Top 20 most underrated movies and more...

Note : Terrence Malick has directed only 4 movies in almost 40 years. This movie is his least appreciated one.

It is actually my favorite (I still have to see "Days of heaven" though). To me, it is the movie with the best poetic feeling ever. It is like watching a poem but not with words but with images and sound. Incredible.

Better than : Badlands, The Thin Red line (those are two fine movies though)

Note : David Fincher had directed this movie after Seven and it wasn't so well received.

I think it is actually beter than Seven. You still have the same great Fincher visuals but I think there is so much depth in this story, dealing with what people needs in their life when they have reached all their goals or how far are we ready to go to be entertained.

Fight Club is my favorite Fincher movie but this one is great as well.

Better than : Seven, The Curious case of Benjamin Button (both overrated)

Note : This is the last movie directed by Stanley Kubrick and many people think it is his least succesfull one.

I think it is a great movie. As usual, you have the incredible Kubrick direction, completely flawless with obsessive attention to the details. On the other hand, you have this fascinating story which almost works like a captivating Hollywood thriller. I say "almost" because at the end, there is no big chase, rooftop final battle or big twist "He is the one! He did it !". There is actually no real answer and I think many people were really frustrated by that because at the end of the movie, everything is supposed to be solved. I think it was just brilliant.

Better than : Dr Srangelove, Full Metal Jacket(those are two fine movies though)

Note : When it came out, it was a big scandal. It is quite understandable. For example, to get you in the right mood, it starts with 3 different sex scenes. Now, that's what I call an introduction !

I think the story was really fascinating. No real heros, just really twisted minds with rather sick obessions. The directing is great aswell as the cast.

Better than : A history of violence, Eastern promises (those are two fine movies though)

Note : This is one is one the last movie directed by Paul Verhoeven before getting kick out of Hollywood (the last one was "Hollow man"). Unfortunately, it wasn't a success and it didn't help saving the damages caused by "Showgirls".

I think it is shame. It is really entertaining with good action scenes and nice special effects. A big SF show. On the other hand, it is also a big satire about how war is actually completely stupid and meaningless. Finally, as usual in a Verhoeven movie, you have this sexual tension between the characters which gives you the feeling that, at any moment, they're going to rip their clothes off and starting humping each other.

A great combination !

Better than : Basic Instinct, Zwartboek (both overrated)

Note : This is one of the least appreciated movie directed by Roman Polanski.

I found the story really fascinating. A love story full of destruction and sick obsessions. What is not to like ?

Better than : The Pianist, Chinatown (those are two fine movies though)

Note : I really liked this movie a lot. I think it was made just before the Monicagate (maybe I'm wrong!) so it was actually extremely sharp !

It is a very interesting movie about politics (a topic I find riveting). The cast is very good aswell.

Better than : Be cool, Basic, Battlefield earth, The Punisher,... (Jeezz...John had made some really bad movies lately)

Note : In 2005, when Crash won the oscar for the best movie, it was a big scandal. Some loved it and some hated it. I'm neither one of them. I think it is a quite good movie but it is definitely not great and it has some huge flaws.

After that, Paul Haggis directed this movie and very few people noticed it. It is a shame because it is a very good film. Terrific casting with Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron on top of their game. I think it is the best movie about the Irak war that I have seen until now.

Better than : Crash, The three burials of Melquiades Estrada (those are two fine movies though)

Note : After winning hist first best picture Oscar for the movie "Unforgiven", Clint Eastwood has directed this one.

I saw it at the movie theater when it came out. I was 13 or 14 years old and it was the first time I almost cried (I never cried watching a movie. I know, I'm so tough!). I found it was so emotional and it was a great experience.

It is not Eastwood best known movie but I think it is actually his best one.

Better than : Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby (those are two fine movies though)

Note : Again, an underrated movie about Politics.
It is, I believe, one of the last great movie with Robert de Niro and Dustin Hoffman. It is really funny too with some very nice dark humor.

Better than : Sleepers, Meet the Fockers (Ok movies with De Niro and Hoffman but definitely not great at all)

Note : I remember when I saw it in the movie theater. I was in the USA on holiday and went with some friends to see it. I have never heard of it so I was completely "hypefree".

I found it really clever and scary. Once again, the proof that, to scare people, you don't have to show close-ups of bloody killings and/or mutilations. The less you see, the more you get scared.

Better than : Hostel, Saw (both overrated and not really scary)

Note : This is one of the least appreciated movie directed by Louis Malle.

I found it is a fascinating story. Great cast with Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche. The suspense at the end is huge. Finally, this movie shows that love makes you do the craziest things.

Better than : Au revoir, les enfants, Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (those are two fine movies though)

Note : This movies proves that Justin Timberlake can act (the other proof is Black snack moan)! The cast is made of a huge load of up-and-coming actors : Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, Anton Yelchin, Olivia Wilde, Dominique Swain, Amanda Seyfried, Amber Heard,...

I found it is a riveting story. The fact it is a true story is not really relevant to me but still it looks even crazier. It shows that the youth is sometimes completely disconnected from the real world and it has dreadful consequences.

Better than : The Notebook, John Q (those are Ok movies though)

Note : It is not one of the most famous movie with Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta (I know ! he is a scientologist and makes a lot of crap but if you look good, he did some great movies and not only Pulp Fiction !) but it deserves much more credit.

A very interesting movie about the power of the media and how they manipulate the news to make it more entertaining.

Better than : Be cool, Basic, Battlefield earth, The Punisher,... (Jeezz...John had made some really bad movies lately)

Note : I'm not a big fan of Luc Besson. He is a great director in the sense that the direction is always top notch but the stories as usually less than average.

