The best TV / Movies that no one else has seen

motivez · 05-16-2008, 03:44 AM

What's out there that's not a "mainstream hit" that you think is worth watching?

I really like "The First 48" on A&E, and "It takes a thief" on Discovery, I don't think either of those are incredibly popular

As far as movies, "Arlington Road" was really good I thought.

Ardentfrost · 05-16-2008, 07:27 AM

There are lots of movies that missed the whole "box office hit" thing, but were great.

Dark City is a great one. It got a dismal $5 mil it's opening weekend, $14 mil total domestic box office. Those numbers belie how great the movie is. Probably one of Keifer Sutherland's better roles.

Donnie Darko is another one. Complete box office flop. Newmarket Cinema released it into a testbed of 58 theaters, didn't like how it performed and pulled it. It made just over $100k opening weekend, $500k total box office in 2001. Incredible movie. It's likely lots of people know of this movie, though, because it got more acclaim after it left the box office than it did before... similar to Boondock Saints which was only released to 5 theaters making $30k domestic box office, but EVERYONE has seen that movie at this point.

One that no one ever knows about is The Killer which is a 1989 John Woo flick that is responsible for him coming to the west. It is in Chinese, and I suggest watching it sub'd, not dubbed (as I suggest with all foreign flicks). The tag line for the movie is "One Vicious Hitman. One Fierce Cop. Ten Thousand Bullets." It's not kidding either, it's freakin' awesome.

If you're ever looking for obscure movies, look at early works of writer/directors you like. For instance, if you like the Coen Brothers (films like Fargo, No Country for Old Men, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski, etc...) then check out Blood Simple. I would suggest that one anyway, but especially if you like the Coens.

That's all for now

Scrum · 05-16-2008, 09:15 AM

I love just about anything by Joss Whedon. Buffy, Angel, Firefly were all fantastic.

JaJae · 05-16-2008, 12:17 PM

I really liked the movie Open Range. Nobody ever seems to have heard of it though. It stars Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall.

Ardentfrost · 05-16-2008, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

I really liked the movie Open Range. Nobody ever seems to have heard of it though. It stars Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall.

I haven't heard of that one, but I can't say I've liked many of Costner's movies. Dances with Wolves was pretty good, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves although he was probably one of the worst cast Robin Hoods of all time (movie was solid despite him though). I'll have to say Wyatt Earp was a good movie, and he even did good in it imo.

I'll have to check out Open Range. Maybe it's just one of his few gems of a movie

Plus Robert Duvall is pretty rockin'

JaJae · 05-16-2008, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

I haven't heard of that one, but I can't say I've liked many of Costner's movies. Dances with Wolves was pretty good, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves although he was probably one of the worst cast Robin Hoods of all time (movie was solid despite him though). I'll have to say Wyatt Earp was a good movie, and he even did good in it imo.

I'll have to check out Open Range. Maybe it's just one of his few gems of a movie Plus Robert Duvall is pretty rockin'

Here's the trailer:

YouTube Video

It can be slow at parts (over 2 hours) but the cinematography and story line makes up for it. I think it's great. If you have a good surround sound system the final shooting scene is phenomenal. Bose uses it for their corporate demos so people can hear the gun shots whip by them and hit their targets. Unfortunately I don't....

Ardentfrost · 05-16-2008, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by JaJae

Here's the trailer:

It can be slow at parts (over 2 hours) but the cinematography and story line makes up for it. I think it's great. If you have a good surround sound system the final shooting scene is phenomenal. Bose uses it for their corporate demos so people can hear the gun shots whip by them and hit their targets. Unfortunately I don't....

I have seen that final scene.

Movie looks fairly predictable, and I'm usually not one for westerns (with a few classics such as Stagecoach being exceptions). Might give it a watch sometime though

jimeigh · 05-19-2008, 05:23 PM

the cartoon Home Movies
Home Movies (TV series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

a clip:

YouTube - Home Movies 202 - Walk-a-thon to the morgue

Smull · 05-19-2008, 07:36 PM

The first season of Mad Men on AMC was great. The plot makes it sound boring (its about a marketing executive in the 1960s) but drama and the way the storyline unfolds was great. I'll definitely be watching season 2 in July.

motivez · 05-19-2008, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

There are lots of movies that missed the whole "box office hit" thing, but were great.

Dark City is a great one. It got a dismal $5 mil it's opening weekend, $14 mil total domestic box office. Those numbers belie how great the movie is. Probably one of Keifer Sutherland's better roles.

I saw this and really liked it. I remember reading that a lot of people think that The Matrix ripped off this movie.. what do you think about that?

