Obscure Movies that Rock


Movies

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Liberty's Edge

Ever find a movie on the shelf at the video store that you never heard of before and figured, "what the heck, I'll give it a go," and your gamble paid off?

I've had that happen a couple of times and I love to refer those films to other folks.

Here are two that immediately spring to mind (I most post others as I recall them, later):

Tampopo: A truly hilarious foreign film about a young Japanese woman on a (literal) quest to make the perfect noodles for her start-up restaurant.

The Mating Habits of Earthbound Humans: A anthropological mockumentary, narrated by David Hyde Pierce, explaining how humans meet, mate, and reproduce. Truly, painfully hilarious.


Miracle Mile - Starts off as a typical lame pseudo romance movie, and turns into... something decidedly different. One of the few movies I've seen feeling somewhat uncomfortable by the end.

Liberty's Edge

"A Dog's Breakfast" - David Hewlett's side project. It's basically a Simon Pegg -style black comedy featuring half the cast of "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis" (they even use a few of the sets, if I remember correctly).

Liberty's Edge

Playing by Heart - a rom com with roughly everyone in Hollywood in it, that nevertheless remains basically completely unknown. Also plays a bit of a mind game with the audience, which I must admit I get a kick out of.

Paizo Employee Director of Sales

Tetsuo the Iron Man - Wacky Japanese live action/stop motion.

...And not "Haha" wacky, either. More... Umm.. "What the hell is going on?" - wacky.

Scarab Sages

Cosmo wrote:

Tetsuo the Iron Man - Wacky Japanese live action/stop motion.

...And not "Haha" wacky, either. More... Umm.. "What the hell is going on?" - wacky.

I agree Tetsuo the iron man is the best movie ever to scratch your head and say WTF?

City of lost Children - Filmed in French with English subtitles a somewhat confusing movie but with cool special effects and a semi-cyberpunk theme.

Mirrormask - Best described as a journey through someone else's dream. Surrealist images and story line, very cool. Made by Dave McKeen, the artist who drew all the covers for the sandman comics.

Dark Archive

Brain Donors with John Turturro. If you like Airplane and The Naked Gun, you'll like this one (in fact it was originally produced by the Zucker brothers). I thought it was hilarious, but then again I have an odd sense of humor.

Scarab Sages

Bryan wrote:
Brain Donors with John Turturro. If you like Airplane and The Naked Gun, you'll like this one (in fact it was originally produced by the Zucker brothers). I thought it was hilarious, but then again I have an odd sense of humor.

I think that was a remake of the Marx Bros. "a Night at the Opera".


Ubermench wrote:
Cosmo wrote:

Tetsuo the Iron Man - Wacky Japanese live action/stop motion.

...And not "Haha" wacky, either. More... Umm.. "What the hell is going on?" - wacky.

I agree Tetsuo the iron man is the best movie ever to scratch your head and say WTF?

City of lost Children - Filmed in French with English subtitles a somewhat confusing movie but with cool special effects and a semi-cyberpunk theme.

Mirrormask - Best described as a journey through someone else's dream. Surrealist images and story line, very cool. Made by Dave McKeen, the artist who drew all the covers for the sandman comics.

Tetsuo the Iron Man is pretty interesting. If you read into it deep enough, it's really about being gay in Japan.

I really like City of Lost Children. The organ grinder with the flea? Ron Perlman speaking French? Awesome.

I like Mirrormask's visuals, but the plot is pretty tired. Neil Gaiman writes the same story over and over again. Which happens to be Alice in Wonderland more often than not.

Edit: Oh and there was one movie that I saw like ten minutes of and was utterly transfixed. "Begotten" by Elias Merhige. A teacher showed me in college; there's no dialogue, it's in grainy black and white with a lot of dirt (I think he did a double exposure on the film or something) and it's so bizarre. Like a metaphysical slasher movie.

Scarab Sages

Dog Soldiers: British SAS troops versus werewolves.

Ravenous: Guy Pearce as a civil war vet battling a cannibal cult in the frontier.

The Wrong Guy: Dave Foley in a hilarious parody of the Fugitive. Fixing a fence with white glue, priceless.

Also, I firmly believe the Marx Brothers movies are the funniest movies in existence.

