It's Time For Movie Buffs To Show Their Stuff By Naming These Lesser Known Films
- by Jessica Rae
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Everyone knows the blockbusters right? But how many people actually take the time to watch movies that didn't have a massive promotional budget? When we're constantly hounded by the media to see the newest upcoming films from the big studios it's hard not to get caught up in the hype. Especially when all our friends are seeing these movies and talking about them too! But are blockbusters and star-studded flicks the only ones worth watching? Of course not.
There are so many movies out there and when we go digging around through the indie films and those that didn't generate much hype during their release we are bound to find a few gems. These are the lesser known movies that we're going to quiz our readers on today!
A true film buff doesn't just follow the herd and watch whatever they are told to watch. They explore all different types of films including sleeper hits, cult classics, and independent productions too.
To see how well our readers remember the lesser known films of the past three decades all they need to do is match the picture to the correct movie title. Let's see who can score 100% on this one!
Name this comedy movie:
In this 2004 movie a struggling gym owner (Vince Vaughn), facing the possibility of seeing his gym sold to his biggest rival (Ben Stiller), decides to put together a team for a dodgeball tournament. The only problem is that his team (made up of his misfit gym patrons) is not that strong and they have no idea how to play the game. Thankfully help arrives on the scene in the form of Patches O'Houlihan (Rip Torn) who has some unusual methods for whipping them into a lean, mean dodgeball team.
Who can name this 90's romance movie?
This story dates all the way back to 1597 and it's possibly one of the most famous love stories of all time. It was written by William Shakespeare and in 1996 it enjoyed yet another onscreen revival, this time by director Baz Luhrmann. In it, Leonardo DiCaprio plays the role of a young man who falls deeply in love with the daughter of a rival family, played by Claire Danes. But they can't be together because she is already promised to another man.
Who remembers this early 2000's romcom?
Most of us go to great lengths to impress our bosses, even when we really don't want to. Afterall they are the people we rely on to give us a paycheck and hopefully one day promote us. In this 2003 comedy flick a young man (played by Ashton Kutcher), hoping to dazzle his extremely difficult boss offers to house-sit while he's out of town. But he's got a hidden motive for doing this too, he's got a huge crush on his bosses daughter (played by Tara Reid).
Who can name this gripping drama film?
In this gripping 1996 thriller flick, an engineer (played by Val Kilmer) is hired to oversee the building of a railway bridge in deepest Africa. He's excited at the prospect of such a task and excited to visit the wild continent and everything seems to be running smoothly until the workers start getting picked off by a pair of lions. It's then up to the engineer to try and kill the lions and get the project back on track, with a little help from famed hunter Charles Remington (played by Michael Douglas).
Who can match this picture to the right movie?
This film, which was directed by Henry Selick (the same man who directed The Nightmare before Christmas although the movie is often credited to Tim Burton) and told the story of a young boy who finds an enchanted peach and sails it across the ocean. Interesting enough the book this movie was based on (written by famed children's author Roald Dahl) was placed on the banned book list in several countries as it contained references to alcohol, drugs, and other unsavory elements.
Who remembers this 90's indie comedy flick?
This 1994 independent comedy film was made on a budget of just $27,575 and was shot in the convenience and video stores where director Kevin Smith worked in real life. The movie follows a not-so-ordinary day in the lives of two store clerks; Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) with Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith). The film, which grossed $3 million in theaters, launched Smith's career and is now considered a cult classic. Who can name this movie?
Who can name this Guy Ritchie crime film?
Set in London's underworld this 2008 Guy Ritchie movie featured a cast that included Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong, and Idris Elba. In this movie, two small-time thieves end up owing money to a shady old-school gangster so with a little help from a crooked accountant they decide to steal the money. But little do they know that they are actually stealing it from the very man they owe the money to! Who can name this movie?
Anyone remember this Ben Stiller romcom?
In this romcom Eddie (Ben Stiller) decides, driven on by his friends and family, to take the plunge and marry a woman he's only known for six weeks (Malin Akerman). She seems like the perfect fit for him but not long after they set off on honeymoon he begins to realize that he might have made a mistake. She's not the person he thought she was and it doesn't help that he finds himself falling for another woman staying at the same resort.
What was the name of this teen movie?
Although this 1995 coming-of-age comedy flick didn't fare so well at the box office, or with the critics, it went on to become a cult hit and helped launch the careers of several of its stars including Liv Tyler, Renée Zellweger, and Robin Tunney. In this movie, a group of teens, working in an eclectic independently owned record store needs to raise money to save the shop from being turned into a chain outlet. Who can name this lesser known movie?
