@@MrBuketman I think the trailer threw people off. Most didn't have any real idea what the movie was about. I saw this when I was 13 with my big brother, loved the hell out of it. Crazy how the movie themes are even more relevant now as they were almost 30 years ago
“Dark City” was Roger Ebert’s favorite film of 1998, and he did the commentary for it on the DVD. It’s a fantastic sci-fi film that deserved to be bigger. Saw it in the theater and was blown away by it. “Dark City” is a buried treasure of the sci-fi genre. Thank you Jeremy for giving this great film some attention. 😊
You ever feel like maybe Dark City influenced The Matrix? Very similar stories in a way. Another futuristic movie that feels cold and gray and awesome from that time period was Equilibrium.
Dark City truly is underappreciated gem of intellectual and philosophical depth, floating in the vast sea of cinematic treasures, yet sadly overshadowed by its flashy, dumbed-down imitator that released a mere year later: The Matrix. How curious it is that the sheeple masses, in their blissful ignorance, celebrate this derivative spectacle with such fervor while the true masterpiece remains cloaked in the shadows of obscurity. It's almost as if the Matrix was designed to appeal to the unthinking populace, spoon-feeding them a diluted, dare we say, bastardized version of a concept so brilliantly executed by Dark City. And the irony? The enlightened few who recognize the superiority of Dark City must navigate this world of cinematic philistines who wouldn't know a genuine philosophical inquiry if it was downloaded directly into their brains. But such is the plight of those who see beyond the veil, condemned to watch the masses marvel at shadows on the wall, unaware of the true form lurking just out of reach.
The next movie you have to review is Jacob's Ladder. Came out in 1990 and was the huge inspiration for the Silent Hill series. It is chock full of symbolism, references, callbacks, and heavy themes. It's an amazing underrated gem of a film and highly recommend it.
Another plus of the director's cuts: Jennifer Connelly sings "Sway" in her own voice. In the theatrical cut her voice was replaced by Anita Kelsey's. Superb movie, and "Sci-Fi Noir" as a genre description hits the nail on the head. 👍
I saw this in theaters when I was 16, blew my mind. This movie crawled so movies like The Matrix could walk. Arguably as important to the genre as Blade was with comic book movies.
This is in my top five movies of all time. Roger Ebert's commentary track is a must listen. It was his favorite movie of that year and showed me the depth of his film making knowledge. His commentary was more insightful than the director's commentary.
"Dark City" was a horror film that has been on my underrated list for decades. I was blown away by this film when I saw it in the theaters, and it still holds up well today. Thanks for your review!
The Cube (1997) is another one that I really loved during the 90's. The others in the series were 'ish, but the first one is still a very much a favourite
Exiztenz (1999) is underseen and underrated. It's a great expansion of the themes that were explored in The Matrix only with an awesome biotech angle and a general horror direction.
Attack of the Mushroom People (aka, Matango) on Tubi. Notice how atmospheric it is. With a Twilight Zone-ish shocking ending. (Just a fav of mine, that gets no love). Well before ‘The Last of Us’.
I remember that the DVD of Dark City had a commentary track by Roger Ebert. It was such a fantastic film that they got a film critic to come on board and talk about it from end to end. Such a great movie. One sci fi film I think should get talked about more is Sunshine (2007). Danny Boyle and Alex Garland teaming up, with one of the most impressive casts I've ever seen. This is the film that put both Chris Evans and Cillian Murphy on the map for me. Not to mention awesome performances from Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne, and Cliff Curtis. Just talking about it makes me want to go back and watch it again in theaters.
That was definitely the worst sci-fi movie ever made. I can't believe you brought that up! Did you ever stop and think! How the hell can there even be a killer just floating in the middle of outer space not too far from the hottest object known to man? bruh!?! explain that to me?😂 That film had one of the Dumbest plots I've ever seen... "Reigniting the Sun" wtf whoever would even think that's possible, is out of their mind. I'm suprised Cillian attached himself to it.. I do NOT hold that film in high regard.. DC was masterpiece, Sunshine was sm BS
Omg Thank You Jeremy!!!!! I literally watched this movie right after watching this video and i’m blown away. I can’t believe I haven’t watched this film before. You can DEFINITELY see how Christopher Nolan was inspired by this film for Memento and Inception
Ah, what a time to be alive. Matrix, Dark City, and the much-anticipated Episode 1, all in the same jumble of months. I remember walking out of Dark City totally enthralled, then saying "and as good as that was, STAR WARS is coming out next week!" Poor, sweet child...
When I name my top ten films to people and I say "Dark City" everyone stares at me blankly. So many people have never seen this visual masterpiece. Thanks for the review and for all of the Dark City love in the comments!
Great review! I will say this is one of my favorite movies and quite the underrated one that truly deserves more love. It is masterclass. The story telling is brilliant with it's "show, don't tell" narrative with many foreshadowing and symbolism that started like crumbs and builds up to a fantastic climax. The performances are top notch and the cinematography is simply fantastic. The dark noir world is so intriguing that it grabs you and you will never let go as you want to know more. I absolutely refuse to spoil and prefer to show this to anyone who wants to watch it, not to mention the music is topping of the cake. It just gets better and better every time i see it and 100% recommend this for anyone who loves a good scifi/noir/mystery, just don't watch the theatrical ver, that one just spoils it with that narrative as Jeremy mentioned and go for the director's cut.
Here are some fun facts about Dark City: - It was the first movie filmed at Fox Studios Sydney (and around the time as The Matrix, which it definitely shares a bit of a vibe with don't you think?) - It stars one of Australia's most underrated icons, Bruce Spence. He was also the helicopter pilot in Mad Max and the "Fish are friends, not food" shark in Finding Nemo, AND he was a lead in the single funniest film of all time that I almost guarantee you have never even heard of: Hercules Returns (1993). - The main character's name, Murdoch, was a nod to the owner of Fox, the almighty evil overlord Rupert Murdoch. - Lastly, for the few who didn't recognise him when Jeremy mentioned his name, Richard O'Brian was the original Riff Raff in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and in fact THE original creator of the entire Rocky Horror everything!
