Top 50 Best Forgotten Films That Deserve Another Chance
In cinema, countless movies have been overlooked and underrated despite being critically acclaimed or highly praised by a cult following.
These hidden gems and forgotten films are must-watch for any movie lover looking to expand their horizons beyond mainstream blockbusters.
This article will explore a list of underappreciated and Forgotten Films That Deserve Another Chance.
From indie films to cult classics, these overlooked films are hidden movie treasures that you won't want to miss.
So, let's dive in and discover some of the most underrated movies you need to see!
1 – A Simple Plan (1998)
After finding a stash of cash, the three men devise a plan to keep it for themselves, but their greed and mistrust turn their lives into a downward spiral.
2 – Quiz Show (1994)
The true story of the Twenty One game show scandal, where a popular contestant was given the answers in advance, and the ensuing investigation into the corruption of the game show industry.
3 – One Hour Photo (2002)
A lonely photo technician becomes obsessed with a family whose pictures he develops, leading to dangerous and unsettling consequences.
4 – The King of Comedy (1982)
Aspiring comedian Rupert Pupkin stalks his idol, a late-night talk show host, hoping to secure a spot on his show and launch his career.
5 – The Long Goodbye (1973)
Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a friend to find his missing wife, but the case leads him into a web of deception and murder.
6 – The Sweet Hereafter (1997)
After a tragic school bus accident kills many of the town's children, a lawyer arrives to represent the grieving families, but he discovers that not everything is as it seems.
7 – The Vanishing (1988)
After his girlfriend goes missing during a vacation, a man becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her, leading him on a dangerous and disturbing journey.
8 – Blow Out (1981)
A sound engineer accidentally records evidence of a political assassination and becomes the target of those who want to keep the murder a secret.
9 – Miller's Crossing (1990)
A prohibition-era gangster finds himself caught between two rival crime bosses as he navigates a web of deceit, betrayal, and violence.
10 – The Limey (1999)
A British ex-con seeks revenge on the man he believes is responsible for his daughter's death, but he soon realizes things are not as they seem.
11 – To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Two Secret Service agents attempt to track down a counterfeiter in Los Angeles, but their investigation takes a dangerous turn as they become embroiled in the criminal underworld.
12 – The Hit (1984)
A retired hitman is brought out of hiding and tasked with traveling to Spain to bring in a former accomplice who has turned state's evidence. But things don't go according to plan when they are double-crossed.
13 – The Conversation (1974)
A surveillance expert becomes increasingly paranoid as he listens to a conversation that may hold the key to a murder plot.
14 – The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)
A small-time Boston criminal tries to make a deal with the FBI to avoid returning to prison, but his loyalty is tested when he's asked to rat on his friends.
15 – Manhunter (1986)
A retired FBI profiler is asked to come back to work to help track down a serial killer who has been targeting families for full moons.
16 – The Last Seduction (1994)
A manipulative woman cons her way into a man's life and convinces him to help her carry out a plan to steal money from her husband.
17 – The Spanish Prisoner (1997)
An inventor becomes embroiled in a complex and dangerous scheme when he tries to patent his invention, leading him to deceit, betrayal, and murder.
18 – The Insider (1999)
A tobacco company whistleblower risks everything to expose the truth about the industry's deadly practices, but he soon realizes that his own life is in danger.
19 – Bulworth (1998)
A disillusioned senator hires a hitman to kill him, but before he can go through with it, he experiences a political and personal awakening that changes his outlook on life.
20 – The Ice Storm (1997)
Set during the 1973 presidential election, this film follows two suburban families as they navigate their way through a web of infidelity, drug use, and emotional turmoil during a major ice storm.
21 – Mother Night (1996)
An American playwright living in Germany during World War II becomes a propagandist for the Nazis, but when the war ends, he is accused of war crimes and must face the consequences of his actions.
22 – Badlands (1973)
A teenage girl falls in love with a young man who takes her on a killing spree across the American Midwest, but their crime spree soon comes to a deadly end.
23 – The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
An alien arrives on Earth seeking water for his drought-stricken planet, but he soon becomes seduced by the trappings of human society and embroiled in a series of complex relationships.
24 – Barton Fink (1991)
A struggling playwright in 1940s Hollywood finds himself embroiled in a web of sinister plots and strange occurrences when he is hired to write a script for a B-movie studio.
25 – A Face in The Crowd (1957)
A charismatic drifter rises to fame and power through his natural talent for manipulation and his ability to captivate audiences on radio and television, but his success comes at a high price.
26 – Night Moves (1975)
A private detective takes on a case involving a missing teenage girl, but as he delves deeper into the mystery, he realizes there may be more to the case than meets the eye.