Who can match this picture to the right feelgood movie?
It's 1966 and people love listening to the latest pop music but the folks at the BBC don't play it for more than one hour every day. So those who want to listen to their favorite tunes listen to pirate radio stations instead, who broadcast all the best music from ships anchored in international waters. At the head of one such ship is Quentin (played by Bill Nighy) and his wayward band of DJ's, fighting to stay on the air while having a blast at the same time.
Who can name this 2008 action thriller flick?
In this 2008 action thriller, Wesley Gibson (played by James McAvoy) is an anxiety-stricken office worker, trapped in a job he hates and stuck with a girlfriend who is cheating on him with his best friend. And he's broke. But his life changes when he meets a woman (Angelina Jolie) who introduces him to a shadowy secret group of mercenaries and tells him that his father (who he never met) was one of their members. He begins training and takes control of his life.
Who remembers this movie with Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey?
Desperate to forget about her ex-boyfriend, Joel (Jim Carrey), following a bad break-up, Clementine (Kate Winslet) decides to undergo a procedure that erases all the memories of him from her mind. When Joel hears about this he decides that he will have the same procedure and he slowly forgets about Clementine. Until they meet again that is. This film earned Winslet a nomination for Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Who can name this 2004 sci-fi romance flick?
Who remembers this 1999 drama flick starring Leonardo DiCaprio?
Believe it or not, Leonardo DiCaprio was offered the role of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho and he signed on but backed out to film this movie instead. In this 2000 drama film, he played the role of a young man, hungry for adventure, who finds a secret island with a small community of travelers living on it. The film was not well received, and DiCaprio was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Actor for his work. Who can name this movie?
What was the name of this musical romance?
In this 2002 musical crime comedy, set 1920's Chicago, two women find themselves behind bars accused of murder. Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) is accused of getting rid of her boyfriend and Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) of doing the same to her husband and her sister when she found them in a compromising position. Both women know that fame might just help them escape, with a little help from a slick but handsome lawyer played by Richard Gere. This film won a whopping six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress (Zeta-Jones).
What was the name of this 2001 crime thriller with John Travolta, Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry?
In this 2001 crime thriller, Hugh Jackman plays the role of a super hacker who is hired by a criminal mastermind (John Travolta) to pull off a massive heist. He's been out on parole for years and at first, he's not willing to do anything that might get him on the radar again but the lure of making enough money to help him reunite with his daughter is just too strong. Full of twists and turns, and a very beautiful Halle Berry, any movie buff should remember this one.
Name this 2007 crime thriller:
Some serial criminals get caught, others let themselves be caught, some even turn themselves in but there are others who are never apprehended. This movie is about one of the most notorious and devious one of the 1960's and it's based on real-life events. In this movie, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the role of a newspaper reporter who becomes obsessed with tracking down and unmasking this infamous criminal; losing his family, and almost his sanity along the way. Who remembers this one?
which movie has an ant named Zed trying to save his colony?
If the plot of this movie sounds familiar, it's because it was meant to be direct competition to a similar Pixar movie. released by DreamWorks, this kid movie was a direct response to Disney letting go one of their top people. In retaliation, he founded his company and would go on to produce classics that while not necessarily as timeless as Disney, have been in direct competition for years now. If not for this little ant, we may not have gotten Shrek.
Who can name this sci-fi flick starring Bradley Cooper?
Imagine if there was a pill that we could use that would enable us to fully utilize our brains and get an amazing amount of things done in a short time? Sounds worth it, right? In this 2011 sci-fi movie such a thing exists and when struggling writer Edward Morra (played by Bradley Cooper) gets his hands on it, it changes his world completely. Suddenly he's able to write and manage money like never before but the side effects soon start to play havoc.
Who can match these characters to the right movie?
In this 2004 black comedy fantasy flick, three young children are left orphaned after a fire engulfs their mansion home. The children are sent to live with their ghastly uncle Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), who only cares about getting his hands on their inheritance. The children try to escape from him and live with other kinder family members ((Billy Connolly and Meryl Streep), but each time they do, something terrible happens and they are forced back to their suspicious uncle.
What was the name of this drama flick starring Daniel Day-Lewis?
When it comes to epic performances there's always one man we can count on to deliver and that's Daniel Day-Lewis. He's extremely selective of the roles he takes on, and he's only starred in six films since 1998, but he's still one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation with three Academy Awards for Best Actor under his belt. He's also the only male actor in history to have three wins in this award category. Which of his films was this?
