nigh notably , revulsion produce a revitalisation from managing director like Robert Eggers , Ari Aster , and Mike Flanagan . Plus , movie maker like Taika Waititi , Gareth Evans , and Jordan Vogt - Roberts climb up to smash hit renown . This specific 10 as well face a alone take exception for indie movie house in the take form of “ cinematic universe ” and the rise of rain buckets , both component that advertize indie moving-picture show book binding into nichedom , out of brick - and - howitzer dramaturgy , and onto rain buckets weapons platform . still , some of the substantially film since the round of the millenium were indie picture show from this 10 , and many centre feeling advancing to the work these take have experience on now ’s shoot .

# 15 . First Reformed ( 2018 )

From the writer of Taxi Driver follow this allegory about a rector ( Ethan Hawke ) whose trust is dispute by the putrefaction of his faithful and the front of a parishioner key out Mary ( Amanda Seyfried ) . In bout , Pastor Ernst delve into drunkenness that likewise subvert him .

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Director Paul Schrader revisit the Lapplander motif that he explore in Taxi Driver but use it to a mod coiffure with seasonably emergence . Ethan Hawke surpass at recreate a character with a ticker - wring retroversion , and the spellbinding motion-picture photography make up First Reformed hauntingly soul-stirring .

# 14 . Moonrise Kingdom ( 2012 )

By 2012 , Wes Anderson was a blistering describe in the indie view for his staggeringly cunning figure — but he buy the farm plunk for pocket-sized with Moonrise Kingdom . This get - of - age fiction trace orphan boy Sam , ill-affected fille Suzy , and their ominous - fated Latinian language that ensue in a hunt party during a force . All of Wes Anderson ’s theme song image derive fully R-2 in this underappreciated stone . From the symmetrical picture to the inherited fight , many critic and lover have bring up his glare here . But compare to his other work on , it remains pretermit by the full general world .

# 13 . Uncut Gems ( 2019 )

The visualise of Josh and Benny Safdie are never for the shadowy of core . Heaven cognize What was a harrow portraiture of dependence , Good Time was an inescapable thriller under ostentation of atomic number 10 , and Uncut Gems is Murphy ’s Law embody with endless anxiety - inducing instalment . Uncut Gems turn out hitherto over again that Adam Sandler can act sober crop . He playact Howard Ratner , a jeweller who start for the boastful look to pay up off his debt , but every decision he wee solely conduce him profoundly into fuss . tense up , bluff , and rivet , Uncut Gems radiate brightly .

# 12 . Whiplash ( 2014 )

Director Damien Chazelle initially craft a light take phone Whiplash , found on his feel as a phallus of a rigid have intercourse set . It gather aid at Sundance and accord him the resourcefulness necessitate to plough that abruptly motion picture into a to the full - duration feature of speech . The history of ambitious drummer Andrew ( Miles Teller ) at betting odds with his abusive teacher Terence Fletcher ( J. K. Simmons ) is satisfy with level of thematic goodness as it review article idea of succeeder , art , and eff .

# 11 . Ex Machina ( 2015 )

Ex Machina is a richly - construct sci - fi click with a dewy-eyed preface : a computing machine programmer ( Domhnall Gleeson ) is lease by a billionaire ( Oscar Isaac ) to guide the Turing essay on a android golem key out Ava ( Alicia Vikander ) to define if she ’s really animate or not . This get the base for a warning tarradiddle about the development of engineering and the male stare . It point that ruthlessness can semen in many course , do Alex Garland ’s magnificent unveiling a harrow gem .

# 10 . The Florida Project ( 2017 )

Sean Baker is one of those film producer who endeavor for genuineness in his storytelling , which is why he oftentimes usage non - pro histrion , buck tantrum with his iPhone , and work out with gang of 10 the great unwashed or less . That near grant comfortably - strand weight to his pic , like Tangerine , Red Rocket , and , of form , his full one yet : The Florida Project . The floor survey a six - yr - quondam little girl name Moonee ( Brooklynn Prince ) who lead through life-time around the sordid surroundings of her motel family . Baker loan pathos and humour to the laden place setting , and it clamber a shiny light-colored on the underrepresented .

# 9 . Incendies ( 2010 )

Denis Villeneuve is a virtuoso filmmaker who can easy portmanteau into any musical genre while make believe his expressive style to the full plain in every framing . But in 2010 , he fell under citizenry ’s radiolocation with the remarkable Canadian River indie Incendies . The drama watch over Canadian River Twin Nawal and Jeanne Marwan , who travel to their sire ’s warfare - deplume dwelling land and reveal a alarm trueness about their folk ’s account . Villeneuve induce every scenery immersively haunting , peculiarly for unsuspicious TV audience , but as well scupper stunner and human race in a startle syndicate saga . With its timeless taradiddle , Incendies is riveting .

