As much as I love indie movies themselves, I really don't understand the term independent movies. It used to define a movie that is made without the help of huge production companies and therefore has low budgets but more freedom of how the movie is produced. It seems like nowadays for a movie to qualify as indie, it has to be edgy, subversive or (god forbid) quirky. As a person who may or may not watch a disproportionate amount of films, and who in general loves a good movie, I find this fails to dignify low budget films and the amazing effort that goes into them.
However,conversely, what I love most about independent films is their unconventionality. Without a group of individuals whose main income comes from the success of a movie, a director can do whatever he or she wants, and personally I love that. Their freedom to just go wild translates so well on screen and personally a movie that is maybe slower paced with less special effects and plot but exhibits this candour and soul really has a place in my heart.
With this in mind, here is a list of 5 indie movies that I love.
The Brothers Bloom
The Brothers Bloom is an amazing movie, one of my favourites, yet not many people have heard of it. It is stylized to actual perfection with AMAZING characters, a clever if convoluted plot and some of the best dialogue that I have ever heard on screen. It is so witty that I like to watch it subtitled (even though it is in English) just so I can memorise its dapper one liners for future use. The story follows two con men brothers and the coolest silent Japanese pyromaniac that I not so secretly want to be. Their target: an eccentric billionaire recluse who is also a ping-pong playing, rapping, chainsaw juggling, epileptic photographer. Things go awry when the fiction of the con becomes too intertwined with fact and the number of people you can trust slims down by the scene. This movie is so full of life and never fails to make me want to just take my passport with me and see where I find myself. Most spy/action films have these (male) spies whose flaws have no detriment to the plot and are only there to make him more relatable. What I love about this movie is that it is so fresh. The characters are so strange yet likeable, and when the plot gets a bit too thick and incomprehensible, it doesn't matter because you have already fallen in love with the movie.
Moonrise Kingdom
To be Wes Anderson must be the dream life. If there was anyone whose mind I wish I could pick through it would be his. I don't know how he can create worlds so exaggerated yet relevant. Of his other movies I also love The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Budapest Hotel, the latter being one of my favourite movies of all time. Moonrise Kingdom however reminds me so much of childhood, innocence, imagination and the desire to be independent. The story follows Sam and Suzy, young kids who fall in love with each other and run away. This leads to different groups of people, including Sam's scout group, unearthing the island they live on in search for them. There are so many things I love about this movie, the most significant being the colours. I feel like Wes Anderson sees the world in a 70's technicolour that reminds me of a mixture of a watercolour and wallpaper.
I also adore Suzy's lukewarm aloof personality. She is a toned down Wednesday Adams, who if was real and became an adult would remind me of the actress Rooney Mara which is never a bad thing. I love Disney but it is refreshing to see a young girl take charge and not have a saccharine personality. The movie is full of idiosyncratic characters like Suzy and it is this that makes the film such a delight.
Lost In Translation
Lost in Translation could basically be a tourist advert for Tokyo. It honestly makes you feel like you are Scarlett Johansson and you are a little lost in your life (basically every twenty something year olds life sans being Scarlett Johansson) Both Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray are amazing as there is little dialogue yet you can sense all the emotion through the subtlety of their presence. The plot is by no means fast paced and there is probably a high chance that you have done more stuff on your holiday than they ever do. However the movie moves along so smoothly with the grungy beauty of Tokyo, the atmospheric soundtrack (listen to this while you meditate and I promise you will levitate) and the cinematography that begs to be on a polaroid will keep you content. Also it has Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray- what's not to like?
Safety Not Guaranteed
It's funny, I had no intention of liking this film as for some reason I only like Audrey Plaza in gif format and the thought of a whole movie of her deadpan gaze would kill me. However this is the most endearing and charming movie of all time. While there is Audrey Plaza and she plays her stereotypical stony "I have better places to be" twenty-something, it works in this film because she stars next to Mark Duplass, who is so fucking adorable. It just works, I don't know what it is. The movie isn't perfect but watch it and tell me it is not captivating.
Short Term 12
Once, on a night where literally Netflix was the most interesting thing to do, I found Short Term 12. It is strange, I had heard nothing about it and this is before Room came out so I knew little about Brie Larson except for her small role in Trainwreck. It just seemed so insignificant, I had never heard of it even though it got rave reviews, at the time I knew no one in it and it was on Netflix, a site that has what I guess you could call a movie of a log burning in a fireplace, so I had little hope. I was so god damn mistaken. Please don't judge movies on anything until you see them because if I had taken the less adventurous route of 21 Jump Street I would have missed this beautiful gem of a movie. The story is beautiful, the acting is so raw and realistic- Brie Larson is just as good in this as in Room- and the subject matter is so meaningful and important. The relation ship between Brie Larson's character Grace and the love interest Mason is so sweet that it will leave you in a puddle. Watch it and feel all the emotions you knew and didn't know you had.
Bonus: Battle in Seattle
I decided to put in a bonus because I couldn't not mention this. This movie is what got me interested in development (along with Angelina Jolie) which is what I am now dedicating my education to- so you can say it has an important meaning to me. I must confess that I am a major documentary buff and even though this is not necessarily a documentary, it is based on a true story and things that are still happening today. Basically it retells the 1999 protests in Seattle where the national guard was used against non violent protesters. The movie is very sensitive and shows all sides of the story, which unfortunately did not take place in real life. In real life the media put heavy blame and accusations against protesters, lumping them together with anarchists and violent members of the general public. However the movie also shows the struggles of the people in charge of safety such as the mayor and the police. This film always make me think of politics and how our society views outsiders or rebels. It begs the question: Is standing up for what you believe in a bad thing for society? How should communities handle protests? Is it a good idea that we leave such huge areas of our life such as economics and trade to an organisation which is so elusive as the WTO?
These are just a few independent movies that I enjoy. Of course I am not dissing big budget films, funnily enough my favourite franchise is Fast and Furious so I wouldn't be saying much. Also with independent movies there are so many out there but it takes just a bit of research.
My favourite site to find out about movies is the much adored IMDB. You can find so much trivia which I love and you can just generally stalk your favourite actors which is not a hobby of mine.
I hope you found something that you think you will enjoy and I hope you have a fantastic day x
