15 Underrated Movied

Normally, I do a lot of reviews and rankings of franchises that are very well-known. However, there are a lot of movies out there that are not a part of big franchises that are just as good. I wanted to share 15 underrated movies that people should check out. These are all lesser-known films that have a lower amount of ratings on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. I think these are all fun films that really add something to the genre that they are in. With that being said, here are 15 underrated movies that people should check out.

1. Paddington

This one is a bit of a cheat as I am including both Paddington and Paddington 2. These movies follow Paddington the Bear as he lives his life with the Brown family and the adventures he goes on. It may be a bit surprising but these are some of my go-to recommendations for people. Both of these movies are absolutely delightful. They both have incredibly sweet stories with good moments for both kids and adults. Paddington is such a fun character as he just has this sweet innocence to him that you can't help but love. The second film is exceptionally fun as it puts Paddington into a prison break movie. These movies make you laugh. They make you cry. It is just an emotional ride. Both movies are also pretty standalone so if you only want to watch one of them, I would recommend Paddington 2. Both of these movies are also beloved by the critics. Paddington 2 is one of the few movies to receive a 100% on rotten tomatoes. Overall, these are both films that are fun for the whole family and should have more people check them. But don't just take my word for it, watch the below clip to see Nicolas Cage's reaction to Paddington 2. Paddington is currently on Netflix. Paddington 2 can be seen for free on the Roku Channel. Both movies are rated PG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEckT94M7qg

2. McFarland USA

McFarland USA is one of my favorite sports movies and a very underrated film. It is one of the few sports films out there centered around the sport that I did, Cross Country. This movie centers around an ex-football coach who is forced to coach cross country in the town of McFarland. It is a very good feel-good movie an underdog story that gives you everything you want from a sports film. It has some very funny moments between the coach and his team due to the cultural differences as well as some very sweet moments. The movie has solid race sequences and a great payoff at the end of the movie. Kevin Costner delivers a solid performance as well. In the end, this is an inspiring feel-good movie that is one of my favorite sports films and one more people should check out. McFarland USA is currently on Disney+ This movie is rated PG.

3. RRR

RRR was my first exposure to the world of Bollywood cinema and is a great first step for anyone who wants to check out the genre. Bollywood movies usually have a lot going on and this film was no exception but they are done in a way where everything fits together. This movie manages to fit in action, romances, and bromances, be an 18th-century epic, and throw in some musical and dance numbers as well. If you can get past the 3-hour runtime, this movie is a lot of fun. Even with its long runtime, it is never boring as the story moves from one thing to the next. You go from a big musical number to a big action sequence with tons of wild animals attacking a party and it somehow works. The movie also manages to make every aspect really good. One of the musical numbers won last year's Oscar for Best Original Song. Overall, this is a very fun film with a lot of energy, and caused me to want to check out more Bollywood films. This film is currently on Netflix. This movie would probably be rated R if it were from the US.

4. Tick, tick…Boom!

Tick, tick...Boom! is a solid musical from Netflix starring Andrew Garfield. Tick, tick...Boom! follows aspiring theater composer Jonathan Larson as he works to complete a new musical and propel himself into the industry. This movie features a surprisingly good singing performance from Andrew Garfield as we get to see him perform in multiple musical numbers. All of the musical numbers in this film are really solid with none really being a dud. I enjoyed the basic storyline about Jonathan striving to make it in New York and thought the story was told in a unique way intercut with musical numbers. This is a great modern musical and has started to get me interested in more musical films. In the end, this is a solid musical and one that everyone should check out. Tick, tick...Boom! is currently on Netflix. This movie is rated PG-13

5. Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is one of the lesser-known Taika Waititi films. I have talked about JoJo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarök, and Thor: Love and Thunder on this blog which were all directed by Taika Waititi. This movie was the film he made just before Thor: Ragnarök and came into the fame he has now. Hunt for the Wilderpeople follows orphan Ricky Baker as he goes on the run with his foster uncle Hec. This is a lesser-known indie film that has a very sweet story. This movie features a solid performance from Sam Neil with Hec. Hec and Ricky have such a fun dynamic together. This movie has Taika Waititi's typical humor and storytelling and is just a lot of fun to watch. It can balance the emotion and humor very well as we go on this wild journey with these two characters. This is also the movie that put Taika on Disney's radar and helped him get where he is today. Overall, this is a very fun movie that you should check out if you love Thor: Ragnarök or JoJo Rabbit. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is currently on Netflix. This movie is rated PG-13

