When you just want to watch an easy-to-navigate movie, there are dozens of great movies that didn’t make the mainstream buzz list. Many of them are the films that stay in your head long after the credits have finished rolling, with fresh plotlines, great acting, and some big concepts that aren’t towed to the cinemas by the marketing arm of the television industry. From genre to mood, these 10 underrated picks will surely have something to suit your mood.
1. Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
A moving contemporary tale of a young man who has Down syndrome who escapes to pursue a dream of becoming a wrestler. He joins a down-on-its-luck fisherman on a road trip through the American South that seems easy and profoundly moving. The warmth, humor and sincerity of the film make it a road movie gem of a sleeper hit that deserves more attention.
2. The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)
A comedic-drama about a man who has reached the end of his rope and is suddenly placed in charge of a teenage boy with a muscular dystrophy disease. What begins as a reluctant job becomes a cross-country road trip which gradually chips away at both characters’ emotional armor. The film is filled with both sadness and humor, and is a quietly uplifting tale about connection and second chances.
3. Our Souls at Night (2017)
In a late-life friendship that slowly turns into more, two older neighbors, played by Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, start to become friends. The movie is slow and intimate; it’s about loneliness, about regrets, and about the courage to face the world again. It’s a light, character-driven play that’s more like a cozy chat with a friend who understands you.
4. The Last of Sheila (2019)
A cleverly written mystery about a group of friends invited on a yacht for a high‑stakes game that turns deadly. The story is well built, with several twists and psychological tension; the dialogue is full of wit and tension. It’s a classic whodunit that’s as fresh as it is old-fashioned, for a night of guessing and suspense.
5. Emily the Criminal (2022)
The gritty, character-driven thriller of a young woman who finds herself in a small-scale criminal scheme when she’s drowning in debt. Aubrey Plaza is magnetic as a woman desperate to go darker. The film is tense, realistic and socially conscious, and at a pace that you can’t get away from it, yet isn’t over-stylized.
6. The Mustang (2019)
A prison‑based drama about an inmate who finds purpose rehabilitating wild mustangs. The film is emotionally charged and subtly enveloping, thanks to the gentle, understated direction and stellar acting. It’s a tale of redemption, self‑control and the unexpected power of animals to heal humans.
7. The Iceman (2012)
A chilling true‑crime thriller about a real‑life hitman whose double life begins to unravel. The film is filled with dark humour and real menace, a portrait of a man who is both terrifying and strangely ordinary. It’s a slow genre piece, it does linger, it’s about the characters more than the violence.
8. Secondhand Lions (2003)
A family movie with warm and nostalgic vibes that follows a little boy’s adventures when he goes to stay with his two quirky Uncles. The narrative is like a tall tale, revealing emotion after emotion about family, courage and storytelling. Very lighthearted, at times hilarious, it’s like you’ve already seen it before you watch it.
9. Red Cliff (2008)
A grand historical Chinese war epic with epic battles, epic strategy and epic emotion. It is as large and as skilfully crafted as epics in the West, but has not been sufficiently studied outside Asia. For those who like sweeping historical dramas, the ambition and beauty of the film is perfect for the late-night movie.
10. The Mermaid (2016)
A beautiful Chinese fantasy romance set about a mermaid who falls in love with a human businessman. It is a film that is both magical and social, filled with lush imagery and dream-like atmosphere, which examine the themes of love, identity and the environment. A heart-wrenching and uniquely moving movie, both in time and in spirit.
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