It might be that those who seek out Wim Wenders’ lesser-known films are already predisposed to enjoy them. But whatever the reason, his 1982 drama The State of Things (Der Stand der Dinge) meets the requirements for our list of Neglected Gems: few rankings, but nearly unanimous approval.

The movie focuses on that blessed, indispensable group of people who so often capture the attention of filmmakers: filmmakers. Here, it’s a German crew on location in Portugal, working on a remake of Roger Corman’s The Day The World Ended. The producer of the remake mysteriously goes missing and as the search for him goes on, we are enthralled witnesses to the boredom and philosophical musings of the crew. Action alternates between Lisbon and LA.

If you’d like to read a more nuanced critique of the film (written by someone who, ahem, has actually seen it), check out this article at DVD Times.