The best American independent movies
by dfle3 | created - 04 Oct 2013 | updated - 31 Dec 2013 | PublicThis list is designed to only include movies which aren't directly the product of a major studio. No doubt that is a very slippery definition sometimes, so if you think I've got it wrong on that front, PM me, perhaps, to set me straight!
On this list are movies I've seen as an adult and scored and reviewed them at sites like this. Sometimes a movie will only make my list because I remember liking them it as a kid! For instance, I think I may have hired two VHS movies in the one transaction as a child..."One flew over the cuckoo's nest" and "The deer hunter". Both movies are critically acclaimed, but only the former makes my list proper whilst the other movie is relegated to the section of the list for movies which I don't find 'list worthy'.
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1. Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)
R | 100 min | Drama
A sexually repressed woman's husband is having an affair with her sister. The arrival of a visitor with a rather unusual fetish changes everything.
Director: Steven Soderbergh | Stars: James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, Laura San Giacomo
Votes: 59,481 | Gross: $24.74M
Saw this and loved it...seen it many times in fact...even as part of school studies...and I still loved it! Hypnotic at times. Even though I saw this before I started reviewing and scoring movies at sites like this, it's safe to say that this would no doubt be a 10/10 movie for me.
It's also my solid #1 in this list...whereas the other movies might not be.
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
R | 133 min | Drama
In the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.
Director: Milos Forman | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Michael Berryman, Peter Brocco
Votes: 1,072,966 | Gross: $112.00M
I saw this multiple times as a child on VHS rental...not unusual, but I still remember thinking it a fine film.
3. Gattaca (1997)
PG-13 | 106 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
A genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel.
Director: Andrew Niccol | Stars: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Gore Vidal
Votes: 323,405 | Gross: $12.34M
Another one of those mesmerising films. Remember loving it...maybe a 10/10 film for me...but wasn't scoring/reviewing movies when I saw it, I don't think.
4. Rocky (1976)
PG | 120 min | Drama, Sport
A small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.
Director: John G. Avildsen | Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers
Votes: 628,799 | Gross: $117.24M
10/10*
(* guessing)
Might have seen this at the drive-in as a teenager. Loved it. If I rated/scored movies back then it probably would have been a 10/10 for me. Followed this series until Rocky IV, which I just felt was blatant American propaganda...didn't follow this series after that and I was also put off by the description of the sequel to First Blood, which I quite liked...so, never saw that sequel either...sounded to much like American propaganda.
5. L.A. Confidential (1997)
R | 138 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
As corruption grows in 1950s Los Angeles, three policemen - one strait-laced, one brutal, and one sleazy - investigate a series of murders with their own brand of justice.
Director: Curtis Hanson | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger
Votes: 618,185 | Gross: $64.62M
Loved this film. Did have trepidations about it before I saw it, due to two actors from this part of the world pretending to be American but both Pearce and Crowe were great.
6. Watchmen (2009)
R | 162 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
In a version of 1985 where superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach on the trail of a conspiracy that will change the course of history.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Malin Akerman
Votes: 582,823 | Gross: $107.51M
10/10.
Not read the comic it was based on, so can't have a hissy fit about it not being as good as that.
7. The Social Network (2010)
PG-13 | 120 min | Biography, Drama
As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
Director: David Fincher | Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara
Votes: 759,225 | Gross: $96.96M
10/10.
More interesting than the actual website!
Also thought that this was the best movie that I saw that year...better than "The king's speech", which won the honours at the Academy Awards, in any case.
8. Halloween (1978)
R | 91 min | Horror, Thriller
Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran, Nancy Kyes
Votes: 306,951 | Gross: $47.00M
Hmm...my review of it here doesn't seem to have a score for it...probably wrote that review just on memory. Maybe a 10/10 movie for me?
9. Source Code (2011)
PG-13 | 93 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
A soldier wakes up in someone else's body and discovers he's part of an experimental government program to find the bomber of a commuter train within 8 minutes.
Director: Duncan Jones | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright
Votes: 550,041 | Gross: $54.71M
10/10
An instant sci-fi classic.
10. Pulp Fiction (1994)
R | 154 min | Crime, Drama
The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis
Votes: 2,221,979 | Gross: $107.93M
I remember really liking this movie and certain scenes from it are still memorable for me. Pretty sure I would have scored it at least 80% if not more...if I had been reviewing/scoring movies at that time.
11. Boogie Nights (1997)
R | 155 min | Drama
Back when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealistic porn producer aspires to elevate his craft to an art when he discovers a hot young talent.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson | Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Luis Guzmán
Votes: 282,221 | Gross: $26.40M
Such a memorable movie...I wouldn't want to meet Roller Girl in a dark alley! Burt Reynolds gave the impression that he was in a stinker of a movie and when delivers his line to Mark Wahlberg's character about the content's of the other's pants, he looks like he just wished that the Earth would swallow him whole!
A great movie from memory...but before I began scoring films.
