Best of 2022: Indie Films - Honorable Mentions and my picks for #10-6

 WRITTEN BY JOE COMPTON

This was a tough year for me simply because there were 4 films I am purposely leaving off this list and not talking about because they simply aren't out there for anyone else to watch and the whole idea of what we do here is to talk about the art you can see, touch, and feel. I really wish they were because man there was some incredible art missing here but again it highlights the inherent problem we Indies have and that's to be seen.  No matter how much critical praise, film festival banners, and awards come to these films way and the fact that VOD can become more of a death sentence than a profitable enterprise what once had floodgates opening are now again closing to narrow-mindedness that has plagued this industry for decades now. I mean how many fucking screens do Avatar and Black Atom need? You'd think at least one of them can be used to help audiences discover and think for themselves that this Indie might be a more interesting choice. 

I think we are on to something there. Indeed if you aren't given choices, how do you know there aren't any? Well, I am here to tell you there are and while I may be shying away from presenting more of them simply because I want those to get seen, I have no doubts their time will come.

As with my choices for this year and there were still a lot of great movies to choose from and talk about so let's do just that.     

So I am going to start as typically I have done in the past with this list by talking about some performances in front of and behind the camera that caught my eye. Here are some notable Honorable Mentions I want to make. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Let's start with acting. There were 2 performances I really want to highlight that I think while I might have had a little bit of trouble with the movies themselves that doesn't mean these performances should not be seen or go unnoticed. 

MINDY GILKERSON, she played Bella in The Creatures of Necessity. 

This might actually be my favorite performance of the year. It certainly is right up there with, and pseudo spoiler alert, the other performance that will be discussed later on in this blog as a performance everyone is talking about that is getting award season buzz. So I hope it's not lost on everyone reading this that I am saying that Mindy's performance is in the same airspace as that one because IT IS. Of course, I am a sucker, as I have said countless times for 4th wall breaking, especially in movies, and when it's done right, it is special. 

This is special. Beyond that plot device, there is a subtlety, a quiet interesting way in which Mindy manipulates us and captivates us while most of the time sitting in a chair, with her hands tied behind her back. There could be a tendency to go way too big and yet the choices Mindy makes here, suck you in and keep you there in moments that need to sell the narrative, need to allow us to feel exactly how we might feel being in that room. All of that and there is also such a great arc and metamorphosis that we should see coming but don't because she is so convincing at times with sublime naivety that we feel almost on this journey with her. That is a skill set that transcends the writing and good on the DP and director for recognizing that they had pure gold here. Don't get me wrong though, the writing in this movie has a lot of great legs to it and it's another one of this film's strengths but the canvas it paints on needed Mindy's stroke and she makes beautiful art here. 

YOU CAN SEE THE MOVIE AND MINDY'S PERFORMANCE HERE

RUNE TEMTE from Artic Void is the other acting nod I want to mention. While his time in the movie is short, it is the most memorable "cameo" of the year for me. He really radiates and comes out of the screen with this God of Thunder-like presence. I think without that stern voice of reason, the point this film was trying to make would have been not as well sold. He is a veteran actor, getting some really good turns in movies like Captain Marvel and 2021's Danish Comedy Wild Men. I love how when he is on the screen we are drawn to him and he makes the most of his small time on screen in this movie. 

YOU CAN SEE THE MOVIE AND RUNE'S PERFORMANCE HERE

Then there is BEHIND THE SCENES:

I have to recognize my friend, and full disclosure she is my friend, but she is someone I can relate to so much with her drive, passion, and hustle, and all she did here with her movie, doing it for the most important reason. She had a story that needed to be told and is a universal one that doesn't get told as much as others about this subject matter do and that's FILMMAKER DARLA RAE. 

Darla is a powerhouse, a visionary, and the way she commands your attention through the simplest of setups and the most conventional storytelling methods in this fast-paced, get my attention in 90 seconds world, that's an amazing achievement in itself. Beyond that, Darla knows how to tell a story, knows how to present that story, and she does it incredibly well in her Documentary COURAGEOUS WARRIORS. I have to say this is a tough movie to watch and absorb but you should, you need to, and it deserves mention and praise here for sure. Social issues are tough to navigate and I saw a lot of documentaries this year that did it poorly, this was not one of them. Get your tissues ready but SEE THIS MOVIE. You will not just cry, you will laugh and smile as well. That's the power of putting something on screen but beyond that, the skill Darla displays in which she presents on that screen is hard to deny how amazing it is and how great she is at it. 

YOU CAN SEE COURAGEOUS WARRIORS HERE

Every year I have this debate with myself because every year I am lucky to have come across and seen a short film that just took my breath away. This medium does not get the recognition it deserves and quite frankly this year I could have filled a good bit of my list with amazing short films I saw. The one that tops the list though is an absolute triumph of a narrative in THE MULTI.  

