Top 10 Overlooked Movies of the Last Five Years

by Eric Melin on September 29, 2009

in Top 10s

You can look at this list as a sequel of sorts to lists that J.D. and I wrote in 2006. The Top 10 Overlooked Movies lists were designed to give you something to rent that you may not have heard about or had the wrong idea about. Think of this as an updated version of that list, inspired in part by the new Ricky Gervais film “The Invention of Lying,” opening this weekend. He starred in a great little romantic comedy from last year that disappeared from theaters without a trace (see #10) and it got me thinking again: What other new-ish movies do I never hear anything about anymore? What happens to great films after they suffer disappointing box office runs? The answer? They turn up here.

If you have an idea for your own Top 10 list, email me at eric@scene-stealers.com.

ghost town 200810. Ghost Town (2008)

He saw dead people, but nobody saw this movie. As a self-centered dentist who must grapple with the fact that dead people are suddenly asking him favors at every turn, Ricky Gervais is just testy enough to feel make the silly seem authentic—and very, very funny. He also pulls off the tricky task of convincing an audience to love a prickly bastard and root for his romance with ghost Greg Kinnear’s widow (Tea Leoni). Writer/director David Koepp peppers his movie with just enough cynicism and to keep “Ghost Town” from falling into bad rom-com Hell, and when things do get a little sappy, it actually works.

zathura 20059. Zathura (2005)

This is the little-seen kids-oriented movie that Jon Favreau directed right before he did “Iron Man.” On the surface, it’s a story about a house that gets transported without warning into outer space by a mysterious board game. There’s a visiting spaceman, a giant robot, and the lizard-like Zorgons to contend with, but most of all, “Zathura” is about the camaraderie and friendship of two young brothers (Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo) that’s always marred by varying degrees of competition and jealousy. Favreau shows that even before “Iron Man” he knew how to strike just the right balance between character and fantasy. (Sidenote: It was co-adapted from the book by David Koepp, who also co-wrote and directed “Ghost Town.” Weird.)

the lookout 2007 8. The Lookout (2007)

Having adapted the Elmore Leonard novels “Get Shorty” and “Out of Sight,” screenwriter Scott Frank makes a sure-handed directorial debut with this modest crime caper set in Kansas City. Chris (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is crippled with guilt and not able to function at a normal cognitive level anymore after a tragic high school car accident. His roommate is a blind father figure played by Jeff Daniels. Things get complicated for Chris when he meets a shady new crowd and they draft him into a scheme that he isn’t entirely aware of. Gordon-Levitt (who would go on to do “500 Days of Summer” and “G.I. Joe” this year) shines as the regretful loner and Matthew Goode (“Watchmen”) is magnetic as his new friend. The crime element is well-played, but its the characters you’ll really remember.

the upside of anger joan allen 20057. The Upside of Anger (2005)

The best female performance of 2005 in any movie was Joan Allen’s funny and fearless turn in a misrepresented film called “The Upside of Anger.” The hard-drinking, hard-charging Terry Ann Wolfmeyer is the razor-sharp creation of writer/director Mike Binder and, though you may think from the ad campaign that it is a touchy-feely family film, you’ll know from the moment you see Allen dismiss her daughter’s dreams in a fierce verbal barrage that you are in for more than you bargained for. Snappy dialogue is a rare find in Hollywood these days, and Allen and co-star Kevin Costner are on their game in this biting movie that avoids sinking into sentimentality until the moment it becomes almost unbearable not to.

the new world 20056. The New World (2005)

The fact that the touching love story between John Smith (Colin Farrell) and young native princess Pocahontas (Q’orianka Kilcher) in Jamestown, Virginia probably never took place does not take away from writer/director Terrence Malick’s ability to tap into an emotional core that few directors achieve. The movie feels strange and new, like the English explorers must have felt coming upon a land unseen by “civilized” eyes, or how the native Algonquin people must have felt seeing those huge ships sail up to their shores. It also dismantles the entire rose-colored vision of America’s discovery and re-imagines historical events like the first Thanksgiving, all with the director’s trademark impressionistic style.

