The Best Films You've Been Avoiding
You've heard of them but have dismissed them without watching... but why? Here are some gems that have an undeserved bad reputation. Don't miss out!
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- DirectorMichael RitchieStarsJames WoodsLouis Gossett Jr.Bruce DernGabriel's released from prison. His con man friend makes a foolish bet with Diggstown's owner on who'd win the boxing matches - their man against ten Diggstown men.Also known as Midnight Sting (a much better title), this film was panned by the critics and shunned by audiences, which means you've probably overlooked it.
The premise is great: a recently-paroled con-artist (James Woods) ventures into a small town run by a nasty crook (Bruce Dern) to enact a complex scam involving boxing. Telling you more would spoil one of the many surprises that unfold during this excellent film about conning a con-artist. Funny, witty... and a crackerjack ending. - DirectorMartin BrestStarsRobert De NiroCharles GrodinYaphet KottoA bounty hunter pursues a former Mafia accountant who is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter, the F.B.I., and his old mob boss after jumping bail.A great road film that benefits from the chemistry between the two leads. Rarely appears in any "best of" lists, but it's tight, action-packed, and loads of fun.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJude LawJennifer Jason LeighIan HolmA game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.Released one month after The Matrix, the public largely ignored this David Cronenberg film that covers similar territory but skips the bubble-gum philosophy in favor of hard science fiction.
The plot does not lend itself easily to explanation or a trailer: intrigue and paranoia surrounding a hot new total-immersion virtual-reality game. Are you playing the game, or is it playing you? And who is
playing with you?
This is a complex film with multiple layers of reality -- a decade before Inception explored similar territory. - DirectorRenny HarlinStarsGeena DavisSamuel L. JacksonYvonne ZimaSamantha Caine lives in a small town with her daughter. Eight years ago she emerged, two months pregnant, from a nearby river with no memory of her past or who she is. However, she's getting closer to finding out about her past.A fantastic guilty pleasure that bombed at the box office and nearly destroyed Geena Davis' career. It's full of one-liners, improbable action sequences, and some great rants by Samuel L. Jackson. Bonus marks for a chase sequence on ice skates!
- DirectorRoger DonaldsonStarsKevin CostnerGene HackmanSean YoungA coverup and witchhunt occur after a politician accidentally kills his mistress.A dreadful trailer sunk this complex political thriller involving spies, sex, murder and coverups.
Kevin Costner plays a military officer at the Pentagon ordered to investigate the murder of a high-class call girl with ties to various government officials. It's no great mystery what really happened, but that's hardly what the CIA or the powerful politicians want the official report to say. - DirectorBrian SmithStarsHarrison ChadGeorge CarlinBrad GarrettThe tale of Tarzan's misadventures as a boy as he searches for his true identity and the meaning of family.A direct-to-video sequel to a Disney kids film probably means you've never given this a look. I'm not saying it's a great film for everyone, but if you enjoyed the original and want to watch a film with your kids that doesn't bore you to tears, give this one a try -- it's a lot better than most of the sequels churned out.
- DirectorChia-Liang LiuJackie ChanStarsJackie ChanHo-Sung PakLung TiA young martial artist is caught between respecting his pacifist father's wishes or stopping a group of disrespectful foreigners from stealing precious artifacts.A horribly edited/dubbed version of this film was released in the USA in 1998 as The Legend of Drunken Master, but it's a pale shadow of Jackie Chan's original Hong Kong action masterpiece.
The film is actually Drunken Master II, a sequel-in-name-only to Chan's 1978 break-out film. Set in the 1940s, Chan again plays Wong Fei-hung, a Kung Fu student with middling skills... until he gets drunk, when he becomes invincible.
In an age of CGI stunts and explosions, this pure live-action extravaganza will make you look at Hollywood films differently forever more. One brilliant set piece involves Chan taking on "The Axe Gang" single-handedly with a crazy improvised weapon (and destroying an entire building in the process), but the final fight is undoubtedly the best fight scene ever constructed for film. Seven minutes long, it took four months to film and combines brutal martial arts action with slapstick comedy in a way that completely avoids the over-choreographed feel typical of this genre.
The only way to see the original film is on VHS or laserdisc; it's worth trying to find a copy so you can see it in all its glory. But even if you can't, it's definitely worth a look. - DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsTim RobbinsPaul NewmanJennifer Jason LeighA naive business graduate is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.An early Coen Brothers film that's frequently overlooked in favor of Raising Arizona. Tim Robbins stars as a mailroom clerk installed as president of a large company as part of a stockmarket scam. Is he a moron or a genius? Some excellent comedic set pieces that are sorely missing from the Coens' later films.