You don’t need to drop $20 on the latest blockbuster superhero movie to be entertained. Read on for a list of the best indie movies of all time, featuring some of your favorite celebs before they were famous, smoking hot actresses, and some of the most badass characters in movie history.
Released: 1996
Actors: Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, James Caan, Lumi Cavazos, Robert Musgrave
Director: Wes Anderson
Why it’s Awesome: The Wilson brothers’ debut movie has everything from a mental asylum breakout to a whirlwind romance with the hotel cleaning lady — and a poorly plotted heist scheme along the way.
Released: 1984
Actors: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Fran Drescher, Bruno Kirby
Director: Rob Reiner
Why it’s Awesome: This faux documentary paved the way for comedies like Talladega Nights, Zoolander and Blades of Glory. An 80s metal band goes balls out into “metal culture,” believing all of their over-exaggerated song lyrics so completely that you have to laugh.
Released: 1989
Actors: Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch, James Le Gros, Heather Graham, Max Perlich, James Remar, William S. Burroughs
Why it’s Awesome: This movie cleaned house during the indie award season, going home with the “Best Film” and “Best Director” awards from the National Society of Film Critics. Based on a true story of convict James Fogle (who penned the novel the screenplay is based off of while in prison), Drugstore Cowboy follows a crew of drug addicts as they rob pharmacies across the country to feed their habit.
Released: 1992
Actors: Harvey Keitel, Roger Avary
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Why it’s Awesome: Quentin Tarantino was working at a video store when he decided to make this movie, and originally planned to shoot it with a budget of just $30,000 … until Harvey Keitel signed on and upped the price tag to $1.5 million.
Released: 2012
Actors: James Franco, Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine
Director: Harmony Korine
Why it’s Awesome: Sorry, but we had to. Who doesn’t want to watch a bunch of former Disney stars parade around in skimpy bikinis and make bad decisions (like robbing a restaurant to fund their Spring Break escapades)? This film gets bonus points for James Franco’s thugged-out character, who provides much needed comic relief.
Released: 2000
Actors: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano
Director: Christopher Nolan
Why it’s Awesome: This movie is a total mindscrew — anytime you think you have something figured out, Leonard finds another clue on his body (or elsewhere) that he left for himself (since he suffers from short-term memory loss), which throws everything off kilter.
Released: 1996
Actors: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Ron Livingston, Alex Desert, Patrick Van Horn, Heather Graham
Director: Doug Liman
Why it’s Awesome: A raw and hilarious look into the lives of men who just can’t seem to make peace with the fact that they’re not so great after all; one of the most uncomfortable and hilarious scenes occurs when Jon Favreau’s character fails masterfully at leaving a voicemail for a lady he likes.
Released: 2013
Actors: Amari Cheatom, Trae Harris, Tone Tank
Director: Shaka King
Why it’s Awesome: Newlyweeds is the stoner love story we never knew we needed — until we saw it brought to life by director Shaka King. Spike Lee even gave the film his blessing, calling it the “#1 NYC Movie of the Year.”