12. Kick-Ass (2010)
R | 117 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Dave Lizewski is an unnoticed high school student and comic book fan who one day decides to become a superhero, even though he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so.
Director: Matthew Vaughn | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloë Grace Moretz, Garrett M. Brown
Votes: 593,678 | Gross: $48.07M
90%
Wow. Just wow! Chloë Grace Moretz does a Heath Ledger in this movie...makes it her own as he did for "The dark knight". It's the better movie too.
13. Capitalism: A Love Story (2009)
R | 127 min | Documentary, Crime, History
An examination of the social costs of corporate interests pursuing profits at the expense of the public good.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, William Black, Jimmy Carter, Elijah Cummings
Votes: 43,880 | Gross: $14.36M
90%
A terrific film for its time, concerning the GFC (Global Financial Crisis). Has quite a few 'smoking gun' revelations about the people/organisations behind the near destruction of the capitalist system. Since surpassed by the documentary series "The ascent of money" for rigorous analysis of the context of the collapse.
14. Barton Fink (1991)
R | 116 min | Comedy, Drama, Thriller
A renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen | Stars: John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner
Votes: 129,012 | Gross: $6.15M
A memorable film. I'll give you the life of the mind!!
15. Heathers (1988)
R | 103 min | Comedy, Crime
At Westerburg High where cliques rule, jocks dominate and all the popular girls are named Heather, it's going to take a Veronica and mysterious new kid to give teen angst a body count.
Director: Michael Lehmann | Stars: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk
Votes: 115,952 | Gross: $1.11M
Think I've seen this movie a couple of times...obviously must have liked it to do that. Gosh, now remembered...this goes to memorabilty...greetings and salutations! Guessing it's at least an 8/10 kind of movie for me.
16. Donnie Darko (2001)
R | 113 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.
Director: Richard Kelly | Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Holmes Osborne
Votes: 850,480 | Gross: $1.48M
80%
The scene where that Tears For Fears song plays is just magical.
17. Chasing Amy (1997)
R | 113 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Holden and Banky are comic book artists. Everything's going good for them until they meet Alyssa, also a comic book artist. Holden falls for her, but his hopes are crushed when he finds out she's a lesbian.
Director: Kevin Smith | Stars: Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Ethan Suplee, Scott Mosier
Votes: 143,843 | Gross: $12.02M
80%
Captivating movie, despite its 'edgy' material. Wasn't that big a fan of "Clerks" though, by the same writer/director.
18. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
R | 122 min | Documentary, Drama, War
Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11 and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, George W. Bush, Ben Affleck, Stevie Wonder
Votes: 132,409 | Gross: $119.19M
Top notch documentary from Michael Moore on troubling aspects of the terrorist attack on U.S. soil on 11/09/2001. Guessing it's a 9/10 kind of movie for me.
19. The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
R | 118 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Three single women in a picturesque village have their wishes granted, at a cost, when a mysterious and flamboyant man arrives in their lives.
Director: George Miller | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer
Votes: 77,243 | Gross: $63.77M
I think that I liked this enough to see it more than once. Hmm...I think I still remember that old devil's name in it too...so, some sort of memorability factor working for it there!
20. Evil Dead II (1987)
R | 84 min | Comedy, Horror
Ash Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.
Director: Sam Raimi | Stars: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley DePaiva
Votes: 182,018 | Gross: $5.92M
80%
The original did disappoint me when I saw it on VHS as a kid, when everyone in high school was raving about how gory it was or whatnot. To me, the original seemed more like case of "Muppets gone wild". This sequel was a horror/comedy gem though...laugh out loud...as we did in the cinema.
21. The Shining (1980)
R | 146 min | Drama, Horror
A family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.
Director: Stanley Kubrick | Stars: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
Votes: 1,107,546 | Gross: $44.02M
As with "Evil dead", I saw this on VHS rental when I was in high school after some people raved about it and its horror or something. Perhaps I was expecting a gore fest, which might explain why I didn't really rate it at the time. Have seen it since then and I got a lot more out of it.
22. American Beauty (1999)
R | 122 min | Drama
A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley
Votes: 1,211,538 | Gross: $130.10M
I liked this movie...maybe saw it again...or at least as part of a film studies unit...I think. Just this morning I was listening to my free Pandora app today (09/10/2013) and I heard a familiar piece of music which I liked...Pandora gives the details...it was "Any other name" by Thomas Newman...wondered where I had heard that before. It was in this movie.
23. Total Recall (1990)
R | 113 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
When a man goes in to have virtual vacation memories of the planet Mars implanted in his mind, an unexpected and harrowing series of events forces him to go to the planet for real - or is he?
Director: Paul Verhoeven | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Rachel Ticotin
Votes: 354,788 | Gross: $119.39M
Arnie gets a lot of snobbery for his films...but to me he seems like the next Harrison Ford...i.e. he gets a lot of good roles in intellectual movies...perhaps those movies mightn't have been made without him, or at least would not have been so popular. From memory, maybe Arnie had a better run with these kinds of movies than Harrison. Probably an 8/10 kind of movie for me.
