Ten underrated movies

Here's a list of 10 movies that, in my opinion, have been insufficiently appreciated. I'm not saying they're masterpieces -- well, one or two of them may be -- but they're all well above average for films of their type, even if they don't get enough love.

Of course, opinions about movies are very subjective, so your mileage may vary considerably.

In chronological order:

1. Things to Come. (1936) This highly stylized dramatization of HG Wells' novel is certainly not for all tastes. The acting is stagy, the dialogue portentous. But the film is consistently entertaining and thought-provoking, not to mention extraordinarily ambitious -- it spans 100 years of "future history," as imagined in 1936, beginning with a prophetic depiction of London air raids, advancing to a bombed out Dark Ages (the film's most compelling segment), and concluding with a technologically sophisticated underground city erected beneath the ruins of the old order. As a humanist manifesto, Things to Come is unmatched in its vigor and scope. A recently released computer colorized version actually enhances the film.

2. The Thing from Another World. (1951) When most people mention a movie version of John W. Campbell's novella Who Goes There?, they're thinking of John Carpenter's 1982 gory special-effects extravaganza. But for my money, the first cinematic incarnation of this story is by far the best. Directed by Howard Hawks (though credited to his film editor Christian Nyby), The Thing is a fast-paced, no-nonsense sci-fi classic, peopled by believable characters spouting intelligent dialogue in Hawks' trademark rapidfire, overlapping style. Kenneth Tobey, who surely belongs on any list of the 10 Most Underrated Movie Actors, shines as a likable, competent everyman facing a threat no human being has ever seen before. Remember, "keep watching the skies!"

3. Murphy's Romance. (1985) A charming vignette of late-blooming love in a small desert town. James Garner gives probably his most winning performance as the local eccentric who finds himself falling for Sally Field. Rural life is depicted with humor and sympathy, but without excessive sentimentality. A funny, sweet, sometimes bittersweet concoction.

4. Near Dark. (1987) Decades before she won the Oscar for The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow directed this low-budget independent horror film about a teenage boy inducted into a gang of vampires. The film isn't perfect; it's a bit slow to get started, and a couple of plot developments toward the end strain credibility. But there's a lot of good stuff in here, especially an unforgettable extended scene of relentless violence in a diner. The movie combines elements of horror, action, crime drama, and even Westerns in almost seamless and highly original fashion.

5. What About Bob? (1991) Bill Murray is a hopeless neurotic; Richard Dreyfuss is a pompous psychologist; but in the course of this film, it's Murray who drives Dreyfuss crazy. The slow build of Dreyfuss's frustration and rage is just terrific, and Murray's cheerful cluelessness provides the perfect counterpoint. The ending is a little over-the-top, otherwise, it all works. And it's always good to see Julie Hagerty in anything. (Speaking of which, 1985's Lost in America is another underrated comedy.)

6. Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. (1995) Yes, I know it's a Steven Seagal movie. I know Steven Seagal can't act. I know most of his movies stink, and even the first Under Siege was only so-so at best. Nevertheless, Under Siege 2 is a very enjoyable, slick, well-crafted thriller featuring two great villains (Eric Bogosian and Everett McGill), a clever plot, exciting action, and a teenage Katherine Heigl as Seagal's niece. It's one of the few Die Hard knockoffs that actually work.

7. Rob Roy. (1995) Overshadowed by Braveheart, which came out the same year, Rob Roy is, I think, the better film. Liam Neeson and Jessica Lange are immensely appealing, the script is smart and fresh, and the climactic sword fight is the most realistic duel ever put on film. Did I mention the haunting musical score?

8. Streets of Laredo. (1995) Another James Garner effort, Streets of Laredo is the sequel to the acclaimed miniseries Lonesome Dove. I'm in the small minority who found the sequel even better than the original. True, it lacks the presence of Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, but it has a stellar cast of its own - Garner, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, Ned Beatty, Wes Studi, Sonia Braga, and, in two unusual but very successful casting choices, Randy Quaid as a psychotic killer and George Carlin as an aging cowpoke. Expertly directed by Joseph Sargent, who helmed the original Taking of Pelham 1-2-3, this four-hour series captures Larry McMurtry's book in all its violence, humor, and pathos.

9. Antz. (1998) By today's standards, the computer animation in this early DreamWorks entry is fairly primitive. Still, Antz is a heck of a lot of fun, an animated comedy for grown-ups enlivened by one of the best ensembles of vocal talent ever assembled: Gene Hackman, Jennifer Lopez, Danny Glover, John Mahoney, Dan Akyroyd, Jane Curtin, Anne Bancroft, Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, Christopher Walken, and above all, Woody Allen as the misfit ant Z, who is basically an insect version of every nebbish Allen ever played. Z: "I don't know, Doc. Sometimes I just feel so insignificant." Psychiatrist: "You are insignificant. You're an ant!"

