# Your Hidden Gems of Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 6, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302 "2005-09-06T04:51:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/1 "2005-09-06T04:51:32Z")
My little treasures that no one seems to know about but are nonetheless wonderful, entertaining, all-round good movies are “Murphy’s Romance” with Sally Fields and James Garner and “Betsy’s Wedding” with Alan Alda and Madeline Kahn (Madeline Kahn should have been in all comedies ever made, in my humble opinion). What are some other little-known but totally solid movies (that I can rent - nothing too obscure, please)? ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/2 "2005-09-06T04:56:11Z")
Not totally in a “not well known” catagory, but it’s an old movie, and I absolutly love it. “The Court Jester” with Danny Kaye in it. If you haven’t seen it, I highly suggest it. ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/3 "2005-09-06T04:58:52Z")
“Rubin & Ed”, not to be found outside of Utah. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/4 "2005-09-06T05:06:41Z")
The coen brothers B&W self parodying noir **The Man Who Wasn’t There**. Beautiful, provoking, funny, well shot, and leaves you plenty to mull over once it’s over. The story revolves around a barber and a blackmail scheme gone awry, but that’s really just the surface. You should be able to buy it someplace at a cheap price, maybe rent it, and you can probably catch it on the USA channel if you’re lucky. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/5 "2005-09-06T05:13:15Z")
“You Can Count On Me” with Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo. Reading a description, it doesn’t sound like it would have much appeal, but it’s very well-written, and fantastically acted. And some of the more “real” characters I’ve ever seen in a movie. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/6 "2005-09-06T05:17:39Z")
> [@JoeSki](#): > > The coen brothers B&W self parodying noir **The Man Who Wasn’t There**. Beautiful, provoking, funny, well shot, and leaves you plenty to mull over once it’s over. The story revolves around a barber and a blackmail scheme gone awry, but that’s really just the surface. You should be able to buy it someplace at a cheap price, maybe rent it, and you can probably catch it on the USA channel if you’re lucky. I heartily agree. I just TIVO’ed it this week and it is most certainly a wonderful movie. I remember wanting to see it when it came out, and then I have no further memory of it, which makes me wonder if it was released in the late summer/early fall of '01. It just reinforces my respect for Billy Bob Thornton. That boy can downright ACT! Of course, it didn’t hurt that I watched Bad Santa this week too. I would hesitate to call it a parody. I would think it’s more of an homage. I never felt that it was ridiculing the noir medium, but perhaps pointing out some of its more vulnerable aspects. I kept marvelling at the beautiful photography and, as always in a Coen Bros. movie, there is wonderful dialogue. But to respond to the OP, I would suggest **Tampopo**. It’s a Japanese flick that revolves around various food related themes. Tampopo’s husband dies and she is left to make their noodle stand profitable. Food lovers help her. Numerous foody subplots capture your interest. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/7 "2005-09-06T05:20:05Z")
Oh! I forgot to mention the little-seen [Frailty](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264616/) with Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/8 "2005-09-06T05:30:54Z")
_Surf Ninjas_ is one of my favorite fall-off-the-chair-laughing, ridiculous, “Snakes on a Plane”-style action comedies. When I’m sick, I make my friends watch it with me. I LOVE it! The stunts are more gratuitous than _Dukes of Hazzard_, the dialogue is funny, and there are ninjas who surf. Surfing ninjas! It’s fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/9 "2005-09-06T05:43:36Z")
[Barfly](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092618/) with Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway playing out a Charles Bukowski scriptbased on his own life. [A Perfect World](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107808/) a much underrated Clint Eastwood movie with Eastwood, Kevin Costner and Laura Dern. Costner’s best role and some terrific moments. [Proof](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102721/) early Hugo Weaving and Crowe in a great Australian movie about a blind photographer. Terrific stuff. [Lantana](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259393/) another Aussie movie most wont have seen. Stars Anthony LaPaglia in a very clever low key thriller. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/10 "2005-09-06T05:54:36Z")