the matador 2005 kinnear brosnan5. The Matador (2005)

Although he travels to exotic locales and is paid handsomely to be a “facilitator of fatalities,” Julian (Pierce Brosnan) is desperate and lost. He’s losing his knack for being a hitman, and realizes the trivial nature of his existence. His life is a series of frenzied one-night stands when he meets a mild-mannered salesman in Mexico City (Greg Kinnear). The two form an unlikely friendship, and soon Kinnear is doing all sorts of things he shouldn’t be. This is a funny, stylish movie from writer/director Richard Shepard that constantly feels as if it’s going to fall apart, yet it never quite does. It also showcases a depraved comedic side of Brosnan that is kind of a shock after all those years of playing the suave James Bond.

the fountain 20064. The Fountain (2006)

Before the neo-realism of “The Wrestler,” director Darren Aronofsky achieved a unique kind of narrative cohesion that defied traditional plot-driven mechanics with this lovely, stirring, and personal film. The combination of moody music, beautiful visuals, and rhythmic editing transports viewers back and forth through 16th Century Spain, a present-day medical struggle, the Fountain of Youth, the Tree of Life, and a future where Hugh Jackman floats through space in a clear bubble. While the ultimate meaning of the film may be up for interpretation, there’s no denying the film’s power to overtake the viewer. It’s narrative cohesion comes not from story, but rather the exquisiteness of its images and its transcendent life/death themes.

the black dahlia 20063. The Black Dahlia (2006)

Brian DePalma’s hugely theatrical adaptation of James Ellroy’s dark novel is one of the most criminally misunderstood movies in recent memory. Advertised as a film based on the real-life events surrounding L.A.’s most notorious unsolved murders, audiences and critics were instead treated to the pulpy, operatic descent into darkness of two 1940s L.A. cops (Aaron Eckhart and Josh Hartnett) and the woman they both love (Scarlett Johansson). Flamboyant camerawork and extravagant set design apparently weren’t enough to clue people in that this was meant to be a lusty and overheated soap opera set against the backdrop of a sick and twisted Hollywood. This is black noir the likes of which have never been seen, and the exaggerated acting by all involved is just part of the fun. This one is destined for a re-evaluation.

2. Speed Racer

speed racer wachowskiTo dismiss one of the most inventive movies in recent memory as a candy-colored assault on the senses is missing the point completely. This groundbreaking offering from the Wachowski brothers was unfairly bashed like no other movie last year. Like most films that are ahead of their time, though, I’m sure that “Speed Racer” will have its day. Rather than depicting reality, 14 different effects houses worked together to create a new form of “layered unreality” where nothing that is seen on the screen can actually exist in real life. The goal? A live-action interpretation of Japanese anime. The effects teams literally pieced together layer upon layer, essentially becoming the production design heads and “virtual” cinematographers. The pacing is frenetic, and the movie is probably too long for its own good, but as a bold experiment in storytelling, nothing else from last year is as invigorating.

broken flowers bill murray 20051. Broken Flowers (2005)

Jim Jarmusch’s “Broken Flowers” tackles life’s ambiguous big picture and comes up with– guess what?– more ambiguity. A compelling portrait of loneliness tied together by a mystery plot, this meditative film has a wide-open array of interpretations. What it does subtly and surely, by putting Bill Murray’s eminently likable face on a character who stands in for our own existential nightmares, is ask us to face our own past and future. Does examining one’s regret require a complete flameout like Murray’s unfortunate Don Johnston, or will the inevitable march of time deal us cards of redemption? Murray keeps his hand close to his chest, wearing his best Poker face, and standing in for the viewer throughout. Devious in its simplicity, “Broken Flowers” has two transcendent moments of truth for every one silly and charming moment. Murray is alternately heartbreaking and hilarious in a role that Jarmusch wrote specifically for him, and there are no two better supporting performances in 2005 than the ones by Frances Conroy and Jeffrey Wright.

