12 Underrated Films
- Rachel
- 5 minutes ago
- 10 min read
One of my favorite pastimes is finding and watching random movies I've never heard of. Often times everyone else has heard of them and I'm just slightly out of the loop, but on some occasions I find a gem and have nobody to talk to about it. When this happens, Letterboxd becomes my new best friend, although not everyone agrees with me that certain films deserve more attention than they're getting. Without further ado, here is a list of 12 films that I personally believe are underrated and deserve more love. They are listed in order of number of members on Letterboxd from most to least (for reference, Sinners came out two months ago and has amassed 1.7 million members). There are all different kinds of movies in here meaning there is something for everyone! Enjoy!
The Interview
Year: 2014
Members on LB: 750k
Directors: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Starring: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Randall Park
Description: Dave Skylark and his producer Aaron Rapaport run the celebrity tabloid show "Skylark Tonight". When they land an interview with a surprise fan, North Korean dictator Jong-Un Kim, they are recruited by the CIA to assassinate him.
My Thoughts: Obviously, numbers-wise, this does not qualify as underrated. However, I sincerely believe this movie is completely under appreciated and deserves way more flowers. I love this film with every bone in my body. I genuinely think it is the funniest movie I've ever had the pleasure of watching. Anytime I felt sad my senior year of high school (which was quite often) I would watch this movie, and I have continued that tradition since. Hopefully my entire blog doesn't get taken down for this; the movie did, in fact, almost start a war. Yes, I am just going to brush past that small, insignificant statement. I cannot comprehend how this fantastic movie only averaged three stars on Letterboxd. People have no taste anymore! I know Rogen and Franco aren't friends anymore (at least to the public eye) but they really were a great team and made the funniest films of the late 2000s/2010s. Anyway, if you don't like this movie, that's not okay with me.
My Own Private Idaho
Year: 1991
Members on LB: 292k
Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves
Description: Two best friends living on the streets of Portland as hustlers embark on a journey of self discovery and find their relationship stumbling along the way. A loose adaptation of William Shakespeare's Henry IV.
My Thoughts: This is a very strange movie and I say that in a good way. One thing you'll learn about me through my blog (if you actually read any of it) is that I love weird films, and this one is definitely that. River and Keanu's friendship was so beautiful and it really shines through in this movie. Both of their acting is excellent and the characters they play are very well thought out. I would not say this film is completely underrated, as many people have seen it, but I do not hear people talk about it enough. While it's not my favorite movie from either of them (that's just how amazing they are), I truly believe everyone should give it a watch as soon as they can. If you are trying to get into film and want to feel a little artsy and different, start here.
One Hour Photo
Year: 2002
Members on LB: 197k
Director: Mark Romanek
Starring: Robin Williams, Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan
Description: A mentally unstable photo developer targets an upper middle-class family after his obsession with them becomes more sick and disturbing than any of them could imagine.
My Thoughts: Surprise! Another weird one! This one is not just strange, but also fairly disturbing. Robin Williams, in my opinion, is one of the greatest actors of our time. His performance in this film is the reason it was so intense; he really made the plot come to life. Because he is such an incredible actor, his other work seems to outshine this haunting film of his. I really love all of his work and believe it all deserves praise. Similarly to the last film, it's not entirely underrated and has had a significant amount of viewers, but I would've expected more! If you love psychological thrillers and/or Robin Williams, this is definitely a film you should look into watching.
Sleepaway Camp
Year: 1983
Members on LB: 182k
Director: Robert Hiltzik
Starring: Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tiersten, Karen Fields
Description: Bunks and the showers are a mad stabber's beat at a summer camp strictly for teens.
My Thoughts: This film will leave you with your jaw on the fucking floor. Throughout most of the film, it seems like your average slasher movie- somewhat similar to Friday the 13th. The ending, however, was the most twisted of plot twists. I'm typically good at guessing what happens in movies before it does, but I did not see that coming. This movie is so odd but I think that is what makes it unique, which is a quality that can be hard for slasher films to achieve. They made a few other films after this one that I have not seen in fear that they will ruin the original. I would also like to add that I went to sleepaway camp for about a decade and watched this for the first time the night before I left for my first summer as a counselor. It freaked me out but was also a really fun watch!
