[IMG:L]Independence Day is usually independent of independence—cinematically speaking, that is. Typically, the Fourth of July is one surefire box office behemoth’s lucky (release) day, but this year is different. With Transformers slated for the third instead of the Fourth, Werner Herzog’s indie Rescue Dawn is the only new movie to be released on July 4. That’s right, the little movies have once again wrested the power from the big-studio bullies and taken back Independence Day! Fine, so that’s not at all the case and Rescue Dawn will only be released in two U.S. cities. Point is, while Transformers is out there busting blocks today, it’s the perfect time to take a look at the smaller stuff, the Rescue Dawns—the indies. Because there’s been more to 2007 than the three threequels, and the edgiest may still be yet to come.
THE BEST SO FAR
Jindabyne (Release Date: 4/27/07)
At the Box Office: $0.3 million
Big Name(s), Little Movie? Well, yes and no. Laura Linney is the indie Julia Roberts, and Gabriel Byrne was once a big name now in need of a serious pick-me-up (which may come courtesy of upcoming HBO series In Treatment). Aside from those two, it’s slim pickings. Unless spousal star power counts: Hugh Jackman’s wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, co-stars in the film.
Buzzworthiness: Ray Lawrence, Australia’s very own Terrence Malick, directed Jindabyne, which is based on a short story by revered author Raymond Carver—so they had us at the opening credits. And while it doesn’t quite measure up to Lawrence’s Lantana, his trademark slow-burn storytelling coupled with a mesmerizing ending will truly reward the patient viewer.
The Mainstream Deal Breaker: Director Lawrence, plain and simple. The meticulous auteur doesn’t concern himself with the contemporary viewer’s lust for an explosion—literal or metaphorical—until the very end, if at all. Thus this and any of his long, dialogue-packed movies have zero commercial viability.
Waitress (Release Date: 5/2/07)
At the Box Office: $16.7 million
Big Name(s), Little Movie? More of a who’s who of everyone from perpetual up-and-comers (Nathan Fillion) to the blissfully indie (Jeremy Sisto). Of course, lead actress Keri Russell might be a little of both, having already experienced stardom on TV’s Felicity. And how’s Andy Griffith for a big name—even if he is only in it for a few minutes.
Buzzworthiness: Waitress’ buzz initially grew for all the wrong—or rather, grim reasons: Writer/director/costar Adrienne Shelly was murdered during postproduction. But, just as Shelly would’ve likely wanted, no pity points were awarded—or necessary. The film was an uplifting, fresh and downright delectable treat from a woman, about women and for women. That men can enjoy the movie as well is the icing on the, er, pie.
The Mainstream Deal Breaker: Shelly’s quirkiness. Let’s face it, the masses, drunk off the scent of the then-impending release of Pirates 3, like the words spoken and the emotions conveyed to be cut-and-dry—and, no, not that kind of dry. Still, with almost $17 million earned thus far, Shelly’s movie has become the feel- and taste-good story of the summer.
Paris Je T’aime (Release Date: 5/4/07)
At the Box Office: $3.9 million
Big Name(s), Little Movie? Such big names and so many of them, you would think we were talking about an Ocean’s movie here! Between the 18 directors and many more big-name actors, pretty much everyone willing to take a major pay cut was on board. Sample directors: Alfonso Cuaron and the Coen brothers; sample actors: Natalie Portman and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Buzzworthiness: Who doesn’t love love, especially when it’s set in the city thereof (Paris)? This long-gestating collection of shorts films boasted a veritable heap of shining stars, but the true appeal was seeing what so many talented directors were able to craft out of the mere five-minute allotment for each film.
The Mainstream Deal Breaker: Eighteen films in one. As Grindhouse can attest, no manner of star power, director power or word of mouth can rescue a movie from art-house-dom if it dares to deviate from the normal movie format. Not that “art-house” is anything to be rescued from.
Once (Release Date: 5/16/07)
At the Box Office: $3.8 million
Big Name(s), Little Movie? Sure, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are somewhat well-known in the indie world—of music. As actors, they have combined to star in a whopping one prior movie, which, for those keeping score, is six fewer than the number of albums churned out between the two of them. So chances are, anyone who’s heard of these two is probably a music buff.
Buzzworthiness: Once has become an absolute phenomenon—ya know, indie style: Percentage-wise, it is the year’s biggest box office hit (with a budget of just $170,000), and the soundtrack has been at or near the top of iTunes’ soundtrack chart for some time. So why has the Angelika set fallen so head-over-Chuck Taylors for this movie? Because some people like a touch of reality to their love stories, which is the result of such raw writing, direction (both from John Carney, Hansard’s former Frames bandmate) and acting. Realism born out of inexperience cannot be replicated; nor can genuine chemistry: Hansard and Irglova became a real-life couple after playing one in the movie. Take that, Brangie!
