Most Underrated Film of 2004?

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Willco

Hollywood Square
My nod goes to Guillermo Del Toro's small budget, but very slick (and faithful!) adaptation of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. The unrated Director's Cut just helps fix some of the flaws that are overshadowed by Ron Perlman and Rick Baker's brilliant makeup work.

I expect to see a lot of recommendations for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Napoleon Dynamite in this thread, though.
 
Not quite sure how either Eternal Sunshine or Napoleon Dynamite could legimately be called "underrated" by anyone. Both did pretty damned well with the people that actually saw them, although the former more than the latter.

As for my pick, I'm not even sure if I could name one. I think just about everything I saw in theaters this year and liked has been pretty well received critically. Maybe The Bourne Supremacy, just because I think people go way overboard with the complaints about the camerawork.
 
Dan said:
Not quite sure how either Eternal Sunshine or Napoleon Dynamite could legimately be called "underrated" by anyone. Both did pretty damned well with the people that actually saw them, although the former more than the latter.

They're small films, especially Napoleon Dynamite, that few have seen. Individual accolades didn't really help 'em too much, although both films did good numbers. I think they would qualify as underrated, especially since if I were to do a "Best of..." list, I doubt both would make many (maybe Eternal Sunshine). In a year of Bills Who Were Killed, Spider-Men, Harry Freakin' Potter, Propaganda 9/11, The Passion of the False Superman and such, I think both films were overshadowed and unseen by the majority.

As for my pick, I'm not even sure if I could name one. I think just about everything I saw in theaters this year and liked has been pretty well received critically. Maybe The Bourne Supremacy, just because I think people go way overboard with the complaints about the camerawork.

I almost listed The Bourne Supremacy. The camerwork is pretty horrendous, but it's a good film and was a quiet summer hit.
 
Socreges said:
Willco, consider what underrated means, though.

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to insinuate here. If you're implying that neither Napoleon Dynamite or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind have been seen by enough people to place in a particular rank or grade, I think that discounts the opinion by those who have seen it. And while both haven't seen a lot of mainstream success, they have been viewed by a good number of people.

At any rate, neither would receive my vote. I was just commenting that I'm expecting to see quite a few people list those titles.
 
Last Life in the universe. One of the few films that's legitimate in its quirks. It's my favorite film of the entire year.



 
Willco said:
I'm not quite sure what you're trying to insinuate here. If you're implying that neither Napoleon Dynamite or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind have been seen by enough people to place in a particular rank or grade, I think that discounts the opinion by those who have seen it. And while both haven't seen a lot of mainstream success, they have been viewed by a good number of people.
Underrated means "rated too low". Not "rated by too few people".

Both movies, overall, have been largely critically acclaimed. When they are rated (that is, any opinion of), it is generally never under. Not a matter of popularity.
 
Socreges said:
Underrated means "rated too low". Not "rated by too few people".

I recognize that.

Both movies, overall, have been largely critically acclaimed. When they are rated (that is, any opinion of), it is generally never under. Not a matter of popularity.

Critical acclaim and public reception is completely different. Both have been critically acclaimed, but both have seen indifference from the public. I know a few people who have said Eternal Sunshine was boring, as was Napoleon Dynamite.

At any rate, I don't know why we're having this discussion when I already said:

At any rate, neither would receive my vote. I was just commenting that I'm expecting to see quite a few people list those titles.
 
Critical acclaim and public reception is completely different. Both have been critically acclaimed, but both have seen indifference from the public. I know a few people who have said Eternal Sunshine was boring, as was Napoleon Dynamite.
That's different than what you've been saying. If the "public" generally HAS seen these movies and rated them poorly (ie, boring), then that would be consider underrated by you or me. But you were identifying them as such insofar as:

"They're small films, especially Napoleon Dynamite, that few have seen."
"I think both films were overshadowed and unseen by the majority."

Get what I'm saying?

At any rate, I don't know why we're having this discussion when I already said:
Because your use of "underrated", I felt, was wrong.

Anyway, I never thought this would turn into a "discussion"... but here we are!
 
Socreges said:
That's different than what you've been saying. If the "public" generally HAS seen these movies and rated them poorly (ie, boring), then that would be consider underrated by you or me. But you were identifying them as such insofar as:

"They're small films, especially Napoleon Dynamite, that few have seen."
"I think both films were overshadowed and unseen by the majority."

Get what I'm saying?

I was trying to explain to my friend Dan why I think most of the forum would list those two flicks. Part of being underrated is not being seen because the public underestimates their worth, so I think the fact they have not been viewed by the masses speaks volumes about their mainstream rating.


Because your use of "underrated", I felt, was wrong.

I'm not saying they're underrated.
 
Willco said:
Part of being underrated is not being seen because the public underestimates their worth, so I think the fact they have not been viewed by the masses speaks volumes about their mainstream rating.
If people consider seeing the movie, but determine that it wouldn't be worth seeing, then yes - that would be "underrated".

But, like you, I'd say they were, instead, "overshadowed".

I'm not saying they're underrated.
I know. That's why I said "your use of".
 
Willco said:
My nod goes to Guillermo Del Toro's small budget, but very slick (and faithful!) adaptation of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. The unrated Director's Cut just helps fix some of the flaws that are overshadowed by Ron Perlman and Rick Baker's brilliant makeup work.


