Discover the 50 best indie films of all time

The movies indies are independent, those that do not depend on a major Hollywood studio to be made. Often made on a low budget and with innovative techniques (even mobile phones), they can even become big box office successes. Several milestones in the history of cinema can be attributed to the innovations of the best films indies. Choose independent films to experience different worlds and change your film routine.

Jackie Brown (1997)

Original title: Jackie Brown

Pam Grier was a successful actress in the 70's rediscovered by Quentin Tarantino and who starred in this 1997 film. Inspired by the movies indies de blaxploitation, with black actors in the 70s-80s, Jackie Brown feels like a step back in time. At the same time, it is super contemporary. A forty-year-old black woman struggles in a precarious job market and gets into big trouble with drugs. Jackie Brown has to defeat bad guys, escape from cops, avoid ratting out colleagues and still earn a lot of money.

Direction: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Samuel L Jackson, Pam Grier, Michael Keaton, Robert De Niro, Bridget Fonda, Robert Forster, Chris Tucker

88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch:
HBO Max
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

The Terminator (1984)

Original title: The Terminator

An iconic title among the movies indies, with special effects that marked the time and career of Arnold Schwarzenegger. A cyborg assassin, the Terminator, is sent to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, the mother of a future savior of humanity. In this apocalyptic future, machines go to war with humans and extermination is the order of the day. Another time traveler, a futuristic soldier, can save Sarah and kill the Terminator.

Direction: James Cameron

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, Bess Motta, Rick Rossovich, Earl Boen

100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Meetings and Farewells (2003)

Original title: Lost in Translation

A title among the movies indies that brought a definite respect to Sofia Coppola as a director. Bill Murray is a decadent actor who goes to Japan to do obscure commercials. Lost in a foreign land, he meets the wife of a photographer who is alone in the country. Scarlett Johansson has excellent acting and the backdrops of Japanese neon signs create beautiful scenes. There is a subtle involvement between the two characters, which is always in a tension of the comings and goings of foreigners.

Direction: Sofia Coppola

Cast: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris, Fumihiro Hayashi

95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989)

Original title: Sex, lies and videotape

A mysterious ex-college classmate involves three characters in his weird personal project. The protagonist, James Spader, long before leading the Netflix series Blacklist, won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival. Spader asks about sex in video interviews. The cast brings excellent actors and a very curious direction by Soderbergh, who experiments with the language of video. Colleague, scoundrel John, has a despised wife (Ann) and an affair with sister-in-law Cynthia. The four's relationships take a turn when Ann becomes attracted to the amateur filmmaker. A very different title between the movies indies.

Direction: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, Laura San Giacomo

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Drugstore Cowboy (1989)

With the participation of the poet beatnik William Burroughs, the film features Matt Dillon as the leader of a gang that goes through several dramas. It all happens as he breaks into drugstores to steal drugs, adventures that seem naive at first. The plot of this outstanding title among the films indies, full of surprises, leaves the film far from an anti-drug message and each character has an indescribable charm. Kelly Lynch is Angela, a strong and beautiful woman who inspires all the gang's tricks.

Direction: Gus Van Sant

Cast: Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch, James Remar, James LeGros, Heather Graham, William Burroughs

97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (rental)
Youtube (rental)
Google Play Movies (rental)

Blue Velvet (1986)

Original title: Blue Velvet

David Lynch is one of the best-known independent film directors. Blue Velvet is a title that brings more interesting dramatic elements between the films indies. Considered a psychological thriller, the film brings a relationship between the singer of the Veludo Azul nightclub Isabela Rosseline and a naive Kyle MacLachlan as part of the central plot. Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen considered the film a masterpiece. Rolling Stone magazine called it the best film of the 80s.

Direction: David Lynch

Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Hope Lange, George Dickerson, Dean Stockwell

95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

No Destination (1969)

Original title: Easy Rider

One of the historic landmarks of independent films and one of the most watched, Sem Destino has marked generations. This is a title between the movies indies which has an innovative direction by Dennis Hopper, who also acts with Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson, all with a memorable performance. A celebration of rebellion and counterculture, the film brings two bikers through the roads of the United States who go through different adventures. Made for less than $400.000, the film generated $60 million at the worldwide box office at the time of its opening, nearly half a million at current values.

Direction: Dennis Hopper

Cast: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson

84% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

I Wanna Be John Malkovich (1999)

Original title: Being John Malkovich

An example among the movies indies wackiest that surpassed many expectations, including bringing in an all-star cast like John Cusack, John Malkovich, Cameron Diaz and Catherine Keener. Spike Jonze's direction and Charlie Kaufman's no-nonsense but very funny script form a beautiful partnership in this feature. John Malkovich is excellent at making us laugh at himself, and rom-com star Cusack is unrecognizable as a fan of conspiracy theories.

Direction: Spike jonze

Cast: John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean, Mary Kay Place, John Malkovich

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Original title: Little Miss Sunshine

A story between the movies indies smiles and heartwarming, Little Miss Sunshine was a critical success and won Alan Arkin the Oscar for best actor. The film tells the story of a dysfunctional but adorable family. Together, they take a crazy trip so that the youngest one can compete in a children's Miss contest. Comedian Steve Carell made his first melancholy character and masterfully completed the panorama of fascinating characters in this film.

Direction: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Cast: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin

91% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,8 on IMDb

Where to watch:
HBO Max
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Original title: The Blair Witch Project

the first of the movies indies with a viral internet campaign, The Blair Witch Project caused a real rage and movie rush when it was released. The film stole the style of documentaries and took advantage of its fame to cast doubt on whether it was based on real events or not. In the early days of digital cinema, shaky, improvised camera footage was very different from what existed in the horror genre until then. To this day, the film is one of the most profitable of all time, having been made on a very low budget.

Direction: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez

Cast: Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard

86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,5 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

Black Swan (2011)

Original title: Black Swan

This is an excellent title among the movies indies which tells the story of rival ballerinas who participate in a production of Swan Lake at the New York ballet company. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis shine in a problematic and very poetic relationship. The cast also includes Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder. The script is full of twists and Natalie Portman divides the viewer between different feelings for a protagonist as complex as she is beautiful.

