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Underrated 21st-Century Films

Jan. 23, 2022 at 1:20 p.m.
#1
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If you've ever had the misfortune to hear me rant about the state of movies today, you know that I hate 99% of what comes out, since almost everything is absolute garbage. If you haven't ever had that misfortune, brace yourself-almost everything movie-related today is absolute garbage and trash. Thank goodness for the master of cinema Christopher Nolan (who made the film that got me into films: "The Dark Knight" (2008)-masterpiece). Aside from him, almost everything I watch is pre-21st century, back when they still made masterpieces on a fairly regular basis.

Occasionally though, even with the good films being far and few between nowadays, there are good movies that slip through the cracks and don't get the attention they deserve. Recently (due to a happy accident) I stumbled across a film called "Gifted (2017)", which stars Chris Evans (yes, Captain America Chris Evans) as a blue-collar everyday man drawn into a custody battle over his orphaned niece (McKenna Grace-fantastic performance), a mathematical child prodigy, who wants to stay with him. The 2-minute trailer had me hooked. Seriously, watch this:

It was terrific-not a masterpiece or anything-but a solid, really enjoyable film to watch with terrific acting from all around (and, if you're like me and cry at emotional scenes, keep a box of tissues nearby).

Either way, though I'd mention a couple of other underrated films from the 21st century I've enjoyed:
Memento (2000)
Road to Perdition (2002)
Insomnia (2002)
Blood Diamond (2006)
The Prestige (2006)
The Lives of Others (2007)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Defiance (2008)
Doubt (2008)
The Hunt (2012-Danish film)
Prisoners (2013)
Lone Survivor (2013) (I have never cried harder at a film in my life. Seriously, I was crying so hard I thought I'd wake somebody up. What a brutal, but brilliant film.)
The Drop (2014)
Darkest Hour (2017)
Gosnell (2018)
Richard Jewell (2019)
A Hidden Life (2019-absolute masterpiece)
Tenet (2020)

I'd consider all of these films underrated/unappreciated, and would recommend them all. Any other underrated films from this millennium you've personally enjoyed?
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Jan. 23, 2022 at 5:25 p.m.
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“Draft Day” (2014).

I absolutely loved this movie, for more reasons than the Cleveland Browns (my team) getting the spotlight.

Of course, there are some things that I would change about it (mainly making more realism-focused changes and fixing things that don’t seem right for its time, for example (SPOILERS), the Seattle Seahawks holding the #1 overall pick. This movie was made in 2014, they were NFC champions and 1 play away from winning the Super Bowl that year, could it at least have been Tampa Bay or Tennessee (both went 2-14 that year, last in their respective conferences) that had #1?), but I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Sucks to see a lot of middling reviews (as in a LOT of 2/5s) on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. I’d consider it underrated.
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Jan. 23, 2022 at 5:47 p.m.
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Quoting: Bobcat205
“Draft Day” (2014).

I absolutely loved this movie, for more reasons than the Cleveland Browns (my team) getting the spotlight.

Of course, there are some things that I would change about it (mainly making more realism-focused changes and fixing things that don’t seem right for its time, for example (SPOILERS), the Seattle Seahawks holding the #1 overall pick. This movie was made in 2014, they were NFC champions and 1 play away from winning the Super Bowl that year, could it at least have been Tampa Bay or Tennessee (both went 2-14 that year, last in their respective conferences) that had #1?), but I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Sucks to see a lot of middling reviews (as in a LOT of 2/5s) on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. I’d consider it underrated.


It's one of those flicks I just don't have any interest in seeing, not just because I couldn't care less about the NFL/NBA/MLB, but also because the concept of taking a real-life team and making up a fictional story about it is stupid IMO. But to each his own/Different stripes for different types/different strokes for different folks-you get the idea...
Jan. 23, 2022 at 8:00 p.m.
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Cars 3
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Jan. 23, 2022 at 9:24 p.m.
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My two favourite sports movies would be Greater and Bleed For This.