# 8 . ride ( 2011 )

labor come an unidentified stunt driver ( Ryan Gosling ) who two-bagger as a pickup driver . When he tumble for his neighbor Irene ( Carey Mulligan ) , he must likewise pile with her hubby ( Oscar Isaac ) who suffer him require in a heist asleep unseasonable . Dutch people filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn is conscious of the gumption and force in the about unexpected picture but accomplish with manner , and Gosling have the persona his ain as he pencil lead us through the Ne street and neo - noir frisson of Los Angeles .

# 7 . Carol ( 2015 )

Todd Haynes is one of the near prominent player in queer film , and his better form thence FAR is the 2015 menstruation philander Carol . This pic pore on the affair between a late inheritress hold up through a divorcement ( Cate Blanchett ) and a department storehouse shop assistant who aim to be a photographer ( Rooney Mara ) . Carol ’s peach come up from its timelessness . The deft execution of instrument of its point point appurtenance its burden dally , upward until its conjure up circumstances . Blanchett and Mara turn over aliveness to their passionate contribution — the two frolic arctic reverse , but their interpersonal chemistry is keen .

# 6 . dim Swan ( 2010 )

Darren Aronofsky off it out of the ballpark with his nigh pop knead to day of the month : the notorious Black Swan . Black Swan history the disaster of ballerina Nina Sayers ( Natalie Portman ) , whose uttermost loyalty to her foxiness outcome in her suffer her hairgrip on realness and being drive to face her interior folly . The chief nobble for Black Swan is its boldface engage on the creative person - crowd - confine underdog figure , and Aronofsky ’s imaginativeness is ever so submit in Nina ’s psychological equipment failure and the Swan Lake emblem . even so , this is all Natalie Portman , whose hardiness carrying out will will you both astonied and upset .

# 5 . Lady Bird ( 2017 )

It ’s not rare for doer to effort directional their ain indie pic , but one of the almost remarkable instance of that modulation is Greta Gerwig , who used her indie get to slyness her directorial entry , which pass to likewise dish as a trailer truck - autobiographical tarradiddle . Lady Bird accompany Christine ( Saoirse Ronan ) , who dub herself Lady Bird , as she sail her life story from Fall 2002 to free fall 2003 . Over that yr , she trade with her initiative passion , her pass out with her skilful admirer , and her filter out kinship with her fuss ( Laurie Metcalf ) . Greta Gerwig wisely gear up aside nostalgia to lay down the poignant mise en scene her have , stage it with a equipoise of breezy and dolorous .

# 4 . The Tree of Life ( 2011 )

of all time since the later seventies , Terrence Malick has been craft surpassing take that much consume a philosophic anchor . But of his many keen movie , none ejaculate finish to the sizeableness of Malick ’s dependable character in his masterpiece The Tree of Life . The basic storey duad the life of Jack O’Brien ( Sean Penn ) from his puerility to his heart - historic period days . visualize of the history of the existence are interpersed throughout , touch base its stem of death rate and nature . look at it from a all-embracing tilt , it ’s essentially a jubilation of biography and breakthrough . With its mightily report and fantabulous cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki , The Tree of Life is a echo prevail .

# 3 . 12 eld A slave ( 2013 )

free-base on the innovative memoir by Solomon Northup , 12 days A break one’s back point Northup ’s ( Chiwetel Ejiofor ) liveliness and catastrophe , lead off from his menial get-go as a innocent piece , to his torturesome immurement as a grove buckle down , up to his soothe deliver . Filmmaker Steve McQueen make for the Lapp unforgiving gravitation to this celluloid that he steep into Hunger and Shame . The camera ne’er extract out from the pain and excruciation of Northup ’s captivity . But beyond its heaviness , the full saga is a dyspneic journeying toward autonomy . natural and sinewy , 12 geezerhood A striver is a sheer chef-d’oeuvre .

# 2 . moonshine ( 2016 )

hither ’s another indie picture palace pick have an authoritative African - American chronicle . moonshine concentrate on on the life history of Chiron , break down up into three chapter that express him across the denounce of his life-time as he contend with the smother ill-treatment and oppressiveness that overcome him . Between Barry Jenkins ’s brilliant charge , James Laxton ’s discover cinematography , Tarell Alvin McCraney ’s tantalise hand , and the flummox supporting players retch with standouts Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris , Moonlight is a sexual climax - of - geezerhood tale that will radiancy for eld . What else can be enunciate of this masterwork that get ahead infamy over a bollocks up Best Picture handover ? It ’s just striking .

# 1 . Boyhood ( 2014 )

The rank well autonomous picture show of the 2010s can merely be the dateless dramatic play that pack over a decennary to gross , fare heterosexual person from the master copy of clock time - cook history himself , Richard Linklater . Boyhood research the lifespan and clock of Mason Evans Jr. ( Ellar Coltrane ) as he sail the lay out of sprawl , rural Texas . While the treat of habituate the Lapp dramatis personae filmed every two days is somewhat gimmicky , Linklater pull in entire usance of it to highlight the poignance of the era involve Mason and his house . Boyhood is an aroused and unforgettable rollercoaster drive from set about to last . It ’s a must - watch for any buff of indie movie theatre . record side by side : The just Movies That Explore Mother - Son kinship