Which are lesser-known movies that are well worth seeing?
In other words: What’s a hidden gem I probably haven’t seen but totally should? And why is it a must-watch?
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In other words: What’s a hidden gem I probably haven’t seen but totally should? And why is it a must-watch?
Rampage, it's such a good popcorn flick. It's so over the top that I wouldn't blame you for writing it off without watching it, but give it a chance, it's ultimate action silliness.
Cabin in the woods, its a top 2 horror satire, but you may have heard of that one
Tucker and Dale vs evil, maybe watch this one before cabin in the woods, it's the best horror satire.
Galaxy quest, easily the best star trek movie ever made, one of the top 5 movies ever made.
I'm not sure how many of these are hidden gems, it depends on your viewing habits (not many people would consider horror to contain much good cinema)
Yeah. Tucker and Dale vs Evil still gets way too little love.
It's a must watch because:
Officer, we have had a doozy of a day!
Highly recommend that you go in to watching Tucker and Dale versus evil without looking up any information on the movie. Watching it blind is the best way because the less you know about it the more it will entertain you.
Yes! I just tell friends that it's a horror flick, and a rollicking good time.
So many, so very many, classic lines to be found in that movie.
"We've got your friend!"
As a horror fan, I disagree.
The premise gets old fairly fast and then the twist doesn't really add anything or accentuate the spoofiness, just makes the film more generic.
If you're a fan of a certain era of teen slashers, sure go for it.
《Little Monsters》 and 《The Rise of Leslie Vernon 》are recent takes on horror films I personally prefer.
I know that downvotes are not disagree buttons but I was strongly tempted to downvote you because I disagree with you so vehemently.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil is a brilliant film. As someone who quickly tires of being exposed to repetitive information, this movie is easily a once a year re-watch for me.
I'm glad you like it, as I think Mr Tudyk is grand I like to see him in things.
It's just not for me, and seeing a film I felt to not live up anything close to the hype always praised I felt compelled in this case to show a dissenting opinion.
You do you and enjoy it annually.
Well, yeah, as a horror fan it's likely a little too spoofy to be terribly engaging, but it sounds like you might specifically be 'not' a fan of that.
If it's never occurred to you to label yourself a horror fan, but kind of like movies in general, you'll probably get a kick out of it.
I dunno, I credit Scream with getting me into horror, and it's hardly a genre known for being not-silly. Guess it's a little more thinky though.
Braindead is brilliant, as is Army of Darkness and What we Do in the Shadows, which is not horror, but is silly.
::: spoiler filled in depth discussion: I think my main issues with TdD Vs. E is that I didn't feel any chemistry between Dale and the girl, which seems like it is meant to be a core part of the film. And then, after a good set up the second half of the film feels very paint by numbers, what happens and where they go dictated by genre tropes rather than what their trope inversion story needs.
It's probably just a comment on the way that slasher film protagonists don't get PTSD and keeping the film light, but the girl really doesn't seem to care much about her friends dying. And never has her relationship with Dale challenged by anything.
Then the antagonist being revealled to be the son of a hill billy and that that's probably why he's really a slasher villain undermines what was more him being a prejudice burk leading to his maybe friends dying.
There was a lot of potential with it, but I feel the film decided to inverse a tropey premise and then rather than fully investing in that scenario - hillbillies surrounded by fatal accident prone horny teens - and taking letting its results grow organically, the rest of the script just reached for as many slasher tropes as possible to cram in to make sure the "satirical take" part wasn't subtle, so even a bat with a blindfold and earmuffs on would be sure to "get the joke". :::
Tudyk and the other guy had great chemistry and their relationship worked, I just found it the only thing to make me finish watching the rest of the film, and in the last 1/3 they get precious little screen time together.
Once the core conceit of the film is obvious, it doesn't do anything new, exciting, or interesting with it - just gore for its own sake. (Edit: this is probably exactly what you meant in your post by "too spoofy", so yes. You're right, it is and I am. Sorry it took me too long to clock your meaning. As Soccy himself told us "written words are hard".)
