Lemme guess, Aeon Flux wasn’t the cinematic masterpiece you were hoping for and War of the Worlds was barely worth waiting for on DVD. It is true; this year’s box office is down a large percentage from last year and with a fairly significant lack of good movies, its no wonder. Ok, Jarhead was badass and Peter Jackson’s King Kong is easily one of the most amazing and epic films ever made. But honestly, was Saw III worth your hard earned $10? Probably not. Fear not, fellow movie lovers, there is hope and it is sitting (maybe) on the shelf at your local video store. Here is a list of some great movies that are often overlooked in favor of big blockbuster releases. Nevertheless, these titles trounce that Hollywood drivel in a head- to-head death match in your home DVD player.

Equilibrium

Ok, I am sure there are a lot of you that were pissed when they only made three Matrix movies but hey, Keanu Reeves was starting to get lame, anyway. Equilibrium brings a lot of the same futuristic elements with some really cool martial arts and fight scenes to the big screen that made The Matrix so popular. Christian Bale stars as an emotionless enforcer in a society that has deemed “sense offenses” worthy of summary execution. No trial, no jury, just a few rounds to the head or instant incineration. He’s a got insane skills with a pistol and all seems well until he goes off his meds. Uh oh - stand by for some good times. There’s actually a lot of good acting and a decent (believable) story line that weaves its way through some of the most innovative hand-to-hand combat I have ever seen. Rent it and be merry.

Buffalo Soldiers

Drugs are bad, m’kay. Well, tell that to Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Sgt. Ray Elwood. That’s right, Mr. Elwood is in fact a Sergeant in the Army. To earn a little extra money, he cooks high-grade heroin right on base. No one has a clue until a new commander comes in and starts poking around. Now, it wouldn’t be so bad until Sgt. Elwood starts dating this gentleman’s daughter. Lo and behold, the plot thickens, some interesting twists develop, and the ending will have you shaking your head. There are indeed some awesome moments and even a few hilarious ones. Match it all up with a great cast and an interesting story and you have yourself a movie you don’t even have to be a heroin addict to appreciate.

Layer Cake

The same formula that worked for Blow works pretty well in this fairly new release directed by Matthew Vaughn, the producer of Snatch. Relative newcomer Daniel Craig stars as…well, they never really give him a name. Suffice to say he is a smart drug dealer in the U.K. with a pimp ass car (no, not something flashy, legitimately pimp) and what we will call a “Five year plan”; get rich and get out fast, in case you were wondering. When a windfall of Ecstasy pills falls into his lap, he must navigate a crooked boss, the people who those pills were stolen from, and his crooked boss’s boss in order to stay alive and see any of his money. No, it’s not cheesy and the ending is pretty cool, right up to about 30 seconds before the credits roll; then it’s depressing. Drug dealing was never so glamorous.

The Boondock Saints

Good, wholesome violence? Check. Cool Irish accents? Check. Brotherly love and dead gangsters and pimps? Oh yeah, check and check. In this film by Troy Duffy, two Irish brothers find themselves soon-to-be victims of Russian mob violence but through sheer luck, the will of God, and a strong brotherly bond, they overcome and become heroes. They are now convinced that God has ordained them the official executioners and right hand men in the quest to rid the city of evil men. Yes, there are some cool twists and a sweet slow motion gun battle but what makes this movie so great is the actual concept and storyline of the movie. The way the story is told and how it is written is where the greatness lies. Oh yeah, and watch the scene with the cat in slow motion. It's priceless. Yes, vigilante justice is great, so why isn’t there more of it?

Rushmore

Wes Anderson, we salute your wonderful works, some of which have gone mainstream while others, like Bottle Rocket and this little gem are mostly relegated to “those in the know” status. If you are at all familiar with Mr. Anderson’s brand of comedy, you will thoroughly enjoy this wonderful film starring Jason Schwartzman as Max Fischer, an overachieving extracurricular student of the posh Rushmore Academy who falls for one of his teachers. The teacher, while trying to let him down gently, begins to date a very wealthy friend of Max’s. Things take a turn for the worst but the ending does justice for all. The humor, while subtle, is nonetheless immensely entertaining. Bill Murray’s performance is damn near flawless; his role seems like it was tailored for him like an Italian suit. Superb acting coupled with a script that brings every element and character together really make this a movie worth renting, that is, if you can find it.

The wonderful thing about movies like these is that they are just the tip of the iceberg. There is a wonderful menagerie of independent films or even less known mainstream works that have been somewhat forgotten. The key is finding a perfect blend between actor, role, and story. Unfortunately, often times what is playing in theaters lacks some or all of these traits. Movie critics only review what’s new and exciting but movies have been made for decades and a lot of the best ones are sitting on your local video store shelves. So do yourself a favor and go pick out something that looks good but isn’t necessarily in the new release section.

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