We saw a lot of movies this year. There were some great ones, some not so great ones and as always, there were some that ultimately were underrated, surprisingly so.
And by underrated I mean they were not given a fair chance by critics who often already go into a movie screening with their minds made up or for whatever reason, they didn’t do so well box office wise.
There are countless causes for a film to be deemed “underrated,” so here are the most overlooked, unappreciated, wrongly criticized movies of 2015.
Ted 2
Ted 2 was funny. The first movie was Certified Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes, but the second one not so much, which is unfortunate because it was right on par with its predecessor. The banter between the two lead characters was there, and so was the outlandishness that drew people to it the first time around. I’m not sure why people didn’t really get it, but you should give it another try.
Scouts Guide to Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse
I will admit that this one started off slowly, but it picked up and delivered a satisfying end product. There were some LOL moments, and the overall plot was one to which any of us can relate. Teenage boys trying to make it to the coolest party of the year only to be sidetracked by, yep you guessed it, a Zombie Apocalypse.
Spy
Melissa McCarthy is golden, and that showed up in a big way in Spy. Not only was is hilariously satisfying, but it also put her in a super, badass, girl power light that plus size women don’t always get a chance to showcase. It should be at the top of everyone’s list of movies to stream.
Unfriended
I don’t know about other people, but I enjoyed Unfriended. The biggest appeal for me was how the plot revolved around social media and the dominance of its presence in our culture. It came out the same day as It Follows, a movie that I deem to be overrated, so that may have taken away some of its thunder. UnFriended is worth a glance.
Dope
I listed Dope as one of the best movies of the year because it truly was. It’s the realness and down to earth feel of the film along with the message that gives it real authenticity. Plus the characters are entertaining and believable, and I love the music!
The Man from U.N.C.L.E
A movie that came out during the most anticipated movie season of the year, The Man from U.N.C.L.E definitely got overlooked. With all kinds of cool technology and other new “tricks”, a lot of people dismissed the movie for far less quality, yet bigger name, films.
Focus
For whatever reason, people were not feeling Focus. Will Smith, whom I love, was considered the most bankable actor in Hollywood at one point in time and with the critically un-acclaimed After Earth, people seem to have lost faith in him (thankfully concussion has changed that). Focus was a sleek, sexy narrative that didn’t get the props due.
Legend
I liked Legend. I know that a lot of people don’t appreciate the telling of the story because it may have been farther from the truth than they would have liked, but those things aside, Legend was a solid movie. Tom Hardy did a fantastic job playing the Kray brothers making his performance alone worth seeing.
Ricki and the Flash
I know that people don’t think rock star when they think Meryl Streep, but that is rooted in other ideologies in our society that are messed up. Ricki and the Flash is a fun ride that showcases Streep’s diverse acting ability, and that solidifies why she is one of the best still doing the damn thing today. The movie has a moving inciting story and also stars Streep’s real-life daughter Mamie Gummer.
Krampus
The holiday story this Christmas movie tells is quite different from what we are used to, and that’s okay. Krampus is a creepy and eerie and all kinds of good. It has a healthy balance of comedic relief mixed in with the drama, and it all makes for one twisted, highly anticipated ride.
These movies are just a hand full of films that didn’t get the chance to show people what they’re made of in one way or another. So the next time you have a movie night, check out one and decide for yourself.