10 Underrated Films for Your Viewing Pleasure

"Luke...do not...do not underestimate the powers of the emperor or suffer your father's fate you will."

--Yoda

There are some really great movies out there that quite often get lost in the ether. I constantly hear people mention these movies but either say they think they are stupid, unoriginal, or my favorite, “[place director/actor/producer name here] made a way better movies than that.” Which quite often translates to that movie was more popular than this one. So I have compiled ten movies from various genres that I find quite underrated and deserving of a better rap than they get. There won’t be a recommended movie of the week because this week I am recommending 10 of them.

I am sure you have heard of most of these or even sure that you have hear of most of these or even seen some of them, but the point is, these movies just don’t get enough credit for a bunch of reasons. Most of which cannot be helped. In real estate location is everything, in movies timing can be just as important and a lot of these movies fall victim to their release date. But these are all movies that in time I hope become recognized for their quality and not cast aside without careful consideration. So here is a list of 10 movies that I feel deserve WAY more credit than they get.

10. Reservoir Dogs (1992) Director: Quentin Tarantino

When people think Quentin Tarantino they immediately jump to Pulp Fiction and understandably so, it considered one of the best independent films ever made. It is an Oscar Winner and a Palm d’Or winner. However, I find Reservoir Dogs so much more entertaining, mostly because of the style. A lot of the stylized conversation and action of Pulp Fiction can be found in Reservoir Dogs. But the thing I like the most of about Reservoir Dogs is the way the story is driven. The fact that you slowly learn more and more about the individual characters in little vignettes that are placed throughout a movie that revolves around a single warehouse, shot as a chamber play, similar to Ingmar Bergman’s Through A Glass Darkly. Not to mention the ending to Reservoir Dogs is probably one of the most exciting you will ever see Tarantino devise.

9. Brick (2005) Director: Rian Johnson

I wholeheartedly believe that Rian Johnson will be a great director very soon his second movie just came out a week or two ago, but it doesn’t compare to the neo-noir masterpiece Johnson made using a cast of little known actors that just blew me away when I saw them. This was the movie that sold me on Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s acting abilities. The very fact that neo-noir styles of movies are already difficult to make and succeed on was more impressive by the fact that he wanted this movie to take place around a high school, although due to the age of all the actors it would have been more believable as a community college. Nevertheless this movie was a very impressive debut effort. A side note: Nora Zehetner the leading lady from Brick also stars in Johnson's second movie, Brothers Bloom.

8. Definitely, Maybe (2008) Director: Adam Brooks

As far as romantic comedies go this one is pretty damn good. Ryan Reynolds tells the romantic aspect of the comedy as a bedtime story to his daughter, Abigail Breslin (who have great chemistry on screen, which could be attributed to Breslin being a wunderkind actress and Reynolds for being an underrated funnyman). Nevertheless the story talks about the three women that Reynolds was in love with as his daughter tries to figure out which one is her mother. The thing that I like the most is the whole story is paralleled with the presidential career of Bill Clinton, which makes for a very interesting side story. A great plot, a mixture of good and great actors (Rachel Weisz, Kevin Kline, Isla Fisher and Elizabeth Banks) all make for a fun movie that everyone can enjoy.

7. Starship Troopers (1997) Director: Paul Verhoeven

Some people are going to read this and ask me if I am crazy. To which I case I answer yes, I am crazy. But that doesn’t stop this movie from being amazing and amazingly misunderstood. Most people may not be as big of a fan of bad acting as I am but that is beside the point. Paul Verhoeven, maker of films such as Basic Instinct, Total Recall and RoboCop, purposely made a satire of military propaganda films, and it was genius. Starship Troopers’ influence comes from the propaganda films that the United States and even Germany used during the WWII. Not only is it wildly funny, action packed, but it also provides a serious critique of how people perceive and are meant to perceive political agenda through mass media. However don’t let the second and third Starship Troopers films deceive you they were not directed by Verhoeven and are just generally bad, but still hilarious to watch.

6. Reign Over Me (2007) Director: Mike Binder

When I was younger I really enjoyed Adam Sander movies, mostly because I didn’t know any better. But I very quickly learned that all of his movies were the same. Then he came out with this and I found a new respect for Sander. This was a dramatic movie done by a comedian that eclipsed the Truman Show. I say that because this movie takes place in a real city and deals with a very real events and problems (read: PTSD and 9/11). Adam Sander’s character is heartfelt and enjoyable to watch, for once you actually feel something for his character that he really developed and was passionate about. Not to mention Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett Smith and Liv Tyler support him. And there is a great soundtrack. There are very few quality Sander movies and this one was kind of passed over because of that fact, but don’t let a mediocre career ruin one great film.

