It can be difficult to determine why great movies fail. Maybe the movie isn't marketed properly, causing audiences to have false expectations and dismiss the film. It could be the story or themes of the movie being too difficult to grasp, causing viewers to misunderstand the film and disregard it. Perhaps the movie is ahead of its time and just got made too early for audiences to accept what it was attempting. Whatever the reason, eventually the films have their day and are seen for what they as masterworks deserving of study and acclaim, proving time to be the greatest judge of quality, at least most of the time. There are still many incredible films that have yet to receive their dues and be seen as the important films they are. Here are some of those underappreciated movies that deserve more adoration than they have received.
The Lost City of Z (2017)
A classic story in many great films is the obsessive journeys of driven men through the jungle. Werner Herzog's Aguirre, the Wrath of God, and Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now are both a testament to the power of these stories. James Gray's Lost City of Z is yet another exceptional film about that very thing. While the movie may be one of those doomed expeditions led by a man with lofty ambitions, what sets Gray's film apart from the rest is Charlie Hunnam's Col. Percival Fawcett. Fawcett is a good man who cares deeply for his wife and children and is generally perceived as an honorable man worthy of respect, very different from Aguirre's scheming villain or Captain Willard's disillusioned soldier.
Fawcett still succumbs to his pride just as the others do by obsessively seeking after some impossible goal buried in the jungle, but the way he continues to hide behind his honor is what makes it so fascinating. His wife and friends rally to support what will ultimately take him away from all of them, and the audience can't help but cheer him on as well, similarly taken in by his endearing nature. It's a captivating adventure showing a man who is blind to his own self-destruction that viewers can't help but be blinded to as well before it's too late.
Speed Racer (2008)
There are certain rare movies that have a bombastic excitement to them that can have viewers cheering, pumping their fists in the air at the spectacle before them. The Wachowski Sister's Speed Racer is one of those larger-than-life experiences. An adaptation of the hit anime cartoon of the same name, the Wachowski sisters used hyper-stylized CGI and a candy-colored look to create the feeling of a real-life anime world that elevates all the actions on screen to an ascendant level.
It feels like a mixture of Robert Rodriguez's Sin City and George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, but for kids in the best way possible. A wild racing film that doubles as an effective metaphor for the fight between art and business in the film industry, with so much heart and earnestness. It's a shame it failed to impress in 2008 when it was initially released, but it has seen a growing revival in recent years, with many championing this underappreciated fever dream of a film.
The Straight Story (1999)
There are very few directors who can match the dreamy weirdness of David Lynch. With a filmography of bizarre films that delve deep into the subconscious and defy clear explanations, it's no wonder The Straight Story is rarely mentioned in discussions of his work. Described by Lynch as his most experimental film, the G-rated Disney production is the true story of Alvin Straight, who drove his riding lawn-mower from Iowa to Wisconsin to make things right with his ailing brother. Despite the strange circumstances of who was involved in the creation of the film, it's a beautifully realized story of love and forgiveness with an emotional gut punch of an ending that is sure to leave viewers misty-eyed.
It's understandable with Lynch at the helm that many who love his films might find this a disappointing watch, probably waiting throughout the film for the weird to show up and change everything. Luckily, that weird doesn't show up and Lynch made an exceptionally heart-warming piece that should be celebrated as another great film from the artist David Lynch.
Wait Until Dark (1967)
When searching for a tense movie that will terrify viewers, rarely do consider older moves, since we feel they have nothing to offer that can match modern sensibilities. Terrance Young's adaptation of the then-famous play Wait Until Dark proves that belief wrong, with one of the most thrilling films ever made. Staring the always lovely Audrey Hepburn in the role of a blind woman who is being tormented by three men searching for a heroine-filled doll that's supposedly hidden in her apartment, unknown to her. The tension is masterfully built up through the brilliantly paced story, as well as the unsettling, discordant score by Henry Mancini.
Everything builds to one of the most terrifying conclusions in movie history, where Hepburn fights to survive against the most nefarious of the three men alone in the dark apartment. It's a film not talked about often enough that's sure to elicit genuine fright from viewers.
Good Time (2017)
Not too long ago, the Safdie brothers found much-deserved critical success with their film Uncut Gems, which was praised for being a non-stop anxiety nightmare of self-destruction. Not enough people look back at their equally, if not more, effective movie Good Time. Robert Pattinson in the lead role as a low-level crook trying to save his brother from prison after a bank robbery goes wrong, it's an all-night sprint of stressful misadventures that never stops to catch its breath in the best way. Pattinson gives a brilliant performance as the problematic but loving brother who's every action will have viewers wringing their hands with worry, but it never ceases to captivate.