[Creator](http://imdb.com/title/tt0088960/)- an odd little romantic comedy that was about 20 years ahead of its time. Peter O’Toole is a “mad scientist” geneticist at a CA research university who in his spare time tries to clone his dead wife in his workshop using “borrowed” university equipment and an egg from a teenaged hellion (Mariel Hemingway) who he hasn’t noticed is in love with him. Has flaws but on the whole a cute and sweet movie. If you don’t mind a super low budget gay flick, [Sordid Lives](http://imdb.com/title/tt0204640/)- a major cult fave. A redneck family has to deal with Grandma’s death in a sex scandal with her much younger whitetrash boyfriend (Beau Bridges). A funny movie throughout with great performances by Delta Burke, Bonnie Bedelia and Olivia Newton John among others, but nobody could deny that it is completely stolen and absconded with by Leslie “Brother Boy” Jordan. ---
**Author:** ![parthenokinesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/11 "2005-09-06T05:55:28Z")
I used to say [Boondock Saints](http://imdb.com/title/tt0144117/) was most perfect unknown gem. But since the DVD release, everyone seems to have seen it now, so I must come up with new most perfect unknown gem. I give you [Safemen](http://imdb.com/title/tt0120813/) Rockwell, Zahn, Giamatti, Ruffalo none of those guys were anybody when this was made. ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/12 "2005-09-06T06:10:20Z")
[Eyes Beyond Seeing](http://imdb.com/title/tt0192006/) What is the real nature of faith? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/13 "2005-09-06T06:38:46Z")
[L.A. Story](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0102250/) Steve Martin plays a wacky TV weatherman who discovers that when you find the one woman in the world who laughs with you during the gravedigger scene from _Hamlet_, you use every (and I do mean every) means possible to win her heart. [My Man Godfrey](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0028010/) (1936) William Powell and Carole Lombard as a forgotten man with a disgraceful, respectable past and the socialite who hires him as a butler. From the era when screwball comedies had better dialog than today’s arthouse fare. Includes the best closing line in movie history (and don’t let anybody tell you different.) [The Right Stuff](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0086197/) Everybody thinks they know what that phrase means so they don’t have to bother seeing the movie. But strip away the cold-war hysteria and the touchy-feely pictorials in Life magazine, and there’s still a guy who’s willing to strap himself to a rocket and put the spurs to her. An epic. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/14 "2005-09-06T06:45:07Z")
Awwww, **Robot Arm**! I love _L.A. Story_! I don’t watch it as often as I’d like to (watch it about never, actually), but it’s so lovely and smart and sweet. Great choice! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/15 "2005-09-06T07:19:34Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > What are some other little-known but totally solid movies (that I can rent - nothing too obscure, please)? [Auto Focus](http://imdb.com/title/tt0298744/). The Rogers Video on 14th St. has two copies. They also have a copy of [The Saddest Music In The World](http://imdb.com/title/tt0366996/). ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/16 "2005-09-06T07:44:05Z")
**Zeppelin** with Michael York. Kinda like an Edwardian Rambo movie. **No Highway in the Sky** —With Jimmy Stewart, Glynis Johns and Marlene Dietrich. Don’t know how “obscure” it is. A classic tale of airliner metal fatigue. ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/17 "2005-09-06T08:57:35Z")
Bubba Ho Tep…Elvis and Jfk living in an old ager home fighting a soul stealing mummy.Not the best movie in the world but anything with bruce campbell is better than without…And what was the name of that lean,clean Terrance Stamp movie where he is a recently released crook looking into his daughter’s death? ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/18 "2005-09-06T08:59:25Z")
I’ve always liked [The Man Who Would Be King](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073341/). Almost no one I know has seen this flick even though it was apparentl nominated for four Oscars. Great cast with Sean Connery and Michael Caine. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/19 "2005-09-06T09:39:36Z")
I’m fond of [We’re No Angels](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048801/). It has Bogie in it. And he’s _funny_. And I see it’s finally being released on DVD on September 27th! Yay! ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302/20 "2005-09-06T10:04:43Z")
**Rat Race** The scene where they take Hitler’s car and crash into a VFW meeting made me laugh as much as any movie. And what a cast- Whoopi, Cuba, John Cleese. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-hidden-gems-of-movies/320302.md?page=2)