24. The Usual Suspects (1995)
R | 106 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
The sole survivor of a pier shoot-out tells the story of how a notorious criminal influenced the events that began with five criminals meeting in a seemingly random police lineup.
Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin
Votes: 1,146,140 | Gross: $23.34M
I remember really liking this movie but have no score for it...so, reasonably arbitrary where I place this in my list...it will be pretty high though.
25. Lawless (2012)
R | 116 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Set in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a trio of bootlegging brothers are threatened by a new special deputy and other authorities angling for a cut of their profits.
Director: John Hillcoat | Stars: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce, Jason Clarke
Votes: 253,546 | Gross: $37.40M
87.5+%
Excellent 'true' (?) story of a crime family during the time of Prohibition. Has a large Australian creative presence in the movie...screenplay, director, actors etc.
26. Candyman (1992)
R | 99 min | Horror, Thriller
The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster's myth.
Director: Bernard Rose | Stars: Virginia Madsen, Xander Berkeley, Tony Todd, Kasi Lemmons
Votes: 100,205 | Gross: $25.79M
80%
A sensual horror movie? Yup.
27. The Incredibles (2004)
PG | 115 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
While trying to lead a quiet suburban life, a family of undercover superheroes are forced into action to save the world.
Director: Brad Bird | Stars: Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee
Votes: 809,331 | Gross: $261.44M
I'm assuming that this movie qualifies for my list on the basis that it was an independent production at the time of release...apparently Walt Disney bought Pixar some time later.
In any case, saw this movie reluctantly, perhaps, without great expectation and thought it a very good movie. Guessing it's a 9/10 kind of movie for me.
28. Margin Call (2011)
R | 107 min | Drama, Thriller
Follows the key people at an investment bank over a 24-hour period during the early stages of the 2008 financial crisis.
Director: J.C. Chandor | Stars: Zachary Quinto, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany
Votes: 144,470 | Gross: $5.35M
95%
Despite my near perfect score for this film it's sadly not very memorable...someone mentioned this film as a choice they would make for a list such as this...which range a bell, and lo, I did think highly of this movie...just didn't remember!
29. Blood Simple (1984)
R | 99 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
The owner of a seedy small-town Texas bar discovers that one of his employees is having an affair with his wife. A chaotic chain of misunderstandings, lies, and mischief ensues after he devises a plot to have them murdered.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen | Stars: John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, M. Emmet Walsh
Votes: 105,333 | Gross: $2.15M
I remember really liking this movie and finding the cinematography stunning at times, especially with regards to a shooting scene.
30. Fargo (1996)
R | 98 min | Crime, Thriller
Minnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen | Stars: William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare
Votes: 727,112 | Gross: $24.61M
Perhaps I watched this movie reluctantly, not being particulary keen on the promo ads for it or whatever...but it was really good.
31. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
R | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, Robert Patrick
Votes: 1,174,855 | Gross: $204.84M
I was surprised to see the original movie in Empire's list of the 50 greatest American independent films, which I looked at prior to starting this list. Surprised in the sense that I would have thought that this would have been a major studio production. I liked the sequel better.
32. Take the Money and Run (1969)
PG | 85 min | Comedy, Crime
The life and times of Virgil Starkwell, inept bank robber.
Director: Woody Allen | Stars: Woody Allen, Janet Margolin, Marcel Hillaire, Jacquelyn Hyde
Votes: 31,474 | Gross: $0.72M
I remember finding this movie hilarious at times when I saw it as a child on VHS rental...still remember the musical parade and the 'stick up' in gaol! The studio was the major US broadcaster ABC...which would still make this movie qualify for this list, I think.
33. Taxi Driver (1976)
R | 114 min | Crime, Drama
A mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Albert Brooks
Votes: 921,398 | Gross: $28.26M
80%*
(*guess...scored here years after seeing it for at least the 2nd time)
When I saw this as a child on VHS tape I didn't think much of the movie Travis Bickle (the subject of the title) chose to take his first date to. As an adult, when I rewatched it a few years ago or more, I found that choice funny. Also funny were the philosophers working as taxi drivers! This movie is also famous for 'inspiring' a cinema goer to try and impress one of the stars of this movie, Jodie Foster...also famous for THAT line by Travis...said in front of a mirror.
34. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
R | 99 min | Crime, Thriller
When a simple jewelry heist goes horribly wrong, the surviving criminals begin to suspect that one of them is a police informant.
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Stars: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn
Votes: 1,088,848 | Gross: $2.83M
Again, I remember liking this movie...pretty much only remember that scene with that song...the implied violence was really horrific in that...the fact that what you see isn't as gory as what is implied doesn't matter in my view!
