Whare some good indie films for college freshmen?
April 26, 2012 8:44 AM Subscribe
I’d like to expose college freshmen to some quality indie films. They love movies as long as those movies have hundred-million-dollar budgets, or Adam Sandler, or vampire angst. I’m not saying those things are bad, but when I mentioned “indie film,” the students looked like exiles in a strange land, staring at me blankly. Can you suggest under-the-radar films that would appeal to 18-year-olds with better things to do with their time?
This may be a risky suggestion depending on the students' backgrounds and your comfort level with showing them movies with sexual content, but I LOVED Hedwig and the Angry Inch when I was a teenager. Simple storyline, great music, not boring, lots of bright colors.
posted by oinopaponton at 8:50 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by oinopaponton at 8:50 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
A Shallow Grave was great fun if you think they can deal with light Scots accents.
posted by Dragonness at 8:50 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Dragonness at 8:50 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Donnie Darko?
posted by gaspode at 8:51 AM on April 26, 2012 [7 favorites]
posted by gaspode at 8:51 AM on April 26, 2012 [7 favorites]
Does Wes Anderson count? I pick Wes Anderson.
posted by Flamingo at 8:52 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Flamingo at 8:52 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Go through the 1990s Greatest Hits -- this was when it became apparent that "indie" could also mean "good" and "accessible."
These films are a good place to start.
posted by deanc at 8:52 AM on April 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
These films are a good place to start.
posted by deanc at 8:52 AM on April 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
Technically, Pulp Fiction was "indie".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:55 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:55 AM on April 26, 2012
You might want to use a term other than Indie Film to describe what you mean -- is it low-budget? Is it a certain amount of quality? Is it less advertising budget? Is it certain studios? The Hunger Games movie, for example, is an Indie Film by the normal definition of the term, so it's not a super useful term on its own.
posted by brainmouse at 8:56 AM on April 26, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by brainmouse at 8:56 AM on April 26, 2012 [5 favorites]
Best answer: You could even start with more accesible or popular independent films, like Blair Witch Project or Little Miss Sunshine, to get the discussion rolling of what an independent film is. Maybe the discussion would get them interested and then you could go to the "deeper cuts." I think some interesting ones would be Run Lola Run, Being John Malkovich, Lost in Translation, City of God, Memento, The Station Agent, Primer and maybe find a good documentary like Man on Wire.
posted by theuninvitedguest at 9:03 AM on April 26, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by theuninvitedguest at 9:03 AM on April 26, 2012 [4 favorites]
Are you looking for a specific genre? there are lots of indie films out there.
posted by zombieApoc at 9:10 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by zombieApoc at 9:10 AM on April 26, 2012
seconding Pontypool. And Primer is one of the best time travel movies ever made.
posted by rtimmel at 9:12 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by rtimmel at 9:12 AM on April 26, 2012
Juno!
It's kooky and funny but sneakily wholesome and just the kind of thing I will be forcing my kids to watch at that age.
posted by greenish at 9:14 AM on April 26, 2012
It's kooky and funny but sneakily wholesome and just the kind of thing I will be forcing my kids to watch at that age.
posted by greenish at 9:14 AM on April 26, 2012
Response by poster: @zombieApoc: The genre isn't so important, as long as the themes are relevant to the younger demographic. DONNIE DARKO is a great match, for example, though FARGO probably won't interest them.
posted by jackypaper at 9:14 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by jackypaper at 9:14 AM on April 26, 2012
Chasing Amy was awesome when I was a college freshman.
posted by ladybird at 9:16 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by ladybird at 9:16 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: @brainmouse: THE HUNGER GAMES is a good example of what I'm trying to avoid. Maybe it fits certain definitions of an indie film, but with that kind of budget, that kind of advertising, and that kind of box office haul, it's far too mainstream; wildly mainstream, in fact. JUNO, as greenish suggests, is a much better match.
posted by jackypaper at 9:17 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by jackypaper at 9:17 AM on April 26, 2012
Coen Brothers, Coen Brothers, Coen Brothers.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:18 AM on April 26, 2012 [8 favorites]
posted by Sunburnt at 9:18 AM on April 26, 2012 [8 favorites]
The genre isn't so important, as long as the themes are relevant to the younger demographic. DONNIE DARKO is a great match, for example, though FARGO probably won't interest them.
What makes you say that about Fargo? It has Steve Buscemi, violence, and intrigue. Are you sure that your students aren't going to be interested in something unless it has "youth appeal"?