I'm watching The Crow tonight. Often overlooked for that matter, it's a movie that fits very well for the Halloween season. The plot of the movie, the atmosphere, the tragic story behind the camera and the fact that the movie plays out on devil's night. Before Gary Oldman was the go to villain in Hollywood there was Michael Wincott (with his signature long, dark hair at that time) who had a little run with portraying very terrifying baddies in movies like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and especially in 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise. He is the perfect counterpart to Brandon Lee who turned out to be the perfect cast for the lead role and I can't see who could ever top his presence or performance in a remake. This role would have been his ticket to stardom. The set-design, the stylistic atmosphere and the cinematography are awesome. The action is also very sweet. You have some bloody shootouts in John Woo fashion, explosions and fight sequences. All in all, it's a pretty awesome action movie with a tragic/romantic/gothic twist to it. I know Dark City and I can remember a Kiefer Sutherland interview on the press tour in which he stated that he prefers a smaller role in a great movie than a lead role in a weak movie. I actually never saw Dark City, I need to catch up.
@@loveblanket6512 The movie was well perceived and had success when it was released. It has it's fanbase, but it's not a horror movie and probably not the first movie you think of when you think of the Halloween season since there are so many other options, that's my point. The sequels were trash. The movie is also not flawless especially due to the many edits and I also think that in some scenes the dialogue is a bit heavy handed. But overall it's great. I wish they would remaster this in 4k and make a recut. They might not have to use every frame from the left out footage, but especially during the final shootout they removed a lot and you feel the edits. It would be aweseome if they could add some of the deleted scenes to beef it up. I'm curious if Hollywood really follows through with their plan to remake/reboot Blade and The Crow. For now I don't really see the need for it and I don't think they will succeed, but I'm open to get surprised otherwise.
Very much appreciated, Jeremy. With all the endless franchise/sequel/reboot, CGI slop out at the moment, this fits perfectly into my continuing hunt for good movies from my childhood, e.g. the 90's, as well as the 70's-2000's in general.
I am still in the Minority who prefers this film to the much more successful Matrix. A Gem of a movie and it pleases me that your finally getting to this gem for all the subscribers (read most) who have not seen this amazing gem. Kudos and Thank You Jeremy
You're not alone. Despite having similarities in concept, overall tone and aesthetic, Matrix treats characters like pieces within content, not like persons.
First it was Dark City, then The Matrix and after was Equilibrium. All movies that will always be in my childhood memories. I have yet to see Hollywood make more like this. If anybody has suggestions please let me know. I might have seem more but i dont remember them as much as these three.
Jeremy, thank you for bringing this damn near perfect Film back into consciousness‼️ I have the Director’s Cut. You are absolutely right, it is the ONLY version to experience! Roger Ebert did the commentary on this Film he loved it so much! It is perfect Gothic Halloween watch Nailed it! NO Scotch required‼️✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼🎥🎥🎥🎞️🎞️🎞️🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
Had the pleasure of seeing this in the theaters as a teen. The trailers looked interesting, but the main reason for wanting to see it at the time was because I'd been crushing hard on Jennifer Connelly. It turned out to be a fantastic movie.
Put it on my list when this review came out and finally got around to watching it just now. It's pretty great! The Matrix certainly shined over it in a few ways, but the continuous slow roll of the reveal added a lot in Dark City's favor.
Saw this in the cinema when it came out, and it melted my brain. It was like a live-action manga, before that was even a thing. Dark City in 98, then The Matrix in 99. A good time for sci-fi. Rufus Sewell and Richard O’Brien were fantastic.
Equilibrium was the first one I thought about. It’s action “gun kata” scenes are fantastic. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the deeper concept behind the visuals. Controlling a society by drugging their feelings out of them is more relevant now. The idea that art in all its forms is provocative and evocative to the point of making people feel the world needs to change, simply amazing. It’s something I rewatch frequently. Not as often as I rewatch Jose Ferrer in Cyrano de Bergerac, but it’s up there.
Ohhh, I'm so glad you reviewed this. I have seen this film about 6 or 7 times now and I love it every single time. Fun fact: film critic Roger Ebert ranked this #1 on his best of 1998 list.
It is one of the best noir movies of the last 30 years. The Watchovskis only copied Proya's aesthetics and pallets in the Matrix. And the story was indeed very captivating. If you watch the Director's cut, you will experience a revelation in the end, that makes the movie transcend between genres, in a way only a few 80's and 90's movies did. And the Music... Oh, and Connelly... My good God.... She became my first celebrity crash in that movie! I wish I could see the movie for the first time, again!
This film is in my top movies list for my lifetime viewing list. I am so happy that this film was created because it surprised me and inspired me. I was actually thinking of doing a review for this one myself. I'm so glad you did. I will just be sending people here instead. Great job!
Dark City is amazeballs! As for other sci-fi movies that aren't being talked about enough: "Retroactive" with James Belushi, "Butterfly Effect" with Ashton Kutcher and "The Thirteenth Floor" with Craig Bierko and Vincent D'Onofrio.
I'm happy you reviewed Dark City. I've recently re-watched it with a friend and as you've said, it gets better the more you watch it. One of my favorites for sure.
I remember watching this for my 17th birthday because it came out about that time and being blown away by the visuals. this movie really primed me for The Matrix which came out the following year. I honestly don't remember the voice over at the beginning, but now that I've been forewarned for the rewatch, I'll stay away from the theatrical cut.
Scy-Fy movie that needs way more love? Moon (2009) with Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacy. Really try to go into this one blind and without spoilers because its an intriguing space mystery. Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut on a moon base tasked with maintaining a helium 3 harvesting operation. He is completely alone with his robot companion Gerti (voiced by Kevin Spacy) and at the end of his four year shift, he notices that something is not quite right.
