Independent Movies are Better than Blockbusters

[Marlon]

It does not take a genius to figure this out, but independent movies, low budget and foreign movies are so much better than blockbusters. But its so sad that because they are low budget their exposure is so limited. Its so aggrivating. I have seen so many independents that I loved. Have you seen any good ones lately? I saw Adored and I really liked it.

[fineus fog]

thats a goor theory but it also highly opinion based, but i do agree that generally i tend to get more story based satisfaction from an indie movie.

[ZombieMan]

I'm going to have to start watching the Independent Film Channel I guess. I haven't watched alot of independent films.

[droidguy1119]

There's no rule. To think that there's a type of movies that is always better than other movies is ridiculous.

There are as many bad independent movies as there are blockbusters -- the only bonus is you never hear about the bad independent movies because nobody picks them up and they sink into oblivion.

[Chuckles]

Originally posted by droidguy1119
There's no rule. To think that there's a type of movies that is always better than other movies is ridiculous.

There are as many bad independent movies as there are blockbusters -- the only bonus is you never hear about the bad independent movies because nobody picks them up and they sink into oblivion.

Exactly. Same thing goes for old movies.

[krazy_marco74]

Almost all indepedent movies are drama. most of the independent movies are good, but nobody really noticed them.

[dustindame]

ahhhhhh stop the soul plane add! anyways, i never watch independent movies because i live two hours away from a city that actually has them. So you cant speak for everyone and say that they are better.

[cerealkiller182]

Indie movies arnt always better but i agree that there are many good ones ( i.e. SLC Punk, Bonndock Saints)

Bubba Ho-Tep and The Big Easy look good but i havnt seen them yet

[Brock Landers]

A bad movie is a bad movie as a good movie is a good movie, no matter their budget.

[WuTical]

Originally posted by Brock Landers
A bad movie is a bad movie as a good movie is a good movie, no matter their budget. yup

[secant]

The worst movie I have ever seen was an indie. Sleepy Time Gals. The second worse was The Haunted Mansion (Disney, Eddie Murphy)
Boondock Saints was pretty good, whoever said that. Too violent for me to watch over and over again, but a pretty good film.
PS - There are a lot of really crappy foreign movies, too. They just don't make it to the States where you can watch them. And the good ones, (Life is Beautiful e.g.) are under appreciated, which lends itself to the stereotype, "oh, foreign movies are better, why don't they get enough attention?"

[QUINNtheESKIMO]

I agree with the person who said that a good movie is a good movie. There are just as many talentless and pretentous indie filmakers, as there are braindead hollywood directors. For every mindless or overblown blockbuster that hollywood produces, there is a pretentious, poorly acted, poorly directed independent film.

Same goes for foreign films. Yes the Europeans, as a whole may be more artful, but for every great artist, there are ten talentless, pretensous pricks out there who can't make a good film to save there life.

[Mat]

Droidguy, Brock, and Quinn are right. I think the reason some people believe that independent movies are better than Blockbusters is because the bad indies get forgotten and get horrible or no DVD release, while great indies get great releases. All blockbusters, good and bad, get great releases.

[Sublime50lbc]

Originally posted by Brock Landers
A bad movie is a bad movie as a good movie is a good movie, no matter their budget.

Exactly.

I share the same love for indie films as I do for blockbusters.

Its all just based on the script, acting, story and content. Not how much special effects there are or big name actors.

[Inferno]

But there's a difference between The Blockbuster and the standard hollywood film. Not everything that comes out of Hollywood is a cgi action aventure blockbuster.

So if you come indie's to blockbusters, then i agree with you. But if you compare indie's to all hollywood films then i would say that their about the same.

There is a simple rule to this and it applies equally to everything in life:
- 90% of everything is crap.

[Necross]

Its all opinion. I have loved Independent movies, I have hated independent movies. Same with Blockbusters, some are good some are bad. Neither type of movie is perfect.

[PsYkOoOoO]

I think it really depends.You cannot say that foreign movies are always better,or blockbusters are always bad.Like what Droidguy said,its ridiculous to say something like that.

