90s Indie Films

i think i liked Ghost World & hated Juno-what i typed before looking them up to confirm they're from 200'S, can't think of any from the 90'S at the moment.

Another Parker Posey film, The House of Yes, was my favorite. Plus, it redeemed Tori Spelling for about 5 minutes, before she ruined her own career again.

Happiness

Spanking the Monkey

Red Rock West

The Criterion just put Daytrippers out. I love Greg Mottola (that's the director, right?). Loved Superbad and especially Adventureland. I should definitely check out his earlier film.

El Mariachi

I see your Happiness and raise you a Welcome to the Dollhouse. One of the definitive 90s movies. Also Velvet Goldmine, Safe, and Rushmore.

Dazed and Confused

Oh I remember being a young gayling and having the biggest crush on Jason London.

Clockwatchers - Parker Posey AGAIN, Lisa Kudrow, Toni Collette and someone called Alanna Ubach.

It was a film about temps and I was a temp so I loved it.

There may have been a storyline about someone stealing a stapler or a hole punch. Maybe a 30cm ruler as well.

Georgia

I Shot Andy Warhol

I think I Do (1997)

Love this indie gay film

Alanna Ubach may not have the name recognition of the three others, R11, but she's a very busy actress. Remember Noreen, the young lesbian who had a crush on clueless Marsha in 'The Brady Bunch Movie'?

Twin Falls Idaho - a real curiosity but a lovely film. I always thought Michele Hicks would have had a great career after this but aside from a small role in Muholland Drive her biggest role is Angelina Jolie's successor as Jonny Lee Miller's wife.

Urbania - really good queer film, very very dark, and I hope Matt Keeslar's patients are enjoying his nursing skills now.

The Myth Of Fingerprints - when Julianne met Bart. Julianne's breakdown about a rabbit was the warm up to her YOU SUCK MY DICK scene in Magnolia. Really nice film and a nice cast. Why didn't Michael Vartan have a bigger career? He was so lovely.

The Five Senses - went to this this at a film festival solely because Mary Louise Parker was in it as a cake decorator who had no sense of taste. Jeremy Podeswa wrote and directed it, and moved on to become a director for hire on Six Feet Under, The Tudors, True Blood, Homeland, American Horror Story, Game of Thrones and Handmaid's Tale.

I liked Hal Hartley. He vanished at some point.

How about Noah Baumbach's Kicking and Screaming with the ever adorable Josh Hamilton? I think Parker Posey's also in this one. She was the 90s indie darling, huh? Wow... there've been many pretenders to the throne, but Posey's singular. She was incredible in Louie... she should have won Emmys for all her appearances.

Anyone have any other Posey recommendations? I've heard she's in a good one with Lisa Kudrow and Toni Collette? Clockwatchers or something? Help me out here. I'm sure you sophisticated DLers know what I'm talking about.

Clockwatchers? Never heard of it.

Hideous Kinky with Kate Winslet was fun. The film now serves as a sad reminder of how much fun she was to watch onscreen before she turned into an annoying Oscar-hungry whore.

Henry Fool!

Party Girl with Parker Posey

Martin Donovan was in quite a few great indies in the '90s, but I'm blanking on them.

Martin Donovan played a gay dad in The Hollow Reed, a UK drama with Joely Richardson excellent as his ex wife, a woman with a violent partner who puts his needs before her son's

I think Parker Posey is sort of one note. I like her, but her delivery is always the same.

I loved Robert Altman be I also loved Woody Allen...so many great movies but many in this century also, like The Assassination of Jesse James.

[quote]Martin Donovan played a gay dad in The Hollow Reed, a UK drama with Joely Richardson excellent as his ex wife, a woman with a violent partner who puts his needs before her son's

Hollow Reed was a great film. Don't think it ever had a dvd release but is available for streaming on Amazon.

Like the OP, I loved that period of 90s indie films, and something that depresses me is how many of them were directed by women whose careers never went anywhere afterwards (case in point, Angela Pope, who directed Hollow Reed). Most of those directors either disappeared or ending up directing prestige TV. But few were actually able to make it as auteurs.

My Own Private Idaho, with the late River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves (reciting Shakespeare, no less!)

The Opposite of Sex, with Martin Donovan playing gay again, plus Christina Ricci and Lisa Kudrow.

Trick, with Christian Campbell being adorable and Tori Spelling being hilarious. (There's also a legendary performance by Miss Coco Peru!)

Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss, before Sean Hayes conditioned me to hiss and recoil from any appearance by him.

"Walking and Talking" from 1996 starring Catherine Keener, Anne Heche, Liev Schrieber, Todd Field, and Kevin Corrigan. It launched the career of writer/director Nicole Holofcener. A great movie.

