Independent Movies of 2010

The independent movies of 2010 are a diverse lot filled with independent comedies, independent dramas, and even independent horror films. But they do all have one thing in common: they were made outside the Hollywood studio system. While in many cases this may mean a much lower budget, it also protects these motion pictures against constant meddling from out-of-touch executives and popcorn-munching focus groups.

Indie Films of 2010

While this list of independent movies of 2010 is not all inclusive, it does include many of the most anticipated indie films of 2010 and several lesser-known gems. Hopefully, it will prove a valuable resource for fans of intelligent and original filmmaking.

8: The Mormon Proposition - A documentary about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their involvement in California’s Proposition 8 in 2008, which overturned the right of same-sex couples to be married.
Babies - A documentary following the lives of four babies from around the globe (Tokyo, San Francisco, Mongolia, and Namibia), with an emphasis placed on the child-rearing techniques used by each culture.
Bass Ackwards - After his affair with a married woman comes to an end, a young man (writer/director Linas Phillips) takes off on a cross-country journey in a modified VW bus.
Cairo Time - Patricia Clarkson stars as the wife of a Canadian diplomat who travels to Egypt and begins an affair with her husband’s old friend (Alexander Siddig), a retired Egyptian police officer.
Casino Jack and the United States of Money - A documentary about the career of Jack Abramoff, a Washington lobbyist who went to jail after being convicted of tax evasion, fraud, and conspiracy in 2006.
City Island - Andy Garcia stars as corrections officer head of a secretive Bronx family who brings home a young ex-con (Steven Strait) and upsets their hushed domestic life. Also starring Julianna Margulies, Emily Mortimer and Alan Arkin.
Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky - A French film that details the affair between fashion designer Coco Chanel (Anna Mouglalis) and composer Igor Stravinsky (Mads Mikkelsen).
Cyrus - When John (John C. Reilly) falls for Molly (Marisa Tomei), he has to contend with her quirky son, Cyrus (Jonah Hill). The comedy also stars Catherine Keener, and it’s being billed as one of the funniest, albeit quirky, independent movies of 2010.
Daddy Longlegs - Directed by brothers Joshua and Ben Safdie and based on their own childhood, the film follows Lenny (Ronald Bronstein) as he gets to spend time with his children a few weeks out of the year. Bronstein’s performance has been especially praised.
The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan - One of the most powerful of the independent movies of 2010, this documentary follows Michael Nolan as he journeys to Southeast Asia to search for his brother, an American serviceman who disappeared mysteriously during the Vietnam War.
Dogtooth - When their parents ground them for good, a couple of kids are forced to grow up with no knowledge of the outside world. A European film directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos.
Exit Through the Gift Shop - Narrated by Rhys Ifans, this documentary takes a look at street artists, including legends such as Shepard Fairey, Invader, and Banksy. Billed as the “world’s first street art disaster movie.”
The Extra Man - Kevin Kline plays a failed playwright who rents a room in his apartment to a playwright (Paul Dano) and teaches him the finer points of being an “extra man,” someone who accompanies rich older women. Also starring John C. Reilly and Katie Holmes.
Get Low - Based on a true story, Robert Duvall plays a hermit in the 1930s who comes out of seclusion to plan his funeral (offering his land as a potential prize to all those who attend). Co-starring Sissy Spacek and Bill Murray.
The Good, the Bad, the Weird - In this unconventional South Korean western, three men (including Song Kang-ho) seek a treasure map in 1930s Manchuria. Originally released in 2008, it didn’t make its U.S. debut until 2010.
Happythankyoumoreplease - A group of people in their late 20s/early 30s try to cope with life in the Big Apple. Starring Josh Radnor, Kate Mara, and Malin Akerman, it won the Audience Award at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
Holy Rollers - Jesse Eisenberg plays a Hasidic Jew who smuggles over a million pills of ecstasy into the United States. Based on a true story.
The Human Centipede - A mad German doctor decides to create a new form of creature by grafting three people together via a continuous gastric system. Some have called it the most disgusting horror film ever made, and it’s definitely the most controversial of the independent movies of 2010.
I Am Love - Tilda Swinton has drawn rave reviews for her role as the matriarch of a wealthy Italian family squeezed between the traditional and the modern. Swinton learned to speak fluent Italian in order to star in the film.
I Killed My Mother - A sometimes serious, often hilarious look at the volatile relationship between a mother (Anne Dorval) and her 16-year-old gay son (Xavier Dolan).
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work - A documentary look at a year in the life of 75-year-old Joan Rivers, comedian and plastic surgery devotee.
The Kids Are All Right - Julianne Moore and Annette Bening play a content lesbian couple with two children through artificial insemination. But things begin to get complicated when the children want to meet their biological father (Mark Ruffalo).
