The more I try Netflix recommendations, the more I am surprised at what I am liking despite never hearing of the titles before. A few movies on this list (which are still lesser known), I do own and love very much, however they are mostly obscure and get a blank stare whenever I ask “have you seen it?“. Sometimes a movie’s obscurity or lack of fan-fare can really help a movie as, most times, it will be free of hype and allow you to explore the film completely free of preconceptions. While it won’t make every unknown a winner, I must admit it helps.
As a follow-up to a post I did last December, I give you the 2nd Round of “Movies off the beaten path“.
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The Kid – While I like the “action” Bruce Willis as much as the next person, this lighter fare was not only refreshing but incredibly fun. Nothing like Ah-nuld’s attempts at something kid friendly and genre busting, Willis shows a softer side and the chemistry between newcomer Spencer Breslin and legend Lily Tomlin makes this movie shine. Both cute and side-splitting, this movie is all heart.
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The Killing Room – A bit of a mind-screw movie, this story is smart, keeps you on the edge and is far more complex that you can imagine. A decidedly strange “mixed bag” of actors come together for a tense and taught thriller. This movie has great slow reveals and just plays mind games the entire way through. Not the headiest movie you’ll ever see but builds and builds to a truly ‘wow’ ending.
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Unknown – This is like the non-gore version of Saw. I can see some elements were taken from it yet, Unknown really takes the story you think you’ve seen before and charts new territory. I was amazed with a cast this diverse and well-known, that I hadn’t heard of it sooner. Sometimes you hear about an “ensemble cast” and the movie turns out to be crap, but not this one. This plays like a clever “who dun it?” and is worth the time.
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Outpost – Both “World War II” and “the supernatural” are pretty popular themes in the film world, yet whenever they are combined to make a motion picture one might think that bizarre mix would only lead to a cult following. Well in what would certainly be labeled an “anomaly”, WWII and sci-fi has helped the success of Indiana Jones and Hellboy to name a few famous examples. While this isn’t as great as those two, this is surprising. Admittedly, to see the DVD cover your first inclination is to go “Yeah, this’ll suck“, it’s actually (despite the small budget) a decent flick with a moody atmosphere and a not so predictable plot.
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K-PAX – Once in a while, a movie about an alien comes around that isn’t about lasers, space ships, or tentacles and still, without those special effects, makes you believe the actor is, in fact, an alien. Kevin Spacey is a truly talented actor and Jeff Bridges (who funny enough played in Starman) is also of the same caliber. They really sell this movie, and for a film supposedly about space, it is very down to earth. The story which follows one man (or is he an alien?) trying to find his way home (again like Bridges in Starman) is touching and makes you question, feel for him, and smile the whole way through…plus the musical score is just fantastic!
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Bicentennial Man – Robin Williams sure has taken some wild, off the wall, and dynamic roles in the past. None of them has him playing a robot, to say nothing about a robot on a quest to become human. From Chris Columbus (Gremlins, Home Alone) his affinity for “cute with a message” makes this film both witty and emotional and something for kids and adults. While this did hit theaters many people I know stayed away from it because it looked dumb and not very interesting. Well looks can be deceiving and this movie was very well done in both visuals and the story.
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Tigerland – Both the spring-board for Colin Farrell and the redeeming film for Joel Schumacher, I was impressed with how gritty, slow-paced and yet engaging that this film was. Thanks in large part to Farrell and his stellar breakout performance, if this film had starred anyone else it probably would have been ignored. In my opinion it gave one of the most gritty and intimate story of one man’s journey in the Vietnam era since Platoon.
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The Machinst – Aside from Johnny Depp (and maybe Val Kilmer) I can’t recall an actor who would go to farther lengths for his craft than Christian Bale. Not only was his shocking weight drop something to marvel at, this story was a fascinating morality tale. Set in an almost ethereal atmosphere, all elements teetered on a fine line between reality and fantasy. It gives you a feeling like you’re watching Seven mixed with splashes of The Usual Suspects.
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Ravenous – After seeing Guy Pearce rock the hell out of Memento, I raced out to see everything he was in after that. While I was disappointed with a few titles, this one really shocked me. A tale about Civil War era cannibals? Really? Well as absurd as the concept was, the execution was impressive and had enough twists and great actors to pull it all off. Only don’t listen to the commentary. While the movie was good, and holds up to repeat viewings, the audio track is worthless.
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Grand Canyon – Lawrence Kasdan just loves an epic. The time, the place, the content is irrelevant, he just has a way of telling a story with gripping plot, interesting characters and an interwoven story set amongst a vista of either landscapes emotions or both. While this has more in common with The Big Chill than with Silverado, his stories are grand but are always tied to that most important element: the human interaction. The movie feels a little dated but the message will outlast the styles and look of the film for sure.
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So take a chance on some of the above, or if you’ve seen (or own) any of these, take this as a reminder to revisit some great stories that really are “off the beaten path”.
