The Hollywood hype machine is already anointing this summer as the biggest one in movie history. The Avengers shattered records and it may not even be the biggest blockbuster of the summer if Bane (I mean The Dark Knight Rises) comes out firing. Beneath all of the hoopla surrounding comic book superheroes and recycled sequels, there are some really good movies that geeks and non-geeks alike shouldn’t miss.
They don’t have the budgets. Some of them have the actors but many are relatively unknown. They have one thing in common – the likelihood of being solid movies that may get buried beneath the spiderwebs. Here are 7 movies you should watch even if they don’t have $100 million+ opening weekends.
Argo
Underrated director Ben Affleck takes an intriguing tale of “exfiltration” that is based upon a declassified true story.
Moonrise Kingdom
This is the riskiest of the group. It might be spectacular in the vein of the Coen brothers, or it might be trying to be too cute. Given that the writers are Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums) and Roman Coppola (whose father and sister have had a bit of success in movies), we’re hopeful that it will be spectacular.
The Gangster Squad
The 40s and 50s in Los Angeles were highlighted with gangster wars that have only been chronicled lightly. Sean Penn leads on ensemble cast in this true story surrounding an unofficial squad that fought to keep the east coast mafia out of LA. Bonus points for Emma Stone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc3Ab52uqM8
A Fantastic Fear of Everything
Simon Pegg may be one of the most underrated actors out there simply because he’s so tremendously funny. Then again, so were Bill Murray and Tom Hanks before they switched up to add drama to their repertoire. This isn’t Pegg’s stab at drama, but the trailer does give it an other-worldly sensation that should bring some of his thespian talents out beyond the giggles.
Hick
The red band trailer for Hick is almost disturbing enough to make watching the movie unnecessary. Then again, this unconventional coming of age tale may hook you right in. Again, be warned that this is a red band trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzS–5tuzHA
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
This has “geek joy” written all over it. Nothing needs to be said other than the name and the trailer.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
The first few seconds of the trailer says it all. “The 70-mile-wide asteroid known as ‘Matilda’ is set to collide with Earth in exactly 3 weeks time and we’ll be bringing you our countdown to the end of days along with all your classic rock favorites.” Steve Carell and Keira Knightley pose an interesting mix in this “funny and a macabre way” film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7FKVAuDv8M