In college, everyone loved the indie films Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and True Romance. None of them were explicitly about "themes ... relevant to the younger demographic", though obviously they really resonated with younger audiences.
posted by deanc at 9:26 AM on April 26, 2012
What makes you say that about Fargo? It has Steve Buscemi, violence, and intrigue. Are you sure that your students aren't going to be interested in something unless it has "youth appeal"?
In college, everyone loved the indie films Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and True Romance. None of them were explicitly about "themes ... relevant to the younger demographic", though obviously they really resonated with younger audiences.
posted by deanc at 9:26 AM on April 26, 2012
(Right, obviously, I didn't think you were looking for The Hunger Games -- I'm just saying that "indie film" is not the term you're looking for)
posted by brainmouse at 9:27 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by brainmouse at 9:27 AM on April 26, 2012
Mary and Max is a claymation film, but it's very much an adult movie, because its main characters deal with heavy problems such as alcoholic/neglectful parents, loneliness, low self-esteem, and Asperger's syndrome . Definitely not a spirit-lifter, but it's one of the best movies I've ever seen.
posted by dean_deen at 9:35 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by dean_deen at 9:35 AM on April 26, 2012
Repo! The Genetic Opera. It has some names they'll recognize (Paris Hilton, maybe Sarah Brightman, Paul Giamatti, Anthony Head) and was directed by the same guy as the Saw films, but was never shown at major theaters, and low-budget. Plus, it's a fun story (vaguely similar in premise to the Hollywood film Repo Men that was made later). And maybe the similarity will open up some avenues of discussion for you.
posted by Night_owl at 9:43 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by Night_owl at 9:43 AM on April 26, 2012
What's your motivation, here?
Are you a teacher trying to teach a course?
Are you the president of the Film Club, and the new freshman recruits need to have their taste adjusted?
Are you just a random person who is friends with some people who know fuck all about movies?
I would recommend different things for all of these different scenarios. If the latter two just... recommend what you like or what you think they should see. It doesn't really matter what the True Nature of Independent Film is, or whether a film is independent in a formal or technical sense.
When I was a freshman in college, I took up with a bunch of film students. One of them (my boyfriend at the time) made me up a list on a legal pad of Films I Needed To See in order to be considered a serious person, or whatever. In movie geek terms, of course. In hindsight this was an incredibly patronizing and pompous thing to do, but it was actually a pretty good list and taking it to Kim's Video once a week was a great amateur film education.
In fact, that list is probably one of the best things that ever happened to my career, considering I work in film today and spend lots of time talking movies with influential people who I'd like to take my work seriously. Having seen Eraserhead, Natural Born Killers, Suspiria, etc. really helps when you're desperate to have an excuse to talk to some director or producer.
So maybe just sit down, push yourself through an IMDB rabbit hole, and make a huge crazy list of the movies you love and think are important?
posted by Sara C. at 9:52 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Are you a teacher trying to teach a course?
Are you the president of the Film Club, and the new freshman recruits need to have their taste adjusted?
Are you just a random person who is friends with some people who know fuck all about movies?
I would recommend different things for all of these different scenarios. If the latter two just... recommend what you like or what you think they should see. It doesn't really matter what the True Nature of Independent Film is, or whether a film is independent in a formal or technical sense.
When I was a freshman in college, I took up with a bunch of film students. One of them (my boyfriend at the time) made me up a list on a legal pad of Films I Needed To See in order to be considered a serious person, or whatever. In movie geek terms, of course. In hindsight this was an incredibly patronizing and pompous thing to do, but it was actually a pretty good list and taking it to Kim's Video once a week was a great amateur film education.
In fact, that list is probably one of the best things that ever happened to my career, considering I work in film today and spend lots of time talking movies with influential people who I'd like to take my work seriously. Having seen Eraserhead, Natural Born Killers, Suspiria, etc. really helps when you're desperate to have an excuse to talk to some director or producer.
So maybe just sit down, push yourself through an IMDB rabbit hole, and make a huge crazy list of the movies you love and think are important?
posted by Sara C. at 9:52 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
The movie that got me into indie movies at that exact same age was Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I don't know if it counts as exactly indie enough, but it was a stepping stone that helped me appreciate a wider range of indie movies. Seconding Wes Anderson's films, although some of them didn't have that same resonance with me, although they did with my friends. I really loved Punch Drunk Love and Fantastic Mr. Fox.
posted by zhi at 9:55 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by zhi at 9:55 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
(I think Indie Film is kind of a genre, not a technical specification, otherwise most George Lucas movies would be considered Indie. I think it means Independent + Lower Budget.)
