It’s a fact that independent films oftentimes overcome new artistic ground in a way once in a while found in Hollywood – their financial plans may be impressively littler however their aspirations regularly take off far higher than multiplex motion pictures, resisting type traditions and testing groups of onlookers to reevaluate the path in which silver screen is utilized as a method of expression.
Because were 2015 is near at its end, the art of indie film has delivered some exceptional movies that indeed captured the attention of the world, some of which are all but guaranteed to end up on more than a few “Best Movies Of 2015”. Horror, Science Fiction and the Western movie exhibit have been satirized and subverted to great effect, while powerful dramas cut to the core of what it means to be alive in the modern world.
These are motion pictures which take us past the explosions and activity at the heart of the late spring blockbuster and shows that a little budgetary plan is no hindrance to filming enormous thoughts.
- Results
Results is a 2015 indie romantic comedy film written and directed by Andrew Bujalski. The film stars Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Brooklyn Decker, Anthony Michael Hall, and Constance Zimmer. The movie is set in Austin, Texas, wherein recently divorced, newly rich, and utterly miserable, Danny (Corrigan) would seem to be the perfect test subject for a definitive look at the relationship between money and happiness. Danny’s well-funded ennui is interrupted by a momentous trip to the local gym, where he meets self-styled guru/owner Trevor (Pearce) and irresistibly acerbic trainer Kat (Smulders). Soon, their three lives are inextricably knotted, both professionally and personally.
Results was announced as one of the 66 titles in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and will have its debut at the Festival on January 27, 2015. Review aggregators Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an 81% approval rating, with an average score of 6.4/10, based on reviews from 72 critics. The consensus states: “Results moves stubbornly at its own deliberate pace, but the well-chosen cast — and writer-director Andrew Bujalski’s insightful observations — offer rich rewards for patient viewers.”Metacritic gives the film a score of 73 out of 100 based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews”.
- What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadows is a 2014 New Zealand mockumentary horror comedy film about a group of vampires who live together in Wellington. It was directed and written by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, who also star in the film. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014. The film was theatrically released on August 18, 2014, by Madman Entertainment. The film earned $6.9 million on a $1.6 million budget. The film involves petty and dim-witted vampires, more concerned with arguing over who’s turn it is to do the dishes and sketching one another before a night on the town (it’s hard to look your best when you can’t see your own reflection). Their childish bickering is endlessly entertaining, while repeated viewings bring up new subtle details you probably missed the first time around.
What We Do in the Shadows received critical acclaim and has a “Certified Fresh” score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 118 reviews with an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. It is rated #68 on the website’s list of Top 100 comedies of all time. The critical consensus states “Smarter, fresher, and funnier than a modern vampire movie has any right to be, What We Do in the Shadows is bloody good fun.” The film also has a score of 75 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 31 critics indicating “generally favorable reviews.
- Welcome to Me
Welcome to Me is a 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Shira Piven and written by Eliot Laurence. The film stars Kristen Wiig as Alice Klieg, a recent lottery-winning millionaire with borderline personality disorder who uses her new found wealth to write and star in an autobiographical talk show. The cast includes James Marsden, Linda Cardellini and Wes Bentley. The film was released on May 1, 2015 in a limited release.
It was released in United States theaters on May 1, 2015.The film grossed $38,168 from 2 screens. The following week the film jumped from 41st place to 29th place, earning $188,067 from 133 screens (but averaging a scant $1,414 per screen compared to a healthy $19,084 per screen in its opening weekend). The film closed with $625,727 after spending seven weeks in the box office.
- ‘’71
’71 is a 2014 British historical action film set in Northern Ireland written by Gregory Burke and directed by Yann Demange. It stars Jack O’Connell, Sean Harris, David Wilmot, Richard Dormer, Paul Anderson, and Charlie Murphy, and tells the story of a British soldier who becomes separated from his unit during a riot in Belfast at the height of the Troubles in 1971. Filming began on location in Blackburn, Lancashire in April 2013 and continued in Sheffield and Liverpool. The film was funded by the British Film Institute, Film4, Creative Scotland and Screen Yorkshire. The film had its premiere in the competition section of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, held in February 2014.
’71 received positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 97% of 115 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating was 7.7/10. The site’s consensus reads: “Powerfully directed and acted, ’71 stays true to its fact-based origins while remaining as gripping as any solidly crafted action thriller.” Metacritic rated it 83/100 based on 33 reviews, indicating universal acclaim.
- Maggie
Maggie is a 2015 post-apocalyptic drama film directed by Henry Hobson, written by John Scott III, and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin and Joely Richardson. Schwarzenegger stars as a Midwestern farmer as he tries to help his teenage daughter (Breslin) who has turned into a brain-eating zombie. The film sounds a bit like specific scenes from “The Walking Dead” and is certainly an interesting take on the genre.
Although Maggie received mixed reviews, critics praised Schwarzenegger’s and Breslin’s performances. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 54%, based on 99 reviews, with a rating of 5.6/10. The site’s critical consensus reads, “Maggie lurches a bit clumsily at times, but is partially redeemed by strong performances and an unexpectedly thoughtful tone.” On Metacritic, the film has a score of 52 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews”.