I'm sure everyone has favorite movies, that when brought up in conversation, people stare at you. They don't have big stars, didn't do well at the box office or are just forgotten about. This is just a small list of favorite movies that I feel are highly underrated. Just my opinion and you may or may not agree. May Contain Spoilers: Although, I will do my best not to ruin anything.
Requiem For a Dream (2000, Darren Aronofsky)
One of the more misunderstood movies in recent memory. It's not just a drug movie...it's a lot more than that. We all have dreams in life. Imagine, working towards those dreams and getting within reaching distance...so close you can taste it. You just need a little more time or that one last thing, but you don't quite get there. Not only don't you get there, you're worse off than when you started...not only worse off, but your life has completely changed, you don't know what happened, who you are anymore and most importantly, how you got there. In a vague nutshell, this is our story.
Fletch (1985, Michael Ritchie)
Possibly, Ok let's get real here...EASILY, Chevy Chase's best role. Most movies that Chevy have been in are ensembles or his role is as a supporting character. Some would say Clark Griswold in the "Vacation" movies is his best role and it's hard to disagree with, but I'm about to. Clark is a moron and Fletch is a genius. Did I convince you? No? I'm not really trying to, as it's clearly personal preference. I do stand by my statement. Irwin R. Fletcher, is an investigative journalist, quick with a quip and great with the ladies, so he'd have you believe. It's a well written movie, with smart dialogue, a good story and a very strong supporting cast. It's also something that is very rare with a Chevy Chase movie...it's funny.
The Game (1997, David Fincher)
What do you get a man that has every possession one could want or buy? Life. That's pretty much the premise to the movie. Michael Douglas' brother, played by, Sean Penn, get's him a birthday present he'll never forget. This is a classic thriller. You're on the edge of your seat the entire time, trying to figure out what to do next. The movie is very smart from top to bottom. Well acted, which you would expect from heavyweights like Douglas and Penn. I love the way David Fincher tells a story. His style is very evident in this movie. It did well at the box office, but it's not one of those movies that get's talked about often. The same could be said for our next film.
Ronin (1998, John Frankenheimer)
Action...you want action? 80 cars were destroyed making this film. There is one of the best car chases in the history of action movies in this film. Plus, Robert DeNiro isn't in the mob. It did do decent at the box office, like The Game, but again is never really talked about. The cast is really top notch, although you might not know their names, you'll definitely recognize all of them. David Mamet helped with the writing of the screenplay, but he did so under an assumed name. Ronin is more than just a shoot 'em up action flick. You do have to pay attention to what's going on, as there is a lot of espionage and it's hard to pinpoint who is on what side? Also, a great movie to watch if you have a home theater.
Grandma's Boy (2006, Nicholaus Goossen)
What can I say about this movie? If you took Animal House and added Cheech and Chong, you'd be off to a good start. This movie did so horrible at the box office, I didn't even know it was released. I stumbled upon this one day flipping channels. I laughed so hard, that I went out and bought it later that same day. It's that funny, but it's specific funny. Video game, comic book, geek humor and for good measure, drug humor. I could see if you aren't into any of that, you'd find this movie dumb, crass or rude. Nick Swardson (Jeff), who co-wrote the movie with Allen Covert (Alex), is just brilliant and really makes the movie. It's a great escape film. Turn the brain off and laugh for awhile.
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