Some movies don’t quite grab our attention on the first release. Years later, we revisit them and discover so much more to enjoy.
Is this because the films in question are ahead of their time? A popular online forum recently discussed this phenomenon, and here are 25 movies that fit that category.
1. The Cable Guy (1996)
A breakthrough film for Jim Carrey, The Cable Guy showcases his manic antics, but were we missing the underlying message of this dark comedy? The forum believes that it is ahead of its time and the use of gaslighting is a modern-day issue. One poster admits it took them ten years to get into this film.
2. Blade Runner (1982)
This iconic science fiction film earned mixed reviews from critics when it was released. Blade Runner has since become a classic and has gained legions of fans who weren’t even born in 1982. The discussion praises it as a groundbreaker and a movie many years ahead of its time.
3. The Thing (1982)
Another release that went under the radar in 1982 was The Thing. One commenter suggests that it struggled to compete with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which was released in the same year and earned far more attention. The special effects look good today, and another reply claims that this is one of the best-ever sci-fi movies.
4. Starship Troopers (1997)
This is a science fiction movie where a joint Earth government engages in conflict with alien spiders. The thread feels that Starship Troopers came out when the world was reasonably calm. Had it appeared during the Cold War 1980s or the War on Terror of the 2000s, it would have gained far more attention.
5. Tank Girl (1995)
Some might suggest that there are too many comic book adaptations in today’s movie industry. It’s undoubtedly a popular genre, and Tank Girl was among the first in this category. A poster states it was plagued by production issues, while another claims that Tank Girl’s hero is more relevant now than ever.
6. Speed Racer (2008)
This 2008 sports action movie is another release that may have suffered due to bad timing. One respondent feels that Speed Racer would be a big hit if it came out today, and it may benefit from a re-release in 4K.
7. Hot Rod (2007)
On release in 2007, Hot Rod flopped at the box office, grossing $14 million against a $25 million budget. One individual remembers a packed theater laughing at hilarious scenes, and they feel that the movie would be a better fit for today’s era of comedy.
8. The One (2001)
Starring Jet Li and Jason Statham, The One performed well at the box office but was met with negative reviews from the critics. One member of the forum claims that it was let down by the soundtrack and that the plot would be a better fit in the 2020s.
9. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
The forum feels that the 1980s audience wasn’t ready for this. They’d expected Kurt Russell to play his regular all-action hero role rather than a more subdued sidekick. One reply suggests that Big Trouble in Little China is one of many John Carpenter films that became cult classics over time.
10. Used Cars (1980)
Kurt Russell appears again, playing a car salesman in this 1980 Dark Comedy. The poster who recommended this feels that Used Cars was lost amongst the interest in Airplane, but that the driven plot in an everyday subject would be an excellent fit for comedies in the 2000s.
11. RoboCop (1987)
The original RoboCop from director Paul Verhoeven may be dismissed as a violent action flick with little substance. It’s suggested in this discussion that Verhoeven was operating on a different level with the imagery and that RoboCop predicted the chaos that exists in many parts of the modern world.
12. Super Mario Bros. (1993)
It may surprise many who are only aware of the video game that the Super Mario Bros. film contains elements of Steampunk, Sci-Fi Noir, and a Dystopian Future. Some critics feel that it was one of the worst movies ever made, but it has a cult following, and one forum contributor claims that it would have been better if the director hadn’t made it as a video game adaptation.
13. Idiocracy (2006)
From the Judge and Cohen stable, some may know Idiocracy via a current meme, suggesting it was ahead of its time. One commenter claims that the movie accurately predicted future developments in American politics.
14. Last Action Hero (1993)
With Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role, director John McTiernan might have expected The Last Action Hero to gross more than $14.2 million from its opening weekend. Maybe it struggled to compete with Jurassic Park, or perhaps, as one respondent suggests, the movie was ahead of its time and would have fared better in today’s culture, where this type of parody is more appreciated.
15. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
There is some debate about the inclusion of this golden age movie. One contributor puts It’s a Wonderful Life forward, while another argues it’s simply “of” its time. I’m inclined to leave it on this list because the use of a dream sequence underlining just how different life would be without the central character has been copied so many times since.
16. Flight of The Navigator (1986)
Another science fiction movie makes the list, but Flight of the Navigator isn’t mentioned in connection with its look into the future. One person tells us that the computer animation effects were groundbreaking and more consistent with a new millennium release.
17. Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
Another film considered more relevant today than it was when it was released, Hollywood Shuffle, deals with prejudice against minorities. Focusing on the film and television industries, the forum feels that it nails the issues with typecasting and stereotyping.
18. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
One contributor has a theory as to why there are so many science fiction films on this list. They feel that the genre improves over time, and we can look back to see where the movie got it right and wrong. With over 50 years behind it, 2001: A Space Odyssey has had time to develop into a true cult classic.
19. The Serpent and The Rainbow (1988)
A brilliant yet horrific movie from the late 1980s brings us tales of a drug that can resurrect the recently dead. Of course, the departed returned as zombies and wreaked zombie havoc. The forum member claims that such a drug is rumored to exist, which isn’t a comforting thought.
20. Screamers (1995)
The person who suggested this 1995 release claimed that Screamers had a minimal budget. That was partly why it was met with poor reviews at the time. However, they claim that a lack of financing makes the backdrop seem real and hopelessly empty, and that’s why Screamers has steadily built a fanbase.
21. Dark City (1998)
Having been released a year before The Matrix, forum members can see similarities between the two films. One poster believes that the absence of A.I. makes this film a lost classic, but it’s had to rely on a cult following.
22. Johnny Mnemonic (1995)
Keanu Reeves takes the lead role of Johnny who is struggling with an overloaded brain implant. Johnny Mnemonic is based on a 1981 book and, did its release at the start of the digital age predict how information may be stored in the future?
23. Josie and The Pussycats (2001)
The story of a band battling with their management is nothing new. There have been problems virtually since recording began. In Josie and the Pussycats, troubles are taken to a new level when a record company executive tries to kill the artists. A commercial flop when it was released, this movie is now acknowledged as a cult classic.
24. Looker (1981)
The plot of this 1981 film featuring Albert Finney, James Coburn, and Susan Dey focuses on the deaths of models who have undergone cosmetic surgery. The forum hints that Looker is prophetic because of that.
25. Judge Dredd (1995)
Many forum contributors feel Judge Dredd fits this brief better than any other movie. The use of a comic book hero battling against the Earth as an uninhabitable wasteland is a common theme on this thread. Perhaps those who commented on the discussion feel that we are drawing ever closer to that dystopian nightmare.
Source: (Reddit).
