Art House and Indie Films

Honestly, I’ve grown quite tired of all the Hollywood garbage.

I think I might be in the mood to watch some alternative cinema tonight.

The only issue is that I’m completely out of the loop. I have no idea what’s even out there, let alone whether it’s actually any good.

What would you recommend from this selection of independent films, or perhaps something more along the lines of art house cinema?

I’ve been watching Dogville, Dead Man, and Run Lola Run lately... what else would you recommend that follows a similar path?

Manderlay, definitely more intriguing to me than Dogville!
And the whole body of work from Tom Tykwer—plus Jarmusch...

Nicholas Walker3 said:Manderlay, definitely more intriguing to me than Dogville!
And the whole body of work from Tom Tykwer—plus Jarmusch...

Well, I suppose I have seen some of Tom Tykwer's films (though they can be quite depressing, I guess). You have reminded me that I should probably look for "Antichrist." 😉

Aside from "Ghost Dog" and "Dead Man," which Jarmuschian film would you suggest as the best one?

Dead Man is my absolute favorite—but you’ve already seen that one... maybe give Down by Law a shot instead!
instead of Tom Tykwer's Element of Crime or things set in Europe!

Down by Law is definitely the best Jarmusch flick, though Night on Earth is a pretty slick omnibus, and Broken Flowers is actually solid too. You should give some Aki Kaurismäki a shot (Ariel, Leningrad Cowboys Go America where Jarmusch plays a part, The Man Who Hired a Hitman, or La Vie de Boheme)—one of those will definitely hit the spot for you 😬
As far as artsy films that aren't just pretentious nonsense, I'd recommend Chaos and Good Morning Babylon by the Taviani brothers; I'm a huge fan of their style. Babylon is their standout, while Chaos feels a bit more "art house"—Pirandello worked on the script, if that matters to you at all.

@Emily Thomas3, what did you think of those Cowboys movies (both of them)?

* بالنسبة لـ America* is such a great flick—honestly, it’s just this silly slapstick comedy packed with super clever bits. You've got Jim Jarmusch playing a car salesman, that guy munching on sandwiches while everyone else survives on onions, the whole revolution thing, the guitarist thawing out, Lincoln, the cousin who fell into a golf course current, and those ridiculous songs. *America* could easily hold its own against the Monty Python crew or any other legends of that kind of humor. I watched *Moises* once a long time ago, but I barely remember anything about it 🤷

stupid songs 😠

It’s a shame Moises isn't playing at that level—but hey, America is still one of a kind anyway...

Emily Thomas3 said:* بالنسبة لـ America* is such a great flick—honestly, it’s just this silly slapstick comedy packed with super clever bits. You've got Jim Jarmusch playing a car salesman, that guy munching on sandwiches while everyone else survives on onions, the whole revolution thing, the guitarist thawing out, Lincoln, the cousin who fell into a golf course current, and those ridiculous songs. *America* could easily hold its own against the Monty Python crew or any other legends of that kind of humor. I watched *Moises* once a long time ago, but I barely remember anything about it 🤷

At its core, it's really a road movie. I watched it ages ago, but I never really thought of it as slapstick. I would have expected more friction between the characters. To me, it feels more like situational humor. Just think back to that jail scene where the number slowly ticks up, or them looking at photos of what they miss most...

Absolutely essential Pink Flamingos, along with all the films by Bele Tarar, Andrei Tarkovsky, Taxidermia, and those by the same director, G. Palfi Hukkle or The Hiccup🤣 (where not a single word is spoken throughout the entire movie, so you won't even need subtitles
).

Ryan Wood98 said:Honestly, I’ve grown quite tired of all the Hollywood garbage.

I think I might be in the mood to watch some alternative cinema tonight.

The only issue is that I’m completely out of the loop. I have no idea what’s even out there, let alone whether it’s actually any good.

What would you recommend from this selection of independent films, or perhaps something more along the lines of art house cinema?

I’ve been watching Dogville, Dead Man, and Run Lola Run lately... what else would you recommend that follows a similar path?

If you're fed up with all that Hollywood crap, my top recommendation is to check out some Asian cinema. You should definitely give it a look. Maybe they aren't all art, but that’s just a subjective thing, I guess. Blah blah blah.:

The Vengeance trilogy. Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook (2002)
Oldboy (2003)
Oldboy (2005)

All the movies. Wong Kar-waiMaybe a recommendation?
Dung che sai Duk (1994)
Chung Hing (1994)
Fa Yeung Nin Wa (2000)

Movies. Kim Ki-dukMaybe a recommendation?
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring. (2003)
Bin-jip (2004)

Movies. Yoji YamadaMaybe some recommendations?
Tasogare Seibei (2002)
Kakushi ken oni no tsume (2004)

Movies. Takeshi MiikeMaybe a recommendation:
China's superman (1998)
Ôdishon (1999)
Bijitâ Q (2001)
Koroshiya 1 (2001)

Something from... Shion Sono:
Suicide Circle (2001)
Kimyo (2005)

From the more recent ones. Don't even think about it. Let the Right One In
Hongryeon (2003)
Mou gaan dou (2002)
.
.
.

