What are some independent films with great stories, and hopefully even great cinematography and actors, but primarily great stories with great themes? I thought it might be worth starting such a thread, so anybody with a favorite indie film title that has a good story might share the title. Make a list of films to study.

I will start off the list:
Lost and Delirious (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245238/). Explores the them of homophobia, lesbianism, coming of age. Great soundtrack (I wish it would have been made into a music CD), great cast including Mischa Barton (The O.C.), Piper Perabo (The Cave, etc.). Won an award for the cinematography too.
youtube/gogole video clips: http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=lost+and+delirious&num=10&so=0&hl=en&start=10

Dopamine (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0342300/). Relatively unknown cast. Low budget feel, but the story works (at least for me).

I saw Lost and Delirious. A really good movie, but sad. Here are some of my favorites:

Invisible Circus
A girl goes to Europe to find out why her sister (Cameron Diaz) killed herself

Big Night
Stanley Tucci & Tony Shaloub (sp) are brothers who prepare a big dinner for special guest, Louis Prima
(my personal favorite)

The Virgin Suicides
A group of boys try to figure out why all the girls, 5 sisters, all committed suicide

Shattered Glass
About Stephen Glass who fabricated almost all of his stories when he worked at The New Republic magazine

Basquiat
Bio Pic about the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

Garden State, Primer, Igby Goes Down, I'm sure I could come up with more, I love finding great little films

....by the way, the new Jessica Alba film The Eye and the film about getting a message on your voice mail? Both Asian film remakes.... The Eye just went off on IFC....

-- spinner :cool:

Definitely Basqiat and Igby Goes down. Also check out: Pi (cool idea), Roger Dodger (great dialogue), All The Real Girls (perfectly captures that feeling when love punches you in the stomach), Dancer In The Dark (great date movie- ha ha) and I Love Huckabees (all around brilliance).

Lost and Delirious was an inspiration for me to want to do filmmaking as a way to address themes/issues in the mode of cinematic storytelling, that and the multiple award (I think every award known to filmmaking ;)) winning short film "The Youth in Us" (http://theyouthinus.com) which showed me the power even short films can have on making people think about themes/issues. Thanks for adding to the list!:yes:

I saw Lost and Delirious. A really good movie, but sad. ...

Yeah Garden State and I Heart Huckabees, Half Nelson was terrific, great acting, great script, great cinematography.

Yeah Pi showed how a cool idea/story and a cheap camera (I think it was made on the cheap, not sure though) can go places in filmmaking.

... Also check out: Pi (cool idea), ...

New release The Savages w/ Phill Hoffman is definitely one to check out.

...Mrs. Parker & The Vicious Circle
About writer Dorothy Parker, love this movie....

Pi is also a favorite. Mathmaticians are crazy :crazy: :lol:

!!!
How did I forget The Red Violin, one of my favorites!

-- spinner :cool:

...I just heard the name of this one: Being John Malkovich.

If there was ever a film that could never be made, its that one.... but I'm not really sure how indie it was, but it was Spike Jonze...


-- spinner :cool:

Yeah Pi showed how a cool idea/story and a cheap camera (I think it was made on the cheap, not sure though) can go places in filmmaking.

They shot it with a Bolex same as I used at Penn State when I was 19. For some reason their movie looked better than mine though...

wow, I haven't been here in ages because of a lot of crap going on, but anyway...

two indies that most quickly come to mind are Limbo and The Spitfire Grill

I am glad to see this thread again. When I saw that someone suggested Half Nelson, I remembered the lead actor --by face, not name -- but he was in The United States of Leland. Also a good small film...

-- spinner :cool:

Hurray to spinner for mentioning Big Night. Brilliant film!(OMG is it really more than ten years since the film came out?) I also highly recommend--if you can find it--Cavite (pronounced Cah-VEE-tay). It's an American-Filipino, very low budget film that holds its ground against any big budget thriller. If you are looking for great cinematography it might be disapointing, but after a few minutes you won't care. I am very interested in anyone else's opinion of this film.

KIDS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/)

THIRTEEN (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328538/)

THE USUAL SUSPECTS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114814/)

RESERVOIR DOGS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105236/)

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180093/)

THE STRAIGHT STORY (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166896/)

SLING BLADE (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117666/)

THE DAY TRIPPERS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116041/)

BUFFALO 66 (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118789/)

TRAINSPOTTING (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117951/)

TRANSAMERICA (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0407265/)

TADPOLE (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0271219/)

CLAY PIGEONS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118863/)

DANCER IN THE DARK (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168629/)

RUN LOLA RUN (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/)

SWINGERS (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117802/)

MINUS MAN (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151582/)

LONE STAR (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116905/)

I could go on for hours... LOL.

filmy

FilmJumper....Lone Star is pretty good then? it's done by the same guy who did limbo and I've been wanting to see it, but haven't hada chance to see it yet.

I have to second the need for Thirteen and Dancer in the Dark on the list, but then again every movie on your list is really good...all the ones I've seen anyway

ryan gosling was the actor in half nelson and united states of leland

Who the heck thought I <3 Huckabee's had a great story?


I wanted to like it, but there's a difference between quirky and just plain weird. It was plain weird. And not entertainingly weird. :(