R6 is Daytrippers on Criterion streaming? I can’t find it in the search

You would like FLIRTING WITH DISASTER.

R17 Parker Posey did some great work in several Christopher Guest films.

Waiting For Guffman and Best In Show are the best of the lot imho.

A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration and Mascots were all in the 2000's and had moments, but nothing like the first two.

Based on two indies mentioned here (The Daytrippers, Walking & Talking) plus a Hollywood film (Kate and Leopold), my image of Liev Schreiber in the 90s was of a harmless, lovable goof ball. Back then I never would have pictured him in a role like Ray Donovan. Twenty years later and I find it difficult to imagine him in a light comedy!

OMG just remembered the other seminal Matt Keeslar classic The Last Days Of Disco.

Chloe Sevigny and Kate Beckinsale have rarely been better, possibly because they were essentially playing themselves.

Living in Oblivion is one of my favorites from that era. James le Gros’ character was apparently based on Brad Pitt, including his poor hygiene in the ‘90s. And Peter Dinklage’s performance often gets quoted in my house: “Even I don’t have dreams with dwarves in them!”

I don’t know if it’s an indie but I thought “Heavenly creatures” was the best of ‘94 and I loved “breaking the waves” by Lars von trier (for sure indie.)

I don’t know if it’s an indie but I thought “Heavenly creatures” was the best of ‘94 and I loved “breaking the waves” by Lars von trier (for sure indie.)

[quote]Clockwatchers - Parker Posey AGAIN, Lisa Kudrow, Toni Collette and someone called Alanna Ubach.

I loved Clockwatchers.

Also many of the others listed previously – Party Girl, The House of Yes, Living in Oblivion, Walking & Talking.

I'd add Bound, Georgia (w/ Jennifer Jason Leigh), Before Sunrise and Ulee's Gold.

Fans of Last Days of Disco should also check out Whit Stillman's other 90s films, Metropolitan and Barcelona.

If you love 90s Chris Eigeman like I do, also check out Kicking and Screaming and Mr. Jealousy.

Speaking of Flirting With Disaster, don't sleep on David O. Russell's Spanking the Monkey.

Other 90s Indie greats: Man of the Year (the one written by, directed by, and starring Dirk Shafer) and Priest starring Linus Roache.

Is there any love on Datalounge for Eric Schaeffer? Surely you haven't forgotten My Life's In Turnaround and If Lucy Fell! LOL

Does "Two Girls and a Guy" qualify as an Indie movie? That's the one where Robert Downey, Jr. was drug tested every day that he was on set.

Every. Day.

No one else loved The Living End ? Mike Dytri was sex on a stick .

Clerks.

I did, R39. It’s Araki at his most bearable, reigned in a little and tempering his style to try and explore character a little more. I s a still think it’s a potent little curiosity of a film and very unique & enjoyable though I don’t rate Gregg as an auteur.

Special interest RISE

R28 I borrowed it from the library because I'm cheap, the blu-ray transfer looked excellent!

My New Gun is Parker Posey-less, but has Diane Lane, James LeGros, Tess Harper and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Also starring Stephen Collins, doing what he did best: white straight-man. It's really quirky and funny.

Is Walking and Talking the one with the house party where Quentin Tarantino has the rant about how gay Top Gun was?

That's "Sleep with Me"

R32 The last scene in the film with everybody in the subway car dancing to "Love Train" makes me smile.

Metropolitan is my favorite Whit Stillman film. Haven't seen Barcelona yet, however.

Which Hal Hartley films do you recommend R16? I've never gotten around to watching his films because so many (two or three?) starred Adrienne Shelley. I get depressed when I think about her death, I'm worried that knowing how she died will cast a dark shadow over those films and I won't be able to enjoy them (MARY!). Maybe I'll start with his film Flirt, naturally, Parker Posey has a supporting role in it.

[quote] Urbania - really good queer film, very very dark, and I hope Matt Keeslar's patients are enjoying his nursing skills now.

Matt Keeslar changed his career goals.

He's currently finishing medical school (Oregon Health Sciences University) to become an MD.

I’m not R16 but I enjoyed the Hal Hartley film “Henry Fool”

I liked Simple Men (can't lie, I thought Bill Sage was really cute), Flirt and Trust. Amateur had a nice performance by Isabelle Huppert but the plot was maybe.a little *too* convoluted.

The soundtracks in Hartley's films were also good too, he often composed them himself under the name Ned Rifle. The offbeat humor, editing rhythms and compositions reminded me a bit of 80s Godard. I think Parker Posey was in a few of his films (Henry Fool was one).

Also love Last Days of Disco (all of Stillman's films, really). Mackenzie Astin was at peak cuteness in that one.

I liked "Simple Men" and Sage too.

