K. I've seen over half of these movies, and there are a few that fall into the Great category. But seriously, 'Grace of My Heart' and 'Idiocracy' on the same list as 'Buckaroo Banzai' ,'The Hidden', and 'Heavenly Creatures'? I don't THINK SO! Not even in the same overlooked goodness league. And, 'Boondock Saints'? Perhaps one of the most overated 'overlooked' movies of all time. Sometimes movies fail because they should, and this one did. The ONLY reason to watch Boondock is to mock it - The ONLY reason.

You had me up until you veered wildly off the 'agreeing with sanity' tracks.

What, praytell, is mockable about Boondock Saints?

Dude, William Dafoe in BS is kick ass. It's an enjoyable movie.

Willem Dafoe is a riot in the movie, he's so campy over the top that it's just kind of like watching a train wreck, you can't look away. He sees how bad the movie is going to be and just lives it up. He is A reason to watch the movie.

It's been a long time since I've seen it, but I'll try to resurrect why I don't think it's a 'hidden classic'.

I guess where the move missed for me is that I can see the director really TRYING to make a good Tarentino/Scorsese type of movie, taking it very seriously, and it just fails on that level. He is trying to make a serious point with this movie, and it is not half-well good enough to support that.

It has some classic hallmarks of a rookie film-maker. Dialog is overwrought and unreal, direction is a bit heavy and ham-handed, and a lot of performances are weak and b-grade. Now, all that is fine if you're making a B-movie. But he was making an A-movie that is a B-movie. If you watch it in that vein, it can be kinda campy fun. And, I think it's too bad the director isn't likely to get a second chance, because a lot of first movies really suck, and he showed some promise.

Huh. I lack the ingredients to argue with any of that -- I think it's awesome, and have watched it uncritically too many times to have any objectivity. I don't even know who the director is, though I remember reading the bartender who wrote the script turned out to be such a one-hit-wonder world-class assfuck that someone made a movie about the blip he made in Hollywood.

Hell... No 'The Fifth Element', and no 'Miami Blues'.
Boondock Saints was a great movie , too, FOR its over-the-topness.
A black comedy, as opposed to a cops and robbers shoot-em up.
It succeeds as a black comedy.

Ok, I want to add Black Cat, White Cat to this list

I'd like to add 'Shakes the Clown', the 'Citizen Kane' of alcoholic clown movies.

Willem Dafoe is a riot in the movie, he's so campy over the top that it's just kind of like watching a train wreck, you can't look away. He sees how bad the movie is going to be and just lives it up. He is A reason to watch the movie.

You make this seem like he just said 'fuck it' and pressed the campy faggot button his console and ganced his way through the shooting. I found the Agent Smecker character development to be excellent (I especially like how he gradually becomes more and more unraveled as the the case stumps him). Do you know if he thought the movie was bad (quote?), for a movie that only had a 7 million dollar budget I can't imagine there was a whole lot keeping him there for the duration.

I guess where the move missed for me is that I can see the director really TRYING to make a good Tarentino/Scorsese type of movie taking it very seriously, and it just fails on that level.

Haha, what?! Well those two don't really have a lot in common, and it makes me wonder if you don't know what you are talking about, but are trying to break it down to asparagus and sparkplugs. I understand you are saying something here, but I can't figure what it is.

He is trying to make a serious point with this movie, and it is not half-well good enough to support that.

What point?
-- The usefulness of a good rope, the kind that Charles Bronson always keeps handy?
-- The fact that Rocco can't go buy a pack of smokes without runnin' into nine guys Rayvie has fucked?
-- That monsignor's finally got the point?
-- That you don't bring a six-shooter to a 9 man hit?

It has some classic hallmarks of a rookie film-maker.

Sure.

Dialog is overwrought and unreal

Well, realism isn't appropriate for every movie, especially this one. Next time you are conversing with your friends throw a tape recorder on the table, listen to it later whilst pretending that it is a scene in a movie. I guarantee that it will be as boring as fuck, and you will realize that realistic dialog only works in very rare cases.