Now maybe I'm missing that the flat romance subplot or nature of the killer, along with gore without substance are high brow meta critiques on the state of horror at the height of the slasher era... And sure, I can dig that. But if you make a film that's deliberately weak in areas as a joke or comment on other films' weaknesses, you've still made a film that's not going to hold folks attention.
That said, clearly it's a very popular film amongst a lot of folks so it's probably me in the minority here. Thanks for giving me an excuse to organise my thoughts and present them. It feels better to get them out of my head in an organised way, and I'm glad you enjoy it as Alan Tudyk getting work that is a success is only a good thing.
So enjoy it, and don't care what I say. But for those of you who felt it was missing a little something... Well know you're not alone.
Hey, no problem, i was trying to challenge your take a little without coming off as dismissive. Thanks for the honest follow up. Nice to follow along with a well thought out response, along with an acknowlegment of some points instead of the sometimes snarkiness you see here.
By Grabthar's hammer, what a list!
Barring Rampage these are massive cult classics.
Which is generally defined as a lesser known movie that people consider worth watching?
Cult movies are well known but didn’t make money at the box office.
I will preface this with it's not going to be for either of us to decide, there are plenty people with plenty more intelligence who have debated this topic, according to Wikipedia: "The difficulty in defining the term and subjectivity of what qualifies as a cult film mirror classificatory disputes about art."
However the general definition according to Google has nothing to do with it's box office success,
"A cult classic is a movie or other work that has a devoted following, but is often not well-known or popular with the mainstream."
Further on,
"The definition of a cult classic can be difficult to define, and there are different interpretations. Some definitions include major studio productions, while others focus on more obscure films. Some definitions also exclude films that have been released by major studios, or that have tried to become cult films. "
So it's open to interpretation, and I'm going to stand by my list, and reinforce the notion that even if they are cult classics there's a good chance someone looking for movies might not have seen some on this list.
They are good movies. I’m not reading all that over such a slight disagreement, hope you have a good rest of your day if I bothered you with my comment.
(don't want to edit my post so adding another in the reply)
Another somewhat mainstream movie that was very easily missed, "forward unto dawn", if you know much about the Halo universe you'll know this story pretty well, but if you've only heard of Halo in passing this is a great place to start (and probably stop unless you're going to play the games or read the books) the series.
Rubber.
Jacob’s Ladder.
A largely forgotten psychological horror film from 1990 with Tim Robbins and Macaulay Culkin.
Saw it on TV once by chance and loved it ever since.
I’d say it’s must-watch for being influential despite its moderate success and being incredibly gripping as you try to get your head around what’s actually going on.
The Nice Guys
This movie drove me crazy
::: spoiler spoiler Everyone they are supposed to help and save, gets killed, but they play it off like a victory :::
I was about to say this, that movie is such a gem. Saw it in theater without knowing what it would be.
It weirdly felt like a Venom movie, and what made it even more weird - it came out around the same time as the actual Venom movie, and even the main hero looked somewhat like a discount version of Tom Hardy😅
Is it about the pimp from Idiocracy?
Repo: A Genetic Opera
I own Repo on disk and watch a few times a year ❤️
A decent number of folks have still never seen "Primer", since it was kind of an indie classic before it got a cult following.
It's a a must watch because:
A. It's just really well made. B. It's delightfully mind bending.
In no particular order (and yes some are more well known in film circles, maybe I should've ommited them, but you never know what the reader hasn't seen):
Jojo Rabbit, 2019 - a comedic coming of age in Nazi Germany. Jojo and his imaginary friend, Hitler, face a complicated and rapidly changing world.
The Mitchells versus the Machines, 2021 - animated family adventure for fun with the whole family.
Rise of Leslie Vernon, 2006 - mocumentary following slasher killer Leslie Vernon.
Bunny and the Bull, 2009 - an, in my opinion, gorgeously set film about two friends on a road trip in Spain.
Parallel Mothers (Madras Paralelas), 2021 - not a hidden gem if you know anything about Spanish cinema, but maybe you don't. Penolpe Cruz is a new mother whose life becomes intertwined with another women's when they give birth in the same hospital.
Hero (英雄), 2002 - again, if you know Wuxia film then this isn't a hidden gem. A pinnacle of the genre, a Chinese Rashomon with wire fights.
