Films are always broken down into categories, but not the ones that a lot of people think. Beyond the genre definition, i.e. Sci-Fi, Horror, Comedy, there are definitions that note whether a film is an independent, mainstream, or budget flick.
An”A” film is a “mainstream” movie; they made it to the cinema theatres. Even though these films get a lot of kudos for being able to be “blockbuster” films, nowadays, there are more and more focus on the more “independent” films; also known as B or C films (that go straight to DVD). Here are four independent films that came out this year that are worth a look.
A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night: This is the first Iranian westernized vampire film, focusing on the life of a female of the kin. She walks home, alone, at night, searching for humans to feed upon. The film is in black and white, and wasproduced by Elijah Wood. it’s been compared to the Swedish film Let the Right One In due to its grittiness and dark mood.
Fishing Without Nets: There was a blockbuster film called Captain Phillips. It which starred Tom Hanks as the titular character, whose boat was hijacked by Somali pirates. The plot of the film focused on his struggle to get him and his crew free from them. Well, Fishing Without Nets is a film about the flip side of that situation. Expanding on the short film of the same title, directed by Cutter Hodierene, and portrayed by people who are unknown actors, the film has a more realistic feel. It explores the ethical dilemmas of the pirates, focusing on the leader of a group as they try to take over a vessel. He does it to try and support his family,but also shows that he takes no pleasure in the tasks he needs to do in order to support them.
Blue Ruin: A man wakes up in his dirty car on the beach, is taken into the local police department, and is told that the person who murdered his mother is being released from prison. The film is his plan to get revenge for his mother’s death being formulated and brought to fruition, and has been compared to blockbuster films such as No Country for Old Men or Blood Simple with the tunnel vision of needing to exact revenge.
Frank: This film is about the struggles of a guy who made a character named Frank come to life. It shows the struggles a person has whilst being in the limelight because of a character they portray, especially when that character is nothing more than a costume with a massive fiberglass head. The film highlights mental health issues are dealt with when it comes to very popular musicians/celebrities.