Direction: Darren Aronofsky

Cast: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder

85% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,0 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Hulu
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)

Nise – The Heart of Madness (2016)

A pioneer of the anti-asylum movement, Dr. Nise da Silveira was a Brazilian psychiatrist far ahead of her time. She humanized the relationship with patients and inspires professionals from different areas to this day. Her story is beautifully told in this film starring Glória Pires. Among independent films in Brazil, this is a must see. Even today, the doctor's writings inspire many cultural productions, including several other films. indies.

Direction: Robert Berliner

Cast: Gloria Pires, Bernardo Marinho, Fabricio Boliveira, Zezeh Barbosa

88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Star +
HBO Max
Clear
Living
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

All the Reasons to Forget (2018)

A Brazilian-style romantic comedy among the films indies, but with very interesting tones of an unconventional story. Johnny Massaro plays the protagonist and stands out a lot in this film, which tells the story of an eternally disillusioned romantic. The feature is the first directed by Pedro Coutinho. The romantic heroine is Bianca Comparato, who made the series 3% on Netflix.

Direction: Pedro Coutinho

Cast: Jhonny Massaro, Bianca Comparato, Regina Braga, Rafael Primot, Maria Laura Nogueira, Thiago Amaral, Victor Mendes

6,2 on IMDB

Where to watch:
Netflix
YouTube Movies (Available for Rent/Purchase)

Amores Pertos (2000)

Original title: Amores Perros

between the movies indies, Mexican cinema is characterized by a lot of creativity and that captivates the viewer, Amores Perros is a great example of a film of this type. Alejandro González Iñárritu's first feature film gave rise to a trilogy, followed by 21 Grams (2003) and Babel (2006). Gael Garcia Bernal had an international career after the film, including acting in award-winning series, such as Mozart in the Jungle.

Direction: Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu

Cast: Emilio Echevarria, Gael Garcia Bernal, Goya Toledo

93% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Netflix
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Run Lola Run (1998)

Original title: Run Lola Run

A very creative film with split screen and timeline stamped in the rush scenes. Lola (Franka Potente) is the girlfriend of a bandit who left a bag with a fortune in the Berlin subway. She has 20 minutes to bring the money and involves other people like her father, a bank manager (Herbert Knaup), while the big boss Ronnie (Heino Ferch) can destroy the bad guy. The success of this title among the films indies, especially in the United States, led Franka Potente to acting in Hollywood.

Direction: Tom tykwer

Cast: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup, and Nina Petri

93% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Hulu
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Gods and Monsters (1998)

Original title: Gods and Monsters

It's the late 50s and retired gay director James Whale (Ian McKellen) lives in a very discreet luxury home. He has a dour housekeeper (Lynn Redgrave) and a handsome young gardener (Brendan Fraser). As Whale reminisces about his old movies, full of monsters from a Hollywood where special effects were luxury, he chats with the young man. A friendship full of surprises and many twists and turns in the old director's memories is born. It's a beautiful life lesson and a change of routine between movies. indies.

Direction: Bill Condon

Cast: Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:
YouTube ScreenBlaze (licensing channel)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

June (2007)

Original title: Juno

Juno is a young romantic comedy that mixes seriousness and teen dramas in just the right amount. Unlike most movies indies, this one is very positive, to lift the spirits. It remains one of the best-known independent films and features a fantastic cast with Elliot Page, Michael Cera, JK Simmons, Alison Janney, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner. It was Diablo Cody's first screenplay and it brings the story of a teenage pregnancy in a modern and light way.

Direction: Jason Reitman

Cast: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, JK Simmons

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Precious: A Story of Hope (2009)

Original title: Precious

Precious is the middle name of Claireece Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a fat 16-year-old girl, raped by her father and pregnant for the second time by her predator. Her mother (Mo'Nique) is constantly accusing her and harassing her. Precious gets the chance to move to a new school and sees a chance to change her life. Your teacher Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) will seek to help her out of the oppressive context in which she lives. This is an indie film that launched Gabourey's career to stardom and participation in several other films. indies and in Hollywood.

Direction: Lee Daniels

Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

The Farewell (2019)

Original title: Blackbird

The American drama is a version of the Danish film Mute Heart (Quiet heart), with the same screenwriter Christian Torpe. Lily (Susan Sarandon), a matriarch, gathers her daughters for a farewell weekend, with plans to commit suicide to stop suffering from a terminal illness. With a cast of recognized actresses and success in several film festivals indies, the title is thrilling in just the right measure.

Direction: Roger michell

Cast: Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Mia Wasikowska

64% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,6 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Minari – In Pursuit of Happiness (2020)

Original title: Threatening

1980s and a Korean family starts a farm in Arkansas. The family's father, Jacob Yi, wants his Korean-American family to prosper. Skeptical wife Monica and children David and Anne seek to overcome the challenges. Grandma Soonja manages to grow the plant of prosperity, Minaries, while the farmer struggles with the land. The Yi family will have several lessons in resilience.

Direction: Lee Issac Chung

Cast: Yeri Han, Steven Yeun, Alan Kim

98% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Uncut Gems (2019)

Original title: Uncut gems

A very different film from Adam Sandler, an actor who is also successful in major studios. Sandler is Howard Ratner, a jewelry salesman and gambling addict who is constantly losing money. When he finds a rare Ethiopian stone, Ratner thinks he will finally change his situation. He will fight for the rough gem with many opponents while dreaming of a comeback.

Direction: Josh SafdieBenny Safdie

Cast: Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield

91% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Corrupted Faith (2017)

Original title: First Reformed

A pastor (Ethan Hawke) from the small church First Reformed faces dilemmas of faith as he seeks to guide his community. The tragedy of a son killed in the war haunts the pastor, who still has to deal with the vested interests of the most powerful members of the congregation. A pregnant believer asks the pastor for help to guide her in her marriage to a radical environmentalist. That's where a first twist arises about how the pastor will act with his faithful.

Direction: Paul Schrader

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric Kyles

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Tangerine (2015)

Original title: Tangerines

Ex-con Sin-Dee returns to her neighborhood and discovers that her boyfriend had cheated on her while she was in prison. She then goes to check if the rumor is true with her friend Alexandra. The adventure with the tricksters brings several other characters to the film's plot, including an Armenian family that also has to deal with a marital infidelity.

