We can all come up with movies that didn't find the success they deserved. The more I thought about it, the longer my list got. There are a lot of buried treasures out there. None of the movies here did huge numbers at the box office. They didn't win any major awards. Some have been largely and unjustly forgotten. They need a re-appraisal. As you read this list, you will realize two things- I'm very partial to certain actors/directors and 1993 was a great year for movies. Here are 40 underrated movies in the order of release.
1. "The Heartbreak Kid"(1972)
Charles Grodin is a shallow young cad who abandons his average-looking bride(Jeannie Berlin) on their honeymoon to pursue blonde bombshell Cybill Shepherd. Director Elaine May's alternately funny and sad tale hasn't been on cable in ages, and the out-of-print DVD is expensive. The awful '07 Ben Stiller remake didn't do it any favors.
2. "The King of Comedy"(1983)
The fourth best De Niro/Scorsese movie? Let's give it up for Rupert Pupkin, the marginally-talented stand-up with an unhealthy obsession with fame and his favorite late-night host(a prefectly-cast Jerry Lewis). "Comedy" is finally getting the recognition it deserves, three decades after a release that was met with little applause.
3. "Innerspace"(1987)
Joe Dante's high-concept comic fantasy bombed at the box office but has action, effects, and a pace that most of today's filmmakers would envy. Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, and Meg Ryan are a lot of fun as a wildly dissimilar trio brought together by a science experiment gone awry. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum for the remake?
4. "Roxanne"(1987)
This funny and charming update of "Cyrano De Bergerac" is one romantic comedy that guys won't object to, thanks to Steve Martin(he also wrote the script)as a small town fire chief with a big nose and a poetic soul who woos a beautiful astronomer(Daryll Hannah) on behalf of a shallow, tongue-tied hunk(Rick Rossovich).
5. "Frantic"(1988)
Harrison Ford is an American doctor whose desperate search for his missing wife leads him through the seedy underbelly of Paris. This intriguing thriller has Ford in his prime and skillful direction by Roman Polanski.
6. "Colors"(1988)
Criticized upon release for glorifying gang violence, this urban drama actually seems tame now, but is still a gritty film that was ahead of it's time. Sean Penn and Robert Duvall are cop partners that clash over how to deal with L.A. gang members. Dennis Hopper directed seven movies. This is the other good one.
7. "Midnight Run"(1988)
Robert De Niro's legendary acting ability makes bounty hunter Jack Walsh feel like a real guy with a real history, which gave this exceptional action comedy a surprising depth it wouldn't have had otherwise. The two-time Oscar winner and prissy mob accountant Charles Grodin made an appealing odd couple, and director Martin Brest handles the combination of gunplay and laughs just as well as he did in "Beverly Hills Cop".
8. "The Dream Team"(1989)
Four mental patients are on the loose in New York City after they become separated from their doctor during a field trip in this brisk, well written comedy. Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd and Peter Boyle are a lot of fun as the lovable lunatics.
9. "Casualties of War"(1989)
Brian DePalma's disturbing account of the brutal gang rape and murder of a Vietnamese girl by American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Michael J. Fox excels in a rare dramatic role as a grunt with a conscience, Sean Penn memorably plays the immoral squad leader.
10. "Quick Change"(1990)
A trio of disgruntled New Yorkers, led by Bill Murray, rob a bank to finance their escape from the city in this criminally overlooked caper comedy that got lost in the shuffle of a very crowded summer '90 box office(it came out the same day as "Ghost"). Jason Robards is a relentless police chief in pursuit of the unlucky thieves.
11. "Presumed Innocent"(1990)
Another strong outing for Harrison Ford(bad haircut aside) as a prosecutor on trial for the murder of a female colleague that he had an affair with. This tense, well-acted drama has a sharp, provocative script and a surprise ending.