Grace of My Heart was another one I liked, loosely based on Carole King's career at the Brill Building and as a solo artist later on, starring Ileana Douglas. Burt Bacharch and Elvis Costello composed the song "God Give Me Strength" for the soundtrack.

Loved, love, love Grace Of My Heart too - Bridget Fonda and Patsy Kensit together at last. My Secret Love should have had the same cut through as God Give Me Strength, one of the best forbidden lesbian love songs out there. Loved I Do and A Boat On The Sea as well.

Map Of The World with Sigourney and Julianne was a cracker and both on top form. With Boys Don't Cry and Last Days Of Disco, Chloe Sevigny had a run of great roles in her youth.

[quote]Grace of My Heart was another one I liked

Oooh, I loved that one, too! I even bought the soundtrack!

What, no Me?

[quote]"Walking and Talking" from 1996 starring Catherine Keener, Anne Heche, Liev Schrieber, Todd Field, and Kevin Corrigan. It launched the career of writer/director Nicole Holofcener.

Fast forward to Holofcener's "Enough Said" in 2013, which evokes that same 90's low-key quality with Catherine Keener and Toni Collette in supporting roles.

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

And speaking of Guy Pearce, "A Slipping-Down Life" (1999) co-starring indie queen, Lili Taylor, who will always be remembered as Valerie Solanas in "I Shot Andy Warhol" (1996). This interviewer really pounds on Taylor to come clean about her sexuality.

Gas Food Lodging by Allison Anders - it has a score by J. Mascis and starred Fairuza Balk, Book Adams, Ione Skye, James Brolin amd Jacob Vargas.

Any other fans?

Does “Once Were Warriors” count as an independent film? It ripped my heart in two when I watched it.

Also loved “Smoke Signals”. Both of these movies used to play regularly on IFC when it was a worthy channel.

Another Parker Posey one here: Clockwatchers.

Interesting film about temps. Also starring Lisa kudrow and Toni Collette.

Lol at 10 people not reading the thread and thinking they're the first to mention Clockwatchers. It really is a perfect film though. Basically look up Parker Posey, Lili Taylor, Adrienne Shelley, Christina Ricci, Lisa Kudrow, Patricia Clarkson, Natasha Lyonne, and Fairuza Balk, and watch anything they made between 1990-2002ish, and they all have this wonderful aesthetic and style you're talking about OP.

The Daytrippers is a brilliant movie. Strange to consider that it couldn't be made today, with the advent of cell phones etc. The soundtrack is great, the cast all have real chemistry (Anne Meara is a hoot), and it's a terrific combination of screwball comedy and wistful melancholy. The final frame is very beautiful.

If you liked that one, maybe check out Next Stop Wonderland (1998), also starring Hope Davis in the lead role. It's similar in tone and appearance to The Daytrippers. I was going to link the trailer but the only one online is a Miramax one, and in typical Harvey Weinstein fashion, it makes the film look ridiculous, cheesy and completely different to how it actually is.

I never realized there were so many other Clockwatchers fans.

Office Space got all the attention for its look at disaffected Gen-Xers stuck in a corporate abyss, but Clockwatchers is a much smarter film.

It’s directed by a woman with all female leads on a low budget, so it didn’t get the attention it deserved. It would be bigger today.

NAKED IN NEW YORK (1993) is the best worst Woody Allen knockoff to ever exist.

Hilights: a sparkling soundtrack and that lovely soft camera-work so typical of the time; divine Kathleen Turner smoking a J; Jill Clayburgh (RIP) slumming it in a matronly role but radiant in spite of it all; and thirty year-old Ralph Macchio gay-kissing.

Lowlights: having to sit through Eric Stoltz & MLP at their most affected & twee (mawkishly monologuing to the camera at points); a talking orangutan, and blatant asslicking cinematographical homage to Allen at every turn. The last scene in particular is so saccharine and vapid.

No gossip on this one but I’d love to hear some. I remember reading press quotes from Macchio at the time proclaiming that he only agreed to kiss Stoltz on film because he was so very “secure in his heterosexuality”. There were whispers about him at the time thanks to his turn on the stage opposite DeNiro in CUBA & HIS TEDDYBEAR. Stoltz said nothing about it.

R66 You forgot to mention Stoltz's nude dream sequence @ the end. displaying avg. cut cock and fiery ginger bush. There was a DL thread on him a few years ago.

More on Stoltz...

R67 damn yeah. I think I blocked it out due to trauma. He’s so pale he blinds the eye. Maybe I’m just a hater but I never understood what people saw in Stoltz, even in MASK. He seems so reserved & studied to me, like he’s counting beats or something.

