21 Underrated/Overlooked Films of the 21st Century (so far)

CRITERIA FOR OVERLOOKED: Originally used a previous Letterboxd competition's requirements that the films have to have under 15K users who viewed the film - but that would mean that some films I wanted to discuss would have just missed the cut, even though I genuinely do believe they are very much 'overlooked' films. So I used a more generous under 20K users threshold. 


21. Another Year

Mike Leigh has a remarkable knack for getting into the little nuances of interpersonal relationships, and this is one of his strongest films in that regard. Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen are quietly charming as an older couple we follow over a year, but the real driving force of the film is their mutual friend Mary, played by a simply astonishing Lesley Manville, an alcoholic depressed divorcee who is so irritating, toxic yet utterly sympathetic. The film is a series of emotionally ugly sequences, and what makes it all work is the unflinching eye of Leigh who doesn't simplify any of the interactions or characters and creates a real sense of understanding with each of these flawed characters.

20. A Prayer Before Dawn

Incarcerated for drug crimes in a Thai prison, the real-life story of Billy Moore (a physically committed turn from Joe Cole) using Muay Thai tournaments as a way of survival is a very interesting one ripe for tone deafness which is entirely avoided here. The film is first and foremost an effective character study of a very flawed man, and the environment around him without the usual trappings of films like Midnight Express. It doesn't try to make things eviler than they are or pile on the suffering to an unrealistic degree, it keeps everything realistic, tight to the chest and in the process makes the film. so much more interesting than a more Hollywood approach would have been.

19. Maudie

A very sweet and beautiful looking biopic of Maud Dowley, a 1930s Canadian folk artist living with Arthritis played to perfection by Sally Hawkins, and her relationship with employer and subsequent husband Everett Lewis, played to perfection by Ethan Hawke. The film is an incredible acting showcase for both actors with the Hawkin's expressive optimism and depiction of how she overcomes her disabilities contrasting so well against Hawke's unpeeling layers of cynicism and gruffness, and Aisiling Walsh's quietly affecting direction makes it a great watch throughout even when it marches into potentially schmaltzy territory.

18. New World

A stylish, twisty gangster drama with a constant sense of intensity pulsating through conversations and fisticuffs alike as we follow the story of undercover cop Lee Ja-sung (Lee Jeong-jae) - with on one hand the calculated manipulations of his police chief (Choi Min-sik) and on the other his loyalties to his gangster friend and potential chairman-in-waiting to the crime syndicate, Jung Chung - a terrific Hwang Jung-min giving a scene-stealing portrayal of both the vices and undying loyalty of the career criminal. It's a rich offering of so much the genre has to offer and is one of the more underrated crime films of the past decade.

17. Tower

Compiling the perspectives of several survivors from the 1966 University of Texas at Austin mass shooting through archival footage, in-depth interviews and rotoscopic animation,  Keith Maitland's compelling documentary offers such a touching tribute to bravery and humanity in the midst of a horrible event. The editing in particular is a highlight here in crafting a one-of-a-kind juxtaposition between events of the past, and the reminisces of the present, and avoids emotional manipulation by granting a very honesty approach to the material at hand.

16. Of Gods and Men

Yeah...there's a lot of pretty haunting films on this list, including this one based on the 1996 kidnapping and murder of seven monks in politically and religiously tumultuous Algeria. Helping make the already potent real-life narrative of the dilemma facing the monks in light of the Islamic insurgent uprising is a terrific ensemble cast who all do their part in creating the community and conflict between the monks as. well as the nature of their faith. It's such an intriguing religious film regardless of where you fall on the beliefs system as it demonstrates without a hint of sanctimony the plight of these men and making their perseverance truly inspiring.

15. JCVD

More than just the novelty of seeing the Muscles from Brussels playing himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme gives a sensational performance not as some ridiculously overpowered action hero but as the man behind all that. Using a bank heist/hostage as a backdrop to the examination of Van Damme's star persona and his personal issues is such a compelling combination and makes for a film that is very entertaining but also moving, particularly in the sequence

14. Tyrannosaur

I'll be discussing him in more detail later on in a separate capacity, but as a director Paddy Considine is really, really good at what he does. He tells small-scale narratives about the margins we often as society choose to neglect. In Peter Mullan's violent, destructive Joseph and in Olivia Colman's Hannah (a career-best performance which is saying something) whose kindness, charity and care being put to the ultimate extremes of despair, he paints in its own strange way a beautiful film that painstakingly details the ugly side of humanity while also altering it with seeds of healing and regrowth.

