There's a good chance you missed "Serenity" when it first played in theaters.
The adventure from Joss Whedon (of "Buffy" fame) is one of the best reviewed science fiction films of the decade so far (88% from the top critics at Rottentomatoes.com) yet it got lost at the box office on its initial release in 2005.
Well, here's another chance to catch it on the big screen. United Artists Circle Centre 9 will feature a special screening of "Serenity" on Thursday, August 13, to coincide with GenCon. Care to join me?
You can win a pair of free tickets just by posting your favorite underappreciated movie here.
I'll pick winners at random until the passes are gone.
Go...
The adventure from Joss Whedon (of "Buffy" fame) is one of the best reviewed science fiction films of the decade so far (88% from the top critics at Rottentomatoes.com) yet it got lost at the box office on its initial release in 2005.
Well, here's another chance to catch it on the big screen. United Artists Circle Centre 9 will feature a special screening of "Serenity" on Thursday, August 13, to coincide with GenCon. Care to join me?
You can win a pair of free tickets just by posting your favorite underappreciated movie here.
I'll pick winners at random until the passes are gone.
Go...
Back to Top
IBJ Conversations
28 Comments
Add Comment
Some underappreciated movies from last year would be a charming Israeli film called The Band's Visit, a powerful Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz movie called Elegy, and a cool French New Wave-ish movie called Reprise.
I have two under appreciated films to mention: Glory and Vanilla Sky.
Glory might have received recognition when it first hit the big screen - but it does not seem to receive the attention in big film lists that I think it deserves.
Vanilla Sky was an interesting story and thought a great acting job by Tom Cruise. Whatever folks say about his excentricities - I do believe the gentleman can act.
Check out this all-star cast:
Robert Redford
Dan Akroyd
David Strathaim
Sidney Poitier! (yes THAT Sidney Poitier)
River Phoenix
Mary McDonnell (Battlestar, Dances w/ wolves)
Ben Kingsley
Hackers, black ops, mafia. Just a great movie no one's ever heard of.
We now see them as mature adults who are not as naive but still have a warm place in the heart for each other and how life's challenges have brought to this point. The what ifs are explored but you get a sense of these two would have met again eventually as there is a true and honest connection.
I'd argue against Dan Akroyd as an all-star, but, yes, a fun, underrated movie
Kries,
Glory, it seems, has become a go-to high school history class film.
Jeremy,
Not sure which comedian said it, but one noted that if the story is never ending, how could there be a sequel?
Here are some of my underrateds:
* Chilly Scenes of Winter (aka Head Over Heels) -- If you liked (500 Days of Summer, try to find this, kind of the 70s version).
* ffolkes -- I was never a fan of the Roger Moore Bond films, but this is a fun Moore action flick. Of course, I haven't seen it in 20 years, so it might not hold up.
* Nighthawks -- My favorite Stallone film besides the original Rocky.
* Starship Troopers -- Takes more risks than just about any science fiction film I can recall. Disturbingly satiric.
* The Mist -- Another disturbing one that doesn't back away from its subject. The controversial ending probably cost it a following, but it's just right and unforgettable.
* Toy Soldiers -- Terrorists take over a private school for boys. It's been described as Die Hard meets Dead Poets Society. I'll take that.
* Miss Congeniality -- Not overly ambitious, but really fun. And Shatner sings.
* Go -- Easy to write off as another post-Pulp Fiction multi-plotline drug dealing film, but it moves.
* Stardust and Willow -- You can have the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I'll take either of this one-shot epic fantasies.
* Meet John Doe -- When you've seen It's a Wonderful Life or Mr. Smith Goes to Washington one too many times, try this underrated Capra (Conversely, I think It Happened One Night is overrated Capra.
* Holiday -- And when you've seen The Philadelphia Story or Bringing Up Baby a time too many, try this comedy should-be classic.
* Some Kind of Wonderful - For some reason, it doesn't have the status of The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, but this is a much more anchored, believable, better acted film from the John Hughes universe.
Lou
I know people rip it all the time and I've never understood why. It's a great performance by the two lead roles and a great job by the director/writer (Ben Stiller), but THE CABLE GUY would be my vote for underappreciated movie! I really don't think people get it (social commentary on people's media gluttony) or they were so hungover from Jim Carrey being the funny guy that this darker role for him wasn't appreciated. Watch it again and see what you think today vs. 10+ years ago!
There are two fantastic car chases in this movie, and while I have never seen it verified, I believe that Micheal Schumacher was one of the drivers for the final car chase.
For my underappreciated gem, I'll throw out another Verhoeven film: FLESH+BLOOD. It's a mostly forgotten but weirdly compelling film, not for the faint of stomach or the easily offended. It's a very strange mixture of epic, historical, satiric, and fantasy elements -- starring Rutger Hauer and Jennifer Jason Leigh. It's morally ambiguous and unflinchingly graphic in ways that probably wouldn't even get green-lit by a studio today.
I love the Firefly series, and I own both the series and the film. When [SPOILER EDIT--sorry, Lou] I felt like Joss had betrayed me. Lol Still... a great story.
BTW...can't make the screening of Serenity, but was fun to see the responses.
Two recent underappreciated movies: Coraline and Synecdoche New York.
I have Serenity on DVD, of course, but I'm all about congregating with other Browncoats. (BTW, Lou, it's actually Joss, not Josh, Whedon.)
Three movies that seemed to make little box office splash (if I recall) that I enjoyed were Near Dark, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and Fear of a Black Hat.