35. Sophie's Choice (1982)
R | 150 min | Drama, Romance
Sophie is the survivor of Nazi concentration camps, who has found a reason to live with Nathan, a sparkling if unsteady American Jew obsessed with the Holocaust.
Director: Alan J. Pakula | Stars: Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol, Rita Karin
Votes: 52,804 | Gross: $30.04M
Hmm...British studio according to Wikipedia but the film's distibutor was a major US film company...I'll assume that the latter does not make this entry ineligible for this kind of list.
In any case, as with The Wicker Man, I really only remember this movie for one scene...the one which gives rise to its name. So powerful and moving. A better overall movie than The Wicker Man, from memory, which I think is good on this. Assuming that this is at least 8/10 territory.
36. Sin City (2005)
R | 124 min | Crime, Thriller
An exploration of the dark and miserable Basin City and three of its residents, all of whom are caught up in violent corruption.
Directors: Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez | Stars: Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba
Votes: 794,014 | Gross: $74.10M
I remember liking this film and from memory it has some really graphic violence in it...extreme in a way you don't expect mainstream releases to be. Will want to see the sequel when it comes out soon, apparently. Guessing that this is at least an 8/10 kind of movie for me.
37. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
R | 120 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
Filmmaker Michael Moore explores the roots of America's predilection for gun violence.
Director: Michael Moore | Stars: Michael Moore, Charlton Heston, Marilyn Manson, Salvador Allende
Votes: 148,772 | Gross: $21.58M
I remember being really impressed with the analysis provided by shock rocker Marilyn Manson in this documentary. Who'd a thunk he would provide the voice of reason in the wake of that tragedy? Apparently 'Marilyn' went into hibernation as a result of his music being linked to the massacre the film's title alludes to. Guessing it's around an 8/10 kind of movie for me.
38. Serial Mom (1994)
R | 95 min | Comedy, Crime, Thriller
She's the perfect all-American parent: a great cook and homemaker, a devoted recycler, and a woman who'll literally kill to keep her children happy.
Director: John Waters | Stars: Kathleen Turner, Sam Waterston, Ricki Lake, Matthew Lillard
Votes: 32,673 | Gross: $7.88M
I remember quite liking this film and it does have some memorability going for it...e.g. the name of the magazine a witness in a trial (I think) was an avid reader of I can still remember! Yikes! Guessing it was an 8/10 kind of film for me.
39. Juno (2007)
PG-13 | 96 min | Comedy, Drama
Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes a selfless decision regarding the unborn child.
Director: Jason Reitman | Stars: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman
Votes: 549,441 | Gross: $143.50M
80%
Bought the soundtrack to this album and I think also explored The Moldy Peaches as a result too. Really liked the cutesy "Vampire" on that soundtrack, by Antsy Pants.
40. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
PG-13 | 104 min | Comedy, Drama
An ophthalmologist's mistress threatens to reveal their affair to his wife while a married documentary filmmaker is infatuated with another woman.
Director: Woody Allen | Stars: Martin Landau, Woody Allen, Bill Bernstein, Claire Bloom
Votes: 60,810 | Gross: $18.25M
I remember finding this movie very funny at the time...especially the snippets of a documentary which you see in the movie. Also remember what a man gets up to in bed with a woman...wow! Just wow! Did search "Annie Hall" first but there's a question in my mind whether that counts as independent...although this movie itself is nominally indepdent...had some big players behind it.
41. Se7en (1995)
R | 127 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.
Director: David Fincher | Stars: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Andrew Kevin Walker
Votes: 1,800,387 | Gross: $100.13M
I remember liking this film and I sort of remember the twist at the end...or at least the shock of the revelation there.
42. Alien (1979)
R | 117 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Votes: 951,694 | Gross: $78.90M
Liked this movie and seen it more than once but when I saw it for the first time in a drive-in, I think, it just didn't make as powerful an impression on me as it obviously has on others. Have followed the series though...and I probably liked the original more than the first sequel.
43. The Big Lebowski (1998)
R | 117 min | Comedy, Crime
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen | Stars: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi
Votes: 860,837 | Gross: $17.50M
I remember liking this movie...probably more than I thought I would/should have, seeing as it wasn't a movie whose marketing made me want to rush out and see it. Guessing that it's up to an 8/10 kind of movie for me.
44. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
PG-13 | 112 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
In a magically realistic version of Toronto, a young man must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes one by one in order to win her heart.
Director: Edgar Wright | Stars: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick
Votes: 465,589 | Gross: $31.49M
80%
45. Halloween II (1981)
R | 92 min | Horror
While Dr. Loomis hunts for Michael Myers, a traumatized Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, and The Shape is not far behind her.
Director: Rick Rosenthal | Stars: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, Charles Cyphers, Jeffrey Kramer
Votes: 101,756 | Gross: $25.53M
I really liked this sequel to classic original. Have seen many more of the franchise but they didn't grab me as much...plus I was no longer a teenager!
