Independent films are probably some of the best films. Creative people coming together to create passion projects that are truly unique in their storytelling, often result in some of the most life changing experiences you never thought you’d get from a movie. As many (not all) independent movies tend to do, this list of films falls under the frame of postmodernism; films that disrupt the narrative structure and really make the audience question societal limitations. These are just a few of the weird indie films that have impacted my life, what are yours?

1. "Her"

Winner of the 2013 Oscar for Best Original screenplay, “Her” takes place in a not-so-distant future where artificially intelligent operating systems grow smarter with every interaction they have. The film explores human relationships with one another and with technology and what those say about how we perceive connections and emotions; the complexity and the artificiality of what we think it means to fall in love and what we think it means to be human.

2. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

I first saw this movie my senior year in high school and it completely blew my mind. There’s no easy way to explain this story but the basic premise is that it is about an estranged couple (played by Kate Winslet with really cool hair might I add and Jim Carrey) that seek the help of a doctor able to erase every memory they have of their relationship. Another analysis of love and heartbreak and the profound effects those emotions have on human beings, this romantic-sci-fi-comedy-drama uses a nonlinear narrative to show the audience the power of our memories and how they can change the outcome of our entire lives.

3. "The Truman Show"

One of the weirdest and probably the best film on this list, “The Truman Show” explores every aspect of the human condition in one of the most unique ways possible. Truman (another awesome performance by Jim Carrey) lives a less-than-ordinary life in a quaint, small town. What Truman doesn’t realize is that from before he was out of the womb and on, his life has been broadcasted live for the entire world to see, as part of a reality television experiment. This film tackles the artificiality of reality television and how others control so much of what we see and what we think. It makes the audience question the so called “Utopia” so many aspire to have and what that “reality” would really look like; as well as themes of religious analogy and what human beings are capable of with the power they’re given.

4. "Synecdoche, New York"

Probably one of the most “meta” and postmodern of the films on this list is “Synecdoche, New York”. Starring the late and great Philip Seymour Hoffman, the film is about a dying theater director and his commitment to creating the best work of his life. His emphasis on an explicitly realistic play begins to blur the lines between the “reality” of the play and his own life, and if a difference even exists.

5. "Birdman"

A big winner at the 2015 Oscars, “Birdman” is another play within a play type movie that blurs the lines between reality and fiction. The film follows the life of aging actor Riggan Thomson before the premiere of his Broadway play. Tormented by his past career, where he is best known for playing the superhero ‘Birdman’, Thomson wants to attempt to redefine who he is as a person and an actor. Playing with concepts of time and identity, the film makes us all wonder if there is anything at all that makes us uniquely us.