OT: Good under-the-radar movies?

[Maple Leafs]

Hi folks... Given the volume of movie threads recently, I figured I'd fire this one out there: anyone have any recommendations for good movies that didn't get the big press treatment when they came out? We don't watch a lot of movies, partly because I always find myself wandering aimlessly around the video store looking for "something good". It would be nice to have a list of recent films that would be worth-seeing.

I'm not looking for the blockbuster types (mainly because if I haven't seen them yet, there's probably a reason), nor am I looking for obscure, artsy-fartsy international films. That's partly why I'm not just looking up some reviewer's guide: I find that many film critics go predictably gushy over obscure movies nobody seriously intends on ever watching.

I'm thinking in the range of Memento, Royal Tannenbaums, Being John Malkovich, Mulholland Drive... those sorts of movies. The kind that are worth seeing, but that you might forget about if you miss them the first time around.

[QuikSand]

I'd give a look at the first film I know of featuring Ewan McGregor, Shallow Grave. Its director, Danny Boyle, went on to do Trainspotting, but I thought quite a lot of this flick. Gets pretty good marks in the "cool" category, too, if I'm reading between the lines properly.

Here's Amazon's review from the link above:

Amazon.com

The first feature from director Danny Boyle, producer Andrew MacDonald, and screenwriter John Hodge (who went on to make the enormously popular Trainspotting, the not-so-well-received A Life Less Ordinary, and The Beach), Shallow Grave begins with three obnoxious roommates mockingly interrogating applicants who want to share their spacious flat. The guy they finally choose doesn't last long--they find him dead from a drug overdose along with a suitcase full of money that he no longer needs. They decide to keep the money; this of course requires that they discreetly dispose of the body, which proves to be a gruesome, traumatic business. They begin to suspect each other of betrayal and become increasingly deranged. The movie wants to be a satirical comment on the greed of British yuppies but is more an exercise in stylish paranoia, where the color of the walls matters more than why the characters behave the way they do. The clever cinematography and macabre humor make Shallow Grave worth watching, just don't expect to like anyone in it. Starring the very hip trio of Kerry Fox (An Angel at My Table, The Last Days of Chez Nous), Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, Velvet Goldmine, Star Wars: Episode I--The Phantom Menace), and Christopher Eccleston (Jude, Elizabeth). --Bret Fetzer

[Qwikshot]

Southern Comfort

[Travis]

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells as well as the 'sequel' Snatch are both great, um, alternative thinking movies.

[QuikSand]

Unless you arew dead-set against subtitles, give a look at Run Lola Run. It's a German film, but try to get past that... it's very engaging and clever, and the industrial music (yawn) actually adds a great deal to the movie, in my book.

Here's the Amazon review:

Amazon.com essential video

It's difficult to create a film that's fast paced, exciting, and aesthetically appealing without diluting its dialogue. Run Lola Run, directed and written by Tom Tykwer, is an enchanting balance of pace and narrative, creating a universal parable that leaps over cultural barriers. This is the story of young Lola (Franka Potente) and her boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu). In the space of 20 minutes, they must come up with 100,000 deutsche marks to pay back a seedy gangster, who will be less than forgiving when he finds out that Manni incompetently lost his cash to an opportunistic vagrant. Lola, confronted with one obstacle after another, rides an emotional roller coaster in her high-speed efforts to help the hapless Manni--attempting to extract the cash first from her double-dealing father (appropriately a bank manager), and then by any means necessary. From this point nothing goes right for either protagonist, but just when you think you've figured out the movie, the director introduces a series of brilliant existential twists that boggle the mind. Tykwer uses rapid camera movements and innovative pauses to explore the theme of cause and effect. Accompanied by a pulse-pounding soundtrack, we follow Lola through every turn and every heartbreak as she and Manni rush forward on a collision course with fate. There were a variety of original and intelligent films released in 1999, but perhaps none were as witty and clever as this little gem--one of the best foreign films of the year. --Jeremy Storey

[Chief Rum]

Gattaca--especially if you like real scifi. Great movie and a thinker, too. Not a space shootout.

CR

[MrBug708]

Boondock Saints?

Don't know how much press this got

"Is it dead?"

[Fritz]

I do not watch much TV, so I don't know what is well known.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin was a movie I enjoyed that none of my coworkers saw.

