The 5 most underrated films of the last 5 years

1. Robin Hood

WHY IT DIDN'T PERFORM WELL:  Russell Crowe isn't really the draw he used to be and the movie didn't look anything like the Robin Hood audiences have grown to love.  Even if he did, nobody is really interested in Robin Hood anymore.

WHY IT WAS UNDERRATED:  It turned out to be a prequel to the story everybody knows and it was interesting to see how Robin Hood became Robin Hood.  It was an origin story for one of the first superheros and it was a great period action flick.

2. Real Steel

WHY IT DIDN'T PERFORM WELL: It looked absurdly ridiculous.  It appeared to be a live action Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots and there was no way to pitch this one where it didn't look stupid.

WHY IT WAS UNDERRATED: It was actually a well written story with a lot of heart and the special effects were great.  The movie told the story of a washed up performer and a child searching for a father figure.  The movie was directed well and shot well.  It's one of the better family films of the past few years.

3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid

WHY IT DIDN'T PERFORM WELL:  Because this isn't what kids want anymore.  Kids want big robots or CGI, not understated low budget live action movies.

WHY IT WAS UNDERRATED:  It was funny for kids and adults without being innapropriate for either.  It relied on the charm of the actors and the script rather than big explosions and CGI.  It felt like something that would be a made for TV movie on Disney Channel these days but would have been a full-on classic in the early 90s.

4. 17 Again

WHY IT DIDN'T PERFORM WELL:  Zac Efron.  He was past his prime with his core audience but he hadn't (and still hasn't) established himself outside of the Disney crowd.  This was an adult romantic comedy disguised as a teen romp.

WHY IT WAS UNDERRATED:  It had the feel and overdone plot of an 80s movie but all of the actors' charisma and hilarious script took it out of the cliches.  Though Matthew Perry was wasted in very brief appearances, Thomas Lennon was at the top of his game.

5. Crazy, Stupid, Love.

WHY IT DIDN'T PERFORM WELL: It did OK but not as well as it should have considering the star power, original script and heart.

WHY IT WAS UNDERRATED: All of the actors involved had a lot of chemistry together.  The script was new and refreshing and the comedy and romance were charming.  It's a fun movie to watch with a date.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

 

21

This would be on this list were it to come out in the past 5 years but it just missed the cut by 3 months.  21 is a fantastic movie with the never-bad Kevin Spacey leading the way.  It's a thriller and a drama with a lot of suspense and, best yet, it's a true story based on a book from the same author as The Social Network.  Check this one out.

 

Twilight

Yeah, I'll get kicked for this one but I really have a feeling that most people that bash this movie probably haven't even seen it.  Take out all the screaming fan girls and the series isn't GREAT but it's certainly not the worst thing ever made as some may think.  Taken on it's own, it feels like an early 90s teen supernatural movie in the vain of The Craft.