Direction: Sean baker

Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanian, James Ransone

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Mubi
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Frances Ha (2012)

Original title: Frances Ha

The film mixes comedy and drama and has artistic photography, with black and white scenes throughout the film. Frances Halladay (Gerta Gerwig) is a 27-year-old dancer who has trouble finding work. Everything gets worse when her roommate finds a boyfriend and decides to leave for Japan. Frances has to find places to live, work and understand her friends' complex choices.

Direction: Noah Baumbach

Cast: Greta GerwigMickey Sumner

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

Original title: The Squid and the Whale

Two brothers living in Brooklyn face family conflicts in the midst of a divorce from their cultured parents Bernard (Jeff Daniels) and Joan Berkman (Laura Linney). Older brother Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) sides with their father and causes trouble at school. The youngest, Frank (Owen Kline), supports his mother. Tensions in the house escalate as her mother's writing career takes off and her father becomes just an ambitious ex-husband.

Direction: Noah Baumbach

Cast: Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Dancing in the Dark (2000)

Original title: Dancer in the Dark

Bjork, the Icelandic singer, is the main actress in this film and shines in the role of Selma Ježková, a long-suffering heroine. In Washington state in 1964, the Czech immigrant lives with her 12-year-old son, Gene. Life is simple and Selma works in a factory with her friend Kathy, whom she names Cvalda. Selma loses her eyesight due to a degenerative condition and saves so that her son doesn't suffer from the same disease. She always imagines music and dance and the drama interspersed with musical scenes enriches the film.

Direction: Lars von Trier

Cast: Bjork, Catherine Deneuve

70% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,9 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Hedwig: Rock, Love and Betrayal (2001)

Original title: Hedwig and the Angry Inch

This play-turned-movie is a groundbreaking musical that tells a sensitive story about sexuality and love. John Cameron Mitchell is the screenwriter, director and actor who plays the title character. Composer Stephen Trask provided the excellent music for the soundtrack. Hedwig grew up in East Berlin as a boy and reinvents herself as a rock diva to immigrate to the United States.

Direction: John Cameron Mitchell

Cast: John Cameron Mitchell, Andrea Martin, Michael Pitt, Miriam Shor

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

The Mariachi (1992)

Original title: El Mariachi

With a budget of US$ 7.000, this action movie surprised and gave director Robert Rodriguez a promising career. At the time, to carry out this production, the director raised $3.000 from the budget as a volunteer for research on experimental drugs. Filmed in Mexico, it tells the story of a musician who arrives in a village and is mistaken for a fugitive gangster, who wears the same black jacket and guitar characteristic of the mariachis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7lpjP-T97o&ab_channel=VideoDetective

Direction: Robert Rodriguez

Cast: Carlos Gallardo, Consuelo Gomez, Jaime de Hoyos

91% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,8 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Original title: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

One of the greatest horror movie classics is based on a real serial killer, Ed Gein. The film was so successful that it spawned a series of sequels in addition to a remake, a new version released in 2014. With a budget of $140.000, funds that would have come from the porn classic Deep Throat, this is yet another independent that spawned much profit. In one of the scenes, at dinner, actress Marilyn Burns nearly hurt herself with a hammer, an example of the many adventures of director and cast in this film.

Direction: Tobe Hooper

Cast: Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, Gunnar Hansen

89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

Mad Max (1979)

In an apocalyptic world after a great war, gangs roam the desert in their cars. Fuel is the golden coin and this sci-fi movie explores an alternate reality. The director, George Miller, is a doctor who left his career to be a filmmaker. With a budget of $400.000, the film earned more than $100 million. The film also inspired sequels and an entire genre of apocalypse western that is still very successful.

Direction: George Miller

Cast: Mel Gibson, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Joanne Samuel, Steve Bisley, Sheila Florance, Jonathan Hardy, Nick Lathouris, John Ley

89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,8 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)

THX 1138 (1971)

Original title: THX 1138

George Lucas' first film, pre-Star Wars, and which was rediscovered after the sci-fi saga became a success. It is the only film by the filmmaker that is not produced by Lucasfilm, but by American Zoetrope. The film deals with a dystopian future in another galaxy. Worker THX 1138 is the role of Robert Duvall, who exists in a society where sex is forbidden and drugs are used to control the population. The robot police oppress the people's rebellion and THX 1138 falls in love amidst the chaos.

Direction: George Lucas

Cast: Donald Pleasence, Don Pedro Colley, Ian Wolfe, Maggie McOmie, Robert Duvall

86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,6 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Nosferatu (1922)

Original title: Nosferatu, eine Symphony des Grauen

Director FW Murnau decided to adapt Bram Stoker's Dracula and, at a time when copyright was still not strictly enforced, he just changed the name and made some changes to the plot. Murnau still faced problems in court over the film. Nosferatu is a landmark of German expressionism and one of the most innovative films in cinema, even still part of silent cinema.

Direction: FW Murnau

Cast: Albert Venohr, Alexander Granach Knock, Eric van Many, Fanny Schreck, Georg H. Schnell

97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,9 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

City of God (2002)

Original title: City of God

Considered a landmark of independent cinema worldwide, City of God showed the world of the beginnings of the favelas of Rio de Janeiro in a very engaging way. The film brings adventure and drama in a fast action cinema that reminds a little of the language of the comics. The characters Zé Pequeno and Buscapé play the roles of bad guy and good guy in a universe where being on the right side of the law is a luxury and the fight for survival is the watchword.

Direction: Katia Lund, Fernando Meirelles

Cast: Douglas Silva, Alice Braga, Seu Jorge, Matheus Nachtergaele, Darlan Cunha, Michel Gomes

91% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,6 on IMDb

Where to watch:
balloon play
Paramount +

The Life of Brian (1979)

Original title: Monty Python's Life Of Brian

Monty Python is the most famous comedy group in cinema, born in the United Kingdom. The emergence of the idea for this film was announced by a member of Monty Python, Eric Idle, during a press conference. When asked what they were working on, he laughed and said the movie would be called “Jesus Christ – Wish for Glory”, which made everyone curious at the time. Religious satire is a comedy classic and a favorite movie for moviegoers. Brian is mistaken for the Messiah, his neighbor, and goes through several mishaps in life because of this.

