The 15 Best Deep-Cut Movies Coming Back to Theaters Soon

At some point, we’ve all had the same thought. We’re watching a movie either at home, on a plane, or at a friend’s, and we think, “I wish I had seen this in a theater.” Sometimes, we missed it because the movie came out years before our time. Other times, it’s because it wasn’t fully appreciated upon release. But we all have those titles we’d give anything to go back and see in a theater, which is what Regal is making possible starting this week. The theater chain just announced a new series called “Deep Cuts” featuring films that “deserve a second look from moviegoers in a theatrical environment.” Films that, according to Regal, “have developed a devoted following away from the big screen.” It’s a wild, wild list, including a few all-time classics, some serious deep cuts, lots of underappreciated gems, and even some hilarious wild cards. You can see the full list below (and at this link, along with tickets), but first, here are 15 that we’d very easily put down some cash to see, and think you should, too. Park Chan-Wook’s Oldboy. © Neon Oldboy (November 1) A film so famous, so fucked up, and so fantastic that Spike Lee remade it with Josh Brolin just 10 years after its initial release. The original, which Regal is screening, is from director Park Chan-wook, who continues to make incredible movies like Decision to Leave and No Other Choice. Oldboy, however, follows a man who is mysteriously imprisoned for 15 years and seeks revenge upon release. But that’s just the start of the madness. Oh, and you can ignore that Lee remake. It’s bad. Under the Skin (November 6) These days, we generally think of Scarlett Johansson as a blockbuster superstar, and rightfully so. Her films have made billions. Which, thankfully, afforded her the ability to do this dark, disturbing, but beautiful sci-fi film from director Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest). In it, Johansson plays an alien who makes her way through some harrowing human experiences. It’s a tough watch, but a very rewarding one. Zathura (November 6) Imagine if Jumanji was set in space and directed by Jon Favreau. Well, you don’t have to imagine. That film exists, and it’s called Zathura. Like Jumanji, it too is based on a book by Chris Van Allsburg (and some people even tangentially consider it to be part of that cinematic universe), but we think Zathura is even better than its more famous counterpart. Favreau delivers the type of whimsy and adventure he’d later bring to Marvel and Star Wars, and let’s face it: space is just cooler than the jungle. Bound (November 11) Before they brought us to incredible sci-fi worlds with The Matrix franchise, Cloud Atlas, and more, the Wachowskis rose to fame with this smart, sexy 1996 thriller. Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon star as budding lovers who conspire to steal millions from the mafia. And while it sounds simple, it’s as layered, powerful, and entertaining as everything the Wachowskis would do later. Repo Man (November 17) Alex Cox’s 1984 punk, sci-fi film Repo Man is perfectly of its time. It’s a film that very, very few people saw in the theaters but, in the era of VHS, eventually became one of those movies film fans watched again and again because it’s just so delightfully inventive. At its most basic, the film follows Emilio Estevez as a kid who finds himself working for a repo company looking for a car that’s hiding some aliens. It’s weird, it’s wacky, it’s wonderful. Buster Keaton in The General. © United Artists The General (November 19) If you actually saw The General in theaters when it came out, congratulations. You might be one of the oldest people on the planet. Buster Keaton’s signature comedy was released in 1926, so yes, it’s celebrating its 100th birthday this year. And yet, when you watch it, it works just as well as a movie that came out this year, and is somehow even more fascinating. Keaton’s performance as a Confederate train engineer in love paints a complex snapshot of the Civil War era, which is then bolstered by the film’s incredible, and hilarious, practical effects (because there were no other options). Truly an all-time classic that very few people get a chance to see in theaters. Vanilla Sky (November 21) Tom Cruise starring in surprising sci-fi movies has been in the news of late, which makes it a perfect time to revisit Vanilla Sky. Directed by Almost Famous helmer Cameron Crowe, this adaptation of a Spanish film features Cruise as a man left with severe facial injuries after an accident. He’s given a new face and, afterwards, begins to see and experience things he shouldn’t, which opens the door to all sorts of shocking things. