8 Recent Movies That Should Have Been More Popular

The fact that one of the many Transformers sequels currently sits in the top ten highest grossing movies of all-time proves two things. First is that Michael Bay is a member of the Illuminati, and second is that some movies are far more popular than they deserve to be. Sure, that's a wildly subjective and arguably pretentious statement to make, but when you consider that Transformers: Dark of the Moon has made more money than Jaws, The Wizard of Oz or really just about any masterpiece that comes to mind, you have to question the choices audiences make at times. Obviously, inflation plays a large factor here, but whichever way you look at it, subpar movies are regularly embraced by the movie-going public, often at the expense of better films that never get the chance they deserve. Whether this is down to poor promotion, niche appeal or a combination of the two, many fantastic movies are overlooked by the public on a weekly basis. There are countless films out there which deserve more recognition, so we're going to narrow things down by taking a look at 8 recent movies that should have been more popular than they were. Enjoy! 8) The Guest Downton Abbey has produced many things, including a hilariously snide Maggie Smith and even more posh British stereotypes, but the last thing anyone expected of the show was the emergence of a new action star. Dan Stevens's transformation from bumbling posh toff Matthew Crawley to a ripped military soldier in The Guest helped launch his career in Hollywood, yet the movie itself didn't receive the recognition it deserved. The Guest follows the story of an unbalanced ex-soldier who visits the family of his deceased comrade and slowly worms his way into their lives. Paying homage to classics such as Terminator and Halloween, The Guest feels like an 80's classic dressed sneakily in modern attire. Adam Wingard's follow up to the cult classic horror You're Next is intelligent genre fun at its finest and certainly deserves more attention than it received upon release. Fans of It Follows may also want to check The Guest out to see an earlier performance from rising star Maika Monroe. Oh, and Dan Stevens is topless regularly throughout. Trust me on this. You won't be disappointed. 7) Kumiko The Treasure Hunter The title of Kumiko The Treasure Hunter is somewhat misleading, as those expecting an Indiana Jones style romp will certainly be disappointed. The story revolves around a Japanese woman who believed the hidden treasure in Fargo was actually real. Yes. The movie Fargo. This may sound unbelievable to those who still have faith in the intelligence of the human race, yet it turns out that this premise is actually based on a real life story. Once you accept the unusual premise, Kumiko The Treasure Hunter turns out to be one of those rare independent movies that appeals to both hardcore indie fans and mainstream audiences willing to invest their time in something other than the latest superhero blockbuster. Simultaneously uplifting and tragic, the film is worth a thousand Tomb Raider knock-offs and we recommend that you embrace this underrated gem at the first opportunity you get. 6) Nightcrawler Jake Gyllenhaal is an A-list Hollywood star, but in recent years, the actor has veered away from big blockbusters in favour of smaller yet more interesting fare. Gyllenhaal's lead performance in Nightcrawler stands out as one of his strongest roles to date, yet, despite some strong awards buzz, he didn't receive a Best Actor Nomination at the Oscars. Shame on you Academy. Shame on you. As a former thief who shoots footage of crime in Los Angeles, Gyllenhaal's character is one of the darkest and most disturbing creations seen on film in recent memory, with many critics comparing his performance to some of Robert De Niro's work. It's impossible to know exactly what goes through the mind of an actor preparing for a role, but we're pretty sure that Gyllenhaal was channeling the Taxi Driver era, rather than the awkward De Niro from Meet The Fockers or the cross dressing pirate from Stardust. Now that the idea's out there though, wouldn't that be kind of awesome?! 5) Locke It's a sad fact that there are a large number of cinema-goers out there who dismiss movies that think outside of the box. To discuss the plot of Locke in depth robs the film of its power, but for audiences searching for something a little different, Tom Hardy's one man show is a career-defining performance that deserved a far wider audience than it received. Fortunately, the claustrophobic tone of Locke works even better on the small screen, so there's no excuse now for people to not seek it out. Maybe Locke would become more popular if Hardy re-dubbed the film using his Bane voice. Just a thought. 4) Pride Since the international success of films like Billy Elliott and The Full Monty in the 1990's, British cinema has largely strayed away from the niche genre that revolves around the struggles of the working class. It's a shame, too, as Pride recently proved that this uniquely British outlook still deserves a voice, one that can entertain and educate in equal measure. Based on a true story, Pride follows a group of LGBT activists who strove to help families affected by the Welsh miners' strike in 1984. Whether the Welsh setting didn't translate well outside of the Valleys or whether the LGBT focus put off mainstream audiences, Pride failed to set the box office alight, despite an overwhelmingly positive critical reception. Either way, a ratings controversy in the US certainly didn't help matters, which is unfortunate as Pride is one of the funniest and most heartwarming films that was released in 2014, filling the hole left behind in the absence of more crowd-pleasing British cinema. 3) John Wick The name Keanu Reeves conjures up strange images these days. While The Matrix is usually the first thing that comes to mind, wooden acting and an inability to age also crop up regularly. What doesn't come up so often, however, is enjoyable Keanu movies from the past decade or so. That all changed last year, though, when Reeves starred in John Wick, an action thriller that stood a cut above the generic garbage that we so often see. Despite John Wick's basic revenge premise, the exhilarating fight scenes and stylistic direction elevate the film above its pulp origins, while also reaffirming Reeves's action star appeal. Now that John Wick 2 has been confirmed, we can finally try to forget Reeves's recent travesties such as The Lake House, 47 Ronin, The Day The Earth Stood Still, Street Kings, Henry's Crime... Let's just pretend the last decade didn't happen and leave it at that. 2) Song Of The Sea The success of Pixar is a double-edged sword. While people of all ages benefit from the incredible movies that the studio puts out, Pixar have also monopolized animation to the point where few other movies even stand a chance of being seen. Back in 2009, director Tom Moore crafted a stunning animation called Secret of Kells, which led to an Oscar nomination and widespread acclaim... among the few who actually saw it. Fans who hoped that his follow-up Song of the Sea would receive more attention were sorely disappointed, but only in that respect, as the film itself is arguably even better than Moore's debut. Drawing on ancient celtic folk tales, Song of the Sea is a beautifully nuanced animation that holds equal appeal for children and adults alike. The story of Ben's journey through the supernatural world to help save his sister is funny, gorgeous and awe-inspiring all at once. Anyone who dismisses animation as a childish venture should be forced to sit down and watch Song of the Sea with A Clockwork Orange style clamps and appreciate Moore's latest film for the artistic triumph it is. 1) Snowpiercer American stars. A South Korean director. A story based on a French graphic novel. Snowpiercer could have been a tangled mess of a movie, but each of these disparate elements came together to create one of the most original and cohesive blockbuster movies in years... except nobody actually saw it. The plot is set years after humanity inadvertently creates a new ice age, where the few remaining survivors travel on an endless circle around the globe, trapped on a train that is segregated according to class. While those in the front enjoy the height of luxury, the people left in the back endure a life not worth living. As the leader of the revolution, Chris Evans reminds us that he's far more than just a star-spangled Avenger and Tilda Swinton turns in one of her most mesmerizing performances yet, not an easy task considering her illustrious career so far. Many critics included Snowpiercer on their top ten films of 2014, praising Bong Joon-ho's ambitious direction and dark visual style, yet audiences were slow to respond, relegating this action spectacle to various underrated movie lists, including this one. Those who criticize Hollywood's current obsession with sequels and remakes should sit up and take notice when new properties like Snowpiercer hit cinemas. How else will we be able to avoid anymore turkeys like Terminator Genisys?