Who can name this 1996 comedy starring Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin?
Fans of slapstick comedy are sure to recognize this 90's Pauly Shore flick! In this lighthearted story, two young layabouts get dumped by their girlfriends and end up getting trapped inside a giant biological experiment, where they have to remain for an entire year. Needless to say, they ruin the place with their wild antics but when their behavior threatens to end the experiment they come around and help get things on track again. Who can name this 1996 comedy starring Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin?
Name this 2001 Farrelly brothers movie:
In this 2001 Farrelly brothers movie, Jack Black plays the role of a man who, even though he is not that handsome himself, will only date women who are physically perfect. But a chance encounter with a therapist changes his world. The therapist hypnotizes him into seeing the inner beauty of the women around him and he starts dating a woman (Gwyneth Paltrow), who to him seems perfect but is actually quite overweight; something that he would never have been able to overlook before.
In which movie did Brad Pitt play the Grim Reaper?
This was the second film where Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt shared the big screen following their appearance together in 1994 film The Legends of the Fall. But unlike Legends of the Fall, this film wasn't that well received, with only mixed reviews. In this movie, Hopkins plays the role of a businessman named Bill Parrish who is visited by a supernatural entity (Pitt). Though there to take his soul, this entity takes on the form of a human man and makes a deal with Bill to grant him a few extra days of life while he experiences what it's like to be a human.
Match this picture to the right movie:
In this 2009 comedy a journalist (Ewan McGregor), still hurting from a painful divorce, decides to visit Kuwait to report on the Iraq War. He hopes the assignment will help him take his mind off his personal troubles and when he meets a man (George Clooney) who claims that he's part of a secret military program intended to train soldiers to use psychic powers, he thinks he's come across the story of a lifetime. Together they set off across the desert in search of the unit's founder (Jeff Bridges).
Which 2008 comedy flick starred Seth Rogen and James Franco?
In this 2008 comedy action flick, Seth Rogen and James Franco are forced to go on the run after witnessing a crime. Worried that the person who committed the crime might find Rogen's character, Dale, teams up with his friend (Franco) to try and stay off the law's radar and far away from a maniacal crime boss, played by Gary Cole. For his performance in this film, James Franco was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Who can name this one?
In which movie did Heath Ledger play a knight?
Many people remember Heath Ledger from his role in Brokeback Mountain or as the Joker in The Dark Knight but long before he starred in these movies he made this little-known gem. In this 2001 action drama, he played the role of William Thatcher, a young man set on becoming a knight, changing his fortunes, and winning the heart of a beautiful maiden. With the help of his friends (played by Mark Addy, Paul Bettany, Alan Tudyk), he begins to participate in the dangerous medieval sport of jousting.
Which movie did Tommy Wiseau write, direct, and star in?
Many people regard this 2003 drama film as one of the worst films ever made but even though it was a complete bomb (it only made $1 600 during a limited theatre run, on the back of a $6 million budget - ouch) it has gained a cult following over the years. The film was written and directed by Tommy Wiseau, who also played the lead character. The storyline centered around a banker (Wiseau) and the love triangle between his girlfriend and his best friend. Anyone know the name of this one?
Which 2013 neo-noir film starred Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Olsen?
This 2013 neo-noir film was a remake of Park Chan-wook's 2003 South Korean film of the same name, directed by Spike Lee. The movie starred Josh Brolin as a no good advertising executive who passes out one night and wakes up to find himself locked in a hotel room. Without explanation, he is kept alone in the room for many years and when he finally gets out he goes looking for answers. Who can name this movie which also featured Elizabeth Olsen and Sharlto Copley?
Who can match this scene to the right movie?
After his girlfriend breaks up with him at his high school graduation American teen Scott Thomas decides to go on a trip with his friends to find his new German pen pal, who he initially thought was a guy. The four meet up together in Paris and begin their trip across Europe, stopping in at beaches, nightclubs, and more, and meeting all types of different people. The movie cost more to make than it brought back in box office returns but it did receive a 2004 Teen Choice Award nomination.
Who can name this musical?
This early 2000's film starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor was directed by Baz Luhrmann; the same man we have to thank for films like The Great Gatsby and Romeo + Juliet. In this musical love story, a young writer falls in love with a glamorous performer at a Paris cabaret. She has feelings for him too but she's already been promised to a Duke by her manager. The movie also featured a hit song performed by Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Pink and Lil' Kim called Lady Marmalade.