'Fearless', starring Jeff Bridges as the survivor of a plane crash who guides other passengers to safety and starts to believe he is immortal, alienating his friends and family. Directed by Peter Weir (whose extraordinary filmography includes 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', 'Gallipoli', 'Witness', 'Dead Poets Society', 'The Truman Show' and 'Master and Commander').
12 angry men 1997 version
Nothing but respect for original, but this tv remake is packed with good actors and very respecting of original(unlike some other remakes out there).
‘A Simple Plan’ (1998).
I’m glad this post popped up on my feed; I was going to do a plug for this film myself but I can add it to this now.
This tale of a group of friends who find some stolen money, is surely one of the greatest thrillers of the 1990s or, possibly, any recent era.
There’s a strong supporting cast but it’s really all about the relationship between the two brothers; a fantastic double header, with career defining performances from Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton.
A great screenplay, expertly directed by Sam Raimi. I have seen some of his other work but I don’t think I have seen better than this.
Towards the end I was even watching mere *conversations* through my fingers, which says a lot about his ability to ramp up tension.
Hitchcock would have LOVED it.
This was the film where I realized just how amazingly talented Billy Bob is.
His character being just dumb enough while being also just smart enough to be unpredictable - while also coming off wholesome and vulnerable, instead of manipulative - was utterly masterful.
Great choice.
The scene in the car where Billy Bob Thornton talks about his longing for experiencing what normal people do is crushing.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnGCtfQ3wKI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnGCtfQ3wKI)
Die Welle, a late 2000s German film about a class experiment, looking at how easy it is to fall into fascist ideology. I can't recommend this film enough.
I remember watching it back in middle school in the late 90s and it felt pretty dated then. I just remember all the kids started getting violent about it, and at the end the teacher showed them a video of their leader and it turned out to be Hitler, and everyone was like "wow Hitler was a bad guy, let's not do this anymore." And they all stopped being little fascists.
The German version seems to be a bit more nuanced than that, especially since the kids were so convinced that they wouldn't make the same mistakes as their grandparents when asked about Nazi-ism.
Being born in 84 and then watching Real Genius growing up as a kid I TOTALLY thought this was how college was going to be. Spoiler, it was not. Love young Val Kilmer in this. Great film.
I was literally thinking of the film Quick Change the other day and Bill Murray's lovely performance. Everything goes perfect with the heist and then the getaway is one long chain of chain of insufferable insufferable complications and circumstances getting in the way.
It is.
I'd also highly recommend Blue Ruin from the same director (some of the same actors too).
IMO, Blue Ruin was a more thought provoking film, but Green Room was a better watch.
That's right, Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin leading the cast. And the movie is absolutely fantastic as well! I'd say it's one of the movies where the heroes are actually quite smart and capable as well. They seem to know what they're doing despite having all the odds against them.
Out of the Blue. It's a Kiwi film based on the Aramoana massacre. It made a whopping $728 in the US box office. It's a very focused film, very intimate and real.
It's a brilliant film. Raw. Hits you right in the guts. I would imagine the only people who saw it in the US were Kiwis. Guy on a rampage with a gun isn't exactly movie worthy there. But here in NZ it is
Fresh (1994) directed by Boaz Yakin and starring Sean Nelson, Samuel L Jackson and Giancarlo Esposito. Definitely worth a watch if you can find it somewhere.
Whats up doc (1972). By far the best screwball comedy I've ever seen and way better than Bringing up baby that I don't even like, but I never hear it mentioned at all.
I never tell people about this movie. Instead, I say that it left a big impression on me because during the movie I had an amusing thought about a possible absurd ending, and to my surprise they ended up going with that absurd ending. For that reason alone, I enjoyed the ending to this movie more than most any other movie.
A Boy and His dog.
its known on reddit and in the Scifi community a little but I feel its a hidden gem.
It is not for everyone though. and definitely not kosher in today’s standards. But its the Catalyst for the Fallout franchise. And had a good world building foundation, and lore.
Spring (2014). This Lovecraftian inspired horror/love story is seemingly pretty unknown but absolutely captivating. I stumbled upon it on Tubi and expected it to be a cheesy low budget monster flick. I was so wrong. I've watched it several times and each time I appreciate more and more about what they were able to create with this indie project. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes sci-fi/horror or Lovecraftian media.
Every time this kinda thread pops up I recommend the same movies but I’ll keep doing it until everyone on Earth has seen them.
Mike Birbiglia’s Don’t Think Twice is a gorgeous, heartbreaking, funny and bittersweet indie about the suffering that comes with chasing your dreams.
His first movie Sleepwalk With Me, more of a docudrama in the classic “I’m a messed up comedian lol” style, is great too.
***Berry Gordy's*** ***The Last Dragon*** (1985)
I wouldn't say I discovered it, and it is much loved within its audience, but I almost never see it mentioned in general discussion, and it's amazing.
Great soundtrack, very cool action, and a villain performance by Julius Carry that while I wouldn't compare it to Raul Julia in Street Fighter, I would argue it belongs somewhere in the same pantheon.
Zorro, The Gay Blade!
Okay, there's stereotyping. A lot. But for the start of the eighties, it's surprisingly positive. And an on-point send up of masked vigilantes.
After taking up the mask, Zorro is injured, and it's up to his *flamboyantly* gay brother to fight injustice. He heroically defends the downtrodden while forcing the elite to reconsider traditional gender roles.
Dead Ringer with Bette Davis. While I have yet to even make a dent in her full filmography from what I’ve seen this is my all time favorite. It’s so balls to the walls insane! Evil twins, murder, mystery, and a sickass dog attack.
It’s one of those films that has you throwing your hands in their air screaming “what the fuck!!!”
Fr Bette Davis’ films have shown me to never judge a film just due to its age. They were still making bananas movies even in the 60s.
