The filmmaking industry works on two fronts; on the one hand, it’s about making art, and on the other, it’s an industry that’s designed to make money. However, one aspect of the film industry has always put artistry above profits, and that’s the independent film world.
Independent films are at a disadvantage because, despite the fountain of creativity that many of them contain, they are small productions; therefore, many people never hear about these masterpieces. Fortunately, we’re going to rectify this issue. So here is a list of the best independent movies you’ve probably never heard of.
Buffalo ‘66
An American crime comedy-drama, Buffalo ‘66 centers features Billy, a newly released inmate. Billy’s plans after being released from prison are to visit his parents with his wife. Unfortunately, there’s just one problem; he doesn’t have a wife. Consequently, Billy decides to kidnap a girl and force her to act as his wife for the duration of the visit.
Starring Vincent Gallo and Christina Ricci, you can get this movie on Prime Video for $3.99.
Eraserhead
Released in 1977, Eraserhead is an experimental body horror film written, directed, produced, and edited by David Lynch and starring Jack Nance. This film tells the story of Henry Spencer, who’s living in a post-apocalyptic world when he becomes the father of one of the ugliest babies in the world.
This movie is available on YouTube for $2.99.
My Own Private Idaho
Starring River Phoenix as a gay narcoleptic street hustler named Mike Waters, My Own Private Idaho, is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV. Waters, together with Scott Favor (played by Keanu Reeves) travel from Portland to Idaho and then to the coast of Italy in search of Waters’ estranged mother. Along the way, they experiment with drugs and turn tricks for money, eventually gaining the interest of a sexually deviant but wealthy benefactor.
You can watch this film on Amazon Prime for $4.99.
Bottle Rocket
Directed by Wes Anderson, this film stars Luke and Owen Wilson, who play a pair of friends who decide to pull a robbery and then go on the run. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned, and the ensuing escapade ends up going in a direction no one could foresee.
You can watch Bottle Rocket on Hulu, or you can find it on a number of sites that stream movies for free.
Mysterious Skin
Mysterious Skin is the tale of two young men who survived the abuse of their baseball coach when they were little kids. Neil, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, masks his pain by acting out and selling himself as a gay prostitute. Meanwhile, Brian, played by Brady Corbet, prefers to repress his memories and remember the experience as an alien abduction.
You can stream this movie on YouTube for $3.99.
Memento
In Memento, Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) is an insurance investigator who suffers from anterograde amnesia. In other words, he forgets things moments after they happen. Therefore, he must use notes, photos, and tattoos, to help him remember. However, he does have one complete memory, the murder of his wife, and the film follows him as he hunts for her killer.
You can stream this film with a Prime Video subscription.
Run Lola Run
A film in the same vein as The Butterfly Effect, Run Lola Run, features 20 minutes of Lola’s life repeated over and over again as she tries to obtain $100,000 Deutsche marks to save her boyfriend’s life.
Starring Franka Potente and directed by Tom Twyker, you can stream this film on YouTube for $3.99.
The Wife
A dark comedy directed by Tom Noonan, The Wife, features husband and wife psychotherapists who run a New Age therapy group in the wilderness. All is going swimmingly until a patient, and his erratic wife starts to unload their problems on the couple.
The wife is available for viewing on Apple TV for $4.99.
Pi
Max, a number theorist, is working on getting a computer to predict the stock market. To his great surprise, the computer spits out a prediction and then crashes. It turns out the forecast was right on the money, and Max is convinced he’s found the key to the universe.
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Pi is available for viewing on Apple TV for $3.99.
Sink or Swim
Told through a series of 26 short stories, Sink or Swim reveals the childhood events that shaped a girl’s ideas about fatherhood, work, play, and family relations. Eventually, a portrait of the father as a man who cared more for his career than his family and a picture of his daughter who was deeply affected by his behavior emerges.
Starring Jessica Myerson, this 1990 film can be streamed on YouTube for free.