Garden State - Coming of age type movie that might resonate with college kids. Has a nice glossy finish and recognizable actors.
Clerks - Lots of college-age humor, Kevin Smith. Filmed in black and white, looks pretty damn indie. Warning: may inspire some college students to film their own crappy movies.
El Mariachi - This is a very action-oriented indie film, on par with big budget movies in terms of explosiveness, but somehow done on a micro-budget. Robert Rodriguez is a talented filmmaker.
If you're comfortable going the horror route, I'd recommend Evil Dead / Evil Dead 2, which were done by Sam Raimi long before he did mega-blockbuster Spider-man. The essence of all horror movies is Indie.
posted by jabberjaw at 9:55 AM on April 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
Garden State - Coming of age type movie that might resonate with college kids. Has a nice glossy finish and recognizable actors.
Clerks - Lots of college-age humor, Kevin Smith. Filmed in black and white, looks pretty damn indie. Warning: may inspire some college students to film their own crappy movies.
El Mariachi - This is a very action-oriented indie film, on par with big budget movies in terms of explosiveness, but somehow done on a micro-budget. Robert Rodriguez is a talented filmmaker.
If you're comfortable going the horror route, I'd recommend Evil Dead / Evil Dead 2, which were done by Sam Raimi long before he did mega-blockbuster Spider-man. The essence of all horror movies is Indie.
posted by jabberjaw at 9:55 AM on April 26, 2012 [3 favorites]
Punch Drunk Love. Funny People.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:57 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Sys Rq at 9:57 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. Bloody. Violent. Hilarious.
posted by Perthuz at 10:12 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Perthuz at 10:12 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Metropolitan is a great indie movie about college freshmen.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 10:24 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 10:24 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Definitely Donny Darko, Garden State, Clerks, Napoleon Dynamite, Being John Malkavitch
posted by radioamy at 10:31 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by radioamy at 10:31 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
It may have been too high budget to count as indie, but Scott Pilgrim v. The World is really geared towards that age group, and is a really great movie.
posted by zhi at 10:36 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by zhi at 10:36 AM on April 26, 2012
I liked The Wackness. Its themes may appeal (and for them it might also be a history lesson).
posted by hydatius at 10:37 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by hydatius at 10:37 AM on April 26, 2012
Right now I want to yell GET OFF MY LAWN at the top of my lungs but I will try to help instead.
I saw Night of the Living Dead for the first time in freshman year, along with a roomful of freshman boys. All involved had a blast.
Also, Repo Man; Sid and Nancy; Buckaroo Banzai.
posted by Currer Belfry at 10:42 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
I saw Night of the Living Dead for the first time in freshman year, along with a roomful of freshman boys. All involved had a blast.
Also, Repo Man; Sid and Nancy; Buckaroo Banzai.
posted by Currer Belfry at 10:42 AM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
well I'm a horror guy, so most of what I post will be those
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
DeadHeads
The Sasquatch Gang
Eagle vs Shark - only some qwerky young people may get a real good laugh out of this
Wristcutters: A Love Story
Fido
Aaah! Zombies aka Wasting Away
Tucker and Dale Vs Evil
Cube
posted by zombieApoc at 10:52 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
DeadHeads
The Sasquatch Gang
Eagle vs Shark - only some qwerky young people may get a real good laugh out of this
Wristcutters: A Love Story
Fido
Aaah! Zombies aka Wasting Away
Tucker and Dale Vs Evil
Cube
posted by zombieApoc at 10:52 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Rubber and Pontypool
posted by Slackermagee at 10:59 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by Slackermagee at 10:59 AM on April 26, 2012
i don't know about Rubber. It was a bit pretentious, and I'm not sure that the audience would get the purpose of it without a lot of cinematic knowledge
posted by zombieApoc at 11:03 AM on April 26, 2012
posted by zombieApoc at 11:03 AM on April 26, 2012
I don't see what the budget means in terms of "indie" sensibility. Juno is an indie film? Juno? Produced by Fox Searchlight, distributed by 20th and directed by scion of Hollywood Jason Reitman? Do the Right Thing is Warner's. Not indie.