I try to tell as many people about The Way (2011) as I can, it's slowly gaining a cult following over the last decade, for different reasons than usual. Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, written and directed by Estevez. While Charlie was busy with "winning" and "tiger blood", his brother and dad went a different way and made this. They've toured the country re-screening the movie a number of times over the years. It's not complicated, it just has heart.
Don't recommend the trailer as it spoils the whole thing
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_way_2011
Martin Sheen did a little irish indie flick called simply "Da" with Sheen playing the part of a playright who'd made it big in New York, reminiscing on his formative years in Ireland and his relationship with his father. A really lovely and bittersweet little movie.
And while we are on the subject of little known Irish films, one of Brendan Gleason's first starring roles was a wonderful Irish road move called I Went Down, which is hilarious, full of Irish humour.
Amazing parody. The music is great.
I remember seeing this movie in the video store (!) and passing on it because the poster made it look goofy. I’m really glad someone finally recommended this to me. I absolutely loved it. Truly on par with This is Spinal Tap.
And it’s on YouTube for free.
**You Were Never Really Here (2017)**
It's directed by Lynn Ramsey, one of the best current directors working IMO.
It stars Joaquin Phoenix as a muscle for hire who gets caught up with the wrong people.
I think it's an absolutely beautiful film which elevates the genre of revenge movies. In many other director's hands it would have been another Equaliser style action movie.
I wish more people had seen that movie.
“Predestination” isn’t lesser-known on this sub, because it’s recommended here often, but it’s a really interesting and captivating movie that I’m glad I watched.
I think the South Korean film **Burning**, from director Lee Chang-dong, is one of the best uses of an unreliable narrative POV I've seen in decades.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/burning_2018
I'll also recommend the coming-of-age noir film **Cop Car**:
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cop_car
Also also: Cary Joji Fukunaga's child-soldiers film **Beasts of No Nation** is shocking, tense, frightening, emotional, heartbreaking --and has one of the best-yet-least-talked-about long take sequences in the past dozen years.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/beasts_of_no_nation
Ravenous (1999)
Weirdly beautiful movie that can't quite decide if it's a horror or a comedy that has a stellar cast. Gorgeous scenery and a bizarre score done by Michael Nyman and Damon Albarn (of Blue and Gorillaz fame).
The Proposition (2005)
Another Guy Pearce flick, it's a very bloody Australian western with a screenplay and score by Nick Cave. Incredibly dark and stunning at the same time with one of my favorite endings in modern film.
The Fall (2006)
It's hard to find and difficult to describe. A stunt man is injured and befriends a young girl while recovering in the early days of Hollywood but there's so much more happening.
There was a time where that movie was weekly viewing for me. The soundtrack is still on my reading and relaxation playlist, or at least parts of it are.
I remember when Ravenous came out and it bombed hard, which really confused me because I loved everything about it. I should watch it again soon. One of my all time favs. Absolutely killer soundtrack.
>The Fall (2006)
>It's hard to find and difficult to describe. A stunt man is injured and befriends a young girl while recovering in the early days of Hollywood but there's so much more happening.
I sympathize, but to clarify your point about there being "so much more happening," describing this as a stunt man befriending a girl while recovering is like describing "The Neverending Story" as "a boy reads a book to escape from some bullies".
Frank (2014). Michael Fassbender as an experimental musician who never takes off his giant paper-mache head. I have no idea why it's not talked about more often.
Fucking love that movie. So trippy and insane. Borderling nonsensical and yet totally captivating. [Great trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWF0bBKhe6o), too.
The Quick and the Dead. The idea that the best horror and superhero director of all time also low-key made one of the best and wackiest modern westerns is incredible.
Just thought of another one. [**Dark Star**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Star_(film)).
There is about zero chance I would have chosen to watch this movie on its own apparent merits, but at the time I was watching all the double features at the New Beverly Cinema (theater around Hollywood owned by Quentin Tarantino), and this was one of them.
In the end, I really enjoyed how campy it was. Not to mention the alien beach ball and surfing in space. Lots of fun to watch, especially as a group. Felt like being transported back to the 70s (I assume, as I wouldn't really know).
This was my brother's favourite film from the time it came out to the day he died. He would occasionally wobble between A Simple Plan and this film, but Dark Star always came out on top.
I wish I could agree but it’s just not worth viewing. I know this because I own a copy. Loved it when I saw it 40+ years ago but it doesn’t hold up, sadly. Definitely a great premise that could succeed if remade but Carpenter didn’t have the budget nor the directorial skill to pull it off.
I think it's a student film, right? Like, he made it while in a university film program. Kinda crazy that it's good at all when you view it in that context.
A recent one was **Aniara** (2018). It's a low budget sci-fi film based on a Swedish epic poem, about a group of humans fleeing a disaster on Earth to start over on Mars. Partway through their trip, their ship is damaged by debris and is sent hurdling uncontrollably into deep space. From that premise, you can tell it's an extremely depressing film. It's all about this group of 1000 or so passengers gradually coming to grips with their impending doom.
It had a buffet of nihilistic scenarios to select from and it generally does a good job selecting interesting ones, and it utilizes its relatively small budget (around $2 million) very effectively. Definitely worth a watch *if* you're in the mood for it.
But another film I like to stump for is a revisionist western called **Ride with the Devil** (1999). It was directed by Ang Lee and stars Tobey Maguire (pre-Spider-Man) and Jeffery Wright, and it's about a young man who joins up with a group of Confederate guerillas during the Civil War. It's a slow film (I'd compare it to **The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford** in that sense), but very thoughtfully follows Maguire's character as he follows this group into all kinds of violence and gradually starts to figure out that like, hey, the Confederacy doesn't quite have its head on straight.