13. Mississippi Grind

Buddy comedies rely on well, believing in the buddies as buddies. And boy are Ben Mendelsohn - as gambling addict Gerry, well past his prime if he ever had one -, an Ryan Reynolds - charismatic younger likeable fella Curtis - buddies. I'm not big on poker myself, but the way this film enraptures you with the antics of these two buddies as they go through all the trials and tribulations, the successes and failures of gambling, and some surprisingly tender scenes (one involving a piano will break your heart) as well as some ridiculously funny ones. Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (who would later go on to work with Mendelsohn on Captain Marvel) this is a breezy yet in its own way substantial little film that really hits the sweet spot.

12. The Painted Veil

Sometimes simple, traditional and classical is the way to go, and for this very old-fashioned and heartrending tale of a loveless marriage of two British expats put to the test by a cholera outbreak in China that's exactly what it does. John Curran's very much old-school 40s/50s prestige picture approach to the proceedings is lovely, extending to the two great leading performances by Edward Norton and especially Naomi Watts, which are accompanied by technical excellence among them Alexandre Desplat's terrific score. It's a very straightforward moving tale told with the best possible intentions in the best possible way, and shows that sometimes it's all about execution rather than originality.

11. Poetry

WARNING: this is a rough watch. Grandma Mi Ja (the brilliant Yoon Jeong-hee) is diagnosed with Alzheimers and uses poetry classes to cling onto memories and thoughts through the written word, while dealing with her troublesome grandson. Yoon's beautifully measured performance is supplanted by a film that is heartfelt and full of resolve while also being bleak and heart wrenching. It may be frustrating to some in its very deliberate approach, but lean into it and embrace it. It's definitely worth the emotional journey it takes the viewer through.

10. Dead Man's Shoes

Shane Meadows is just a very underrated director altogether, and yes I know This is England is a great film and was a huge hit in the UK, but honestly he deserves so much more praise than just for that. This psychological thriller takes an approach to the genre that few other films dare. In that it grants us an antihero and instead of making him easy to root for or likeable, makes him genuinely quite terrifying thanks to Paddy Considine who for lack of a better word, is simply nightmarishly good here. It's a surprisingly funny film in parts too, while never diminishing the terror of watching a man dealing with his mentally disabled brothers' abusers.

9. The Station Agent 

So three SAG nominations and a BAFTA win should disqualify this from the list right? Maybe, but I do think this film should get more attention than it does since even post-Game of Thrones I don't think it's gained as much traction as it should as an early indication of Peter Dinklage's immense talent. Tom McCarthy has a light yet assured touch as a director evident in other works such as Win Win and Spotlight and here with his debut film provides a wonderful acting showcase for his leading man as Finbar, a quietly withdrawn social outcast who gets brought out of his shell by a snack truck owner (Bobby Cannvale) and an artist dealing with the fallout of a family tragedy (Patricia Clarkson). It's not nearly as depressing as it all might seem as it is frequently a rather funny and uplifting film while never shying away from its dark elements, and best of all makes you really enjoy the time you spend with these characters.

8. Bright Star 

As mentioned before capturing poetry onscreen is tricky. This film captures not just the essence of John Keats' poetry but also the essence of Keats as a man, telling the story through the narrative of the burgeoning relationship between Keats (a perfect Ben Whishaw) and Fanny Brawne (a perfect Abbie Cornish) gives a film that is as sensuous, loving, bittersweet as the finest of Keats' works. Oh for a draught of more Jane Campion on film, and I'm very eagerly awaiting her next film as her wonderful touches of the visually, emotionally arresting imagery in nature, in human nature and all in between to amplify the beauty that is Keatsian poetry. I'll admit I'm particularly fond of it because Keats is my favourite poet, but so what? He should be yours too.

7. A Bittersweet Life 

An enrapturing study of a mob enforcer (Lee Byung-hun) who is assigned to shadow and spy over his boss' young mistress. A fairly well worn type of plot but so well handled by Kim Jee-Woon as the bloody, grim world of the gangster life contrasted with the serene, innocent world of the young mistress and its collision bring out humanity to the enforcer, without compromising the brutality of the environment, and the way everything plays out by the end is simply one of the most cathartic moments in all Korean cinema.

6. Bullhead 

The excellent Rust and Bone is often cited as the mainstream breakthrough for Matthias Schoenaerts, one of the best actors working today, but it is in the Oscar-nominated Belgian crime thriller Bullhead where he first started to get notices and awards citations. Schoenaerts is magnificent, earning comparisons to Marlon Brando as gruff, intimidating cattle farmer Jacky who gets wound up in shady trade deals and criminal activities, while also confronting demons from past trauma that continues to haunt him. Michaël R. Roskam's fascinating unique take on the crime genre is curiously mismatched with humour and dark themes but is such a tightly wound thriller honing in on the vulnerabilities of a brute of a man, creating an eclectic blend. that's quite the mesmerising experience. (Also not as underseen but also terrific: Roskam's The Drop starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, the late James Gandolfini and yes, Schoenaerts). 

