27 Of The Best Indie Movies Of All Time
Spend time on almost any Hollywood star's IMDB page and somewhere on their resume you'll a stand-out independent film (indie, from here on out, because that’s what the film-school kids in berets call them). This is probably because indies are sacred and fertile ground for creativity, free from the pressures of big budgets and studio meddling, where the careers of Brie Larsons are born, where Robert Pattinson-level stars go to experiment, where the narratives of Spike Lees and Jon Favreaus percolate.
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Indies have been around for as long as filmmaking has been around – an independent film is essentially any movie without one of the big studios backing it, which includes everything from Charlie Chaplin's first rebellions against the studio system, up to the blaxploitation films of the early Seventies.
But even though there have been 'indies' ever since Thomas Edison first monopolised filmmaking technology, the movement was arguably defined in the Nineties, when breakout hits like Pulp Fiction and Sex, Lies and Videotape made household names of their stars and directors. These were creative, challenging films that ne
The indie movie scene has been steadily growing in popularity over the last few years. is no exception with a plethora of new independent films hitting theaters and streaming platforms (that we are ranking from best to worst by votes from Ranker users like you). From genre-bending science fiction to heartwarming coming-of-age dramas, there's something for everyone in this year’s lineup of indie films.
These diverse stories will take us on an emotional journey as they explore themes such as love, loss, identity, and family dynamics — all while being brought to life by some of the most talented filmmakers out there today. promises a unique selection of underground films that should not be missed. Vote up all your favorite indie films from this year and be sure to look for the HBO Max, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Paramount+, and Shudder buttons below each film to stream them as soon as they're available.
50 Best Indie Movies Of All Time Ranked
ByChris Hodges
The most basic, most widely agreed-upon definition of "indie movie" is any film made mostly without the help of a major studio. Many of them eventually have a studio sign on for distribution, but that doesn't automatically exclude a movie from being indie. The fact of the matter is that you generally need at least a little nudge from a major movie company if you want the final product to play in theaters or end up on one of the big streaming services.
That being said, as with music, the label of "indie" is sometimes applied to movies based purely on their content, style, or aesthetic. Wes Anderson movies are often described as "indie" even though he's been working well within the big studio system for most of his career — his films just have that quirky feel and that character-driven vibe that are typically associated with indie filmmaking. Things get further complicated when a lot of money is spent on a movie but it's the filmmaker's own money. Mel Gibson largely self-financed "The Passion of the Christ" (per The Hollywood Reporter), so it's technically an indie movie, but it's an indi
The Best Indie Movies of All-Time
Much like Berlin’s infamous nightlife, which serves as the backdrop to the plot, this daring German real-time drama will eat you up and spit you out. After leaving a nightclub at 4am, Victoria, a runaway Spanish girl, befriends a gang of four raucous young men, climbing rooftops and drinking beers among the city’s moon-lit streets. The gang’s light-hearted banter is impressively improvised from a skeleton script, offset by Niels Frahm’s ominous original score.
But what starts out as late-night high jinks swerves into darker territory. Driven by her infatuation with the pack leader Sonne, played by Frederick Lau, Victoria ends up being recruited as a get-away driver for an ill-prepared bank robbery and loses herself in a sinister spiral of events. What sounds like a standard-issue crime drama is, in fact, a staggering cinematic experiment.
Filmed in one take, on location, and in real time, the movie’s production is indeed a gamble, but director Sebastian Schipper more than pulls it off. The claustrophobic camerawork of cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen leaves the viewer feeling like a hapless accomplice to Victoria’s plight. With Laia Cos
Top Best Indie Movies Of All Time
What are the best Indie movies? When the Hollywood film community evolved in the early s, most of the power of film making came into the hand of major film studios. By the end of s the 3 major film studios Warner Bros, Paramount and Walt Disney studios were sharing most profits of film released every year. This set a trend and production code within Hollywood where certain limits were not meant to be crossed by directors and major production houses. The budget of the film, the theme and plot of the film, characters,actors almost every thing was controlled by the production company and director has no control over the film. This formula was successful until s where big budget movies like war movies and musicals were a huge success at box office.
However, by s many directors and film makers considered to step out of the normal trend to overcome the limits and control imposed over them. Small Production companies were established where low budget films were funded and promoted by the film makers. This led to a rise in violence and $ex shown in films. Interestingly such movies were liked and praised by fans as the films shown the raw and brutal fa