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Thread: Hidden Gems (in the world of movies/videos/television)

  1. #1

    Default Hidden Gems (in the world of movies/videos/television)

    Hidden Gems (in the world of movies/videos/television)


    I thought we could perhaps use a thread here like this, to talk about little known movies (whether on the big-screen or direct-to-video, or television shows). You know the ones I mean; the things not everybody has seen or knows of, the hidden gems that we like despite the fact that others look at us puzzled when we mention them.

    For instance, I thought about talking about how Mystery Men [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132347/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] is one of my favourite superhero movies. What do you all think? Is Mystery Men perhaps too mainstream to even be mentioned on this thread? It is definitely a lower-echelon movie, but still a fair number of people have seen it or at least know of it.

    Defendor [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1303828/?ref_=nv_sr_1 ] (starring Woody Harrelson) is, perhaps, a superhero movie (of a sort) that I like, that could be mentioned for this thread. Equal parts funny and yet serious, it tackles social issues and issues of mental health, all in the guise of a guy in a funny costume who does good things (or tries to) – at its heart, isn’t that what being a superhero is all about?

    Going in another direction, if you enjoy zombie movies (or perhaps even if you don’t, but you like dark comedies), then A Little Bit Zombie [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1912982/?ref_=nv_sr_1 ] might be an off-the-wall pick for you to see and enjoy.

    In the horror category, if, like me, you enjoy movies that feature great makeup and prosthetic use, as well as some occasional stop-motion filming, or if you lean a little more towards the macabre in your horror, or if you find creature-features more to your liking than the straightforward teen-slasher-killer fare that seems to populate most of what people watch in horror movies now, then I would like to suggest that you may find Full Moon’s (that’s the company name) Subspecies quintet of films to your liking. For those keeping score at home, that would be Subspecies [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103002/?ref_=nv_sr_1 ] , Bloodstone: Subspecies II [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106436/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , Bloodlust: Subspecies III [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109302/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , Subspecies IV: Bloodstorm [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181315/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , and Vampire Journals [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120428/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] . If you watch these, don’t expect jump-out-of-your-seat horror, but be prepared to be entertained nonetheless.

    If we are talking television, I enjoyed the TV series The Cape [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1593823/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , starring David Lyons, where a cop framed for murder comes back as a masked vigilante. I was disappointed only one season was made of this show, I would have gladly watched at least 100 episodes.

    Back in the horror genre, if you liked the classic From Dusk Till Dawn (Robert Rodriguez-director, Quentin Tarantino-screenplay), then you will probably get a kick out of the creature-feature, sci-fi horror trilogy, Feast. Filmed in a desert biker bar, an abandoned small town, and some sewers, some of the stars of this trilogy include Henry Rollins, Jason Mewes, and Martin Klebba (who also starred in The Cape). Each of these films picks up immediately where the last one left off, creating a true trilogy. Feast [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426459/?ref_=nv_sr_1 ] , Feast II: Sloppy Seconds [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104835/?ref_=tt_rec_tt ] , and Feast III: The Happy Finish [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104836/?ref_=tt_rec_tt ] . Expect over-the-top gore, ridiculous situations, completely one-dimensional characters (that’s done on purpose!), fast moving frights, no discernible good guys to be found, and much hilarity.

    And another well-done superhero period piece is the 2013 film Sparks [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2234429/?ref_=nv_sr_5 ] , a super-powered mystery whodunnit set in the 1940s. I thought that this was a classic example of a well-done film, excellent storyline, a tiny bit like a Sin-City-lite with superpowers, yet it got no love at all from filmgoers. Well worth seeing!

    So, I leave it up to all of you; do any of you like films that don’t make the most money, don’t get the most viewers, and don’t cost $100-million to make? Whatever the genre, share your love of these films here!
    Last edited by Flightpath07; 09-08-2014 at 03:58 AM.
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  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    If we are talking television, I enjoyed the TV series The Cape [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1593823/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , starring David Lyons, where a cop framed for murder comes back as a masked vigilante. I was disappointed only one season was made of this show, I would have gladly watched at least 100 episodes.
    Wasn't Summer Glau in The Cape? You really should mention her at every opportunity
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  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by rplass View Post
    Wasn't Summer Glau in The Cape? You really should mention her at every opportunity
    Hm. Well, i actually THOUGHT about it...but I know some people here don't like her very much. I like her just fine, she isn't the best actress ever, but her role in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, together with seeing her in both Firefly and Serenity, that cinched it for me.