10. Over the Hedge. (2006) This animated comedy, based on the popular syndicated comic strip, came and went with little fanfare. I think it's hilarious. Bruce Willis and Larry Shandling are ideally matched as the voices of rascally raccoon RJ and phlegmatic tortoise Verne. Lots of great sight gags, slapstick, and comic repartée. And you get to hear William Shatner (playing a highly dramatic possum) give his impression of a near-death experience! What more could you want?

Anybody want to chime in with underrated favorites of their own?

Comments

[Bruce Siegel]

Thanks, Michael! There are a few on that list I need to check out.

I totally agree with you about Rob Roy—wonderful movie. Besides the exciting action, what a strong, mature relationship it depicts between the two leads.

And it reminds me of two other historical dramas notable for both action and romance: Lorna Doone, an A&E film, and Count of Monte Christo, the 2002 feature film. Both are treasures.

What About Bob is extremely funny, as you say. But as to the ending—a little over the top? That's putting it mildly! :o)

[Bruce Siegel]

OK—I gotta add my two favorite movies I've seen in the past couple of years: As it is in Heaven and The Snow Walker.

[Michael Prescott]

"Count of Monte Christo, the 2002 feature film"

That's a good movie, but I also like the 1934 version starring Robert Donat.

I tried reading the book, but got only halfway through it. (It's quite long.) Good story, but I'd be more inclined to read an abridged version.

[J9]

I cannot believe you left out Ishtar!!

[J9]

Favorite movies: Life Force, The Ninth Configuration, and Ford Fairlane. Not ashamed to admit it. Lol

[J9]

Not joking!

[dmduncan]

I don't know if mine are underrated or not, but I think they are really good.

Runaway Train, with John Voight, Eric Roberts, and Rebecca DeMornay. A great action film with a little something extra.

Leon The Professional. Best Luc Besson film I've seen yet.

Event Horizon. I thought it was a successful mixture of science fiction and horror. Very creepy.

Serenity. I just love the characters so much.

Meet The Robinsons. An animated film that never gets old to me.

Frailty. An O'Henry type psychological thriller with a touch of the supernatural starring Powers Boothe, Matthew McConaughey, and Bill Paxton.

Deep Rising. A monster film with a sense of humor. Stars Treat Williams and Famke Janssen. Some resemblance to humor, situation, and characters of Firefly here.

[dmduncan]

The Thing. I have them both and I love them both, but the Howard Hawks version is a clinic on how to tell a good story. I especially love the device of having them standing in a circle on the ice to establish the size and shape of the craft. That was brilliant. No special effects needed.

[Sandy]

I like The Thing too! Forbidden Planet is another favorite, plus the original Day The Earth Stood Still. (The remake was so-so, although I did enjoy John Cleese in that one.) Phantom of the Paradise is another old favorite. It has an awesome soundtrack.

Dr Strangelove was a movie my older brother took me to see as a kid. At the time I felt pleased that he would even associate with his bratty little sister, let alone take her to a movie, so that made the movie special enough. But when I got older, I understood why he enjoyed it so much and wanted to share it with me.

[Michael Prescott]

"I cannot believe you left out Ishtar!!"

Ishtar has its moments. Certainly not as bad as its reputation would suggest.

Another underrated movie that just occurred to me is 2010, the sequel to 2001. It's not as innovative as Kubrick's film, but it's far more comprehensible and has a remarkably inspiring message.

[Roger Knights]

"Open City." Powerful--a peek beneath the veneer of civilization. A good reason for piling on the veneer and "being as artificial as possible." It was rated number 1 a few decades ago, and it's still #1 with me.

(Just be tolerant of the corny / conventional bits.)

[steve from brisbane]

1941 was a critical and commercial dud, but it looks georgeous, has a fantastic score by John Williams, has the pleasing quality that is now sorely missed of special effects made by intrinic and large scale models, and its humour is often pleasingly eccentric. I seem to recall that, of all the big critics, only Pauline Kael had good things to say about it, but she was the best reviewer I have ever read. (She was, generally speaking, quite a strong Spielberg supporter, I think.)

I still find it funny and exciting, and I am sure Williams was musically simulating an orgasm in the theme march! (This is an entirely reasonable interpretation if you know one of the key storylines in the film.)