Both are true stories and both of the main characters have to battle through so much adversity to get where they want.
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Apr. 3, 2022 at 1:23 p.m.
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As the resident Star Wars fan on this site, I feel obligated to say Attack of the Clones. It’s not goodbye any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t deserve all the hatred it got. There are two good things about it. Number one, Obi-Wan is an absolute legend as always. And number two, jar jar is not included in any major fashion. Of course Anakin and Padme are creeps that ruin the franchise, but you take what you can get.
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Apr. 3, 2022 at 4:10 p.m.
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Only seen two of these (though I've been meaning to get around to Richard Jewell), one I really loved and rank among my favorites, the other not so much.
Apr. 6, 2022 at 2:46 p.m.
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Quoting: LeafsFanForSomeReason
Only seen two of these (though I've been meaning to get around to Richard Jewell), one I really loved and rank among my favorites, the other not so much.


I know Prisoners must be the one you've seen and loved (it's an absolute masterpiece), what's the one you didn't like?

(Also, Richard Jewell is a FANTASTIC movie. The acting is freaking unreal-beyond words, really, the guy who plays Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) nails the role, Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates are terrific as well.)
Apr. 6, 2022 at 4:09 p.m.
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Quoting: JeffSkinnerFan53
As the resident Star Wars fan on this site, I feel obligated to say Attack of the Clones. It’s not goodbye any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t deserve all the hatred it got. There are two good things about it. Number one, Obi-Wan is an absolute legend as always. And number two, jar jar is not included in any major fashion. Of course Anakin and Padme are creeps that ruin the franchise, but you take what you can get.


It's probably the worst Star Wars movie (Phantom Menace is also very bad, it's almost a tossup between them). The only good prequel movie is Revenge of the Sith.
Apr. 6, 2022 at 7:18 p.m.
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Quoting: Saskleaf
It's probably the worst Star Wars movie (Phantom Menace is also very bad, it's almost a tossup between them). The only good prequel movie is Revenge of the Sith.


No. The worst is the rise of Skywalker (plot-wise).
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Apr. 6, 2022 at 9:21 p.m.
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Quoting: JeffSkinnerFan53
No. The worst is the rise of Skywalker (plot-wise).


I didn't hate The Rise Of Skywalker but it had a lot of holes in the plot. I didn't mind it but I can understand why you would hate it.
Apr. 6, 2022 at 10:03 p.m.
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Quoting: PointStamkosVasilevskiy219188
I know Prisoners must be the one you've seen and loved (it's an absolute masterpiece), what's the one you didn't like?

(Also, Richard Jewell is a FANTASTIC movie. The acting is freaking unreal-beyond words, really, the guy who plays Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) nails the role, Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates are terrific as well.)


It's not that I didn't like it, just didn't find it to be anything special. Lone Survivor, that is. I thought it was fine, but not really my cup of tea.

Paul Walter Hauser is the main reason I've been meaning to checkout Richard Jewell. That's my boy Stingray (character in Cobra Kai).
Apr. 9, 2022 at 1:20 p.m.
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My two favorite under-rated films of all time are from 1996 (Big Night) and 1998 (Sliding Doors), so I'm DQ'd, but I agree with you that Road to Perdition, Lone Survivor and A Hidden Life are all masterpieces.

I nominate The Way, Way Back (2013) for consideration.
Apr. 9, 2022 at 9:08 p.m.
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Quoting: OldNYIfan
My two favorite under-rated films of all time are from 1996 (Big Night) and 1998 (Sliding Doors), so I'm DQ'd, but I agree with you that Road to Perdition, Lone Survivor and A Hidden Life are all masterpieces.

I nominate The Way, Way Back (2013) for consideration.


MAJOR props to you for having seen A Hidden Life. It's a sad commentary on the state of movies today that barely anybody even knows of the existence of such a masterpiece-it's Malick's best since Badlands, IMO. What a freaking phenomenal film.
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Apr. 9, 2022 at 10:29 p.m.
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Quoting: PointStamkosVasilevskiy219188
MAJOR props to you for having seen A Hidden Life. It's a sad commentary on the state of movies today that barely anybody even knows of the existence of such a masterpiece-it's Malick's best since Badlands, IMO. What a freaking phenomenal film.


