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Tuesday, April 5, 2011

5 Astoundingly Underrated Films (By the Mainstream)

          Ok, go ahead and call me a hypocritical hipster for being "underground" about this post, but then I'll probably just tell you to get some incurable venereal disease, like herpes, and go on about my day. So the following is a group of five of my favorite movies that are either misunderstood or unnoticed masterpieces that, in reality, belong in the annals of filmmaking history. To some of you these films may be predominant in your collection. However, to most, they are simply overlooked. My list is in no particular order.


EVIL DEAD 2


          Bruce Campbell is the greatest B movie actor this world will ever know. He somehow was able to make dreadfully awful movie premises (Bubba Hotep anyone?) enjoyable to watch. This actor's comedic badassery was discovered by Sam Raimi in the early 1970s, however it wasn't put to great use until the release of Raimi's The Evil Dead in 1981. Although I enjoyed the first of the trilogy (yes, there are three and you should watch them all), it wasn't until Evil Dead 2 (a remake of the first) that I understood Raimi's genius. Not only did Sam Raimi create a delightfully scary film but it was gut-bustingly hilarious. He actually created a whole new genre: Horror Comedy. Without Raimi we wouldn't have classics like Tremors, Shaun of the Dead or Re-animator (again, all movies you should see).



"Groovy"


KISS KISS BANG BANG
          
          It is seriously mind-boggling that more people haven't seen this move. Harry Lockheart (Robert Downy, Jr.) and Gay Perry (Val Kilmer) are the greatest duo next to Batman and Robin or Guinness and Ice Cream. There are very few scripts that can match the witty banter displayed in this murder mystery movie (except for the book written by Brett Halliday). A movie that can seamlessly meld a murder mystery and comedy (no, not like Scooby-Doo) without removing the viewer from the story line is a feat in its own. If you don't watch this movie you should look up the word "idiot" in the dictionary:




The best thing any narrator has ever said: "Anyway, by now you may wonder how I wound up here. Or, maybe not. Maybe you wonder how silly putty picks shit up from comic books. The point is, I don't see another goddamn narrator, so pipe down."


OLDBOY


          This WTF revenge tale is downright disturbing, but I wouldn't want it any other way. The premise of Oldboy follows a man on his path of discovery to understand why he was imprisoned in a room for 15 years. In my opinion this is the best of Chan-Wook Park's trilogy (yes, another trilogy that you should see) and it's story development is unparalleled in modern day Hollywood...because this is't a Hollywood film, but rather it's from South Korea. I actually heard a rumor that Will Smith wanted to remake this film. I'm glad he didn't because that would just be one more great thing in a long list of things that Scientology ruined (see most of Hollywood...and Jason Lee). Oldboy can be viewed with either english dubs or english subtitles (unless you're blind or you understand Korean), but I highly suggest you watch it with subtitles. Without them, important aspects of the story line are missed if the viewer cannot read Korean. Additionally, the score is fantastic. I, for one, am a huge fan of Vivaldi. If the above didn't sell you on this movie yet: it is the only time I found it to be believable that one man with a hammer could beat up thirty other men...at once...with a knife in his back.



"Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone."


AMERICAN PSYCHO


          Brett Easton Ellis: you either hate him or you love him...there is no in between. The film adaptation of his novel American Psycho could be the most quotable movie next to Dumb and Dumber. However, unlike the latter, Patrick Bateman's hilarious comments are sometimes so subtle that often one must watch the film several times to fully understand why this film is a dark-comedy heavyweight. I've seen the movie so many times that I laugh just thinking about it. Am I sick that I think a movie about a mass murdering yuppy serial killer is funny? Maybe. Actually, I'm a pretty sick individual anyway, but that has nothing to do with American Psycho. Patrick Bateman's banters about music are fantastic and his overzealous yearning to fit in is something we can all relate to. 



"When I get to Paul Allen's place, I use the keys I took from his pocket. There is a moment of sheer panic...when I realize that Paul's apartment overlooks the park and is obviously more expensive than mine. I calm myself and move into the bedroom, where I find his suitcase and start to pack."