Direction: Terry Jones

Cast: Graham ChapmanJohn CleeseTerry GilliamEric IdleTerry JonesMichael Palin

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,0 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Netflix
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

Amy Wanted (1997)

Original title: Chasing Amy

A film about a very different love triangle, light and approaching the fluid sexuality of the heroine of the plot. Ben Affleck has a brilliant performance alone, at a time when he had the famous partnership with Matt Damon. Director Kevin Smith already had experience with other films indies and managed to portray the youth of the 90s very well, with very universal and timeless traits.

Direction: Kevin Smith

Cast: Ben AffleckJoey Lauren AdamsJason Lee

87% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Original title: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

A beautiful love story, top-notch actors and an out-of-the-ordinary and interesting script by Charlie Kaufman, also author of I Want To Be John Malkovich. The plot features Joel (Jim Carrey) as Clementine's (Kate Winslet) ex-boyfriend. To forget about the relationship, Clementine used a procedure that erased her ex from her mind. Joel decides to do the same procedure and goes through several adventures until he succeeds.

Direction: Michael gondry

Cast: Jim CarreyKate WinsletKirsten DunstMark RuffaloElijah WoodTom Wilkinson

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

Dogs for Hire (1992)

Original title: Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino's first film was even more successful after Pulp Fiction exploded in popularity. It has the same quality standard as other Tarantino films, with striking scenes of violence interspersed with an engaging plot. Harvey Keitel had a revival of his acting career following his success as the lead in this film and the suit-and-tie gang aesthetic has translated to many other films in the genre.

Direction: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Edward Bunker, Quentin Tarantino, Tim Roth

90% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:
HBO Max
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Original title: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

A movie that became a big event in many theaters. The musical with its punk aesthetic attracts legions of fans who dress up like the characters to see the movie in the cinema, repeat the main lines and love everything related to the film. The film is also a celebration of LGBTQ+ culture with songs that celebrate transgender culture and sexual freedom. The box office value of the film reached US$ 170 million and is one of the longest-running titles in theaters.

Direction: Jim Sharman

Cast: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick

80% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)

Amnesia (2000)

Original title: Memento

The film is a very realistic portrayal of the life of someone affected by retrograde amnesia, a condition that prevents the creation of new memories. Guy Pearce plays the protagonist Leonard Shelby. The director takes the opportunity to present the scenes of his memories as if they were rewound, in a kind of reverse story with an unprecedented sequence. The film was so successful that experts praised it as a way to better understand how the brain works.

Direction: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Carrie Ann Moss, Guy Pearce, Joe Pantoliano

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:
HBO Max
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

Trainspotting: No Limits (1996)

Original title: Trainspotting

A British production with a Scottish setting and a complex plot full of striking scenes. Danny Boyle directs Trainspotting like an action movie, full of abrupt cuts and moving scenes. Ewan McGregor launched an excellent and long-lasting career with this film, which demanded perfect acting under extreme conditions. The entire cast is made up of promising young British actors. The film examines the scenario of a bored group of young people who are addicted to drugs and adventures on the railroad tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pehVTRDTe7Q&ab_channel=Miramax

Direction: Danny Boyle

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle, Ewen Bremner, Kelly Macdonald

90% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)

Halloween (1978)

Original title: Halloween

One of the most celebrated horror films, it spawned several sequels and similar releases, including a remake with the actress of the original film 40 years later. The film generated $750 million at the box office and lost its spot as the highest-grossing horror film to The Blair Witch Project, which was created on a rock-bottom budget. Jamie Lee Curtis, the lead actress, has had a long successful career and her participation in the latest version of Halloween has even spawned TED Talks.

Direction: John Carpenter

Cast: Donald PleasenceJamie Lee CurtisPJ SolesNancy Kyes

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

Monty Python in Search of the Holy Grail (1975)

Original title: Monty Python and the Holy Grail

The first film by the British comedy troupe Monty Python almost didn't come out for lack of funds, but it produced great results after its release. It was also Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones' first film as directors, both of whom would go on to have successful careers as directors of their own films and screenplays. The film's plot was created during the break between the third and fourth seasons of the troupe's BBC comedy series, The Monty Python Flying Circus.

Direction: Terry Jones

Cast: Graham ChapmanJohn CleeseTerry GilliamEric IdleTerry JonesMichael Palin

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,2 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Netflix
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Before Dawn (1995)

Original title: Before Sunrise

A man and a woman who decide to live a passion that lasts less than a day. The plot of Before Sunrise is an example of the kind of plot that goes very well in an independent film. The dialogues between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) unfold during the day they spend together and lead the viewer to enjoy the out-of-the-ordinary romanticism. The setting is Vienna, a perfect setting for an American and a Frenchwoman to meet. The film spawned several sequels, even decades later.

Direction: Richard Linklater

Cast: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

100% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)

Greek Wedding (2002)

Original title: My Big Fat Greek Wedding

This is a film that generated very little profit in its opening weekend, with $600.000 at the box office. However, in a short time it reached US$ 250 million in profit, having cost only US$ 5 million to produce. The film grew by recommendation, an important achievement for independent films. The plot tells the story of a girl from a traditional Greek family who meets an Englishman and decides to marry him, after introducing him to her noisy family.

Direction: Joel Zwick

Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine, Andrea Martin, Joey Fatone

76% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,6 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Netflix
HBO Max
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)

Friday the 13th (1980)

Original title: Friday the 13th

The biggest horror movie franchise of all time, probably the only one with characters that even turn into a carnival mask. In the original film, Pamela Voorhees is a grieving mother with a knife who stalks young people at the Crystal Lake campground. The next titles would have the most famous serial killer in cinema, Jason Vorhees, son of Pamela. The budget for the title that started the series was just $500.000, not a tenth of the profit it would have generated. A new version of the film was made in 2009. Among Jason's victims was Kevin Bacon, long before his success with Footloose.

Direction: Sean S Cunningham

Cast: Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, Harry Crosby (II), Kevin Bacon, Jack Burrell, Ari Lehman

66% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

Call Boys (1991)

Original title: My Own Private Idaho

The misadventures of two male escorts involving drugs, sex and dreams are the subject of this film. Excellent performances by Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix marked their careers. Phoenix passed away at the age of 23, not long after this film, which brought even more interest to this title. Phoenix had already directed two independent films and would have a successful career as his Oscar-winning brother Joaquin.