Dark Archive

Ubermench wrote:
Bryan wrote:
Brain Donors with John Turturro. If you like Airplane and The Naked Gun, you'll like this one (in fact it was originally produced by the Zucker brothers). I thought it was hilarious, but then again I have an odd sense of humor.
I think that was a remake of the Marx Bros. "a Night at the Opera".

I believe you are correct, or at least it was based on it if not an exact remake. However, I've never seen any of the Marx brother's movies, unfortunately, so I only have this one to go on.

Liberty's Edge

Lipto the Shiv wrote:
Miracle Mile - Starts off as a typical lame pseudo romance movie, and turns into... something decidedly different. One of the few movies I've seen feeling somewhat uncomfortable by the end.

was that the one with anthony edwards? (there was another one with peter coyote in prison as a runner...)

i nominate man bites dog the belgian film that natural born killers wants to be when it grows up...

The Exchange

Cuchulainn wrote:

Tampopo: A truly hilarious foreign film about a young Japanese woman on a (literal) quest to make the perfect noodles for her start-up restaurant.

Why does that sound familiar? is it the one with the Truckdriver who stops off at her "greasy spoon" wearing a cowboy hat?

BAD EGGS - two 'sit on their butts while stuff happens' cops stumble onto corruption.

HOT FUZZ - Top cop is making everyone else look bad so they move him to a sleepy rural village.

Scarab Sages

Jal Dorak wrote:
Dog Soldiers: British SAS troops versus werewolves.

Awesome movie. I was sitting home one night, bored out of my mind, and was fortunate enough to find this on.

Dark Archive

The Man Who Knew Too Little: Bill Murry makes fun of every spy movie ever made.

Delta Farce: A painfully fun film about some National Guard soldiers, including Bill Engval and Larry the Cable Guy, set to deploy to Iraq who accidently end up invading Mexico instead, and liberating a small town from a group of bandits led by Carlos Santana. (No not the singer.)

Sovereign Court

Johnny Stecchino and Screamers.

Liberty's Edge

Jal Dorak wrote:

Dog Soldiers: British SAS troops versus werewolves.

Ravenous: Guy Pearce as a civil war vet battling a cannibal cult in the frontier.

Oh, man, I forgot about those. Definitely good ones.


Hardware.

Shadow Lodge

Elling

[yoink] When his mother, who has sheltered him his entire 40 years, dies, Elling, a sensitive, would-be poet, is sent to live in a state institution. There he meets Kjell Bjarne, a gentle giant and female-obsessed virgin in his 40s. After two years, the men are released and provided with a state-funded apartment and stipend with the hope they will be able to live on their own. Initially, the simple act of going around the corner for groceries is a challenge. Through a friendship born of desperate dependence, the skittish Elling and the boisterous, would-be lover of women, Kjell Bjarne, discover they can not only survive on the outside, they can thrive. But as their courage grows, the two find oddball ways to cope with society, striking up the most peculiar friendships in the most unlikely places. [yoink/]

Silver Crusade

Witchfinder General - Vincent Price in a genuinely evil, genuinely scary role. Fear, revenge, and descent into madness is the order of the day.

Not an easy movie to watch at times. And not camp. You might be expecting it from Price, but here he really gets dead serious.

Dark City - Alright, not that obscure, but it's a flick that deserves a lot more that it got. If you haven't seen it, make sure you watch the Director's Cut that was just released. In the original release the studio in it's infinite wisdom gave away everything in the movie in a tacked-on prologue because they were afraid audiences wouldn't "get it".

I won't say anything about what it's about beyond this: Do you like noir? If so, watch it. Don't look up anything about it. Just watch the director's cut. Trust me. It's awesome.

Scarab Sages

Mikaze wrote:

Witchfinder General - Vincent Price in a genuinely evil, genuinely scary role. Fear, revenge, and descent into madness is the order of the day.

Not an easy movie to watch at times. And not camp. You might be expecting it from Price, but here he really gets dead serious.

Dark City - Alright, not that obscure, but it's a flick that deserves a lot more that it got. If you haven't seen it, make sure you watch the Director's Cut that was just released. In the original release the studio in it's infinite wisdom gave away everything in the movie in a tacked-on prologue because they were afraid audiences wouldn't "get it".

I won't say anything about what it's about beyond this: Do you like noir? If so, watch it. Don't look up anything about it. Just watch the director's cut. Trust me. It's awesome.

