Underrated Movies
Whether they are dated, lack critical acclaim, are forgotten by the masses, or are simply misunderstood, some movies are just plain underrated. Here are my picks for movies that are under appreciated more than any others.
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- DirectorGeorge SidneyStarsDick Van DykeAnn-MargretJanet LeighA rock singer travels to a small Ohio town to make his "farewell" television performance and kiss his biggest fan before he is drafted.Although it sports a dashing 100% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, Bye Bye Birdie's acclaim ends quickly thereafter. The critics say that the film is "dated, but lovable," which is true, but despite its dated tone, Birdie is an underrated classic with the kind of charm that one just doesn't see anymore in modern filmmaking.
- DirectorDon BluthStarsElizabeth HartmanDerek JacobiDom DeLuiseTo save her ill son, a field mouse must seek the aid of a colony of rats, with whom she has a deeper link than she suspected.Head's up, there's going to be a good bit of animation on this list. Anyway, Don Bluth left Disney at age 41, took 18 other animators with him, and went on to make several animated films and even the successful and revolutionary video game, Dragon's Lair. However, The Secret of NIMH is his masterpiece, and although it's filtered with a rather creepy undertone, it is still a great feature with beautiful animation.
- DirectorJack ClaytonStarsMary Grace CanfieldRichard DavalosJake DengelIn a small American town, a diabolical circus and its demonic proprietor prey on the townsfolk.If you like this movie and haven't read the novel, you ought to read it because it is absolutely fantastic. Something Wicked actually spawned from a situation not unlike the composition of 2001: A Space Odyssey, where the novel was actually written after the screenplay. As a matter of fact, Bradbury pitched the film to Gene Kelley, who was working on Singin' in the Rain at the time, and he turned it down due to his overbearing schedule and urge to stay out of the horror genre. Nonetheless, thirty-one years later, Disney released the film, and to this day, it remains, in my opinion, one of the studio's best live-action films that is adequately acted, interestingly directed, and sports a stellar production design above all else.
- DirectorBarry SonnenfeldStarsAnjelica HustonRaul JuliaChristopher LloydCon artists plan to fleece an eccentric family using an accomplice who claims to be their long-lost uncle.Ironically, critics actually preferred the sequel to this film (Addams Family Values) over the original. The reason for that is the fact that the sequel succeeds more in being a straight-up comedy, but the original is a more adequate Addams Family movie, and if you're a dedicated Addams fan like me, you'll enjoy the original over Values too. Plus, if you aren't familiar with the completely original Broadway show of the same name, you're missing out, as it is possibly the best re-imagining of the original cartoon.
- DirectorHarold RamisStarsBill MurrayAndie MacDowellChris ElliottA narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day.Ah, good old Harold Ramis. This film is tied 8.1 with Perks of Being a Wallflower for the highest IMDb rating. Nonetheless, it is still highly under appreciated by critics and viewers alike. Ramis's other works like Ghostbusters and Caddyshack are what mainly give him his claim to fame, but I think, out of all of them, Groundhog Day is the best, and is what I would call one of the best films ever. It took the number 1 spot on my list of the Top 50 Fantastical Movies of All Time, and has a certain kind of wit and humor that's just inexplicable through text. On that note, go watch it yourself and see what I mean!
- DirectorBrenda ChapmanSteve HicknerSimon WellsStarsVal KilmerRalph FiennesMichelle PfeifferEgyptian Prince Moses learns of his identity as a Hebrew and his destiny to become the chosen deliverer of his people.Dreamworks' 2-D animation library is often forgotten, along with this film. This endearing musical wonder is a very unique movie, and it is right up there with The Ten Commandments as one of the best Biblical movies of all time.
- DirectorBrad BirdStarsEli MarienthalHarry Connick Jr.Jennifer AnistonA young boy befriends a giant robot from outer space that a paranoid government agent wants to destroy.Unbeknownst to most viewers who don't watch the credits, this film was written and directed by none other than legendary animation mogul Brad Bird, who went on to work among the other luminaries at Pixar. Not unlike his other films, Iron Giant is among the more mature animated films, without being a straight-up "adult" film like The Simpsons Movie. It achieves this by using subtle language, a well-stocked cast, and a no-holds-barred story. With a rather blatant gun-control theme, Iron Giant proves to be an endearing oddity, which some say will go on to be appreciated in retrospect like It's a Wonderful Life.
- DirectorBibo BergeronDon PaulJeffrey KatzenbergStarsKevin KlineKenneth BranaghRosie PerezTwo swindlers get their hands on a map to the fabled city of gold, El Dorado.The Road to El Dorado was called "The Most Underrated Kids Movie of All Time" by internet raters WatchMojo.com. I disagree because I don't personally see it as a kids movie. Therefore, its formula adds up to the perfect storm: mature filmmaking, non-Disney animation, and marketing towards children when it possibly shouldn't have been. Nonetheless El Dorado makes do with a quirky story, funny script, and the rare quality of knowing when to be animated and when not to be.
- DirectorShawn LevyStarsBen StillerCarla GuginoRicky GervaisA newly recruited night security guard at the Museum of Natural History discovers that an ancient curse causes the animals and exhibits on display to come to life and wreak havoc.
- DirectorGil KenanStarsMitchel MussoSam LernerSpencer LockeThree teens discover that their neighbor's house is really a living, breathing, scary monster.This film was actually produced in-part by none other than Steven Spielberg, and was directed by the great Robert Zemeckis! However, it wasn't produced by Disney, so no one cared. But despite all that, this is a very unique fantastical tale told through the eyes of the middle-school-aged DJ. What makes the film unique is its nods to the past through a B Horror Movie production design and a capitalization on growing up through the early teen years--both of which (20th Century filmmaking and adolescence) are often ignored by animators. Therefore, it is a good-nature Halloween cult classic enjoyed by hipsters and animation gurus alike.
- DirectorHenry SelickStarsDakota FanningTeri HatcherJohn HodgmanWandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, an 11-year-old Coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life. In order to stay in the fantasy, she must make a frighteningly real sacrifice.
- DirectorChris ButlerSam FellStarsKodi Smit-McPheeAnna KendrickChristopher Mintz-PlasseA misunderstood boy takes on ghosts, zombies and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse.
- DirectorStephen ChboskyStarsLogan LermanEmma WatsonEzra MillerCharlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.
- DirectorTom HooperStarsHugh JackmanRussell CroweAnne HathawayIn 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives forever.
- DirectorBaz LuhrmannStarsLeonardo DiCaprioCarey MulliganJoel EdgertonA writer and wall street trader, Nick Carraway, finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his mysterious millionaire neighbor, Jay Gatsby, amid the riotous parties of the Jazz Age.
- DirectorJohn Lee HancockStarsEmma ThompsonTom HanksAnnie Rose BuckleyAuthor P.L. Travers reflects on her childhood after reluctantly meeting with Walt Disney, who seeks to adapt her Mary Poppins books for the big screen.
- DirectorTate TaylorStarsChadwick BosemanNelsan EllisDan AykroydA chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.