1) V For Vendetta (2005)
This is the second time a movie based on an Alan Moore title has appeared on this list, but he really has inspired some fantastic films (even if he himself has dismissed all of them as trash). V for Vendetta isn’t just an overlooked gem – it’s one of the best comic book movies ever made. It’s also a film that continues to resonate within subsequent socio-political climates, especially right now when political tensions have been as furiously divisive as they’ve ever been.
Of course, it’s not a patch on the graphic novel, but to be fair it does a damn fine job of translating it to screen. Thematically, Moore’s text is all about personal liberation and anarchy; disobeying authority and following your own path, the need for chaos to find unity and peace. The film (adapted from a screenplay by the Wachowskis) doesn’t quite capture this, though it does possess its own air of anti-authoritative rebellion. While the movie’s themes don’t fully correspond with Moore’s philosophy – to him V was a symbol, not a leader, whereas in the film he has a more personal agenda – it still does provide some food for thought, while never coming at the expense of good old fashioned action adventure.
V for Vendetta has a top-notch cast, including Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Fry and John Hurt, all of whom are in top form as the film paints a terrifying portrait of a dystopian future culminating in an empowered cathartic release if you like the idea of corrupt societal institutions being blown to smithereens. With the current political upheaval taking place, this movie will undoubtedly continue to appeal to those harboring similar fantasies.