Direction: Gus Van Sant

Cast: River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves

80% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)
Apple TV (Available for rent and purchase)
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)

She Wants Everything (1986)

Original title: She's Gotta Have It

One of Spike Lee's films that marked an era. The filmmaker who shows the black culture of New York's neighborhoods through a sensitive lens remade this film as a hit series, remade more than 30 years later. In the original film there is content about feminism and sexual harassment. Lee has already stated that he would have liked to have done parts of the film differently, especially about harassment. Still, this is a great film about the cultural context of the black population, among other topics.

Direction: Spike Lee

Cast: Tracy Camilla Johns, Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell, Spike Lee, Raye Dowell

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,8 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Netflix

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Original title: Night of the Living Dead

The best-known zombie movie, directed by a young George Romero, a famous director of the genre. Made on a low-cost budget, the title generated a lot of profit. Romero also acted as screenwriter and editor, and he did everything very well. The film spawned sequels and a remake in 2004 with Zack Snyder. In 2006, the film was recreated in 3D for theaters.

Direction: George A. Rosemary

Cast: Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Marilyn Eastman, Karl Hardman, Judith Ridley, Keith Wayne

95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,8 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video (Available for rent and purchase)

Short Cuts: Scenes from Life (1993)

Original title: Short Cuts

A series of intertwining stories showing the daily lives of many residents of the suburbs of Los Angeles. Robert Altman is a director and screenwriter, and the inspiration is stories by Raymond Carver. The cast is full of well-known actors like Matthew Modine, Julianne Moore and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The plot begins with an initial drama of the hit-and-run of a child, the daughter of a TV presenter, by a waitress.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK_PoMY0MOw&ab_channel=VideoDetective

Direction: Robert Altman

Cast: Andie MacDowell, Jack Lemmon, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Robert Downey Jr., Madeleine Stowe, Tim Robbins, Lily Tomlin, Frances McDormand, Peter Gallagher, Lyle Lovett, Tom Waits

95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Google Play (Temporarily unavailable)

Donnie Darko (2001)

Original title: Donnie Darko

A genius movie with conspiracy theories, snippets of science fiction and plot moments that seem absurd. A title that brought Jake Gyllenhaal a distinguished career in film and a rare acting opportunity with his sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal. Other prominent actors and actresses are part of the production. Even a talking rabbit that presents theories worthy of science fiction surprises in this film.

Direction: richard kelly

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Holmes Osborne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Noah Wyle, Patrick Swayze, Jena Malone, Mary McDonnell, Ashley Tisdale, Daveigh Chase, James Duval

87% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,0 on IMDb

Where to watch:
Prime Video
Google Play (Available for rent and purchase)

Blue Jean (2022)

In 1988, a new law that stigmatizes gays and lesbians forces Jean (Rosy McEwen), a gym teacher, to live a double life. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of a new student catalyzes a crisis that pushes Jean over the edge.

Direction: Georgia Oakley

Cast: Rosy McEwen, Kerrie Hayes, Lucy Halliday

95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: 

Youtube (rental)

Google Play Movies (rental)

Prime Video (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

Cassandra (2023)

In one of the best independent films today, Saúl Armendáriz (Gael García Bernal), a gay wrestler from El Paso, achieves international fame after creating the character Cassandro, the Liberace of Lucha Libre. During the process, he subverts not only the world of this modality, but also his life.

Direction: Roger Ross Williams

Cast: Gael García Bernal, Roberta Colindrez, Perla De La Rosa

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

Memory (2023)

Original title: Memory

Memory is one of the best indie films of 2023 starring Jessica Chastain as Sylvia, a single mother and social worker who struggles with her past, and Peter Sarsgaard as Saul, a man suffering from early onset dementia, in a story that intertwines their troubled lives after high school. meeting.

Direction: Michael Franco

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Brooke Timber

85% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

Beautiful and Demure (2023)

Original title: Polite Society

In this action film, Ria (Priya Kansara) is sure that her sister is about to enter into an arranged marriage with a bad family. Desperate to save her, the aspiring martial arts-trained stuntwoman plans an elaborate scam to kidnap her sister during the ceremony.

Direction: Nida Manzoor

Cast: Priya Kansara, Ritu Arya, Renu Brindle

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 6,7

Where to watch: Telecine

Rotting in the Sun (2023)

After meeting social media celebrity Jordan Firstman at a gay nudist beach, Sebastián Silva reluctantly agrees to direct his new project. But when Sebastián disappears, Jordan embarks on a wild trip through Mexico City.

Direction: Sebastián Silva

Cast: Jordan Firstman, Catalina Saavedra, Sebastián Silva

84% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: MUBI

Rye Lane: An Unexpected Love (2023)

Original title: rye lane

Em Rye Lane: An Unexpected Love, Yas (Vivian Oparah) and Dom (David Jonsson), are two young twenty-somethings, both reeling from bad breakups, who bond over the course of a busy day in south London - helping each other deal with their former nightmares and potentially restoring faith in love.

Direction: Raine Allen-Miller

Cast: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, Poppy Allen-Quarmby

98% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb 

Where to watch: Star +

The Royal Hotel (2023)

In one of the best indie films, Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick) are best friends and are traveling in Australia. When their money runs out, Liv, looking for an adventure, convinces Hanna to take a temporary job at a pub called The Royal Hotel, in a mining town in the interior of the country.

Direction: Kitty Green

Cast: Julia Garner, Jessica Henwick, Herbert Nordrum

89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 5,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: Not currently available

sanctuary (2022)

In the premise of one of the best indie films, Hal (Christopher Abbott) is about to inherit his father's hotel chain, but he keeps a scandalous secret in his private life: he has encounters with dominatrix Rebecca (Margaret Qualley). Fearing for his career, he decides to end the relationship, but the woman doesn't want to lose her best client and threatens to expose secret footage of their entire relationship.

Direction: Zachary Wigon

Cast: Christopher Abbott, Margaret Qualley, Francisco Castaneda

88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Youtube (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

Google Play Movies (rental)

Scrapper (2023)

This inventive father-daughter comedy follows Georgie (Lola Campbell), a resourceful 12-year-old girl who secretly lives alone in her flat in a working-class London suburb after her mother's death. She makes money stealing bicycles with her best friend Ali (Alin Uzun) and keeps social workers away from her by pretending to live with an uncle. Out of nowhere, her estranged father Jason (Harris Dickinson; Triangle of Sadness, Beach Rats) arrives and forces her to confront reality. 