"Paul Allen has mistaken me for this dickhead Marcus Halberstram. It seems logical because Marcus also works at P&P and in fact does the same exact thing I do and he also has a penchant for Valentino suits and Oliver Peoples glasses. Marcus and I even go to the same barber, although I have a slightly better haircut."

"Not quite blonde, are we? More of a dirty blonde."

"Don't touch the watch."

"I'm on the verge of tears by the time we arrive at Espace, since I'm positive we won't have a decent table. But we do, and relief washes over me in an awesome wave."


          I told you it was quotable...and I was just getting started. You're lucky I didn't post Patrick Bateman's voicemail to his lawyer.


PRIMER


          Primer is the science fact of science fiction time travel movies. Don't get me wrong, I love the Back to the Future trilogy (except for the fact that no one seems to notice that Doc Brown is a pedophile preying on an impressionable high school boy), but the math and physics behind those films just doesn't add up. In Primer, however, with a few leaps of faith, the math and physics actually pencils (not that I understand any of it anyway). The only drawback to this movie is the thing that makes the film great, it's believable premise. This also makes it incredibly difficult to follow....In the first viewing you'll feel like your brain is being raped by a bunch of giant physicocks. But like American Psycho, with Primer, the more you watch it the more you understand it. Also, this movie was made with a budget of $7000 by an engineer.



"Aaron, I can imagine no way in which this thing could be considered anywhere remotely close to safe. All I know is I spent six hours in there and I'm still alive... You still want to do it?"


CONCLUSION


          Watch these movies, at least once. You will not regret it. Well that is it for today..."I have to return some videotapes."


- LazyTheKid

29 comments:

ggtbishop said...

Awesome list. I'm happy to say that I've seen and thoroughly enjoyed three of these movies.

Oscar said...

Love American Psycho.

ErikDesignwork said...

Oldboy is definetely underrated!

Fix PC Games Admin said...

these movies look great might watch it

Irvann said...

Admittedly, i haven't seen any of these

PossessedWarrior said...

Ive never seen any of these

ds said...

I have watched Primer and it was really difficult to follow, but it gets easier next time I'd guess.

Our Blog said...

I completely agree with this entire list! Such good films.

TheStamos said...

Evil dead 2 and american psycho i absolutely agree, great films!

BigBlueBit said...

I don't think American Phsycho is underrated. Haven't seen any of the others though.

Gzoga said...

Good list man, I Like the Oldboy

DisposedCheese said...

American psycho was an amazing movie. Thanks for the list.

Mike said...

Primer was an amazing movie in my opinion. Good post!

munchies? said...

wow seems like you put in a lot of work into this post. I have seen Old Boy and its easy one of my top3 all time favorites. Will check out the other ones you posted!

Blog Hunt said...

Wow that's so awesome! >_< Love the list!

ruinz said...

You know ur movies man. These are all underrated classics
How to Hack Life.

Lemmiwinks said...

cool post, bro!

Bluez said...

American Psycho. Most definitely.

noog said...

That's one hell of a line-up you got... American Psycho is genius ("Don't just stare at it... EAT IT!")... Oldboy is one of my favorite foreign films, definitely top 5 (Hallway fight scene... oh yea)... and Primer is fun if you feel like raping your brain without a mental condom...

KrisuSS said...

Great list, have only seen 2 of them

Chris said...

American Psycho is absolutely amazing. If you see it you will know that Christian Bale is really an amazing actor.

Eric P said...

American Psycho is amazing. Not underrated at all!

Kidefence said...

Holy ass these look good. Why the fuck aren't these things mainstream?

Patti D. said...

Nice list, Oldboy is awesome, and Primer I don't get it, lol

Blogasaurus Rex said...

I've only heard of American Psycho on that list, and I really think I'll go watch it now. I love movies about serial killers.

Connor said...

Some great movies thanks!

Nemo said...

awsome fucking fight scene AWSOME i need to see that movie now

Max said...

Watched clip from American Psycho, "Oh, this looks pretty good actually."
The clip finishes, "Wtf am I watching"

Carm said...

Oldboy is a great film, but I feel that a lot of people have seen American Psycho.