Hot Summer Nights
Year: 2017
Members on LB: 167k
Director: Elijah Bynum
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Maika Monroe, Alex Roe, Maia Mitchell
Description: An awkward teenager gets in over his head dealing drugs while falling for his business partner's enigmatic sister during one scorching summer in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
My Thoughts: I don't care what anyone on Letterboxd says, this is one of my favorite movies of all time. People who wrote nasty reviews about this just love to hate on A24 films. I said what I said. Okay, that might be a bit harsh but I seriously love this movie and think it deserves way more love. First of all, this movie features Timmy Chalamet in one of his prime eras. Need I say more? Well, I'm going to anyway. The aesthetic of this movie is so perfect (yet hard to describe- bear with me). Think diners, drive-in movies, neon signs, and cherry lollipops mixed with Cape Cod houses and summer parties. Make sense? To wrap this up, this film feels like a Lana Del Rey song. The plot is literally something she would write about. If that doesn't convince you to watch this movie, I'm really not sure what will. Is this objectively a bad movie? Pretty much. Would it have been a hard watch if Lil Timmy Tim wasn't the lead? Probably. Do I love it anyway? Yes! As my latest review of this film on Letterboxd says, "they could never make me hate this movie."
Nowhere
Year: 1997
Members on LB: 110k
Director: Gregg Araki
Starring: James Duval, Rachel True, Christina Applegate, Mena Suvari, Heather Graham, Ryan Phillippe, Nathan Bexton
Description: Follows a day in the lives of a group of Los Angeles high school students and the strange lives they lead.
My Thoughts: This film is absolutely insane. I really love Gregg Araki for making films that literally nobody else could have ever thought of. And don't be fooled by the poster, this movie is NOT like Clueless with nipple rings, although there are a lot of those. You will essentially be slightly confused throughout the entirety of this film, yet mesmerized by how stunning the sets are. I have never seen anything like them and truly believe more people should watch this film just to see how gorgeous it is. The ending of this film is quite possibly the most random thing Araki could have finished with, but it was also perfect because the entire movie feels random. It's a Metamorphosis reference which is very cool. When you watch it, see if you can catch it.
Party Girl
Year: 1995
Members on LB: 93k
Director: Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Starring: Parker Posey, Omar Townsend, Sasha von Scherler
Description: A 20-something, irresponsible party girl is bailed out of jail by her librarian godmother. To repay the loan, she starts working at the library and gradually turns her life around.
My Thoughts: I love Parker Posey so much it was basically guaranteed that I'd like this movie. However, it was even better than I thought it would be. If you are a fashion lover, this one is totally for you. Mary wears the most iconic fits on her falafel runs- she could be your new inspo. This movie made me want to start throwing underground raves in my crusty college house. I felt so seen by this movie as a fellow 20-something, unemployed loser girl. She really represents us well and I want to be her when I grow up (minus the librarian and lowkey depression part). This movie deserves so much more praise for its iconic wardrobe, soundtrack, and simply because it's Parker Posey. I now have an entire Spotify playlist of mainly house music named "parkerposeyispartygirl."
Nowhere Boy
Year: 2009
Members on LB: 78k
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson (sorry)
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Anne-Marie Duff
Description: A chronicle of John Lennon's first years, focused mainly in his adolescence and his relationship with his stern aunt Mimi, who raised him, and his absentee mother Julia, who re-entered his life at a crucial moment in his young life.
My Thoughts: Before I talk about the film, I would just like to point out that I DO NOT like Sam Taylor-Johnson, and understand that she groomed him on the set of this film. It feels wrong to talk about this movie, regardless of how excellent it is, without sharing my feelings about that. Free him from Granny. Aside from that, I should also mention that I am a huge Beatles fan, so I love anything Beatles related. I was very surprised to see so few members for this film; I could've sworn it was more popular than this. Maybe that's because it should be! This is a great film about John Lennon's early days and his familial struggles (which do not justify how poorly he treated his family later on in his life). Aaron Taylor-Johnson's acting throughout this film (and his others) is incredible and deserves to be seen. To conclude, if you are a Harry Potter fan you may like to know that most of the James Potter fan-cast pictures come from this film.
