10 Under-rated Movies From The Past 25 Years
1. Clerks (1994): It's the perfect definition of an indie movie. Convenience store employee decides there is more out there than being a clerk, so he decides to max out his credit cards, cast his buddies in his movie, shoot the movie at his place of employment, and uses black and white film to shoot a movie about a clerk who doesn't know what he wants from life. Plus this movie brought us Jay and Silent Bob.
2. Inception (2010): One of the many Christopher Nolan movies that proves that not only is he one of the top directors of his generation, but also one of the best storytellers. The script is the the type of writing that most writers inspire to be. This movie was the mainstream breakout role for Marion Cotillard as well as the re-emergence of Joseph Gordon Levitt. Leo DiCaprio also once again proved his star power by anchoring this cast that also included Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy. This movie had many twists and created conversations among the geeks about whether the dream "suggestions" could actually change a person's life direction and whether it could be used for corporate sabotage.
3. Sin City (2005): In the last decade, comic book based movies have taken off. One of the most famous writers, Frank Miller, created a gritty universe using black and white imagery meshed in with key focal points that are presented in color (e.g. Yellow Bastard is...yellow). The movie is true to the graphic novel because Robert Rodriguez used the graphic novels as his actual storyboards and combining his directorial efforts with Frank Miller himself. This graphic novel turned movie produces an A-list cast that provides drama, action, and sex appeal. Rosario Dawson as Gail and Clive Owen as Dwight McCarthy are one of this generation's best couples.
4. Casino (1995): Based on the true story of Frank Rosenthal and enforcer Tony Spilotro and their involvement with the Stardust Casino (all names were changed), this movie is the best mafia movies from the 90's. Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro's last movie together and another great team up of DeNiro and Pesci, the movie cast almost every mafia looking actor in Hollywood at the time. Almost several hours long, the movie feels shorter and leaves you wanting to know more about those involved. The movie almost leaves you sad to see the end of the mafia era in Las Vegas in favor of a corporation run Las Vegas.
5. Wag The Dog (1997): Another DeNiro movie, this time he teams up with Dustin Hoffman in this political dra-medy. DeNiro plays a man that is the master of spin, creating a false war to through reporters off of a real political scandal involving the President. He teams up with a legendary producer played by Hoffman, to create video images to be leaked to the press. This role for DeNiro was a shift in his career to more light hearted and comedic roles
6. Thirteen Days (2000): This is a political thriller that revolves around one of America's scariest periods in history, the Cuban missile crisis. Thirteen Days centers around Kevin Costner playing unofficial Chief Of Staff Kenny O'Donnell and the way he coordinates between the Kennedy brothers, the Joint Chiefs Of Staff, and members of the Cabinet while the threat of the Russians using their nuclear arms against America via Cuba loomed. Thirty eight years after the incident, the movie builds tension as if you were there in person. Dylan Baker as Robert McNamara was an under-rated performance deserving consideration as a best supporting actor in 2000.
7. The Notorious Bettie Page (2006): The biopic based on the pinup years of Bettie Page is upbeat and portrays Bettie as seeing her modeling as a service or even as an activity that makes others happy. At first she is a little confused on why men would like to see women in leather or tied up. As the movie passes, she embraces her role as a model. The movie ends with Bettie finding church again (she grew up as a church girl) which led to her psychological problems in her middle aged years. Though not particularly looking like Bettie Page, actress Gretchen Mol nailed her smile and mannerisms while the make up artist and costume designers brought her look closer to the queen of pinups.
8. Hollywoodland (2006): Based on the fictional account of the murder investigation of George Reeves and his involvement with the wife of MGM executive Eddie Mannix, this somber toned movie portrays some hope that the real cause of George Reeves' death comes to light through the investigation by private investigator Louis Simo. This movie shows the fans several different possible conclusions to Superman's death including the police ruling of suicide.
9. High Fidelity (2000): Garnering positive reviews and starring John Cusack and Jack Black, this movie based on a best selling book by Nick Hornby never gained the public attention that it should have. Cusack's role of a man tortured by his past relationships was brilliant. He broke down the forth wall to analyze whether he was at fault for his past breakups and shares his love of music along the way. It's one of the few times that the movie watcher can say that the movie is just as good as the book.
10. Alex & Emma: A love story about a writer who is getting over his exotic ex while owing some bad people money. Alex is on a deadline to pay his debts off and has to finish writing his next novel to receive his advance and along the way hires a quiet stenographer named Emma. Gradually as Emma questions his character's decisions in the novel, a character based on her slowly works herself in the novel and gradually becomes closer to the main protagonist as Alex gets closer to Emma. Almost two love stories in one.
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