46. Hancock (2008)
PG-13 | 92 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
Hancock is a superhero whose ill-considered behavior regularly causes damage in the millions. He changes when the person he saves helps him improve his public image.
Director: Peter Berg | Stars: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Jae Head
Votes: 511,959 | Gross: $227.95M
70%
The usual superhero movies can bore me...either right away or with the first sequel. So, that's why I like the antihero take in movies like this and Kick-Ass and Watchmen.
47. Jungle Fever (1991)
R | 132 min | Drama, Romance
Friends and family of a married Black architect react in different ways to his affair with an Italian secretary.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Spike Lee, Ossie Davis
Votes: 19,670 | Gross: $32.48M
I remember liking this flim. Maybe even saw it again. Liked it better than "Do the right thing" too.
48. The Wrestler (2008)
R | 109 min | Drama, Sport
A faded professional wrestler must retire, but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle.
Director: Darren Aronofsky | Stars: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Mark Margolis
Votes: 320,055 | Gross: $26.24M
Reminded of this movie by Empire's list on this topic...could have sworn I had reviewed/scored it here...apparently not. Guessing it might have been towards the 80% range for me.
49. F/X (1986)
R | 109 min | Action, Thriller
A movie special effects man is hired to fake a real-life mob killing for a witness protection plan, but finds his own life in danger.
Director: Robert Mandel | Stars: Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Diane Venora, Cliff De Young
Votes: 22,226 | Gross: $20.60M
I remember really liking this film. Might even have seen the sequel...so long as it wasn't the sequel with one of the ubiquitous Daddo brothers...who are to Australia what the Baldwins are to the US...maybe...but not so much.
50. Blade Runner (1982)
R | 117 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
A blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos
Votes: 823,536 | Gross: $32.87M
Scanning the Wikipedia entry for the studio behind this, I'm not certain that this movie qualifies for this list as it was financed by a major film company.
In any case, whilst never blowing me away, this is a movie which I have returned to at times, and probably gotten more out of it than I did originally.
51. The Stunt Man (1980)
R | 131 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
A fugitive stumbles onto a movie set just when they need a new stunt man, takes the job as a way to hide out and falls for the leading lady while facing off with his manipulative director.
Director: Richard Rush | Stars: Peter O'Toole, Steve Railsback, Barbara Hershey, Allen Garfield
Votes: 10,473 | Gross: $7.06M
I saw this more than once on VHS rental as a child and I remember thinking highly of it. Must revisit it "one of these days"...I still remember the swing toy in that...and that hand on the battlefield!
52. Eye of the Needle (1981)
R | 112 min | Romance, Thriller, War
A ruthless German spy, trying to get out of Britain with vital information about D-Day, must spend time with a young woman and her crippled husband.
Director: Richard Marquand | Stars: Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, Stephen MacKenna, Philip Martin Brown
Votes: 11,863 | Gross: $17.58M
Another film I remember watching multiple times on VHS rental as a child...and which I remember regarding highly. Another movie to see again "One of these days"!
53. My Girl (1991)
PG | 102 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Vada is obsessed with death. Her mother is dead, and her father runs a funeral parlor. When Vada's father hires Shelly, a makeup expert, and begins to fall in love, Vada is outraged and does everything in her power to split them up.
Director: Howard Zieff | Stars: Anna Chlumsky, Macaulay Culkin, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis
Votes: 88,966 | Gross: $59.85M
I remember quite liking this movie. What surprised me the most about this movie was how 'European' it was. I just didn't think that the US was capable of producing movies with that kind of sensibility...let alone doing it well. Usually when I think of the American sensibility as far as children go, I tend to think of those empty sit-coms where all the kids are 'cute'...but the American idea of 'cute' is quite vomit-inducing to me. "My girl" is a treat - as I remember it - for not being like that.
54. Dressed to Kill (1980)
R | 104 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A mysterious blonde woman kills one of a psychiatrist's patients, and then goes after the high-class call girl who witnessed the murder.
Director: Brian De Palma | Stars: Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, Keith Gordon
Votes: 48,268 | Gross: $31.90M
This film really impressed me when I first saw it, on VHS rental. From memory I saw it again some years later but I don't think it grabbed me as much...if it wasn't for that 2nd viewing this could have been quite high up on my list, just based on my dim memory of really liking it!
55. In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
R | 95 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
An insurance investigator begins discovering that the impact a horror writer's books have on his fans is more than inspirational.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Sam Neill, Jürgen Prochnow, Julie Carmen, David Warner
Votes: 79,389 | Gross: $8.95M
I rememer liking this movie and really should watch again sometime. A horror movie which messes with your mind. Didn't find it a classic, but interesting for that aspect I mentioned.
56. Tremors (1990)
PG-13 | 96 min | Comedy, Horror
Natives of a small isolated town defend themselves against strange underground creatures which are killing them one by one.
Director: Ron Underwood | Stars: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Finn Carter, Michael Gross
Votes: 150,655 | Gross: $16.67M
I remember particularly liking this movie when I saw it in the cinemas. Might have even seen it again, somewhere. Probably still liked it enough. Fun horror movie of sorts.