27 – Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
A powerful and ruthless newspaper columnist uses his influence to manipulate the people around him, including a struggling press agent who will do anything to get ahead.
28 – The Swimmer (1968)
A middle-aged man decides to swim across all the pools in his affluent suburban neighborhood, but his journey reveals the dark truths and hidden secrets of his seemingly idyllic community.
29 – Phantom of The Paradise (1974)
A young and talented composer sells his soul to a powerful music producer but soon finds himself trapped in a nightmarish world of greed, corruption, and madness.
30 – Blue Collar (1978)
Three auto workers on the assembly line become embroiled in a dangerous and violent scheme when they decide to rob their union's safe.
31 – The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
When the CEO of a large corporation dies unexpectedly, the board of directors hires a naïve young man to run the company into the ground, but he surprises everyone with his innovative ideas and determination to succeed.
32 – State and Main (2000)
A film crew descends on a small New England town to shoot a movie, but they soon encounter a series of obstacles and challenges, including a stubborn local businessman and a teenage girl who catches the eye of the leading man.
33 – The Straight Story (1999)
Based on a true story, an elderly man embarks on a long and arduous journey on a riding lawn mower to visit his estranged brother in a heartwarming and emotionally resonant film.
34 – Bob Roberts (1992)
A conservative folk singer runs for a U.S. Senate seat, but as his popularity grows, he becomes embroiled in a web of deceit and corruption in a biting satire of American politics.
35 – The American Friend (1977)
A terminally ill picture framer is approached by a criminal who wants him to perform an assassination, but as the plan begins to unravel, both men become embroiled in a dangerous and deadly game.
36 – Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
A successful ophthalmologist faces a crisis of conscience when he becomes embroiled in a criminal plot to silence his mistress. At the same time, a struggling documentary filmmaker struggles to find meaning and purpose in his own life.
37 – The Browning Version (1951)
A classics professor at an English public school faces a crisis of faith and identity on the eve of his retirement as he reflects on his past failures and missed opportunities.
38 – My Dinner With Andre (1981)
Two old friends reunite over dinner in a New York restaurant, engaging in a wide-ranging and deeply philosophical conversation about life, art, and the human condition.
39 – The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
A former prisoner of war becomes involved in a conspiracy to brainwash an American soldier into becoming an unwitting assassin in a tense and gripping political thriller.
40 – The Day of The Jackal (1973)
A professional assassin is hired to kill French President Charles de Gaulle, but as he meticulously plans his attack, a determined police detective races to stop him before it's too late.
41 – Harold and Maude (1971)
A young man obsessed with death finds a kindred spirit in an elderly woman who teaches him the joy of living in a dark, funny, moving romantic comedy.
42 – The Verdict (1982)
An alcoholic lawyer takes on a seemingly unwinnable medical malpractice case, but as he fights for justice, he also confronts his own demons and shortcomings in a powerful and poignant legal drama.
43 – The Big Easy (1986)
A hard-drinking New Orleans detective investigates a series of murders in the city's corrupt and seedy underworld while also falling in love with a beautiful district attorney.
44 – Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
A group of desperate real estate salesmen resorts to unethical and cutthroat tactics in a last-ditch effort to save their jobs, in a searing and unforgettable portrayal of the American Dream gone awry.
45 – The Stunt Man (1980)
A fugitive on the run from the police stumbles onto the set of a World War I movie and is hired as a stuntman, but as he becomes increasingly entangled in the film's twisted and dangerous production, he begins to wonder if he'll ever escape alive.
46 – The Killing (1956)
A group of criminals plans and execute a daring racetrack heist, but as the intricate scheme unravels, they soon find themselves in a desperate fight for survival in a classic film-noir masterpiece from legendary director Stanley Kubrick.
47 – The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
A group of armed men hijack a New York City subway train and demand a ransom. However, as the tense standoff unfolds, a transit cop and a cynical detective race against time to defuse the situation and prevent a tragedy.
48 – The In-Laws (1979)
A mild-mannered dentist gets drawn into a wild and dangerous adventure when he meets the eccentric father of his son's future bride in a hilarious and action-packed comedy classic.
49 – Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)
A private eye investigates a case involving a beautiful and mysterious woman, but as he delves deeper into the conspiracy, he discovers that he's been unwittingly woven into a web of intrigue and deception that spans decades and genres in a groundbreaking film that seamlessly blends classic film noir with modern comedy.
50 – The Parallax View (1974)
A journalist investigates a sinister organization that recruits and brainwashes political assassins. As he gets closer to the truth, he realizes that he's in way over his head and that the conspiracy is much larger and more powerful than he ever could have imagined.