Blow Up, 1966 - British New Wave classic. A photographer used to a free and casual 60s life becomes certain he has accidentally photographed evidence of a murder.
Berberian Sound Studio, 2012 - exploration of sound and feeling. A mild mannered amateurish British sound technician gets a big job working on the sound effects for a giallo film in Italy.
Martyrs, 2008 - the pinnacle of French New Extreme movement. It made a big name for itself at the time for being the sort of torture porn film that really gave it a point beyond vouyerism. Not for the faint of heart.
Rye Lane, 2023 - a romcom love letter to London.
The Day Shall Come, 2019 - an eccentric black preacher gets caught up in a web of madness that runs deep.
Known to horror aficionados, but not to general movie watchers: Lake Mungo (2008)
I highly recommend you don't read up on it. Besides the fact that the film just works so much better when you come to it fresh, most reviews - both in print and YouTube videos - spoil pivotal scenes, including in the artwork they choose to use as a thumbnail/heading. Just watch it. Even if the horror doesn't work for you (many people report being bored by the film), it's still a great film with surprising depth and heart. It's worth checking off your list for sure.
The basics: It's a mockumentary set in Australia, made by a director/writer who hasn't done anything before or since, featuring actors who probably aren't known to you, even if you're an Aussie. Much of the dialogue is improvised, so it feels very real and natural.
Try to watch it alone, in the dark, with no distractions (turn off your phone). This will help maximise your chances of being one of the lucky people the film has managed to scare in a profound way. I'm one of those lucky people, I'm happy to say!
These are some of my favourite, in no particular order:
The Phantasm series
Dale and Tucker Fight Evil
Cabin in the woods
Snowpiercer
Equilibrium
A bitter sweet life
The man from nowhere
I saw the Devil (you may not want to watch this one)
Train to Busan (1 and 2)
Lady Vengence/Sympathy for Lady vengence
Sympathy for Mr Vengence
OldBoy (the Korean version - you may also not want to watch this)
Wrath of man
The Family (DeNiro and Pheiffer)
Keeping up with the Joneses
Gran Torino
Boondock Saints
Layer Cake
RocknRolla
Operation Fortune
Lucky Number Slevin
A man called Otto
Stand up guys
King of New York
The Dead Zone
7 Psychopaths
Biloxi Blues
In Bruges
The Matador
From Paris with love
Rocknrolla but not Snatch or Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels!? It's been a very long time but I distinctly remember being disappointed in rocknrolla when compared to the other two I mentioned.
Love Guy Ritchie!
Same! I think the only one I didn't really care for was Covenant, I felt it wasn't paced the same as his other movies, but I'd still watch it again if it was streaming.
In regards to Snatch and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, also two of my favorite movies, thanks for pointing them out, defintely a fun time!
+1 for In Bruges. Love Martin McDonagh's films and this one might be my favorite. At first glance, it looks like a kinda generic action movie, but that's not the case at all.
Snowpiercer looked like such a dumb action movie, but I read so many good reviews of it that I decided to try it. Was not disappointed at all!
I quote In Bruges anytime I get angry at an inanimate object lol
Agreed! I honestly not sure which was the most messed up of all the revelations
There is a Train to Busan sequel?!?!?
That infromation just made my day, loved the first one.
There is! Peninsula IMHO it wasn't better/as good/worse than the first, it was just different
Flight of the Navigator
Cashback I feel is pretty unknown. Maybe not but still very good. Also Gentleman Broncos is fantastic if you’re into the napoleon dynamite style of comedy, same creators.
Tomorrowland
I'm so glad I watched this movie before reading reviews.
Perfume: Story of a Murderer
The book is so much better.
My favorite: Stranger than Fiction
Also, Fandango, Passengers, Life or Something Like it, Birdy, Home Office
Some can be hard to find.
Pecker 1998
A talented young photographer, who enjoys snapping photos of his satirical, perverted Baltimore neighborhood and his wacky family, gets dragged into a world of pretentious artists from New York City and finds newfound fame.
Written and directed by John Waters.
Starring Edward Furlong, Christina Ricci and Bess Armstrong.