There's a film on a similar subject called The White Rose (1982), about a clique of idealistic young Germans who distributed anti-war pamphlets in universities and other public locations. Most of them were denounced, tried, sentenced to death and executed in 1943. It's a Michael Verhoeven film.
Apr. 9, 2022 at 10:32 p.m.
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Quoting: OldNYIfan
There's a film on a similar subject called The White Rose (1982), about a clique of idealistic young Germans who distributed anti-war pamphlets in universities and other public locations. Most of them were denounced, tried, sentenced to death and executed in 1943. It's a Michael Verhoeven film.


Never even heard of it, will definitely check it out, thanks
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Apr. 12, 2022 at 8:24 p.m.
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Got to add another one that I just saw: The Father (2020), directed by Florian Zeller, based on his play of the same name. Follows an 83-year-old man suffering from dementia (Anthony Hopkins-UNREAL, it's scary how gut-wrenching his performance is) who consistently refuses help and assistance from his daughter (Olivia Colman-quietly terrific). Such a heartbreaking film-incredible acting (particularly Hopkins) and direction. If not for Tenet, this would've easily been the best film of 2020. Regardless, it's an absolute masterpiece.
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Aug. 11, 2022 at 8:23 p.m.
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Quoting: PointStamkosVasilevskiy219188
Got to add another one that I just saw: The Father (2020), directed by Florian Zeller, based on his play of the same name. Follows an 83-year-old man suffering from dementia (Anthony Hopkins-UNREAL, it's scary how gut-wrenching his performance is) who consistently refuses help and assistance from his daughter (Olivia Colman-quietly terrific). Such a heartbreaking film-incredible acting (particularly Hopkins) and direction. If not for Tenet, this would've easily been the best film of 2020. Regardless, it's an absolute masterpiece.


Is Tenet really good then? I've heard/read mixed reviews. Tried to watch it late the other night but quit after 15 minutes or so - once they started with the backwards bullet sh*t. I was too tired for another 2 hours. Might have to try again at some point.
Aug. 11, 2022 at 9:01 p.m.
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Edited Aug. 12, 2022 at 8:53 a.m.
Quoting: LeafsFanForSomeReason
Is Tenet really good then? I've heard/read mixed reviews. Tried to watch it late the other night but quit after 15 minutes or so - once they started with the backwards bullet sh*t. I was too tired for another 2 hours. Might have to try again at some point.


It's not merely "really good." Tenet is a freaking masterpiece. Yes, it's ridiculously calculus-level complicated, but according to the rules of the film (I.E. the rules that the film applies to its world), it lines up-I actually sat down with a pen and paper for about an hour after I saw it for the first time and wrote out all my questions/problems, and then thought about how the film answered them. And it answered every single one. Christopher Nolan is a freaking genius.

You'll definitely have to be wide awake to understand it-it's not a before-you-go-to-sleep watch, you'll have to focus throughout the film (seriously, it's like watching a 2 hour 30 minute logic puzzle, in a way), but holy smokes it's worth it. I've seen it 4 times at this point. It's just amazing. Highly recommended-but it really depends on what you seek out of your movies, the reason why so many didn't like it is because they want, simple, mindless action that doesn't exercise the mind or emotion. But if you want to see something that (unless Nolan somehow tops himself) there will never be anything like again, I can't recommend Tenet enough. (Just a word of advice: turn on the subtitles. It's very hard to follow otherwise.)

(BTW, the timing of this is somewhat funny-I hadn't watched anything new in a while, but yesterday I watched Casino Royale (2006), a.k.a. Daniel Craig's debut as James Bond, for the first time and wow what a pleasant surprise. Thrilling tension, emotional drama, and edge-of-your-seat scenes, with witty, clever dialogue and terrific cinematography. Might even be better than Skyfall (2012). Excellent film-just not nearly as good as Tenet. smile)

And if you do wind up watching Tenet, please LMK how it was!
Aug. 12, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
#20
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Star Wars Episode II