Dark City is Awesometacular!! I didn't know there was a Directors Cut. Time for a fresh rewatch. As for your question about other underrated Sci-Fi films? The City of Lost Children (1995) {stars: Ron Perlman} It's a story about a scientist trying to steal children's dreams to prevent him from getting old. Only it gets weirder every minute. Space Truckers (1996) {stars: Stephen Dorf, Dennis Hopper} Think (loosely) Guardians of the Galaxy, but make it B rated. A space trucker and his cute fiancée are on their way from a space station to Earth with an unknown cargo. When space pirates hijack them John Carpenter's Dark Star (1974) {stars: Dan O' Bannon (would eventually go on to write for *Star Beast* aka Alien 1979 and Aliens 1986)} What began as a 45-minute USC student film was gradually expanded to feature-length, and subsequently received a limited theatrical release in 1975. Synopsis: the movie follows the small crew of the starship Dark Star. Set 20 years into their mission to destroy unstable planets that pose a threat to humanity’s quest to conquer the galaxy. Dire technical malfunctions and humor/existential crises run rampant. Just to name a few...
This is one of my favourite movies of all time, and I consider it to be one of the greatest sci-fi films, as well as one of the greatest films noirs. Simply brilliant.
Ngl, when I saw the thumbnail I was like how has Jeremy not seen this movie yet. Whew. Glad you still (re)posted the review despite the mandela effect.
One of my favorites for ages. I actually pulled it out to watch this Halloween. I don't know if you've ever covered it, or your audience would enjoy a look at it, but one movie that is Highly underappreciated is The Black Hole from 1979. So many moments of brilliance in that movie, sadly kind of buried in prejudice against the ending and it's pace.
Thank you for this recommendation! Watched it last night. What a great, great film! I’m happy you made me aware to skip the intro (couldn’t find the director’s cut). I wasn’t aware this movie existed and it is truly a gem.
That theatrical trailer and the song it uses, Sleep, is perfect. It's what made me see this movie in the theatre when it was released. The studio's insistence of having a voice over is like having a mystery movie where the mystery is revealed before the movie even begins. It makes you think studio heads wear mittens in the summer.
The Matrix (which still holds the title of my favorite movie) borrowed a lot from Dark City, quite literally as some of the footage of buildings shot in Australia for Dark City were in fact, used in the Matrix as well.
Completely agree with your review. I loved that movie like I love the matrix. I remember having due to these movies countless conversations with friends and as you mentioned questioning who we are? Fewer movies in the last decade then in those times had the power to do that and I believe inspire others to make as good movies:
Great review! I'd forgotten about this movie. I think my grown son would really like it so I'll be sure to tell him to watch the director's cut. I would enjoy seeing more reviews by you of older movies since there are so many good ones & it's difficult to get people to watch older movies for some reason. Maybe you could do a series with "Classics" or a similar word in title to make it easier to find older movies you end up reviewing.
I remember watching this movie on TV around that time, and never ever seeing it again, anywhere, so it's great that you made this review, because this movie definitely is a intriguing and a must watch.
My father had Dark City on Vhs and I will never forget the first time I saw it. Truly scary, but also amazing. Can't believe it took you nearly 25 years to see the film. 😂
Never knew of this movie until you did this review a few months ago. Finally got to watch it. Holy crap im so glad you didn’t spoil anything. Thanks again for your hard work!
Commenting before I watch. Thank you for digging this one up. Dark City is one of those unsung amazing movies, and holds the greatest hidden gem track ever created in Sleep Now.
Man, Alex Proyas was one of those directors who went from being this visually inspired trailblazer to overdependent on CGI bloat and bitterness toward audiences who aren't receptive to that. The decline began with I, Robot. But then he gets to Gods Of Egypt, and you can't even believe it's the same guy who made The Crow and Dark City. You start to wonder what the hell happened to him.
I actually thought Knowing was a decent film that didn’t rely on CGI like the others. I’m FB friends with him. He comes across as a very grumpy and bitter guy who hates the Hollywood system because it ended up rejecting him. It’s even more ironic with the amount of shit he talks about comic book movies. Anyway, he’s making totally independent stuff now like short films, including one that took place in the Dark City universe.
What happened? He probably needed the paycheck! And I’m a contrarian: I think _Gods of Egypt_ is a pretty good movie! It’s no _Dark City,_ but hey, even Orson Wells didn’t hit it out of the park every time at bat…just a lot…
@@angusmacfrankenstein7227 Gods of Egypt is great at what it intends to be. A throwback visual feast. They just pulled an Icarus with the amount of CGI. (Still gets the point across so it doesn’t bother me)
There is a level of film that is not a classic, but just a damn good film. Solid acting, well constructed, four on the floor filmmaking. One film that gets overlooked a lot, especially since it is the sequel to arguably the best sci-fi movie ever made is 2010, the Year we make Contact. Amazing cast, great story, solid direction. Main downfall is that it's not super action driven but that's really a matter of personal taste. It's rarely talked about these days but it was absolutely an A tier movie. If you enjoyed Sunshine, I'd say give it a watch.
The only thing I dislike about that movie is the 10 minute spacewalk with John Lithgow breathing heavily into the mic for the whole duration. If they lowered his hyperventilating by like -10dB, it'd be manageable, but it's a bit grating and unfortunately makes a GREAT scene with Jon Lithgow and Elya Baskin a little annoying.
One of the greatest films I’ve ever seen and the only one I remember actually getting angry with a friend for not liking it or getting it. I mean, REALLY?!? How could you NOT appreciate this?!? Still totally bewildered by that person’s take.
Cheers for this reminder, Jeremy. Haven't seen this since I don't know when, but I just watched all the Crow movies again in reverse order and I'm very keen for some more Proyas gold.
I think Equilibrium is a movie that doesn't get talked about enough. It's my absolute favorite Christian Bale movie and deserves so much more recognition then it gets!