    Plus, she's kinda hot.
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  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    For instance, I thought about talking about how Mystery Men [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132347/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] is one of my favourite superhero movies... Defendor [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1303828/?ref_=nv_sr_1 ] (starring Woody Harrelson) is, perhaps, a superhero movie (of a sort) that I like, that could be mentioned for this thread.
    Mystery Men and Defendor. Really enjoyed both of these films. Will always remember Janeanne Garafalo as "Baby Bowler"
    Defendor is Canadian made, filmed in Hamilton, ON. I found Kat Dennings was the scene stealer in that one.
    Speaking on Canadian made, how about a horror flick from 2000 called "Ginger Snaps". For a film that looked like it was filmed on a $67.00 budget, it was surprisingly entertaining.
    The Flight Forever !

  5. #5

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    I haven't seen Ginger Snaps, but I will say this for low-budget movies: In all seriousness, I have watched movies shot by first-year film students, on a handheld camcorder, with only natural lighting, and with unpaid actors, that have been better than many films that hit the big screen and made scads of money.
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    I enjoyed Ginger Snaps.
    Not so much the prequel and sequel though.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    Hidden Gems (in the world of movies/videos/television)
    Well, there's the Tesseract, the Aether, and the MacGuffin of Guardians...

    Oh! Oh, wait, sorry, not what you meant.

    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    For instance, I thought about talking about how Mystery Men [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132347/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] is one of my favourite superhero movies. What do you all think? Is Mystery Men perhaps too mainstream to even be mentioned on this thread?
    It's your thread, you decide!
    I enjoyed it, I've seen it a couple of times.

    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    Full Moon’s (that’s the company name) Subspecies quintet of films to your liking. For those keeping score at home, that would be Subspecies [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103002/?ref_=nv_sr_1 ] , Bloodstone: Subspecies II [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106436/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , Bloodlust: Subspecies III [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109302/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , Subspecies IV: Bloodstorm [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181315/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , and Vampire Journals [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120428/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] . If you watch these, don’t expect jump-out-of-your-seat horror, but be prepared to be entertained nonetheless.
    If they're the ones I'm thinking of, Obscurus Lupa did a series reviewing them. They look like most of them would be a fun watch; but I'm not sure they're as straight-forward as a I-IV numbering system. I could be confusing them with Witchcraft, though.

    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    If we are talking television, I enjoyed the TV series The Cape [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1593823/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 ] , starring David Lyons,
    I saw the first episode, really liked it, and there was an actor in it I thought should play Puck.

    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    and another well-done superhero period piece is the 2013 film Sparks [ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2234429/?ref_=nv_sr_5 ] , a super-powered mystery whodunnit set in the 1940s.
    Sounds intriguing!

    Quote Originally Posted by rplass View Post
    Wasn't Summer Glau in The Cape? You really should mention her at every opportunity
    Well, no wonder it didn't last!
    (Um... I'm not dissin' her - I like her - but she does have a rep as a series killer.)

    Quote Originally Posted by Alphan East View Post
    Speaking on Canadian made, how about a horror flick from 2000 called "Ginger Snaps". For a film that looked like it was filmed on a $67.00 budget, it was surprisingly entertaining.
    Quote Originally Posted by Phil View Post
    I enjoyed Ginger Snaps.
    Me too!

