Really good movies no one seems to know

[storrsroars]

Nobody's Fool & Hudsucker Proxy are a little more mainstream in their day, but have faded too far off the radar screen.

Great call on Nobody's Fool. Small movie, but one of Newman's best with an uncredited, but solid and funny Bruce Willis performance.

 

[Mano]

I've recently gotten into those caper movies by Jean-Pierre Melville, Le deuxième souffle, Le Samourai and Le cercle rouge. Besides the fun of watching the caper unfold, I like the way they don't insult your intelligence by explaining every little thing that's happening. They trust that you have half-a-brain and can figure it out for yourself.

A little older but try Rififi. Great heist movie.

 

[dbmill]

A little older but try Rififi. Great heist movie.

I thought of Riffifi as soon as I saw the suggestion on foreign caper movies. I saw it for the first time a couple of years ago through Netflix. If you hadn't of posted it first, I would have.

 

[J187Money]

Great ending

About 2 years back, I'm sitting at breakfast in that hotel, and I look up and I'm like "wait a minute"...was a surreal moment.

 

[Waquoit]

A little older but try Rififi. Great heist movie.

I caught it at Cinestudio a few years ago, it's very cool. That's the one that got me on a bit of a caper kick.

 

[Mano]

It was a bit divisive when it came out so I don't know if you all will share my reverence for it, but The Fountain floored me when I first saw it years ago. Just flitted into my head tonight when I was posting in another thread and it needed to find it's home here.

 

[CL82]

A New Leaf

If you like Walter Matthau this is among his best films. Elaine May is largely forgotten now. She is hysterical in this.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Great call on Nobody's Fool. Small movie, but one of Newman's best with an uncredited, but solid and funny Bruce Willis performance.

Richard Russo is a tremendous writer, and Nobody's Fool is not even his best book. The movie is faithful to the book in that the plot is largely irrelevant to enjoying the story.

 

[Jay-Bone]

Harakiri
Cinema Paradiso
The Burmese Harp
The Human Condition 1-3
Battles Without Honor and Humanity
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Suspiria
The Killing Fields
The Lives of Others
Come and See
Hachi
Le Samourai
Memories of Murder
The Secret In their Eyes
Incendies
The Intouchables

I could go on and on

 

[Dogdeacon]

Richard Russo is a tremendous writer, and Nobody's Fool is not even his best book. The movie is faithful to the book in that the plot is largely irrelevant to enjoying the story.

Yep, I ripped thru a lot of Russo books after seeing Nobody's Fool. Apparently there is a book sequel "Everybody's Fool" that came out last year - will have to check it out. Major bummer that Newman isn't around to do a movie sequel.

 

[Kolumbo]

Swingers

 

[dbmill]

Harakiri
Cinema Paradiso
The Burmese Harp
The Human Condition 1-3
Battles Without Honor and Humanity
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Suspiria
The Killing Fields
The Lives of Others
Come and See
Hachi
Le Samourai
Memories of Murder
The Secret In their Eyes
Incendies
The Intouchables

I could go on and on

I'm sure you could go on and on, as just about anyone who has a love for classic film.

Love the selection of Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, one of the great silent expressionistic horror classics from pre Nazi Germany (dig those crazy sets, plus Conrad Veidt to boot!), and Cinema Paradiso, a great foreign language film that shows a great love to the whole film watching experience.

 

[storrsroars]

One I haven't seen on cable: End of the Game. I've often looked for it, but apparently only an edited version ever was released on video, and no international DVD/Blu-Ray seems to be available.

Starred Martin Ritt (director of Hud, Norma Rae, The Front and other recognizable movies), Jon Voight, Robert Shaw & Jacqueline Bisset. Directed by Maximillian Schell. Soundtrack by Ennio Morricone.

I saw it in a theater on initial release and I recall being completely caught off guard by the ending, as did apparently, everyone else.