Weird, I thought you had a Dark City review up years ago, too. Lol One of the greatest trailers and reveals in movie history, imo.🤘 Omg! Dude, we definitely need a Brotherhood of the Wolf review!
I keep missing this, should've watched it years ago, thanks for the reminder! Love the more alternative-sci-fi too, like Moon, Ex Machina, Gattaca etc.
I saw Dark City in the cinema with the opening monologue and I'm surprised that people say it spoils the film. I was still blown away by the reveals. The monologue sets the scene and establishes a sci-fi element, but none of the major reveals are spoiled. You still don't know where they are, what they're doing, why it's dark or who anyone is.- and these are the main mysteries driving the film. I can understand why the studio felt mainstream audiences might be lost without some sort of exposition anchor - there's a LOT going on in a very short film.
Never seen this movie but I've always been meaning to. I know what I'm doing on my day off tomorrow! Thanks Jeremy. I love when you review the classics.
Hey, J! I know it's a bit "niche" , and westerns might not be a giant part of your library, but I'd just like to toss out "Seraphim Falls" as a truly under-appreciated flick.
great review. I also enjoyed it the first time i saw it back when it came out. That trailer made the movie so intriguing to watch. A great movie that lately has been receiving the praise it deserves.
I've actually been eyeballing this film for awhile. Now that it's got your seal of approval, I think I'll give this a watch. Noir scifi, eh? I dig it! Plus Jennifer Connelly is just so...need I say more?
Thanks for this review and for keeping it spoiler free! I'm definitely intrigued and going to watch it now. There's something so cool about the style, as if it's from some electronic dance (EDM) or trance music video.
Having never watched this movie before, I appreciate the spoiler free review. Thank you for that! You also did entice me to want to watch this movie! Checking all the boxes on this one, Jeremy ✅
Gattica (1997), Equilibrium (2002) and Predestination (2014) are always forgotten! Another newer one is Oxygen from 2021, which is incredibly underrated. I was at the edge of my seat until the very end, highly recommend watching it!
Top marks for Richard Obrien mention. Rocky Horror Show and this are his best works for me...he is mainly known in UK as a gameshow host (Crystal Maze) which he was crazy in too.
More classic movies please. Been a subscriber for a while and haven't really seen older movies on here but in lew of the Hollywood draught (that, let's be honest, started before the strike) this is fun.
Dark City has been in my top movies list since the first time I saw it. Couldn't agree more with your "go in blind" advice too. I love a great mystery movie or one with a killer twist at the end which allows you to rewatch the movie and have a totally different experience with it now you are armed with knowledge you didn't have before (The Usual Suspects immediately springs to mind).
Dark City is one of the greatest underrated films ever made!
100% fam
I assure you, it is NOT underrated. I always hate it when people use the word "underrated" because the person using it has a small friend group.
Absolutely. Love this movie. Alex Proyas is a great director
An incredible movie and still holds
@@tordbFirst off, dick comment! Secondly, your out of your mind if you don't think this movie is underrated
Strange Days (1995) is also a brutally underrated Neo noir sci-fi from the 90s
I recently watched Strange Days on Max and I cant believe it isnt more popular than it is.
Crazy to think how ahead of its time it was. Then you remember it was basically written by James Cameron and it makes sense ha
As is The Thirteenth Floor. Love all these films.
No clue what happened to make Strange Days fly under the radar for so many people. Excellent sci-fi crime thriller.
@@MrBuketman I think the trailer threw people off. Most didn't have any real idea what the movie was about. I saw this when I was 13 with my big brother, loved the hell out of it. Crazy how the movie themes are even more relevant now as they were almost 30 years ago
“Dark City” was Roger Ebert’s favorite film of 1998, and he did the commentary for it on the DVD. It’s a fantastic sci-fi film that deserved to be bigger. Saw it in the theater and was blown away by it. “Dark City” is a buried treasure of the sci-fi genre. Thank you Jeremy for giving this great film some attention. 😊
You ever feel like maybe Dark City influenced The Matrix? Very similar stories in a way. Another futuristic movie that feels cold and gray and awesome from that time period was Equilibrium.
@@darktheories1758 No question, I would even say the Wachowskis brothers flat out stole some stuff from Dark City.
It is one of the two DVD's I bought when I got my dvd player. I had no idea what I was in for.
Dark City truly is underappreciated gem of intellectual and philosophical depth, floating in the vast sea of cinematic treasures, yet sadly overshadowed by its flashy, dumbed-down imitator that released a mere year later: The Matrix.
How curious it is that the sheeple masses, in their blissful ignorance, celebrate this derivative spectacle with such fervor while the true masterpiece remains cloaked in the shadows of obscurity. It's almost as if the Matrix was designed to appeal to the unthinking populace, spoon-feeding them a diluted, dare we say, bastardized version of a concept so brilliantly executed by Dark City.
And the irony? The enlightened few who recognize the superiority of Dark City must navigate this world of cinematic philistines who wouldn't know a genuine philosophical inquiry if it was downloaded directly into their brains. But such is the plight of those who see beyond the veil, condemned to watch the masses marvel at shadows on the wall, unaware of the true form lurking just out of reach.
The next movie you have to review is Jacob's Ladder. Came out in 1990 and was the huge inspiration for the Silent Hill series. It is chock full of symbolism, references, callbacks, and heavy themes. It's an amazing underrated gem of a film and highly recommend it.
Thissss
jacobs ladder
I figured since this is such a underrated movie, that people would talk about other underrated movies I can find and watch. Y’all didn’t disappoint 👌
Another plus of the director's cuts: Jennifer Connelly sings "Sway" in her own voice. In the theatrical cut her voice was replaced by Anita Kelsey's. Superb movie, and "Sci-Fi Noir" as a genre description hits the nail on the head. 👍
Never miss an excuse to see Jennifer Connelly
Never knew why they did that she sang great in the director's cut.
My favourite sequence in the film
Ooh I’m going to watch the directors cut now
I've seen this movie a half-dozen times and didn't know that. Thanks.