Direction: Charlotte Reagan

Cast: Lola Campbell, Alin Uzun, Cary Crankson

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

Love Addicts (2023)

Original title: She Came to Me

Suffering from creative block, composer Steven Lauddem (Peter Dinklage) is unable to complete the soundtrack for his grand opera back on stage. At the request of his wife Patricia (Anne Hathaway), and also a former therapist, he leaves home in search of inspiration. After a chance meeting with Katrina (Marisa Tomei), everything Steven thought he knew about his life is destroyed, and what he discovers is much more than he imagined.

Direction: Rebecca miller

Cast: Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway, Marisa Tomei

47% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,0 on IMDb

Where to watch: Apple TV

The Starling Girl (2023)

Em The Starling Girl, Jem (Eliza Scanlen) is a 17-year-old girl who struggles to find her place in an extremely conservative community. Everything changes when young pastor Owen returns to the church.

Direction: Laurel Parmet

Cast: Eliza Scanlen, Lewis Pullman, Jimmi Simpson

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

Painful Truths (2023)

Original title: You Hurt My Feelings

From acclaimed filmmaker Nicole Holofcener, Painful Truths is a sharply observed comedy about a novelist whose longtime marriage is suddenly rocked when she hears her husband give his honest reaction to her latest book. A film about trust, lies and the things we say to the people we love most.

Direction: Nicole holofcener

Cast:  Amber Tamblyn, David Cross, Tobias Menzies

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,6 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Google Play Movies (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

Prime Video (rental)

First (2004)

Written, produced and directed by Shane Carruth, First is one of the hardest movies to understand. In truth. In it, intellectual engineers Aaron (Shane Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan) build and sell error-checking technology with the help of their friends Robert (Casey Gooden) and Phillip (Anand Upadhyaya). But when Aaron and Abe accidentally invent what they think is a time machine, Abe builds a version capable of transporting a human and decides to test it out. As the two friends obsess over creation, they discover the dark consequences of their actions.

Direction: Shane carruth

Cast: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Casey Gooden

73% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: MUBI

The Ideal Girl (2007)

Original title: Lars and the Real Girl

Because he is extremely shy, Lars (Ryan Gosling) finds it impossible to make friends or have a social life. In this context, his brother and sister-in-law are surprised and, at the same time, happy when he announces that he has a girlfriend he met on the internet, but they soon discover that she is just a plastic doll. At the suggestion of a doctor, the family and community welcome the doll as Lars' companion.

Direction: Craig gillespie

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider

81% on Rotten Tomatoes | x,x on IMDb

Where to watch: primee Video

Victoria (2015)

Victoria (Laia Costa) is a Spanish girl in Berlin. She meets four people outside a club: Sonne (Frederick Lau), Boxer (Franz Rogowski), Blinker (Burak Yiğit) and Fuss (Maximilian Mauff). Victoria and Sonne start flirting. The problem is that Sonne has a little work to finish with her gang, so they decide to take Victoria with them. A long night follows.

Direction: Sebastian schipper

Cast:  Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski

7,6 on IMDb | 83% on Rotten Tomatoes

Where to watch: MUBI

The Lobster (2015)

Original title: T

In the near future, a law prohibits people from being single. Any man or woman who is not in a relationship is immediately arrested and sent to the Hotel, a place where they will have 45 days to find a partner. If they don't find anyone, these people are transformed into the animal of their choice and released into the middle of the forest. In this context, a man falls in love in the middle of the forest. The problem is that this is also expressly prohibited by the system.

Direction: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Jessica Barden

87% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Netflix

Apple TV (rental)

Prime Video (rental)

Google Play Movies (rental)

Blue Ruin (2013)

Original title: Blue Ruin

In one of the best indie films, Dwight Evans (Macon Blair) is a mysterious outsider whose quiet life on the margins is turned upside down when he returns to his childhood home to carry out an act of revenge. Proving to be an amateur killer, he ends up in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.

Direction: Jeremy Saulnier

Cast: Macon Blair, Devin Ratray, Amy Hargreaves

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

The End of a Crime (2005)

Original title: Brig

In one of the best independent films, Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) finds the body of his murdered ex-girlfriend and vows to find out who is responsible for the crime. The film does not take place on the streets, but in the corridors of a school. His search for the truth leads him into a confrontation with a drug dealer.

Direction: Rian Johnson

Cast: Joseph Gordon-LevittLukas HaasEmilie de Ravin

80% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video (rental)

Me, You and the Girl Who's Going to Die (2015)

Original title: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

In the premise, Greg (Thomas Mann) is spending his senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions, while secretly making bizarre animated films with Earl (RJ Cyler), his only friend. But their anonymity and friendship are shaken when Greg's mother forces him to get closer to Rachel (Olivia Cooke), a classmate who is facing leukemia.

Direction: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Cast: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke

81% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Star +

Good Behavior (2017)

Original title: Good Time

Constantine Nikas' (Robert Pattinson) plan was to rob a bank and get a good amount of money, but nothing goes as planned and his younger brother ends up being arrested. Determined to rescue him, Constantine embarks on a dangerous race against the clock, where he himself is the police's next target.

Direction: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Jennifer Jason Leigh

91% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)

In this story, Jimmie and his best friend Mont (Jonathan Majors) attempt to reclaim the house built by Jimmie's grandfather, launching them on a moving odyssey that connects them to the past while also testing their friendship and sense of belonging. place they call home.

Direction: Joe Talbot

Cast: Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors, Rob Morgan

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

Green Room (2015)

Original title: Green Room

In the history of Green Room, Pat (Anton Yelchin) is part of a punk band struggling to succeed. To become known, the band plays a show at a club in the woods of Oregon. But things get very strange when after the show Pat witnesses a murder.

Direction: Jeremy Saulnier

Cast: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat

90% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,0 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Google Play Movies (rental)

Prime Video (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always (2020)

Original title: Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Faced with an unwanted pregnancy and a lack of local support, a teenager and her cousin cross state lines and head to New York City on a journey full of friendship, courage and compassion.

Direction: Eliza Hitman

Cast: Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder, Théodore Pellerin

99% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Youtube (rental)

Google Play Movies (rental)

Prime Video (rental) 

Apple TV (rental)

Columbus (2017)

In the plot, a man born in Korea finds himself trapped in Columbus, Indiana, where his architect father is in a coma. The man meets a young woman who wants to stay in Columbus with her mother, a recovering addict, instead of chasing her own dreams.

