Favorite Underrated Movies
For the past week or so, I’ve been revisiting some older movies that I consider to be underrated gems. These are films that didn’t perform well at the box office when they were released, but that deserved a little more love. Some of them have caught on through home video or streaming, but some of them are still not discussed nearly enough by film fans and the general public. Rather than traditional reviews, I’ve opted to talk about these movies on TikTok and Instagram in “quickie review” format to highlight what I like about them.
First up, we have Logan Lucky, a movie whose underperformance still surprises me. This is a Steven Soderbergh movie with Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, and Daniel Craig, and yet it really only has a small, niche audience.
Next up, we have my favorite Mel Brooks movie, 1977’s High Anxiety. I was practically raised on this movie and it was the single most-quoted piece of media in my house growing up. This is Brooks taking on Hitchcock with a hilarious story about a psychologist who unravels a conspiracy at the Psycho Neurotic Institute for the Very, Very Nervous. With a cast including legends like Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, and Harvey Korman, this movie is a gem of the highest order. There are so many incredible lines in here that I can’t even begin to list them.
Next, we have one of my all-time faves, Attack the Block. I was lucky enough to see this movie at San Diego Comic Con in 2011 and had the change to walk with director Joe Cornish and a then-unknown John Boyega about the production and both were absolutely wonderful. I was so impressed with Boyega right from the first frame and knew he’d go on to have a huge career off this fantastic performance.
The next movie is an early Peter Jackson film that was definitely ahead of its time. I’m talking about The Frighteners. This 1996 movie has gained a little bit of cult status in the resulting decades, but it’s still not as popular as it should be with such groundbreaking special effects and a stellar performance from Michael J. Fox.
Lastly, we have a movie that I loved when I first saw it but can understand why it underperformed at the box office. It’s Bad Times at the El Royale. This movie packs a very strong cast with Chris Hemsworth, Dakota Johnson, Cynthia Erivo, John Hamm, and Jeff Bridges. The Tarantino-esque storytelling, impressive visuals, complex characters, and overall style make it a very fun watch, though the extended runtime can definitely be a downside.
Have you seen any of these underrated movies? What’s your favorite movie that not enough people have seen? Hit me up on Instagram, TikTok, or Bluesky to let me know your faves.
If you’re keen to see what I had to say about all these movies (and keep up with any new underrated gems I discuss in the future), I’ll be collecting the videos on this YouTube playlist.