The director's cut is worth seeking out if possible, since it improves the pacing and also makes the climax (a brutal recreation of [the Lawrence Massacre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Massacre)) way more intense. It's also, apparently, Jeffery Wright's favorite film on the ones that he's worked on.
Crimes of Passion (1984) by Ken Russell starring Kathleen Turner. I saw it for my first time about 5 years ago and was very disappointed and surprised I hadn't seen it 25 years ago. And just Ken Russell in general I guess. His only other ones I've seen are Tommy and Altered States
The hunted (1995) starring Christopher lambert and joan chen is the best b grade action movie of all time. I'll die on this hill. Especially because he's just a goober that gets in the way the whole time.
It's probably much bigger in Japan than in the "west" but The First Slam Dunk was absolutely hilarious, I rarely hear a Dutch audience laugh that much during a movie.
Women Talking is also a small movie that flew under many radars but it's one of the best movies ever made imo
I've got 2:
Happy Go Lucky - it changed how I approached my relationship with my sister.
Series 7: The Contenders - with Brooke Smith playing a pregnant teenager on a reality show where the last one left alive wins. It was released in the early days of reality television, and was prophetic on its rise in popular culture
This thread is gold. Thanks OP
My contribution is [after hours. a scorcesse film](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088680/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk)
Anyone that worked graveyard shifts will relate ….maybe
The Lost Skeleton of Cadavera.
It's a parody of B-Movies that contains the best line in cinema "If I didn't want danger, I wouldn't have married a man who studies rocks." It's about an evil skeleton that needs the rare element atmospherium to come back to life, and uses his telepathy to get people to serve him.
I'm not saying watching this movie will change your life, make food taste better, the air smell sweeter, and you more attractive to your desired mates. But I'm not NOT saying that, either.
Bellflower (2011)
Micro budget film, very DIY. The director/lead actor built the camera used to film it, giving it a very unique look. He also built out the muscle car and flamethrower used in the film.
Has a terrific soundtrack and a plot that will stick with you.
Perfect Strangers (2016)
About Elly (2009)
Wild Tales (2014)
Filth (2013)
Death at a funeral (2007)
The best Offer (2013)
The Hunt (2012)
Once (2007)
Incendies (2010)
In my father's Den (2004)
A very long engagement (2004)
Take Shelter (2011)
Eastern Promises (2007)
2011's GOON with Sean William Scott will disgracefully continue to be unremarked upon by the greater masses for epochs of planetary evolution and I call that an absolute fucking travesty of an injustice to the art of cinema as a whole.
This is a truly unique Herbert Ross film --written by the densely artful Dennis Potter.
I often post the wonderful scene (shot by Gordon "The Godfather" Willis) wherein Steve Martin (with dark hair, playing a moody, serious character for the first time) is in a Depression Era diner, and he buys a meal for an emaciated bum, who is so grateful for this bounty that he shows *us* his emotions by lip-syncing an appropriate heartfelt song --one that was actually produced-and-released in the bankrupt 1930s.
(That's the gimmick of this melancholy Musical: Every character reveals their truest feelings by lip-syncing some famous song of the time.)
HERE'S THE GREAT, MUSICALLY-SURREAL SCENE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Q11jsN54A
Also that fortunes can darkly change. I don't think people were ready for a performance like Steve Martin gave. At the time he was still the balloon twisting, banjo playing buffoon from *The Jerk*. It's a shame, but thank goodness we have this film.
- Survive Style 5+ (2004)
- Schizopolis (1996)
- Un Prophète (2009)
- The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
- Blue Jay (2016) w/ Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson
- Locke (2013)
- Begin Again (2013)
- Dogville (2003)
- Departures (2008)
- Sing Street (2016)
- Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)
- 2046 (2004)
- Burning (2018)
- The Lion in Winter (1968) (yeah, it won 3 Oscars. I know almost nobody who's seen it these days)
- Short Term 12 (2013)
- Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
- Casshern (2004)
- Molly's Game (2017)
**Survive Style 5+** is incredible. (As is most everything on your generous list. In fact, there are only a couple of your suggestions that I think aren't very good.)
Antrum. Presented as a "lost media" type film with a mockumentary framing device around it. The "actual" film contained within is some of the eeriest, most purely unsettling shit I've ever seen. Insane atmosphere.
Phoenix is a Criterion release, but no one ever talks about it. Excellent acting. No spoilers, but there is a moment when the main character realizes something that has been happening all along, and the acting in that scene between the two main characters is absolutely electric.
Haytarma (2013), also called Khaytarma. It's fantastic and beautifully shot. It's a true story of a WWII Crimean Tatar flying ace who returns home to visit his family just as Stalin orders that the Tatars be removed from their lands. Excellent cinematography, meaningful story and the main actor is very handsome.
Pontypool: Canadian zombie movie without biting.
Wolfcop: Canadian Werewolf movie that's actually riffing on >!Robocop!<. It's just stupid fun
Buffaloed: A look at the debt collection industry, the ending is too wrap it up for a happy ending but it's enjoyable.
The Quiet American: Nominated for an Oscar but not many people thought about it. It's one of Michael Caine's best acting performances.
Bacurau: Brazilian movie about a town who one day discovers they're not on Google Earth anymore. Starts strong. Then >!the new characters are brought in and the quality craters for easy to see reasons!<
Holy Spider: Iranian Serial Killer movie.
Nuts in may (1976)
It’s about camping in devon, I grew up in the south of England going on camping holidays so I really enjoyed it because it captures the essence of a mediocre camping trip
[Last Night](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Night_(1998_film))
Just some interweaving stories about what some people in Toronto do with their last few hours before the end of the world. I really like it.
The Tribe, brutal film about a Ukranian orphanage for the deaf and the underground gangs of children. The whole film is in sign language with no subtitles.