5. Kingdom of Heaven (2005) Director: Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott really set the bar high for historically based fiction movies when he made Gladiator. However, that bar was dropped and then melted down into a puddle of shiny goo when Oliver Stone made Alexander. Troy wasn’t that great either. So when Scott made Kingdom of Heaven many people were turned off to the idea of historical fiction cinema. When in reality Kingdom of Heaven is the most historically accurate and entertaining one of them all. The cast is amazing (Liam Neeson, Orlando Bloom, Edward Norton [yes Edward Norton], Martin Csokas, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons), but the attention to historical detail was phenomenal. The 2-disc special edition of the movie provides a lot of historical background that was used in set design and plot synopsis. There were a few historical errors (which is to be expected), most of them centered around when certain crusade participators were actually fighting together. It is a very entertaining history lessons, despite some of its inaccuracies, about the fall of Jerusalem to Saladin. Even if you were to just watch the battles in this movie you would not be disappointed, because they are some of the most accurate representations of medieval warfare I have yet to see in the movies.

4. Stargate (1994) Director: Roland Emmerich

Sadly this movie is very often overlooked for a number of reasons. People usually jump to the very successful televisions series rather than the movie that started the screen phenomena. But this was a great movie that was surrounded by even greater movies and quite often gets lost in the pack. 1994 alone saw the release of Forrest Gump, True Lies, Dumb and Dumber, Speed and Pulp Fiction. The year before debuted movies like Jurassic Park, The Fugitive, Sleepless in Seattle, Cliffhanger and Schindler’s List. Then in 1995 you get films like Toy Story, Se7en, Die Hard: With a Vengeance and GoldenEye. With movies like that coming out, it's quite understandable for someone to forget about Stargate, and its cast including James Spader, Kurt Russel, Djimon Hounsou and French Stewart. Nevertheless this was a movie that sparked a huge fandom and revitalized sci-fi interest not seen since the start of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," which actually had its run come to an end in 1994. Stargate is not underrated because of misunderstanding; Stargate is underrated because it is seemingly forgotten in the movie world.
3. Tae Guk Gi (2004) Director: Je-gyu Kang

This movie made the list partly because Korean cinema is very often underrated as well, but also because this is widely considered the Korean version of Saving Private Ryan and the few reviews I have seen of this movie call Tae Guk Gi the best war movie since Saving Private Ryan. It covers the Korean War, which begs the question; when was the last time you saw a movie about the Korean War that was not McArthur? But this film is very heavy hitting the combat sequences are stunning to watch, with a few lulls in action and very bloody. Je-gyu Kang really emphasizes how distasteful war is and almost wants to make feel the pain of those who fought in the Korean War, regardless of their countries allegiances. On the other hand you also get to see a bit of the Korean soap opera style as it permeates most of the movie but does not take away from it at all. Underrated in so many ways but a tremendous breath of fresh air in the war movie genre.

2. The Thin Red Line (1998) Director: Terrence Malick

This is another very underrated movie do the success of another movie; in this case it is because of none other than Saving Private Ryan. Of course The Thin Red Line is a remake of Andrew Marton’s 1964 version based off of James Jones’ book, which may have taken away from its box office success but it is still a far superior war movie. Stephen Spielberg put together an all-star cast for his movie and that same year so did Terrence Malick. The Thin Red Line is littered with talent including, Adrien Brody, Jim Caviezel, George Clooney, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, Thomas Jane, Elias Koteas, Jared Leto, Tim Blake Nelson, Nick Nolte, John C. Riley, John Travolta and Sean Penn. I like this movie better than Saving Private Ryan because of the way it was told. Using vignettes of different soldiers in the same company ranging from unwilling privates to war hardened officers this movie shows the beauty of the Philippines and juxtaposed it against the carnage of the Pacific Theater (specifically in the battle of Guadalcanal). You get an inner monologue documentary feel from the movie and it makes the characters more real easier to relate to. Not to mention they aren’t going on some outlandish search and rescue mission like Spielberg puts you through. The movie is uncompromising and really shows the pain and suffering that soldiers had to endure during WWII, something Spielberg couldn’t completely accomplish in his film. In movie with such a large cast, you really feel isolated from the rest of the world when you watch it. In the end you get a deeper appreciation for what the soldiers went through fighting the Japanese, but you also get no feeling a finality at the end because after the Battle of Guadalcanal ended the war continued and you don’t get the feeling that any of the characters in this movie are guaranteed to survive if the movie were to continue.

