tails, even one or two stunt jumps.
Seriously. Think of the last 10 minutes of Death Proof extended to half a movie.
All around a great small-budget comedy that proves smart writing with the right cast can trounce many big-budget blockbusters. Well done and recommended, especially if you like cool cars, a crème de le crème soundtrack, and a decidedly silly love story with some meaty action as well. - DirectorMark GoldblattStarsTreat WilliamsJoe PiscopoLindsay FrostA cop is killed investigating a strange case of resurrected corpses. His partner and a pathologist resurrect him, but he only has a limited time before he starts to decompose, and he uses it to chase down the diabolical man who killed him.Quite simply it's the only Zombie/Cop movie that I've ever seen & that means it's the best of it's kind. Plus it has a kind of weird cinematic irony going for it because screenwriter Terry Black is the brother of Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black(who also makes a cameo as a cop). This film is very much a tongue-in-cheek counterpart that huge hit of a film.
Great fun for fans of 'Braindead' or 'The Evil Dead' style horrors, and anyone else who wants a film that they don't have to take to seriously. Also stands up well to repeated viewing. Great action scenes! - DirectorAaron NorrisStarsChuck NorrisAki AleongRoland Harrah IIIBraddock mounts a one-man assault to free his wife and son who are still being held in a Vietnam prison camp.Its probably the best of the trilogy for me because its just that bit grander yet still maintains those glorious 80's visuals and vibes that really set the stage for a retro offensive.
The action in this movie is so over the top that it is a glorious spectacle to behold. For instance, at one point Chuck actually jumps through a window, smashing it, wielding a machine gun. While in midair, he holds his gun up and mows all four opponents down with ease. He proceeds to run to the other side of the room, and instead of going out the front door, smashes threw the opposite window.
Chuck is at his finest here, as he is in almost all his flicks, and he chews up some more anti-American slime in this seasoned classic. It has three times as much action as the previous installments and some convincing scenes of total chaos. - DirectorRussell MulcahyStarsDenzel WashingtonJohn LithgowIce-TA District Attorney is terrorized by the criminal he put away years ago when he was a cop.Explosive, lurid, action/thriller. John Lithgow really steals the show here as he puts on a great devilish performance.
The pace is really fast, the situations are extreme and the movie even manages to include some over the top, twisted violence. Ricochet goes over the average thanks to bravura performances by the two leads and some damn fine action sequences and camerawork.
This film has never been a box office hit but it did become a cult hit on video and a television favorite. The film's only flaw is the silly conclusion. - DirectorWayne KramerStarsPaul WalkerCameron BrightChazz PalminteriA low-ranking thug is entrusted by his crime boss to dispose of a gun that killed corrupt cops, but things get out of control when the gun ends up in wrong hands.Extremely graphically violent film with some gratuitous nudity.
A lot of fantastically acted played roles. Characters were simple with complex backgrounds. It kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire film wondering what was going to unravel next. Every time you thought you had the story figured out, the tight script it threw a curve at you. From beginning to end it was an unrelenting ride.
Paul Walker gave an excellent performance and you really got into his skin. The supporting cast was excellent, development of the characters rolled out in a believable manner with out a bunch of unnecessary revelations.
If you enjoyed Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction you will probably really enjoy this film.