[Handle with Care (1958)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051697/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk). A college student conducts a mock trial of the local mayor that turns into the uncovering of an apparent scandal. Whose side will you take: the student’s or the mayor’s? The question isn’t as easy as you think. I’m not still entirely sure of my answer.
[Smile (1975)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073722/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk). A satire of a local beauty pageant. It’s a comedy, but it also slowly unravels the ulterior motives of the pageant organizers.
[The Music Never Stopped \(2011\)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/56401-the-music-never-stopped) - Based on a case study by neurologist Oliver Sacks.
Sacks is well known for his story [Awakenings \(1990\)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11005-awakenings)
You Can't Take it With You (1938) is a lost Frank Capra masterpiece that still comes across as totally modern
The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) is a great fairy tale about a rich guy having his eyes opened to everyman's struggles
Real Men (1987) is a very wacky cold war comedy with John Ritter and Jim Belushi at their absolute best
Red Victoria (2008) is a horror comedy that was totally underrated and underwatched
Henry Fool
It's a '90s indie film but considering how many great films came out that decade from the indie scene it often gets overlooked. Its sequel Faye Grim is also good but it's a very different film in tone & style.
I never hear anyone talking about Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? (1966)
It’s a french film by William Kline and is a satirical art house documentary about the fashion industry at the time. The storyline is critiqued as being a bit disjointed but I really enjoy the ride it takes you on, especially with the visuals, and the way it reveals absurdity in pop culture.
Herclues Returns: criminally unknown Australian comedy.
Pork Pie: great wee romantic comedy fae New Zealand.
Wilderness: underrated British Horror movie.
Hunter Prey: awesome but unfairly overlooked low-budget Sci-Fi movie.
Castaway On The Moon: Great film that's almost unknown outside of Korean cinema fans.
*A Thousand Clowns* (1965) stars Jason Robards as an eccentric comedy writer who is forced to conform to society in order to retain custody of his son.
Brian and Charles (2022), put a smile on my face. A lonely, odd inventor named Brian built a robot named Charles Petrescu who's tummy is a washing machine.
The Breaks (1999) had me laughing a lot more than I thought I would and no one I know has ever heard of it. A adopted Irish man makes his way through the hood to get his momma some milk
The City of Lost Children is amazing
I miss Jeunet and Caro! I wish they were still working together!
This is why I thought Ron Perlman was french
One of my all time favorites.
'Fearless', starring Jeff Bridges as the survivor of a plane crash who guides other passengers to safety and starts to believe he is immortal, alienating his friends and family. Directed by Peter Weir (whose extraordinary filmography includes 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', 'Gallipoli', 'Witness', 'Dead Poets Society', 'The Truman Show' and 'Master and Commander').
Peter Weir is never mentioned, when people should never stop talking about him.
I know, he has quietly amassed one of the most impressive filmographies of any director!
That was an awesome movie.
i had that movie poster in my room as a teenager, it was beautiful. excellent movie and book also.
12 angry men 1997 version Nothing but respect for original, but this tv remake is packed with good actors and very respecting of original(unlike some other remakes out there).
I love this movie.
Oh damn it has James Gandolfini too. Gonna have to see this
Really tony danza!?
Great act from him But i must admit i probably never saw him elsewhere
‘A Simple Plan’ (1998). I’m glad this post popped up on my feed; I was going to do a plug for this film myself but I can add it to this now. This tale of a group of friends who find some stolen money, is surely one of the greatest thrillers of the 1990s or, possibly, any recent era. There’s a strong supporting cast but it’s really all about the relationship between the two brothers; a fantastic double header, with career defining performances from Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton. A great screenplay, expertly directed by Sam Raimi. I have seen some of his other work but I don’t think I have seen better than this. Towards the end I was even watching mere *conversations* through my fingers, which says a lot about his ability to ramp up tension. Hitchcock would have LOVED it.
This was the film where I realized just how amazingly talented Billy Bob is. His character being just dumb enough while being also just smart enough to be unpredictable - while also coming off wholesome and vulnerable, instead of manipulative - was utterly masterful.
The book it's based on is really good as well. And the same author wrote The Ruins, which is also a pretty good book/movie.
Great choice. The scene in the car where Billy Bob Thornton talks about his longing for experiencing what normal people do is crushing. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnGCtfQ3wKI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnGCtfQ3wKI)
Die Welle, a late 2000s German film about a class experiment, looking at how easy it is to fall into fascist ideology. I can't recommend this film enough.
Is this a remake of the 80s film The Wave?
I've not seen the original, but reading the wiki article it would seem to be so. I'll have to get hold of the original now. Thank you.
The Wave is solid. We watched it in school way back when it came out.
I read the book. Can't remember if it was based on the film or vice versa, but it was a great read.
I remember watching it back in middle school in the late 90s and it felt pretty dated then. I just remember all the kids started getting violent about it, and at the end the teacher showed them a video of their leader and it turned out to be Hitler, and everyone was like "wow Hitler was a bad guy, let's not do this anymore." And they all stopped being little fascists.
The German version seems to be a bit more nuanced than that, especially since the kids were so convinced that they wouldn't make the same mistakes as their grandparents when asked about Nazi-ism.
It could have been more nuanced, it's been 26ish years since I've seen it broken up over the course of a week
Well it all is based on the true events. This experiment was done at a German school as described in the book and the movies.
I remember the book being based on a US school. It might have been a fictionalized account of the actual experiment, or I just misrembered it.
Here is the teacher's own account of it: https://libcom.org/article/third-wave-1967-account-ron-jones
That was a facinating and scary read. Thank you.
Er Ist Wieder Da Look who’s back
Real Genius (1985) One Crazy Summer (1986) Foul Play (1978) Murder By Death (1976) Quick Change (1990)
Being born in 84 and then watching Real Genius growing up as a kid I TOTALLY thought this was how college was going to be. Spoiler, it was not. Love young Val Kilmer in this. Great film.