Bully
Year: 2001
Members on LB: 58k
Director: Larry Clark
Starring: Brad Renfro, Nick Stahl, Bijou Phillips, Michael Pitt, Rachel Miner, Daniel Franzese
Description: A pack of naïve teenagers conspire to murder a mutual friend, whose aggressive demeanor has proven too much.
My Thoughts: This film is a hard watch- not because it's bad, but because of the violence, aggressive, and pure psychotic behavior almost every single character exhibits. Seriously, none of them are normal and cannot take responsibility for their actions because they truly believe or have convinced themselves they've done nothing wrong. Scariest part - this is based on a true story. I won't say too much because I don't want to give things away- which sounds stupid because this actually happened- but it is an engaging watch as the story is told very well once you get passed the sex-crazed teenagers part and get to the true crime part. Before you watch it, just remember I warned you - it's disturbing at times. If you have seen any other films by Larry Clark, you may have a sense of what I mean. A good way to sum up the movie is a review I remember seeing on Letterboxd saying how they can only imagine how horrible the characters must smell, and I couldn't agree more.
Running on Empty
Year: 1988
Members on LB: 44k
Director: Sidney Lumet
Starring: River Phoenix, Judd Hirsch, Christine Lahti, Martha Plimpton, Jonas Abry
Description: Arthur and Annie Pope are fugitives, perpetually on the run from federal authorities due to their antiwar activity during the 1960s. The couple moves around the country with their two sons Harry and Danny. On the verge of adulthood, Danny longs to set out on his own and live a more stable life, but he knows this could mean permanent separation from his family.
My Thoughts: Our second River Phoenix film on this list! His acting is spectacular in this movie, and I'm not the only one who thought so! He was nominated for an Oscar for this performance, which probably makes you think, "doesn't that mean this film isn't underrated?" To that I say, "no." I never hear anyone talk about this movie; do you? The whole story is very well thought out and engaging, and I would definitely recommend this to someone looking to dive into River's fantastic, yet limited, filmography.
School Ties
Year: 1992
Members on LB: 40k
Director: Robert Mandel
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Chris O'Donnell
Description: In 1959, a star quarterback from a working-class family is given an opportunity to attend an elite New England preparatory school, but he is conflicted about whether or not to tell his Protestant classmates that he is Jewish.
My Thoughts: I initially watched this movie because Google told me it was similar to Dead Poets Society (the only similarity is the prep/boarding school aspect in my opinion). This movie is really something. Yes, it focuses on real and important issues. But then again, it's difficult as an audience to focus on those things when a young Brendan Fraser and a young Matt Damon are fisting fighting while naked in the shower. It is rare that we get to see Matt Damon play the villain so this was an interesting change of pace. He is incredible in everything he is in, though. No joke, my bio on Letterboxd is "matt Damon >>>" and I think that really sums me up as a person.
License to Drive
Year: 1988
Members on LB: 29k
Director: Greg Beeman
Starring: Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Heather Graham
Description: Les Anderson thinks his life can't get any worse after he flunks his driver's exam, but he's wrong. Even though he didn't get his license, he refuses to break his date with the cool Mercedes Lane, and he decides to lift his family's prize luxury car for the occasion. Unfortunately, Mercedes sneaks some booze along and passes out drunk, and a confused Les makes the bad decision of enlisting his rebellious friend, Dean, to help.
My Thoughts: The two Coreys strike again! This movie is so 80s and I love it. More people need to see this because it is pure magic. The casting is incredible, but it always was when they'd put Corey and Corey together. I almost put Dream a Little Dream in this spot, but opted not to because that movie was kind of confusing and just not very good if I'm being completely honest (that is hard for me to admit because I love Corey Haim). I think this movie should've been considered an 80s classic; I'm surprised by how few people on Letterboxd have seen this. I highly recommend to all 80s movie lovers, Corey lovers (either one or both together), and anyone who failed their driver's test and wants to think, "at least I didn't do that."
There you go! 12 movies that I think are severely underrated and deserve more appreciation. I could probably make ten more parts to this, especially as I continue to watch weird and off-putting films that I find on the Internet Archives. Comment on this post what movies you think deserve more attention! Let's get our favorites out there for people to see! No gatekeeping here!
Written by: Rachel Klein
Descriptions from: IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes
Images from: [FILMGRAB], IMDb, Pinterest
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