Phase 4 Films
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Iron Man 3, Man Of Steel — 2013 was another big year for big movies. But it was also a great year for independent film as movies like Don Jon and Fruitvale Station received critical acclaim and much love from audiences everywhere. In one way or another, these were all great films, all deserving our attention. However, there are many smaller productions that didn’t receive quite as much buzz, but still captured the hearts of many-a-moviegoer. In case you missed them, here are five indie films you definitely should have seen in 2013, but probably didn’t.
If there ever was such a thing as a romantic crime drama, this would be it. A beautiful, searing, poetic Bonnie & Clyde-esque tale starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck, direcor David Lowery’s third feature film was easily one of the best films of the year.
Julianne Moore, Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins, and Michael Angarano round out the fantastic cast in this one. The horrors of high school have been the basis for countless movies over the years, but in The English Teacher even the adults are like a bunch of horny adolescents. Oh, and the brilliant Nathan Lane plays the drama teacher you totally wish you’d had back in the day.
It’s actually frustrating that this was not one of the more talked-about films of the year. Spike Lee called it “the #1 NYC movie of the year” and the bottom line is, Newlyweeds is absolute hilarious. We didn’t know we were looking for a romantic stoner dramedy for the ages, but we’re glad we got it.
Eden (or The Abduction of Eden)
An unfrogettable film based on the horrific true story of a teenaged girl who was kidnapped and sold into prostitution, Eden stars former MTV Real World star Jamie Chung. Chung proves herself to be a wholly capable actress with her performance alongside veterans like Beau Bridges and Tantoo Cardinal.
Another great indie feature from Julianne Moore, the actress plays an aging rocker/neglectful mother, but the story is really shown through the expereinces of her daughter Maisie (played by Onata Aprile). Maisie becomes a pawn in the cruel games of her immature and irresponsible parents, but eventually finds familial love under some very strange circumstances. Oh, and then there’s the Alexander Skarsgård aspect of it all.