12. "Pacific Heights"(1990)
A yuppie couple(Melanie Griffith, Mathew Modine) rents out part of their large San Francisco Victorian home to a sociopath in this slick and suspenseful thriller from "Midnight Cowboy" director John Schlesinger. Michael Keaton is quietly creepy as the enigmatic tenant slowly driving his exasperated landlords over the edge.
13. "Frankie and Johnny"(1991)
An outgoing short order cook tries to convince an emotionally-scarred waitress to give love another try in this endearing and low-key drama that should appeal to romantics. Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer deliver moving performances as ordinary people living ordinary lives.
14. "Mr. Saturday Night"(1992)
Billy Crystal wrote, directed, and stars in this comedy/drama about the life of a Jewish New York City stand up comedian who came close but never quite reached the big time. As his bitterness grows, his humor becomes more abrasive until he alienates himself from his family and show business.
15. "Malcolm X"(1992)
I'm not the biggest Spike Lee fan, but I'll give him this one. Denzel Washington probably should have won the Best Actor Oscar for this epic biopic that chronicles the life of the charismatic civil rights leader.
16. "Untamed Heart"(1993)
Marisa Tomei, following up "My Cousin Vinny" with her first starring role, is a perky waitress who falls for a shy busboy(Christian Slater) with a heart condition in this sensitive romantic drama. Even the most hardened cynics will be reduced to tears.
18. "Dave"(1993)
This delightful comedy stars Kevin Kline as a presidential look-alike who is asked to pose as the commander and chief after the real president suffers a stroke. Eventually he starts doing a better job despite having no political experience. Doesn't seem so far-fetched now, does it?
18. "Searching for Bobby Fischer"(1993)
This absorbing fact based drama manages to make chess exciting. It's the story of a seven year old prodigy and the adults in his life pushing him to succeed. Joe Mantegna, Ben Kingsley and Lawrence Fishburne costar.
19. "Carlito's Way"(1993)
Al Pacino and Brian De Palma reunited for this unofficial sequel to "Scarface" about an ex-con and former drug lord struggling to go straight while his former friends and associates are constantly trying to pull him back into a life of crime. It's real simple- anytime you've got Pacino, drugs, guns and gangsters you're guaranteed a good time.
20. "A Perfect World"(1993)
An escaped convict takes an eight year old boy hostage and hits the road with an aging Texas Ranger hot on his trail. Kevin Costner, in a huge departure from his usual heroic roles, and Clint Eastwood(who also directs) made a potent combination in this downbeat but compelling tale.
21. "Menace II Society"(1993)
This grim, unflinching portrait of the harsh realities of life on the streets of South Central Los Angeles is brimming with senseless violence and profanity and clearly stresses the hopelessness and tragic nature of this environment. It's pretty powerful and in my opinion, better than "Boyz 'N The Hood".
Director Joel Schumacher made a handful of very respectable films but after destroying the Batman franchise, nobody will ever give him credit for anything. Michael Douglas is a blast as a laid-off defense worker on a violent rampage in L.A.
23. "The Age of Innocence"(1993)
Martin Scorsese's elegant period piece set in 1870s New York is a world apart from the legendary director's violent, crime-filled epics but is still among his best works. Daniel Day Lewis and Michelle Pfeiffer engage in a forbidden romance in a repressed society that did not tolerate extramarital activities.
24. "A Bronx Tale"(1993)
Robert De Niro did an impressive directing job with this detailed and authentic drama. In the 1960s, a teen is torn between his honest, hardworking father and a flashy neighborhood gangster, played superbly by Chazz Palminteri.
25. "The Getaway"(1994)
Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger sizzle as husband and wife bank robbers running from the police and their former partners who betrayed them in this exciting remake. The colorful supporting cast includes Michael Madsen, James Woods and Jennifer Tilly.
26. "The Client"(1994)
First-rate acting elevates this John Grisham adaptation. Susan Sarandon is typically solid and having Tommy Lee Jones on supporting actor duties is never a bad thing, but the real star is the late Brad Renfro. The ten year old newcomer is utterly convincing as an unwilling witness with everything to lose.
