Topic: Decent films forgotten

[CraigDS]

OK, bit of a weird thread title but here is my thinking.... with all the lockdown in 2020 I’ve probably watched every decent film I can think of off the top of my head. Scrolling through the various apps (Netflix, Prime, CinemaHD) I’ve seemingly watched all I think is decent. Plus there is a lack of new films coming out at the cinema and then dropping to streams.

So it got me thinking that I must have watched hundreds, likely thousands, of movies in my life. Loads of which will have been really good but I’ve simply forgotten about them. They aren’t one of the greats, or part of a big franchise, but they weren’t shite either and they aren’t in the first few hundred in the list when I look on the apps.

So what are your films which you really like, could be really well known even, but just sort of forgotten about.

Not going to lie, I haven’t thought of mine yet. Posted this as just spent yet another 20 minutes trying to find something to watch 

[Kashinoda]

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[Sir Psycho Sexy]

I'll go for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - because I remember I definitely liked it but now I can't remember what happened (which is quite fitting given the theme of the movie!). Definitely was more emotional than I was expecting so I'm gonna have to give it another look.

[Mercer]

A Scanner Darkly

Arlington Road

Rec

Grave Encounters

The Raid

The Mist

[McrRed]

I'll go for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - because I remember I definitely liked it but now I can't remember what happened (which is quite fitting given the theme of the movie!). Definitely was more emotional than I was expecting so I'm gonna have to give it another look.

There's a parallel thread to this somewhere which is films you've seen more than once ...

Eternal sunshine is one of them for me. Seen a few times. Can't remember it. Looking forward to seeing it again.
Die Hard, Waterworld, Pulp Fiction, Blazing Saddles: these are films I've seen again and again and will once more.

Chinatown. North by Northwest. The Tenant. These spring to mind. If I think again later, a different set probably would come up.

Which brings me to a conversation I had with my partner the other day who's much younger than me. She can't be arsed with any film made before 2010...
I cry heresy, because all those little films from the seventies and before are like ancient history to her. Which is, I guess, the point of this thread but from the days before streaming and even blockbusters' we had to sit through whatever was on telly or nothing at all. At the whim of schedulers are whatever procurement arrangements were in place at the time we watched some absolute dross. But in amongst that were some gems too.

Great thread idea OP. [emoji2]

[McrRed]

Meant to say...part of the problem is I've forgotten which films they are.

Is it cheating to look at a list or do we have to go from memory?

[Riquende]

Which brings me to a conversation I had with my partner the other day who's much younger than me. She can't be arsed with any film made before 2010...

Does she wonder who this 'Iron Man' is when starting the MCU on the 3rd or 4th film?

About 15 years ago I worked with somone about 17/18 years old who refused to engage with anything cultural from before 2000. As far as he was concerned it was 'made for his parents' (he was a massive Chelsea fan so obviously not all there in the head). My partner is probably about his age also and (thankfully) is a huge fan of what we can just about call 'vintage' music & cinema these days. I don't think we'd get along otherwise!

[Nitramdorf]

I havent seen it for a few years but always watch The Hill with Sean Connery when its on. Set in an army prison camp in the desert. Great film.

[liverbloke]

I'll go for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - because I remember I definitely liked it but now I can't remember what happened (which is quite fitting given the theme of the movie!). Definitely was more emotional than I was expecting so I'm gonna have to give it another look.

awesome movie - really smart idea

[Zee_26]

It recently got a bit of media airtime because of its 20th anniversary, but prior to that I can't recall anyone ever talking much about Almost Famous which is a cracking film. In fact, it seems to have slipped back into forgotten territory already!

[Hedley Lamarr]

I watched Gattaca for the first time in over a decade the other day, I'd forgotten what a cracking film it is.  Smart, stylish sci-fi that nobody seems to talk about these days.

[Musketeer Gripweed]

Reading this thread has prompted me to watch Dead Man's Shoes again. Haven't watched it in ages.

[stara]

As it happened the other day, my friend suggested me a forgotten film called Leon. Is it a forgotten film? I dunno, but it's damn fine film.

[Ziltoid]

Ravenous

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

It recently got a bit of media airtime because of its 20th anniversary, but prior to that I can't recall anyone ever talking much about Almost Famous which is a cracking film. In fact, it seems to have slipped back into forgotten territory already!

Love this. It's on prime if anyone hasnt seen it.

As it happened the other day, my friend suggested me a forgotten film called Leon. Is it a forgotten film? I dunno, but it's damn fine film.

Was thinking of mentioning this too. If there are any Alt-J fans, the sing Matilda was inspired by this movie

[Andy_lfc]

As it happened the other day, my friend suggested me a forgotten film called Leon. Is it a forgotten film? I dunno, but it's damn fine film.

