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matt72582's Avatar
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Here's everything I have rated 4/5 or higher on my Letterboxd. I've only been rating for about a year, so it's not a definitive list.

Bertolucci's The Conformist (1970)
Bergman's Cries & Whispers (1972)
Zulawski's The Devil (1972)
Herzog's Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972)
Friedkin's The Exorcist (1973)
Polanski's Chinatown (1974)
Coppola's The Conversation (1974)
Altman's Nashville (1975)
Zulawski's That Most Important Thing: Love (1975)
Fellini's Fellini's Casanova (1976) <= Not a typo lol
Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Malick's Days of Heaven (1978)
Oshima's Empire of Passion (1978)

In regards to independent stuff, I usually don't seek out that stuff purposefully. I think "independent" is a label slapped on any director making challenging, lower budget work.

I actually didn't think that much of Harmony Korine when I saw Spring Breakers (2012), but I decided to check out the infamous Gummo (1997) anyway and thoroughly enjoyed it. I then checked out Julien Donkey-Boy (1999) and find that to be one of the most unique visions that I've ever seen. He's a polarizing director for sure, but some people seem to generally hate him as a person. Here's what Vincent Gallo (a fellow 90s independent director) wrote about him out of nowhere in his King Crimson review:

When a mini-dwarf rich kid from Nashville like Harmony Korine flies first class and moves to New York City’s Soho in his ‘plush safe’ apartment, running around town quoting Godard with lines like, "**** the bourgeois", it’s insincere, it’s calculated, it’s unoriginal, and it’s the worst thing in the world, ‘trendy’. He already knows that he and his boring girlfriend Connecticut Chloe Sevigny are going to be on the cover of ‘The Face’. He knows he’ll get his run at The Angelica and be hip in Japan. But no one will ever make an important film because they saw ‘Gummo’ or ‘Donkey Boy’.

The only impact Harmony Korine will have will be on the lives of the girls he slipped drugs to, got stoned and raped while they were passed out. An autobiographical scenario he chose to include in his average screenplay ‘Kids.' I’ll **** your ass Cary Woods.


He would later cast Korine's ex-girlfriend Chloe Sevigny in one of his movies where she performs fellatio on him on camera for real, so you can tell it wasn't an objective opinion. Herzog for instance loves Korine and starred in Julien Donkey-Boy and Mister Lonely after watching Gummo and being blown away.

Anyway, that's kind of off topic. I'm a huge fan of Richard Linklater who I'm sure you've seen movies by. He's probably the biggest American "independent" filmmaker. I guess Lars von Trier, Steve McQueen, and Terrence Malick might qualify as well.

In regards to newer guys, I think Jeff Nichols is one of the best post-2000 Americans. Some of my friends would argue that honor belongs to James Gray (debuted in '94 but took off in the 2000s).
Maybe by independent movies I meant movies that I possibly didn't see. It could be a great money-maker, which doesn't bother me. I love great movies, don't care the language, year it was made, etc..

I saw most of the movies you listed, but will check out a few I haven't. Thanks bro!

Speaking of Gallo, Buffalo 66' was a good movie. I liked it very much. I seem to like movies in real-time.



Maybe by independent movies I meant movies that I possibly didn't see. It could be a great money-maker, which doesn't bother me. I love great movies, don't care the language, year it was made, etc..

I saw most of the movies you listed, but will check out a few I haven't. Thanks bro!

Speaking of Gallo, Buffalo 66' was a good movie. I liked it very much. I seem to like movies in real-time.
Word. I've been planning to watch Gallo's stuff for a while. I've got a super long queue.
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I just recently updated my Top 10 severely, I would like to see what you guys think of it
Citizen Kane looks funny amidst all the tough guy movies They all look good, Ive never seen Whiplash



The only one I don't care for is Mad Max. I love Pulp and Fargo, both are in my top 5. Fight Club needs a rewatch, I remember it as a 4/5. Very entertaining. Only one I haven't seen is Holy Grail, I have seen bits and expect to like it.
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The Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction are excellent, though I don't love either one as much as I used to. Fargo, The Long Goodbye and Once Upon A Time in the West are quite good. I hated Rushmore and The Godfather. Haven't seen Magnolia (though I suspect I'll hate it), The Apartment or Annie Hall.



Welcome to the human race...
Seen all of them except Ink and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. With the exception of Hook (which I haven't seen in forever but don't have fond memories of) and And Now For Something Completely Different (which I remember not caring much about one way or the another), I generally like the rest of your picks.
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matt72582's Avatar
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The Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction are excellent, though I don't love either one as much as I used to. Fargo, The Long Goodbye and Once Upon A Time in the West are quite good. I hated Rushmore and The Godfather. Haven't seen Magnolia (though I suspect I'll hate it), The Apartment or Annie Hall.
Give Magnolia (lots of interesting characters) and Annie Hall (best movie on relationships) a chance..



Seen all of them except Ink and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. With the exception of Hook (which I haven't seen in forever but don't have fond memories of) and And Now For Something Completely Different (which I remember not caring much about one way or the another), I generally like the rest of your picks.
Hook is a guilty pleasure and I don't imagine you'd particularly like Advent Children.

Ink, I don't know what you'd think of. Probably a middling score of some kind.



Hook is a guilty pleasure and I don't imagine you'd particularly like Advent Children.

Ink, I don't know what you'd think of. Probably a middling score of some kind.
Omnizoa have you ever seen Altered States or The Cell? I definitely think youd like them, especially States. Ken Russell directed and William Hurt was made after this movie, for good reason



I love this kind of thread. please do check mine
Ive never seen Persona or even heard of Amores Perros, others are respectable. Except for NCFOM, baaaaad ending



Seen all of them except Ink and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. With the exception of Hook (which I haven't seen in forever but don't have fond memories of) and And Now For Something Completely Different (which I remember not caring much about one way or the another), I generally like the rest of your picks.
I see you changed up your picks a bit.

I've seen all of yours save Apocalypse Now and Good, Bad, Ugly.

I like Blues Brothers, Raiders, and Holy Grail for sure, Escape, Jaws, Akira are memorable, never really saw the appeal in Blade Runner.

I need to watch it again (it's been many many years), but there are numerous other sci-fi movies I'd rather watch again like Logan's Run, Strange Days or Gattaca.

Even as a Harrison Ford movie, I prefer The Fugitive... if memory serves. Really, that movie just did not make any sort of impact on me.



Omnizoa have you ever seen Altered States or The Cell? I definitely think youd like them, especially States. Ken Russell directed and William Hurt was made after this movie, for good reason
I don't know anything about Altered States, but The Cell seems to be frequently cited as a go-to example of a pretentious art film, so I'm not so sure about that one.



I don't know anything about Altered States, but The Cell seems to be frequently cited as a go-to example of a pretentious art film, so I'm not so sure about that one.
Id be shocked if you didnt like either. At least I know youd appreciate the artistry of the effects. Though Altered States is over 30 years old and looks it, the acting and storytelling would sustain it today, imo. The Cell is great for visuals, but average for the rest. Nah its not an art film, the story was standard. Anyway if you ever come across them I think youd like em'



Give Magnolia (lots of interesting characters) and Annie Hall (best movie on relationships) a chance..
I hate Paul Thomas Anderson.

I liked Blue Jasmine and Irrational Man, but I'm not sure Woody Allen movies are really for me.