Movies audiences have been missing out on these underrated movies. On average, in the modern day, more than 1,000 movies are produced every year in the United States. That is a huge number of stories brought to life on screen, and it’s impossible to see all of them. Movies with big budgets make it to the big screens while others get smaller releases on streaming. Lower-budget movies make the film festival rounds and can gain more financing that way. Among those potentially thousands of movies being released worldwide, however, only a few get to stand out.

Many of the rest of those movies are extremely underrated. Either they haven’t been seen by very many eyeballs, or they didn’t get a big release outside of their home country, or for whatever reason, another movie overshadowed them. Some of these movies were even dismissed by critics upon their initial release only for people to gradually rediscover them and second guess the harsh reception. These movies make up the most underrated movies of all time that certainly deserve a watch.

30

Sorcerer (1977)

Directed By William Friedkin

Sorcerer was a box office bomb when it was released in 1977 and is often looked at, along with movies like Heaven’s Gate and New York, New York, as one of the ambitious failures that led to the end of the auteur-driven era of Hollywood. While some of those other flops of the late 70s and early 80s have been reexamined as misunderstood gems, Sorcerer is a genuine masterpiece that deserves to be mentioned alongside the other great movies of the 1970s.

Director William Friedkin delivers an epic, surreal, and intense thriller about a group of expatriates living in South America who are hired to transport the highly volatile explosive nitroglycerin through the jungle. The movie makes every bump in the road a nail-biting experience in this tale of desperation. The bridge sequence is one of the most impressive set pieces of the era, with the practical filmmaking allowing Sorcerer to remain thrilling decades later.

29

Drinking Buddies (2013)

Directed By Joe Swanberg

Drinking Buddies takes an indie approach to the rom-com genre to create a completely charming, funny, and thoughtful entry. Jake Johnson and Olivia Wilde star as two friends working at a brewery together who spend their time joking around and drinking together before going home to their respective partners. However, the movie follows the friends over the course of a couple of days as their relationship begins to change.

Johnson and Wilde share wonderful chemistry that makes for a very specific relationship between their characters.

Impressively, Drinking Buddies is nearly all improvised yet maintains a cohesive story thanks to these grounded and authentic characters. Johnson and Wilde share wonderful chemistry that makes for a very specific relationship between their characters. While there are many rom-coms about friends becoming lovers, Drinking Buddies approaches that subgenre in an interesting way, exploring the idea of two people who share an attraction, but know they are better as friends.

28

Ronin (1998)

Directed By John Frankenheimer

The 1990s is often regarded as one of the best decades for Hollywood action movies, with some truly iconic тιтles like Terminator 2, Speed, and The Matrix coming out of the decade. However, Ronin failed to gain the same recognition as some of those movies despite it being a brilliant piece of genre filmmaking. The movie stars the likes of Robert De Niro, Sean Bean, and Stellan Skarsgård as lone mercenaries who are brought together to pull off a mysterious job only for things to spiral with treachery around every corner.

Ronin is a spy thriller that deals with shadowy figures who operate outside of governments and take on whatever job comes along. It has a slick yet gritty feel while also displaying some of the best car chases in movie history. De Niro gives a reserved performance in the lead role, but his buddy relationship with fellow operative Jean Reno gives the film an unexpected warmness.

27

The Rider (2018)

Directed By Chloé Zhao

While director Chloé Zhao followed up The Rider with her Oscar-winning Nomadland, it is the previous indie that is a truly remarkable achievement. The Rider is the small and intimate story of a former rodeo rider who suffers an injury that ends the career he loves so much. As he comes to terms with how his life has changed, he attempts to find a new purpose now that the one thing he knew has been taken from him.

The story is presented as a narrative movie, but it blurs the lines between reality and fiction throughout. Lead actor Brady Jandreau is a former rodeo rider whose life and career follow that of the main character, Brady Blackburn. The movie is also populated by Jandreau’s real-life friends and family, playing versions of themselves in this story. It is a testament to Zhao as a filmmaker that she is able to get such authentic performances out of non-professional actors while also creating an emotionally involving story.