If you take out every scene with Anakin, it’s a gripping space detective drama with Obi-Wan
Nov. 4, 2022 at 10:03 a.m.
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I just watched Silence (2016), directed by Martin Scorsese. It’s an incredibly good religious drama. I know that kind of movie isn’t for everyone, but the film is a masterpiece in my opinion.
Nov. 6, 2022 at 9:45 p.m.
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Quoting: PointStamkosVasilevskiy219188
If you've ever had the misfortune to hear me rant about the state of movies today, you know that I hate 99% of what comes out, since almost everything is absolute garbage. If you haven't ever had that misfortune, brace yourself-almost everything movie-related today is absolute garbage and trash. Thank goodness for the master of cinema Christopher Nolan (who made the film that got me into films: "The Dark Knight" (2008)-masterpiece). Aside from him, almost everything I watch is pre-21st century, back when they still made masterpieces on a fairly regular basis.

Occasionally though, even with the good films being far and few between nowadays, there are good movies that slip through the cracks and don't get the attention they deserve. Recently (due to a happy accident) I stumbled across a film called "Gifted (2017)", which stars Chris Evans (yes, Captain America Chris Evans) as a blue-collar everyday man drawn into a custody battle over his orphaned niece (McKenna Grace-fantastic performance), a mathematical child prodigy, who wants to stay with him. The 2-minute trailer had me hooked. Seriously, watch this:

It was terrific-not a masterpiece or anything-but a solid, really enjoyable film to watch with terrific acting from all around (and, if you're like me and cry at emotional scenes, keep a box of tissues nearby).

Either way, though I'd mention a couple of other underrated films from the 21st century I've enjoyed:
Memento (2000)
Road to Perdition (2002)
Insomnia (2002)
Blood Diamond (2006)
The Prestige (2006)
The Lives of Others (2007)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Defiance (2008)
Doubt (2008)
The Hunt (2012-Danish film)
Prisoners (2013)
Lone Survivor (2013) (I have never cried harder at a film in my life. Seriously, I was crying so hard I thought I'd wake somebody up. What a brutal, but brilliant film.)
The Drop (2014)
Darkest Hour (2017)
Gosnell (2018)
Richard Jewell (2019)
A Hidden Life (2019-absolute masterpiece)
Tenet (2020)

I'd consider all of these films underrated/unappreciated, and would recommend them all. Any other underrated films from this millennium you've personally enjoyed?


Memento is definitely a favorite of mine.

I wouldn't say Requiem for a Dream is a favorite but I think it's a must see movie. I watched it with a group of friends and when it ended nobody said anything for a couple of minutes and the first thing said was "Wow and yeah".

I dated a Brazilian girl for a while and she brought City of God over and it was an excellent movie.

There are a couple on your list I haven't seen but I will check them out.
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Dec. 1, 2022 at 10:30 a.m.
#23
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Quoting: TheFastAndTheFleuryous
I just watched Silence (2016), directed by Martin Scorsese. It’s an incredibly good religious drama. I know that kind of movie isn’t for everyone, but the film is a masterpiece in my opinion.


Silence is my absolute favorite Scorsese movie. And that's saying a lot when you look at his track record and see how many great films he's made.
Dec. 25, 2022 at 4:27 p.m.
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Quoting: EsoYeezus69
My two favourite sports movies would be Greater and Bleed For This.

Both are true stories and both of the main characters have to battle through so much adversity to get where they want.


What did you think of Unbroken? I think that it counts as a "sports movie." (Mr. Z lived in Bronson Canyon, the next canyon to the east of me, and a couple of my younger friends /neighbors there were great admirers of him and frequently did him favors or ran errands for him.)
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Dec. 25, 2022 at 4:58 p.m.
#25
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Quoting: OldNYIfan
What did you think of Unbroken? I think that it counts as a "sports movie." (Mr. Z lived in Bronson Canyon, the next canyon to the east of me, and a couple of my younger friends /neighbors there were great admirers of him and frequently did him favors or ran errands for him.)


We watched that movie in my 10th grade history class a long time ago, but I still remember it mostly. I watched the second one before the first and didn’t even notice (I was looking for a movie to watch and that one caught my eye).

It was a good movie, for sure an underrated one, in our history class that year it was by far the best movie we watched (other ones were apocalypto, the patriot which was a close second, and the last samurai).
 
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