Indie film recommendations?

My bad to the mods if I'm accidentally double-posting here, just couldn't find a thread for this...

Anyway, anyone got some recommendations? Like, anything good?
What's actually worth sitting down for?

none 😉

Not a single one. 🙂

Whatever. Just wondering if you guys actually know what an indie film even is. Anyway, here’s a list of some of the heavy hitters—the most famous indie flicks out there. See if any of them make you roll your eyes...

1. 8.9 Pulp Fiction (1994) 286,631
2. 8.8 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 144,209
3. 8.7 The Usual Suspects (1995) 196,034
4. 8.7 Psycho (1960) 102,015
5. 8.6 Dr. Strangelove (1964) 117,832
6. 8.6 The Usual Suspects (1983) 727
7. 8.6 Memento (2000) 186,734
8. 8.5 Se7en (1995) 189,599
9. 8.5 Apocalypse Now (1979) 126,551
10. 8.5 American Beauty (1999) 213,460
11. 8.5 Léon (1994) 130,768
12. 8.5 American History X (1998) 148,714
13. 8.5 To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 59,792
14. 8.4 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 147,516
15. 8.4 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 117,388
16. 8.4 Requiem for a Dream (2000) 122,994
17. 8.4 Reservoir Dogs (1992) 148,894
18. 8.3 Hotel Rwanda (2004) 59,163
19. 8.3 Amadeus (1984) 69,916
20. 8.3 Wet Afternoon (1964) 1,250
21. 8.2 Fargo (1996) 120,580
22. 8.2 Donnie Darko (2001) 143,912
23. 8.2 The Message (1976) 3,607
24. 8.2 Kill Bill (2003) 160,480
25. 8.2 Platoon (1986) 76,807
26. 8.1 Various US Films (2000) 40,992
27. 8.1 The Graduate (1967) 55,617
28. 8.1 The Big Lebowski (1998) 119,176
29. 8.1 Various US Films (2003) 7,635
30. 8.1 A Man for All Seasons (1966) 9,311
31. 8.1 Crash (2004/I) 120,125
32. 8.1 Trainspotting (1996) 105,314
33. 8.1 Hercules (1993) 544
34. 8.0 Little Miss Sunshine (2006) 96,407
35. 8.0 The Terminator (1984) 120,066
36. 8.0 Various US Films (1960) 13,498
37. 8.0 Various US Films (1965) 1,233
38. 8.0 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) 81,505
39. 8.0 The Man from Earth (2007) 14,483
40. 8.0 Once (2006) 18,038
41. 8.0 Punishment Park (1971) 1,280
42. 8.0 Juno (2007) 92,704
43. 8.0 Magnolia (1999) 90,813
44. 8.0 The Lion in Winter (1968) 10,104
45. 8.0 Dead Man's Shoes (2004) 9,955
46. 8.0 Sling Blade (1996) 34,214
47. 8.0 Fitzcarraldo (1982) 6,096
48. 8.0 Before Sunset (2004) 32,369
49. 8.0 Repulsion (1965) 7,894
50. 8.0 The Straight Story (1999)

Indeed, it is an undeniable truth that Juno is quite a mediocre film.
Could you perhaps provide the link where you sourced this information?

Alright, so apparently
Juno
is sitting pretty in the top 50... http://www.imdb.com/chart/independent

reddriver17 said:It appears here that Juno has been ranked among the top fifty films.

A curated selection of independent cinema, presented via IMDb's rankings.

I find myself entirely indifferent toward Juno; it’s quite mediocre. 🤷

Man, you're out of your mind! But I don't get why you're claiming every single indie flick is garbage!
I mean, "indie" is such a massive, vague label. It's like saying everyone filming on a Hollywood lot is bad...
Doesn't make any sense...

First off, I never actually said that, and secondly, I’ve been messing with you the whole time 😉
. To be perfectly serious, I find the idea of compiling a list of films based solely on the fact that they weren't produced in Hollywood studios to be rather absurd. Honestly, what could >, >, and > possibly have in common besides that one technicality? It seems as though someone simply invents a trendy new label for such collections just to create an entirely new category. That explains the sarcasm in my initial post 😉
.

