10 Massively Underrated Movies From The 2000s

The 2000s were an odd time, but the one thing that was consistent was the slew of great films we got during this period. There Will Be Blood, The Dark Knight, however, with so many great films, it was exceptionally easy for others to slip through the cracks and not get the attention they deserved. Be it from lack of media exposure, bad timing, or in the case of a few on this list, some rather scathing reviews, these films were seemingly lost to the nether and only brought up by that one guy who's seen every indie film and eats his deconstructed full English breakfast on a shovel. With this in mind, I'm Jules for WhatCulture.com, and these are 10 Massively Underrated Movies From The 2000s. 10. Moon So 2009 was a pretty decent year for sci-fi. Avatar wowed, District 9 shone, and Star Trek was pretty damn decent as well. It's a shame, therefore, that the truly masterful film Moon didn't get the eyes that it deserved. I guess you could say it was eclipsed by the other's puns. I've got them! Sam Rockwell plays Sam Bell, who is nearing the end of a three-year stint on the moon as the lone caretaker of a mining base. His only companion is a computer named Gertie, and to make matters worse, communication problems allow him to only send recorded messages to his family on Earth. It's an homage to the classic sci-fi films of the 60s and 70s, and is a career highlight for Rockwell. Offering up a hard science fiction plot which puts more emphasis on ideas rather than action, it's one of the best debuts in recent years, but just never got the limelight it deserved. 9. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou The Life Aquatic, simply put, is a charming film, one that I feel unfairly holds a 53% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Now, to be fair, it is a strange movie, one that feels very fake with obvious sets looking like obvious sets and CGI that's ropey enough to hang yourself with. Yet, at its core, it's almost an arthouse version of Anchorman in that it's purposely stupid and endlessly quotable, and it really grows on you after multiple watchings. Ignore the warnings on this one, because Wes Anderson has crafted one of his warmest films and managed to make a movie that gets better with every viewing. 8. I'm Not There Most of the praise for I'm Not There revolved around Cate Blanchett's incredible portrayal of 1960s Bob Dylan, and deservedly so since it was one of the most impressive performances of the decade. But I'm Not There is not technically about Bob Dylan. Rather, it casts six different actors portraying different aspects of Dylan's persona at different parts of his life. Blanchett plays the most recognizable version of Dylan to most people, but Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Ben Whishaw, and Marcus Carl Franklin all get their turn to put their own stamp on one of music's most enduring icons. Of course, it goes without saying that the film has an absolutely brilliant soundtrack, but almost every other facet of this movie is done incredibly well. Its editing is top-notch, its acting extraordinary, its writing fresh, and it's much more entertaining than many gave it credit for. 7. Valhalla Rising A sparse, gritty film, Valhalla Rising is brutal in its execution. It is slow, however, almost to a fault, focusing not on dialogue or plot, but on images, mood, and emotions. In many ways, Valhalla Rising is almost a silent film, but I doubt there was ever a silent film on this level of violence. Long stretches of the film are punctuated by scenes of extreme, where the main character, called One-Eye, reveals himself to be an unstoppable killing machine. Valhalla Rising is a study in minimalism. None of the characters except One-Eye have names, and characters rarely speak, and few details are given as to where the plot is going. It's a challenging watch, to be sure, but for patient viewers, Valhalla Rising is a brilliant journey. 6. Mary and Max Claymation is hardly the most alluring genre, and indeed, Mary and Max has hardly the most enjoyable-sounding plot. It's the story of two lonely individuals, one a young girl from Australia, and the other an obese New Yorker with Asperger's syndrome, who become unlikely pen pals and who correspond for the better part of 20 years. It may not sound great, but Mary and Max is an extraordinary display of filmmaking prowess, starting with the gorgeous animation, continuing with the wonderful voice acting from its cast, and most importantly, it has a story that is simple, sincere, and profoundly emotional. It deals with a variety of relatable ideas, including loneliness and anxiety, and also confronts some complicated issues such as depression and mental disorders. The sum of its parts ends up making Mary and Max one of those rare movies that truly has something for everyone. It received rave reviews but is rarely talked about, so do yourself a favor and check it out. 5. The Guard It's Ireland meeting USA in one of the most enjoyable movies of 2011, with Brendan Gleeson as the all-round stellar actor leading the charge. It's a fresh take on the buddy cop formula and one that allows for a great sense of comic flair between the two leads. It's the highest-grossing film in Irish history, but there simply weren't enough eyes on this Which is a shame, as the dynamic of the duo and the charming setting coupled with some really beautiful shots really deserve some more attention. 4. The Fountain The Fountain is, let's just say it, polarizing. People either see it as a modern-day masterpiece or an exercise in self-love, yet you can't deny its uniqueness. Early on in its production, the budget for the film was cut considerably, and as a result, the team decided to make a film nearly free of CGI. This reliance on natural shots creates a film which is utterly breathtaking to look at. While this doesn't excuse the film from being very unfocused, nor has it stopped it from becoming a much-loved cult film. It's flawed, but for its sheer beauty and attention to visual space, it's well worth a watch. 3. The Grey Timing is everything when it comes to releasing a film, and unfortunately, The Grey came out at a time when Gleeson was kicking out quite a lot of action thrillers. As such, people just assumed this to be another in the slew of punchy, kicky melodramas. "...are a very particular set of skills." Yet for those that did watch this rather somber flick, they found a tale much more harrowing than just a man who punches wolves. It's also got that, though, so that's pretty f-----g cool. It's about the survival instincts of a man under extreme circumstances. Gleeson balances a character who is suicidal before the incident, yet desperate to survive during the events. And it shows the real depth of his talent to play off this so convincingly. 2. In Bruges In Bruges can be summed up as the following recipe. One part inconsequential dialogue, two scoops of outstanding artistic direction, 600 milliliters of humor darker than my backstory, 20 heaped spoons of outstanding acting, all mixed in and stirred over a heated hob until gritty. Oh, also served with a dwarf. The film is utterly brilliant and is possibly one of the smartest crime narratives in decades. When you can go from laughing your ass off to almost tearing up within a sentence or two, you know you're on to a winner. 1. The Fall How is this film not a classic? I still don't quite understand. Not only is it one of the most ravishingly gorgeous films ever made, it has a story and characters that aren't particularly lacking in any category. The Fall doesn't contain any profound insight into human behavior or have any brilliantly witty dialogue, but if you accept that cinema is an inherently visual medium, then The Fall is one of the most inherently cinematic films of all time. Lee Pace plays a movie stuntman stuck in a hospital who regales a little girl with an epic tale that provides most of the weight of the movie. He has an ulterior motive in telling the stories, which I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't seen it, but that doesn't stop them, as imagined by the little girl, from producing some of the most astonishing images ever put to film. True, it's slightly self-indulgent, but this is like eating a rich chocolate cake. There's flavor in every sense of the word and worth stuffing into your eyes. I have an eating problem. And that's our list. Got any other underrated films from the 2000s? Well, let me know about them in the comments section below, and why not swing by WhatCulture.com for more news and articles like this every goddamn day. As always, I've been Jules, you've been awesome, and I'll speak to you soon.