 

[HuskyHawk]

There are a few movies I love and recommend often that no one seems to have heard of. I was reminded of this recently when my assistant, who is a voracious reader and avid moviegoer (and 10+ years older than me), was getting sick and said she planned to stay in and watch movies all weekend. She asked me for recommendations and had never of the four movies I recommended, which has been consistent with my experience when I have recommended them to others. I love getting recommendations for these types of movies, so let me hear 'em if you have 'em:

Sliding Doors, which surprises me the most, as it stars Gwyneth Paltrow. Granted it's almost 20 years old now, but I thought it was a great concept and interesting plot. Two story lines, one where she makes her train and catches her husband cheating; one where she misses it and does not catch him. The movie explores how her life is different in each scenario.

The Daytrippers, which is one of my favorites. An indie movie that's also around 20 years old; dynamite cast with Hope Davis, Liev Schreiber, Anne Meara, Stanley Tucci and Parker Posey. Davis is happily married to Tucci but finds a mysterious love note one day and enlists her mother (Meara), father (Pat McNamara) sister (Posey) and sister's boyfriend (Schreiber--my favorite in the movie) to take a trip into the city for the day to investigate. Comedy and oddity ensue.

Power, a 30-year old movie that stars Gene Hackman and Richard Gere as dueling political consultants who compete against each other in a handful of national and local elections that are ultimately being driven by a common issue. Hackman trained Gere and now Gere is working against him. I enjoyed the campaign dirty tricks and also the way they deal with the mysterious and powerful force behind the elections.

After Hours, a bizarre little trip of a movie that simply explores a very freaky late night in Soho experienced by Griffin Dunn, who plays a lonely computer processor who decides to make his boring life more interesting one night by pursuing a date with a quirky woman (Rosanna Arquette) he meets in a coffee shop--a night that takes a lot of interesting turns.

Loved After Hours. Haven’t seen it in forever.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Not sure if these fit but here goes.

Blood Simple (first Cohen Bros. Movie)
The Professional (Jean Reno and very young Natalie Portman)

 

[storrsroars]

Not sure if these fit but here goes.

Blood Simple (first Cohen Bros. Movie)
The Professional (Jean Reno and very young Natalie Portman)

The former, sure. It's not on cable often. Reminds me I haven't seen Dan Hedaya in much of anything recently (played a great crappy boss in Joe Vs. the Volcano, which might also qualify for this list).

The latter is on cable more often than A Christmas Story. Great action. Reno and Portman were solid. Oldman chewed scenery (not a compliment).

 

[intlzncster]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'no one seems to know', if it's low box office movies, I've got a few. The Michael Douglas reference reminded my of a couple.

Thinking of Michael Douglas:

• Wonder Boys - Decent movie about an English professor with life problems
• Falling Down - Might be too famous, but a lot of people I talk to haven't seen it and it's great

....

US Cinema:

• Nightcrawlers - Just saw this. Awesome film. Jake Gyllenhaal absolutely crushes it. Belongs on depressing list too I'd think. More Disturbing than anything though
• October Sky - Coming of age about a poor, coal miner's kid who grows up to be a rocket scientist
• Garden State - I don't know why more people haven't watched this. Classic indy film
• Rescue Dawn - Christian Bale. Vietnam POW movie. Underrated under seen.

Sci Fi selections:

• Moon - If you're a fan of sci fi and you haven't seen this, there's something wrong with you
• Man From Earth - If you're a fan of sci fi and you haven't seen this, there's something wrong with you
• A Scanner Darkly - Dystopian Phillip K Dick number. This movie was a flop, but was actually awesome. It was shot digitally, then animated over the top. Great cast. Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson
• The Island - Here's a weird option which doesn't quite fit the title because: Michael Bay. $126m budget. Stars Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor. Huge Ad campaign. And yet, very few people have seen it! Grossed like $36m; $12.5m opening weekend. Quality Sci fi imo.
• Primer - great time travel sci fi movie made for only $7,000!!

Special Addition. I think most on the Yard have heard of it, so perhaps doesn't qualify, but it's a must watch. Idiocracy. Taken at face value, a horribly bad movie. But actually a piece of brilliant satire. It's meant to be bad on purpose. One of the most relevant movies by which to view modern society. Theme song of the Cesspool.

