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Netflix Gems: Top Six Indie Films Streaming Now

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

6. Cashback (2006)

In this somber love story, a young man is found heartbroken after a tough break up. As he (Ben Willis) tries to put the pieces of his shattered heart back together, he is plagued with insomnia. To put his nights to good use, Willis starts working at a supermarket where he discovers he is able to freeze time. He uses his new-found power for perhaps not the most pure purposes, but it certainly makes for a haunting film. Also, the soundtrack is to die for, including artists such as Bang Gang, Peaches, and The Black Keys. 

5. Rubber (2010)

This French film is a seriously weird one… and totally hard to describe. But, if you can get into it, it’s totally worth it. This film follows an abandoned tire in the desert named Robert. The tire gains a consciousness and telekinetic abilities, which it uses to go on a killing spree throughout the desert and surrounding town. It’s perhaps one of the weirdest movies on Netflix… or one of the weirdest movies ever made, but this dark comedy is just too weird not to watch. 

4. Super (2011)

Starring Rainn Willson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, and Kevin Bacon, Super is another weird film. Sort of like a darker version of Kick-Ass, Super follows Frank D’Arbo (Rainn Wilson), who is a totally average guy. In fact, Frank is so average, it’s almost pathetic. When his wife leaves him for the butt trumpet of the century (Kevin Bacon), Frank decides to become a super hero. This film however, strays just about as far from any superhero film as it possibly can. It’s violent and awkward, but still pretty witty and funny. Definitely one of those “not for everybody” films, but still a great one.

3. TiMER (2009)

In a society where nearly everyone is implanted with a timer that counts down to the exact time when they’ll meet their soul mate, Oona O’Leary is faced with a problem—her timer hasn’t started ticking. This of course means that her soul mate doesn’t yet have a timer. Tired of meeting timer-less guys and taking them to implant clinics only to find out that they’re not matches made in bio-engineered heaven, Oona decides to go on out on a limb and take her love life into her own hands. This quirky romantic comedy is definitely unique in its genre, and makes for a great watch. 

2. Donnie Darko (2001)

Donnie Darko is a total cult classic, and arguably the best film in which the utterly gorgeous and hunky Jake Gyllenhaal has partaken in. This is another one of those sad, somber love stories, but boy is it weird. After a jet engine crashes through introverted and rather awkward Donnie’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) bedroom (miraculously leaving him unscathed as he was not home), he begins looking into and progressing his new found ability—time manipulation. This indie classic also has an all star cast. Aside from eye candy Gyllenhaal, this film also stars Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, and Patrick Swayze, thus making it a definite must watch. 

1. Mr. Nobody (2009)

This writer is willing to go out on a limb and say that this is not only the best Indie film on Netflix or the best film on Netflix, but probably the best film ever in the history of films. Staring Jared Leto, lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars and perhaps the sexiest man alive, Mr. Nobody follows the story of Nemo (Jared Leto) who in a futuristic society, is the last mortal man to die of old age. Treated as almost a piece of a museum collection, the people of this futuristic time like to study him, and ask him what it was like back in his day. The problem is that Nemo can’t remember which life was his—he keeps going through four possible lives in his memory, and they all seem perfectly real to him. With amazing cinematography, story writing, and a totally jarring plot twist at the end, there is probably nothing on Netflix that could lead the viewer through such a rollercoaster of emotions. 

 

Lauren Burkett is an alumna of Florida State University, where she studied Editing, Writing and Media.  Since graduating in 2014, she has worked in marketing, as a flight attendant and now works in the oil and gas industry.  She was the Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus FSU during her time there, and is ecstatic to continue her involvement with the organization as a Chapter Advisor.  Lauren now lives in Denver, Colorado and enjoys being outside, reading and journaling in her free time.