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (November 22) Of all the Fast and Furious films, Tokyo Drift is my favorite. Is it the best? No. Is it the biggest? Definitely not. But it is the most relatable in that it’s (almost) a wholly separate story about a young kid who goes to a foreign country and gets wrapped up in its culture. Second to maybe only the original, it’s also the Fast and Furious movie that’s most in love with its cars. Plus, it’s the installment that brought Justin Lin into the franchise, which ended up working out well. Just an excellent time from beginning to end. The World’s End (November 23) The final film in Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy tells the story of Gary King (Simon Pegg). Gary is a man who peaked in high school and, years later, rounds up his old friends to relive the glory days by doing a massive bar crawl… which is when the aliens invade. Like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz before it, The World’s End is funny, exciting, and awesome. Where it differs, though, besides its genre, is how its exploration of nostalgia and addiction has become increasingly poignant, making it the perfect ending to an all-timer of a series. Blade II (November 24) Someone out there at some point has definitely said: “I wish Guillermo del Toro would make a Marvel movie.” And that person is in luck because the Oscar-winning director of Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water did just that back in 1998. It’s called Blade II, and it features Wesley Snipes’ vampire-killing anti-hero in an even more kinetic, action-packed sequel. Yes, these guys are actually in a movie together. © Universal Cowboys and Aliens (November 25) Of the nearly three dozen movies Regal is bringing back for its “Deep Cuts” series, we think this one stands alone. Why? Because despite the film’s incredible star power both in front of and behind the camera, we don’t think there’s really a world where it isn’t seen for what it is: a bad movie. But we do understand the desire to potentially perform a historical revision on that. We’ll never quite understand how a sci-fi western starring Han Solo and James Bond, directed by Jon Favreau and co-written by Damon Lindelof, is bad. Surely it has to have some merit, right? Well, you can find out on November 25, if you dare. Howard the Duck (November 26) “Imagine if George Lucas made a Marvel movie.” Well, again, he did. It was after Star Wars, in 1986, and it was called Howard the Duck. Unfortunately for Lucas, who produced the film, Howard the Duck is infamously one of the biggest flops in history and widely considered to be a huge piece of crap. And yet, 40 years after release, there is now plenty of nostalgic camp to it, especially since we’d imagine almost none of you saw it in a theater. So watching the awkwardness of Lea Thompson and a duck falling in love in a full theater will surely be a good time. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (November 27) If nothing else, Gremlins 2: The New Batch is worth seeing just to revel in the fact that everything about its iconic Key and Peele sketch is actually true. Joe Dante’s 1990 sequel to his 1984 hit is completely crazy, and we love it for that. Plus, Warner Bros. is working on another one, so it’s a good time to revisit the world of Mogwai and Gremlins. Addams Family Values (November 27) “They do what they want to do, say what they want to say, live how they want to live, play how they want to play, dance how they wanna dance, kick and they slap a friend: The Addams Family!” Such are the poetic lyrics of the legendary MC Hammer and his song, “Addams Groove,” which was released as part of this 1993 sequel to the 1991 hit film. The fact that Hammer did a song for the film speaks to not just how insanely ’90s this movie is, but how popular the original movie made The Addams Family at the time, necessitating this sequel. We’d imagine watching it in a theater is akin to jumping in a time machine. Waterworld (November 28) In 2026, the idea of studios losing hundreds of millions of dollars on ill-conceived blockbusters is almost par for the course. But for those of us alive in 1995, seeing it happen to this Kevin Costner sci-fi action-adventure felt wholly surprising. The idea of a world covered in water is so cool. Costner was such a big star. And it was, reportedly, the most expensive movie ever at the time. But all the elements (pun intended) never quite came together, and today, the film stands as a monument to a different era of filmmaking. It’s visually extraordinary. The rest of it? Not so much. And, again, that’s less than half the full offerings. Regal is also bringing back Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, the incredible documentary American Movie, Jim Henson’s iconic The Dark Crystal, Ryan Gosling’s awesome Drive, and much more. The full list is below, and tickets are available here. Week 1: (November 1-7) 11/1: Oldboy 11/2: Bait 11/3: The Handmaiden 11/4: Incendies 11/5: This Is England 11/6: Under the Skin Kids programming: Zathura 11/7: Portrait of a Lady on Fire Week 2: (November 8-14) 11/8: Thief 11/9: Seconds 11/10: Blow Out 11/11: Bound 11/12: Smokin’ Aces 11/13: The Devils Kids programming: Rise of the Guardians 11/14: Drive Week 3: (November 15-21) 11/15: After Hours 11/16: American Movie 11/17: Repo Man 11/18: House of the Devil 11/19: The General 11/20: The Hunger Kids programming: The Dark Crystal 11/21: Vanilla Sky Week 4: (November 22-28) 11/22: The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift 11/23: The World’s End 11/24: Blade II 11/25: Cowboys and Aliens 11/26: Howard the Duck 11/27: Gremlins 2: The New Batch Kids programming: Addams Family Values 11/28: Waterworld Week 5: (November 29-30) 11/29: Hoosiers 11/30: Three O’Clock High Want more io9 news? Check out the best movies and TV shows to stream this month and all the upcoming sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books that should be on your radar.