From Yahoo (because IMDB is DEAD)

"The idyllic beauty of Greece's Mediterranean coast has been invaded by Italy, bringing legions of soldiers to the once tranquil island of Cephallonia. Captain Antonio Corelli (Nicolas Cage), an officer with an irrepressibly jovial personality and passion for the mandolin, initially alienates a number of the villagers, including Pelagia (Penelope Cruz). The daughter of the village doctor, Pelagia is an educated and strong-willed woman, and while at first offended by the Italian soldier's behavior, she slowly warms to his certain charms as they are forced to share her father's home. "


In my opinion, Cage is overshadowed by nice acting from the supporting actors.

[Maple Leafs]

Thanks for the suggestions... keep them coming. Of those mentioned, I've seen Lock/Stock and Run Lola Run and enjoyed both. Snatch was so-so... for some reason it didn't grab me the way the others did.

Fritz, thanks for the suggestion of "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". The next time my wife is mad at me and insists on watching a chick movie as penance, I'll keep that one in mind.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Maple Leafs
Fritz, thanks for the suggestion of "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". The next time my wife is mad at me and insists on watching a chick movie as penance, I'll keep that one in mind.

it is a good tweener movie for couples

[Butter]

AUTO FOCUS was good if you like boobies.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by Butter_of_69
AUTO FOCUS was good if you like boobies.

We have a winner.

[CamEdwards]

Originally posted by Fritz
it is a good peener movie for couples

I knew it.

[Fritz]

an older movie I liked that flew under the radar was

Mischief

If you like the 80's teen genre then you should like this.

as I recall you get to see Kelly Preston naked (frontal) as a bonus.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by CamEdwards
I knew it.

don't make me post a link to the "twink" movie you did to earn money for barber school.

[Bee]

If you don't mind foreign flicks, The Visitors is a pretty good comedy.

[RonnieDobbs]

If anyone is a fan of philosophy or want a movie that REALLY makes you think, then you have to try Waking Life. It's done by Richard Linklater (Dazed & Confused, Slacker) and is a visually stunning movie. They filmed the movie (which basically just consists of characters talking) and then had animators animate the footage they had, which makes for an awesome, dream-like state to the movie. Don't say I didn't warn you though; it's kind of like sitting down and watching "Being and Nothingness:The Movie."

[Hands to the Face]

Pi

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Southern Comfort is a pretty good movie .
Tigerland is a good under the radar movie too ...Will Ferrell 's acting was pretty solid in the movie .

[Vince]

I'll highly recommend No Man's Land. Won best foreign film Oscar I think two years ago, about the crisis in Bosnia. You have to deal with subtitles, but well worth it, I think. From Yahoo:

Comedy and Drama
1 hr. 28 min. Ciki and Nino, a Bosnian and a Serb, are soldiers stranded in a trench between enemy lines during the Bosnian war. They have no one to trust, no way to escape without getting shot and a fellow soldier is lying on the trench floor with a spring-loaded bomb set to explode beneath him if he moves. With the two men stuck in a bizarre predicament, a frustrated UN sergeant tries to help, despite orders to remain at his post. When a journalist waylays the sergeant while pushing for an exclusive scoop, she affects the unfolding of events and turns a news story into an international circus. With the world's press waiting for an outcome, no one willing to take action (lest they accept responsibility) and a soldier still stuck with a bomb beneath him, Ciki and Nino try to keep their humanity amidst the insanity of war.

I was required to watch it for a history class called 'War and Society,' and it has quickly become one of my favorite movies.

[korme]

I second Lock, Stock.

Also see: Clerks, Saving Silverman (maybe not under the radar enough)

For some sports movies: Soul of the Game, 61, etc

[sianews]

I second Boondock Saints. One of the greatest undrerated movies ever. I believe they are even working on a sequel.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

The Emperor and the assassin is a pretty good film though .....a little dated but still pretty good and enjoyable martial arts movie .

[IMetTrentGreen]

bottle rocket, wes anderson and owen wilson's first feature film

also, princess mononoke and spirited away are good picks if you like anime

obviously, office space, if you've never seen it

and in foriegn news, the french film amelie is fantastic. i was also going to say run lola run, but that got mentioned

[DataKing]

Miracle Mile

[Draft Dodger]

My recommendation is Go

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by CHEMICAL SOLDIER
Southern Comfort is a pretty good movie .
Tigerland is a good under the radar movie too ...Will Ferrell 's acting was pretty solid in the movie .

I was about to recommend tigerland. But please, it's Colin Farrell that starred in tigerland, not Will Farrell!


I'll second Quik's recommendations of both Run Lola Run and Shallow Grave.

RonnieDobbs description of Waking Life is pretty much right on. Not a movie in the truest sense, but something pretty interesting. If you like to think about life, give it a shot.

