The annual film calendar is always jam packed full of anticipated releases. Sometimes, even with the hype, bad reviews keep people out of the cinema. Other times, films that would have otherwise had an audience gets lost in the fuzz of the blockbuster barrage. And out of these films, occasionally there are gems that were missed, unfairly judged and all around underrated. Here now are ten such films we at the AU reckon deserve a second viewing. Some, critical darlings – others far from great, but a cult following has found its more redeeming qualities. Others may surprise you…
Dreamcatcher (2003)
Score on Rotten Tomatoes: 30%
A measly 30% on Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t change the fact that, despite a lacking script, Dreamcatcher has some very fine acting; particularly from Damian Lewis (Homeland) and is effectively tense throughout. The build-up to the eccentric creature-feature is very well done, and while the movie falls apart towards the end (along with their ridiculous use of supernatural abilities and the “army fighting aliens” thing) Dreamcatcher remains an entertaining guilty pleasure. I also quite enjoy their depiction of working and long-term memory, despite the simplicity and the whole shared-consciousness crap. – Chris Singh
Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010)
Score on Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
More of a Canadian Indie flick than a box office smash, this movie leans on misconceptions and flipped horror cliches to generate its laughs. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine are the perfect comedic duo to play accident prone, misconstrued slasher rednecks. Worth watching if preppy school kids really annoy you. – Nazia Hafiz
Higher Learning (1995)
Score on Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
Ice Cube, Omar Epps, and Michael Rapaport are all stand-out in this John Singleton drama. Sitting at an indecisive 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, this film is definitely nowhere near Boyz N Tha Hood or Poetic Justice but it navigates through its many clichés with an endearing script and a heartbreaking message. If nothing else, it will appeal to you on a deeper level than some reviews would have you believe. – Chris Singh
Starter For 10 (2006)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
Based on the novel by David Nicholls, this British coming-of-age comedy came and went without much notice back in 2006. However, it launched the careers of many of Hollywood’s upcoming stars including James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class), Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3), Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness), and a hilariously scene-stealing performance by man of the moment Benedict Cumberbatch (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug). – Alex King
Bottle Rocket (1996)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
If you asked most people what the best Wes Anderson movie was, few would likely point towards his directorial debut, Bottle Rocket. But this is undoubtedly my favourite of his movies. The debut feature for brothers Owen and Luke Wilson is the kind of film that gets better with every watch. On first viewing, it’s little more than a quirky heist comedy but repeated visits illustrate the brilliance of the script and the marvellous chemistry between the leads. There are so many quotable lines in this uncynical, gentle delight of a film. – Bobby Townsend
Bowfinger (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Still remains as one of my favourite comedies of all time. With a brilliant script by Steve Martin, the typical directoral excellence of Frank Oz (Death at a Funeral) and one of the last great roles we’ve seen Eddie Murphy take on (as two characters no less – Kit is without a doubt one of the best comedic roles of his career) this film is the definition of underrated. There’s just so much going on here: from the not-so-quiet swipes at Scientology (Welcome, to MindHead), to the overall depiction of Hollywood (represented brilliantly in a small role from Robert Downey Jr) and the somewhat famous “Crossing the Freeway” scene, Bowfinger deserves to be recognised as one of the greatest and smarted comedies of its generation. – Larry Heath
The Devil’s Rejects (2005)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 53%
Rob Zombie’s off-kilter House of 1000 Corpses was enjoyable, but ultimately a bit messy and at times frustrating. This sequel takes the same extremely disturbing characters and puts them in a darker, more mature horror film that follows more of a conventional path. It sits at 53% on Rotten Tomatoes but we think this unnerving story of a murderous, self-righteous family deserves a second chance. The use of ‘Free Bird’ in the soundtrack is also memorable. – Chris Singh
Lords of Dogtown (2005)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%
For some unexplainable reason, Lords of Dogtown is not considered as awesome as the documentary made about the same group of skateboarders (The Z-Boys). I disagree entirely. This film made me want to time travel back to the 70s and skateboard with Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta and Jay Adams. The film does a good job of showing you the lives of these guys as they grew up and broke a lot of rules. – Matilda Mornane
Out Of The Blue (2006)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
In Australia we had Port Arthur, in New Zealand they had Aramoana. This is based on the true story of the shooting massacre of Aramoana, and unlike many films of this ilk this is near-perfectly accurate. Even though it’s a film, this may as well be as close to a documentary of the event, courtesy of first-hand accounts from witnesses and survivors. The cinematography is stunning, and the contrast is chilling at how this peaceful pristine little place becomes caught up in such a horrible violent tragedy. – Carina Nilma
Cemetery Junction (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 57%
Pretty much no one has heard of this film, which is crazy considering that it was written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, creators of The Office and Extras. Some of their trademark inappropriate humour is present, but the film is actually an incredibly moving and inspirational story about growing up and discovering your path in life. The 70’s-set film contains great performances by Ralph Fiennes and then-newcomer Felicity Jones. – Alex King
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