Eric is the Editor-in-Chief of Scene-Stealers.com, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and contributor for The Pitch. He’s former President of the KCFCC, and drummer for The Dead Girls, Ultimate Fakebook, and Truck Stop Love . He is also the 2013 Air Guitar World Champion Mean Melin, ranked 4th best of all-time. Eric goes to 11. Follow him at:

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{ 44 comments }

1 Xavier September 29, 2009 at 2:30 am

great list, half nelson, inside man, lars and the real girl and jarhead are a few overlooked movies that I can think of over the last 5 years

2 Dana September 29, 2009 at 8:40 am

LOVE #8 and #4! #7 had a f*ed up little twist at the end but still a great movie and not at all what you expect from the trailer.

3 Eric Melin September 29, 2009 at 8:42 am

Thanks, Xavier! Those are all good movies too–it was tough defining “overlooked.” Did that mean the movie underperformed at the box office? If it garnered an Oscar nomination does that mean it should be disqualified?

4 Beck September 29, 2009 at 9:58 am

Putting 10, 9, and 8 in Netflix queue now.

5 Bill Heinen September 29, 2009 at 10:56 am

I need to see Broken Flowers, I keep putting it off but this list makes me think enough is enough. Loved The Lookout, great flick and deserves to be on this list; everytime I mentioned it to someone they seemed to have no idea that movie was ever made!

6 TS September 29, 2009 at 12:21 pm

“Zodiac”
“Gomorrah”
“Revolutionary Road”
“The Hoax”
“Brick”
“King Kong”

7 Eric Melin September 29, 2009 at 1:28 pm

TS- “Zodiac” and “Brick” almost made the list, but it was hard to decide whether they were overlooked or not. I tend to agree with you that they were. “The Hoax” definitely was–and it was a great little movie–nice one!
I loved Jackson’s “King Kong,” but having trouble seeing how it could be overlooked. Is it cuz it didn’t get lots of Oscar nominations? Come to think of it, there is a certain amount of general critical derision surrounding it today, it seems. Maybe people think it hasn’t aged well. It’s certainly too long, and Jack Black’s performance was a little up and down, but I’m with you that it was a deeply felt movie overall. (Confession: I own the extended extended cut on DVD!)

8 Xavier September 29, 2009 at 4:19 pm

I agree that its difficult to classify films as overlooked, but I think that oscar nods don’t disqualify it as overlooked, I think it can be either overlooked by the public, critics and awards or both. I think lars and the real girl is overlooked, it only had one nom for screenplay and was ignored largely by the public because of a misleading ad campaign and the concept itself. Half Nelson probably is more personal because I don’t seem to know anyone who’s seen it. Jarhead was again a misleading ad campaign, it looked like a pretty bad, broad, war comedy, when for the most part it was great satire and deeply emotionally connected by the end, examining the certain people the military attracts and why they join. Maybe on second thoughts inside man is more underrated than overlooked.

9 Kenny September 30, 2009 at 8:58 am

There doesn’t seem to be a trend to why certain are overlooked. It seems each movie is judged differently. I suppose I would deem certain films as overlooked for having the aforementioned attributes but also ones that are damn good movies that deserved to be watched again (and again).

A seclect ten in no particular order:

The Proposition
Children of Men
Thank You for Smoking
The Hunting Party
Synechdoche, NY
The Good Shepherd
The Lives of Others (German)
Bubble
Primer
Good Night and Good Luck

By the way, I totally agree on Zodiac, the Matador and Broken Flowers; they are all very good movies.

