Monday, January 04, 2010

The Most Underrated Films of 2009

I've already done my list of the most overrated films of 2009, so let's accentuate the positive and take a look at the films that I feel didn't get their fair shake last year.

UNMISTAKEN CHILDIt's the best documentary of the year, so why aren't more people talking about it? Beautiful, transcendent, and deeply moving, the fact that this isn't getting more buzz is one of the great travesties of 2009.

A TOWN CALLED PANICIt has been a great year for animated films, but this manic Belgian comedy is being criminally overlooked. It's one of the year's most original and most energetic films.

MARY & MAXAnother animated treasure not getting its fair shake. The worst part? It's one of the best films of the year period. It's witty, astute, and ultimately very powerful.

MAKE-OUT WITH VIOLENCEZombie movies are all the rage right now, so why didn't this sublime coming of age film/zombie romance even attract a distributor? Someone release this film in theaters now!

BANDSLAMOn the surface it appears to be yet another High School Musical wannabe, when in reality it is anything but. Bandslam disarmingly smart and entertaining tween flick that points kids to actual good music like David Bowie, Velvet Underground, and Patti Smith, while extolling the usual follow-your-dreams message.

CAPTAIN ABU RAEDThis wonderful Jordanian film by Amin Matalqa deserved a much larger audience than it recieved. It's a beautiful and moving film.

PLAY THE GAMEPlaying to mostly regional audiences, this geriatric romantic comedy starring Andy Griffith, Doris Roberts, and Liz Sheridan got ignored by most critics. It's a shame, because it should have been the crowd-pleasing sleeper hit of the year.


Riah said...

Oh my gosh. Those movies seem good. It bothers me that I've only heard of one of those movies. I love watching intelligent underrated movies.

Danny King said...

I can't wait until Mary & Max comes out on DVD. I hadn't heard of it at all this year, and I doubt it opened up near me, and that's a shame. Many people have praised it, and the story sounds very, very intriguing.

Daniel said...

Yeah, you're right - none of these has received any attention. I have to kick myself for missing Unmistaken Child here, and I ought to order Mary and Max On Demand before it's unavailable.