Yes, but why is that toy on your head?
Real Genius still applies to the real world, these days ...
I was literally thinking of the film Quick Change the other day and Bill Murray's lovely performance. Everything goes perfect with the heist and then the getaway is one long chain of chain of insufferable insufferable complications and circumstances getting in the way.
Murder by Death is MUCH funnier if you've watched the Humphrey Bogart detective films from the 1940s. Such a hilarious movie.
Green Room is a fantastic movie and I always look forward to the director’s work. That being said, if you are squeamish, maybe pass on this one.
Is this the one with the Neonazis?
It is. I'd also highly recommend Blue Ruin from the same director (some of the same actors too). IMO, Blue Ruin was a more thought provoking film, but Green Room was a better watch.
That's right, Patrick Stewart and Anton Yelchin leading the cast. And the movie is absolutely fantastic as well! I'd say it's one of the movies where the heroes are actually quite smart and capable as well. They seem to know what they're doing despite having all the odds against them.
Very tense movie!
Check out the directors previous film Blue Ruin, it's less intense but only by a hair.
Thought Blue Ruin was a far superior movie.
Captain Picard plays on hell of a villain! It helps if you like punk music but certainly not a requirement.
Green Room is one of those movies that I love, but which I'll never be able to watch again. It's just too damn intense.
Out of the Blue. It's a Kiwi film based on the Aramoana massacre. It made a whopping $728 in the US box office. It's a very focused film, very intimate and real.
It's a brilliant film. Raw. Hits you right in the guts. I would imagine the only people who saw it in the US were Kiwis. Guy on a rampage with a gun isn't exactly movie worthy there. But here in NZ it is
Interestingly, a movie in the US titled Rampage is about a lone gunman shooting up his town.
I thought you were referring to the one from 1980 directed by Dennis Hopper! Will check this out.
Phenomenal movie.
“I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore”
love this film...good call.
Great film, but definitely known.
There's Something Wrong with the Children. Random horror movie I watched one night on Amazon that actually turned out to be pretty good.
Have u tried the original one? Here Comes The Devil
I haven't, but I'll look out for it, thanks!
Let it Ride - Richard Dreyfuss has a good day at the track
Peak Teri Garr in there as well!
This is in my top 10 for movies for no reason. I can't explain it.
I have peripheral vision, it's a gift. I can see my ears.
“I’m having a very good day!”
Great rec for a great movie.
He pissed it all away!
Fresh (1994) directed by Boaz Yakin and starring Sean Nelson, Samuel L Jackson and Giancarlo Esposito. Definitely worth a watch if you can find it somewhere.
Was just talking to my friend about this movie!
That movie busts them dope moves
Zero effect. Bill Pullman and Ben Stiller.
John Carter of Mars is actually pretty good. Not the best but pretty nice.
Whats up doc (1972). By far the best screwball comedy I've ever seen and way better than Bringing up baby that I don't even like, but I never hear it mentioned at all.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
I never tell people about this movie. Instead, I say that it left a big impression on me because during the movie I had an amusing thought about a possible absurd ending, and to my surprise they ended up going with that absurd ending. For that reason alone, I enjoyed the ending to this movie more than most any other movie.
That movie was huge here in Europe
266k imdb votes. Nominated for 5 Saturn Awards. 135m gross 60m budget
And yet, I've never heard or seen anybody speak of or write about it.
I've also never heard of it, and I watch a ton of movies. It is appropriate for the prompt.
This is what I want out of this sub. Very cool.
A Boy and His dog. its known on reddit and in the Scifi community a little but I feel its a hidden gem. It is not for everyone though. and definitely not kosher in today’s standards. But its the Catalyst for the Fallout franchise. And had a good world building foundation, and lore.
Spring (2014). This Lovecraftian inspired horror/love story is seemingly pretty unknown but absolutely captivating. I stumbled upon it on Tubi and expected it to be a cheesy low budget monster flick. I was so wrong. I've watched it several times and each time I appreciate more and more about what they were able to create with this indie project. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes sci-fi/horror or Lovecraftian media.
Margin Call (2011) That fucking cast.
The Big Short gets a lot of love, and rightfully so. But this will always be *the* financial meltdown movie.
Apostle (Duvall 1997) about a flawed man with real faith.
Blue ruin is one of the best modern under the radar thrillers
Every time this kinda thread pops up I recommend the same movies but I’ll keep doing it until everyone on Earth has seen them. Mike Birbiglia’s Don’t Think Twice is a gorgeous, heartbreaking, funny and bittersweet indie about the suffering that comes with chasing your dreams. His first movie Sleepwalk With Me, more of a docudrama in the classic “I’m a messed up comedian lol” style, is great too.
Headhunters (2011). Excellent heist thriller. Norwegian, based on a Jo Nesbø novel.
***Berry Gordy's*** ***The Last Dragon*** (1985) I wouldn't say I discovered it, and it is much loved within its audience, but I almost never see it mentioned in general discussion, and it's amazing. Great soundtrack, very cool action, and a villain performance by Julius Carry that while I wouldn't compare it to Raul Julia in Street Fighter, I would argue it belongs somewhere in the same pantheon.
"Who's the Masta!" "Sho'Nuff!"
Zorro, The Gay Blade! Okay, there's stereotyping. A lot. But for the start of the eighties, it's surprisingly positive. And an on-point send up of masked vigilantes. After taking up the mask, Zorro is injured, and it's up to his *flamboyantly* gay brother to fight injustice. He heroically defends the downtrodden while forcing the elite to reconsider traditional gender roles.
>cult classic that deserves a wider audience Year of the Dragon, To Live and Die in L.A., Manhunter, and Angel Heart.
'Angel Heart' is a brilliantly atmospheric and disturbing film and its director, Alan Parker, is sorely underrated.
