10 MOST UNDERRATED AND UNSEEN MOVIES
10. Waiting...
In a sea of Judd Apatow-driven comedies, this movie got lost when it really shouldn't have. It's really funny, and can definitely hold a candle to any other modern comedy. The group of off-beat high school grads that make up the crew at Shenanigan's Restaurant play off each other extremely well. While the movie focuses on Justin Long's and Ryan Reynolds' characters, every supporting cast member holds their own, making this movie even better. Oh, and Dane Cook's in it. I bet you didn't know that.
9. Hot Rod
If you enjoy Andy Samberg on Saturday Night Live, which you most likely do, why haven't you seen Hot Rod yet? I congratulate this movie for embracing its own stupidity and taking it to hilarious levels. If you need a reason to see this movie, see it for Andy Samberg's tantrum in the forest set to Foreigner music.
8. Just Friends
If you learn anything from this list, it should be that Ryan Reynolds doesn't get the credit he deserves. He's a funny guy, and he proves he can take the lead in Just Friends. It's a completely relatable and hysterical movie about the complications of dating a close friend. If you're looking for a lighthearted and enjoyable comedy, go rent Just Friends. Ten bucks says you've never seen it before.
7. Ghost Town
This is a pretty recent film, so I guess it's fair to say people really haven't had a chance to see it. Either way, I know this did terribly in theatres when it shouldn't have. While the idea of a man who can see ghosts and reluctantly helps them may sound stupid, Ricky Gervais saves this movie, supported by the best role Greg Kinnear has ever had. The delivery and exchanges between the two of them make this movie consistently funny and touching.
6. 3:10 to Yuma
This remake of the 1957 western which I never saw is the only western I have ever enjoyed. I didn't just enjoy it, I love it. It's packed full of everything that makes movies awesome. The performances from the entire cast are incredible, especially Christian Bale's who seems wholly incapable of making a bad movie. If I say anything more about this movie, I'll probably give away something from its twist-filled plot, and I definitely don't want to ruin this movie for anyone. Just trust me when I tell you this movie is awesome.
5. Michael
An unorthodox love story with real heart, Michael stands out as Nora Ephron's best (And least annoying) film. Side note: If I ever see Sleepless in Seattle again, I'll lose my mind, and I've only seen it once. Forget any preconceived notions you have about Nora Ephron's standard love stories when you see this movie. This is anything but standard. Tabloid reporters take a road trip with an alcoholic angel and find love. That sounds interesting to me. Also, over ten years later, this movie still holds the record for most times seen in theatres for me. (Six times.)
4. Twelve Monkeys
I suppose I could put "Everything Terry Gilliam has Ever Directed" on this list, because they're all awesome and it seems nobody has seen any of them, but I feel Twelve Monkeys is the most important out of his films to see right away. This movie was filmed back in a time where Brad Pitt actually tried and Bruce Willis… well actually Bruce Willis is still exactly the same. Either way, this movie is ridiculously awesome and definitely one of the best sci-fi movies ever. Every actor delivers an amazing performance, especially Brad Pitt as Jeffery Goines, the completely insane mental patient.
3. Red Eye
Psychological horror films seem to be a thing of the past. There's only so many times I can watch Psycho and still be shocked how sick Norman Bates is, and that's why I was thrilled when Red Eye came along. The movie follows Lisa Reisert on the plane ride from hell as she receives an absolute psychological **** from the man sitting next to her. The chilling performance from Cillian Murphy (My pick for the creepiest guy currently in showbusiness) as the sociopathic Jackson Rippner is complemented by the feeling of claustrophobia that comes with being stuck in an airplane. Which, by the way, is where ninety percent of this movie takes place.
2. Dude, Where's My Car?
See this movie. See it now. It is the slacker comedy of slacker comedies, and gets none of the praise it deserves. Yes, it's stupid. Yes, it makes very little sense. But isn't that what comedy is about? Comedies should steer away from the vapid indie comedy formula that is becoming increasingly more popular, and make more movies about two stoners who can't remember a damn thing. Seriously.
1. Donnie Darko
You knew this was coming. If you didn't, you don't know me or haven't been reading much of anything that I write. Though I've successfully introduced this movie to nearly all of my friends, chances are you still haven't seen it. Go see it as soon as possible. This movie is the most original and fascinating movie I have ever seen. Not only is it an excellent coming-of-age story, it's also a complex story of alternate universes and time travel. Think of a trippy combination of every 1980s teen drama or comedy, then add a time traveling rabbit man. Donnie Darko.
10 MOST OVERRATED MOVIES
10. Being John Malkovich
While I enjoyed Being John Malkovich, it doesn't deserve the amount of praise it gets from critics and viewers alike. Sure, it's funny at times (The idea of a half-floor is my favorite), but it's not nearly as funny as it thinks it is. In a world flooded with unoriginal films, I can see why critics clung so tightly to this movie. People should learn that just because something is original, it isn't automatically the best thing ever. Though sometimes, like in Donnie Darko's case, it comes very close to the best thing ever.
9. A Clockwork Orange
At the risk of being attacked by film snobs, I'm going to admit that I don't like Stanley Kubrick as a director very much. His ability to suck the life out of what would be incredibly interesting characters never ceases to amaze me. Case in point: A Clockwork Orange. My favorite book of all time was completely drained of character in Kubrick's adaptation. What was an interesting insight into the mind of a killer became a heartless, mindless, and unnecessary two hours of violence and sex.
