10 great movies you probably have not seen

I openly admit this top 10 list is probably a bit scattered and that while they will be numbered from 10 to 1, they aren't really in any specific order. I just picked ten movies I really enjoyed that most people probably never saw. Most of them did have theatrical runs, but they were so short and so limited that I found them only on DVD when I first saw them.



10. Evolution- The movie had an 80 million dollar budget and ended up with a less than 40 million dollar box office, but it really is a comic find. David Duchovny and Orlando Jones have great on-screen chemistry; Sean William Scott had a great one liner that still cracks me up and Julianne Moore proved she could do comedy, but the movie never found an audience, which is a shame because beyond the cool special effects, bizarre Dan Akroyd Cameo and great use of "Play that Funky Music" it is just a very funny movie.

9. Bulworth- Just based on the fact that Warren Beaty raps in this movie is reason enough for everyone to see it. However, it is also a hilarious biting political commentary and a nice stab at black stereotypes. After Senator puts a hit out on himself, he decides to be brutally honest with the people and it turns out they love that. The end 5 minute rapped monologue by Beaty is not only kind of funny, it has some great rhymes and is delivered perfectly. With uncredited Script polishing by Aaron Sorkin, how could I not love this movie and if you watch it, I am fairly certain you will love it too.

8. The Machinist- This is one of those movies that had such a limited theatrical run that it would have been impossible to see, but it had all kinds of buzz because of the weight Christian Bale lost for the role and how quickly he had to put it back on for Batman. It is a small mostly simple story about a guy who cannot sleep and therefore is slowly fading to death. He has dreams or memories and starts to seriously doubt his sanity. Bale was his usual brilliant self and the movie unfolds in way that you don't expect it to and that makes Bale's performance shine even more. If nothing else, you have to respect Bale for really committing to the role and to the movie.

7. The way of the Gun- After writing the brilliant The Usual Suspects, Christopher McQuarrie wanted more, so he wrote and directed this gem. After almost getting an NC-17 rating, the violence was scaled back and the print runs were also scaled back so the movie came and went without making any noise. However, with sharp dialogue, great action sequences and great work from Ryan Phillippe and Benicio Del Toro, this movie deserved better. About a kidnapping gone horribly wrong, the two characters get all Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid and awesomeness abounds. I wouldn't even know where to begin with printing bits of dialogue because there are a done of gems throughout.

6. Breakdown- Sometimes the world forgets Kurt Russell knows how to be a bad ass. This movie serves as a reminder. Released in 1997 to a resounding thud, I saw it for free at my theater and fell in love. There is a great car chase as the climax and there is an intensity throughout the whole movie. It is also scary because Russell's character leaves his wife in the car to go find help for their breakdown and when he returns she is gone. Russell mean mugs, punches and yells his way through hell in the movie and it never gets boring to watch. I am sure it is not for everyone, but I had one hell of a good time watching it.







5. The Frighteners- This is the first R-Rated movie I had permission to see, so it is automatically special to me, but it is also a fantastic movie directed by the brilliant Peter Jackson. Michael J. Fox, revitalizing his career, stars as a guy who gains the ability to see ghosts. He befriends them, gets them to haunt houses and then charges people to clear the house. Yes, it kind of sounds like Pushing Daisies on T.V right now. But then he sees a Grim Reaper type ghost and tries to help the humans that are being stalked by death. With rich, exciting special effects and a funny over the top script, this movie should be a cult classic type movie.






4. Spirited away- Now I am the last person to enjoy anime, really I loathe it, but this is something above and beyond anime. The storytelling is fantastic and the animation really helps further the story of a little girl who wanders into some magical world where humans transform into animals and all kinds of crazy stuff starts to happen. I am not very much into foreign films but this is one of those land mark movies that really should be seen by anyone who loves movies. My family didn't get it, but I was totally sucked into the world this movie created with incredible visuals and stunning cinematic camera shots.







3. Lucky Number Slevin- Most people have heard me talk about this movie now and that is because I really think it is a great piece of pulp cinema. it is fast, funny, interesting and effectively jumps time (something at which many movies try and fail). Josh Hartnett doesn't have to do much but pop off with some very clever one liners and Bruce Willis is at his Stoic best. Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley add depth to most stock characters and while there is a twist in the movie, it is not hard to figure out, but it doesn't take away from the movie. The movie really works because of the dialogue and how quickly it pops from line to line. This is certainly in the vein of Tarantino cinema, but it actually work, very well at that.

2. State and Main- Now I openly admit this is not the kind of comedy for everyone, but it should be. I understand it is too smart for the average movies goer, but I like to think the people who come to this blog appreciate things like that. David Mamet wrote and directed this great satire on both Hollywood and small towns as those two worlds collide for a film shoot. Featuring great gags, like a dot com company trying to get product placement even though they are shooting a period piece and Alec Baldwin at his smarmiest as the big time star who has a thing for teenage girls, everything in this movie works on all levels. The dialogue is genius, the performances from all of the actors is great and the whole thing just clicks.





Equilibrium- If you combined the insanely great fight sequences from the Matrix withe the brutal social commentary from Farenheit 451, mixed them up and threw in Christian Bale being awesome, you'd get this insanely creative, brilliant and intense action picture. it was actually made before the Matrix but released afterwards, so it was labeled a knock off, but in reality this movie is worlds better than The Matrix. First of all, the people in this movie can act. Plus, the story makes sense and isn't a Christian Metaphor wrapped in Sci-Fi. Also this has an awesome Sword fight, insane lighting and sound editing, oh and Christian bale being awesome, did I mention that part? Set in a future when art, music and books are outlawed because they make people feel and feeling leads to war, this movie is a great commentary on the need for emotions and balancing out reason with desire. Everyone should watch it and be amazed, even today!


Do you have any movies you love, but can't seem to find anyone else who has them?