OT: - Movies you probably never heard of but ought to check out. | Page 5 | The Boneyard

OT: Movies you probably never heard of but ought to check out.

I do a little thing "Films Worth Viewing" it is into its second year. I preview/review films of all genres and times.
Some times they are films which are somewhat obscure: "I Served the King of England;" other times "Young Frankenstein" they are well known and well loved films worth revisiting. This week among other films I've discussed "The Italian Job" an excellent British Caper Film starring Michael Caine, Noel Coward, and Benny Hill.
This is available on Prime. Today I featured "Wattstax" a 1972 film ostensibly a concert film of Stax artists performing in LA as part of the Watts festival. It is more than a concert film; I called it a time capsule. This one streams for free on YouTube.
 
Probably someone has already mentioned Rashoman and The Seven Samurai. If not, they have now been nominated.
 
If you love Kurosawa, try the lesser known:"Ikiru", "Yojimbo (the template of Sergei Leone Film), "Ran" and "High and Low" are also very good. Since I mentioned Leone; check out "Once Upon a Time in the West" which Henry Fonda as a really bad guy and Bronson as a harmonica player. Even better watch the complete "Once Upon a Time in America."
 
The Bicycle Thief was good, but I think much better was “La Strada” (The Road) starring Anthony Quinn. Very moving, poetic, and what a performance by the female co-star!
 
I love the movie The Way, Way Back. You absolutely hate Steve Carrell from the opening scene throughout the movie. Sam Rockwell is hilarious and sweet as a summer boss and mentor to a teenager who is struggling to find his way.

Logan Lucky is a funny heist movie with Channing Tatum and Adam Driver. Daniel Craig is awesome as their explosives guy.

Diggstown is another movie that I love. It's about a con job and centers on boxing.

It's Kind of a Funny Story about a boy who must spend time in an adult mental ward after considering suicide is also pretty good.
 
WestsideWaltz said:
DeSica's "The Bicycle Thief (or Thieves" has earned its reputation. A relatively simple story of a man who searches for his badly needed bicycle that he uses for work. Although many of us older fans know it, it deserves to be rediscovered and for those who don't know it, I envy you for the discovery.
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It's heartbreaking, one of the toughest movies I've ever seen. I'll never forget the scene of the nuns grabbing the food away from a desperate, starving man.
 
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geordi said:
Two of my absolute favorites:
Somewhere in Time --- Eddie and the Cruisers
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Beaver Brown band was at UConn in 78 live for an outdoor concert above the Towers. They did the soundtrack for the movie. From Rhode Island. Popular then, I was there.
 
Comet with Emmy Rossum/Justin Long. A really good movie that is nicely done.
 
Before Sunrise (and its 2 sequels, Before Sunset and Before Sunrise). An American author and French woman meet on a train and spend one night together falling in love and exploring Paris, then he returns home. Nine years later he goes back to France. And nine years later returns again. Each movie was filmed 9 years apart, using the same two stars (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy). Charming, romantic, bittersweet... and a special treat for anyone who loves Paris!
en.wikipedia.org

Before Sunrise - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
rvwsleep said:
I have an animated suggestion.
"Grave of the Fireflies"
Be warned, this will probably be the most emotionally wrenching animated movie you will ever watch.
(Maybe the most emotionally wrenching film of any type).
It's not the easiest to get a hold of
(I have it in on dvd) but worth the effort. the
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It is a great movie, but as you say, really tragic. I wound up watching it by myself, as the wife and daughter couldn’t take it.

In a similar vein, the whole family loves Miyazaki. Princess Mononoke is one of my all-time favorite movies, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and My Neighbor Totoro are not far behind. I want Catbus — heck, I want to BE Catbus.
 
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If we include miniseries, the 1995 Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice is IMO one of the best adaptations of a novel ever and the best of a Jane Austen book. The family and I watch it for Father’s Day almost every year. One week till showtime.
 
