Reel Gems

25 Often-Overlooked Films That Are Worth Watching

Blame it on the heat. Or the allure of your brand-new flat-screen TV. Or maybe, just maybe, you can't stomach sitting through another loud summer blockbuster like "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." For whatever reason, these days you may well be watching more movies at home on your DVD or Blu-ray player. Most people immediately gravitate to the newest releases or the Oscar-winning classics. But that ignores a vast sea of wonderful films, older titles that were not necessarily huge hits but remain well-told stories with memorable characters, surprising plot twists and, oftentimes, genuine emotional power.

So in that spirit, we offer five categories of movies you might consider and five suggestions in each. Some are probably familiar. Some you might never have heard of. Each is worth your attention. So use this guide while populating your Netflix queue or wandering the aisles at the video store.

Comedies

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (R, 1983) Although it doesn't have the following that "Holy Grail" enjoys, the Pythons' most polished production is cheerfully offensive to nearly all religious, corporate and political sensibilities. The best bits are "Autumn Years" and "Mr. Creosote."

How to Murder Your Wife (Unrated, 1965) After a friend's bachelor party, man-about-town Jack Lemmon finds himself married to the Italian bombshell (Virna Lisi) who popped out of the cake, and he resorts to extreme measures to get out of the blessed union. The courtroom scenes showcase Lemmon at his best.

Meatballs (PG, 1979) Bill Murray and director Ivan Reitman's first collaboration is a loose-jointed summer camp comedy. But Murray's riffs -- from his interview explaining the joys of camp North Star to his inspirational "It Just Doesn't Matter" speech -- are still fresh and funny.

Joe Versus the Volcano (PG, 1990) John Patrick Shanley (who wrote the screenplays for "Doubt" and "Moonstruck") spins a complex fable of faith and love that has been misread as a lightweight comedy. Tom Hanks makes the most of an unusual role.

Manhattan Murder Mystery (PG, 1993) New Yorker Carol (Diane Keaton) comes to suspect that the nice lady who lived down the hall did not die of a heart attack, and there's little her husband (Woody Allen) can do to dissuade her. A witty diversion.

Chick Flicks

Truly Madly Deeply (PG, 1991) At first Nina (Juliet Stevenson) is overjoyed when the ghost of her husband, Jamie (Alan Rickman, proving that he can be as effective as a leading man as he is as a villain), returns from the dead. But then he sticks around, ghostly friends in tow. It's sweet and funny, but be warned: You'll need a large box of tissues to get through it.

Shall We Dance? (PG-13, 2004) Richard Gere is a burnt-out Chicago lawyer who signs up for dance lessons after catching a glimpse of JLo staring soulfully from the window of a dance studio. After some missteps, he finally rediscovers his wife, played by Susan Sarandon. Unfairly written off as an inferior American remake of the Japanese original.

My New Gun (R, 1992) Her boorish husband (Stephen Collins) forces Debbie (Diane Lane) to keep a pistol for protection, but then their nice but slightly creepy neighbor, Skippy (James LeGros), asks to borrow it. The dry humor is slightly off-center, and Philip Seymour Hoffman shows up briefly as Skippy's friend.

Eat Drink Man Woman (Unrated, 1994) In Taiwan, widowed master chef Chu (Sihung Lung) must deal with the love lives of his three grown -- and still very single -- daughters, as well as his neighbor and her pushy mother. Director Ang Lee's third film is a delight with a near-perfect ending.

Married to the Mob (R, 1988) Before "The Sopranos" explored the mob in the 'burbs, Michelle Pfeiffer was the widowed Angela e Marco, who attracts the unwanted attentions of her late hubby's boss (Dean Stockwell) and an FBI agent (Matthew Modine). The star at her most engaging.