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OP mentioned Awakenings. Terrific movie. Mom and I saw it in the theater together when it was first released in 1990. We were both pretty soggy-eyed by the end. One of my favorites, though it is a gut punch. My buddy's dad was the screenwriter
Another poster mentioned Drive. Hard to believe that movie is over a decade old already. Had a special lady friend who would come over semi-frequently, and we'd get high as balls rolling to that soundtrack for hours.
I could give you a list of probably 50 or more "overlooked/forgotten" movies, but here you go... After watching many of these films over the years, I'm shocked they didn't all get more play during their time.
Thief: James Caan plays a hardass. Crazy right? Another good Jimmy Caan movie from around the same era is The Gambler.
Charley Varrick: Walter Matthau is a veteran thief/bank robber. And if you're a Pulp Fiction/Tarantino fan, you'll discover Quentin was also clearly a fan of this movie...
Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three: DO NOT BOTHER with the remake. Gotta go with the gritty early 70's OG on this one. Matthau again with a cast of incredible character actors. One of my all time favorites.
The 7 Ups: Roy Scheider, another gritty NYC 70's film with one of THE all-time car chases.
The Hot Rock: Dynamite 70's caper film with Robert Redford and terrific ensemble cast of weirdos. Someone mentioned Sneakers before. Different, but could easily be the same character Redford plays in both films.
Diggstown: James Woods and Lou Gossett Jr take on corruption, gambling, boxing and a young Heather Graham. This movie is a ****ing gem.
Run Lola Run: Late 90's German film with the smoking hot Franka Potente in the lead. So frenetic and fun you won't care about dealing with the subtitles.
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot: One of my all time favorites. Clint, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy, and briefly a young Daisy Duke. If you haven't seen it, it's got everything. Directorial debut from Michael Cimino of Deerhunter fame and Heaven's Gate infamy.
American Movie: Documentary about a couple of lovable goofballs in Wisconsin trying to fulfill their life's ambition of completing their feature horror film Coven, and along the way a lot of laughs, some intentional, a lot of heart and a twinge of sadness/regret. Very good movie that you'll find yourself quoting for days.
Teachers: Prime alcoholic Nick Nolte right here. Just a solid early 80's flick about the trials and tribulations of a burned out teacher in the mid-life crisis and the bureaucracy of public education. Young Ralph Macchio and uber weirdo Crispin Glover also star along a solid cast of character actors and a foxy Jobeth Williams.
Highway to Hell: Where do i begin? Rob Lowe's brother Chad in pretty much his only starring vehicle, plus the aforemention Kristy Swanson in her prime plus a shitload of cameos. Bizarre but pretty awesome.
Class of 1984: This movie is AWESOME. Ultimate teacher's revenge movie getting those ****ing disruptive, non-learning punks! Perry King and a very young Michael J Fox star. Charles Bronson doesn't appear, but he probably should.
The Hitcher: Saw several Rutger Hauer mentions. For my money, you could do a lot worse then this little number. C. Thomas Howell and Jennifer Jason Leigh star with the ever-terrifying Hauer in one of his most unforgettable roles that doesn't involve Stallone in drag or tears getting lost in the rain.
One False Move: Written by Billy Bob Thornton, who also stars along with my beloved Bill Paxton. Seriously, is there a movie that Paxton doesn't steal every scene he's in? Overlooked and a dynamite little "road" movie.
Trespass: Another overlooked Paxton film directed by Walter Hill, veteran of a number of classic films. Also stars Ice Cube, and Ice-T, sadly no Vanilla Ice, along with a number of memorable faces. Gold treasure in the 'hood baby! Ridiculous concept that somehow works.
Quick Change: And for something a little more light hearted, this movie raced past the radar in 1990, and I can't figure out how. This movie is ****ing amazing. Bill Murray, Geena Davis, pre-off the reservation Randy Quaid and countless other amazing character actors. Another very, very quotable movie about a bank robbery and the tall task of just getting the **** out of the city. Love, love, love this movie.
Doc Hollywood: My last pick for now. Another light hearted movie that didn't seem to get as much play as I think it deserved upon release. Michael J Fox stars as a fish out of water doctor stuck in Mayberry makes for a very, very charming, sweet film with a lot of heart, plenty of laughs and is just one of those movies that make you feel good without getting diabetes. Woody Harrelson in one of his first film roles crushes every scene he's in.
I know I'm long winded and often verbose, but movies and television are a couple of the joys in my life and it's a subject I can talk about ad nauseam, but maybe I can turn a couple folks on to something old, but new to them. Enjoy!
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