Editorials > Five Underrated Flicks

(In the order of when they arrived in my mind.)

5. “Straight Time” (1978): Dustin Hoffman plays a life-long robber fresh out of jail. has the best ‘heist’ sequence ever, but it’s not about action – it’s about desperation. Don’t know why this movie never gets mentioned as one of the 70s classics.

4. “Thief” (1981): Early Michael Mann movie reminds us why James Caan was a star and that Jim Belushi once had talent.

3."Way of the Gun” (2000): Great opening, loopy plot – and Geoffrey Lewis. This thing is a great dark parody of film noir tough guy movies. I had no idea that was Sarah Silverman in the opening.

2. “They Live” (1988): Roddy Piper – yes, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper – is pitch perfect in this critically-maligned box office failure. Finally started to get its due, thanks to a homage from “South Park.”

1. “High Tension” (2003): Yeah the ending stinks, but this Frenchie horror flick knocked me off the couch. Forget “Hostel” and “Saw,” this one draws you in and doesn’t let up.

– From my crappy blog, http://onlineeditorblog.blogspot.com