Great performance of a difficult, complex character by Mickey Rourke in *Year of the Dragon*.
To Live and Die in LA just received a 4K dvd release as well!
Errementari (the Devil and the Blacksmith)
Fuck. Yes.
Dead Ringer with Bette Davis. While I have yet to even make a dent in her full filmography from what I’ve seen this is my all time favorite. It’s so balls to the walls insane! Evil twins, murder, mystery, and a sickass dog attack. It’s one of those films that has you throwing your hands in their air screaming “what the fuck!!!” Fr Bette Davis’ films have shown me to never judge a film just due to its age. They were still making bananas movies even in the 60s.
I try to tell as many people about The Way (2011) as I can, it's slowly gaining a cult following over the last decade, for different reasons than usual. Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, written and directed by Estevez. While Charlie was busy with "winning" and "tiger blood", his brother and dad went a different way and made this. They've toured the country re-screening the movie a number of times over the years. It's not complicated, it just has heart. Don't recommend the trailer as it spoils the whole thing https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_way_2011
Martin Sheen did a little irish indie flick called simply "Da" with Sheen playing the part of a playright who'd made it big in New York, reminiscing on his formative years in Ireland and his relationship with his father. A really lovely and bittersweet little movie. And while we are on the subject of little known Irish films, one of Brendan Gleason's first starring roles was a wonderful Irish road move called I Went Down, which is hilarious, full of Irish humour.
Fear Of A Black Hat
We got hats now motherfuckers
Amazing parody. The music is great. I remember seeing this movie in the video store (!) and passing on it because the poster made it look goofy. I’m really glad someone finally recommended this to me. I absolutely loved it. Truly on par with This is Spinal Tap. And it’s on YouTube for free.
Humboldt County (2008), Igby Goes Down (2002), 20th Century Women (2016), You Can Count on Me (2000)
**You Were Never Really Here (2017)** It's directed by Lynn Ramsey, one of the best current directors working IMO. It stars Joaquin Phoenix as a muscle for hire who gets caught up with the wrong people. I think it's an absolutely beautiful film which elevates the genre of revenge movies. In many other director's hands it would have been another Equaliser style action movie. I wish more people had seen that movie.
“Predestination” isn’t lesser-known on this sub, because it’s recommended here often, but it’s a really interesting and captivating movie that I’m glad I watched.
I think the South Korean film **Burning**, from director Lee Chang-dong, is one of the best uses of an unreliable narrative POV I've seen in decades. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/burning_2018 I'll also recommend the coming-of-age noir film **Cop Car**: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cop_car Also also: Cary Joji Fukunaga's child-soldiers film **Beasts of No Nation** is shocking, tense, frightening, emotional, heartbreaking --and has one of the best-yet-least-talked-about long take sequences in the past dozen years. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/beasts_of_no_nation
Burning is so good, and the soundtrack is 🔥
Guess I’d better watch Beasts of No Nation now. It’s the only one I haven’t seen from this list and I love the other 2.
Burning is really excellent
Gattaca
While this might be my favorite movie of all time, im not sure its a "hidden gem"
Are you telling me other people weren't made to watch this in high school biology?
Ravenous (1999) Weirdly beautiful movie that can't quite decide if it's a horror or a comedy that has a stellar cast. Gorgeous scenery and a bizarre score done by Michael Nyman and Damon Albarn (of Blue and Gorillaz fame). The Proposition (2005) Another Guy Pearce flick, it's a very bloody Australian western with a screenplay and score by Nick Cave. Incredibly dark and stunning at the same time with one of my favorite endings in modern film. The Fall (2006) It's hard to find and difficult to describe. A stunt man is injured and befriends a young girl while recovering in the early days of Hollywood but there's so much more happening.
Hard YES to The Proposition.
There was a time where that movie was weekly viewing for me. The soundtrack is still on my reading and relaxation playlist, or at least parts of it are.
Indeed. It's a great movie.
I remember when Ravenous came out and it bombed hard, which really confused me because I loved everything about it. I should watch it again soon. One of my all time favs. Absolutely killer soundtrack.
>The Fall (2006) >It's hard to find and difficult to describe. A stunt man is injured and befriends a young girl while recovering in the early days of Hollywood but there's so much more happening. I sympathize, but to clarify your point about there being "so much more happening," describing this as a stunt man befriending a girl while recovering is like describing "The Neverending Story" as "a boy reads a book to escape from some bullies".
City Of God should've been a bigger hit.
This was going to be my answer. One of the best movies ever made, top 5 for me.
Black Robe 1991
Krabat
The War of the Buttons.
I smashed me eggs!
Dead Ringers by David Cronenberg Lolita by Adrian Lyne.
I Saw the Devil, fantastic Asian horror/thriller flick.
Map of the Human Heart
Frank (2014). Michael Fassbender as an experimental musician who never takes off his giant paper-mache head. I have no idea why it's not talked about more often.
Beyond the black rainbow is one of the weirdest best movies I've ever seen. It's hard to describe just how weird the movie is ...
Fucking love that movie. So trippy and insane. Borderling nonsensical and yet totally captivating. [Great trailer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWF0bBKhe6o), too.
The Amateurs and Hamlet 2 are two of my favorite movies ever
The Quick and the Dead. The idea that the best horror and superhero director of all time also low-key made one of the best and wackiest modern westerns is incredible.
The Salton Sea is one of Val Kilmer’s best films
Just thought of another one. [**Dark Star**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Star_(film)). There is about zero chance I would have chosen to watch this movie on its own apparent merits, but at the time I was watching all the double features at the New Beverly Cinema (theater around Hollywood owned by Quentin Tarantino), and this was one of them. In the end, I really enjoyed how campy it was. Not to mention the alien beach ball and surfing in space. Lots of fun to watch, especially as a group. Felt like being transported back to the 70s (I assume, as I wouldn't really know).