[Pwnst1k]

What are some really really good independent films? I don't think i've seen many (if any)...

And I think there are enough good movies that come out of hollywood every year to justify it's existence.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Actually,The Passion of the Christ is classified under "Independent Films" over at Apple.com.

I wonder if you consider that an independent film.

[Andrey83]

Originally posted by krazy_marco74
Almost all indepedent movies are drama. most of the independent movies are good, but nobody really noticed them.

most of the indepentet films are good? Well, i guess if we all on this board combine our knowledge of independent films we probably know like 2% of them....maybe....

The thing is that we only hear about the good ones.....but trust me. Just as un-independent films, most independent films are very, very bad. You just never hear about them thats all...

[secant]

I think, yes, Passion of the Christ is considered an independent film. Wasn't My Big Fat Greek Wedding also so classified? And Thirteen?

[secant]

Originally posted by Inferno
But there's a difference between The Blockbuster and the standard hollywood film. Not everything that comes out of Hollywood is a cgi action aventure blockbuster.



Does the term "blockbuster' actually refer to how much money the film makes, not necessarily the money behind it? So would "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" be considered an independent film, because it didn't have big studio money behind it, and also a blockbuster, because it was a big hit? Same for the Passion.

Does anyone know if I am right? I am too lazy to look this up anywhere.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Originally posted by secant
I think, yes, Passion of the Christ is considered an independent film. Wasn't My Big Fat Greek Wedding also so classified? And Thirteen?

Im not sure about Thirteen,but i think My Big Fat Greek wedding is an independent film.

[Inferno]

Originally posted by secant
Does the term "blockbuster' actually refer to how much money the film makes, not necessarily the money behind it? So would "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" be considered an independent film, because it didn't have big studio money behind it, and also a blockbuster, because it was a big hit? Same for the Passion.

Does anyone know if I am right? I am too lazy to look this up anywhere.

There's no strict definition of "blockbuster". For me it refers to the money behind it, the stars, the publicity, and the mega advertising blitz - with little attention paid to the quality of the film itself. (think about how many times a film is described as a blockbuster before its even been released)

Independent films that make big I wouldn't conisder blockbusters. They are merely "huge hits".

[Andrey83]

wooooooooot! :)

So, you can come up with 4 independent movies, so then the conclusion is that independent films are better then blockbusters? Good Call! :rolleyes:

[secant]

Originally posted by Andrey83
wooooooooot! :)

So, you can come up with 4 independent movies, so then the conclusion is that independent films are better then blockbusters? Good Call! :rolleyes:
Who are you talking to? There are only a couple of people on here who have even tried to come up with any movies, and I am one of them. If you are talking to me, then you're preaching to the choir. I already said in an earlier post, the worst movie I've ever seen is an indie. The second worst was a big money production, perhaps you would call a blockbuster. The point being that indy or blockbuster is no indication on the quality of the film.

PS what does woooooot mean?

[droidguy1119]

Woooooot is an expression of happiness and jubilation.

[secant]

Originally posted by droidguy1119
Woooooot is an expression of happiness and jubilation.
Prounounced like "hoot" or "wot"? :)

[droidguy1119]

Like "hoot."

[SolitaryFractur]

ANYONE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHO IS INTERESTED IN INDEPENDENT FILM SHOULD COME CHECK OUT THE FREE SCREENING OF A NEW INDEPENDENT FILM ON JUNE 18th, 2004 at USC. Here's the info:

Friday, June 18th, 2004 - 8:00pm on the USC Campus in George Lucas 108 Theater. Admission is free.

Important - Please arrive early so you get a seat, theater is expected to be full!!!

George Lucas 108 Theater is located at:
University of Southern California
850 W. 34th Street.
Los Angeles, CA 90089

Since this is the only Southern California screening of Solitary Fracture, Deniz Michael decided to cover the cost himself and make this screening free to the public.