10 Dustin September 30, 2009 at 6:14 pm

No one has ever heard of it but despite having Ray Romano in it “Eulogy” is one of the most over looked movies

11 Jake October 1, 2009 at 12:51 pm

The Upside of Anger, The New World, The Fountain, & Speed Racer are HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE movies. The New World just dragged on & on & on. I wanted to kill myself halfway through it.It was seriously probably the most boring movie I have EVER seen. Matador is funny. I liked that movie. That’s the only one on this list that I actually liked. The Lookout was mediocre at BEST. The acting was pretty good though. I couldn’t get through 20 minutes of the Black Dahlia without wanting to turn it off. So I can’t really comment on that one. I’ve heard Broken Flowers is really good though.

But Ghost Town looks terrible. So does The Invention of lying. And Zathura just looks like Jumanji in space.

12 Eric Melin October 1, 2009 at 1:09 pm

Jake- I appreciate that we have a difference of opinion, so I’ll try to respond to your comment with as much detail as you did in yours!

The Upside of Anger, The New World, The Fountain, & Speed Racer are AWESOME, AWESOME movies. The New World was really slow-paced because it was mirroring the pace of life in the 1600s and if you let it, it can overtake your senses. I agree, The Matador is funny. I liked that movie too. That’s the only one on this list that we agree on. The Lookout was better than mediocre. The acting was really good. I couldn’t get through 20 minutes of the Black Dahlia without thinking about how soon I could watch it again. When people don’t watch movies all the way through, they shouldn’t talk about them. Broken Flowers is really good though.

Ghost Town wasn’t terrible. Neither was The Invention of lying. And Zathura was not just Jumanji in space.

13 Jake October 1, 2009 at 2:16 pm

Whoa buddy. Wasn’t meaning to offend you if I did. We clearly have a difference of opinion on these movies, that’s all. I am truly shocked about the New World, though. That is seriously one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I’m genuinely surprised that anyone actually liked it. And I typically like Period Films like that.

And I very rarely don’t watch movies all the way through. I actually think I was sidetracked with something else during Black Dahlia, so maybe I will give it another shot.

I’m curious. Do you think Speed Racer as a whole was a good movie? Or just visually?

14 Eric Melin October 2, 2009 at 4:36 pm

Jake – No biggie. I just get annoyed sometimes when people write in to be contradictory but not actually talk about the movies other than to say they were “bad” or “good.”

I can totally appreciate where you are coming from with “The New World.” It’s a movie you just have to give yourself over to. The same goes for “The Black Dahlia.” Once you accept the artifice, you can enjoy the pulpiness and overheated sexuality. But if you just continue to call bullshit on everything (“That would never happen!”), then you’re missing the whole point.

Both those films (and “Speed Racer” and “The Fountain” for that matter) are unique cinematic experiences where the filmmakers are trying to tell stories with a different stylistic palette. One of the joys of watching movies is giving yourself over to the director, especially when he/she is exploring something other than plot and dialogue.

When watching “Speed Racer,” for example, don’t pay attention to who did what to whom. Forget the story even. Look at the way in which you are receiving the information. In what way are the sights and sounds creating an overall impression of plot and character? I’ve seen it several times, and it’s just a freaking joy to behold.

15 myriah October 2, 2009 at 6:13 pm

Zathura was 05 not 09

16 trustthedust October 2, 2009 at 6:53 pm

Good catch Myriah!

17 cleavy October 2, 2009 at 6:56 pm

Interesting list, Melin… I always wonder if I miss certain good movies because of the way they’re represented (misrepresented) in marketing. For example, I skipped Ghost Town and The Upside of Anger (Costner-phobia), because I perceived them as cheesy, mushy rom-coms/dramadies. Ghost Town is on On Demand right now, so I’ll give it a shot.

I’ve also always been curious about Zathura. I don’t care if it is “Jumanji in space” – I liked Jumanji, and I like space.

Broken Flowers was very good, but I preferred Lost in Translation. Not that that matters, but for some reason those two movies are linked in my head, and I just like Lost… more.

You know I hate New World and The Black Dahlia. I just do. I can’t stop. By the way, I have a theory about Malick that I’ll share with you sometime (preferably over drinks).