I saw this in theaters when I was 16, blew my mind. This movie crawled so movies like The Matrix could walk. Arguably as important to the genre as Blade was with comic book movies.
Dark City is the superior film
It's so much better than Matrix.
This is in my top five movies of all time. Roger Ebert's commentary track is a must listen. It was his favorite movie of that year and showed me the depth of his film making knowledge. His commentary was more insightful than the director's commentary.
Dark city is great but ill skip Roger Ebert.
"Dark City" was a horror film that has been on my underrated list for decades. I was blown away by this film when I saw it in the theaters, and it still holds up well today. Thanks for your review!
The Cube (1997) is another one that I really loved during the 90's. The others in the series were 'ish, but the first one is still a very much a favourite
The director's next movie, Cypher is even better IMHO.
Best low budget scfi ever. Astronomical!!!
The cube is amazing
The Cube is so timeless, I have to look up when it actually came out because, I still can't believe it's a 90s film.
Exiztenz (1999) is underseen and underrated. It's a great expansion of the themes that were explored in The Matrix only with an awesome biotech angle and a general horror direction.
Cronenburg is a separate genre unto himself.
@@zzygyy Yep. Body Horror existed before Cronenberg, but he was the one who perfected it.
I think Existenz has one of the best endings ever. I don't remember a lot of the scenes in the movie but I remember that ending.
Death to the Demoness! (Love the movie. I should watch it again)
Attack of the Mushroom People (aka, Matango) on Tubi. Notice how atmospheric it is. With a Twilight Zone-ish shocking ending. (Just a fav of mine, that gets no love). Well before ‘The Last of Us’.
I remember that the DVD of Dark City had a commentary track by Roger Ebert. It was such a fantastic film that they got a film critic to come on board and talk about it from end to end. Such a great movie.
One sci fi film I think should get talked about more is Sunshine (2007). Danny Boyle and Alex Garland teaming up, with one of the most impressive casts I've ever seen. This is the film that put both Chris Evans and Cillian Murphy on the map for me. Not to mention awesome performances from Hiroyuki Sanada, Benedict Wong, Michelle Yeoh, Rose Byrne, and Cliff Curtis. Just talking about it makes me want to go back and watch it again in theaters.
It seemed like Sunshine didn't have any advertising behind it and it's such a shame! It's such a gorgeous and intense film!
Ebert voted it the best movie of 1998.
That was definitely the worst sci-fi movie ever made.
I can't believe you brought that up!
Did you ever stop and think!
How the hell can there even be a killer just floating in the middle of outer space not too far from the hottest object known to man?
bruh!?!
explain that to me?😂
That film had one of the Dumbest plots I've ever seen...
"Reigniting the Sun"
wtf whoever would even think that's possible, is out of their mind.
I'm suprised Cillian attached himself to it..
I do NOT hold that film in high regard..
DC was masterpiece, Sunshine was sm BS
Omg Thank You Jeremy!!!!! I literally watched this movie right after watching this video and i’m blown away. I can’t believe I haven’t watched this film before. You can DEFINITELY see how Christopher Nolan was inspired by this film for Memento and Inception
Dark City is one of the most stylish and visually stunning films ever made
Ah, what a time to be alive. Matrix, Dark City, and the much-anticipated Episode 1, all in the same jumble of months.
I remember walking out of Dark City totally enthralled, then saying "and as good as that was, STAR WARS is coming out next week!" Poor, sweet child...
When I name my top ten films to people and I say "Dark City" everyone stares at me blankly. So many people have never seen this visual masterpiece.
Thanks for the review and for all of the Dark City love in the comments!
Great review! I will say this is one of my favorite movies and quite the underrated one that truly deserves more love. It is masterclass.
The story telling is brilliant with it's "show, don't tell" narrative with many foreshadowing and symbolism that started like crumbs and builds up to a fantastic climax. The performances are top notch and the cinematography is simply fantastic. The dark noir world is so intriguing that it grabs you and you will never let go as you want to know more. I absolutely refuse to spoil and prefer to show this to anyone who wants to watch it, not to mention the music is topping of the cake. It just gets better and better every time i see it and 100% recommend this for anyone who loves a good scifi/noir/mystery, just don't watch the theatrical ver, that one just spoils it with that narrative as Jeremy mentioned and go for the director's cut.
Here are some fun facts about Dark City:
- It was the first movie filmed at Fox Studios Sydney (and around the time as The Matrix, which it definitely shares a bit of a vibe with don't you think?)
- It stars one of Australia's most underrated icons, Bruce Spence. He was also the helicopter pilot in Mad Max and the "Fish are friends, not food" shark in Finding Nemo, AND he was a lead in the single funniest film of all time that I almost guarantee you have never even heard of: Hercules Returns (1993).
- The main character's name, Murdoch, was a nod to the owner of Fox, the almighty evil overlord Rupert Murdoch.
- Lastly, for the few who didn't recognise him when Jeremy mentioned his name, Richard O'Brian was the original Riff Raff in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and in fact THE original creator of the entire Rocky Horror everything!
Richard O Brian also voiced Ferb's dad in Phineas and Ferb
Ooh interesting!. Bruce is a kiwi. haha
Richard O’Brian is also in the criminally underrated “Elvira’s Haunted Hills” movie.
Hercules Returns is hilarious. Essential viewing.
In fact some set portions from Dark City were repurposed for The Matrix.
This is one of those movies where the Director's Cut is required, IMO.
Ah, so glad he mentioned this is the review.
