indie films

Cinequest 2023 Features a Wide Array of Ambitious, Impressive Films

Ben Friedman

In failing to reach agreements with the striking guilds, Hollywood executives are essentially forced to promote movies without their A-list cast. The first signs of danger may present themselves this month – August -- with the Venice International Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival beginning at the end of this month. In the meantime, film festivals such as the Cinequest Film and Creativity Festival offer a glimpse of what this upcoming season has in store for Hollywood, both professionally and creatively.

The Evil Dead: How the Indie Horror Film Became a Groovy, Gory Sensation

Ben Friedman

Raimi’s amateurish filmmaking worked to the movie’s advantage. His do-it-yourself style of directing and special effects allowed the film to be made on a shoestring budget with the help of his friends and his brothers Ted and Ivan. Whereas filmmakers are often keenly aware of their financial limitations, Raimi never allowed his budget to get in the way of his ambition.

When It Comes to Gen-Z Appeal, Film Studio A24 Understands the Assignment

Ben Friedman

No film exemplifies these values better than this year’s Everything Everywhere All At Once. Starring Michelle Yeoh, the film follows a middle-aged woman running a laundromat who discovers the existence of a multiverse filled with thousands of versions of herself. It explores Asian-American identity and serves as a parable of the immigrant experience. Critically and commercially acclaimed, the film has proven an enormous success for A24 -- becoming the studio’s first film to gross over 100 million at the box office – and landing Golden Globe Awards for Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan.

“What?” Shows the Struggles of a Deaf Actor Looking for a Break

Ulises Duenas

John Maucere plays Don who is trying to break out into movies despite constantly getting looked over because of his lack of hearing. He has a one-man show that always pleases small crowds, but he doesn’t consider himself successful because the audience is always entirely deaf. The earlier parts of the movie are slow, yet they do a good job of establishing Don’s character and his plights as a deaf man in a superficial business.

‘Film Fest’ Is a Solid Satire of the Indie Movie Scene

Ulises Duenas

The biggest laughs and most interesting moments come one after another towards the end of Film Fest. Film Fest shows that making a movie is just the tip of the iceberg for filmmakers and how crazy and seedy the marketing side of the industry can be even at the lower levels of the industry. It also shows the heart of the indie movie scene and how filmmakers will struggle through all the nonsense to see their vision realized.

10 Indie Actors on the Verge of Mainstream

Loren DiBlasi

Below are ten actors and actresses -- some more recognizable than others -- who represent the best and brightest currently working in film. Their differences are vast: they are men and women of various ages, representing many different backgrounds. So what do they all have in common? For starters, none of them have ever won an Academy Award, though several have been nominated at least once. Further, when it comes to the mainstream Hollywood career path, each one has diverged in slightly left-of-center directions.

Subscribe to RSS - indie films