In my humble opinion, that absolutely counts! I used to watch it over and over when I was younger, loved the Gary Oldman character.  Haven't watched it for possibly 20 years now.  Anyone know if its on any streaming platforms?

[Andy_lfc]

And one from me that I used to constantly watch and have pretty much forgotten about is True Romance.  I don't know if it was any good even then, but I loved it and now want to watch it again.

[stara]

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. Not as famous as author's other 70s classics, but thoroughly enjoyable affair nevertheless. Mayby even forgotten ...

[Hedley Lamarr]

Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia. Not as famous as author's other 70s classics, but thoroughly enjoyable affair nevertheless. Mayby even forgotten ...

Fantastic film, you can almost smell it its so down and dirty.  Ebert was the only critic that really liked it on release, he called it 'a bizarre masterpiece', which sums it up perfectly.

For my money it's Peckinpah's best film.

[liverbloke]

Being John Malkovich

thought it'd be up its own arse but it's a fucking delight

love movies where they throw the rule book out of the window

[Hendollama]

Remember loving Shutter Island a lot. Called it one of my favorites after finishing.
Cant really remember the story now though.
Another was the The Fifth Element. I recognize that it had the "Born Sexy Yesterday" trope now, but really enjoyed when I watched it the first time.
Great Idea for the thread. 

[Pistolero]

Adaptation (2002) ...Spike Jonze / Charlie Kaufman's best film for me...funny, original, gripping, orchids and Nic Cage playing twin brothers...belter

Anonymous (2011) ridiculously entertaining period adventure/Shakespeare origins movie..loved this when it came out and couldn't understand the lukewarm reaction - Rhys Ifans is fantastic as De Vere the 'real' genius behind the works of workshy waster/fraudster Shakespeare....an absolute treat

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) A delight...very funny and at times poignant wartime/caper/murder-mystery/prison-break/heist movie..not at all what i was expecting on first viewing ...every shot looks stunning and the dialogue is hilarious - Ralph Fiennes, who knew? -  one of my favourite films of recent years and Wes Anderson's finest hour...

[tubby]

Dark City

Great movie, been ripped off by loads since.

[Qston]

Cable Guy

[Ray K]

Cable Guy

[Kashinoda]

Cable Guy

A strong Jim Carrey theme in this thread.

Re-watched The Truman Show recently, holds up well.

[Alan_X]

Being John Malkovich

thought it'd be up its own arse but it's a fucking delight

love movies where they throw the rule book out of the window

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2020/nov/24/david-squires-on-being-james-milner-liverpool-training-ground-door

[bradders1011]

Arlington Road

Great film.

[Crosby Nick]

Great film.

Yeah, I remember randomly seeing that at the cinema in the days where you’d turn up and see what was on. Really good cast.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Ricky 1

[McrRed]

Remember loving Shutter Island a lot. Called it one of my favorites after finishing.
Cant really remember the story now though.
Another was the The Fifth Element. I recognize that it had the "Born Sexy Yesterday" trope now, but really enjoyed when I watched it the first time.
Great Idea for the thread. 

Love 5th Element... didn't realise the roots as you mention so I can look into that, thanks.

Strong Luc Besson presence to add to Carrey in here also.

[McrRed]

Ricky 1

Biopic of Mr Tomlinson, or was it Lambert. Classic!

[Crosby Nick]

Ricky 1

Ricky 2 - The Bianca Years was awful though.

[jackh]

Biopic of Mr Tomlinson, or was it Lambert. Classic!

Butcher.

[Tobelius]

The Descent (2005)

[Hendollama]

Love 5th Element... didn't realise the roots as you mention so I can look into that, thanks.

Prepare to be creeped out after learning about the trope. 

Another one I feel is forgotten is The Green Mile. A Masterpiece.

[Yosser0_0]

No Country for Old Men.

[Hazell]

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Shout. The world Alex Proyas created in that film was amazing.

[Crosby Nick]

Boyz N The Hood.

[Sammy5IsAlive]

There's a few films from around the turn of the century that get lumped in with the glut of very stylised "US high-school/young adult" films that seemed to be popular around that time but for me are actually really good films that are easy to overlook if you just see the date and read the synopsis.

Go (1999)
Election (1999)
Ghost World (2001)
Spun (2002)

Are all films that are never going to change film-making history but which are great fun with some terrific performances and for those of us of a certain age a real nostalgia trip to a happier more care-free time  !   

At the other end of the subject matter spectrum Hamburger Hill might lack the set-piece/iconic scenes of Platoon and Full Metal Jacket but as an overall experience is for me the best of those three Vietnam films.

The last one that comes to mind would be Natural Born Killers which I think is a really good film that is now much more remembered in terms of the controversy surrounding it.