27. "Wolf"(1994)
Jack Nicholson is in good form as an aging book editor whose life dramatically improves after he is bitten by a wolf. Michelle Pfeiffer and James Spader provide great support in director Mike Nichols' smart and sophisticated take on the werewolf mythology.
28. "Crimson Tide"(1995)
Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman are both dynamite as dueling Naval officers aboard a nucleur submarine in this adrenaline charged thriller. Director Tony Scott("Top Gun") specialized in glossy, star-studded, unapologetically commercial filmmaking and this was another successful team-up with the mega-producing team of Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer.
29. "To Die For"(1995)
Nicole Kidman is excellent in Gus Van Sant's biting satire on society's obsession with celebrity and the pursuit of fame at any cost. She seduces a stoned teenager(Joaquin Phoenix) into killing her nice-guy husband(Matt Dillon) for standing in the way of her lofty ambitions.
30. "The Cable Guy"(1996)
Jim Carrey's least successful comedy from his '90s heyday, but I'd rather watch this than "Ace Ventura" or "The Mask". His young fan-base didn't know what to make of this flick's dark satirical edge but there are at least five hysterical scenes with the rubber-faced comic's genius on full display.
31. "Breakdown"(1997)
I don't get why this tense, action-packed thriller isn't better known. It may be because Kurt Russell's career took a nosedive shortly after it's release. Nevertheless, he's terrific as an everyman desperately searching for his missing wife who disappeared during a road trip in the desert.
32. "American History X"(1998)
Edward Norton never lived up to the huge promise he displayed in the mid-to late '90s, but he should have won the Best Actor Oscar for his searing portrayal of a neo Nazi skinhead in this gripping exploration of modern racism.
33. "Minority Report"(2002)
'Intelligent' isn't a word often used to describe a sci-fi action movie, though it certainly applies here. This was yet another triumph in the illustrious careers of both Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise, but "Report" underperformed at the box office because nobody wants to think too much during a summer popcorn flick.
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| "You're calling me a disgrace? You made "Death to Smoochy". |
Al Pacino's last good movie to date was Chris Nolan's psychological thriller about a sleep-deprived detective investigating a murder in a small Alaskan town. Robin Williams' turn as a quietly unhinged killer will make you wish he'd dropped his comedic shtick a long time ago and done some more real acting.
35. "About Schmidt"(2002)
Jack Nicholson disappears into the role of sad sack 66 year old retiree Warren Schmidt who takes a long hard look at his life and realizes it was devoid of passion and purpose. His often hilarious odyssey to try and change that before it's too late should speak to any age group.
36. "Anything Else"(2003)
If you're not watching Woody Allen movies, you're missing out on a lot of hard-earned laughs and universal themes. Jason Biggs is a young comedy writer on an emotional roller-coaster with his neurotic girlfriend, a very funny Christina Ricci.
37. "Cinderella Man"(2005)
Russell Crowe's off-screen antics likely turned off the intended audience for Ron Howard's uplifting true story of 1930s Depression era boxer James Braddock. The fact that "Million Dollar Baby" won Best Picture the year before probably kept it from major awards consideration.
38. "Match Point"(2005)
Woody Allen has made 40+ movies throughout his career and most of them didn't make a dime, so he's bound to have a few films on an underrated list. This love triangle that leads to murder is his best output of the past decade.
39. "Hollywoodland"(2006)
Ben Affleck's road to redemption started with his portrayal of 1950s TV Superman actor George Reeves whose strange death remains one of Hollywood's greatest unsolved mysteries. Adrian Brody is a seedy private eye looking for answers in this arresting glimpse into the downside of Tinseltown.
40. "Apocalypto"(2006)
Mel Gibson pulls no punches with his intense depiction of an ancient Mayan civilization. The man belongs behind a camera and it only takes about 15 minutes of this savagery to make you really glad you live in the 21st Century.
