Good evening and welcome to The Inessentials. A look at films from a slightly twisted perspective.

I call these the Inessentials as a spin on TCM’s The Essentials, but let me define my terms here. Many movies contain something that has to be seen. Something funny, something shocking, something Zeitgeist defining, something that permeates pop culture. There are many great movies that contain these sorts of moments, but there are also bad movies that can have these brilliant moments too. Movies that taken as a whole aren’t that good, but contain some nugget of brilliance that would make me recommend them nevertheless.

Example #1
Step Brothers

The film in general is pretty sloppy, it’s supporting cast is weak (save for Adam Scott), it’s just not anybody’s best outing. But Boats and Hoes, Prestige Worldwide, the Fucking Catalina Wine Mixer, The Billy Joel Tribute Band that only plays his ‘80s material, and a small assortment of very funny bits make it essential viewing even though it’s not altogether a great film.

Example #2
They Live

A superb, suspenseful first act pays off in one of cinema’s greatest, cleverest, and most influential reveals. And then sort of goes to pieces. I’m not going to diss it for the fight scene either. That’s another moment not to be missed. But taken altogether the movie really falls off a cliff, yet despite it faltering this is a movie everyone has to see.

They Live is a mess. But the premise, execution, and the first 45 minutes are essential viewing.

And remember, I’m not saying you shouldn’t see these movies. Im saying you absolutely should. But they have major problems.

:lol:
Hot Takes: The Thread.

They Live is one of Carpenter's absolute best. I'm ashamed that I didn't watch it for the first time until this year.

I admit that The Peacemaker is a pretty generic, almost made-for-TV movie, but there is a scene that I’ve never seen in another movie.

The bad guys have wrecked after chasing Clooney and Kidman. Rather than just drive away, Clooney goes back, gets out of his car, walks up to the wrecked car and shoots the people inside. No hesitation, no quip, just takes them out of the equation.

It is a badass move and I don’t know why we don’t see it more.

How dare you, Sir! The Peacemaker is one of my Top 5 action movies. It’s not anywhere near a generic made-for-TV movie.


And if you want to talk about underrated John Carpenter movies, I’ll throw out The Fog. IMO, it fits right behind Halloween as Carpenter’s best!

Thank you for contributing something that's is germane to the topic.

If you don’t like my examples make some of your own.

Ultimately that probably would have been a way better idea. Having a black character be the one who “sees”. Having a black lead back then was impossible unfortunately.

I’ve got another one. The tv miniseries version of IT has all kinds of problems, but it really has to be seen to witness Tim Curry’s utterly insane performance.

My example was The Peacemaker. :shrug:

Took it straight out of your rules.

I was genuinely thanking you, not being sarcastic. And my second sentence was aimed at everybody else.

I haven’t seen it since it was new.

It feels like Clooney picked a lot of good movies while he was still on ER and transitioning to movies. From Dusk Till Dawn, Three Kings, Out of Sight. Does Peacemaker deserve a rewatch?

Yeah that movie in no way deserves its reputation. It’s just terrible. But yeah that scene is amusing.