100% agree, Dark City is awesome, but not really obscure. Any movie with Vincent Price in it is worth seeing, 'nuff said.

The Circle of Iron also called the Silent flute - Written by Bruce Lee and filmed after his death. It's about a fighter seeking enlightenment and the trials he faces each push him further along the path to true Zen. Stars David Carradine (kung fu) in multiple rolls, Roddy McDowell (Cornelius from the plant of the apes movies) and Eli Wallach (Tuco from the good, the bad and the ugly). I'm not sure if this would be considered obscure but a good movie none the less.


Freeway - Reese Witherspoon as a sassy, foul mouthed runaway and Kiefer Sutherland as her nemesis. Modern take on Little Red Riding Hood. Reese is awesome.

Citizen X - Stephen Rea heads a manhunt for the Rostov Ripper, Russia's most infamous serial killer. Donald Sutherland also stars. Simply incredible.

Blind Horizon - Val Kilmer wakes up with amnesia in a bordertown, glimpses of a disturbing past come flashing back. Any fan of the Coen brothers and Blood Simple should enjoy this.

More hidden gems than obscure.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Below: You'll never look at manta rays the same. Also notable for being a submarine movie that doesn't steal every plot point from Das Boot.

Uzumaki: Who woulda thought a spiral could be terrifying?

Rogue: Best humans vs. crocodile movie ever.

Black Water: Second best humans vs. crocodile movie ever.

Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe: That's really what it's about!

Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

Ubermench wrote:
City of lost Children - Filmed in French with English subtitles a somewhat confusing movie but with cool special effects and a semi-cyberpunk theme.

This was really good. I went and saw this at the cinema. Well worth it!

David Fryer wrote:
The Man Who Knew Too Little: Bill Murry makes fun of every spy movie ever made.

I Looooove this movie. I have it on DVD and watch it at least once a year. Make sure you are wearing plastic pants 'cause you will piss yourself laughing!

Drop Dead Fred - Rik Mayall as Phoebe Cates' imaginary friend from when she was a child returns to wreck havoc with her adult life.

Erik the Viking - Tim Robbins as a Viking. Funny stuff done by Terry Jones.

Ice Pirates - Any movie that has Space Herpes has got to be good right... right...? Funny Stuff

The Pest - John Leguizamo. Funny, funny stuff. Stupid, but funny.

The Usual Suspects - Bloody Brilliant!!! Don't ask questions, just watch it.


James Jacobs wrote:

Below: You'll never look at manta rays the same. Also notable for being a submarine movie that doesn't steal every plot point from Das Boot.

Rogue: Best humans vs. crocodile movie ever.

Black Water: Second best humans vs. crocodile movie ever.

Awesome! My wife loves "water animal vs. man" and "mass panic" movies. We're constantly being bamboozled by the sci-fi channel as a result. Can't ever find enough good ones.


The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension This gem should have been a cult classic on the scale of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Seriously. It's a shoestring budget sci-fi film with a star-studded cast, and well...best you watch it yourself if you haven't already. I couldn't do it justice if I tried.

Liberty's Edge

Man with the Screaming Brain

Bruce Campbell + Ted Raimi + crazy Russians + genetic experimentation = pure awesome.

Liberty's Edge

Death to Smoochy- Robin Williams in his first genuinely funny role in years plays evil foil to Edward Norton in this satirical take on the dark underbelly of kids' TV shows.

This Film is Not Yet R-ated- A documentary film about the MPAA that was nearly banned. Directed by Kirby Dick, and featuring John Waters, Kevin Smith, Hilary Swank, and a pair of lesbian private investigators.

Morgan's Ferry- Henry Rollins as serial killer. 'Nuff said.

Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

The Eldritch Mr. Shiny wrote:
Death to Smoochy- Robin Williams in his first genuinely funny role in years plays evil foil to Edward Norton in this satirical take on the dark underbelly of kids' TV shows.

Another very funny movie. Recommendation seconded!


I'm not sure if this fits the bill (no pun intended) but here goes:

Groundhog Day: Bill Murray stars as an asshat of a weatherman tasked to go to Punxatawney PA to do a stock cover piece on Groundhog Day. He acts in the first part like a snarky stuck up ass in the way only Bill Murray can do justice to. He and his crew are trapped by a blizzard and have to sleep over in Punxatawney. He is then somehow trapped into living the same day over and over again, with very hilarious consequences.