Direction is a bit heavy and ham-handed

Qualify this, you might know what you are talking about, but it reeks of nonspeak. Fans liked it tho.

..and a lot of performances are weak and b-grade. Now, all that is fine if you're making a B-movie. But he was making an A-movie that is a B-movie.

This was never an A movie, it was a Weinstien indie diceroll (hey it paid off with Tarantino and Smith) that was given a tiny budget and a limited theatrical release. You need to do your homework.

Listen, I usually wouldn't jump on something like this, but your bullshit reasoning triggers my shitnozzle.

I 'get' that you don't like this film.

I remember reading the bartender who wrote the script turned out to be such a one-hit-wonder world-class assfuck that someone made a movie about the blip he made in Hollywood.

Ys. It's pretty rad, actually. I forget the name, but I happened to catch it on the Sundance channel a while back by accident, and it was very cool.

This was never an A movie, it was a Weinstien indie diceroll (hey it paid off with Tarantino and Smith) that was given a tiny budget and a limited theatrical release. You need to do your homework.

Per that doc, it was quite nearly an A movie. The Weinsteins purposefully and maliciously buried it when the writer/director turned out to be an egomaniac control freak.


The movie is very good in a tongue in cheek way, not in a 'Bad Lieutenant' sort of way. They specifically go into this in the scene where they fall out of the ceiling and then when the cops show up. 'That was like in the movies!' 'That shit only happens on TV!'

im a fan of boondock saints but am glad it never really went any further (heard rumors of a sequel) anyhow my recommendation to the list is Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, awesome B rate flick

I own Igby and love Falling Down, however the list is pretty flawed, Bubble Boy? C'mon.

P.S. Boondock is quite overrated; I enjoyed it but won't be watching it anytime soon. I don't quite understand why some people have such a hard on for this film....seriously...there people with with BOONDOCK SAINTS stickers on their cars for fucks sake.

Some ppl even have TOOL stickers on their cars, WTF!?

HAHA

If I re-watched BS, perhaps I could better define ALL my criticisms. However, I don't really want to re-watch it based on a two year old memory of not exactly loving it, based on general memories.

I guess 'Boondock is quite overrated; I enjoyed it but won't be watching it anytime soon. I don't quite understand why some people have such a hard on for this film...' also sort of sums up my thoughts on it. It is fun in a kind of way, yeah, but is it top 25 overlooked type of good? Not IMO.

The guy who wrote it was also the director. And, it was meant as more of an A list indie movie, but that went south for him. I have been trying to see the
documentary about this for a while. Though I don't think BS is in any way 'great' I do think it is kind of a curiosity, I will admit, it has a few moments, and the backstory is certainly fascinating as a personality study.

I don't know if Willem turned on the prance button or not, but, whether he did or not, actors certainly DO do that type of thing, and I wouldn't put it past an actor such as he. Would he try to create a camp and memorable character in a movie he saw as a rolling disaster for little or no money? I think so. He still does experimental theater and that certainly isn't all good and produces squat money. So, do I think it's possible, yup? Do I know if he did? No, just conjecture based on what was there and what I know of the actor.

Dang code. I meant to turn italics off after my quote of sb. :(

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Yo, LK, it's assplugs and Sparkgas.

I watched one of those movies and I think that's ok. I can't say I have anything against boondocks saints, it was silly and irreverent--and it's best left at that. Don't toil too heavily beneath that burden on your mind.

Falling down, I Shot Andy Warhol, The Ringer, Idiocracy, The Boondock Saints, Heavenly Creatures

^ I saw those. And yeah, you needed to know, and yeah they all rocked. Though I'd have to say out of that list Boondock Saints rocked the least. I for some reason really liked 'I Shot Andy Warhol'. The Society For Cutting Up Men (SCUM). Hilarious.