Lost in Translation was pretty low budget, and I think it's a wonderful film but it's hard to claim Sofia Coppola as an outsider.
posted by Ideefixe at 11:26 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
Lost in Translation was pretty low budget, and I think it's a wonderful film but it's hard to claim Sofia Coppola as an outsider.
posted by Ideefixe at 11:26 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]
My own "movies that were a revelation to me" when I was 18.
Doom Generation ( I also know people who Hate Hate HATE this movie, so you might just make them stop listening to your recommendations )
Repo Man
Rubin and Ed ( I saw it on VHS. I don't think it's had a proper DVD release but you can buy it from the director, which feels pretty damn indie. )
posted by RobotHero at 11:34 AM on April 26, 2012
Doom Generation ( I also know people who Hate Hate HATE this movie, so you might just make them stop listening to your recommendations )
Repo Man
Rubin and Ed ( I saw it on VHS. I don't think it's had a proper DVD release but you can buy it from the director, which feels pretty damn indie. )
posted by RobotHero at 11:34 AM on April 26, 2012
Do you think they would be open to documentaries?
Murderball, Supersize Me, Roger and Me, When We Were Kings, Hoop Dreams, Thin Blue Line, and Paradise Lost might be of interest.
posted by hmo at 11:44 AM on April 26, 2012
Murderball, Supersize Me, Roger and Me, When We Were Kings, Hoop Dreams, Thin Blue Line, and Paradise Lost might be of interest.
posted by hmo at 11:44 AM on April 26, 2012
Ghost World
Napoleon Dynamite
Heathers
The Castle (Australian, charming and funny)
Amelie if you think they can deal with subtitles
Shawn of the Dead
Let Me In (vampires!)
Clerks
I think The Usual Suspects was an indie film when it came out
posted by triggerfinger at 12:27 PM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
Napoleon Dynamite
Heathers
The Castle (Australian, charming and funny)
Amelie if you think they can deal with subtitles
Shawn of the Dead
Let Me In (vampires!)
Clerks
I think The Usual Suspects was an indie film when it came out
posted by triggerfinger at 12:27 PM on April 26, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Castle is awesome. I cannot imagine anyone not liking it. You might try and order this, if indeed you want to order it, along country lines - get the students to vote on countries they'd like to see a film from and pick an indie movie from there. Or base it on indie movies with famous actors, perhaps you could build up a list of indies that were people's first big breaks.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 1:02 PM on April 26, 2012
posted by lesbiassparrow at 1:02 PM on April 26, 2012
when I mentioned 'indie film,' the students looked like exiles in a strange land, staring at me blankly
I might have, too, because it doesn't really mean anything. That's not meant to be nasty, it's just such an incredibly nebulous term ("indie music" is the same way) that what it mostly turns out to mean is "good, not extravagantly marketed, and not too popular."
If you're talking about that, then you have all kinds of options. The Coen Brothers are a good idea, but if you're looking for something genuinely "indie," you have to go pretty far back in their careers. I mean, are they more likely to like something sweet, like Once, or something dark, like Blood Simple?
There are a million ways to go here, but I would really frame it around good and interesting movies they might not have already seen, rather than the "indie" idea, and that you do it without quite so strong a sense that they're limited and not all that interested in anything except themselves (which is what I get from your post). Show them something you like that they may not have seen -- that doesn't necessarily mean "indie." Example: Adventureland was not an indie film, but it is a massively underappreciated gem about kids who are about this age.
posted by Linda_Holmes at 1:11 PM on April 26, 2012 [4 favorites]
I might have, too, because it doesn't really mean anything. That's not meant to be nasty, it's just such an incredibly nebulous term ("indie music" is the same way) that what it mostly turns out to mean is "good, not extravagantly marketed, and not too popular."
If you're talking about that, then you have all kinds of options. The Coen Brothers are a good idea, but if you're looking for something genuinely "indie," you have to go pretty far back in their careers. I mean, are they more likely to like something sweet, like Once, or something dark, like Blood Simple?
There are a million ways to go here, but I would really frame it around good and interesting movies they might not have already seen, rather than the "indie" idea, and that you do it without quite so strong a sense that they're limited and not all that interested in anything except themselves (which is what I get from your post). Show them something you like that they may not have seen -- that doesn't necessarily mean "indie." Example: Adventureland was not an indie film, but it is a massively underappreciated gem about kids who are about this age.
posted by Linda_Holmes at 1:11 PM on April 26, 2012 [4 favorites]
Eve's Bayou and Daughters of the Dust are both strikingly beautiful films featuring women of color
posted by spunweb at 1:40 AM on April 27, 2012
posted by spunweb at 1:40 AM on April 27, 2012
Before Sunset.