57. Dead On: The Life and Cinema of George A. Romero (2008)
Documentary, Biography
"Dead On" examines George's fantastic body of film work as it stands to date, and investigates a number of aspects of George's work, working style, and involvement with the independent and Hollywood film communities.
Director: Rusty Nails | Stars: George A. Romero, Dario Argento, Jason Winn 'J.B. Destiny' Bareford, Danny Boyle
Votes: 48
I think that this is the documentary I saw on the man at the M.I.F.F. a few years ago. At the same film festival I also saw his latest zombie movie (which I think I got the most out of, although I'm not a huge fan of the series).
I still remember the scene in the documentary that I saw (this one?) where it is mentioned that because this true independent film maker put the copyright notice on his film in the 'wrong' spot, it became public domain immediately...immediately robbing him of the profits that it made. That made me feel so sorry for the man. It also made me think that the law is an ass...how could this injustice be allowed to stand?
58. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
R | 81 min | Horror, Mystery
Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.
Directors: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez | Stars: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard, Bob Griffin
Votes: 285,790 | Gross: $140.54M
Not On List.
The marketing of this movie was sooo 18th century! (think Daniel Defoe's novels). The marketing 'hook' did nothing for me/did not work on me. The movie was alright, I suppose...nothing special.
59. Clerks (1994)
R | 92 min | Comedy
A day in the lives of two convenience clerks named Dante and Randal as they annoy customers, discuss movies, and play hockey on the store roof.
Director: Kevin Smith | Stars: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonauer
Votes: 232,426 | Gross: $3.15M
Not On List.
Didn't grab me a whole heap although I suppose some of it is memorable. Might have to revisit this sometime.
60. Dark Star (1974)
G | 83 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
In the far reaches of space, a small crew, 20 years into their solitary mission, find things beginning to go hilariously wrong.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Dan O'Bannon, Dre Pahich, Brian Narelle, Cal Kuniholm
Votes: 27,276
Not On List.
See comments on N.O.L. part of this list for "I heart Huckabees".
61. Deep Throat Part II (1974)
R | 88 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
When one of sex therapist extraordinaire Linda's patients turns out to be harboring the plans to a top-secret government computer, both the KGB and the CIA attempt to enlist Linda in their efforts to steal the data.
Director: Joseph W. Sarno | Stars: Linda Lovelace, Harry Reems, Levi Richards, David Davidson
Votes: 686 | Gross: $0.35M
Not On List.
I wanted to link to the original title, but that doesn't come up here. No, I haven't seen the movie. Whatever you think of the genre (?!), I think any list of historically important movies (whether independent or not) would be incomplete without this title.
Think I saw one documentary where it was mentioned that this was the highest grossing movie of all time. Another documentary on the pornography industry mentioned that the reason VHS put Betamax out of business was...porn. VHS had it. Betamax didn't. Sony, the company which invented the Betamax format didn't want porn 'sullying' their brand. They paid the price. And learned their lesson. The documentary mentions how their PS3 console can play pornographic DVDs...and I think their new generation console, the PS4 can as well.
So, this title is on the list because it's one of the highest grossing movies of all time (however the Mafia connection makes exact figures hard to establish) and stuff like this is the real reason why VHS beat out Betamax (remember those articles years ago pondering why VHS did that? No one ever mentioned the availability of porn in them!).
62. The Deer Hunter (1978)
R | 183 min | Drama, War
An in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.
Director: Michael Cimino | Stars: Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Cazale, John Savage
Votes: 362,423 | Gross: $48.98M
Not On List.
Here's the thing...perhaps I watched this film around the same time that I also watched "One flew over the cuckoo's nest"...indeed, it's quite possible that I rented those two movies - at least - in the same transaction, when I was attending high school. It really didn't grab me at all...I can now remember the revolver scene...but I'm guessing that I've seen that since in other tv shows or something (as in documentaries or whatnot). Both movies had an "X" certificate on the VHS case...and I don't think that that was an actual classification here in Australia...or that that was the actual rating it received when screened here...suggesting that the covers were imported...or something. Might have to check this out again sometime...saw a snippet of this on At The Movies after I brought this list out...didn't really grab me that much then either!
63. Diary of the Dead (2007)
R | 95 min | Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi
A group of young film students run into real-life zombies while filming a horror movie of their own.
Director: George A. Romero | Stars: Michelle Morgan, Joshua Close, Shawn Roberts, Todd Schroeder
Votes: 49,252 | Gross: $0.96M
Not On List.
I think I've seen all of George A. Romero's 'official' zombie movies and I probably got the most out of this one, I'd say. Usually critics mention the social satire of "Dawn of the dead" but that must have gone over my head...think I saw it as a teenager. Watching this movie as an adult, I do remember being conscious of the critique of the media in it. Saw this at the M.I.F.F. the following year and got to ask the man himself on this aspect of the movie (as a member of the audience in a Q & A after the show). Wished I could have asked him another question too...forget what that would have been now...hopefully I'll remember and edit in here.