Film Synopsis:
An average man living an average life loses everything and in the process realizes that he had nothing to begin with. The story follows Mike Peters (Deniz Michael) in his downward spiral and takes you through the struggles of his everyday life.

About the Filmmaker:
This is the first film for filmmaker Deniz Michael who wrote, directed, produced, edited, starred in and wrote the score for Solitary Fracture.

Need more info?
email: SolitaryFracture@aol.com
Visit the website: Solitary Fracture

[artmoviefilm]

Originally posted by droidguy1119
There's no rule. To think that there's a type of movies that is always better than other movies is ridiculous.

There are as many bad independent movies as there are blockbusters -- the only bonus is you never hear about the bad independent movies because nobody picks them up and they sink into oblivion.

I'm sorry droid, but that is ridiculous. There IS a type of Movie that is always, or at least 99 out of 100 times better than another type of movie. And i'm afraiad that that other type of movie is a hollywood movie i.e. a blockbuster. that is a fact. And you are right by the way that there are as many bad indies as there are blockbusters. one bad one for each blockbuster. But let me ask you something. if you take an "exciting" and "action packed" blockbuster and strip away the money/vfx, you have a movie that is worse than any "bad" indie imaginable. And there aren't actually that many bad indies released (maybe there are alot of bad ones made, but because they earn their money solely from being good movies that people see and are not commercialised, many cannot afford to release a bad indie i'm afraid.

before i go let me ask you a question. Was titanic a "good" movie. Was Star Wars a "good" movie. In terms of shear entertainment yes, but no matter how much you deny it, that is all it adds up to. I mean was Lord of the Rings good? Definately; i was up for it winning best picture. It was a very entertaining and exquisite work of art, one that deserved the attention of the academy. But was it anything beyond? as much as i myself would like to deny it, there really was nothing beneath the limits of the screen.

[secant]

Originally posted by artmoviefilm
I'm sorry droid, but that is ridiculous. There IS a type of Movie that is always, or at least 99 out of 100 times better than another type of movie. And i'm afraiad that that other type of movie is a hollywood movie i.e. a blockbuster. that is a fact.

Don't you mean a very strong opinion? Can we see the scientific "independent films are better than blockbusters" evidence please?

That just depends on why you watch movies. You say there is nothing "beyond" in those films you mentioned. What is it that you want to see?
If you watch movies to find the meaning of life or something, then okay. I like to take part in life to find the meaning of life, personally.
But I think a lot of people just want to be entertained when they go to see a film, including me. That doesn't mean movies should be stupid or meaningless, but all that stuff that you want people to look beyond is the stuff that people go to movies to see.
And I think Star Wars was good... but not Titanic - why? Doesn't entertain me.

[rosncranz]

Originally posted by artmoviefilm
I'm sorry droid, but that is ridiculous. There IS a type of Movie that is always, or at least 99 out of 100 times better than another type of movie. And i'm afraiad that that other type of movie is a hollywood movie i.e. a blockbuster. that is a fact. And you are right by the way that there are as many bad indies as there are blockbusters. one bad one for each blockbuster. But let me ask you something. if you take an "exciting" and "action packed" blockbuster and strip away the money/vfx, you have a movie that is worse than any "bad" indie imaginable. And there aren't actually that many bad indies released (maybe there are alot of bad ones made, but because they earn their money solely from being good movies that people see and are not commercialised, many cannot afford to release a bad indie i'm afraid.

before i go let me ask you a question. Was titanic a "good" movie. Was Star Wars a "good" movie. In terms of shear entertainment yes, but no matter how much you deny it, that is all it adds up to. I mean was Lord of the Rings good? Definately; i was up for it winning best picture. It was a very entertaining and exquisite work of art, one that deserved the attention of the academy. But was it anything beyond? as much as i myself would like to deny it, there really was nothing beneath the limits of the screen.


no no thats ridiculous. i love indie films, but the fact is that there are many bad ones too, although i prefer them. i might even go so far as to say there are more bad indie films than hollywood films, but i think there are more really good ones too...IMO