Direction: Cogonade

Cast: John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Parker Posey

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,2 on IMDb 

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

Fires (2010)

Original title: Fire

Nawal (Lubna Azabal), a dying Middle Eastern woman living in Montreal, leaves letters to her twin sons to be read when she passes. Jeanne (Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin) must give hers to the father she never knew and Simon (Maxim Gaudette) must give his to the brother she never knew she had. The brothers travel to the Middle East separately and experience acts of brutality, discover a surprising family history and have revelations about themselves.

Direction: Denis Villeneuve.

Cast: Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette

91% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video (rental)

The Hunt (2012)

Popular title: The Hunt

Original title: Raiders

Em The hunt, Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen) has just filed for divorce. He has a new job at the local daycare, a new girlfriend and is looking forward to a Christmas visit from his son, Marcus. But the Christmas spirit disappears when Klara, a five-year-old student, makes an accusation of abuse against Lucas, which triggers hatred from the entire community in which he lives.

Direction: Thomas vinterberg

Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

Savage Land (2017)

Original: Wind River

A coyote and predator hunter traumatized by the death of his teenage daughter finds the frozen body of a girl in a deserted place and decides to start an investigation into the crime.

Direction: taylor sheridan

Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Graham Greene

88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Netflix

Prime Video (rental)

At Any Cost (2016)

Original title: Hell or High Water

Two brothers, an ex-convict and a divorced father, have lost their family farm in West Texas and decide to rob a bank as a chance to get back on their feet financially. However, they come across a deputy who will do everything to capture them.

Direction: David mackenzie

Cast: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges

97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video (rental)

Eternal Lovers (2013)

Original title: Only Lovers Left Alive

Lovers for centuries, in one of the best films available on Mubi, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) are vampires. He plays rock in Detroit and she hangs out in Tangier. Suffering from depression and the ever-changing world, they find stability in each other. However, the arrival of Eve's younger sister brings problems.

Direction: Jim Jarmusch

Cast: Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska

86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: MUBI

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

Original: You Were Never Really Here

A war veteran makes a living rescuing women trapped in captivity. After a failed mission in a Manhattan brothel, public opinion turns against him and a wave of violence spreads across the region.

Direction: Lynne Ramsay

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Judith Roberts, Ekaterina Samsonov

89% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Filmicca

After Sun (2022)

Nominated for an Oscar, Aftersun stars Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, a combination that produced the most beautiful and, at the same time, saddest film ever made in recent times. Here, Charlotte Wells' direction was unique.

In the story, in a run-down resort, 11-year-old Sophie (Corio) enjoys rare time with her loving and idealistic father, Calum (Mescal). Twenty years later, Sophie's memories of her last vacation become a powerful and painful portrait of their relationship.

Direction: Charlotte Wells

Cast: Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio, Celia Rowlson-Hall

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: MUBI

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Original title: Requiem for a Dream

While her son deals with his own battle with drugs, Sara (Ellen Burstyn) is invited to appear on his favorite TV show. To be able to wear her favorite dress, she starts taking weight loss pills and ends up becoming addicted.

Direction: Darren Aronofsky

Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly

78% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Prime Video

Ghost World: Learning to Live (2001)

Original title: Ghost World

In one of the best indie films of all time, Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) are two teenagers who have finished high school and begin to face life's uncertainties. They plan a future full of possibilities in which they will always be friends, but they soon realize that the reality of adult life is very different from what they imagined. Enid is interested in Seymour (Steve Buscemi) and Rebecca focuses her attention on the romantic Josh (Brad Renfro), which makes the girls' friendship change in an unexpected way.

Direction: Terry Zwigoff

Cast: Steve Buscemi, Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson

93% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Original title: Brokeback Mountain

The film is perfect from beginning to end. And the funniest thing is that at the time it was released, the publicity materials tried hard to make it “heterobait”, showing family posters in a conservative tone.

Being the opposite of that, the film follows Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (Heath Ledger), two boys who met in Wyoming, in the summer of 1963, when they were called by a rancher to work there. With loneliness hovering in the mountains, the two end up getting involved.

When work on the ranch is over, everyone goes their separate ways. Both married and live with their respective wives. For many years, they don't see each other until one day, they start making sporadic dates and maintain a love affair for years.

Direction: Ang Lee

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams

88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDB

Where to watch: Star +

Sweethearts Forever (2010)

Original title: Blue Valentine

In one of the best indie films of all time, Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams) live a quiet life in a modest neighborhood. At the beginning of the relationship, they seem to have the world at their feet. However, her husband's lack of ambition and her withdrawal cause potentially irreversible rifts in the marriage.

Direction: Derek Cianfrance

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, John Doman

86% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Netflix

Prime Video

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

In 1965, residents of an island form a community seemingly immune to the evils of the rest of the world. Teenagers Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) fall in love and decide to run away before the arrival of a violent storm that threatens the region.

Direction: Wes Anderson

Cast: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis

93% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,8 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Star +

Youtube (rental)

Google Play Movies (rental)

Prime Video (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

Spring Breakers (2012)

In this film, Candy (Vanessa Hudgens), Faith (Selena Gomez), Brit (Ashley Benson) and Cotty (Rachel Korine) are four reckless young people who rob a restaurant to save money and take a beach vacation during the North American spring. There, they get into trouble and end up arrested. At the police station, the girls meet a tough criminal who pays their bail, but in return expects them to do a job for him.

Direction: Harmony Korine

Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson

68% on Rotten Tomatoes | 5,3 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Netflix 

Prime Video

Google Play Movies (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

Dark Girl Walks the Night (2014)

Original title: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

A lone vampire roams the shadows of Bad City, a lawless hell inhabited by members of the underworld, drug users and pimps. Wearing a hijab and striped t-shirt, she follows the moderators. One night, she meets Arash (Arash Marandi), an Iranian who looks like James Dean. The attraction is instantaneous.

Direction: Ana Lily Amirpour

Cast:  Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manes

96% on Rotten Tomatoes | 6,9 on IMDb

Where to watch: MUBI

Moonlight: Under the Moonlight (2016)

Original title: Moonlight

In this moving film, Black (Trevante Rhodes) embarks on a journey of self-discovery as he tries to escape the easy path of crime and the drug world of Miami. Finding love in surprising places, he dreams of a wonderful future.

