List

Under the Radar Picks 2.0

By Sharon Weinberg

If you're looking for hidden gems, overlooked releases, or the slightly forgotten, check out the items on this list.

  • Bread & Tulips: Pane e Tulipani

    2001

    Taken for granted by her husband and son, harried homemaker Rosalba is ready for a little change. Licia Maglietta is luminous as Rosalba, and the location is gorgeous, making for good armchair travel.

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  • The Breadwinner

    2018

    The story follows a young Afghani girl named Parvana, who disguises herself as a young boy in order to find work to help her family survive rule under the Taliban. Nominated for an Oscar, this is a stunning animated feature, weaving traditional Afghani folktales into the narrative.

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  • Breathe

    2018

    Based on the life of Robin Cavendish, due to polio at age 28, he suffered paralysis from the waist down. He and his wife became tireless advocates for disabled people. Kudos to Andy Serkis on his directorial debut; Cavendish’s son Jonathan is one of the producers, making sure that the movie stayed true to the source material and captured the spirit, joy, and personality of his father, mother, and their friends.

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  • Bride & Prejudice

    2005

    A Bollywood-style movie based on Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice, this has music, dance, a clever plot, and the multitalented international star Aishwarya Rai.

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  • Duma

    2006

    Inspired by a true story about a boy's friendship with an orphaned cheetah and his determination to fulfill a promise, this is cinematic family friendly action/adventure at its best. Roger Ebert's positive review and comments indicating that it deserved studio support helped to convince the film's distributors to give Duma a wider release. Thank you, Mr. Ebert.

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  • Everybody Loves Somebody

    2017

    This Mexican romantic comedy centers on Clara Barron, a doctor who has a successful Los Angeles OB/GYN practice, yet is unhappy in her love life. While the plot has some familiar elements, the script provides a pleasantly fresh spin on bi-cultural relationships.

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  • The Last Word

    2017

    Realizing that many of her acquaintances do not really like her and concerned about how she will be remembered once gone, Harriet hires a local journalist to write her obituary and reshape her image. Plot clichés and other faults aside; keep an eye on the talented AnnJewel Lee, playing a little girl Harriet decides to mentor.

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  • Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity

    2003

    Concerned that her single mom is lonely and overworked, young Mindy tries Taoist magic to improve the situation. Charming is the first word that comes to mind in describing this feel good flick.

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  • Lost in Paris

    2017

    A librarian from a tiny, remote Canadian village travels to Paris to find her lost aunt, and all sorts of mishaps ensue. This is from the husband and wife filmmaking team Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon, who specialize in using a lot of delightful whimsy and physical humor.

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  • Miss Pettigrew Lives for A Day

    2008

    A free spirited young woman hoping to make her mark as an actress hires Miss Pettigrew (a governess who has lost a string of jobs) to be her social secretary. It is fun to see Frances McDormand in a role very different from her Oscar-winning performances in Fargo and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

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  • Much Ado About Nothing

    2013

    Here is Shakespeare as you have never seen it before. A modern retelling of the comedy play, though close to the original text. Filmmaker Joss Whedon made this movie while on vacation from directing Marvel’s The Avengers. Filmed in 12 days in glorious black and white using Whedon’s residence as the primary setting and featuring exceptional performances from an ensemble cast of friends.

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  • A United Kingdom

    2017

    Taking place after WWII, a white English woman falls in love with the heir to the throne of Bechuanaland (now called Botswana). Somewhat overshadowed upon theatrical release, this film has solid performances and offers an absorbing look at a real life romance.

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  • Visages Villages: Faces Places

    2018

    Nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, the film follows veteran filmmaker Agnes Varda and photographer JR, known for his large format photographic postings on buildings, as they travel throughout rural France creating public art. Despite the age difference, Varda, born in 1928, and JR, born in 1983, are kindred spirits. Their collaboration is the coolest thing I have seen in a long while.

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