Originally Posted by ArdentFrost

Donnie Darko is another one. Complete box office flop. Newmarket Cinema released it into a testbed of 58 theaters, didn't like how it performed and pulled it. It made just over $100k opening weekend, $500k total box office in 2001. Incredible movie. It's likely lots of people know of this movie, though, because it got more acclaim after it left the box office than it did before... similar to Boondock Saints which was only released to 5 theaters making $30k domestic box office, but EVERYONE has seen that movie at this point.

Yeah, everyone has seen it these days I think

It's like a cult classic now, everyone thinks it has all this deeper meaning to it and whatnot.. but I dunno about that

Originally Posted by Ardentforst

One that no one ever knows about is The Killer which is a 1989 John Woo flick that is responsible for him coming to the west. It is in Chinese, and I suggest watching it sub'd, not dubbed (as I suggest with all foreign flicks). The tag line for the movie is "One Vicious Hitman. One Fierce Cop. Ten Thousand Bullets." It's not kidding either, it's freakin' awesome.

I like subtitles, can't stand dubbed.. haven't heard of this though, definitely gonna check it out. John Woo is awesome.

motivez · 05-19-2008, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by Scrum

I love just about anything by Joss Whedon. Buffy, Angel, Firefly were all fantastic.

What's Firefly about? I remember hearing about it but never got into it.

I had a friend who absolutely loved Buffy and Angel, but I could never really get into them aside from a passing episode or two, maybe if they had been on HBO or something

thatguyoverthere · 05-19-2008, 09:10 PM

A great obscure movie is "American Pop" from 1981. It's an animated film for adults chronicling the lives of a series of fathers and sons down through their generations and the music that they create. There are some really great moments and it's well worth seeing, even if it's pretty dated by todays standards.

A 1995 very, very low budget film called "Bang" I found enjoyable at times. It's about an actress who by complex circumstance finds herself posing as a police officer and the unusual people that cross her path during her weird day.

Two very strange Japanese horror films (when are they not strange?) by director Takashi Miike are "Audition" and "Ichi The Killer." "Audition" starts like a romantic dramedy, as a middle aged guy tries to jump start his dating life again. But the girl he meets... uhhh... it wouldn't be fair to say, but you're gonna need a strong stomach. Makes the "Saw" movies look tame. If you can take it, "Audition" is a must see.

"Ichi The Killer" is like live action anime, extra bloody and hyperviolent, but with a weird sense of humor. One scene, a guy cuts off his own tongue, then has a casual phone conversation. Bizarre for sure, but these two movies are fairly tame for this director, who has some serious issues.

I love the sequel to the "Rocky Horror Picture Show", the little seen "Shock Treatment." Weird, but with some fun, catchy tunes. And it predicted the "reality TV celebrity" concept way back before it became reality.

Another insane low budget musical comedy is "Forbidden Zone." Lots of politically incorrect humor, so be forewarned. It's a totally crazy black and white near surreal musical starring Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo, wrote many movie & TV themes, including "The Simpsons") and directed by his brother Richard.

"Ratattoule" was a big hit I hear, but I hadn't seen it and neither had a lot of my friends. When I finally got around to watching it, I was very pleasantly surprised by it all, and I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.

Finally, a movie that is tanking big time at the box office right now (so I think it qualifies as a movie no one has seen), but I thought was just great, one of the most visually creative and purely entertaining movies I've seen in years. In fact, I just got home from seeing it for a third time (the first time front row at the IMAX, baby!) If you have a twelve year old boy somewhere inside of you, you might want to consider taking him to see "Speed Racer." The twelve year old boy in me shat bricks.

jimeigh · 05-19-2008, 10:31 PM

The American Astronaut (NOT to be mistaken with the astronaut farmer)

it is a space/western/musical

clips:
YouTube - The American Astronaut - Vagina Made of Glass

YouTube - The American Astronaut - Bathroom

jimeigh · 05-19-2008, 10:47 PM

The Lion King is also a good one. it's the touching story about a lion cub who is made fun of because of the strange shade of his fur. none of the other lion cubs let him hunt with them. but when the lion cub grows up, it turns out that he is in fact a Liger, and as such he lacks growth inhibitors and so he is huge. since he is unable to hunt as much as he needs to eat, he eventually starves to death, but not before discovering the cause of suffering in the world and curing it, and defying the laws of biology to father a newborn abomination of nature. everyone learns a valuable lesson: sex is bad.

Scrum · 05-20-2008, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

What's Firefly about? I remember hearing about it but never got into it.

It's kind of a space western. I know that sounds stupid, but it works.

Originally Posted by motivez

I had a friend who absolutely loved Buffy and Angel, but I could never really get into them aside from a passing episode or two, maybe if they had been on HBO or something

They have DVD sets out for both. You should give them a try starting with Buffy. They really hit their stride in season 2.