5. The Guilty 

Making a phone call cinematically compelling in a scene is difficult; to use it as the whole pitch and concept the film unfolds around, even more so. This Danish film about a Copenhagen police officer on emergency call duty who picks up a distress call from a woman who appears to have been kidnapped. It is a phenomenal film just in terms of ratcheting up the tension through a combination of smart editing, efficient and to the point direction from Gustav Möller, a taut and economic screenplay, and a fantastic performance from Jakob Cedergren in providing the right reactionary anchor to the proceedings while revealing more of the man's own set of demons. If you're looking for a quick yet immersive watch, this is just the film for you.

4. The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki

Probably the 'nicest' film to watch on this list (sorry if the tone of so many of these 'overlooked' films makes me seem like a miserable sod!), it is the most everyday, uneventful sports biopic ever in the best possible way - think Finnish Jim Jarmusch taking on the underdog boxer formula and you have this delightful dramedy from Juho Kuosmanen which is less about the punches thrown in the ring and more about the man throwing them. The boxing scenes themselves are definitely well down, amplified by the grainy B&W 60s look that amplifies the feel of a particularly intimate documentary watching over the training of the titular boxer (Jarkko Lahti). What makes the film particularly special is how it sketches his atypical, for a boxing film, relationships with his manager (Eero Milinoff), and girlfriend (Oona Airola). Olli getting increasingly distracted from his training for a big fight is all handled in such a sincere, casual and often hilarious way as you chill and relax alongside Olli and friends and enjoy your time with him thoroughly.

3. Dirty Pretty Things 

This got itself a surprise Oscar nod for Best Original Screenplay for Steven Knight (don't let Serenity fool you the man has so much talent). I'm a mark for films which explore the 'underlying' parts of society which Knight and director Stephen Frears do here with a captivating at look at UK immigrants. I love diversity, and especially when it is used as wonderfully here with a cast of all sort of nationalities creating this rich tapestry among the council estates, the mortuary, the sweatshops, and a hotel that staffs immigrants. It creates characters who feel so lived-in down to the smallest part, with even Amelie herself Audrey Tautou fitting in quite well as Turkish Muslim immigrant Senay. She's luminous here, as are the supporting cast made up of such stalwarts as Benedict Wong, Sergi Lopez and Sophie Okonedo, but the shining star is Chiwetel Ejiofor as Okwe, the quiet beating heart of the film who reflects both the quiet struggle but also the earnest hope that persists throughout the film.

2. Like Father, Like Son 

Ryota Nonoyima (Masaharu Fukuyama), a workaholic businessman, discovers that his biological son with Midori (Machiko Onon) was switched at birth with a working class couple (Lily Franky and Yoko Maki). What ensues is not some loud, dramatic melodramatic acting showcase, but Hirokazi Kore-eda fashions it into such a compelling exploration of exactly what it means to be a parent. The contrast between the two families is so well drawn from social status, parenting methods, and also the way they react to such a difficult situation, is so remarkable and you really get a sense of what every character is going through. It is often heartbreaking, yet never goes straight for the tear ducts with cheap emotional manipulation but earns your heart through a delicate touch of hand; and is just as often very funny, very sweet, and always very honest film from a terrific filmmaker I'm very excited to see more work of. Also some surprisingly great cinematography here which never draws attention to itself, and I don't think Kore-eda gets enough credit for how visually inventive a director he can be. 

1. Revanche

(WARNING: trailer is a bit spoiler-y)

My choice for most overlooked film of the 21st Century so far was actually Australia's submission for the 81st Academy Awards and got nominated, yet I would say it still hasn't quite gotten the attention it deserves as it's one of the best films in recent years, and I'd dare say one of the best revenge thrillers I've ever seen. An atypical take on a genre that can easily go stale in the wrong hands, as though the title is literally 'revenge' that's not all the film is about, and even when it is about that it's not exactly the way you'd except. The film introduces several flawed yet oh so human characters and how their lives converge through a swift, tragic encounter, principally focusing on ex-con Alex, wonderfully played by Johannes Krisch. It is one of those films which sneaks upon you with how powerful it is, as director/writer Götz Spielmann achieves an incredibly difficult balance between a casual mood building and short bursts of emotion which create a truly immersive experience into one man's experience as you take in everything he endures and feel the release along with him, as the narrative weaves you in and out of essentially the standard 'beats' for a revenge thriller.