I'm watching The Crow tonight. Often overlooked for that matter, it's a movie that fits very well for the Halloween season. The plot of the movie, the atmosphere, the tragic story behind the camera and the fact that the movie plays out on devil's night. Before Gary Oldman was the go to villain in Hollywood there was Michael Wincott (with his signature long, dark hair at that time) who had a little run with portraying very terrifying baddies in movies like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and especially in 1492 - Conquest Of Paradise. He is the perfect counterpart to Brandon Lee who turned out to be the perfect cast for the lead role and I can't see who could ever top his presence or performance in a remake. This role would have been his ticket to stardom. The set-design, the stylistic atmosphere and the cinematography are awesome. The action is also very sweet. You have some bloody shootouts in John Woo fashion, explosions and fight sequences. All in all, it's a pretty awesome action movie with a tragic/romantic/gothic twist to it. I know Dark City and I can remember a Kiefer Sutherland interview on the press tour in which he stated that he prefers a smaller role in a great movie than a lead role in a weak movie. I actually never saw Dark City, I need to catch up.
@@loveblanket6512 The movie was well perceived and had success when it was released. It has it's fanbase, but it's not a horror movie and probably not the first movie you think of when you think of the Halloween season since there are so many other options, that's my point. The sequels were trash. The movie is also not flawless especially due to the many edits and I also think that in some scenes the dialogue is a bit heavy handed. But overall it's great. I wish they would remaster this in 4k and make a recut. They might not have to use every frame from the left out footage, but especially during the final shootout they removed a lot and you feel the edits. It would be aweseome if they could add some of the deleted scenes to beef it up. I'm curious if Hollywood really follows through with their plan to remake/reboot Blade and The Crow. For now I don't really see the need for it and I don't think they will succeed, but I'm open to get surprised otherwise.
I watch it every Halloween as well. Tradition. 💪🏽
Very much appreciated, Jeremy. With all the endless franchise/sequel/reboot, CGI slop out at the moment, this fits perfectly into my continuing hunt for good movies from my childhood, e.g. the 90's, as well as the 70's-2000's in general.
I am still in the Minority who prefers this film to the much more successful Matrix. A Gem of a movie and it pleases me that your finally getting to this gem for all the subscribers (read most) who have not seen this amazing gem. Kudos and Thank You Jeremy
You're not alone.
Despite having similarities in concept, overall tone and aesthetic, Matrix treats characters like pieces within content, not like persons.
The Matrix was always overrated in my book. This film is superior in a lot of ways, and is honestly a better story.
I love the Matrix but I think this film is stronger in a lot of areas, so yeah I strongly agree.
For some reason I've always been meaning to watch this but never got around to it. Definitely going to now!
Me, too!
First it was Dark City, then The Matrix and after was Equilibrium. All movies that will always be in my childhood memories. I have yet to see Hollywood make more like this. If anybody has suggestions please let me know. I might have seem more but i dont remember them as much as these three.
You have good taste in scfi. 👍
Edge of Tomorrow.
Predestination
Jeremy, thank you for bringing this damn near perfect Film back into consciousness‼️ I have the Director’s Cut. You are absolutely right, it is the ONLY version to experience! Roger Ebert did the commentary on this Film he loved it so much! It is perfect Gothic Halloween watch Nailed it! NO Scotch required‼️✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼🎥🎥🎥🎞️🎞️🎞️🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
This is why i love your channel Jeremy. You help me find things I otherwise never knew existed.
I have hair like The Crow.
Had the pleasure of seeing this in the theaters as a teen. The trailers looked interesting, but the main reason for wanting to see it at the time was because I'd been crushing hard on Jennifer Connelly. It turned out to be a fantastic movie.
Somehow, I've never seen dark city, so thanks for doing a spoiler free review Jeremy. This movie sounds awesome! I love Noir sci-fi movies!
Put it on my list when this review came out and finally got around to watching it just now. It's pretty great! The Matrix certainly shined over it in a few ways, but the continuous slow roll of the reveal added a lot in Dark City's favor.
An underrated gem of Sci-Fi. Cheesy, brilliant, and a great noir mystery and Rufus Sewell is excellent in this film.
Saw this in the cinema when it came out, and it melted my brain. It was like a live-action manga, before that was even a thing. Dark City in 98, then The Matrix in 99. A good time for sci-fi. Rufus Sewell and Richard O’Brien were fantastic.
The fact that you bring up "Brotherhood of the Wolf" only makes this already great review Epic!
Equilibrium was the first one I thought about. It’s action “gun kata” scenes are fantastic. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the deeper concept behind the visuals. Controlling a society by drugging their feelings out of them is more relevant now. The idea that art in all its forms is provocative and evocative to the point of making people feel the world needs to change, simply amazing. It’s something I rewatch frequently. Not as often as I rewatch Jose Ferrer in Cyrano de Bergerac, but it’s up there.
Great review! Your enthusiasm alone got this onto my list. I love big worlds with lots of depth, and this sounds perfect.
Ohhh, I'm so glad you reviewed this. I have seen this film about 6 or 7 times now and I love it every single time. Fun fact: film critic Roger Ebert ranked this #1 on his best of 1998 list.
It is one of the best noir movies of the last 30 years. The Watchovskis only copied Proya's aesthetics and pallets in the Matrix. And the story was indeed very captivating. If you watch the Director's cut, you will experience a revelation in the end, that makes the movie transcend between genres, in a way only a few 80's and 90's movies did. And the Music... Oh, and Connelly... My good God.... She became my first celebrity crash in that movie! I wish I could see the movie for the first time, again!
This film is in my top movies list for my lifetime viewing list. I am so happy that this film was created because it surprised me and inspired me. I was actually thinking of doing a review for this one myself. I'm so glad you did. I will just be sending people here instead. Great job!
Dark City is amazeballs! As for other sci-fi movies that aren't being talked about enough: "Retroactive" with James Belushi, "Butterfly Effect" with Ashton Kutcher and "The Thirteenth Floor" with Craig Bierko and Vincent D'Onofrio.
I was also going to say the thirteenth floor, haven't tried retroactive!
damn..you named two of the three movies that came to my mind!
13th Floor is great, with a great cast, but Vincent D'Onofrio steals every scene he's in.
How did I miss this movie? Putting on watch list. thanks Jeremy!
Amazon Prime Video has the director’s cut 🎉
You're in for a treat.