6. Big Fish

Big Fish is one of the lesser-known Tim Burton films. A lot of people know Tim Burton for his creepy-looking and weirder films such as Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and many others, but a lot of people forget he made some pretty good "normal" films as well. Big Fish follows Will Bloom as he listens to his father, Ed, tell his larger-than-life story and try to determine fact from fiction. While this movie is less weird than a lot of Burton's other films, it still has Burton's signature style and feel. This movie features a fun performance from Ewan McGregor as we experience this Forrest Gump-esque telling of Ed's life. This movie has a very fun way of telling its story with a lot of little short stories taking us along and tying together in the end. It features a lot of fun characters throughout, each adding something new to Ed's story. The movie also has a lot of funny moments as well as some surprisingly emotional times. In the end, this is a very fun film from Tim Burton that I recommend you check out if you want Burton's version of Forrest Gump. This movie is currently not streaming but is available to rent digitally. This movie is rated PG-13.

7. Warrior

Warrior is yet another solid sports movie that I like to recommend. Warrior follows two estranged brothers as they train to compete in a mixed martial arts tournament that puts them on a collision course. In a lot of ways, this movie captures the excitement of Rocky and even outdoes Rocky in some of the payoffs. This movie tells a very interesting story about these two brothers, the relationship they have, and the hardships they have faced. The first half of this movie all build up and establish the characters while the second half is all pay-off as we get to see the results of everything these brothers have been working towards. Both Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy are very good in their roles The MMA fight scenes are just so exciting and the final fight is very well done with a great resolution. Overall, this movie is just a great modern sports movie that any Rocky fan or sports movie fan should check out. This movie is available for free on Freevee and the Roku Channel. This movie is rated PG-13

8. Happy Death Day

Happy Death Day is a relatively recent movie that adds a new twist to the slasher film genre. It follows college Student Tree Gelbman as she relives the day of her murder over and over again with discovering the killer as the only way to break the loop. This movie is essentially Groundhog Day if it were a slasher film which makes for a very interesting concept. It pulls the best part of both types of movies. We get the shenanigans of Groundhog Day with the scariness and mystery of a slasher film. This movie gives us the interesting setting of a college campus which just further adds to the uniqueness of the story. All of the characters in this movie are a lot of fun and there are several funny moments. I really like the use of the time loop concept in this movie and how it is used to uncover the killer. In terms of scariness, this movie is pretty tame. Not much scarier than your typical Scream movie. In the end, this movie takes two popular subgenres and mashes them together for an interesting movie that everyone should check out. If you like this movie, a couple others to check out are Freaky, Freaky Friday as a slasher film, and Totally Killer, Back to the Future as a slasher film. This movie is currently streaming on FX now. (Freaky is on Freevee and Totally Killer is on Amazon Prime Video). This movie is rated PG-13

9. Willow

Willow is a forgotten fantasy film from the studio that made Star Wars. Willow is a fantasy epic that follows a young farmer who goes on a dangerous quest to protect a baby from an evil queen. This film is a mostly forgotten film from director Ron Howard and produced by Lucasfilm. The best thing about this movie is that it is an original fantasy epic from the 80s. It has a great amount of world-building as we get introduced to all of these fantasy creatures and ideas of magic. Warrick Davis is very good at carrying the movie as the lead and we also get a solid performance from Val Kilmer. This movie delivers a great adventure with fun characters and a solid score from James Horner. If you like fantasy films, you should check this film out. It is in the same realm as movies like The Chronicles of Narnia and The Never Ending Story. Overall, this is a solid fantasy story that more people should check out. Willow is currently on Disney+. This movie is rated PG. (Would probably be PG-13 today)

