Whether it’s a serious drama, playful comedy, or terrifying horror flick, people enjoy watching films, witnessing new realities, and meeting new characters. We are all familiar with classic and famous films such as “Karate Kid” or the “Spiderman” films. But, there are some lesser-known movies that are also great that often don’t get the amount of recognition the big blockbuster movies get. So, let’s discuss some incredible, underrated films.
The first underrated film I will be discussing is “I See You” (2019). This horror movie follows the Harper family and the strange occurrences that happen in their home as the father, Greg Harper, investigates the disappearance of a 12-year-old boy. The second half of the film follows two teens who live in people’s homes without the homeowners knowing. The movie begins as a confusing, and, possibly, supernatural story. But, as the movie goes on, the pieces really start to come together which makes for an exciting and satisfying watch! This movie stars Helen Hunt, Jon Tenney, Judah Lewis, Libe Barer, and Owen Teague and is a top-tier slow-burn thriller that just gets better as it goes along.
“Short Term 12” (2013) is another underrated film that mostly debuted at film festivals. This is a great movie that boasts a plethora of familiar faces. This film stars Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., LaKeith Stanfield, Kaitlyn Dever, Stephanie Beatriz, and Rami Malek. The film follows Grace (Brie Larson), a supervisor at Short Term 12, a group facility for teenagers. Throughout the film, Grace struggles with her mental health as well as helping the kids she looks after and juggling her relationship with her coworker Mason (John Gallagher Jr.). Brie Larson and John Gallagher Jr. are truly remarkable as the romantic leads of the film, and the supporting cast is great as well (it’s no wonder most of this cast went on to be very famous actors).
“Class Action Park” (2020) is the only documentary that I put on this list. Normally, I’m not a huge documentary person, but this one is quite interesting and grabs your attention from the first minute. This documentary’s subject was the theme park Action Park in New Jersey which was run from the late 70s to the early 90s. From the get-go, this park was insanely dangerous and featured infamous rides like the Cannonball Loop and the Alpine Slide. This documentary is a must-watch that will make you believe that the ’80s really were a much different time.
Another movie that features some huge names in acting is “Never Let Me Go” (2010). Based on the best-selling novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, this film follows three teenagers looking back on their past together in a creepy and mysterious boarding school. This movie is very visually stunning and its overall greatness is heightened by its wonderful cast. This movie stars Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield (all before they became as famous and well-known as they are today).
Although biopics can be hit-or-miss in terms of quality and accuracy, “I Am Woman” (2019) accomplishes both with ease. This movie is about Helen Reddy, the famous Australian singer who wrote and performed “I Am Woman,” the unofficial anthem of the women’s movement. The movie focuses on Helen Reddy’s rise to fame, and her tumultuous relationship with her husband and manager, Jeff Wald, as well as the women’s movement and the debate over the Equal Rights Amendment in the ‘70s. The movie stars Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Helen and Evan Peters as Jeff Wald.
Although it’s always fun to watch iconic movies and cult classics, it’s also very satisfying to find a hidden gem that gets much less attention than the big blockbuster films. Just because these films aren’t as popular doesn’t mean that the talent of the cast, crew, and creative team should go unnoticed. That’s what makes films so amazing: people are able to discover even the most obscure and underappreciated films and have that experience for themselves.