A-listers are often remembered for their most famous roles in equally well-known films, but their careers include many films, some of which can often be forgotten due to when they were released or the genre they were closest to. However, despite being easily forgotten, such films can still be extremely satisfying to watch and revisit years after their release.
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From period dramas to romantic comedies and dramas, this list spans multiple genres and decades. While some movies may feature only a couple of A-list actors, others have so many that it’s easy to wonder why they were forgotten in the first place, especially considering how intense, twist-filled, and generally great the movies are.
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10 Working Girl (1988)
Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford and more
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Starring Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford and Melanie Griffith, 1988 working girl It works as a romantic comedy and a corporate drama. The trio’s relationships are compelling, with Griffith’s Tess and Ford’s Jack having a dream dynamic as both business and romantic partners, and Weaver’s Katherine functioning as a perfect villain to defeat, due to her dismissive attitude toward Tess and her generally demeanor. shark when he steals his idea. . working girl He earned several Oscar and BAFTA nominations, winning four Golden Globes, but it is still easy to forget him when we think about the filmographies of Weaver, Ford or Griffith, unfairly.
9 The Remains of the Day (1993)
Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant
Based on the novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro, winner of the Booker Prize, 1993 What’s left of the day It stars Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson as butler Stevens and housekeeper Miss Kenton of Darlington Hall, respectively. Their connection is palpable throughout the drama, but Stevens refuses to acknowledge or consider anything that might distract him from his duty as a butler. Easily among Anthony Hopkins’ best films, What’s left of the day It is often forgotten in comparison to his other most successful films, but it remains one of his most moving.
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8 California (1993)
Brad Pitt, David Duchovny and more
Starring David Duchovny and Michelle Forbes as journalist Brian and photographer Carrie respectively, the road thriller California centers on her road trip to California with strangers Early Grayce (Brad Pitt) and Adele Corners (Juliette Lewis). Praised by some critics at the time for its aesthetic qualities and criticized for its violence, the acting performances were widely praised despite the film’s mixed reception and box office failure. Pitt’s haunting portrayal of Grayce is effective in conveying the message of Brian’s serial killer, making California unfairly forgotten even just for its positive qualities.
7 Fallen (1998)
Denzel Washington, James Gandolfini and more
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Denzel Washington played many cops in his long and fruitful career, but his role as Detective John Hobbes in 1998 Fallen It stands out especially for how peculiar the psychological thriller is. Mixing the police procedural and demonic horror genres makes Fallen Washington’s most underrated film, re-evaluated in the intervening years but still relatively forgotten when his filmography is remembered, unfairly considering the thriller’s completely satisfying ending.
6 The Hours (2002)
Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep and more
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Linking its three protagonists with those of Virginia Woolf Mrs. Dalloway2002 the hours It stars Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf, Julianne Moore as Laura and Meryl Streep as Clarissa. The film’s structure mirrors that of Woolf’s work, telling the characters’ stories in the span of a day, revealing their real-life connections and how Mrs. Dalloway It changes their lives: Woolf because she wrote it, Laura because she saves her by abandoning her family and Clarissa playing Woolf’s protagonist. the hours Being a period drama that partially adapts a literary work may make it forgettable, but its execution makes it great.
5 Prime (2005)
Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep
The early 2000s were a treasure trove for Meryl Streep’s career-defining films, making 2005 Major It is easily forgotten despite the romantic comedy starring two celebrities: she and Uma Thurman respectively playing Dr. Lisa Metzger and Rafi. While Rafi and David’s romance is at the center of MajorIt’s Lisa and Rafi’s relationship as therapist and patient that makes the comedy shine, especially in the moments when Lisa realizes that Rafi is dating her son David and still tries to support her, but Rafi is completely in the dark.
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4 The Last Station (2009)
Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer and more
biographical drama The last station It focuses on the last months of Leo Tolstoy’s life and narrates the fierce fight for the copyright of the philosopher’s works between his wife Sofia and his disciple and strong Tolstoyan, Vladimir Chertkov. Starring various celebrities such as Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giamatti and James McAvoy, 2009 The last station It brilliantly conveys Sofia and Leo’s love for each other and the struggle between Tolstoy’s more radical later beliefs and his responsibility to his family, making the drama too moving to forget.
3 McFarland United States (2015)
Kevin Costner, María Bello and more
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Based on a true story, the 2015 sports drama. McFarland United States sees Kevin Costner play Jim White, a disgraced football coach who is forced to move with his family to McFarland, California, for his new job at the local high school. As Jim struggles to make connections with his students, his idea to create a cross-country club for professional gain eventually turns them into a team, delivering an inspiring story about overcoming enormous obstacles and the importance of community.
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2 Maggie’s Plan (2015)
Julianne Moore, Ethan Hawke and more
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Underrated romantic drama Maggie’s plan It stars Greta Gerwig as the title character, but the 2015 film also focuses on Julianne Moore’s Georgette and Ethan Hawke’s John. Moore’s prolific career makes Maggie’s plan just one of his several films coming out in 2015, but the romantic drama is great in its own right. Focusing on Maggie and John’s unplanned romance that breaks up his marriage to Georgette, the film morphs into something much more complicated involving their blended families, resolving to an unexpected but equally satisfying ending.
1 Made in America (2017)
Tom Cruise, Jesse Plemons and more
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2017 American Made follows the common thread of forgotten films involving celebrities being inspired by a true story. Starring Tom Cruise as the film’s lead Barry Seal, a real TWA pilot who became a drug trafficker for the Medellin cartel before becoming a DEA informant to avoid jail time, the action comedy is packed with Shocking twists and spectacular action. Relatively niche to be included among Tom Cruise’s best films, American Made however, it delivers because of how cleverly excessive it is.