The Killer Inside Me - Based on the 1952 novel by Jim Thompson, this film follows a small-town sheriff (Casey Affleck) who also happens to be a serial killer. Co-starring Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, and Simon Baker.
Kisses - An Irish coming-of-age film about two kids who run away from home on Christmas and take to the streets of Dublin.
Lebanon - Set in 1982, four Israeli soldiers are assigned to take part in the initial attack on Lebanon, but things take a turn for the worse when they’re surrounded by Syrian forces. Created by Israeli writer/director Samuel Moaz.
Lemmy - An intimate look at the life of Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister, warts and all. For fans of heavy metal, this is sure to be one of the greatest independent movies of 2010.
Life During Wartime - Todd Solondz brings in a new cast to star in his “quasi-sequel” to the 1998 film “Happiness.” Starring Shirley Henderson, Ally Sheedy, and Paul Reubens.
Looking for Eric - The life of an English postman is spiraling out of control, but a hallucinatory visit from footballer Eric Cantona helps get things turned in the right direction.
The Lottery - Following four families from The Bronx and Harlem, this documentary tells of a lottery in which the winning families may send their children to the prestigious Harlem Success Academy, while the others are left out in the cold. A heartbreaking look at the American educational system.
Mao’s Last Dancer - Filmed in China, Australia, and the United States, the movie (based on a true story) tells of Li Cunxin (Chi Cao), a boy who goes from celebrated dancer in China to superstar status in the U.S. Co-starring Joan Chen and Kyle Maclachlan.
Micmacs - Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (“City of Lost Children”), this film deals with a man named Bazil (Dany Boon) who is shot in the head during a drive-by, recovers, and then gets mixed-up in a revenge plot against the weapon manufacturers who were indirectly responsible.
Mother and Child - Directed by Rodrigo Garcia and starring Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, and Kerry Washington, the film follows three women whose lives have been changed by adoption.
The Oath - A documentary that follows two men through a fateful event in 1996, Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden, 9/11, Guantanamo, and finally to the U.S. Supreme Court. You’ll be both fascinated and disturbed by this independent film of 2010.
Ondine - Colin Farrell plays an Irish fisherman who finds what may be a mermaid in his net. But as he begins to fall in love, dark events threaten his newfound relationship. Also starring Alicja Bachleda and Stephen Rea. Directed by Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game”).
Orgasm Inc. - Director Liz Canner makes her documentary debut in what’s sure to be one of the raciest independent films of 2010. The film takes a look at efforts to cure Female Sexual Dysfunction, but it also examines porn, sex toys, and personal grooming below the waist.
Perrier’s Bounty - In this Irish crime-comedy, Cillian Murphy plays Michael McCray, a man in debt to sinister criminal Perrier (Brendan Gleeson). But when one of Perrier’s men ends up dead, Michael and his father (Jim Broadbent) must try to resolve the situation before Perrier and his goons catch up with them.
Please Give - When a married couple (Oliver Platt and Catherine Keener) buy the unit next door to their apartment, they must wait until the elderly occupant dies before they can knock out the walls. But when they become friends with the old gal’s granddaughters (Amanda Peet and Rebecca Hall), things begin to get a bit complicated.
Restrepo - A documentary about the U.S. soldiers fighting in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan, a stronghold for members of the Taliban and al Qaeda. Winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize.
The Secret in Their Eyes - An Argentine crime drama following the efforts of a federal justice agent to solve a woman’s murder in 1974 Buenos Aires. Winner of an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Solitary Man - Michael Douglas plays a womanizer whose romantic indiscretions cause his professional and personal life to fall apart. Co-starring Danny Devito, Jenna Fischer, Jesse Eisenberg, and Susan Sarandon.
Splice - Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley star as a pair of scientists who splice human and animal DNA to create a new lifeform dubbed Dren. Things go downhill from there.
The Tillman Story - A look at the life (and death) of Tillman, an NFL player who turned down millions of dollars to enlist in the military, become an Army Ranger, and serve in Afghanistan. Later killed by friendly fire, Tillman’s death was the subject of a military cover-up.
Trash Humpers - Shot on VHS and without a script, this bizarre film follows a group of elderly Nashville sociopaths as they hump trash cans, get drunk, and smash television sets.
Wild Grass - Using a lost wallet as a narrative device, celebrated French director Alain Resnais tells the story of two lonely people as they meet and fall in love.
Winter’s Bone - Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, this film follows a young woman as she searches for her father, a manufacturer of crystal meth, deep within the mountains of the Ozarks.