8. Juno
Juno was sometimes funny. But the fact is that if you label a movie a comedy, it should make you laugh consistently. Getting in the way of comedy is the completely subdued dialogue that often comes along with indie comedies (Dry, unfunny lines throughout with way too many awkward pauses) as well as the completely ridiculous dialect that most of the characters use. I want Diablo Cody to show me on a map where teenagers speak the way she apparently thinks they do. Only then will I be able to make peace with this movie.
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
I like The Two Towers and The Return of the King. I really do. The problem with Fellowship is that there is too much time for dialogue, and frankly, these movies are not well written. Present this argument to anyone who dressed as Gandalf on opening night, and you'll probably get talked up from forty different fantasy nerd angles. Really, it's just your run-of-the-mill fantasy **** The whole time they talk about unpronounceable mountains and massive weapons, and it gets old. As a side question, am I the only one who gets annoyed with how much Frodo cries in this one?
6. The Sixth Sense
Building suspense until the last five minutes works with something like The Twilight Zone. It works because the suspense is successfully bolstered in a twenty minute time slot, at which point the shocking reveal occurs. This formula does not work with a feature length movie, and M. Night Shalamabanana needs to figure this out badly. Somewhere along the line, the feeling of suspense leaves and becomes an overwhelming desire to scream "GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!" at my television. After waiting and waiting, the best you could do is reveal that Bruce Willis is dead? Really?
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001 is the most robotic movie of all time. As much as A Clockwork Orange is devoid of character, 2001 is devoid of everything human. It's missing interaction between actors, emotion, dialogue, a decent plot, and basically anything that invokes emotion from viewers. The last 40 minutes are great, I'll give it that, but you'll need to endure nearly three hours of pretentious artsy **** before you get to anything significant. (I just want to say that even though I dislike most of Kubrick's work, Dr. Strangelove is amazing. The movie probably worked because it's impossible to drain character from Peter Sellers or Slim Pickens.)
4. Little Miss Sunshine
I am sick of these indie comedies. It's like comedies no longer need to make you laugh. Little Miss Sunshine is the epitome of overrated indie comedies, following a thoroughly depressing family cross-country on a hopeless mission to get a funny looking and unfunny little girl to a pageant. The funniest thing in the whole movie was Dwayne's T-shirt, reading "JESUS WAS WRONG." When the funniest thing in a whole comedy film is a T-shirt, that is not a good sign.
3. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
I don't care what anyone says, Sean Penn's slacker character is extremely unlikable. Instead of being a loveable slacker like the guys from Office Space or Pineapple Express, he comes as a complete surfer douchebag. Add this to the fact that the movie is more depressing than it is funny. Brad's love interest gets pregnant with his friend and gets an abortion. That's another thing, why the hell does Brad insist on hanging around this **** holier-than-thou prick through the whole movie? Frankly, I don't see how this movie is up there with The Breakfast Club as a movie that defined teens of the 80s.
2. The Godfather
That's right. I went there. I went there with bells on. A movie infinitely wrapped up in its own arrogance, The Godfather goes nowhere. It goes nowhere very, very slowly. It's worth seeing so that you understand the references that pop up everywhere, and it is a halfway decent movie. But it is not the best movie of all-time, as so many think it is. Sure, it has the elements of an incredible film: character development, engaging dialogue, conflict, anything any other movie on this list lacks. The problem is that there is far too much of everything. It becomes difficult to focus on or get to know any one character because there's just too much going on. From all this clutter, one would expect an amazing twist or something. But Michael just lies to his wife about being involved in Carlo's death. Yay.
1. The Matrix
I could write novels about how much I can't stand The Matrix. I really could. I didn't even bother to clutter this list with the other two Matrix atrocities, because I can't even bring myself to call them films. What pisses me off the most about this movie is that it could have been awesome. The plot sounds great, but it gets lost in big-budget special effects that make absolutely no sense. The biggest offender: When Morpheus is held captive by Agent Smith, and Neo unloads a Gatling gun from his helicopter, how the **** is Morpheus untouched while every single Agent Smith (even ones off to the side) dies?
Honorable Mention: Forrest Gump
I know it's epic and heartfelt. I know Forrest is loveable and whatever. Why should I care? Therein lies the problem with this movie. Not once does this movie make me feel like I should care about what Forrest Gump is doing. Also, why does no one seem to care that Jenny is a drug addicted whore?
Top 10 Overrated and Underrated Movies
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The Dekalog
Miller's Crossing
The Double Life of Veronique
The Sweet Hereafter
Munich
The Assassination of Jesse James
Quiz Show
The Insider
Carlito's Way
Three Colours Trilogy
Overrated
Forrest Gump
The Silence of the Lambs
Titanic
Crash
Scarface
Slumdog Millionaire
Gosford Park
Gone With the Wind
A Beautiful Mind
...The Shawshank Redemption
Underrated
The Dekalog
Miller's Crossing
The Double Life of Veronique
The Sweet Hereafter
Munich
The Assassination of Jesse James
Quiz Show
The Insider
Carlito's Way
Three Colours Trilogy
Overrated
Forrest Gump
The Silence of the Lambs
Titanic
Crash
Scarface
Slumdog Millionaire
Gosford Park
Gone With the Wind
A Beautiful Mind
...The Shawshank Redemption
Ahhh, good to see Munich, Carlitos Way and the Colour Trilogy on ya list mang:)
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