While we all enjoy a Hollywood spectacle, movies loaded with effects, big-name stars, and are designed to have mass-appeal. They allow you to unplug and take in the wow factor that only blockbuster cinema can provide. However, sometimes, you just crave something with a quirky sensibility that’s more character-oriented. You need variety. And, you can find this in the indie world as quirky and off-beat are themes they live by.
There is no doubt that in recent years Netflix has changed our lives, and it also has changed the face of independent cinema. Going back a few years, Netflix executives were known to visit festivals of all sizes and be on the hunt for gems that they can buy and market as Netflix Originals. While that trend has settled, nowadays, the company has changed its approach and it offers indie filmmakers multiple-picture deals, where they get to ply their trade, undisturbed.
Thus, the platform has become a home to great products of indie cinema. Here are a few and who might like them.
1. Win it All (Casino Aficionados)
This was one of the first and most notable films that Netflix co-produced and distributed back in 2017. The movie premiered at South by Southwest and was available for viewing on the platform less than a month later. It’s a Joe Swanberg film, one that was co-written by its star Jake Johnson and tells the story of an avid poker player who’s entrusted with a bag full of money but can’t resist the temptation to play it all.
Today, most people prefer to play table games at online casinos rather than the real thing. These digital equivalents of their land-base counterparts offer so many more options, that there’s simply no comparison. If you have the itch to play, you can easily find a great Indian casino today.
2. Tramps (Quirky Comedy Lovers)
You might have not heard of this simple romantic tale of two young criminals on the run, but it’s one that debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016 and was bought by Netflix for $2 million. It has gone largely unnoticed by casual watchers, but it’s the true embodiment of the indie spirit.
It’s an on-the-road type movie, and it’s written and directed by Adam Leon who made a name for himself with his previous film – Gimme the Loot. Another low-budget indie fare.
3. The Endless (Mystery Fans)
Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead are a duo that started to make waves with their 2012 no-budget, mind-bender – Resolution. They followed that up with the more ambitious – Spring, only to return to the world of their debut feature with this 2017 spiritual sequel.
It’s a horror-fantasy film about two brothers that return to the cult they escaped from many years prior. It’s a fantastical tale with moments of bleak existential mediation that’s worth checking out if you enjoy movies like Primer or Pi.
4. Blue Jay (Romantics)
It doesn’t get more indie than Mark Duplass. The New Orleans-born filmmaker who alongside his brother Jay, captivated audiences with their 2005 breakthrough film – The Puffy Chair, and have gone on to become founding members of the new American indie movement.
Blue Jay is a romantic drama, with mainly two actors in it, Mark Duplass and the terrific Sarah Paulson. It’s directed by long-time cinematographer Alex Lehmann and it tells the tale of a failed relationship. The movie was shot in only seven days and it was largely improvised.
5. Super Dark Times (Genre Fans)
This sleeper-hit is a psychological thriller-drama that shouldn’t be missed by genre fans. Think of a weird cocktail of a coming-of-age film mixed in with a serial killer movie.
It premiered at the Rotterdam Film Festival and it won major awards from festivals throughout the world. It’s certainly not for everyone as its central themes revolve around jealousy, paranoia, and friendship. And, things get gory as there’s quite a bit of violence. In essence, it’s about the strength of friendship that’s put to the test after a traumatizing event impacts a group of kids in 1996 upstate New York.