64. Do the Right Thing (1989)
R | 120 min | Comedy, Drama
On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson
Votes: 112,496 | Gross: $27.55M
Not On List.
Didn't mind it. I suppose I still vaguely recall the image of the man with the 'ghetto blaster'. I think that the better film won at Cannes that year, but director Spike Lee had a hissy fit about the result (my #1 film in this list got the award)...think I was reminded of that fact recently.
65. Empire (1964)
485 min | Documentary
A single shot of the Empire State Building from early evening until nearly 3 am the next day.
Directors: John Palmer, Andy Warhol | Stars: Jonas Mekas, Andy Warhol
Votes: 1,442
Not On List.
Never actually seen any Andy Warhol productions but have seen snippets or discussion on it on some sort of documentary ("Blow job" would be another film that comes to mind in this vein). Anyway, since I'm only going on the concept of this movie, I'd have to say that the idea for movie as a cinematic experience is idiotic. However, put this film in an art gallery or a museum and it would become a work of genius...hey, I'd look at THAT!
66. Eraserhead (1977)
Not Rated | 89 min | Fantasy, Horror
Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.
Director: David Lynch | Stars: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph, Jeanne Bates
Votes: 127,573 | Gross: $7.00M
Not On List.
Despite not being on my list proper, it does have a very memorable scene for me...what the Hell was wrong with that chicken they were eating?
67. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
R | 108 min | Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
When their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories forever.
Director: Michel Gondry | Stars: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Gerry Robert Byrne
Votes: 1,078,687 | Gross: $34.40M
Not On List.
This movie is meant to be a puzzle, apparently...I saw it in the cinema so it went over my head (at least watching a movie on DVD allows you to pause or rewind to mull things over). So, basically, if there was anything to 'get', I missed out...and it didn't grab me that much.
68. The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)
R | 131 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The true story of a disillusioned military contractor employee and his drug pusher childhood friend who became walk-in spies for the Soviet Union.
Director: John Schlesinger | Stars: Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn, Pat Hingle, Joyce Van Patten
Votes: 12,708 | Gross: $17.10M
Not On List.
Don't remember a whole lot about this fact based movie but I do remember it for one thing...it alleges a C.I.A. conspiracy to overthrow the democratically elected government of Australia (i.e. the Whitlam Labor government). That echoed where I first heard that conspiracy theory...in John Pilger's biographical book "The secret country", where he alleges that the C.I.A. overthrew the Whitlam government with the connivance of Britain's MI5 (from memory).
69. Ghost World (2001)
R | 111 min | Comedy, Drama
Two eccentric best friends graduate high school and respond to a man's romance-seeking newspaper ad as a gag, only to find their lives becoming increasingly complicated.
Director: Terry Zwigoff | Stars: Steve Buscemi, Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Brad Renfro
Votes: 126,878 | Gross: $6.22M
Not On List.
If I hadn't of remembered that I remember Steve Buscemi being in this movie, I wouldn't have known what film I was thinking of. Was searching for "Ghost dog" and getting the wrong movie.
Anyway, I remember sort of liking this movie but it didn't leave enough of an impression on me to include it in my list proper.
Wildly guessing, maybe this was a 7/10 kind of movie for me.
70. I Heart Huckabees (2004)
R | 107 min | Comedy
A husband-and-wife team play detective, but not in the traditional sense. Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means.
Director: David O. Russell | Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Naomi Watts, Mark Wahlberg
Votes: 66,288 | Gross: $12.78M
Not On List.
Didn't get a lot out of this movie. Vaguely remember some sort of philosophical discussions in it...hmm...every time I see an American movie with that in it, they seem to confuse Scepticism with...I dunno...Phenomenology? Existentialism? Since these movies aren't fresh in my mind, I'll just say that the first movie I noticed this with was Dark Star. What normally happens is that the characters will say that they are discussing "Scepticism" (from memory) and I'm thinking..."No...wrong one!".
71. Inception (2010)
PG-13 | 148 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O., but his tragic past may doom the project and his team to disaster.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe
Votes: 2,552,739 | Gross: $292.58M
Not On List.
70%
Another 'high concept' movie but this didn't grab me nearly as much as others on my list proper, like "Gattaca" and "Source code".
72. The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)
R | 83 min | Comedy
The daily programming of a fictional local TV channel presented as a series of highly irreverent skits.
Director: John Landis | Stars: Evan C. Kim, Bong Soo Han, Bill Bixby, George Lazenby
Votes: 20,272
Not On List.
I remember liking this movie from the people who would go on to create the classic comedy "Flying high!" (a.k.a. "Airplane!"). Still remember the "Thrill seekers" pay off! Must remember to rewatch "Top secret!" again, one of these days...do remember some crazy visual gags in that. Hopefully they'll find the funding to finally make "Exclamation mark!".