It never really got the props it should have, I watch this at least once a year.

Scarab Sages RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32

Patrick Curtin wrote:
Groundhog Day: Bill Murray stars as an asshat of a weatherman tasked to go to Punxatawney PA to do a stock cover piece on Groundhog Day. He acts in the first part like a snarky stuck up ass in the way only Bill Murray can do justice to. He and his crew are trapped by a blizzard and have to sleep over in Punxatawney. He is then somehow trapped into living the same day over and over again, with very hilarious consequences.

It gets repeated on TV over here in Australia at least once or twice a year. Yet another super funny movie. Man, I gotta find some more non-funny ones to plug.

Liberty's Edge

yellowdingo wrote:
Cuchulainn wrote:

Tampopo: A truly hilarious foreign film about a young Japanese woman on a (literal) quest to make the perfect noodles for her start-up restaurant.

Why does that sound familiar? is it the one with the Truckdriver who stops off at her "greasy spoon" wearing a cowboy hat?

That's the one. A Japanese truck driver who fancies himself an American Cowboy. Even fights like John Wayne!

Dark Archive

What About Bob? Richard Dryfuss is Bill Murrey's therapist. Bill follows Richard on vacation and becomes better liked by Richard's family than Richard is. Richard spend the whole film trying to convince everyone that Bill is out to ruin his life.

Spoiler:
In the end Bill marries Richard's sister and they all live crazily ever after
It was great to see Richard Dryfuss in a comedic role.


Thank You for Smoking Saw this in the theater one day, and I was the only one there. Which was good because I laughed my arse off the entire time. It's basically a tounge in cheek account of a tobacco lobbyist and the jobs he does.

Kinsey Watched this in a biology class in college. It's a dramamentuary about Alfred Kinsey who was pretty much single handedly responsible for the sexual revolution in this country. Liam Neeson plays the title character, and he's pretty darn good in the movie, especially towards the end where he starts getting this 'man who knows too much' look on his face.

Liberty's Edge

Lipto the Shiv wrote:

Thank You for Smoking Saw this in the theater one day, and I was the only one there. Which was good because I laughed my arse off the entire time. It's basically a tounge in cheek account of a tobacco lobbyist and the jobs he does.

Kinsey Watched this in a biology class in college. It's a dramamentuary about Alfred Kinsey who was pretty much single handedly responsible for the sexual revolution in this country. Liam Neeson plays the title character, and he's pretty darn good in the movie, especially towards the end where he starts getting this 'man who knows too much' look on his face.

Both of those movies are on my "required to watch" list. They're great.


Ten to Chi to, aka Heaven and Earth. I first saw this at a friend's house who had this killer audio set up. Rocked me to my core, and when this movie showed up again in our Western (and Eastern) Civ/Lit class, we were the only ones who got the subtext/symbolism of it. It also helps that I'm a total sucker for period films, but this one has a good story and great cinematics.

I don't own this movie, but dammit, I will find it!


Rock and Rule.


I second:

Hot Fuzz

Dog Soldiers

I also recommend:

The Magic Christian - a comedy/ satire on greed from the late 60's starring Peter Sellers as Britain's richest man, and Ringo Starr as his adopted son. Also features Raquel Welch, Christoper Lee and Roman Polanski, among others.

The Holy Mountain - bizarre mystic quest film. Alternately grotesque and beautiful. Very intense, not for all tastes but I loved it.

Scarab Sages

Biggus wrote:

I second:

Hot Fuzz

Dog Soldiers

I also recommend:

The Magic Christian - a comedy/ satire on greed from the late 60's starring Peter Sellers as Britain's richest man, and Ringo Starr as his adopted son. Also features Raquel Welch, Christoper Lee and Roman Polanski, among others.

The Holy Mountain - bizarre mystic quest film. Alternately grotesque and beautiful. Very intense, not for all tastes but I loved it.

The Magic Christian, is that the on where they had a scene where old people where chained to ores on a luxury liners and being whipped by a midget in a leather fetish suit?


Primer
An incredible mind-bender of a time-travel movie. Loops within loops. Won't say anything for fear of giving away its twists, but if you liked Memento ,you'll love this.