There’s way more than this, and I’ve barely even scratched the surface. Most of them are solid alternatives too—mostly that pretentious European art house stuff or just a million classics depending on where they're set. Here’s the list, so go ahead and enjoy. I guess there isn't much to say about this. Just clicking through.)

David Price5 said:At its core, it's really a road movie. I watched it ages ago, but I never really thought of it as slapstick. I would have expected more friction between the characters. To me, it feels more like situational humor. Just think back to that jail scene where the number slowly ticks up, or them looking at photos of what they miss most...

See, it always gave me Woody Allen vibes, but it’s been at least 8 years since I last sat down with it, so maybe my memory is fuzzy even though I remember parts clearly. But yeah, you're spot on—it's definitely a road movie.

Naked Lunch

Based on the novel Gol ručak by William S. Burroughs. imdb link

I forgot one more gem:

Salinui chueok (2003)

edit:
and this one too:
Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo (2004)

You aren't the only one constantly recommending Asian cinema! :-)

Battle of Wits
The Chaser
The Show Must Go On
Dirty Carnival
The Protégé
The Customer Is Always Right
Dog Bite Dog
Save the Green Planet!
The Quiet Family

Joint Security Area
Blood Rain
Paradise Murdered
Welcome to Dongmakgol (2005)
Citizen Dog
It’s a whole different game now that there's more indie representation available, even by international standards.

Nicholas Walker3 said:Manderlay, definitely more intriguing to me than Dogville!
And the whole body of work from Tom Tykwer—plus Jarmusch...

Tonight I actually sat down and watched "Antichrist," and I can't help but feel that Tom Tykwer might just be a twisted sadist.

I recommended two films by Tom Tykwer to you—they don't have anything to do with sadism at all...

hiddenhound3 said:Naked Lunch

Based on the novel Gol ručak by William S. Burroughs. imdb link

🙏

Actually, something just popped into my head—something I was actually mentioning here on the forum recently...
Roeg's take on The Man Who Fell to Earth—just such a trip. 👍

If you’re looking to undergo a condensed educational program—essentially a crash course in the history of American independent cinema—you should definitely start by picking up a quintessential first American indie film. Cassavetesian Shadow, then the earliest lines. Steven Soderbergh Caged Heat, Crazy Mama, Handle with Care—I love your work. Brian De Palma Greetings, Hi Mom, as if they were absolutely essential. John Waters I'm here. Ready when you are. Abel Ferrara.

If you aren't feeling that particular direction, there’s plenty of ammunition to be found in the offbeat corners of 1980s and 1990s Hollywood—since you've already sat through Dead Man, you might want to look into... Jim Jarmusch Pick up copies of Stranger Than Paradise and Down by Law.

How the author is. Hal Hartley Like *Simple Men* or *Amaterasu*. John Sayles Any movie at all. No. Gus Van Sant Back in my younger days, it wasn't half bad—kind of like watching My Private Idaho.
Od Tarantinoesque One must distinguish between the generations. Tom DiCillo If you want to truly experience the essence of indie filmmaking, you have to watch both Living in Oblivion and In the Soup. They capture that specific, frantic energy of the industry like nothing else. Alex RockwellThe Trader Kevin SmithKilling Zoe Roger Avary...

Happiness Todd Solondz Zlatan Baršun Todd Haynes...

I'm not exactly a huge fan, but you should take a look at Gummo. Harmony Korine Larry Clark's Kids remains a visceral, uncomfortable piece of cinema that refuses to look away from the raw edges of youth. Larry ClarkaPerhaps you might find these interesting...

I neglected to mention that perhaps the only true contemporary "indies" in the fullest sense of the word are— David Lynch I'm here. What's on your mind? Terrence Malick But they belong in a league of their own, and given your taste, you’ve likely already encountered their filmography.

When it comes to independent filmmakers outside of the Hollywood machine, I always find myself recommending... Aki Kaurismäki, Mike Leigh, Alexa Coxa, Atom Egoyan And don't forget The Piano. Jane Campion.

I hope this was helpful; I certainly endeavored to be thorough.

P.S. Since redefine recommended those Asian titles, I figured there was no point in repeating myself.

Since I've never really dug deep into what people actually call "art" films—whatever that even means these days 😉—I decided to spend some time today hunting for a few titles just to see how many I’ve already sat through...
So, here’s a handful of recommendations (some were mentioned earlier, so I won't repeat them):
Twin Peaks, that series...
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
I'm Not There
Oldboy
And basically, things like M. Drive, The Elephant Man, Velvet Goldmine, Lost Highway, and Eraserhead too...
Russian Ark
Memento
Kieslowski and his Three Colors trilogy
Man from London
Pi
Barton Fink
Fanny and Alexander
Taxi Driver 😲
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Days of Heaven
RAN
Rashomon
Seven Samurai
Kaidan
Au Hasard Balthazar
Ugetsu
And here are a few more "indie" flicks (even if they aren't strictly indie, they're still worth a watch):
Easy Rider
Midnight Cowboy
Dog Day Afternoon