The Mainstream Deal Breaker: The non-cast. That’s certainly not meant as an insult, but if “Guy” and “Girl”—as the two leads’ characters are referred to—were played by, say, Cillian Murphy and Keira Knightley, Hollywood would’ve been banging on the door, checkbooks in hand. They don’t usually turn down a movie musical in Tinseltown, but then again, Once isn’t your average John Travolta-as-a-woman musical.
THE BEST STILL TO COME
Wristcutters: A Love Story (Release Date: 8/31/07)
Big Name(s), Little Movie? Uh, no. Patrick Fugit, of Almost Famous fame, headlines a cast that includes Shannyn Sossamon (40 Days and 40 Nights) and Leslie Bibb (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby)—aka people you won’t recognize until you see their faces, if at all. One actor whose name you probably recognize but whose face you won’t see much of: Will Arnett…as the Messiah! Too perfect.
Buzzworthiness: The Wristcutters excitement began when it scored award nominations and major chatter during the festival/awards circuit earlier this year. The story remains true to the dramedic-sounding title: Life doesn’t end for those who end their lives; it continues on in somewhat mundane fashion. Love that premise or fear it, movie ideas these days don’t get much more original, even though first-time director Goran Dukic adapted it from an Israeli short story.
The Mainstream Deal Breaker: Everything—but mostly that title. It’s enough to scare off the casual moviegoer, and thus the Hollywood studio system. If only they’d made the title an allusion to homicide instead of suicide, it might’ve had a shot; Throatslashers, perhaps. You can’t have a suicidal act and irony in your title and expect to get financial backing!
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Release Date: 9/21/07)
Big Name(s), Little Movie? Only the single most famous person in the world, Brad Pitt. So pretty much every other cast member—Zooey Deschanel, Mary-Louise Parker, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell, Jeremy Renner et al.—becomes tiny by comparison. Brad Pitt in an indie? It’s his new thing: big movie (Mr. and Mrs. Smith), small movie (Babel), big movie (Ocean’s 13)…
Buzzworthiness:Jesse’s been on the backburner for a while, but it’s one of those rare times where there’s probably nothing to read into. More than likely, it was due to minor edits and Pitt’s handlers wanting to make sure that none of his other movies overlapped with this one—that’s how it works with megastars. Pitt actually looks, physically, like a great fit for this update of the 1983 book and the classic outlaw saga. Plus, all those veteran supporting actors have great track records.
The Mainstream Deal Breaker: It’s a Western, and from an unproven director (Andrew Dominik). And Pitt, who has somewhat reinvented his movie career (and personal life), probably felt the essence of this movie would’ve been lost if it turned into Wild Wild West or something. So maybe, in a twist of fate, he joined the movie to save it from Hollyweird.
No Country for Old Men (Release Date: 11/9/07)
Big Name(s), Little Movie? More so a hodgepodge of pros who won’t do anything but add to the movie’s integrity, typical of a Coen brothers flick. Perennial Oscar bait Javier Bardem leads the charge (and perhaps the Oscar race again for the time being), but Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, Josh Brolin and Kelly MacDonald don’t exactly bring the quality level down.
Buzzworthiness: Nobody gets indie lovin’ like the Coens, but at the recently completed Cannes Film Festival, the reception was probably the warmest of their career. And if the Coen factor isn’t cause enough for excitement, it’s based on a Western thriller by reclusive author Cormac McCarthy, a man more beloved than Joel and Ethan Coen combined!
The Mainstream Deal Breaker: The Coen brothers. Even though everyone seems to namedrop them and quote Fargo or The Big Lebowski, it’s always in a cult context. Their interests will forever lie just left-of-center in much the same way Jim Jarmusch’s will.
Be Kind Rewind (Release Date: 12/21/07)
Big Name(s), Little Movie? The cast is decidedly Michel Gondry—that’s right, he’s an adjective. Like Jim Carrey and most recently Gael Garcia Bernal, Jack Black is a big-name Gondry guinea pig, and he’s as game as those who came before him. Danny Glover, Mos Def and Mia Farrow also star. Indeed, there’s no telling who wants to be part of a Gondry production and who the writer/director will want to cast.
Buzzworthiness: There is no modern director/artist like Gondry. As seen in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep, he actually wants to make seemingly unfilmable concepts highly visual. Try Be Kind’s premise on for size: Black’s character accidentally erases movies from a local video store, and his only hope is to reenact all of them—with Mos Def’s character—before a customer notices. How Gondry is that?!
The Mainstream Deal Breaker: Concept films = box office death. Mainstream audiences tried with Eternal Sunshine, bless their li’l hearts, but not even a superstar like Jim Carrey can save a movie when it commits sins like…making audiences think and doing away with car chases. The audacity of this Michel Gondry!