Pi
From Darren Aaronofsky. Utterly deranged portrait of madness and genius and the fine line between the two. And, as and added bonus - unlike his other movie Requiem for a Dream - it won't make you want to go and kill yourself at the end!

Memento
You've probably seen it, but if you haven't, your life is not complete. One of the best movies ever, in the same tradition as Usual Suspects.

eXistenZ
Is this obscure? Dunno. A must-see for all gamers, as it delvbes heavily into the blurred line between real-life and game-life. More subtle than The Matrix although without the black leather. It's about a virtual reality gaming system. Say no more. Watch it. And enjoy your next Chinese meal ;-)

Scarab Sages

I don't know if they are really obscure, but they are surely not better known than Hot Fuzz (seconded, by the way, and the predecessor Shaun of the Dead is just as good, too)
- Brotherhood of the Wolves
- Crying Freeman
- Lola's Running
I also second Below, Eric the Viking, The Unusual Suspects and City of the Lost Children)


Airplane

Kung-Pow

Dark Archive

Kung Fu Hustle
Dark Shadows
Barbershop

Dark Archive

Lone Wolf and Cub Series

Liberty's Edge

Orgazmo - Trey Parker and Matt Stone's first major non-South Park film venture, as well as a triumph of independent film. The MPAA gave it an NC-17 rating, so it was shown in very few theaters. However, Stone and Parker have managed to get significant airplay of 'Orgazmo' on both FUSE and IFC (surprisingly, aside from a few "blurred" spots, the FUSE version was uncut).

The basic premise of the story is that a Mormon missionary Joe Young (Trey Parker) is duped into becoming a porn star after the porno's mob-affiliated director (Michael Dean Jacobs) promises to pay for the missionary's Temple wedding. The film-within-a-film comprises the porn superhero Orgazmo's crusade against supervillain Jizzmaster Zero (Ron Jeremy). Things become complicated when Joe's Mormon fiancee (Robyn Lynne Raab) is captured by the director, and Joe has to become the *real* Orgazmo to save her.

The film also features Matt Stone, Dian Bachar, Chasey Lain, and Tom Cruise (either that or a really good impersonator) as Jesus.

Silver Crusade

The Eldritch Mr. Shiny wrote:

Orgazmo - Trey Parker and Matt Stone's first major non-South Park film venture, as well as a triumph of independent film. The MPAA gave it an NC-17 rating, so it was shown in very few theaters. However, Stone and Parker have managed to get significant airplay of 'Orgazmo' on both FUSE and IFC (surprisingly, aside from a few "blurred" spots, the FUSE version was uncut).

The basic premise of the story is that a Mormon missionary Joe Young (Trey Parker) is duped into becoming a porn star after the porno's mob-affiliated director (Michael Dean Jacobs) promises to pay for the missionary's Temple wedding. The film-within-a-film comprises the porn superhero Orgazmo's crusade against supervillain j~#zmaster Zero (Ron Jeremy). Things become complicated when Joe's Mormon fiancee (Robyn Lynne Raab) is captured by the director, and Joe has to become the *real* Orgazmo to save her.

The film also features Matt Stone, Dian Bachar, Chasey Lain, and Tom Cruise (either that or a really good impersonator) as Jesus.

A friend of mine was in a D&D game with someone who played Sancho.

When asked what his alignment was, what his backstory was, what he his goals were, and what he was doing on his turn, the answer was always "I am Sancho."

He reportedly survived the adventure.

Liberty's Edge

Mikaze wrote:

A friend of mine was in a D&D game with someone who played Sancho.

When asked what his alignment was, what his backstory was, what he his goals were, and what he was doing on his turn, the answer was always "I am Sancho."

He reportedly survived the adventure.

That just made my day.


Radavel wrote:
Lone Wolf and Cub Series

Definitely!


Ubermench wrote:


The Magic Christian, is that the on where they had a scene where old people where chained to ores on a luxury liners and being whipped by a midget in a leather fetish suit?

I don't remember that scene specifically, but there is a luxury liner in it (called "The Magic Christian") in which a lot of rich society people have their heads royally f#?*ed with in various ways, so probably yes.

Dark Archive

Lilith wrote:
Radavel wrote:
Lone Wolf and Cub Series
Definitely!

A woman after my own heart :D

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