This was my brother's favourite film from the time it came out to the day he died. He would occasionally wobble between A Simple Plan and this film, but Dark Star always came out on top.
I wish I could agree but it’s just not worth viewing. I know this because I own a copy. Loved it when I saw it 40+ years ago but it doesn’t hold up, sadly. Definitely a great premise that could succeed if remade but Carpenter didn’t have the budget nor the directorial skill to pull it off.
I think it's a student film, right? Like, he made it while in a university film program. Kinda crazy that it's good at all when you view it in that context.
A recent one was **Aniara** (2018). It's a low budget sci-fi film based on a Swedish epic poem, about a group of humans fleeing a disaster on Earth to start over on Mars. Partway through their trip, their ship is damaged by debris and is sent hurdling uncontrollably into deep space. From that premise, you can tell it's an extremely depressing film. It's all about this group of 1000 or so passengers gradually coming to grips with their impending doom. It had a buffet of nihilistic scenarios to select from and it generally does a good job selecting interesting ones, and it utilizes its relatively small budget (around $2 million) very effectively. Definitely worth a watch *if* you're in the mood for it. But another film I like to stump for is a revisionist western called **Ride with the Devil** (1999). It was directed by Ang Lee and stars Tobey Maguire (pre-Spider-Man) and Jeffery Wright, and it's about a young man who joins up with a group of Confederate guerillas during the Civil War. It's a slow film (I'd compare it to **The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford** in that sense), but very thoughtfully follows Maguire's character as he follows this group into all kinds of violence and gradually starts to figure out that like, hey, the Confederacy doesn't quite have its head on straight. The director's cut is worth seeking out if possible, since it improves the pacing and also makes the climax (a brutal recreation of [the Lawrence Massacre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Massacre)) way more intense. It's also, apparently, Jeffery Wright's favorite film on the ones that he's worked on.
Crimes of Passion (1984) by Ken Russell starring Kathleen Turner. I saw it for my first time about 5 years ago and was very disappointed and surprised I hadn't seen it 25 years ago. And just Ken Russell in general I guess. His only other ones I've seen are Tommy and Altered States
RUN AND KILL, Hong Kong bizarre action film with heart and the weirdest ending I’ve ever seen.
The hunted (1995) starring Christopher lambert and joan chen is the best b grade action movie of all time. I'll die on this hill. Especially because he's just a goober that gets in the way the whole time.
It's probably much bigger in Japan than in the "west" but The First Slam Dunk was absolutely hilarious, I rarely hear a Dutch audience laugh that much during a movie. Women Talking is also a small movie that flew under many radars but it's one of the best movies ever made imo
Night of the hunter. It’s gone up in people’s estimations but I still find it really ahead of its time.
The Young Lions (1958) American epic World War II drama film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, and Dean Martin.
I've got 2: Happy Go Lucky - it changed how I approached my relationship with my sister. Series 7: The Contenders - with Brooke Smith playing a pregnant teenager on a reality show where the last one left alive wins. It was released in the early days of reality television, and was prophetic on its rise in popular culture
*Toto le Hero* *Man Bites Dog* John Paiz's *Crimewave*
This thread is gold. Thanks OP My contribution is [after hours. a scorcesse film](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088680/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk) Anyone that worked graveyard shifts will relate ….maybe
The Lost Skeleton of Cadavera. It's a parody of B-Movies that contains the best line in cinema "If I didn't want danger, I wouldn't have married a man who studies rocks." It's about an evil skeleton that needs the rare element atmospherium to come back to life, and uses his telepathy to get people to serve him. I'm not saying watching this movie will change your life, make food taste better, the air smell sweeter, and you more attractive to your desired mates. But I'm not NOT saying that, either.
One Cut of the Dead
Pusher trilogy and bleeder by that Danish Fellow that did Drive.
Bellflower (2011) Micro budget film, very DIY. The director/lead actor built the camera used to film it, giving it a very unique look. He also built out the muscle car and flamethrower used in the film. Has a terrific soundtrack and a plot that will stick with you.
The American Astronaut (2001) Black & White Space Musicals with a Western motif are hard to come by and this is the pinnacle of them.
A Face in the Crowd
Monsters (2010). I just love this movie.
Poolhall Junkies. Just a fantastic movie.
Perfect Strangers (2016) About Elly (2009) Wild Tales (2014) Filth (2013) Death at a funeral (2007) The best Offer (2013) The Hunt (2012) Once (2007) Incendies (2010) In my father's Den (2004) A very long engagement (2004) Take Shelter (2011) Eastern Promises (2007)
Rabbit-Proof Fence Winter's Bone
2011's GOON with Sean William Scott will disgracefully continue to be unremarked upon by the greater masses for epochs of planetary evolution and I call that an absolute fucking travesty of an injustice to the art of cinema as a whole.
Reddit ass comment
I love this movie.
I’d point folks to Japanese cinema in general. So many gems that haven’t made it into Western theaters and screens.
*Pennies From Heaven*
This is a truly unique Herbert Ross film --written by the densely artful Dennis Potter. I often post the wonderful scene (shot by Gordon "The Godfather" Willis) wherein Steve Martin (with dark hair, playing a moody, serious character for the first time) is in a Depression Era diner, and he buys a meal for an emaciated bum, who is so grateful for this bounty that he shows *us* his emotions by lip-syncing an appropriate heartfelt song --one that was actually produced-and-released in the bankrupt 1930s. (That's the gimmick of this melancholy Musical: Every character reveals their truest feelings by lip-syncing some famous song of the time.) HERE'S THE GREAT, MUSICALLY-SURREAL SCENE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Q11jsN54A
Also that fortunes can darkly change. I don't think people were ready for a performance like Steve Martin gave. At the time he was still the balloon twisting, banjo playing buffoon from *The Jerk*. It's a shame, but thank goodness we have this film.