Your sarcasm is pretty damn well hidden! 😁

I'm not making a list based on that... I just dropped the list now because you aren't the first person to claim indie films are garbage. I figured maybe people didn't actually get what "indie" means, so I thought I'd show some real examples. It's not about making a list, it's just harder to shut up when a solid indie film comes along... unlike some massive blockbuster. You feel me?

I'm just looking for recommendations for decent movies that don't rely on massive ad campaigns or A-list actors suddenly playing star-crossed lovers just because they're in the same scene... or some nonsense where someone's obsessed with the cut of a dress... you know what I mean???

reddriver17 said:Your sarcasm is incredibly well-disguised! 😁

I’m not compiling a definitive list here... I shared it now because you aren't the first person to claim that indie films are garbage. I figured perhaps some people simply don't grasp what "indie" actually means, so I wanted to provide some representative examples. My intention isn't to curate a massive catalog; it's just that it is significantly harder to stay quiet when a genuinely great indie film comes along compared to when a massive blockbuster drops. You follow me?

All I want are recommendations for quality cinema that doesn't rely on heavy marketing or star-studded casts where famous actors suddenly pretend to be in love just for the role—or movies where someone spends more time obsessing over the lace on a dress than the plot... do you see my point?

Check out Doorman and Amarcord; those are the first ones that come to mind for me. 😉
edit: I wasn't suggesting that making such a list is foolish, rather I was referring to the individual from the link you provided. People claim indie films suck because the term has been stripped of its actual meaning; nowadays, it doesn't signify an independent production, but rather fluff like > and similar nonsense. And it's not just about movies; even today, you see > being marketed as the ultimate indie band, if you catch my drift...

I get it!😁

But honestly, that term is such a massive stretch, and I just see it for what it actually is. "Indie"? Please. You can't call Coldplay or Kooksi indie when Coldplay is signed to a giant like EMI... It just doesn't work like that. I guess nowadays "indie" just means anything that sounds vaguely like Britpop...

Thanks for the suggestions, really, but regardless of all that, I still think Juno is a solid movie. Though I know guys get this weird idea that they're gonna be hitting it early if they watch it, and then they watch it and... well...

reddriver17 said:My apologies to the moderators if I'm starting a thread that already exists; I just couldn't seem to find it.

Anyway, does anyone have any recommendations?
Which ones are actually worth watching?

Brick

Alright, let's kick things off with a few personal favorites of mine:

Various US Films
Various US Films
Various US Films
Various US Films
Various US Films
Various US Films
Various US Films
Various US Films
Flickering Lights

Though, honestly, I feel like this thread is trying to swallow way too much at once—it might actually make it harder for you to track down movies you actually want to watch ☕

reddriver17 said:Good grief. I have to wonder if you actually know what defines an indie film. These are some of the most famous ones—the heavy hitters—so see if any of these bother you.

1. 8.9 Pulp Fiction (1994) 286,631
2. 8.8 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 144,209
3. 8.7 The Usual Suspects (1995) 196,034
4. 8.7 Psycho (1960) 102,015
5. 8.6 Dr. Strangelove (1964) 117,832
6. 8.6 The Usual Suspects (1983) 727
7. 8.6 Memento (2000) 186,734
8. 8.5 Se7en (1995) 189,599
9. 8.5 Apocalypse Now (1979) 126,551
10. 8.5 American Beauty (1999) 213,460
11. 8.5 Léon (1994) 130,768
12. 8.5 American History X (1998) 148,714
13. 8.5 To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 59,792
14. 8.4 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) 147,516
15. 8.4 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 117,388
16. 8.4 Requiem for a Dream (2000) 122,994
17. 8.4 Reservoir Dogs (1992) 148,894
18. 8.3 Hotel Rwanda (2004) 59,163
19. 8.3 Amadeus (1984) 69,916
20. 8.3 Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964) 1,250
21. 8.2 Fargo (1996) 120,580
22. 8.2 Donnie Darko (2001) 143,912
23. 8.2 The Message (1976) 3,607
24. 8.2 Kill Bill (2003) 160,480
25. 8.2 Platoon (1986) 76,807
26. 8.1 Amores perros (2000) 40,992
27. 8.1 The Graduate (1967) 55,617
28. 8.1 The Big Lebowski (1998) 119,176
29. 8.1 Vozvrashcheniye (2003) 7,635
30. 8.1 A Man for All Seasons (1966) 9,311
31. 8.1 Crash (2004/I) 120,125
32. 8.1 Trainspotting (1996) 105,314
33. 8.1 Hercules (1993) 544
34. 8.0 Little Miss Sunshine (2006) 96,407
35. 8.0 The Terminator (1984) 120,066
36. 8.0 À bout de souffle (1960) 13,498
37. 8.0 Campanadas a medianoche (1965) 1,233
38. 8.0 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) 81,505
39. 8.0 The Man from Earth (2007) 14,483
40. 8.0 Once (2006) 18,038
41. 8.0 Punishment Park (1971) 1,280
42. 8.0 Juno (2007) 92,704
43. 8.0 Magnolia (1999) 90,813
44. 8.0 The Lion in Winter (1968) 10,104
45. 8.0 Dead Man's Shoes (2004) 9,955
46. 8.0 Sling Blade (1996) 34,214
47. 8.0 Fitzcarraldo (1982) 6,096
48. 8.0 Before Sunset (2004) 32,369
49. 8.0 Repulsion (1965) 7,894
50. 8.0 The Straight Story (1999)