*thumbs up* i just got this.. definitely agree with you.
 
Yeah, I really enjoyed Hellboy, too. However, my vote goes to Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, which I loved -- I can see why some people wouldn't like it, but I'm baffled by the sheer hatred of the movie that some have expressed.
 
How is oldboy underrated? Its not even out in America for one and second its won all sorts of awards, and is already victim of 3 DVD releases in Korea.
 
FoneBone said:
Yeah, I really enjoyed Hellboy, too. However, my vote goes to Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, which I loved -- I can see why some people wouldn't like it, but I'm baffled by the sheer hatred of the movie that some have expressed.

I haven't seen Sky Captain, but I really did want to (couldn't on account of my back injury). Sky Captain, like Hellboy, remind me of the kind of films Hollywood would make in the 80s; not necessarily classic cinema, but ones whose premises were so exciting you really didn't think they could make a movie about whatever it was they were about.

Can anyone tell me how Oldboy is? The rumor is that Sam Raimi has tapped the director of that Korean flick to helm the new Evil Dead remake.
 
karasu said:
Last Life in the universe. One of the few films that's legitimate in its quirks. It's my favorite film of the entire year.



Looking at the IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, I'd say that it's overlooked, not underrated. It didn't exactly get a wide release.
 
I'll go with The Village too-- people didn't seem to like it soley because of its ending, which is a shame. Overall though, disapointing year for movies in my opinion.
 
Willco said:
Can anyone tell me how Oldboy is? The rumor is that Sam Raimi has tapped the director of that Korean flick to helm the new Evil Dead remake.


Oldboy is a fucking masterpiece. High Concept and amazing direction.
 
So would an Evil Dead remake be in good hands? I don't want no foriegn artsy-fartsy director fucking up my Evil Dead.
 
haha trust me this Director is awesome. OLDBOY has really comic book feel. he is not artsy fartsy Oldboy contains once action set peice that will amaze you.
 
Willco said:
My nod goes to Guillermo Del Toro's small budget, but very slick (and faithful!) adaptation of Mike Mignola's Hellboy. The unrated Director's Cut just helps fix some of the flaws that are overshadowed by Ron Perlman and Rick Baker's brilliant makeup work.

100% agreement. It's too bad most folks find it boring/slow/bland (???)...'cause it so faithfully retains the spirit of Mignola's comics I wanted to cry when I saw it. That said, I wish they'd used another storyline other than Seed of Destruction- the later books are better, I think. For instance....the story where HB goes to that crazy isolated castle and hooks up with Lobster Johnson...wooo.

Edit: One should not drink rum and post.
 
Well, the pretty much confirmed rumor is that Hellboy 2 begins shooting next year featuring Bruce Campbell as Lobster Johnson.

Hellboy and Ash in the same movie? God bless cinema.
 
Ron Perlman as Hellboy was one of the most brilliant castings ever. He literally IS Hellboy. The DC is easily in my top 3 comic flicks.
 
Hellboy was sweet,. but I wasn't impressed with one single piece of action. The only action related moment that moved me was when Hellboy tried to jump across the building and fell for no damn reason.

The characters were great though.
 
Willco said:
Well, the pretty much confirmed rumor is that Hellboy 2 begins shooting next year featuring Bruce Campbell as Lobster Johnson.

Hellboy and Ash in the same movie? God bless cinema.
Thank you Willco, you just made my day.
 
Willco said:
Well, the pretty much confirmed rumor is that Hellboy 2 begins shooting next year featuring Bruce Campbell as Lobster Johnson.

Hellboy and Ash in the same movie? God bless cinema.
Ron Perlman and Bruce Campbell in the same movie? I just hope the Earth doesn't tilt on its axis from the combination. ;) This makes me want to see Hellboy 2 even more. So I assume it'll be out in 2006?
 
MASB said:
Ron Perlman and Bruce Campbell in the same movie? I just hope the Earth doesn't tilt on its axis from the combination. ;) This makes me want to see Hellboy 2 even more. So I assume it'll be out in 2006?

That is the plan and Guillermo Del Toro and Mignola have already started working on the script, and Revolution Studios really wants to turn Hellboy into some kind of profitable, Blade-esque action/adventure dark fantasy horror thing. They'll likely give Del Toro more money, which would be great, but to see what he squeezed out of the money he had to work with on the original is amazing.
 
Wicker Park

That movie pretty much rocked my socks off. It was awesome, not much critical acclaim and Im guessing it wasnt that popular either. I loved it though.

Also Team America, Saw, and I, Robot(only 61% at RT) which is the best action movie ive seen since the original Matrix.
 
Jim Bowie said:
NO

NO

NO


Side note: I have a feeling a LOT of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind lovers will be disappointed come Academy Awards time, including myself. I think it will be overlooked in favour of more recent blockbusters (i.e. Collateral, The Aaviator, Ray)
 
Some of the picks in this thread are laughable. I think I've made the only real choice - a movie that no one saw and that was crushed by critics.
 
Mr. Spinnington said:
NO

NO

NO


Side note: I have a feeling a LOT of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind lovers will be disappointed come Academy Awards time, including myself. I think it will be overlooked in favour of more recent blockbusters (i.e. Collateral, The Aaviator, Ray)
I agree, unfortunately. Damn teh Academy.
 
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