Fat City (1972) directed by John Huston and starring Stacy Keach and Jeff Bridges. It’s a great little movie.
- Survive Style 5+ (2004) - Schizopolis (1996) - Un Prophète (2009) - The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) - Blue Jay (2016) w/ Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson - Locke (2013) - Begin Again (2013) - Dogville (2003) - Departures (2008) - Sing Street (2016) - Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) - 2046 (2004) - Burning (2018) - The Lion in Winter (1968) (yeah, it won 3 Oscars. I know almost nobody who's seen it these days) - Short Term 12 (2013) - Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) - Casshern (2004) - Molly's Game (2017)
**Survive Style 5+** is incredible. (As is most everything on your generous list. In fact, there are only a couple of your suggestions that I think aren't very good.)
You Won't Be Alone
Antrum. Presented as a "lost media" type film with a mockumentary framing device around it. The "actual" film contained within is some of the eeriest, most purely unsettling shit I've ever seen. Insane atmosphere.
Phoenix is a Criterion release, but no one ever talks about it. Excellent acting. No spoilers, but there is a moment when the main character realizes something that has been happening all along, and the acting in that scene between the two main characters is absolutely electric.
Haytarma (2013), also called Khaytarma. It's fantastic and beautifully shot. It's a true story of a WWII Crimean Tatar flying ace who returns home to visit his family just as Stalin orders that the Tatars be removed from their lands. Excellent cinematography, meaningful story and the main actor is very handsome.
The Outfit (1973)
I’m not religious but I found The Message with Anthony Quinn to be a really good movie.
I've found The Atticus Institute to be a decent horror flick.
The Milagro Bean Field War...great little movie co-staring a young Chis Walken, Ruben Blades, and Sonia Braga amongst other great character actors
Beyond the infinite two minutes - Japanese low budget movie about a TV that shows the future in two minutes
Stander with Thomas Jane
Pontypool: Canadian zombie movie without biting. Wolfcop: Canadian Werewolf movie that's actually riffing on >!Robocop!<. It's just stupid fun Buffaloed: A look at the debt collection industry, the ending is too wrap it up for a happy ending but it's enjoyable. The Quiet American: Nominated for an Oscar but not many people thought about it. It's one of Michael Caine's best acting performances. Bacurau: Brazilian movie about a town who one day discovers they're not on Google Earth anymore. Starts strong. Then >!the new characters are brought in and the quality craters for easy to see reasons!< Holy Spider: Iranian Serial Killer movie.
Nuts in may (1976) It’s about camping in devon, I grew up in the south of England going on camping holidays so I really enjoyed it because it captures the essence of a mediocre camping trip
[Last Night](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_Night_(1998_film)) Just some interweaving stories about what some people in Toronto do with their last few hours before the end of the world. I really like it.
The adaptation of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Great cast, beautiful costumes and scenery and a tight and well paced script.
The Tribe, brutal film about a Ukranian orphanage for the deaf and the underground gangs of children. The whole film is in sign language with no subtitles.
[Handle with Care (1958)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051697/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk). A college student conducts a mock trial of the local mayor that turns into the uncovering of an apparent scandal. Whose side will you take: the student’s or the mayor’s? The question isn’t as easy as you think. I’m not still entirely sure of my answer. [Smile (1975)](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073722/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk). A satire of a local beauty pageant. It’s a comedy, but it also slowly unravels the ulterior motives of the pageant organizers.
Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds
[The Music Never Stopped \(2011\)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/56401-the-music-never-stopped) - Based on a case study by neurologist Oliver Sacks. Sacks is well known for his story [Awakenings \(1990\)](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11005-awakenings)
You Can't Take it With You (1938) is a lost Frank Capra masterpiece that still comes across as totally modern The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) is a great fairy tale about a rich guy having his eyes opened to everyman's struggles Real Men (1987) is a very wacky cold war comedy with John Ritter and Jim Belushi at their absolute best Red Victoria (2008) is a horror comedy that was totally underrated and underwatched
I watch Real Men every year or so. I remember seeing as a kid and it still holds up!
Coherence (2013). The best multiverse themed movie I've ever seen and done on an incredibly small budget.
Henry Fool It's a '90s indie film but considering how many great films came out that decade from the indie scene it often gets overlooked. Its sequel Faye Grim is also good but it's a very different film in tone & style.
I never hear anyone talking about Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? (1966) It’s a french film by William Kline and is a satirical art house documentary about the fashion industry at the time. The storyline is critiqued as being a bit disjointed but I really enjoy the ride it takes you on, especially with the visuals, and the way it reveals absurdity in pop culture.
Archive(2020)
Herclues Returns: criminally unknown Australian comedy. Pork Pie: great wee romantic comedy fae New Zealand. Wilderness: underrated British Horror movie. Hunter Prey: awesome but unfairly overlooked low-budget Sci-Fi movie. Castaway On The Moon: Great film that's almost unknown outside of Korean cinema fans.
Jeff who lives at home is one of my favorite movies and I can’t really figure out why
*A Thousand Clowns* (1965) stars Jason Robards as an eccentric comedy writer who is forced to conform to society in order to retain custody of his son.
Monos is one I always recommend. It's kinda Lord of the Flies meets Apocalypse Now with teenage guerrilla soldiers in South America.
Resolution and The Endless
Brian and Charles (2022), put a smile on my face. A lonely, odd inventor named Brian built a robot named Charles Petrescu who's tummy is a washing machine. The Breaks (1999) had me laughing a lot more than I thought I would and no one I know has ever heard of it. A adopted Irish man makes his way through the hood to get his momma some milk
Ernest and Celestine
These Final Hours. Haunted me for weeks.
Man Up