Cult classics in Australia (but not here in the US):

• Chopper - brutal "true" story about about a real life bicycle gangster
• The Castle - Light hearted comedy. THE Australian cult classic. You get to see what a great Character actor Eric Bana is in his first role. Not for everyone.
• Romper Stomper - Russell Crowe before he became Russell Crowe. A low budget movie about Aussie Skinheads
• The Proposition - An Australian western directed by musician Nick Cave. Really underrated

While we're talking Foreign Films, because most Americans haven't seen them, I've got a ton. Some really popular, some not so:

• The Orphanage - Spanish Horror/Thriller. Really freakin' creepy. Foreign horror movies are better imo (The Ring etc)
• Old Boy - Crazy Korean thriller. Also brilliant.
• La Haine - French day in the life of 3 ghetto kids in a time of unrest. Probably won too many awards for this list
• Un prophète - French gangster in prison. Also probably won too many awards for this list
• Death at a Funeral - British dark comedy. Absolutely hilarious. Peter Dinklage
• Withnail and I - British cult classic. Weird. Loved it though. Some of you might need subtitles to understand the English being spoke.
• This is England - Coming of age story with skinheads
• Dead Man's Shoe's - for a straight up no frills revenge flick. Paddy Considine.

etc, etc, etc

Foreign films remade, which are often well known here, but the originals were way better.

• Let The Right One In - Ok, it was remade in the US to a bit of popularity. But the original was, way better. Brilliant Scandi flick
• Die Welle - German movie where teacher does play acting nazi experiment with classroom
  
• El Secrete de Sus Ojos - Argentina. Better than the crappy remake
• The Ring - Japanese. Holy crap. that's how you do a freaky movie
• Abre los ojos - Better than the crappy Tom Cruise remake Vanilla Sky

etc, etc, etc

I could go ham on listing foreign films all night. I think they make better movies these days. Real story. Real characters/actors. Not as much about 'selling' as they are about 'creating'.

 

[dbmill]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'no one seems to know', if it's low box office movies, I've got a few. The Michael Douglas reference reminded my of a couple.

Thinking of Michael Douglas:

• Wonder Boys - Decent movie about an English professor with life problems
• Falling Down - Might be too famous, but a lot of people I talk to haven't seen it and it's great

....

US Cinema:

• Nightcrawlers - Just saw this. Awesome film. Jake Gyllenhaal absolutely crushes it. Belongs on depressing list too I'd think. More Disturbing than anything though
• October Sky - Coming of age about a poor, coal miner's kid who grows up to be a rocket scientist
• Garden State - I don't know why more people haven't watched this. Classic indy film
• Rescue Dawn - Christian Bale. Vietnam POW movie. Underrated under seen.

Sci Fi selections:

• Moon - If you're a fan of sci fi and you haven't seen this, there's something wrong with you
• Man From Earth - If you're a fan of sci fi and you haven't seen this, there's something wrong with you
• A Scanner Darkly - Dystopian Phillip K Dick number. This movie was a flop, but was actually awesome. It was shot digitally, then animated over the top. Great cast. Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson
• The Island - Here's a weird option which doesn't quite fit the title because: Michael Bay. $126m budget. Stars Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor. Huge Ad campaign. And yet, very few people have seen it! Grossed like $36m; $12.5m opening weekend. Quality Sci fi imo.
• Primer - great time travel sci fi movie made for only $7,000!!

Special Addition. I think most on the Yard have heard of it, so perhaps doesn't qualify, but it's a must watch. Idiocracy. Taken at face value, a horribly bad movie. But actually a piece of brilliant satire. It's meant to be bad on purpose. One of the most relevant movies by which to view modern society. Theme song of the Cesspool.