The Man from Earth
It's a small budget indie movie, and if you don't like people talking and prefer action, then maybe this isn't for you. Buut, for me, it was a great movie. It only uses one set, a room or two, for the entire movie. And it's still great.
Huh, I need ti actually rewatch I've been suggesting it so much lol
Edit "Timecrimes" was a good one imo as well iirc https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0480669/
Wong Kar-Wai’s films, particularly his 90s Hong Kong vibes of Chungking Express and its spiritual counterpart Fallen Angels.
I saw Snowpiercer on another comment so I assumed we were scraping the surface lol
Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em
Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em is a 1988 Australian short feature about an underground party held in post-apocalyptic Melbourne. The film is a product of nuclear anxiety at the height of the Cold War.
Director: Ray Boseley. Cast: Rob Howard, Nique Needles, Polly Croke, Daniel Lillford, Fred Dugina, Maddog Bott, George Huxley, Chris Windmill, Ian 'Quinsy' Maclean, Lindsay Brundson, Clayton Jacobson, Adam Learner, Myrtle Woods, Bill Johnston, Smiley Rowe, John F. Howard, Claire Bordas, John Flaus, Wayne ullman, Dennis Tupicoff, Peter Lane, Wain Fimo, Bruce Barnes, Angus Algie, Loretta Bell, Grant Barling, Claire Boseley, Julian Faull, Zlatko Kasumovic, Anthony Kay, Ollie Martin, Penny McKimm, Dennis Prosser, Adrian Scully, Aleksi Vellis.
Iceman is a 2017 German-Italian-Austrian adventure drama film written and directed by Felix Randau. It is a fictional story about the life of Ötzi, a natural mummy of a man discovered on 19 September 1991 in the Ötzal Alps.
The film, which was filmed in the Tyrolean and Bavarian Alps features almost no dialogue, with a minimal amount in untranslated language based on reconstructed Rhaetian, created for the film by a linguist.
The Slammin Salmon. Same group that did super troopers and beerfest. Great comedy, I don't see people ever talk about it. Enjoy!
I've forgotten about that movie! It's as if every fear, and suspicion, I had about the people working in restaurants came true 😂. It's been a while since I've seen it's memes...going to have to dig into the old meme folder and get posting
Snatch mighhhhht be well known? It is hilarious and just fun to watch!
It's a Guy Ritchie movie that follows a few groups of people and how they all come to be involved in either chasing or having been in the presence of a diamond that was stolen. It's a lot of fun to see the interaction between the different groups they follow and some of the lines are absolutely hilarious.
Pontypool, a Canadian indie film with a unique take on zombies
Gummo https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119237/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
Interesting selection.
You'll either like it or really, really, really hate it.
Oh I've seen it. Hence my comment.
I have ever since been haunted by the spaghetti bath scene.
I’m always surprised at how few people have seen “Oh brother where art thou”
Also manborg
I think no one has mentioned "the man from earth", it is a great movie that got a lot of success thanks to piracy, enough that it allowed it to even get a sequel (I haven't watched it it seems to be far less recommended).
I recommend to just watch it without looking too much at the theme or plot. I'll just say that it's a movie with a lot of conversations and basically no action at all. You could compare it in that sense to the classic "12 angry men", not in plot or theme, but style, mostly something that happens between a small cast of actors through dialogue.
Edit: and just a few minutes before me someone did actually share it...
Here are a few movies from my Jellyfin server that I loved and that seem less popular:
))<>((Jojo Rabbit is like if Wes Anderson and Leni Riefenstahl collaborated.
How did you like The Holdovers? I've been wanting to add that to my streaming queue
I loved it. It has a lot of heart and can be quite bittersweet at times. It's definitely one of my favorite movies I've watched this year.
Thanks for the suggestion! I think that's how I'd describe A man called Otto, and I love that movie
Sir! No, Sir! (2005, 1080p)
Sir! No Sir! is a documentary film about the anti-war movement within the ranks of the United States Military during the Vietnam War. It consists in part of interviews with Vietnam veterans explaining the reasons they protested the war or even defected. The film tells the story of how, from the very start of the war, there was resentment within the ranks over the difference between the conflict in Vietnam and the "good wars" that their fathers had fought. Over time, it became apparent that so many were opposed to the war that they could speak of a movement.