In agreement with previous posters – Lars and the Real Girl and Half Nelson were really great, and very much overlooked. Granted the Lars premise had to be tough to market.

Also, Zodiac. I think this movie suffered the same fate as Spike Lee’s Summer of Sam. The drama of the event (Zodiac killer, Son of Sam) is the hook used to pull in audiences, but these films are actually about the PEOPLE who are peripherally intertwined with the event. Both films feature incredible acting and character development, but I don’t think that’s what the audiences had their hearts set on, so they left with a bad taste in their mouths.

A couple of recommendations:

Conversations With Other Women – I thought this movie sounded kind of interesting, but was both hesitant and intrigued by the use of split-screen throughout. Then, by chance, I ran accross it for a dollar ($1) in a Hy-Vee bargain bin. I figured, for a dollar, I’d give it a shot. It turned out to be a great movie, and the split-screen feels fresh and organic, not disruptive and annoying.

Room 314 – Ran accross this one in Netflix On Demand. Reminds me a little, particularly stylistically, of Tape. In my opinion, it presents human relationships in an incredibly honest, straightfoward way, but through a unique, creative format. A little dark and gritty at times – maybe a little to honest for comfort, but there are also moments of beauty, humor, warmth and kindness. Pretty awesome.

Thanks!

18 Kenny October 2, 2009 at 8:47 pm

Cleavy,

I also link Broken Flowers and Lost in Translation in my mind. Murray exhibits the same behaviors in both movies, but he does them with so much ease it’s fun to watch. Plus, I think Jarmusch is one of the most interesting directors working today.

19 Alan Rapp October 5, 2009 at 10:56 am

No love for Kiss Kiss Bang Bang or Marie Antoinette?
For shame!

Good list! Totally agree with you about Allen getting jobbed for the Oscar for Upside.

20 Jake in Scotland October 9, 2009 at 6:12 am

So Bill Murray has an “imminently likable face”. When will it become likeable? I like it now.

21 Eric Melin October 9, 2009 at 9:06 am

Jake- You’re right, me too. That’s why I should have spelled it “eminently.” Nice catch, thanks! It’s corrected now.
I’ve got Alan’s copy of Marie Antoinette and have put other recommendations in my Netflix cue. Thanks everybody!

22 wayne swab (formerly s.) October 28, 2009 at 1:01 pm

Melin, love the lists. Have to agree with Jake though on a few. Remember there is a reason some movies go overlooked.
I own The New World and have given it a few chances, but you really have to like Terrence Malik to appreciate it. I love Malik, but after his other 3, this is the worst. The repetitious plot, the not-so-good acting, and worst: the feel that I have been there, done that.

Now as far as The Black Dahlia is concerned, De Palma hasn’t made a good movie since Raising Cain. I can accept the fact that DePalma is the consummate rip-off artest, but the acting in Dahlia is laughable.

In all De Palma films, there is always one good scene that brings me back for more. In Dahlia, it is the riot in the beginning. But like all great scenes De Palma has done before, you always have to wonder whom he stole it from.

Overlooked films:
Tsongi 13 scariest film I have seen in a long time
Battle Royale Japanese students trying to survive the ultimate game
Apocalypto wouldn’t have been overlooked for the incident
The Proposition awesome Aussie western
Shade a great card playing, con movie
Cocaine Cowboys documentary about Miami in the 70’s and 80s
Undisputed Walter Hill’s comeback
Zoolander I know most saw it, but nobody gives it props
Rock en Roller Guy Ritchie getting back to his roots

I might have shaded the 5 years line; but I needed to find fresh films

23 Eric Melin October 28, 2009 at 1:48 pm

Wayne-
Great suggestions, but I can’t agree about the acting in The Black Dahlia. It wasn’t “laughable” (although I do find myself laughing at the sheer chutzpah of it sometimes), it was exaggerated on purpose. The riot was amazing; good question about where it’s from–ha!