Bigboote said:
If we include miniseries, the 1995 Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice is IMO one of the best adaptations of a novel ever and the best of a Jane Austen book. The family and I watch it for Father’s Day almost every year. One week till showtime.
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Yes! .... I just love the part where the carriage come 'round the bend and Elizabeth Bennett sees Pemberley for the first time and she realizes she really does love Mr Darcy.
 
Strangers on a Train (1951)
directed by Alfred Hitchcock

I'm sure this is not an obscure movie for most of y'all, but I saw it for the 1st time, oh, maybe 4 or 5 years ago. I had never heard of Farley Granger or Robert Walker (who plays a charismatic and very scary guy) before. Great plot, and at the beginning of the movie I thought hey, this Bruno guy might be on to something. Filmed in black and white, which enhances the film noir effect. At this moment, I can't remember how it ends. Will have to watch it again.

 
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CTtoSanDiego said:
Before Sunrise (and its 2 sequels, Before Sunset and Before Sunrise). An American author and French woman meet on a train and spend one night together falling in love and exploring Paris, then he returns home. Nine years later he goes back to France. And nine years later returns again. Each movie was filmed 9 years apart, using the same two stars (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy). Charming, romantic, bittersweet... and a special treat for anyone who loves Paris!
en.wikipedia.org

Before Sunrise - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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Gr8 chem b/n Julie&Ethan .. I have both fillums...
 
Streets of Fire. Doubt many have seen or heard of this 1984 thriller/rock musical that was one of the first movies for dozens of top actors including Diane Lane and William Dafoe. Loved the songs from Jim Steinman, who wrote most of Meatloaf's hits. Recently saw it again and liked it so much, went to Amazon and paid $4 to buy the DVD. With its comic book style, very unique - most love or hate it.
 
Hope said:
Strangers on a Train (1951)
directed by Alfred Hitchcock

I'm sure this is not an obscure movie for most of y'all, but I saw it for the 1st time, oh, maybe 4 or 5 years ago. I had never heard of Farley Granger or Robert Walker (who plays a charismatic and very scary guy) before. Great plot, and at the beginning of the movie I thought hey, this Bruno guy might be on to something. Filmed in black and white, which enhances the film noir effect. At this moment, I can't remember how it ends. Will have to watch it again.

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Robert Walker also had gr8 talent for comedy as he showed in "One Touch of Venus" opposite the more-than-gorgeous Ava Gardner, one of my Top Ten comedies! Eve Arden adds to the laughs and joy of this film.
 
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I'm not sure if you'd be able to find it anywhere but the BBC put out a made for TV movie in 2004 called "When I'm 64" starring Paul Freeman and Alun Armstrong.

I think it was initially shown at some LGBT festivals as a gay-interest film. But it's really a beautifully acted story about aging, finding love later in life, dealing with loss, and being alone.

It was never released on DVD but you can probably find it on file sharing sites.
 
BBallF said:
Bandslam. 2009. Teen musical with a decent storyline and good performances.
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I thought I was the only one who watched that. I very much enjoyed it.
 
nwhoopfan said:
I thought I was the only one who watched that. I very much enjoyed it.
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I just stumbled on it during the quarantine. I didn't know who Aly Michalka was and had no idea that Vanesa Hudgens was that talented. Aly was really perfect as "the" girl in high school and has a really great voice. I thought Vanessa stole the movie at the end with a phenomenal performance of a steroids version of Everything I Own. The original music, especially Phil's Song, was unexpectedly good. The movie only made $12,000,000.00 and was under the radar. Sure, it was a teen coming of age movie, but it was both uplifting and entertaining.
 
Carlito's Way - classic Pacino, but it's rarely rated as high as his other well-known projects. The last 30 minutes will blow you away.
 
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot - unique, entertaining mid 70's buddy-robbery movie starring Clint & Jeff Bridges. Interesting to see Clint playing "against type". Lots of chemistry & this movie shows Clint can act. Perhaps his most underrated movie.