Cult classics in Australia (but not here in the US):

• Chopper - brutal "true" story about about a real life bicycle gangster
• The Castle - Light hearted comedy. THE Australian cult classic. You get to see what a great Character actor Eric Bana is in his first role. Not for everyone.
• Romper Stomper - Russell Crowe before he became Russell Crowe. A low budget movie about Aussie Skinheads
• The Proposition - An Australian western directed by musician Nick Cave. Really underrated

While we're talking Foreign Films, because most Americans haven't seen them, I've got a ton. Some really popular, some not so:

• The Orphanage - Spanish Horror/Thriller. Really freakin' creepy. Foreign horror movies are better imo (The Ring etc)
• Old Boy - Crazy Korean thriller. Also brilliant.
• La Haine - French day in the life of 3 ghetto kids in a time of unrest. Probably won too many awards for this list
• Un prophète - French gangster in prison. Also probably won too many awards for this list
• Death at a Funeral - British dark comedy. Absolutely hilarious. Peter Dinklage
• Withnail and I - British cult classic. Weird. Loved it though. Some of you might need subtitles to understand the English being spoke.
• This is England - Coming of age story with skinheads
• Dead Man's Shoe's - for a straight up no frills revenge flick. Paddy Considine.

etc, etc, etc

Foreign films remade, which are often well known here, but the originals were way better.

• Let The Right One In - Ok, it was remade in the US to a bit of popularity. But the original was, way better. Brilliant Scandi flick
• Die Welle - German movie where teacher does play acting nazi experiment with classroom
  
• El Secrete de Sus Ojos - Argentina. Better than the crappy remake
• The Ring - Japanese. Holy crap. that's how you do a freaky movie
• Abre los ojos - Better than the crappy Tom Cruise remake Vanilla Sky

etc, etc, etc

I could go ham on listing foreign films all night. I think they make better movies these days. Real story. Real characters/actors. Not as much about 'selling' as they are about 'creating'.

Right on the money with the British version of Death at a Funeral. Every Christmas my family gathers at my Dad's house, and we'll usually watch a few movies. One year my brother in law brought along Death at a Funeral. It is indeed hilarious, left my whole family howling.

 

[nwhoopfan]

• The Island - Here's a weird option which doesn't quite fit the title because: Michael Bay. $126m budget. Stars Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor. Huge Ad campaign. And yet, very few people have seen it! Grossed like $36m; $12.5m opening weekend. Quality Sci fi imo.

Agreed, I rather enjoy this one. While it's a Michael Bay film w/ explosions and crashes and chases, it's also philosophically interesting beneath all the action. This one is on cable at least occasionally.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Anyone seen "Byzantium?" Very different take on a vampire movie, starring Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton. I like it quite a bit.

 

[intlzncster]

Anyone seen "Byzantium?" Very different take on a vampire movie, starring Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton. I like it quite a bit.

Looks interesting. Will watch.

 

[intlzncster]

Harakiri
Cinema Paradiso
The Burmese Harp
The Human Condition 1-3
Battles Without Honor and Humanity
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Suspiria
The Killing Fields
The Lives of Others
Come and See
Hachi
Le Samourai
Memories of Murder
The Secret In their Eyes
Incendies
The Intouchables

I could go on and on

Looks like some of our cinematic interests cross.

Another one I forgot: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring Korean film. A truly beautifully made movie. Slower paced, but never boring. Follows the life of a boy as he is raised by a Buddhist monk in a solitary temple on a lake. Not exactly action adventure. Philosophical. Layered.

 

[intlzncster]

I liked this one two. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

 

[intlzncster]

Another Aussie beauty.

If you like toilet humor, check out Kenny. Melbourne plumber for a porta potty company called Splashdown. Classic Aussie optimist.

 

[huskyrob1]

"Last of the Dogmen"....great flick, great cast, written and directed by Tab Murphy. Better than "Dances with Wolves". Stars Tom Berenger, Barbara Hershey, Kurtwood Smith, Steve Reevis (native american actor who just died recently), Parley Baer, and "Zip" the dog, narrated by Wilford Brimley. If they give Oscars to animals, Zip should have won. Interesting story of the destruction of the American Indian and their culture, but it is set in present day.