26

Sneakers (1992)

Directed By Phil Alden Robinson

Long before the Ocean’s movies combined humor, big-name stars, and an energetic pace, Sneakers pulled it off expertly. The little-seen crime-comedy stars Robert Redford as a security consultant who leads a crew in testing companies’ security by purposely breaking through it. However, when they are hired for a mysterious job that sees them taking some very secure items, they realize they have been set up by a vengeful architect.

The movie came and went without much notice, but it remains a crime film that will put a smile on the faces of viewers from beginning to end. Redford is able to give a charismatic and funny performance in the lead role that is reminiscent of the likes of Butch Cᴀssidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting. He is also joined by an outstanding ensemble, including Sidney Poitier, Dan Aykroyd, and River Phoenix as his entertaining team.

25

Black Christmas (1974)

Directed By Bob Clark

Though some will argue that Black Christmas doesn’t belong among underrated movies, it’s often completely forgotten when it comes to discussions about slasher films. Black Christmas has had two remakes since it was originally made in 1974, but the original is, arguably, the best.

It’s also one of the earliest slasher movies with a final girl and influenced all of the slashers that came after it, including Halloween, which was released a few years later. Black Christmas features Olivia Hussey in the main role as a sorority sister who finds that her sisters are being killed off after they’ve been receiving obscene phone calls.

Of course, in the 1970s, reviewers were mixed on whether or not the movie was good. Many didn’t understand the point of the movie since it left events open-ended. It’s since become a cult classic known for its feminist tone.

24

Lost In America (1985)

Directed By Albert Brooks

Lost In America was well received by critics when it was released in 1985, but it didn’t make a splash on any awards circuits or at the box office. Over 30 years later, it might not be remembered as well as other Albert Brooks movies. Brooks not only directs and co-writes the movie, but is one of the stars as well.

The movie follows a husband and wife who decide to quit their jobs, sell everything they own, and live life on the road. Unfortunately, it becomes a comedy of errors as everything that can go wrong, will, including the wife revealing a gambling problem once they reach Las Vegas.

Lost In America is a great satire and critique of the American dream as audiences once knew it. The jokes are hilarious and the chemistry of the cast is perfect.

23

Sleeping With Other People (2015)

Directed By Leslye Headland

In the 2020s, there’s a kind of nostalgia for old-school romantic comedies of the 1990s. This 2015 movie, however, is a hidden gem that will fill the void for a lot of audience members.

Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis star as two adults who had a one-night stand a decade before the events of the movie. When they meet back up, they develop a friendship and attempt to avoid any Sєxual tension despite their attraction to one another. As they both begin to develop feelings for one another, they try to move on by seeing other people, not wanting to ruin what they have.

Along the way, they both have to deal with their own complicated issues surrounding Sєx and intimacy. It makes for a heartfelt, but also hilarious movie that more romance fans should be checking out.

22

The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Directed By Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, David Michener, And John Musker

For decades, Disney had the market cornered on animated movies for kids and families. Though other studios put out quality stories, they just couldn’t catch up to the juggernaut of a studio. That has begun to change in recent years, but there are still a few movies in Disney’s animated catalog that have been overlooked by many. One of those is The Great Mouse Detective.

The Great Mouse Detective is Disney’s version of Sherlock Holmes – except, of course, that the detective and his ᴀssistant are both mice investigating mysteries in the London mouse community. The villain is one of Disney’s scariest, a rat who isn’t afraid to murder other characters on screen. It’s possible that, like The Black Cauldron, some parents found it a little too scary for their young kids when it was initially released, and that’s contributed to it being forgotten by so many.

It truly is a fantastic Sherlock Holmes adaptation, if it can even be called that. From an era in which animation was still all hand-drawn, the movie is a snapsH๏τ of a long-gone era for Disney.

21

Stardust (2007)

Directed By Matthew Vaughn

Stardust got lost in the shuffle of 2000s romance movies despite being a near-perfect adaptation of its source material. The movie is based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name and combines the perfect ratio of fantasy, adventure, and romance.

In the movie, a young man sees a star fall beyond the wall that separates his small village from the next and he vows to retrieve the star for the woman he loves. When he crosses the wall, however, he finds himself in a place where magic comes to life, witches use nefarious purposes to keep themselves young, and a star isn’t an object but a living, breathing, woman.

Stardust takes the audience on a superb adventure as the man and the star grow closer, evade a witch and her sisters, and become friends with a ship of pirates that take to the skies. It’s one of the gems that gets overlooked in favor of the bigger-budget fantasies and is easily one of the most underrated romances.