From IMDB
A young man and woman meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one romantic evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.
Here are some quotes from the film that may appeal to an audience of 18-year-olds.
Jesse: Everybody's parents fucked them up. Rich kids parents gave them too much. Poor kids, not enough. You know, too much attention, not enough attention. They either left them or they stuck around and taught them the wrong things.
Celine: I had worked for this old man and once he told me that he had spent his whole life thinking about his career and his work. And he was fifty-two and it suddenly struck him that he had never really given anything of himself. His life was for no one and nothing. He was almost crying saying that.
Jesse: I don't know, I think that if I could just accept the fact that my life is supposed to be difficult. You know, that's what to be expected, then I might not get so pissed-off about it and I'll just be glad when something nice happens.
Jesse: Why is it, that a dog, sleeping in the sun, is so beautiful, y'know, it is, it's beautiful, but a guy, standing at a bank machine, trying to take some money out, looks like a complete moron?
Jesse: Well, I was driving around with this buddy of mine, he was a big atheist, and we came to a stop, next to this homeless guy. And my buddy takes out a 100 dollar bill, and leans out the window, and he says, "Do you believe in God?". And the guy looks at my friend, and he looks at the money, he says, uh, "Yes, I do". My friend says, "Wrong answer", and we drove away.
Share this quote
Celine: When you talked earlier about after a few years how a couple would begin to hate each other by anticipating their reactions or getting tired of their mannerisms-I think it would be the opposite for me. I think I can really fall in love when I know everything about someone-the way he's going to part his hair, which shirt he's going to wear that day, knowing the exact story he'd tell in a given situation. I'm sure that's when I know I'm really in love.
posted by therubettes at 2:35 AM on April 27, 2012
From IMDB
A young man and woman meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one romantic evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.
Here are some quotes from the film that may appeal to an audience of 18-year-olds.
Jesse: Everybody's parents fucked them up. Rich kids parents gave them too much. Poor kids, not enough. You know, too much attention, not enough attention. They either left them or they stuck around and taught them the wrong things.
Celine: I had worked for this old man and once he told me that he had spent his whole life thinking about his career and his work. And he was fifty-two and it suddenly struck him that he had never really given anything of himself. His life was for no one and nothing. He was almost crying saying that.
Jesse: I don't know, I think that if I could just accept the fact that my life is supposed to be difficult. You know, that's what to be expected, then I might not get so pissed-off about it and I'll just be glad when something nice happens.
Jesse: Why is it, that a dog, sleeping in the sun, is so beautiful, y'know, it is, it's beautiful, but a guy, standing at a bank machine, trying to take some money out, looks like a complete moron?
Jesse: Well, I was driving around with this buddy of mine, he was a big atheist, and we came to a stop, next to this homeless guy. And my buddy takes out a 100 dollar bill, and leans out the window, and he says, "Do you believe in God?". And the guy looks at my friend, and he looks at the money, he says, uh, "Yes, I do". My friend says, "Wrong answer", and we drove away.
Share this quote
Celine: When you talked earlier about after a few years how a couple would begin to hate each other by anticipating their reactions or getting tired of their mannerisms-I think it would be the opposite for me. I think I can really fall in love when I know everything about someone-the way he's going to part his hair, which shirt he's going to wear that day, knowing the exact story he'd tell in a given situation. I'm sure that's when I know I'm really in love.
posted by therubettes at 2:35 AM on April 27, 2012
Oldboy.
Also, are many of the target students likely to be into indie music? Maybe you could frame your argument for indie film by comparing it to indie music: "independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing." (But if it's true that Fargo won't interest them, can there be much hope for them?)
posted by pracowity at 2:44 AM on April 27, 2012
Also, are many of the target students likely to be into indie music? Maybe you could frame your argument for indie film by comparing it to indie music: "independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing." (But if it's true that Fargo won't interest them, can there be much hope for them?)
posted by pracowity at 2:44 AM on April 27, 2012
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Movies like: Brick (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), or Half Nelson (Ryan Gosling) could work.
posted by smitt at 8:49 AM on April 26, 2012 [2 favorites]