We have all heard the term “indie” when talking about music or film. Usually it is a synonym for “cheap” or “really low budget” or even “made in my parent’s basement” but what is “indie” really?
This week in A&L we are going to look at all things indie. We will look at what truly makes independent bands categorized in the genre of indie, we will pull together some the best indie films of all time and we will even talk indie politics.
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“Lost in Translation” 2003
Sophia Coppola brings to the screen two discontent and bored people, Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), staying in Tokyo for varied reasons. They meet a couple times, connect and decide to hang out a bit. Their bond grows as they traverse through different adventures in the city. They both like each other, and maybe in another world, at another time, they would be together. But every adventure has an ending, and Bob and Charlotte realize they have to confront going back to their previous existences.
Indie Excellence: The chemistry between Johansson and Murray creates a singular atmosphere of its own; the liveliness they have with each other contrasted with their monotonous real life owe to the allure of “Lost in Translation.”
“In Bruges” 2008
After a job goes wrong, hit men Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) are ordered to lay low for two weeks in Bruges, Belgium. Ray dislikes Bruges, comparing it to hell and wishing he could be anywhere else. Ken, however, loves being there and wants to enjoy all the culture it has to offer. They discover a movie set, meet a spunky midget and Ray meets a girl. Things get better in Bruges until Ken gets a call from his boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) with new orders.
Indie Excellence: The fact that “In Bruges” is a dark comedy about assassins hanging out in a picturesque setting forced to make several life and death moral decisions is only outshined by the great performances from Farrell and Gleeson.
“Requiem for a Dream” 2000
Darren Aronofsky is no stranger to intense dramas, and his depiction of addiction consequences is extremely tangible. Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly and Marlon Waynes play four people who are affected by obsessions in different ways. Sara (Burstyn), the mother of Harry (Leto), becomes addicted to an amphetamine-sedative habit after being faced with the opportunity of appearing on a talk show. She’s obsessed with a picture of her 20-something-year-old self, and desires to look like that again for the show, but she doesn’t make the cut and amphetamine abuse leads her to transition from real life to game show hallucinations.
Indie Excellence: The way Aronofsky uses editing and narration to intertwine the four characters, while incorporating convincing drug use tales, contributes to this films disturbing and cautionary atmosphere.
“Adaptation” 2002
Nicholas Cage has played some dubious roles, but he really nails the characters of Charlie and Donald Kaufman, twin screenplay writers who are complete opposites. Charlie is having a difficult time adapting Susan Orlean’s (Meryl Streep) book about orchids, and eventually spies Orleans personal life out of desperation. Donald helps Charlie to uncover a secret relationship between Orelean and an orchid-hallucinogen manufacturer Laroche (Chris Cooper). With this discovery, Charlie has found a narrative for his adaption, and along with his twin, plan to extort Orlean and Laroche’s relationship in a comedic and disastrous way.
Indie Excellence: Cage’s depiction of the manic Charlie dealing with writers block, agoraphobia and an unmotivated twin brother is what makes Spike Jones’ film so absorbing to watch.
“Fargo” 1996
Frances McDormand stars as the pregnant and down-to-earth police chief Marge Gunderson in Joel and Ethan Coen’s crime film about kidnapping and murder in Fargo, N.D. during the winter of ’87. Marge is investigating the murder of one of her officers who was killed by two hit men hired by the desperate and broke Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) to kidnap his wife so he could split the ransom. Jerry, clearly in over his head as he tries to carry out his wife’s kidnapping, is promptly hindered by the tenacious Marge as she quickly connects the dots of his faulty plan.
Indie Excellence: McDormand’s portrayal of the tough, intelligent and dedicated Marge, along with the crime mixed with dark comedy twist mark “Fargo” as a rare investigative film that doesn’t rely on dramatic ploys.
“Memento” 2000
Leonard (Guy Pearce) has anterograde amnesia. He can’t store recent memories. A result of a beating by a man he believes killed his wife, Leonard must develop a unique way of investigation to find his wife’s murderer, a man who could potentially be right in front of him. The film is played out in two ways. The first way is in black and white andin chronological order. The other wasin color and in reverse order. The two sequences eventually start to connect and meet in the middle, leading Leonard to prove his investigative style right.
Indie Excellence: Written and directed by Christopher Nolan (“The Dark Knight”), “Memento” showcases his ability to convey an original and engrossing psychological drama that’s use of time altering is exclusively intrinsic to the story.
“Cube” 1997
Seven strangers are forced to plot a course through a series of large cube-shaped rooms in this surreal horror film by Vincenzo Natali. The film opens in the cube structure, never revealing any information about what function it serves, except to make the group of people in it suffer. The characters try to escape by navigating through small vent-like structures located off the walls, but these just lead to more cubes or a black abyss. Every time there seems to be hope, it’s crushed and there’s a growing dread that you feel as you realize the ultimate fate of these people in this contraption.
Indie Excellence: A film that’s set in a universe of its own, “Cube” transports its audience into a terrifying and desperate place, owning a characteristic that most horror films can only attempt to possess.