24 Justine October 28, 2009 at 10:10 pm

I’ll agree on the New World and The Fountain. I’ll even concede that Speed Racer was quite good, and certainly didn’t deserve it’s fate. On the other hand, films like Ghost Town or The Lookout were rather generic and I’m not sure if they deserved to be remembered any more than they have been. They do deserve to do better than many films that make millions of dollars, but I don’t think either is particularity remarkable.

25 raideo November 2, 2009 at 3:37 pm

Innovative cinematography or not, speed racer still had an awful plot, and worse acting. It took the Michael Bay approach to story writing ie. it said fuck a story just make it pretty with bright lights and hope most people get distracted from trying to follow the batshit insane story.

26 Gordon November 2, 2009 at 5:58 pm

I would have added “The Fall” to that list.
The most amazing cinematography and art direction in a long time, and a different twist on relaying the story interpretation.

27 Eric Melin November 2, 2009 at 8:01 pm

Gordon- Believe it or not, I almost did. It probably would have made the cut had “Ghost Town” not inspired the list in the first place. Glad to know about others who love that movie too…

28 milleronic November 2, 2009 at 9:08 pm

“The Fountain” IMHO was the best transcendentalist/metaphysical film since “2001” simply stunning, and still leaves me speechless

29 Bon Jon Bova November 3, 2009 at 12:02 am

Why isn’t Stardust on here? It’s a (more) modernday Princess Bride.

30 Adam :) November 3, 2009 at 5:42 am

all the movies on this list i’ve seen were terrible
the ones id heard about were bad reviews
list fail!

31 Eric Melin November 3, 2009 at 1:30 pm

Milleronic- High praise indeed, and I might agree with you. It’s at least as open-ended.
Bon Jon Bova- Never did see it!
Adam- I’m curious which ones you have seen and hated and what specifically you didn’t like about them?

32 David November 3, 2009 at 4:51 pm

I’ve only seen the fountain on this list and I loved that movie. Originally, I had it from Netflix and ended up not watching it and sending it back. Then a friend asked If I saw it, I felt bad about not, and so I went to blockbuster, rented it and was really happy I did. Beautiful film imho.

Im a huge Bill Murray fan, and I didnt even see or hear about Broken Flowers. I saw Lost in Translation and was kinda 50/50 on that one…but I will check this one out anyways, Murray rules!

@ Jake from above….maybe Die Hard, Rambo, Terminator movies would suit you better than this list(not much thinking involved!)

33 Rod Farva November 3, 2009 at 10:04 pm

I’m sorry but this list should definitely be called “The 10 Most Forgettable Movies of the Last Five Years.” Zathura? Speed Racer? You really need to dig deeper before making a list like this, you’ve got five years of movies to pick from. Come on man.

34 Scott November 4, 2009 at 3:06 pm

Hello there,

Let me say first off, I like this list….A lot. I stumbled here, and you have earned a bookmark based on this list alone. The writing is crisp and there is much I look forward to reading.

I am not very good at lists, I just hate picking one thing over another…It’s always a fail when someone asks me to name my favorite anything. As a fellow film buff I often get questioned,”What is your favorite film”. I usually just break down and say, “Weekend at Bernie’s 2”. Nonetheless, I do love reading the lists of those brave enough to take a stand.

Now to the list itself. First, I have to agree with you on a great many of these films. At least the ones I’ve seen. It made me considerably happy to read your inclusion of The Lookout, a little gem of a movie I saw randomly on Encore that stayed with me long after the credits. There was something haunting about the film’s overall atmosphere, mix that with the snowy setting and endearingly odd supporting characters and you end up with a slightly watered down Fargo feeling. Yummy. And who doesn’t love seeing a dysfunctional family in action that could rival their own.

Thus segueing into The Upside of Anger(Don’t you just love seeing Costner as an aging drunk buffoon). That, and the inclusion of The Matador and Broken Flowers, were like seeing old friends pulled from the ether, dusted off, patted on the back, and put on center stage. Kudos to your choices that made me chortle in agreement and delight.