10. UHF

UHF is a little-known comedy starring Weird Al. UHF follows unemployed visionary George Newman as he becomes the manager of a local television station. When the future of the station is put at stake, George must come up with a plan to raise money and save his station. This movie is very funny. It includes all the humor you would expect from Weird Al. The movie has so many parody moments throughout that reference all sorts of films and pop culture moments. The shows that the station puts out are ridiculous and hilarious as George is just coming up with all sorts of random ideas and makes them TV shows such as Uncle Nutzy's Clubhouse, Wheel of Fish, Gandhi II, and Strip Solitaire. There is never a dull moment in this movie as it is just full of stupid yet hilarious moments. The movie also has a fun performance from Kramer from Seinfeld. In the end, this is a very fun movie that is great for people who like stupid humor and Weird Al. This movie is free on the Roku Channel and Tubi. This movie is rated PG-13

11. Uncle Buck

Uncle Buck is a great feel-good movie from the 80s. This movie is from director John Hughes who is known for films such as Ferris Buller's Day Off, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and The Breakfast Club so it is understandable why this film gets forgotten. Uncle Buck follows John Candy as the titular character when he is brought on to babysit his brother's kids while the parents leave for a few days. I feel that this movie is just as good as the John Hughes classics as well as delivers a lot of heart. Uncle Buck tries so hard to get the kids to like him and ends up providing a lot of sweet moments. All of the kids are a lot of fun with one of the kids played by a pre-Home Alone Macaulay Culkin. The movie is very simple and is just a nice little film to watch. Overall, this is another solid film from John Hughes and one that more people should check out. This movie is currently on Netflix. This movie is rated PG.

12. The Game

The Game is a lesser-known David Fincher film. David Fincher is known for films such as Se7en, Fight Club, The Social Network, and Zodiac but has made several lesser-known just-as-good films. The Game follows a wealthy banker, Nicholas, as he is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game. As the game gets rolling, Nicholas begins to wonder whether this game is a conspiracy against him. This is a very suspenseful movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The game that Nicholas is involved in gets so elaborate that it becomes too hard to tell what is real and what is a part of the game. This movie features great performances from both Michael Douglas and Sean Penn. This movie has mystery and thrills and is just an overall exciting story. In the end, this is a solid film from David Fincher that should be seen by more people. This movie is currently not streaming but is available to rent digitally. This movie is rated R.

13. Yesterday

Yesterday is a sweet little romantic comedy that pays a nice tribute to The Beatles. Yesterday follows struggling musician, Jack, as he wakes into an alternate reality where The Beatles never existed and only he can remember them. The movie tells a very simple story about Jack rising to fame with his Beatles songs. It has a sweet romance as well as a lot of great Beatles song moments. This movie will make you want to listen to more Beatles songs. I also enjoyed the various other characters in it and the relationships Jack has with them. It also has a fun cameo from Ed Sheeran. Overall, this is a nice rom-com with some solid tributes to The Beatles that any Beatles fan will love. This movie is currently not streaming but is available to rent digitally. This movie is rated PG-13.

14. Palm Springs

Palm Springs is another Groundhog Day-style film. Palm Springs follows two wedding guests who get stuck in a time loop living the same day over and over again. This is just another fun rendition of the Groundhog Day genre. It doesn't add much of anything new but it has a fun story and solid characters that make for a good time. The movie features fun performances from Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, and J.K. Simmons. It features your typical time loop shenanigans as well as provides several funny moments. This movie has comedy, it has romance, it has friendship, and manages to balance them all very well. I also like how the movie tries to use physics to explain the time loop. In the end, this is a very fun time loop movie that doesn't add anything new to the sub-genre but still brings the charm. This movie is currently on Hulu. This movie is rated R.

15. Extraction

Extraction is one of the best action movies Netflix has made. Just like with Paddington, I am looping both Extraction and Extraction 2 into this spot. These films follow Black Ops mercenary Tyler Rake as he goes on various extraction missions across the world. These films are both very simple throwback action films. They have practical action and effects that make the movie look so good. It features close-up action shots, long takes, and very minimal CGI. The story on these are very thin but the action is top notch This movie was directed by a stunt director of numerous big films and thus is shot in a way that truly emphasizes the action. I enjoy Chris Hemsworth in this movie as well. It shows that he can play both the serious soldier and the goofy God of Thunder and be great at both. Chris Hemsworth also does a great job with the action choreography. Overall, this is a great-looking action film that any action fan out there should check out. These movies are currently on Netflix. These movies are rated R.