@original_reader I feel like no one talks about Deerskin, which was an excellent low-key comedy/horror/satire/weird-ass film from a few years back.
Executive Decision?
It depends on what "lesser-known" is to you, as we don't know how avid a movie watcher you are. But assuming you mean films that aren't necessarily obscure but aren't too mainstream, I'd suggest:
Wind River
The Handmaiden (Korean)
Incendies
Blue Ruin
Dersu Uzala (1080p, Eng subtitles)
Based on the work of the scientist and writer, famous traveler and explorer of the Far East V. Arseniev. The story of his friendship with the guide Dersu Uzala with extraordinary personal qualities. Their journey through the taiga-forest, full of dangerous adventures, is the plot of the film, but the meaning of the story goes far beyond the plot: it's a story about the brotherhood of people, that we are all children of the same land.
Year of production: 1975
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
Screenwriters: Yuri Nagibin, Akira Kurosawa
Composer: Schwartz Isaac
Cinematographers: Gantman Yuri, Dobronravov Fedor, Nakai Asakazu
Production Designer: Raksha Yuri
Cast: Yuri Solomin, Alexander Pyatkov, Maxim Munzuk, Vladimir Kremena, Svetlana Danilchenko, Suymenkul Chokmorov, Mikhail Bychkov, Dima Korshikov, Nikolay Volkov, Igor Sykhra, Janis Yakobson, Alexander Baranov
Prizes and awards:
1975 - FIPRESCI Prize at the IX IFF in Moscow
1975 - gold prize at the IX IFF in Moscow
1976 - "Oscar" by the American Film Academy in Los Angeles (USA) for the best foreign film
1976 - diploma of the II degree "for achieving the best results in the artistic, visual and technical solution of the film" at the I All-Union competition for the best use of domestic negative color films when shooting feature films
1976 - participation diploma at the XIV New York International Film Festival (USA)
1977 - Special Prize of the National Association of Screenwriters of Spain, for the best foreign film shown in the country
1977 - diploma of participation at the IFF in Brussels (Belgium)
1977 - honorary award to producer Krichevsky Georges (posthumously) at the IFF in Brussels (Belgium)
1978 - M. Munzuku French critics' award "for the best acting work"
1976 - diploma of participation at the IFF in Vienna (Austria)
1977 - International Cinema Prize "David di Donatello" (Italy) for the best foreign film shown in Italy
Didn't see Big Man Japan (2007) listed here.
Do you have a favorite genre?
Great question.
Not really. I'm a bit tired of the standard stuff we are given. So many movies seem sameish these days.
Will take a look at any and all suggestions that are... different or unusual or simply intriguing or... rare.
If you don't mind subtitles and you're okay for tucking in for a 40-hour marathon, I can highly recommend the Taiwanese drama series "Nirvana in fire"
It's a beautiful period piece with elaborate sets and wuxia fighting and political intrigue and drama upon drama upon drama as a man who was wronged wreaks his revenge against the royals who wronged him.
It won many awards but because it's in Mandarin it never made it over to the states, it's probably one of the best television shows I have ever seen in my entire life.
Rustlers Rhapsody. A comedy western that mixes eras and has a genre savvy protagonist.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cIE1fT395HM
Detective Heart of America: The Final Freedom is a comedy film that will either be the funniest thing ever or an absolute cringefest, depending on your opinion of Jason Steele's brand of humor. There is no in-between. It's available to watch for free on YouTube, or whatever alternative frontend you use.
Jason Steele, AKA FilmCow, you may recognize from YouTube series such as Charlie the Unicorn or Llamas with Hats. Yeah. That guy. Imagine 70 minutes of that.
The film is a sequel to a pair of 4 minute long shorts (here and here). The film contains characters from these shorts and references events from them. So watching the film without watching the shorts first leads to some characters showing up out of nowhere with unexplained details. But that's how every other character in the movie is, so... whatever, lmao.