I'm happy you reviewed Dark City. I've recently re-watched it with a friend and as you've said, it gets better the more you watch it. One of my favorites for sure.
"The only place that home exists....is inside your head..." - I was lucky enough to see this in a cinema and that line always stuck with me.
I remember watching this for my 17th birthday because it came out about that time and being blown away by the visuals. this movie really primed me for The Matrix which came out the following year. I honestly don't remember the voice over at the beginning, but now that I've been forewarned for the rewatch, I'll stay away from the theatrical cut.
Scy-Fy movie that needs way more love?
Moon (2009) with Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacy.
Really try to go into this one blind and without spoilers because its an intriguing space mystery. Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut on a moon base tasked with maintaining a helium 3 harvesting operation. He is completely alone with his robot companion Gerti (voiced by Kevin Spacy) and at the end of his four year shift, he notices that something is not quite right.
An amazing surreal movie with the unbroken steady pacing of a dream. I love it! Also, one of the greatest movie trailers ever.
Thanks, Jeremy! I just got off work and have been looking for a good flick to watch for the past couple days! Will be watching this tonight!
This movie is super dope, the concept and everything is amazing
Dark City is Awesometacular!! I didn't know there was a Directors Cut. Time for a fresh rewatch.
As for your question about other underrated Sci-Fi films?
The City of Lost Children (1995) {stars: Ron Perlman} It's a story about a scientist trying to steal children's dreams to prevent him from getting old. Only it gets weirder every minute.
Space Truckers (1996) {stars: Stephen Dorf, Dennis Hopper} Think (loosely) Guardians of the Galaxy, but make it B rated. A space trucker and his cute fiancée are on their way from a space station to Earth with an unknown cargo. When space pirates hijack them
John Carpenter's Dark Star (1974) {stars: Dan O' Bannon (would eventually go on to write for *Star Beast* aka Alien 1979 and Aliens 1986)}
What began as a 45-minute USC student film was gradually expanded to feature-length, and subsequently received a limited theatrical release in 1975.
Synopsis: the movie follows the small crew of the starship Dark Star. Set 20 years into their mission to destroy unstable planets that pose a threat to humanity’s quest to conquer the galaxy. Dire technical malfunctions and humor/existential crises run rampant.
Just to name a few...
This is one of my favourite movies of all time, and I consider it to be one of the greatest sci-fi films, as well as one of the greatest films noirs. Simply brilliant.
Ngl, when I saw the thumbnail I was like how has Jeremy not seen this movie yet. Whew. Glad you still (re)posted the review despite the mandela effect.
One of my favorites for ages. I actually pulled it out to watch this Halloween. I don't know if you've ever covered it, or your audience would enjoy a look at it, but one movie that is Highly underappreciated is The Black Hole from 1979. So many moments of brilliance in that movie, sadly kind of buried in prejudice against the ending and it's pace.
I'm on the fence on whether I should watch this movie, thanks for the spoiler free review❤
Give it a watch, it's pretty interesting.
@@bigkmoviesandgamesI think I will. Thanks!
Thank you for this recommendation! Watched it last night. What a great, great film! I’m happy you made me aware to skip the intro (couldn’t find the director’s cut). I wasn’t aware this movie existed and it is truly a gem.
That theatrical trailer and the song it uses, Sleep, is perfect. It's what made me see this movie in the theatre when it was released. The studio's insistence of having a voice over is like having a mystery movie where the mystery is revealed before the movie even begins. It makes you think studio heads wear mittens in the summer.
The Matrix (which still holds the title of my favorite movie) borrowed a lot from Dark City, quite literally as some of the footage of buildings shot in Australia for Dark City were in fact, used in the Matrix as well.
Did it? I always wondered since they were only a year apart. Undeniably similar though
Completely agree with your review. I loved that movie like I love the matrix. I remember having due to these movies countless conversations with friends and as you mentioned questioning who we are? Fewer movies in the last decade then in those times had the power to do that and I believe inspire others to make as good movies:
Omg yes a Dark City review! Better very late than never, seriously. You rock, thank you!
You had me at this will a spoiler free review, Dark City is one of the most unique films I've ever seen. Holds up pretty good today too.
It’s one of the best movies ever made, no matter how many times I watch it I always enjoy it, even knowing the ending it’s just a crazy movie.
Dark City is a classic.
Great review! I'd forgotten about this movie. I think my grown son would really like it so I'll be sure to tell him to watch the director's cut.
I would enjoy seeing more reviews by you of older movies since there are so many good ones & it's difficult to get people to watch older movies for some reason. Maybe you could do a series with "Classics" or a similar word in title to make it easier to find older movies you end up reviewing.
I remember watching this movie on TV around that time, and never ever seeing it again, anywhere, so it's great that you made this review, because this movie definitely is a intriguing and a must watch.
My father had Dark City on Vhs and I will never forget the first time I saw it. Truly scary, but also amazing. Can't believe it took you nearly 25 years to see the film. 😂
I think he saw it ages ago, he just thought he'd reviewed it already. Turns out it was a false memory inserted by the Strangers.
This was a great movie.
Never knew of this movie until you did this review a few months ago. Finally got to watch it. Holy crap im so glad you didn’t spoil anything.
Thanks again for your hard work!
Commenting before I watch. Thank you for digging this one up. Dark City is one of those unsung amazing movies, and holds the greatest hidden gem track ever created in Sleep Now.
Man, Alex Proyas was one of those directors who went from being this visually inspired trailblazer to overdependent on CGI bloat and bitterness toward audiences who aren't receptive to that. The decline began with I, Robot. But then he gets to Gods Of Egypt, and you can't even believe it's the same guy who made The Crow and Dark City. You start to wonder what the hell happened to him.
I actually thought Knowing was a decent film that didn’t rely on CGI like the others. I’m FB friends with him. He comes across as a very grumpy and bitter guy who hates the Hollywood system because it ended up rejecting him. It’s even more ironic with the amount of shit he talks about comic book movies. Anyway, he’s making totally independent stuff now like short films, including one that took place in the Dark City universe.
