The most underrated films of 2019
They may not all be box office smashes, but that doesn’t mean these films should be forgotten. From polarising horror flicks to hilarious comedies these are the stellar films that you probably missed in 2019.
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From polarising horror flicks to hilarious comedies these are the stellar films that you probably missed this year.
PET SEMATARY
This surprisingly excellent contemporary shocker is very loosely based on the book by Stephen King.
While several scripting liberties have been taken with King’s terrifying tale, they are all for a greater, galling good.
Like the horror hit Us, Pet Sematary’s optimum shock value is achieved with minimum pre-awareness on the part of the viewer.
GOOD BOYS
Considering the very generous servings of salty language and blue humour that are the active ingredients of Good Boys, parents should issue a genuine sigh of relief that the movie remains out of the reach of any impressionable minds in their household.
For anyone who used to be a 12-year-old — or is still occasionally prone to thinking like one — this delightfully disreputable comedy will keep the laughs coming on a consistent basis.
The calculated combo of raunchy high-jinks and sweet-natured cluelessness that defines Good Boys runs in an appealing parallel to obvious inspirations such as Superbad and the recent Booksmart.
TERMINATOR: DARK FATE
The action sequences kick ass repeatedly, the new characters rock, and the old-school reunion of Terminator icons Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton – together again on screen for the first time in almost three decades – hits it right out of the park.
Though close to a non-stop chase flick in structure, Dark Fate does leave enough gaps for all the need-to-know backstories long-time Terminator tragics have been wondering about.
It can also be a fair comedy when it puts to mind to it, an influence which can clearly be attributed to Deadpool director Tim Miller.
BEN IS BACK
Like the recent drug addiction drama Beautiful Boy, Ben Is Back looks long and hard at a family who can’t help thinking the best of their troubled eldest son, but also can’t help but expect the worst from him at any moment.
To be honest, this is not a perfect movie by any stretch.
Nevertheless, Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts are strong and convincing enough to not only make you see the film’s merit, but also hear its message of unconditional love.
STUBER
Let the record show that Stuber will certainly go down as one of the more polarising releases of recent times, particularly for a mainstream comedy.
Put it this way: if you haven’t laughed by the three-minute mark, there’s no chance you’ll be emitting a single chuckle for the duration.
Otherwise, this big, dumb and broad affair will totally amuse and moderately adrenalise anyone with a fondness for the fast, the furious and the funny.
LATE NIGHT
This delightful light comedy has been engineered as a hybrid of Meryl Streep’s 2006 hit The Devil Wears Prada (but nicer, less acidic) and Tina Fey’s frenetic TV sitcom 30 Rock (but slower, less manic).
An imperiously precise lead performance from Emma Thompson dominates proceedings here, and is the principal reason to buy a ticket.
Aside from Thompson’s brilliance, what keeps this engaging (though not always engaged) affair in an audience’s good graces is its lively scriptwriting.
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