[cthomer5000]

dola-

Originally posted by Draft Dodger
My recommendation is Go

I was really surprised with this movie. I expected a total piece of crap aimed at teenagers, but it turned out to be pretty funny and enjoyable.

I'll also third the recommendation of Boondock Saints. I thought it was pretty solid.

Anything directed by Wes Anderson (Rushmore, Bottle Rocket, Royal Tennenbaums) .

[CamEdwards]

how about Waiting for Guffman and Best In Show. Christopher Guest directed, they're improv comedies, and there's a new film of his out in theaters called A Mighty Wind if you like the first two. I think they're hysterical.

[Draft Dodger]

and I've added Boondock Saints to my Netflix queue.

[Easy Mac]

Dammit, me and and roommates have watched Boondock Saints for the past 11 days straight.

I third Go. Great movie.

I'd reccommend the 2nd half of best in show. The first half dragged, but that announcer (whats his name?) was hilarious.

[Arles]

I highly recommend Donnie Darko. It has some cameos (Drew Barrymore, Noah Wyle, and Patrick Swayze), but is mostly a cast of no-names. I won't try and describe it but it is a must-see.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...s=dvd&n=507846

Arlie

[Arles]

"Pass the Bitch" is another really obscure film. The artsy comedy independent type films usually aren't my bag, but I thought it was a pretty solid flick:

"A group of single guys meet for their weekly, all male, all-night poker game. One of the regulars invites a woman (Liz) to join and she turns out to be a very good player. Things get more complicated when two of the guys (Ty and Gordon) confide to a third (Andy) that they're having affairs with each other's girlfriends. The host (Bill) tries to keep his weekly ritual intact as it begins to crumble around him."

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0119139

Arlie

[Joe Stallings]

Two movies for your viewing pleasure. The first is The Hotel New Hampshire. "Veers between brilliance and banality with an almost manic enthusiasm." "Bizarre cult movie about Family, Incest, Rape and a beautiful girl on a bear costume!"

Stars Rob Lowe and Jodie Foster. Not to be missed. As a bonus, you can get it at Wal-Mart for 7 bucks.



The second is South of Heaven, West of Hell. Surreal, darkly comic and violent "post-modern" western is one of the best flicks I've seen in years. You'll either love it or hate it.

[Draft Dodger]

what - you 400 guys only travel in pairs now?

[Arles]

It's hard job propping Joe up, but someone has to do it.

Arlie

[Qwikshot]

Originally posted by Arles
I highly recommend Donnie Darko. It has some cameos (Drew Barrymore, Noah Wyle, and Patrick Swayze), but is mostly a cast of no-names. I won't try and describe it but it is a must-see.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...s=dvd&n=507846

Arlie

Good movie...the lead character may be replacing Maguire as Spiderman...

[thesloppy]

Originally posted by Arles
I highly recommend Donnie Darko.

Let me weigh in with a third hearty recommendation for Donnie Darko. If you went to high school in the late 80s, it will prbably ring true for you in some way, although to categorize it as a high school movie would be way off-base. Also, it's my personal opinion that reading too much about it beforehand would suck half the fun out of it, the less prior knowledge and preconceptions the better.

All gushing aside, Drew Barrymore gives the worst performance EVER in this movie, praise Jebus her role is small.


Another recommendation I haven't seen listed yet: American Movie

[Super Ugly]

Dude, Where's My Car?

[andy m]

Originally posted by RonnieDobbs
If anyone is a fan of philosophy or want a movie that REALLY makes you think, then you have to try Waking Life. It's done by Richard Linklater (Dazed & Confused, Slacker) and is a visually stunning movie. They filmed the movie (which basically just consists of characters talking) and then had animators animate the footage they had, which makes for an awesome, dream-like state to the movie. Don't say I didn't warn you though; it's kind of like sitting down and watching "Being and Nothingness:The Movie."

this is an awesome 'movie' indeed.

i'll add 'life is beautiful', and italian film that is both highly funny and darkly sad. the first half is kind of like amelie in it's twee-ness, the second half is reversed.

also 'mystery train' and 'night on earth' - both directed by the same guy and with neat premises. they are based on short stories. in mystery train they are all linked together (just) and it has the dead guy from the clash in it acting real badly, whilst night on earth is about taxi drivers in different parts of the world doing their job on the same evening. great stuff.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by thesloppy
Let me weigh in with a third hearty recommendation for Donnie Darko. If you went to high school in the late 80s, it will prbably ring true for you in some way, although to categorize it as a high school movie would be way off-base. Also, it's my personal opinion that reading too much about it beforehand would suck half the fun out of it, the less prior knowledge and preconceptions the better.