1. The Fall (2006) Director Tarsem Singh

Only the second movie ever made by Tarsem, he is not known for making movies with great plots, instead he relies on stunning shots full of color and beauty, in that way he gets an emotional response. However, The Fall manages to develop a better plot than that of Tarsem’s first film The Cell. The story takes place in a 1920s hospital where a drug addict tells a little girl a story using people from the hospital to get her to steal prescription pills for him. Lee Pace is the only actor of much mention in this movie but the little girl he uses (Cantinca Untaru) does a great job as the main character, even though her English is very hard to understand at times through her thick Romanian accent. This is one of those movies where the bigger the screen you watch it on the more beautiful it become. Tarsem has a style of his own but if you have to categorize his directorial style it would be similar to Michel Gondry, Luc Besson, or Guillermo del Toro. A flop when it came to theaters because of American critics not liking it, it still quite an enjoyable film to watch over and over for its stunning beauty alone. A very underrated film by all stretches of the imagination and trust me when I say this film will stretch your imagination.

A Final Farewell to Kwai Chang Caine

“Why would you be afraid of death? It would be an inconvenience. I have a lot of undone things and it's bound to get in the way. But, no, it doesn't scare me at all.”
-- David Carradine

David Carradine, 1936-2009

On Thursday it was confirmed by Bangkok police that actor David Carradine was found dead in his hotel room. He was 72 years old.

In what looks to be a suicide, Carradine was found hanged in his hotel room. There was no appearance of forced entry or assault. Carradine was supposedly in Bangkok to shoot a movie but information as to what movie has not been confirmed. He was starring in six movies that are already in post-production and he was set to star in one more, Portland, which was still in the pre-production phases.

Carradine comes from a great acting family, which includes his father John Carradine, and his brother Keith Carradine, but neither has had the prolific career that David has had. Recently, Carradine had revival of his career after starring in Kill Bill. Throughout his career he continually to make movies that were either western or kung fu themed, he also is one of the better-known b-movie actors. His most famous role was the monk Kwai Chang Caine of the television series “Kung Fu.”

His characteristic lisp matched his somber attitude, it almost felt like he was trying to be a mixture of John Wayne and Johnny Cash but doing kung fu.

A consummate professional, it is always hard to lose someone in the movie industry as respected as Carradine. At one time he had problems with drugs and alcohol but cleaned up his act and did not return to the big screen until he felt ready to do so. Ever since his days on the set of “Kung Fu” he has remained an avid student of philosophy and the study of ancient medicinal herbs.

His style of acting and his character will not be forgotten. And neither will he. Rest in peace and tranquility David Carradine.

Where Have You Gone Hong Kong?

“American stuntmen are smart —they think about safety. When they do a jump in a car, they calculate everything: the speed, the distance.... But in Hong Kong, we don't know how to count. Everything we do is a guess. If you've got the guts, you do it. All of my stuntmen have gotten hurt. I say, 'Do it! Camera, action, jump!' Boom! Ambulance! Hospital! Next stuntman!”

--Jackie Chan

So I have been watching a lot of foreign films as of late, primarily old kung fu movies. I have also been watching a lot of new kung fu, American kung fu, and I have to say, I really don’t get the same feeling of joy that I get from watching older kung fu. But this tends to for a lot of American imports of older foreign flicks. It can be as simple as altering the ending to fit an American audience as was done in The Descent. Or American production companies just re-write, re-tool and re-market movies as American originals, even though movies like The Ring and The Magnificent Seven or the future release, live action remake of Akira. All three of these movies came from earlier Japanese cinema; The Ring being an adaptation of Ringu, The Magnificent Seven as an entertaining remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai and Akira, one of the most celebrated anime of all time.

This really is an age-old tradition, not just in the movie business. Anthony Burgess’ “A Clockwork Orange,” had the final chapter removed by an American editor before it was published here, because they did not feel an American audience would accept a bleak ending and opted for a happier ending, subsequently affecting Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation for the screen.

