Are you tired of the "blockbuster" style of movie ? Do you need more variety in your movies? Well I would love to share with you 11 great movies that either were produced by independent studios or produced by larger studios but did not necessarily break box office records.
1. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
A man, Joel Barish, heartbroken that his girlfriend Clementine underwent a procedure to erase him from her memory, decides to do the same. However, as he watches his memories of her fade away, he realizes that he still loves her. This film puts Jim Carrey in a role where he showcases his dramatic acting chops as opposed to his usual comedic roles.
2. "The Babadook"
A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her. This film is one of the more innovative horror films i have seen in years and will be entertaining to those who are not usually fans of horror films.
3. "Adventureland"
In the summer of 1987, a college graduate takes a "nowhere" job at his local amusement park, only to find it's the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world. A love story that takes some unexpected twist and turns that pay off big time in various ways.
4. "Donnie Darko"
A troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes, after narrowly escaping a bizarre accident. This film requires multiple viewings and several video explanations in order to fully understand the entirety of this masterpiece.
5. "Birdman"
This movie was (with few exceptions) filmed in a single shot, which before this had never been done before. Also, the movie pokes fun at the superhero genre of cinema so I appreciate that immensely.
6. "Foxcatcher"
Mark and Dave Schultz, U.S. Olympic Wrestling champions, join Team Foxcatcher led by multimillionaire John E. du Pont as they train for the 1988 games in Seoul, but John's emotional self-destruction threatens to consume them all. As a former wrestler, I had waited a long time for a great wrestling movie and this was it. The drama mixed in with the live wrestling truly give off Channing Tatums best performance yet,
7. "Django Unchained"
With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner. Also who doesn't love a good western?
8. "Moonrise Kingdom"
Set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, as a young boy and girl fall in love they are moved to run away together. Various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down -- which might not be such a bad thing. Young love is something we as humans have all experienced and turin makes this movie universal.
9. "Good Will Hunting"
What can I say that has not already been said about this movie? It is one of Robin Williams' greatest performances and at the same time showcases the talent of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Also don''t we all wish were as a good at math as Matt Damon's character.
10. "Little Miss Sunshine"
A film that takes a look at the non-traditional family and deals with taboo subjects such as suicide and drug addiction.
11. "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" recounts the adventures of Gustave H., a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. Can you really ever go wrong with a Wes Anderson film?