However it’s the other films, the ones I haven’t seen that interested me the most. You picked a few films that now carry the invisible but heavy weight of a collected critical poo-pooing. As a cat that typically reads a review or ten before committing to an in-theater film viewing, I often skip some of the bigger releases that don’t get no love.

Speed Racer, The Fountain, and The Black Dahlia are all films that piqued my interest when I first heard of them, but now remain entrenched at the bottom of my Netflix queue ever since they critically bombed at the B.O.

But your list gives me hope, maybe these films will live up to my initial expectations. On your recommendation these will all be seen in short time. I love the dissenting opinion, especially when I agree with it.

Now, I will end my long winded remarks by saying thanks to turning me on to some of the most overlooked films of the last 5 years. I certainly overlooked a few of them myself.

35 More Cowbell November 4, 2009 at 6:08 pm

Replace “The New World” with “Zodiac” or “A Love Song For Bobby Long” and you’ve got yourself a list.
I hated “The New World” with a bile not seen since “The English Patient”. How exactly does Pocahontas go from speaking monosyllabic Algonquin to perfect Queen’s English in two years? Christ, my grandfather has been speaking English for 74 years and she could speak better than him in the film. Malick at his pretentious worst. And this is from someone who defended “The Thin Red Line”.

36 erik van haaren November 4, 2009 at 6:33 pm

jcvd
the proposition

37 Paul Mazzoni November 4, 2009 at 9:59 pm

Not sure I would call #9 “overlooked.” Maybe I need to review how well it did. #8 and #5 were excellent. #3 is NOT overlooked because it was not good. I read the book and it did a pretty faithful job of keeping to it until about 2/3rds of the way in. Then it all went to hell.

38 wayne swab November 9, 2009 at 12:31 pm

Erik you are dead on with JCVD. One of the best films this year, and completely overlooked. Don’t be fooled by the cover; great film.

39 Wayne swab November 12, 2009 at 6:19 pm

Here are a few more…..

Hellride
Trick r Treat
Crank 2: the rare sequel that is better than the original

40 john November 18, 2009 at 12:33 pm

like the list. big issues with the inclusion of speed racer, the fountain. i saw speed racer and i know why its overlooked. the fountain visually arresting but hardly enough to “overlook” the gaping narrative chasm plus it loses its way a bit. thanks Darren Aronofsky.
john

41 Nick T December 3, 2009 at 1:55 am

This is an interesting list. After reading the evaluation you give Black Dahlia Murder I am going to re-watch it. I saw it in theaters when it was released and thought it was horrible, but after parting with my stuck-upness I am going to give it an open mind view, something that I will indefinitely do now and have been for a couple years now. Zathura was fantastic, The Fountain was breathtaking, Speed Racer was epic, and The Lookout depicted Joseph Gordan Levitt as an unstoppable brute when it comes to anyone and their acting abilities.

The others I need to watch. I enjoyed Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line, but have yet to see The New World due to its reviews. Screw the critic, all they work for is the all mighty dollar, which we all do. I hate how the opinion of the critic sets the mood for the movie for people, including myself. Critics are the main reason why films get overlooked in the first place. I don’t like being told what and what not to see, I just see what I want, which is mostly everything that is not blockbuster b.s. or disputable remakes.

42 Eric Melin December 4, 2009 at 1:55 am

Nick- Since you liked so many of the other films I put on this list, I’m curious to see what you think after watching The Black Dahlia again. Let me know!!

43 Christie August 22, 2010 at 11:06 pm

I was wondering what movie from the last five years has no music and a man dies at the end of it.

44 CTT January 8, 2011 at 3:34 am

I couldn’t get into the Black Dahlia…even though I loooooove Josh Hartnett and i recently saw the Zathura movie randomly on t.v and it freaked me out…go figure…

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