For a variety of reasons some movies are overlooked, not appreciated enough or flat out ignored. It’s understandable that with so many movies out there it’s easy for some to fall through the cracks and for the most part there isn’t much harm done when they do. However, on some occasions it can be considered almost criminal that some movies don’t get as much love as they should. Today I’ll do my best to remedy some of those mistakes.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Speaking of underrated, writer/directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have developed an extremely impressive list of films, The Lego Movie, 21 and 22 Jump Street, to little individual fanfare. That may change after the duo makes the spin off Han Solo movie slated for release next year, but fans who paid attention to their directorial debut Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, were well aware of the pair’s witty comedy and skill with pulling off visual gags. If you’re like me, you walked out of their first film pleasantly surprised at how well they pulled off a difficult concept, but were even more surprised that it didn’t get more love.
Sunshine
A little talked about sci-fi classic, Sunshine follows a multi-cultural crew in the distant future who are tasked with reigniting the sun, which is rapidly dying, by detonating a massive nuclear bomb inside it. If that plot summary doesn’t interest you, then I don’t know what will. Directed by acclaimed director Danny Boyle and written by sci-fi legend Alex Garland, the movie also features a stellar cast, including a fantastic performance by a pre-Captain America Chris Evans. If you missed it the first time around, do yourself a favor and don’t let it happen again.
Zodiac
With a legendary director, David Fincher, and an all-star cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr, Zodiac seemed like a can’t miss movie, up until the point that everyone missed it. Following the real-life case of the Zodiac serial killer in California, the film drew some criticism by its lack of resolution, which is a little unfair since, spoiler alert, law enforcement never caught the guy, so it’s hard to get a sense of finality. That shouldn’t take away from the rest of the film however, which features some of Fincher’s best work and a chance to see Ironman and the Hulk team up pre-Avengers.
Grosse Pointe Blank
The oldest movie on this list, Grosse Pointe Blank still packs enough of a punch to warrant inclusion. The 1997 film stars John Cusack as a professional killer dealing with an identity crisis while he attends his high school reunion. It’s an incredibly clever, darkly funny story that never loses its bite regardless of how many times you’ve seen it. Plus, with a soundtrack featuring many hits of the 80’s, it’s a treat in more ways than one.
A Knights Tale
We miss you Heath Ledger. Aside from the Joker, Ledger gave many memorable performances that displayed his talent and charm, the latter of which is on full display in A Knight’s Tale. Ledger stars as a squire who pretends to be a knight so that he can compete in jousting tournaments. His interactions with his loyal crew are the high point as they try to maintain that he’s of noble birth. This is a case of a pretty good movie being elevated by its charismatic lead, and another chance to see the late actor in one of his more memorable roles.
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