Direction: Barry Jenkins

Cast: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes

98% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to see: HBO Max

Lady Bird: Time to Fly (2017)

Original title: Lady Bird

Between daily conflicts with her mother and typical teenage situations, Lady Bird (Saoirse Ronan) dreams of being free. Until she reaches the long-awaited majority, in a relatively religious setting – I say this because they do not portray Catholic school with the conservatism and fervor that they normally do -, the girl experiences love and learns the value of true friendships.

It's interesting how they portray Lady Bird's desire to belong to a group and, at the same time, free herself from all the ties that prevent her from following the path she wants. It's a good film about reality, expectations and growing up.

Direction: Greta Gerwig

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts

99% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,4 on IMDb

Where to watch:

balloon play

Google Play Movies (rental)

Prime Video (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

The Farewell (2019)

Original title: The Farewell

the farewell tells, in a moving way and with a comical touch, the story of a Chinese family of a lady who discovers that she only has a short time to live and, even so, decides not to inform her about the diagnosis. Instead, children and grandchildren get together to try to organize a surprise wedding and bring everyone together for a possible last moment.

Direction: Lulu wang

Cast: Shuzhen Zhao, Awkwafina, X Mayo

97% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,5 on IMDb 

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

Winter of the Soul (2010)

Original title: Winter's Bone

Faced with an uncaring mother and a criminal father, Ozark teenager Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) does what she can to manage the household and care for her two younger brothers. Informed by the sheriff (Garret Dillahunt) that their father put the house up for sale and then disappeared, Ree goes on a dangerous quest to find him. With the fate of her entire family in her hands, the young girl defies her outlaw relatives' code of silence and risks her life to discover her father's fate.

Direction: Debra Granik

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

Gisaengchung (2019)

Popular title: P

Original title: Gisaengchung

Ki-taek's (Song Kang-ho) entire family is unemployed, living in a cramped, dirty basement. By chance, he starts teaching English to a girl from a rich family. Fascinated by the luxurious lives of these people, father, mother and children come up with a plan to infiltrate the wealthy family, one by one. However, the secrets and lies necessary for social mobility take their toll.

Direction: Bong Joon Ho

Cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong

99% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,5 on IMDb

Where to watch: 

HBO Max

Telecine

Prime Video (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

Whiplash: In Search of Perfection (2014)

Original title: Whiplash

In the premise, Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) dreams of being the best drummer of his generation. He catches the attention of ruthless jazz master Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons), who goes beyond his limits and turns his dream into an obsession, putting the young musician's physical and mental health at risk.

Direction: Damien Chazelle

Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons, Melissa Benoist

94% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,5 on IMDb

Where to watch:

Netflix 

Prime Video

Youtube (rental)

Google Play Movies (rental)

Apple TV (rental)

Amor à Fleur da Pele (2000)

Original title: Fa yeung nin wah

Popular title: In the Mood for Love

Definitely one of the best independent films out there. Set in Hong Kong in the early 1960s, two neighbors, Mr. Chow (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) and Mrs. Chan (Maggie Cheung) form a bond after they begin to suspect that their respective spouses are having an affair together.

Direction: Kar-Wai Wong

Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie CheungSiu Ping-Lam

92% on Rotten Tomatoes | 8,1 on IMDb

Where to watch: MUBI

You Weren't Here (2019)

Original title: Sorry We Missed You

Em You were not here, available on Mubi, Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen) and his family have been fighting an uphill battle with debt since the financial crisis of 2008. When Ricky starts his own business as a delivery driver, he has the chance to regain his independence. But when he and his wife take different paths, everything goes off track.

Direction: Ken Loach

Cast: Kris Hitchen, Debbie Honeywood, Rhys McGowan

88% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: MUBI

50% (2011)

Original title: 50/50

Upon receiving a cancer diagnosis, Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) decides to react and live optimistically, despite the negative reaction of his mother and a friend. He starts treatment with a therapist and the two end up getting involved.

Direction: Jonathan Levine

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick

93% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,6 on IMDb

Where to watch: Netflix

The Substitute (2011)

Original title: Detachment

In one of the best independent films, despite his gift of becoming attached to his students, Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) chooses to be a substitute teacher to keep his distance, but this barrier is about to be broken when he starts working at a problematic public school.

Henry's ramblings about his life and the reality of being a teacher, specifically a substitute, are extremely poetic and provoke good reflections, but for God's sake, what a sad film. ⠀⠀

The traumas that Barthes suffered in his childhood made him avoid connecting with people as much as possible, but at the same time that he feels an eternal emptiness, the pain of the world hits him in an inexplicable way. In addition to playing his role as an educator, he exercises a type of kindness that I suspect only people who deal directly with others in their professions possess – even if they don't receive it in return most of the time. 

Direction: Tony Kaye

Cast:  Adrien Brody, Christina Hendricks, Marcia Gay Harden

59% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Youtube (rental)

Mr. Nobody (2009)

Original title: Mr. Nobody

In one of the best indie films of all time, 118-year-old Nemo (Jared Leto) tells the story of his life to a reporter. Most of the time he thinks he's 34, but everything gets confusing when he focuses on his true age. Nemo divides his life into three important parts.

Direction: Jacob Van Dormael

Cast: Jared Leto, Sarah Polley, Diane Kruger

68% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,7 on IMDb

Where to watch: Currently unavailable

The Vulture (2014) 

Original title: Nightcrawler

In one of the best independent films, when Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a con man desperate for work, enters the world of Los Angeles crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story.

This film exudes the energy of Cidade Alerta. It's another example of how the spectacle society works, proving that the important thing is not the fact itself, but whether it resonates and is attractive enough to hold people's attention. 

Direction: And Gilroy

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton

95% on Rotten Tomatoes | 7,8 on IMDb

Where to watch: HBO Max

The list of best indie films brought 50 independent film titles that are the tip of the iceberg of an extensive and very interesting cinematic world. Choose independent films whenever you want to know what's new in terms of directing, acting, cinematography, screenplay and more.

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See also our lists:

40 unconventional comic book movies

The 50 best superhero movies of all time

The 45 best science fiction movies

Sources:
FilmSite, Looper, Filmlier

Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim