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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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:
- The twist is perfect.
- Even after the reveal, it’s just so dang fun and hilarious.
- Horror movies with a deep respect for life are often the best horror movies. Tucker and Dale has that, even if in a stupid goofy way.
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.
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!”
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.
Upgrade (Cyberpunk movie from Australia)
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?
The Nice Guys
This movie drove me crazy
spoiler
Everyone they are supposed to help and save, gets killed, but they play it off like a victory
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.
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 loveRocknrolla 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!
Agreed! I honestly not sure which was the most messed up of all the revelations
I quote In Bruges anytime I get angry at an inanimate object lol
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
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.
Wong Kar-Wai’s films, particularly his 90s Hong Kong vibes of Chungking Express and its spiritual counterpart Fallen Angels.
The question was about “lesser-known movies”, but Wong Kar-Wai and his movies are (for obvious reasons) very well-known.
I saw Snowpiercer on another comment so I assumed we were scraping the surface lol
Fantastic! If that’s the level for lesser known then you’re perfectly right, most of the world’s most celebrated, successful and influential filmmakers then certainly count as lesser known.
Tomorrowland
I’m so glad I watched this movie before reading reviews.
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/
My favorite: Stranger than Fiction
Also, Fandango, Passengers, Life or Something Like it, Birdy, Home Office
Some can be hard to find.
