Movies that surprised you in a GREAT way

[jlk5844]

Were there ever any movies that you knew little about going in or didn't feel that enthusiastic about, particularly classic movies or less talked about little seen films, but they drew you in and got your attention, and you were thrown off guard at how great a movie it was that you stumbled upon?
I'll start off with a film that I was required to watch as part of a film class earlier this year. The film was In a Lonely Place, with Humphrey Bogart. I thought Casablanca was good and enjoyable, and The Maltese Falcon kind of disappointed me, so it was an uneven track record for me for Mr. Bogart. I did like Bogart, he has that tough guy charm. I still wasn't expecting much from this film. Let me just say, I'm glad I knew next to nothing going in. This is a perfect example of a movie where you should NOT look up the synopsis on imdb or Rotten Tomatoes or anywhere, because it's such a treat to be surprised by even the main plot, something that happens in the first 20 minutes. It piqued my interest and was set up really well, the ambiguity of one subplot made it very interesting, and as it unraveled Bogart really surprised me with a different, darker performance than he usually gives. Also, the movie is quite

[Show spoiler]tragic and the ending is realistic in that sense.

I thought it was powerful and has held up well, and I am eagerly awaiting a blu-ray release for this marvelous film.
Anyone have any stories of their own?