A beautiful, heartwrenching story created and performed by my breakout star of 2022, Natasha Ofili. Natasha is mesmerizing in this piece and the story she has written is absolutely as strong as any other movie I am going to talk about here today even though it is less than 10 minutes long.

The visuals are stunning and this is a well-made movie, Storm Smith, the director has a great understanding of how to let Natasha roam to do her thing and yet tighten it up when needed. There is a great mirror shot in here that I think probably sells this movie better than any other mirror shot I can think of in a movie. I love the expressive freedom that Natasha lets loose here too. It's refreshing, candid, and feels more documentary than narrative but make no mistake this is a story with a great arc to it. You might have noticed I didn't mention that Natasha in real life and the character she portrayed in this movie is deaf. The only reason I am mentioning that in fact is because almost everyone involved is deaf and we do need to recognize that because its awesome but I also want to acknowledge that great achievement is great achievement, period. That's what I chooose to take from this experience because I am glad it got put in front of me and now I want to put it in front of you and recognize it for its artistic merit, of which it has an enormous amount. 

Okay so let's dive into my Top 10 up to #6, and in case you missed it I have also put in this blog our THIS YEAR IN INDIES show where I unveiled buy Top 5 movies of 2022. If you did not see it, just click on the video and go to the timestamp in the description to jump into Go Indie Now's official favorite movies of 2022 

 OUR AMERICAN FAMILY

Five members of a close-knit Philadelphia family fight Their greatest nemesis -- generational addiction to drugs.

DOCUMENTARY, Directors: Hallee Adelman, Sean King O'Grady; Cinematography: Seamus Tierney

I loved Hallee and Sean's approach to following this family, and how raw and unincumbered this all felt. The movie is a strong representative of a really great year in Documentary (as I have 3 mentoned in this blog) but this one is more unique than any of the others on the list, in that there is little, few talking heads/interview moments because we are essentially following a 1st person POV through the following camera lens. 

It is weaved so well and seamlessly that oftentimes you even feel like the camera is not there. The comfort level achieved amongst the storytellers here is almost unbelievably candid and I so applaud the family for being so brave and so forthcoming for us. It made for a compelling watch but it is also encouraged a sympathetic ear and taught this moviegoer some lessons about himself. It's impossible not to have this on the list for those reasons alone. I also applaud Hallee and Sean for manifesting this atmosphere, which takes a special kind of talent that I think often documentarians don't always possess. 

YOU CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE HERE

DELICIOUS

France, 1789, just before the Revolution. With the help of a surprising young woman, a chef who has been sacked by his noble master finds the strength to free himself from his position as a servant and opens the first-ever restaurant.

COMEDY/DRAMA Director Éric Besnard, Writers Éric Besnard (original scenario) & Nicolas Boukhrief (original scenario) Stars Grégory Gadebois, Isabelle Carré, and Benjamin Lavernhe

A film about food, making and eating it, while thumbing your noses at those who numb their noses at you, yeah I am in, always. What I didn't expect was how well the film design creates an environment that really frames a strong narrative but also highlights the period of time without needing to be gaudy and extravagant as often these period pieces can be. I like its rawness, its realism but also that still feels like a movie and doesn't displace you in ever thinking anything else. There are a few great candlelit moments that illustrate this tremendously. The acting is also a very keen strong point, especially amongst the supporting cast. Highlighted by 2 performances that I think would have dragged this movie into the French existential abyss that can accompany these movies into drab boredom if not for these actors. Those were Benjamin Lavernhe as the Le duc de Chamfort and Christian Bouillette as Jacob. These colorful characters added the seasoning and color if you will to present the permission to feel as though this is a more whimsical movie than it really is at times. 

The leads are very strong in veteran actors Grégory Gadebois and Isabelle Carré who carry the story beyond its limits and really give that sense of wonder and even with a fairy tale trope-like ending sell you on it strongly with their commitment to the roles. This movie moves very quickly and jumps right in, something not often seen in the genre that most would categorize it in and very much not seen in French films that try to push a depth and comfort that both endears and frustrates equally. So I am very appreciative of having that experience with it as well.   

YOU CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE HERE

ROOKIE SEASON

"Rookie Season" straps the viewer firmly into the driver's seat as it follows the highs and lows of Rebel Rock Racing during their inaugural IMSA season. A deeply moving portrait of the pursuit of one's dream.

DOCUMENTARY Director Adrian Bonvento, Stars Andrew Davis, Frank DePew, Bill Ellison

I don't think I have seen a documentary, maybe even a narrative shot as perfectly as this film is shot. The story is compelling and its one that is as old as time, the agony of defeat creating a drive and character that has you rooting for the principles involved to rise up from the ashes and do what seemingly is the impossible. You don't have to know anything about the sport of racing to feel that and Adrian's choices of capturing those intimate moments where we are right there feeling what these guys are feeling is what separates this into a narrative documentary from a car commercial. There are so many great layers to this story too, from the guys who never made it and are given a chance of a lifetime to the guys who are trying to reinvent or bring the sport into the digital revolution to the guys who put everything on the line, including their lives, to just feel what its like to win once. 