Anywho, as I said before I have been watching a lot of foreign movies both imports and adaptations as of late, and there is one thing that I have noticed. Hong Kong cinema is on its deathbed and it is courtesy of the United States. Jackie Chan has come under fire for his comments about China’s necessity for communism, John Woo has moved to the United States, Sammo Hung has not come out with a great movie since the mid 1990s, Jimmy Wang Yu hasn’t made a movie since 1993, and those are just some of the directors. Chow Yun-Fat, Jackie Chan, Jet Li are all getting older and have stopped making movies with jaw-dropping choreography and either retired or are making movies that will let them retire in more comfort. It saddens me quite a bit.

Nevertheless, there are people out there trying to keep Hong Kong’s action movie scene a thriving market. I point to Stephen Chow, who directs, writes, produces and stars in some great movies that seemingly pay tribute to what Hong Kong was. However even he has been drawn into the sub-par American kung fu cinema, with movies like Dragonball Evolution, which he produced, and his upcoming comic book hero film The Green Hornet, which will be directed by Michel Gondry, but will find Stephen Chow’s Kato starring alongside Seth Rogan as Britt Reid AKA The Green Hornet. It really makes me sad just thinking about that. There are a few movies out there that are still worth seeing but they are few and far between, even if you know where to look.


Stephen Chow's homage to Bruce Lee and what he did for the industry. He will never be forgotten.

I can’t even really blame Quentin Tarantino all that much, because he has brought many good movies over to the United States recently. Although it would be nice to not see his name plastered over everything he deems good. Or worse see him just butcher scenes in movies like Sukiyaki Western Django in exchange for his importing them to the United States.

Bollywood has managed to revive itself with renewed interest from the United States, even Thailand has gotten in on the action by riding the coattails of Tony Jaa, whom critics say has inherited the kung fu mantle which was passed down from Bruce Lee, to Jackie Chan, and to Jet Li. I don’t understand why Hong Kong cannot do the exact same thing. The interest is clearly there, people just want to see more movies like Hardboiled, Drunken Master, and The Way of the Dragon, not American drivel like Street Fighter: Legend of Chun Li which stars Kristen Kruek (Smallville), Chris Klein (American Pie), Michael Clark Duncan (The Green Mile) and Neal McDonough (Band of Brothers). Does that look like the cast of a kung fu movie to you?

Hopefully, Hong Kong gets re-energized soon, I miss good kung fu and all of its choreographed glory.

One that note your suggested movie of the week: Hard Boiled



This was John Woo’s last movie to be made in Hong Kong before he moved out to Hollywood. In all honesty, this was probably his last great movie, since the 1992 release of Hard Boiled; Woo has slipped further and further into mediocrity. However, Hard Boiled is widely considered one the greatest action movies ever made, and rightfully so.

The title for the movie comes from the genre of crime fiction literature that began showing up in the 1920s. Hard boiled fiction has a recognizably large amount of violence and sex, and very often the characters are borderline sociopaths. The noir style of literature and film has its roots in Hard Boiled crime fiction. John Woo’s tribute to the Hard Boiled style follows it to the letter the mere fact that there are a total of 307 deaths in the movie, largely taking place during four major scenes, exemplifies this quite well. But it is the acting of Chow Yun-Fat that puts this movie over the edge.

Inspector “Tequila” Yuen (Chow Yun-Fat) is one of those rogue cop, ultimo-badass characters. The movie begins with his partner getting killed during a teahouse gun smuggling bust that gets ambushed by a rival gang. Yuen’s actions during the ambush get him thrown off the case but thrown into the middle of a Triad conflict involving the two gangs at the teahouse. The movie’s dénouement is one of the most famous scenes ever shot in Hong Kong cinema. The epic hospital scene even features a shot, just under three minutes long, of Chow Yun-Fat and Tony Leung fighting off enemies. The most impressive thing about this footage is that it was shot on a single handheld camera. This long take has been recognized as a very impressive feat of cinematography, listed up there with scenes like Alfred Hitchcock’s shower scene from Psycho.

The movie has garnered much success and has a very loyal cult following. Tequila Yuen is even featured in the John Woo collaborated video game “Stranglehold,” which is meant to serve as a sequel to Hard Boiled. Sadly Hard Boiled was the beginning of the end of the “golden age” of Hong Kong action cinema, but still well worth picking up and watching, over and over.