Good Lord, if you honestly think 90% of the movies on this list qualify as "indie," then please, do us all a favor and reconsider why you're even breathing our oxygen.

Calling American Beauty an indie film... That's just absurd.
And Apocalypse Now is indie? I'm pretty sure Coppola would have something to say about that.

It's like me claiming Planet 9 is a cinematic masterpiece.

redowl90 said:It would be just like me declaring Planet 9 a cinematic masterpiece.

Isn't it?

Are those films considered indie? I always find myself wondering about that while watching.

An independent film—or an indie, as we often call them—is simply a production created outside of the major Hollywood studio system. I remember catching a small screening in a tiny theater in Austin back in the day, and the energy was just incomparable.

They probably fit. It’s a bit of a stretch to lump Apocalypse Now in with Donnie Darko, I'll admit, but we aren't the ones who get to define what "indie" actually means.

Hollywood

redowl90 said:Jesus Christ, if you actually think 90% of the movies on this list count as "indie," then please, do us all a favor and rethink why you're even breathing oxygen on this planet.

Calling American Beauty an indie film... That's just tragic.
Apocalypse Now is indie? Yeah, I'm sure Coppola would love to hear that take.

It’s like me claiming Planet Nine is some cinematic masterpiece.

Oh, my bad. Totally forgot that when someone defines a term, you're suddenly the ultimate authority we should all consult. It just slipped my mind... My deepest apologies, truly!

IMDb lists these under indie, but you should probably reach out to them immediately and let them know they're clueless and should just ask you instead. What idiots...

I get it, Juno is the poster child for indie now, along with Rocket science and those general low-budget flicks with big, deep messages. I'm just looking for recommendations, no need to come at me.
And Plan 9 is a classic... you could probably learn more about filmmaking from that than anything else out there.

reddriver17 said:Plan 9 is a cinematic classic

Exactly. A classic. That’s what I was looking for.
Look, if we're talking classics... then Dr. Strangelove, To Kill a Mockingbird, Apocalypse Now, and more than 60% of the movies on that list fall into the same category.
Calling them just "indies"...

And Juno is actually a GREAT movie. I honestly have no idea what you guys are talking about, and I’ll never quite get people who bash films like that—movies that are genuinely upbeat, optimistic, have no villain, and just tell a simple life story in a slightly quirky way. It’s like how I’ll never understand people who skip the quarterfinals (or any major game) involving the US National Soccer Team, even if they absolutely loathe the sport. Those games are probably some of the few highlights we get in this country, yet some people still find a way to complain about them... Anyway, I'm getting carried away with things that don't belong in this thread.

redowl90 said:Exactly. A total cinematic classic. That was my intention.
Well, look... That same "classic" category includes Dr. Strangelove, Above the Coward's Nest, Apocalypse Now, and over 60% of the movies on that list...
Calling them indies is a stretch...

But if they weren't produced by those major studios, then they qualify as independent (indie). Simple as that..