All of that makes this an awesome experience but then you add in Adrian's smart choices with the camera and the almost unbelievable angles and speed captured with pristine framing and daring theatrics and you have the best shot documentary I think I have ever seen.  

YOU CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE HERE

            EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, in which she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led.

DRAMA/SCIENCE FICTION Writers/Directors Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert Stars Michelle Yeoh,  Stephanie Hsu, and Jamie Lee Curtis

Yes, it is not often I will have a movie on my list that everyone else will have as well. Especially because I am all about supporting the Indies that don't get seen that often and I want very much to be one of the shining lights for them. I will continue to be that but when an Indie movie comes out, no matter how many of us have seen it, no matter how much star power it has, no matter if it breaks $100 million at the box office or not, and yet is so stunning and so imaginative it has to make my list. I have to be honest about it otherwise, or why have a list? This movie is going to win a ton of awards this award season. Michelle Yeoh will be on every shortlist for every Best Lead Female Performance statue out there, if not win quite a few of them. Stephanie Hsu, who was well on her way to becoming a star already, will be on a few of those lists too. Both women commanded attention with these amazing performances. I love the journey we go on, at times very Being John Malkovich-esque into a more cerebral. an almost more realistic view of multiverses and quantum physics than the fluff that has been out there about it. Even for its length, the story is maybe the best written of the year and never lost me once even though it was wild and very thought-provoking.

Yes, the visuals are immaculately intense and beautiful too but Michelle Yeoh is the everything and is the everywhere all at once that this movie needed and succeeded by. She is absolutely putting a masterclass in subtlety and superlatives that rival any acting performance of the past 20 years. She navigates us and challenges us at every turn and really just pushes the boundaries with the sort of dare and caution to the wind that this movie demanded but didn't know it needed until she grabbed it and made it hers. Stephanie Hsu is equal to the task of putting her stamp on this and then you sprinkle in James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Ke Huy Quan I mean the recipe is foolproof but the execution is even better. Dan and Daniel strike a narrative and give you a visual template while capturing these performances so well. 

YOU CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE HERE 

DREAMS OF PAPER & INK

Featuring no-dialogue, Dreams of Paper and Ink follows an elderly novelist Wade, who re-visits the crossroads of his first and 2nd love through imagination and a typewriter.

DRAMA/ORMANCE Director/Writer Glenn Triggs Stars Tamara Lee Bailey, William Servinis, and Neal Bosanquet

For those of you who have asked me what it is like to write a novel and for those of you who will ask me that question I am going to forever refer you to this movie. For those of you who have shared my experience of writing a novel, this might be as close to home as you might ever feel in watching it play out on a screen. This is easily my favorite directing performance of 2022, maybe the best written material I hope to ever readtoo. Which maybe I can find because I so curious how the screenplay looked for this. Glenn Triggs maestros this poignant, beautiful story about life, love, loss to gain, and life going on. It is so masterful and so elegant in its approach. I love the deliberate nature of the movements, the music, the thoughts of these characters. I love that it is mindful and takes it time. Such a master stroke and really possibly the only way this movie would work.

Add in exceptional performances by Tamara Lee Bailey, William Servinis, and Neal Bosanquet and you really are taken for a journey into time and such a relatable one to boot. I mean there are films that would easily succumb to tropes and forsaken logic for dramatic effect and while this filmmaking device may summon some of that it does so only because it is the way life is and the way it goes. It being so relatable and true adds such depth, and such camaraderie and kinship that when you get sucked in, and for me it was very early on, you really stay sucked in.

There is even my favorite moment of any movie this year in this one. It's one for which all writers would smile and chuckle, one in which something that often happens to a lot of us when our characters have something to say and we haven't said it.

I said "say" and yet in the conventional sense the amount of audible dialogue or lack thereof in this movie is the device I am referring to above but make no mistake there is so much power and depth in that you barely notice it. Look I realize for some people that will turn them off, and for some that will excite them too much but I can't do anything about that if you are one of the former or even one of the latter. Just give it a chance, would you?

This is a movie that will stick with me for a very, very long time. It is one that I will no doubt revisit and rewatch especially if I need a pallet cleanser from watching a terrible movie.

YOU CAN WATCH THIS MOVIE HERE

WANT TO KNOW OUR TOP 5 MOVIES OF 2022, CLICK ON THE VIDEO TO FIND OUT, THEN CLICK ON THE TIME STAMP IN THE DESCRIPTION 

GO TO THE TOP 5 INDIE MOVIE SELECTIONS AT 1:20:05