Despite the great anxiety of the film, it still leaves the audience with a final moment that's genuinely moving that leaves audiences in melancholic reflection long after the credits have finished. It's an excellent film that prophesied the coming greatness of their next film, that deserves the same praise it received.
The Gunfighter (1950)
Is there a more legendary figure in all cinema than the Gunslinger? An old West warrior who has a special capability with a six-shooter. Have you ever considered all the implications that come with that lifestyle? In Henry King's The Gunfighter, we see the consequences of that life. Gregory Peck plays a man who desperately wishes to reconnect with his estranged wife but is constantly challenged due to his impossibly fast quick-draw. Violence follows him everywhere as young guns who wish to be as famous as he is all take their shot at him. It doesn't end there with towns folk refusing to serve him to avoid the violence he brings and the lawmen seeking justice for the lives he's taken.
It's wonderfully subversive in how it avoids the glamour of those characters and looks at the ugly effect a life based on violence can have on a person. It's a shame it isn't talked about more among the other great Western films of its day, and that should change.
Happiness (1998)
Every human being's efforts can be best summed up as a search for happiness. Writer and director Todd Solondz realized this and made a movie about a bunch of sad, misguided people as they attempt to find their own happiness in all the wrong ways. That movie is Happiness, a pitch-black comedy that digs into some weighty questions about life and certain's people's inability to come to terms with it. Solondz performs some kind of magic trick in how he's able to make every moment feel heartbreaking and hilarious at the same time in a way that makes it more palatable and even more honest in capturing the inherent ridiculousness of life.
Its interweaving stories are quite shocking and will make you sympathize with certain people in ways you never thought possible, while never seeking to justify the inexcusable actions of those more difficult characters, only wanting to understand them. It's obvious that the controversial subjects are what made the movie fail to become an acclaimed classic, but films that are this bold and this human should be better celebrated. A very funny film that's not for the faint of heart, but well worth your time.
In Bruges (2008)
If you love the excellent The Banshees of Inisherin, you owe it to yourself to watch the first team-up of that same creative team. Martin McDonagh's In Bruges is the story of two hitmen, played by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, awaiting orders for their next hit in Bruges. Another funny-sad film, with Farrell's more vulgar character hating the dreary town while Gleeson's character embraces the opportunity for tourism. They encounter other tourists, which leads to surreal experiences as the time waiting gives the two men an opportunity to reflect on their botched previous hit and the current state of their lives. It's a classic McDonagh film that is sure to please the fans of his other films with a hilarious ride that leaves the viewers a little heartbroken but satisfied.
Inherent Vice (2014)
With a filmmaker as perfect of a track record as Paul Thomas Anderson, it's strange when one of his films becomes tossed aside and forgotten by most. Anderson's stoner-noir Inherent Vice is that tossed-aside film, and it's deeply misunderstood. An adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's novel of the same name, it's a strange, difficult-to-follow drug trip of a movie, very similar to something like the classic Chinatown. Many viewers probably were alienated by the film's plot for being such a hard-to-follow mystery that's easy to get lost in, and gave up after one viewing. It may sound strange, but their mistakes were trying to follow along the first time and not revisiting the film after the initial watch.
The plot is confusing by design, best shown in how Joaquin Phoenix's hippie detective is just as lost throughout the film. It's better to surrender to it the first time and just feel out what's happening as best you can. It can be understood, but that should be the goal of a rewatch, not a first viewing. This explanation is meant to argue how special of a film this is. It's another knock-out from Anderson, with a one-of-a-kind noir experience that should be counted among all his other great films. If you bounced off this one your first time with it, give it another chance. You'll be glad you did.
It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)
Perhaps the most criminally underrated film in the history of the medium is this incredible little film made primarily by one man. Don Hertzfeldt's It's Such a Beautiful Day just might be the most profound animated film ever made. Its deceptively simple animation style gives way to a deeply felt examination of one man's loss of identity that reveals great insights into the nature of life and people. It's very funny, very sad, and is just one of those movies that have the potential to change your life. It's a miracle it was created by the efforts of one man, whose artistry should be better celebrated, so we can enjoy more great films of this nature. If you watch one thing from this list, please watch It's Such a Beautiful Day.