Independent Films are "All Right"

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the long hiatus, writer’s block seems to be my own worst enemy. It has been awhile since my last blog about the Oscars, any many films have been playing since then. All in all, I have seen many films, some ranging from really great to really awful. However, for this blog, I am going to be talking about one of my favorite kinds of movies, independent films, or indie films for short.
Now, for those of you who don’t know, independent films are those which are not funded by production companies. Instead they are financed from “independent” financers, generally the director, writer(s) and producer(s). This generally causes the film to be very low budget which can hurt or help the film. Its good in that it helps the filmmakers make their kind of movie which, some of the time, can really shine (Note: the last three best picture winners (No Country for Old Men, Slumdog Millionaire and the Hurt Locker) all started out as independent films). However, this doesn’t always translate to box office success, which may hurt the film in helping it become a wider release or Oscar buzz (Hurt Locker being one of the very, very few exceptions). That being said, I saw three films within the past month, all of which were independent films, and each brought their own uniqueness which showed why independent films are a force to be reckoned with in the film industry.
The first one I saw was “Winter’s Bone,” and this was a movie that was very limited on cash (they had a budget of 2 million which is about 1/7 of the Hurt Locker, or 1/180 of Inception). That being said, I was quite impressed with the film. It was shot in the Ozarks, of all places, and tells the story of a lower class family whose father put up their house as a bond for his drug arrest. The cast and crew on the film are, to me at least, all unknowns, which plays a huge risk since you don’t know what to expect from the film. For me, the film worked, the story was creative and the scenery looked bleak and dismal, which is a plus giving the tone of the film. The standout here to me, though, was Jennifer Lawrence who played the lead role of Ree Dolly. Her acting was able to carry us through the film and help show hope through all the bleakness and dismal parts the film had to offer. This film is raw, rough to watch at times, and I definitely feel the culture of the south being portrayed in this film. The film received much praise critically, much for Lawrence’s performance and received a Screenplay Award at Sundance, but this doesn’t always translate to Oscar success. Still I give Winter’s Bone a solid A and suggest that you see it if you get the chance, you won’t miss much if you catch it on DVD which might not be too far away since this film started in theaters in June.
Next on my list is “The Kids are All Right” and too be honest I was really looking forward to this one when I first saw the trailer. It tells that story of a family who happen to have lesbian parents (played by the always wonderful Annette Bening and Julianne Moore), as the children (played by “Alice in Wonderland’s” Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson) meet their biological father (played by the great Mark Ruffalo). The film exceeded my expectations in that the film all around was fantastic. I relate it to the Hurt Locker in that Hurt Locker was not a film with a message on the Iraq war instead that it was movie about people in the Iraq war, the Kids are All Right wasn’t a message about Gay marriage rather a film about a family whose parents are gay. The cast is great; Annette Bening’s performance being my personal favorite, and the screenplay was great and very original. It was the only one of the three to get a wide release, so it found an audience but it didn’t necessarily translate to great box office (however, 20 million on a 4 million dollar budget is still good). I recommend renting it once it comes out, trust me, you will not be disappointed. All in all, I give it an A as well, and I think if this movie should be nominated, it should be for its screenplay and possibly Bening’s performance, but that one may be wishful thinking.
Finally, I saw the movie “Get Low,” about an old man, Felix Bush, (played by the terrific Robert Duvall), who asks a funeral director (played by the equally terrific Bill Murray), to have a funeral whilst he is still alive. Now, the story might sound basic, and there were sometimes where the story kind of went into a bit of a lull, but this movie is about old man Felix Bush, and Duvall plays him magnificently. Also, Murray shows his acting chops as well, for this is one of the few times I have seen him play a character while at times a jerk and a drunk, we also feel sympathy for him which I haven’t really seen out of Murray. The film just recently make back budget (7 million) and doesn’t quite look like it will get a wide release, so the chances of it getting Oscar buzz isn’t great. Still, I suggest trying to rent it the time it comes out; I think you will enjoy it. All in all I give “Get Low” an A for Duvall and Murray, if anybody deserves Oscar nominations for acting so far this year, it’s those two (I personally think Murray deserves a win, but I am a sucker for his films).
So, in the end, independent films get straight A’s from me. Now, I might have also suggested renting the films instead of trying to find a theater that is showing it. That doesn’t mean I think less of them, I just think you wouldn’t miss much in the end and I am sure most of you will have some difficulties finding these films. These independent films, as well as the ones that have come before, have shown some of the greatest stories and ideas you can find. They also show that to make a fantastic film, you don’t need a big budget or special effects or even big named actors (although it didn’t hurt “Kid’s”). They may not get the Oscar buzz they deserve (although I am rather hopeful for “Kids”), but even still, independent films show that there is still some really great stories to tell without having to have special effects carry the films, it’s all about the story being told.