I still recommend watching the shorts first. If nothing else they can serve as an appetizer for you, to decide whether or not it's your cup of tea. The film is the same vibe as the shorts, just longer. If you hate the shorts you will despise the film.
It's unironically my favorite film, so, I hope you get some amusement out of it. But if you bounce right off, I won't be surprised. If you like it, enjoy quoting every line of it for the next month. If you hate it, sorry for wasting your time.
I few are talking about lesser-known movies then
Gloria Bell
The movie is a remake of a 2013 film and is directed by the same guy who made the original.
It's about a middle-aged woman living in LA (or it New York? Idrc) and dating.
The reason it's one of my fav movies of all time is that Julianne Moore gives a performance that is so human that you can see yourself and everyone else and all our normal human experiences in just one woman who is living her life and dating, it's a beautiful experience.
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
https://youtu.be/ytA4_dI2mjc?si=9ds_I5_w39-Yphoz
I enjoyed it, it's an artsy Japanese film directed by Paul Schrader who wrote Taxi Driver. Unique and engaging film that touches on gender roles and fighting for "valiant causes."
I liked the cinematography and how they wove the chapters together.
Oh goodness, too many to count: Boy Kills World, I Saw The TV Glow, American Fiction, Kalki 2898-AD, Leave The World Behind, Dirty Girls, and I didn't love it but I think The Beast/La Bete is worth watching as well for its stunningly accurate depiction of what it's like to be lonely while in love and how that affects both men and women over time.
Ruben and Ed. It stars Crispin Glover and Howard Hesseman.
As a side note, it was filmed entirely in Utah and, at the time, I actually lived in the apartment building (not the unit) they used when filming.
If you like animation you have to see Son of the White Mare. It's a gorgeous and elegant retelling of traditional Hungarian fairy tales with clever nods to a modern psychedelic sensibility.
Dororo Based on a Manga from the '60s, the story is about a boy that has to slay a bunch of different demons to reclaim pieces of his body that were stolen from him at birth. It's a rather silly movie, and I found it to be a fun journey.
Swept Away and really anything else those two co-stared in.
The Kings Of Summer
Coming-of-age comedy about three teenage friends -- Joe (Nick Robinson), Patrick (Gabriel Basso) and the eccentric and unpredictable Biaggio (Moises Arias) - who, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a house in the woods and living off the land. Free from their parents' rules, their idyllic summer quickly becomes a test of friendship as each boy learns to appreciate the fact that family - whether it is the one you're born into or the one you create -- is something you can't run away from.
Wake in Fright.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067541/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
An Aussie movie from the 70's that was thought lost until a print was discovered and a restored version was released.
I'm not going to spoil it, it's well worth a look but there are scenes of a real-life kangaroo hunt which might put some people off.
A Man for All Seasons. Excellent legal drama and look into the birth of the Anglican church.
Thunderpants.
I give you lesser known movies that also have popular actors! (And I think they're very good)
"With Honors"
"Renaissance Man"
"Regarding Henry"
Late to the party but didn't see it listed yet.
Chumscrubber
"But, it's for school..."
Shows how wrapped up people become in their own stories they become totally disconnected from what's happening around them. Sheriff doesn't realize his son is kidnapped Bunch of teens run around with a kid they've kidnapped, even tell one of their moms, who gets too wrapped up in who his mom knows to take it seriously.
Jamie Bell, Camilla Belle, Justin Chatwin, William Fichtner, Allison Janney, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Carrie-Anne Moss, Rita Wilson, Rory Culkin
We saw it back when it was "new to dvd" desperate to see something new at the time, and have gone through a couple copies now because it doesn't come back when we lend it out. Happy to spread it though!
Stay 2005
Volcano (1997) - It is a brilliant 90's version of a classic 50's disaster flick. One thing after another, never letting up, and all of so catastrophic as to defy belief; and yet suspension of disbelief is maintained. It is quite possibly the most 90's movie ever made. The writing is solid, there's very little cringe, and the practical effects are amazing. This movie would look completely different if made today, and would probably suck.
High Fidelity
It's just a very weird romantic comedy that works for people who don't like romantic comedies.
If you liked Napoleon Dynamite, you will probably enjoy rainbow time.