73. Kick-Ass 2 (2013)
R | 103 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Following Kick-Ass' heroics, other citizens are inspired to become masked crusaders, but Red Mist leads his own group of evil super-villains to get revenge, kill Kick-Ass, and destroy everything he stands for.
Director: Jeff Wadlow | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jim Carrey
Votes: 288,603 | Gross: $28.80M
77.5%
Pity that a sequel didn't follow directly on from the classic original because I just loved Hit-Girl in the original. In the sequel she's older...becoming a woman. So, it's a different kind of movie to the original. Is it wrong of me to like seeing a little girl mutilate gangsters? Really?
74. Looper (2012)
R | 119 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
In 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.
Director: Rian Johnson | Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano
Votes: 603,223 | Gross: $66.49M
Not On List.
75%
Didn't mind this movie but just not my idea of 'list worthy'.
75. Mean Streets (1973)
R | 112 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
In New York City's Little Italy, a devoutly Catholic mobster must reconcile his desire for power, his feelings for his epileptic lover, and his devotion to his troublesome friend.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, David Proval, Amy Robinson
Votes: 119,730 | Gross: $3.13M
Not On List.
Saw this many years ago. Remember not being that impressed by it. There was one memorable in this movie which I thought was impressive...the scene where Robert de Nero's character reveals their true nature. Despite that being a terrfic moment in the film, it wasn't enough for me to put this on the list proper, cf. "The wicker man" for my U.K. list which I put in their for the powerful scene...just for that scene!
76. Primer (2004)
PG-13 | 77 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Four friends/fledgling entrepreneurs, knowing that there's something bigger and more innovative than the different error-checking devices they've built, wrestle over their new invention.
Director: Shane Carruth | Stars: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden, Anand Upadhyaya
Votes: 114,222 | Gross: $0.42M
Not On List.
50%
If I was wrong about "Eternal sunshine" being a puzzle to work out, that's not the case with this movie. When I walked into the cinema to watch it, it took a while to get to the point...I thought I was in the wrong cinema! And this movie really does require heavy use of pause/rewind to 'get'...and there's no guarantee of success in any case! A baffling movie about time travel...probably the most scientifically rigorous example in entertainment too. I...could not follow it!
77. Rushmore (1998)
R | 93 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A teenager at Rushmore Academy falls for a much older teacher and befriends a middle-aged industrialist. Later, he finds out that his love interest and his friend are having an affair, which prompts him to begin a vendetta.
Director: Wes Anderson | Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Seymour Cassel
Votes: 198,062 | Gross: $17.11M
Not On List.
Can't say that I remember this movie much at all.
78. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
R | 83 min | Horror
Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.
Director: Tobe Hooper | Stars: Marilyn Burns, Edwin Neal, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain
Votes: 183,797 | Gross: $30.86M
Not On List.
I rented this on VHS as a young teenager, when I was seeking out movies with an extremely bad reputation...this perhaps had the worst reputation for extreme violence. No doubt due to that fact I was disappointed by it, as it isn't as shocking as it's made out to be.
Even though I don't rate this movie that highly, I still remember bits of it. Think I've had spooky dreams where a chicken is in a small bird cage or something...'inspired' by a scene in this movie, I think. When Leatherface first appears in this movie, it was quite a shock.
Did wonder if maybe I was a sicko for being amused by a scene at the psychos' dinner table...a few years ago I saw an episode of the animated The Simpsons cartoon which directly steals that scene...so obviously I'm not the only one who found the original scene funny! Or perhaps The Simpsons' writers imagined that they were putting a comic spin on a scene which didn't have one? If so, I think that they were mistaken.
Have to admit that even though many of these movies with a shocking reputation disappointed me, gore wise, I was too spooked to try and find a movie which lived up to its promise of shocking violence...e.g. a promo for "Suspiria" featuring seemingly actual vision of surgery put me off, and many others films just seemed too 'sick' for me to muster up the 'courage' to view.
79. Working Girls (1986)
Unrated | 93 min | Drama
A day in the life of several prostitutes in an upscale Manhattan whore house. The film is a stark portrayal of the women prostitutes, the male customers and the motivations of both. Watch ... See full summary »
Director: Lizzie Borden | Stars: Louise Smith, Ellen McElduff, Amanda Goodwin, Deborah Banks
Votes: 1,634 | Gross: $1.78M
Not On List.
All I remember from this film is how one of the prostitutes in the story pretended to rim a male client. Hey, at least it's memorable!
80. THX 1138 (1971)
R | 86 min | Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
In the 25th century, a time when people have designations instead of names, a man, THX 1138, and a woman, LUH 3417, rebel against their rigidly controlled society.
Director: George Lucas | Stars: Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, Don Pedro Colley, Maggie McOmie
Votes: 54,645 | Gross: $2.44M
Not On List.
Can't say that I remember this one at all.
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