Slightly Under the Radar Films

Today i thought I'd mention six movies I love that aren't necessarily part of the American filmography lexicon. They are not the greatest works ever put on celluloid, but are entertaining and certainly superior to watching the Star Wars, Harry Potter or Bourne series for the seventeenth time. 

1. Great Expectations (1998): for reasons I don't fully understand, this modernized reverb of the classic Dickens tale directed by a young Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Children of Men, Solo Con Tu Pareja -- another sleeper that could easily be added to the list (slight but entertaining)), was skewered by most critics. It starred Gwyneth Paltrow, long before she became the most unbearable member of the most unbearable couple in the world today, and Ethan Hawke at the height of his talent, together with an impressive supporting cast that includes Hank Azaria, Robert De Niro and a great performance from Anne Bancroft as the insidious old maid Ms. Dinsmoor. The film is beautifully shot and acted and though it does suffer from stereotyped characters and sometimes tepid plot turns, I think the directing, acting and underlying story still shine through. And it does have the bonus of a stirring nude scene with Paltrow and some, to my eyes, interesting art.

2. Zero Effect (1997): released a year earlier, this directorial debut from Jake Kasdan includes a great turn from one of my favorite "character actors in average mainstream films" Bill Pullman. He plays quirky, brilliant detective Daryl Zero, along with sidekick lawyer/assistant Steve Arlo (played with deadpan brilliance by pre-Schlocky Ben Stiller) and love interest Gloria Sullivan (Kim Dickens). Zero is employed by rich scion Gregory Starks (in a nice turn by Ryan O'Neil) to find his keys, and the blackmailer who has something on him he won't share with the world's "best detective." The plot then builds around the budding romantic relationship between Zero and Sullivan, attempts to unravel the mysteries around Starks and the odd relationship between Zero and his assistant. The film is funny and clever and though slowly paced at times, a complaint of many critics, it shines as an example of innovative, art house fare with a focus on entertaining over art for art's sake.

3. Ghost Town (2008): while the critics loved this film, I know few people who ever heard of it. And that's a shame because it is a lovely mix of humor and pathos, employing the talents of Ricky Gervais to maximum potential. Here he plays a misanthropic dentist who lives a insular, miserable life that includes treating those around him as near annoyances. He goes in for a relatively standard procedure at the hospital, dies for seven minutes and comes out with the ability to see and hear ghosts, who it turns out are stuck on earth until they can resolve issues with loved ones. The irascible Bertram Pincus is soon charged by a bastard ghost and cheater named Frank Herlihy (Greg Kinnear) with breaking up the engagement of his ex-wife Gwen (Tea Leoni) to Richard (Billy Campbell, more recently of The Killing). Pincus succeeds but of course falls for Gwen in the process. The film is moving without being too saccharine and is full of laughs, generally of the third-hand schadenfreude type. 

4. And Justice for All (1979): a great, well-received film for the late 70s that saw Al Pacino give one of his greatest performances as pragmatic idealist lawyer Arthur Kirkland trying to keep his integrity in the corrupt world that surrounds him. He is drawn into defending his archnemesis Judge Fleming (John Forsythe) after he is charged with a brutal rape and soon learns there is more to the case than he could have imagined. The film nicely blends humor, suspense and a brilliantly rendered critique of the legal system and the ways it can steal our humanity, and those who become trapped within its labyrinthine corridors. The film is also backed by nice supporting work from Jack Warden (as a suicidal judge), Jeffrey Tambor (as a lawyer who loses his mind) and Christine Lahti as the love interest who is idealistic in a completely contrary way to Arthur. 

5. Yi Yi (2000): this turn of the century film from Taiwanese master director Edward Yang is an intricately weaved tale of an extended family dealing with the major and minor tragedies of daily life. It again cleverly combines humor, drama and philosophical insights with lovely directing and cinematography employed not for dramatic appeal alone but aesthetic pleasure, without undermining the narrative. While In the Mood for Love (2000) is more beautifully shot from scene to scene, this film entertains from beginning to end with an inspirational and compelling narrative that meanders into interesting nooks and crannies without ever getting lost.

6. Sweet & Lowdown (1999): Woody Allen has had a rather surprising renaissance in the past decade with the success of Melinda Melinda (2004), Match Point (2005), Cassandra's Dream (2007), Vicky Christina Barcelona (2008) and Midnight in Paris (2011). After a rather anemic 1990s, Allen rediscovered his mojo in this sparse vehicle for Sean Penn, as a brilliant but hapless Jazz Guitarist Emmet Ray, the second greatest in the world behind Django Reinhart. Allen perfectly captures the inner-workings of the artistic genius wasting his talent in boozing and womenizing while shunning the love that stands in front of him. It is a lovely bittersweet tale of the price of talent and genius, with some great music and plenty of laughs. 

Rather than offering great art films that could bore, here I have tried to highlight movies that you might have missed but that are definitely worth a viewing or two ...