Not with this one. It is one of the less known movies directed by Besson (his best is "Nikita"). Great directing, nice mood, very good cast (even a good Christopher Lambert ! Now that's amazing !!).

Better than : Léon, Le grand bleu (both overrated)

Note : Many people forgot it but it is with this movie that Nicole Kidman proved that she could act and not only be Mrs Cruise.

The story is great with a lot of dark humor and Kidman shows some great acting skills.

Better than : Moulin Rouge, The Others (those are Ok movie though)

Note : After I don't how many sequels, people forgot that the first one is actually a pretty good movie.

A friend suggested to see it, and I thought it would be crap. I was wrong. I found it really entertaining and scary. I usually hate twist at the end but this one is actually really good !

Better than : The Texas Chainsaw massacre (1974), A nightmare on Elm Street (1984) (those are two fine movies though)

Note : This is one of the least appreciated movies directed by the Coen brothers.

I actually like it a lot. I found it very funny and I found that the chemistry between George Clooney and Catherina Zeta-Jones was very good.

Better than : Burn after reading, Barton Fink (those are two fine movies though)

Note : This is one of the least appreciated movie directed by Woody Allen.

I think it was a really funny movie. Kenneth Brannagh did a fine job and I really liked DiCaprio making fun with his image. Charlize Theron was excellent also in a small part at the beginning of her career (she looked gorgeous too !)

Better than : Match point, Melinda and Melinda (those are two fine movies though)

Note : This is one of the least known movie directed by the Farelly brothers.

It is actually one of their best. There is a good chemistry between Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon. What I love about this movie, is that it describes a realistic romantic relationship. The guy loves baseball but she doesn't. The girl has a busy job and he can't see her all the time he would like to. Guess what happen at the end ? They just accept this and love each other in spite of those complications. Ok, it doesn't really sound romatic but it is, really.

Better than : There's something about Mary, Dumb and dumber (both overrated)

Note : If you think Will Smith is a bad actor, you should definitely check this movie! A great story with a great perfomance by Mr Smith.

Better than : Ali, The pursuit of Happyness (both fine movies though)

Note : Pierce Brosnan became very famous thanks to James Bond but if you wonder if he is able to actually act, check this movie. Brosnan is, again, playing a spy but definitely a different kind of spy...

Better than : Goldeneye, The world is not enough, Tomorrow never dies, Die another day (They are all ok but really not great at all)

Note : I was above all impressed by the directing which was pretty amazing and I was rather blown away by the scenes when you hear those sirens and Hell literaly breaks loose. Honestly, those scenes were the best nightmarish moments I have ever seen in a movie. Indeed, the story doesn't make much sense but, as a visual ride, it is completely satisfying.

Better than : Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Max Payne or any other video-game adaptations

Note : It is one of the most underrated movies directed by Martin Scorsese. I think it is very good and Nicolas Cage gives again one of this weird perfomances that only him can provide.

Better than : Kundun, Gangs of New York (both not bad but not as successful)

Note : I'm so amazed by the low ratings for this movie. Sure, to have someone talking with some dead people is just a terrible gimmick but this movie was just so damned hilarious and both Ricky Gervais and Greg Kinnear were just pitch-perfect here.

Better than : Ghost (a box-office success but such a cheesy movie)

Note : I really loved this movie. How the tension is built up, how the main character is completely powerless and see his life going down the drain... The climax is not perfect but it is all about the built up.

Better than : Witness, Regarding Henry (those are ok movies though)

Note : There is a lot of discussion around this movie. Some think it's really bad (Roger Ebert for example), some other think it is really good. I'm part of the second group and I think it is one of the best perfomance by Harrison Ford.

Better than : Frantic, Working girl (those are ok movies though)

Note : It is one of my favorite serial killer movie. Most of them are usually over-the-top and it is really annoying but not this one. It is based on a true story and very realistic.

Better than : Jungle fever, Mo'better blues (those are ok movies though)

Note : Most of children movies are worthless and a big waste of time, even for kids. From time to time, there are some exceptions and this one is one of them. A very good movie for kids and grown ups.

Better than : Charlotte's web, Dreamer, Racing Strips (all 3 are average movies)

Note : I'm not sure if this movie is really underrated or actually jut plain unknown. Anyway, I think it is a great movie. The visuals are amazing and the story is completely spellbinding. I just love it.

Better than : Ghost in the Shell (I like it but Avalon is much better)

Note : In the 90's, Kevin Spacey was considered one of the best actors around. I definitely agree with this statement. This movie, despite his rather lame title, has a huge powerhouse perfomance by Spacey and is definitely worth a look.

Better than : K-pax, Pay it forward (Both average flicks with Spacey)

Note : I'm not a big fan of true stories, usually, but this one has just an amazing story behind and both perfomances by Greg Kinnear and Willem Dafoe are just great.

Better than : The gift, As good as it gets (Both overrated)

Note : Back in the 90's, Val Kilmer was a respected actor... It is easily one of his best perfomances. The story is really mesmerizing aswell. A very good movie.

Better than : Kiss kiss bang bang (though it is a very good movie)

Note : Written by John Cassavetes and directed by his son, Nick Cassavetes, The cast includes Sean Penn, Robin Wright and John Travolta. I believe it is already a good start ! I have seen all Nick Cassavetes movies (expect My sister's keeper) and this one is his best. A great love story about screwed up people.

Better than : Be cool, Basic, Battlefield earth, The Punisher,... (Jeezz...John had made some really bad movies lately)

Note : Back in the 90's, I was a huge Ferrara fan. Unfortunately, Ferrara doesn't really make very good movies anymore... But this one is definitely worth a look!

Better than : The Addiction, King of New York (Both overrated)