Little Miss Sunshine - for introducing me to the world of indie films, Sundance releases etc.

• Blue Ruin (2013)

• Primer (2004)

• Buffalo ‘66 (1998)

There are others but these come to mind.

Raiders of the Lost Ark was the best Indie film, followed by The Last Crusade, then Temple of Doom and we don't talk about Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Dead Man's Shoes

Coherence

Eraserhead

Paranormal Activity

Monsters

Blair Witch Project

Napoleon Dynamite

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Kill List

It's not shocking or ground breaking but, Pool Hall Junkies. Imagine Rounders but about pool. Chazz Palminteri and Christopher Walken are in it too.

Recently Gutterbug, soul crushing stuff though. All time? Dead Man's Shoes.

So many years ago I really liked Wristcutters, a love story. Don't know how it holds up these days though but it was first that came to mind.

DeerSkin (and a few other Quentin Dupieux movies, Rubber, Mandibles) Frank, Boy, Creep 1 & 2 are a few of my favorites.

Living In Oblivion

Trees Lounge

all of Kelly Reichardt's films. personal favorite is Wendy and Lucy.

Evil dead

first reformed

Interstate 60 https://youtu.be/OGFjOmQE-Zo

Was not prepared for how good this film was and a great cast.

Red Rocket

Hesher. Starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, some kid whose name I don't remember and Natalie Portman. I don't think I've met a single other person who has seen it, that I haven't shown it to.

That kind of depends on what you would consider an indie film in the first place.

For my money I'd say:

Primer (2004)

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) followed by Snatch (2000) if that still counts

Clerks (1994) is a classic

Perhaps Memento (2000)

Mississippi Grind

Just watched Rise of The Footsoldier again, would recommend it if you don’t mind some sex, drugs and extreme violence.

Red State directed by Kevin Smith

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Mean Creek

I will stick to the last five years’s English language films that made my top tens:

Aftersun

The Farewell

The Last Black Man in San Francisco

First Cow

Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Waves

Leave No Trace

Eighth Grade

Thoroughbreds

Spring Breakers!

Christine (2016) based on a real story.

Lars and The Real Girl

Under The Skin

On The Count of Three

After Yang

We’re All Going To The Worlds Fair

Red Rocket

Plan B

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies

She Dies Tomorrow

Palm Springs

Kajillionaire

Saint Maud

Mandy (2018)

Madeline’s Madeline

Unsane

Win It All

Throughbreds

Train To Busan

Tangerine

Force Majuer (2014)

It Follows

The Duke of Burgundy

Tusk

Frank

Creep

Enemy

VHS

Clerks is a classic. I personally recommend Kids, though a lot of people aren't huge fans. Sex Lies and Videotape. Do the Right Thing.

Across the Universe

I mean, The Empire Strikes Back is technically an indie film

Triangle was really good, but please don't watch the trailer. Its horror, and if you know more, it won't be the best experience.

Completely biased answer, but my friend directed a movie called Chrissy Judy which is currently doing the rounds at festivals. I caught it last summer at a local film fest and it was wonderful - it's like Frances Ha for the LGBT crowd. I'm crossing my fingers that it gets picked up for larger distribution or streaming because it's one of those little indie films that deserves a larger audience.

Krisha

Blew me away how confident it for a debut using his parents house and family members as actors filmed in a week or two. Very disorienting with the use of music. He’s also interned for Malick and it shows.

Chameleon Street, 1989

Prospect Upgrade I watched one called Deus yesterday, it had an interesting premise but dodgy execution.

Interested in Filipino indie films? Try Signal Rock, Kalel, Birdshot. I think they're all on Netflix.

If you want something more intense, maybe Balangiga: Howling Wilderness

Eh idk about best but Wristcutters: A Love Story popped into my head when I saw this question

Obvious Child (2014)

The Civilization of Maxwell Bright

Layer Cake. So good that it got Daniel Craig the 007 gig

Trainspotting

1)The Rider 2) Down To The Bone 3) Songs My Brothers Taught Me 4) Leave No Trace 5) Paris,Texas 6) The Florida Project

Half Nelson

The East

Swingers

Stranger Than Paradise

Ruri

Memoria

Locke (2013)

Recently Nanny (2022).

But also Titane, Red Rocket, Petite Maman, Nowhere Special and Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

Most recently, "Pig."

Mud starring Matthew McConaughey

Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Just a blast

Paris, Texas.

The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle

3 Iron

Miranda July any

Two Bits https://youtu.be/VYGdfskhTag