All gushing aside, Drew Barrymore gives the worst performance EVER in this movie, praise Jebus her role is small.


Another recommendation I haven't seen listed yet: American Movie

American Movie is awesome! Must see stuff.

[Bad-example]

Haiku Tunnel has been on cable lately and is a mighty funny movie.

Exotica is a pretty unconventional movie that I found very entertaining.

[Noop]

Boondock Saints I just watched this movie and I'm going to have to agree with others...this movie is a 10/10 simply amazing. I'll check out the other movies posted on here if I can find them.



noop

[moriarty]

I sort of liked the Brotherhood of the Wolves. I didnt' know anything about it until I rented it. It's a bit long, but has some good action in it.

[Qwikshot]

Wet Hot American Summer

An enjoyable movie featuring most of the members of the State...along with Janeane Garofalo (She's actually funny), David Hyde Pierce and a can of vegetables that becomes the vietnam vet turned cook's spiritual guide...

A movie with some very funny moments...not recommended for family viewing, kids watching, or as a date movie...

[Vince]

Originally posted by Super Ugly
Dude, Where's My Car?

Dude, Where's My Taste in Movies?

[Sloan]

I'll agree with:

Boondock Saints
Go
PI

and I'll add:

The Pledge http://us.imdb.com/Title?0237572
Jack Nicholson
Benicio Del Toro

I don't remember this movie getting too much press.

[PineTar]

I'll take any chance I can get to pimp the original Rollerball starring James Caan and John Houseman; featuring Robert Ito (Quincy fans unite!!). Weak story, but fantastic action sequences punctuated with wonderful classical compositions. Uncredited, but certainly lending credence to the film is Dick Enberg's play-by-play.

On a more contemporary note, does Rushmore count as an "under the radar" flick? I've seen Wes Anderson already credited in this thread for Bottle Rocket.

[Tekneek]

Go - very good, and has actually become one of my most favorite movies of all time. I've probably seen it about 50 times and my wife doesn't want to hear about it anymore. She says, "It's not really that funny."

American Movie: The Making of Northwestern - Great stuff. I just saw it the other night on IFC. Again, my wife was bored, though she did laugh a few times. She had wanted me to play a DVD right before the movie started...and an hour and a half later she gave up waiting. Does anyone know if this is a documentary, or a mockumentary? I am still stunned that Sony paid $1 million for it, is that really true?

Shallow Grave - Very good. It has been a really long time since I have seen it, though. I think of Ewan as a sell-out now, especially since he is reportedly turning his back on the sequel to Trainspotting. Enjoy some classic stuff here.

Run Lola Run - Got hyped up a lot. Saw it, and was mostly unimpressed until I got close to the end of the first time through. I do like it, but don't think I could watch this one as often as some of the others mentioned in this thread.

Bottle Rocket - I have to second that! I have seen it a few times on IFC over the years. A real classic. I should buy it, if it is still available. One of the funniest movies of all time, IMHO.

Mystery Train - I have not talked to anyone that has seen this movie before. Joe Strummer is the 'dead guy from the clash.' It is a crazy movie, but a good one.

The Young Poisoner's Handbook - A real dark comedy of sorts, but dramatic as well, I suppose. Supposedly based on a true story of a kid that poisoned his stepmother, friends, and ultimately co-workers. I had a hard time finding this one originally, and bought it from a video store that was closing back in 1999.

Bad Taste - Peter Jackson's first movie. It's a very funny movie, and used to be very hard to get in the US. Since he has become so widely accepted with his Lord of the Rings work, his earlier movies (which are not anything like LotR) are easier to acquire. Some other ones to look up and check out would be Meet The Feebles (think Muppets, if they all had real problems), and Dead Alive (aka Braindead in some parts of the world - a very funny bloody and violent movie - make sure you only bother with the unrated version as the R rated one is bad).

I don't know if Grosse Pointe Blank fits in the 'under the radar' area or not, but it is an underrated comedy/dark-comedy that I really like a lot. Any John Cusack fan who has not seen it should definitely check it out.

[andy m]

Originally posted by Tekneek
Mystery Train - I have not talked to anyone that has seen this movie before. Joe Strummer is the 'dead guy from the clash.' It is a crazy movie, but a good one.

hehe, i posted my message yesterday morning and my brain was totally asleep. i couldn't recall Joe's name for the life of me! :o

had you seen the other movie i mentioned by the same director, 'night on earth'?