I always thought Macchio was more attractive and the better more natural actor by far so he should have had the lead in NINT, but then he was well-cast in his part which was more likeable and meaty anyway. They should have made a bit more of the gay confusion subplot though, as it was criminally tossed aside for an awkward slightly-homophobic scene in the final act. I also thought Timothy Dalton should have had more to do as he was really sexy and in his prime starring here.

In spite of all that NINY is a charming little indie with an über-early ‘90s feel (especially in terms of costume/sets, dialogue & allusion). It just ought to have been penned much better with a stronger core cast, and perhaps directed by someone other than the writer.

One of my favorites - Soderbergh's "King of the Hill"

It was hard to find for so many years, made sure to buy it in a Criterion sale. Strong performance from Jesse Bradford and a reminder of tougher times, with a resilient hero.

Mike Leigh's "Naked"

Party Girl!

Drugstore Cowboy! (I saw it in 1990 in Spain)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown!

Jackie Brown!

Ruby in Paradise!

Red Rock West!

The Last Seduction!

Good list, R72!

[quote] If you liked that one, maybe check out Next Stop Wonderland (1998), also starring Hope Davis in the lead role. It's similar in tone and appearance to The Daytrippers.

Love, love, LOVE that movie! Great soundtrack and Hope Davis was great. Had a crush on the actor playing the male romantic lead - Alan Gelfant - and thought at the time he would be the next big thing. Boy was I wrong...his IMDB credits are very sparse. I read somewhere that he teaches acting now.

Spalding Gray's "Monster in a Box"

I almost stopped posting it because it was a filmed stage event but I think the 90s were a more supportive time for releasing movies like that.

I forgot about Ruby in Paradise. The only film that made Ashley Judd likeable.

I loved Jackie Brown, but was that an independent film?

OP here! In preparation for Laura Dern's eventual Oscar win in March, I'm watching Citizen Ruth tonight and feeling nostalgic for indies again! Not sure why I hadn't watched this film before, as I've seen all of Alexander Payne's other films (including Downsizing, yuck).

I think I will look into Hal Hartley's films soon.

I don’t think anyone’s mentioned the films of Atom Egoyan, who was one of my favorite directors of the period. His masterpiece is the brutal, but beautiful, Sweet Hereafter starring the ethereal Sarah Polley. A school bus in Canada crashes and sinks in a frozen lake killing most of the town’s children. Polley, one of the few survivors, is the moral center as the town rips itself apart as an ambulance chasing lawyer, with his own story of a lost child, exploits their pain and anger. The story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin is intertwined throughout the film. All the actors give heartbreaking performances and even the soundtrack is amazing.

OP again, it looks like 2020 will be the year of 1990s indie film nostalgia for me. I'm currently watching Gas Food Lodging (streaming via thecriterionchannel), directed by Alison Anders tonight. It's a nice little film, I'm enjoying it a lot. Fariuza Balk is quite charming. It would be nice to see her in some sort of streaming series or limited run prestige tv series, but alas... it's probably not meant to be.

Loved Clockwatchers and pretty much anything with Parker Posey in it.

Does In The Company Of Men count as indie?

Swimming with Sharks was ok.

The 1990s were the heyday of neo-noir, many of which were indie productions or, if not indie, then at least small films. Some of my favorites:

Best Laid Plans (1999) with Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin and impossibly handsome Alessandro Nivola,

Croupier (1998) with very sexy Clive Owen

Insomnia (1997) with also very sexy Stellan Skarsgard

Shallow Grave (1994), with Ewen McGregor, Christopher Eccleston and Kerry Fox; this is one of my favorite movies of any decade

The Last Seduction (1994) with Peter Berg, Linda Fiorentino and Bill Pullman; ditto

I do tend to prefer movies with handsome men in leading roles.

It seems that movies like these are rare in theaters now. I guess they're mostly done on streaming video these days.

Speaking of Clive Owen, Close My Eyes (1991) features him in his prime and fully nude. Directed by Stephen Poliakoff and co-starring the brilliant Alan Rickman, it's an agonizing story but a feast for the eyes.

Thank you all for these titles! I have not heard of Clockwatchers before and will plan on watching it.

200 Cigarettes (1999)

Pi (1998)

Richard Linklater’s “Slacker”. Such a strange film but I love it. Makes me nostalgic for how Austin used to be,

Clive looks too skinny at r83. He looked much better by the time of Gosford Park.

That "low key indie aesthetic"... You got it OP.

I loved these films. They had a voice.

R33 I'm watching Living in Oblivion this morning, it's great! Not sure why I hadn't given myself a chance to watch this before. There's a great version of it available on Kanopy (free if your public library subscribes).

I've recently moved to a new (boring as hell) city, so catching up on these indie films when I can is slowly becoming my hobby. Oh boy, I'm pathetic!!!

Bump! Feeling in a 1990s indie mood.