20

Chef (2014)

Directed By Jon Favreau

Favreau directed, wrote, produced, and starred in the movie.

Most modern movie audiences know Jon Favreau from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has long been a character actor and director though, and Chef is his own pᴀssion project after appearing in so many big-budget blockbuster movies like those of the MCU. Favreau directed, wrote, produced, and starred in the movie.

Chef follows a celebrity chef who loses his job at a prestigious restaurant after getting into a fight with a food critic about his work. He decides to work for himself, reconnecting with his love of food and his son while opening up his own food truck. Chef Roy Choi oversaw the menus created for the movie so the food is authentic and looks delicious.

While the movie landed well with critics, not a huge number of people saw the project. It’s definitely some of Favreau’s best work.

If movie audiences enjoy Chef, Netflix also has a docuseries with Favreau and Chef Choi called The Chef Show, in which they experiment with different recipes.

19

Burlesque (2010)

Directed By Steve Antin

Musicals are not for everyone. That is one of the biggest reasons they are hit or miss at the box office. Burlesque, as a musical, had two things going for it from the start: Christina Aguilera and Cher. The two powerhouse vocalists play the main characters. While the former is an aspiring performer who gets a job as a waitress at a burlesque club, the latter is the owner.

Much of the musical features romantic comedy clichés, but that doesn’t detract from the performances. Aguilera is a force to be reckoned with. She’s got the charm and naivete that her small-town character needs, but she also has the fire and drive that gets her up on the stage of the club. The music of the movie calls back to older jazz and burlesque clubs while still featuring a modern storyline.

18

Blue Crush (2002)

Directed By John Stockwell

Young women of a certain generation are likely familiar with Blue Crush. Outside of that, however, there wasn’t a huge audience for the movie. It’s the most underrated sports movie of the modern day.

Inspired by a magazine article about female surfers in Hawaii, the movie chronicles one young woman’s attempt to get onto the professional surfing circuit after suffering a difficult setback. She’s supported by her two best friends (and roommates and co-workers), but she also has to raise her little sister after their mother left them, and still has to hold down a job to contribute to the rent. The movie also features a romantic subplot as she falls for a football player vacationing at the H๏τel where the women work.

The movie might have some rough CGI in moments where Kate Bosworth’s head is digitally inserted onto the body of a surfer, but it’s got the right amount of heart and some stellar performances by the entire cast.

17

All Dogs Go To Heaven (1989)

Directed By Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, And Dan Kuenster

…a wonderful example of a golden age for animation.

Though Disney’s animated movies were, for a very long time, seen as the only movies for kids, Don Bluth has made a string of animated movies that all offer colorful characters, fantastic stories, and poignant drama. Bluth is the person behind such childhood tear-jerkers as The Land Before Time and An American Tail. Often overlooked in favor of the dinosaur story, however, is All Dogs Go To Heaven.

All Dogs Go To Heaven follows a dog who escapes heaven after being murdered, intent on exacting revenge on the friend who betrayed him and killed him. On his quest for revenge though, he reunites with another dog he’s friends with and befriends an orphaned little girl. He ends up learning what it really means to be a friend.

The movie had the misfortune of competing at the box office against Disney’s The Little Mermaid in 1989, releasing to theaters on the same day. The Little Mermaid won out, though All Dogs Go To Heaven did have high enough VHS sales to warrant a sequel and TV series being made eventually. The movie is just as compelling for kids as it is for adults, and it’s a wonderful example of a golden age for animation.

16

All I Wanna Do (1998)

Directed By Sarah Kernochan

Part of the reason All I Wanna Do lands among such underrated movies is because it’s largely been lost to obscurity because of тιтle changes and editing for television airings. The movie was also released under the тιтles of Strike! and The Hairy Bird.

It’s a dramedy set in an all-female boarding school in the 1960s. When the girls find out that the school is set to merge with a nearby boys’ school, they fight against the merger. It’s like a female-centric (and slightly younger) Animal House.

With a who’s who of late ‘90s and early 2000s teen actors in the movie, it’s like a time capsule in more ways than one. The movie features Rachel Leigh Cook, Kirsten Dunst, Gabby Hoffman, Monica Keena, and Heather Matarazzo as some of the teenage girls at the center of the story. All of the actresses have higher profile projects to their name, but this is one that sees them at some of the best in teen roles.