    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    So, I leave it up to all of you; do any of you like films that don’t make the most money, don’t get the most viewers, and don’t cost $100-million to make? Whatever the genre, share your love of these films here!
    Canadian horror:
    Suck. Spoof vampire movie about a rock band who go vamp and get famous.
    Spoof horror:
    Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday The 13th. Airplane! (or Flying High, as we call it here)-style parody of Scream. As far as I can tell, people either like this or Scary Movie, but nobody likes both.
    Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. Two hillbillies try not to kill a bunch of kids who're out alone in the woods.
    woods horror:
    Cabin In The Woods: maybe too mainstream for this thread, but watch it! Enjoy!
    Garth Merengie's Dark Place: Really badly made 80s horror serial, from the 2010s.
    British comedy (not horror or superhero) :
    Bernie and the Genie. Naïve banker (Alan Cumming), put upon by his unscrupulous boss (Rowan Atkinson) finds a genie in a lamp (Lenny Henry). Hilarity ensues.
    Comedy:
    The Nostalgia Critic movies: Kickassia, Suburban Knights, and To Boldly Flee. Enjoyable nonsense all around.

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  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Le Messor View Post
    If they're the ones I'm thinking of, Obscurus Lupa did a series reviewing them. They look like most of them would be a fun watch; but I'm not sure they're as straight-forward as a I-IV numbering system. I could be confusing them with Witchcraft, though.
    All the first four deal with the same "villain", it is the last one (Vampire Journals, which does not share in the numbering system of the others) that is iffy in regards to whether it belongs in the same series.



    Quote Originally Posted by Le Messor View Post
    I saw the first episode, really liked it, and there was an actor in it I thought should play Puck.
    That'd be Martin Klebba; guy is brilliant!

    Quote Originally Posted by Le Messor View Post
    Canadian horror:
    Suck. Spoof vampire movie about a rock band who go vamp and get famous.
    Spoof horror:
    Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday The 13th. Airplane! (or Flying High, as we call it here)-style parody of Scream. As far as I can tell, people either like this or Scary Movie, but nobody likes both.
    Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. Two hillbillies try not to kill a bunch of kids who're out alone in the woods.
    woods horror:
    Cabin In The Woods: maybe too mainstream for this thread, but watch it! Enjoy!
    Garth Merengie's Dark Place: Really badly made 80s horror serial, from the 2010s.
    British comedy (not horror or superhero) :
    Bernie and the Genie. Naïve banker (Alan Cumming), put upon by his unscrupulous boss (Rowan Atkinson) finds a genie in a lamp (Lenny Henry). Hilarity ensues.
    Comedy:
    The Nostalgia Critic movies: Kickassia, Suburban Knights, and To Boldly Flee. Enjoyable nonsense all around.
    I haven't seen any of these, although i do own Tucker and Dale, just haven't gotten around to watching it yet.

    When you said "Suck", for a moment i thought you meant "Vampires Suck", which I really think should have been called "Suck-ed You Into Buying This Piece Of Crap".
    Last edited by Le Messor; 09-11-2014 at 06:00 AM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    When you said "Suck", for a moment i thought you meant "Vampires Suck", which I really think should have been called "Suck-ed You Into Buying This Piece Of Crap".
    When I was planning the post, I considered putting in a disclaimer to warn everybody I didn't mean that movie - but I forgot all about it by the time I finished writing.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Le Messor View Post
    When I was planning the post, I considered putting in a disclaimer to warn everybody I didn't mean that movie - but I forgot all about it by the time I finished writing.
    The mind automatically goes to it...and shudders.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flightpath07 View Post
    The mind automatically goes to it...and shudders.
    I've never seen Vampires Suck; and with all I've heard about it, I plan to maintain that record.

  12. #12

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    Timecrimes and Primer are both worth a watch.

  13. #13

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    "The Horde" is a french made Zombie movie (La Horde). It is subtitled in English, but there isn't so much talking that you'll find that overwhelmingly annoying. If you liked the remake of Judge Dredd, and you enjoy zombies, this'll be a keeper for you - fighting through a horde of zombies in an apartment building. Some really unusual and gritty fight sequences in this one.
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  14. #14

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    Amongst television series(es), I have recently gotten into such ones as Mork & Mindy, Twin Peaks, Blake's 7, and Farscape.
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    I've been watching Farscape with a couple of guys lately. Haven't seen any of those others for years.

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