 
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BBallF said:
I didn't know who Aly Michalka
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She was good in "Easy A" too. It's another high school dramedy, a loose re-imagining of The Scarlet Letter starring Emma Stone. She goes back much further than that though. I missed that era entirely, but she's a Disney kid, grew up acting and singing w/ her sister AJ.
 
Fearless (1993)
Jeff Bridges is a brilliant actor, and this movie is a real gem with a great cast. Psychological thriller (I think) is what they are calling it. Jeff really takes you into a strange world of his own making. Wish it was on Netflix, so I could watch it again.

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JimGunther said:
Two of my favs:
"The Sure Thing" early John Cusack / Rob Reiner collaboration - Road comedy - fellow goes cross country to make it with a "sure thing" - tawdry set-up - some cute laughs =sweet finale.
"Same Time Next Year" =Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn meet every year for an illicit tryst = another seemingly tawdry set up = sweet / life story.
2 of the very few DVDs I own - were difficult to obtain in pre-Amazon days. Worth the search
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Same time next year was really outstanding ..... a blast from the past .....
 
RSHERMVIKES said:
I am a lover of movies! I have a collection of movies from 1915 to the present day! As of now at #1604 between Video and DVD's! My surprise movies are:
1. STEALING HOME, 1999, with Mark Harmon, Jodie Foster & Harold Ramis. It follows Harmon's Billy Wyatt, from HS baseball player to adulthood, and Jodie Foster is his friend and mentor with Ramis his best buddy. A coming-of-age movie!
2.. A WALK IN THE SUN, 1945, A WWII movie with G.I's in Italy. Great cast of Dana Andrews, LLoyd Bridges, Richard Conte, George Tyne, John Ireland. A platoon going to try to take a German held farmhouse.
3. SAHARA, 1943, another great cast Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, J. Carrol Naish. WWII American tank crew with allied soldiers in North Africa.
4. SHENANDOAH, 1965, James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, About a family in VA during the Civil War.
5. TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE,2012, Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, Clint is an old-time Baseball Scout in the Braves organization that is losing his sight and his estranged daughter, Adams, goes on his scouting trip, for a stud young outfielder.
6. FORT APACHE 1948, SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON, 1949, and RIO GRANDE 1950,,The trilogy of John Wayne/John Ford, Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple, John Agar, Ward Bond in Fort Apache, Yellow Ribbon, has Wayne, Joanne Dru,John Agar,Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr. and 3rd Rio Grande, has Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Johnson, Carey, Jr. Takes place in the late 1870's. A U.S.A. cavalry dealing with hostile indians.
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Loved the John Wayne trilogy .... Rio Bravo was another really cool John Wayne movie
 
SVCBeercats said:
Three Days of the Condor
IMDB 4 of 5 Rotten Tomateos 86%
In this 1975 thriller, Turner is a bookish CIA researcher based in New York City. Sent to pick up lunch, Turner returns to discover that everyone in his tiny office has been murdered. When an attempt is made on his life, he finds himself on the run from both the CIA and the police.
Box office $27M
Director: Sydney Pollack
Writers: James Grady (novel), Lorenzo Semple Jr. (screenplay)
Stars: Robert Redford (Turner), Max von Sydow, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson

I really like Max von Sydow in this movie -- or any movie. Some interesting dialog throughout this movie. For example:

Max von Sydow as Joubert
  • (Max von Sydow) "Well, the fact is, what I do is not a bad occupation. Someone is always willing to pay."
  • (Robert Redford) "I would find it -- tiring."
  • (Max von Sydow) "Oh, no; it's quite restful. It's almost peaceful. No need to believe in either side, or any side. There is no cause.
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A great thriller .... one of my favorite Robert Redford movies and Max Van Sydow was amazing in it .... dirty business, for sure
 
The movie POWDER was an awesome movie with some real moments that send chills down your spine, particularly if you've had losses in your life .... I felt it was a very spiritual movie and it surely moved me
 
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