What happened? He probably needed the paycheck!
And I’m a contrarian: I think _Gods of Egypt_ is a pretty good movie! It’s no _Dark City,_ but hey, even Orson Wells didn’t hit it out of the park every time at bat…just a lot…
Lack of Dariusz Wolski doesn't help.
@@angusmacfrankenstein7227 Gods of Egypt is great at what it intends to be. A throwback visual feast. They just pulled an Icarus with the amount of CGI. (Still gets the point across so it doesn’t bother me)
There is a level of film that is not a classic, but just a damn good film. Solid acting, well constructed, four on the floor filmmaking. One film that gets overlooked a lot, especially since it is the sequel to arguably the best sci-fi movie ever made is 2010, the Year we make Contact. Amazing cast, great story, solid direction. Main downfall is that it's not super action driven but that's really a matter of personal taste. It's rarely talked about these days but it was absolutely an A tier movie. If you enjoyed Sunshine, I'd say give it a watch.
The only thing I dislike about that movie is the 10 minute spacewalk with John Lithgow breathing heavily into the mic for the whole duration. If they lowered his hyperventilating by like -10dB, it'd be manageable, but it's a bit grating and unfortunately makes a GREAT scene with Jon Lithgow and Elya Baskin a little annoying.
I thought you were the one who got me to watch dark city with your review. This is so in your wheelhouse and I just gave it to you.
One of the greatest films I’ve ever seen and the only one I remember actually getting angry with a friend for not liking it or getting it. I mean, REALLY?!? How could you NOT appreciate this?!? Still totally bewildered by that person’s take.
Amazing film, I love it. One of my all time favourites and I recommend it to everyone I can!!
I misread the title of the video as "dark titty" and now I'm slightly disappointed but I'll still watch though.
Cheers for this reminder, Jeremy. Haven't seen this since I don't know when, but I just watched all the Crow movies again in reverse order and I'm very keen for some more Proyas gold.
I think Equilibrium is a movie that doesn't get talked about enough. It's my absolute favorite Christian Bale movie and deserves so much more recognition then it gets!
Edge of Tomorrow is one of those underrated movies that deserves a sequel 😢
Dark City had been my best underrated movie of all time. Thanks for covering this one.
Weird, I thought you had a Dark City review up years ago, too. Lol
One of the greatest trailers and reveals in movie history, imo.🤘
Omg! Dude, we definitely need a Brotherhood of the Wolf review!
i saw the title and was like, "did they remake dark city?". appreciate this.
I keep missing this, should've watched it years ago, thanks for the reminder! Love the more alternative-sci-fi too, like Moon, Ex Machina, Gattaca etc.
I saw Dark City some 7 years ago but now, after this review, I have to see it again.
Great review Mate!! It's like a really good 100 minute or so "Twilight Zone" episode! (In the best way imaginable!!) Plus Keefer??? Comon....
So happy you're giving this movie some love. It's sooo good. I watch this one at least once every year or two... never gets old.
Still one of my top favourites. Excellent review.
I saw Dark City in the cinema with the opening monologue and I'm surprised that people say it spoils the film. I was still blown away by the reveals. The monologue sets the scene and establishes a sci-fi element, but none of the major reveals are spoiled. You still don't know where they are, what they're doing, why it's dark or who anyone is.- and these are the main mysteries driving the film. I can understand why the studio felt mainstream audiences might be lost without some sort of exposition anchor - there's a LOT going on in a very short film.
Never seen this movie but I've always been meaning to. I know what I'm doing on my day off tomorrow! Thanks Jeremy. I love when you review the classics.
Hey, J! I know it's a bit "niche" , and westerns might not be a giant part of your library, but I'd just like to toss out "Seraphim Falls" as a truly under-appreciated flick.
Keifer’s performance is the best Peter Lorre impression I’ve ever seen!
One of the first pay for view movies I saw advertised over and over so much I finally rented it, and wow blown away, thanks Jeremy
great review. I also enjoyed it the first time i saw it back when it came out. That trailer made the movie so intriguing to watch. A great movie that lately has been receiving the praise it deserves.
I've actually been eyeballing this film for awhile. Now that it's got your seal of approval, I think I'll give this a watch. Noir scifi, eh? I dig it! Plus Jennifer Connelly is just so...need I say more?
Love your style of delivery, probably the most entertaining reviewer out there, and Dark City is a fantastic film I own the directors cut👍
Thanks for this review and for keeping it spoiler free! I'm definitely intrigued and going to watch it now. There's something so cool about the style, as if it's from some electronic dance (EDM) or trance music video.
Having never watched this movie before, I appreciate the spoiler free review. Thank you for that! You also did entice me to want to watch this movie! Checking all the boxes on this one, Jeremy ✅
I love this movie so much! Ever since seeing it in theaters, I've always owned a copy to enjoy at my leisure. Thanks for reviewing!
Gattica (1997), Equilibrium (2002) and Predestination (2014) are always forgotten!
Another newer one is Oxygen from 2021, which is incredibly underrated. I was at the edge of my seat until the very end, highly recommend watching it!
I've been waiting for your review of this since I saw this movie in 2010.
One of my favorite all time movies. Great review.
Top marks for Richard Obrien mention. Rocky Horror Show and this are his best works for me...he is mainly known in UK as a gameshow host (Crystal Maze) which he was crazy in too.
One of my favorite movies of the 90s.
More classic movies please. Been a subscriber for a while and haven't really seen older movies on here but in lew of the Hollywood draught (that, let's be honest, started before the strike) this is fun.
Never watched nor even heard of this movie before but you've sold me on it, sounds really cool!
Dark City has been in my top movies list since the first time I saw it.
Couldn't agree more with your "go in blind" advice too. I love a great mystery movie or one with a killer twist at the end which allows you to rewatch the movie and have a totally different experience with it now you are armed with knowledge you didn't have before (The Usual Suspects immediately springs to mind).