15

Better Off ᴅᴇᴀᴅ (1985)

Directed By Savage Steve Holland

Better Off ᴅᴇᴀᴅ takes the idea of someone with a miserable life who is contemplating suicide and simply keeps putting obstacles in their way. It makes for a surprisingly funny flick that not many people have actually seen.

The 1985 movie stars John Cusack as the teenager who just cannot seem to catch a break. His girlfriend breaks up with him, his little brother is more interesting than he is, he loses his job, and his parents don’t seem to care about him at all. He doesn’t feel like he has anything left to live for, but his plans to end his life keep getting derailed by things like a skiing contest against the local bully.

While it’s rumored that John Cusack hated the movie and how it was received by critics, when he was asked about it in a 2013 Reddit AMA, Cusack explained, “I just thought it could have been better, but I think that about almost all my films. I have nothing against the film…. Glad people love it still.”

14

Speak (2004)

Directed By Jessica Sharzer

While most audiences became aware of Kristen Stewart thanks to her casting in the Twilight film franchise, she had been a working child actress long before those movies got off the ground. Stewart appeared in Panic Room opposite Jodie Foster and as a child leading a heist in Catch That Kid before she was even old enough to drive. She also appeared in this underrated drama.

Speak was inspired by Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel of the same name. It follows a young woman in high school who stops speaking after she’s raped by an older and more popular student at a party. As she struggles to deal with the trauma of what happened to her, she has to rebuild her life and her confidence.

Critics praised Stewart’s performance, but the movie was only broadcast on Lifetime and Showtime after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, not allowing a wider audience to see it.

13

The Night Comes For Us (2018)

Directed By Timo Tjahjanto

When movie audiences think of martial arts movies, they tend to think of Chinese and Japanese cinema first. This Indonesian thriller, however, might have them wanting to expand their horizons a bit more.

The movie follows a Six Seas Triad member who takes it upon himself to hide a young girl after her entire village is wiped out by the Triad. He is relentlessly pursued by one of his old friends, but that doesn’t lessen his resolve. It comes down to one man against whole swaths of criminals that he once worked alongside as he strives to make sure one little girl stays safe, even if he might not live to see his goal through.

The combat sequences in The Night Comes For Us are on par with John Wick, arguably the biggest franchise to include martial arts in the modern day. It was released directly to streaming thanks to a distribution deal with Netflix, but it mostly flew under the radar.

12

A Wrinkle In Time (2018)

Directed By Ava DuVernay

A Wrinkle In Time, the novel by Madeleine L’Engle, has been adapted numerous times, but usually for the small screen. The 2018 adaptation of the novel sought to bring the story to life on a huge scale on movie theater screens, and it succeeded. Unfortunately, the movie was critically panned when it did so and didn’t make its budget back at the box office.

A Wrinkle In Time follows the story of Meg and her little brother Charles Wallace as they go on a journey across space and time to save their missing father from the IT. They’re aided by Meg’s friend Calvin (who would eventually become her husband in the original series of novels). The story takes the children across a physics-defying adventure that reminds them about the importance of love and empathy.

2018’s version of the movie deserves so much more love than it got as it is beautiful to watch unfold with mᴀssive set pieces, amazing costumes, and breathtaking fantasy sequences. It’s also got a stellar cast in Storm Reid, Levi Miller, Chris Pine, Mindy Kaling, and more.

11

Beyond The Lights (2014)

Directed By Gina Prince-Blythewood

…the kind of movie that entertains as much as it opens a dialogue…

Beyond The Lights is another modern romance that didn’t get the recognition that it deserved. While it received several nominations for awards from the NAACP Image Awards and the Black Reel Awards, outside of organizations made to specifically honor Black artists, the movie didn’t pick up much momentum. It’s a gorgeous love story that really should have.

The movie follows a young black woman with a singing career just at the start of her superstardom as her mental health is rapidly declining. A young police officer saves her life. It’s as though The Body Guard was pulled into the modern era and made sure to address the effects of climbing the stairs to stardom on mental health. It’s the kind of movie that entertains as much as it opens a dialogue, so it’s a shame that it so easily got swept under the rug by audiences.