Underrated and Under Watched

There are so many comedic movies out there that don’t get watched or talked about enough. Whether it’s because they came out at the wrong time or they were overshadowed by another film, many perfectly hilarious movies are underrated. Here is a list of 3 laugh-out-loud but underrated movies.

Galaxy Quest

 This film came out in 1999 and actually has a slew of big-name actors in its cast. It includes Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, and even a small part by a very young Justin Long. The film tells the story of a group of actors who spent their careers in a Star Trek-esque show; really popular but kind of shitty. A sci-fi show everyone hates to love but has a huge cult following. At one of their conventions (autographs, costumes, and all) they are approached by people who they assume to be fans but are actual aliens. The aliens have watched the show and believe that the bad space actors are actual space warriors. Soon they are up to their necks in space ships, alien adversaries, and weapons called things like “the Omega 13.”

The movie is delightfully hilarious with its witty dialogue and great comedic timing. However it is a much underrated film for its time. It may be because a few years earlier hit sci-fi comedy Men In Black came out  and Galaxy Quest was covered; sort of like how Wizard of Oz was covered by Gone with the Wind when it first came out. It could also be because the film caters to those who watched the original Star Trek episodes. It makes fun of the show and its followers and only those who watched any cheesy sci-fi show would understand the hilarity behind many of the actors’ sarcastic jokes and corny lines. All in all, it is a wonderful film that deserves more credit for its comedy than it receives.

In & Out

This film also has a cast of some pretty big actors such as Kevin Kline, Joan Cusak, and Matt Dillon. The film begins with a quaint set up: young teacher named Howard Brackett who lives in a quiet little town and is engaged to his girlfriend of three years. All of his students love him, the whole town is coming to his wedding, and to top it off one of his former students, who went into acting, is nominated for an Academy Award! How exciting! But Howard’s life slowly begins to unravel when the former student receives his award and announces on national TV that his most influential teacher, Howard, is gay. The film does a wonderful job of shaking itself of its former picturesque tone and moving into a slap-stick comedy about masculinity and homosexuality.

The movie may be underrated because it comes off as a cutesy film about a young couple, but the film doesn’t get enough recognition for its comedy. Kevin Kline gives his best role, in my opinion, as a man coming to terms with his sexuality and the fact that his little town may not be as accepting as he thought. The film also does a great job of addressing society’s opinion of homosexuality. The town is ecstatic when the young actor is up for an Academy Award for a movie in which he plays a gay soldier, but when they find out that homosexuality is in their town people start getting antsy. It can be on the screen, but not in my backyard, so to speak. The film can also come off as a little corny sometimes, but that doesn’t get in the way of its ability to be a great, funny movie.

Home for the Holidays

This film has to be in my top favorite 20 but it doesn’t get enough recognition out in the movie fan world. It’s about a single mother, Claudia, who is sick with a cold, gets fired from her job, and finds out her daughter has decided to have sex. On top of that she is going to her obnoxious parents’ house for Thanksgiving. The movie is about all of the mishap and comedy that ensues at any neurotic family’s gathering. The cast includes Holly Hunter, Robert Downey, Jr., and Claire Danes. The story takes too many twists and turn to sum up, but let’s just say there would be no Meet the Parents without this film.

The reason the movie is so good is because it does a great job of taking a boring concept, like going to your parents for Thanksgiving, and keeping the dialogue and plot original and fresh. The film also hosts one of the best performances by a young Robert Downey, Jr. who plays a ridiculous and foolish gay brother to Claudia. The dialogue that the two characters have between each other is very similar to the banter between a close brother and sister and keeps the movie sounding unique yet realistic. Director Jodi Foster does a wonderful job of keeping the story simple but overwhelming, kind of like a dysfunctional family.