[J9]

Most unappreciated: the Evil Dead 2. Funniest movie I ever saw at the time.

[Michael Prescott]

I agree that 1941 is underrated. I saw it in a theater when it came out, and I and most of the audience really liked it. But bad reviews killed it.

When I was in college, one of the movies I selected for the film series was 1941. As I recall, the blurb I wrote for the movie was "Damn the critics, full speed ahead!"

Evil Dead 2 is fun, but for vintage Sam Raimi I think I'd go with Darkman instead.

[Tony M]

Good, enjoyable list, but I have to wonder just who is under rating The Thing? It is universally regarded as one of the great sci-fi films, and as one movie blogger points out:

"It ended up number 581 in the Top 1000, was added by AFI to their 400 film list for Top 100 consideration in 2007 (whereas most older years have films being removed) and was chosen for the Library of Congress in 2001"

I don't know anyone serious about film who does love it.

Want an under rated sci fi flick of recent vintage? Try Fire in the Sky. Ignore arguments about whether the alein abduction story is true or not and what you have is a well crafted story with a good perfromance by James Garner and a terrifying final act. Check it out if you have not seen it

[Daniel]

I think Joe Vs. The Volcano is a great underrated film.
It expresses some great truths and unabashedly espouses some great virtues (shocking) such as courage.
Picking out all of the visual symbolism is fun (the pattern of the workers at the beginning vs. the trail up the volcano at the end, Meg Ryan's clenched fist finally becoming an open hand at the end, the movie poster of the volcano in the background behind Tom Hanks). The humor interspersed all through, the actors, the relatively slow pace, the rarely-used theme of the finally *examined* life-- all great stuff!

[dmduncan]

I also liked Fire in the Sky.

I was also thinking The Exorcist III had some of the creepiest moments in horror.

The original Invasion of the Body Snatchers was also great.

[Sandy]

Hmmm... I don't know if this is an underrated movie, but I'm watching Zombieland. I love Zombieland! (Bill Murry is priceless.)

[Michael Prescott]

"I have to wonder just who is under rating The Thing?"

I have the impression that, at least among younger people, the 1951 version has been overshadowed by John Carpenter's 1982 version. Among serious students of film, it's no doubt a different story.

[steve from brisbane]

Oh yes, have to put my hand up for Joe Vs The Volcano too. It's silly but charming in its way.

I would also mention Dragonslayer from 1981. I don't usually care for swords and sorcery, but I thought this was a pretty good film. (I've never seen it again. It would appear from Wikipedia that it got good enough reviews, but didn't make money.)

[Tony M]

Michael, fair enough. Although I know two teenagers who think the 1951 version rocks - My kids!

[dmduncan]

I think it's a rule that all zombie films are underrated. Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake and Simon Pegg's Sean of the Dead are two of the best.

[Rene from Holland]

Quickly read this page.

Anyone reading this, try watching German thrillers and crime series like f.e. "Derrick".

Michael mentioned a Seagal movie. If you wanna see the best movies with him, try Nico and Hard To Kill in which you get a glimpse of the martial arts he studied.

As for Holland, Rutger Hauer is one of the, or the most well known actor abroad.
Absolute must-sees are The Hitcher (1986) and Blade Runner. Because Rutger also has a house in Holland, I hope to speak with him one day regarding this movie.

Duel, 1971, Spielberg's debut as I recall correctly, is a nail biting thriller "starring" a truck chasing a car. A simple theme, but the movie never bores and. Almost brilliant how he made this movie in those days without the means of today's technology.

Manhunter, 1986, almost is mandatory if you're into serial killer movies. It's the very first one I guess. I guess it's not well known.

Point Break, 1991, with Patrick Swayze, is an action movie but the theme is kinda unique. Bankrobbers disguised as presidents, living for the rush of robbing banks and surfing etc. With Kenau Reeves who finally catches Swayze. Swayze as the leader of the gang.

Crying Freeman also is an action movie, but beautifuly photographed and with very good music.

Heaven and Earth is another Vietnam movie, but without focusing on the war and violence itself. With Tommy lee Jones.

[Jim Winn]

Transiberia with Woody Harrelson & Ben Kingsley, You really felt like you were in Russia. Great suspense and lot of twists and turns.

[Michael Prescott]

Thanks, Jim. Never heard of that one. Anything with Woody Harrelson and Ben Kingsley sounds like it's worth watching.

Harrelson was great in Zombieland.

[watch shows online]

Gracias, buen trabajo! Este fue el material que tenía que tener.