Top 10: Most Overlooked Indie Films of 2007

They came out in theaters, made very little money or didn't make a mark at all: they are a slew of independent projects that could have found a different fate. Our Top 10 of overlooked, underrated, under appreciated U.S Independent Films of 2007 is a list of deserving films that didn’t get the attention it deserved. Call it bad marketing, call it bad timing, or simply not being able to connect with the larger audience the following top ten is a list of films to reconsider or to consider before they erase themselves from our collective movie-going psyche.
 

10. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Thinkfilm)
Perhaps I’m a little too quick to judge the returns and strategy for this picture, but I can’t help but feel that it hasn’t reached out enough into the stratosphere of the movie going populous. Since coming into the market with just under 50 screens on November 4^th, the box office take and number of theaters has gradually risen to well over 300 and has hit the 5 million dollar mark – not bad for a smaller film in a crowded calendar date. Some acknowledgment from the Academy Awards (chances are slight) could certainly push viewing son the DVD market, but I get the sense that this very cool ensemble film from veteran Sidney Lumet needs to get more recognition.
     

9. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Warner Bros)
I do make the distinction of calling this a top 10 U.S Indie films list, but this falls into auteur cinema – it has got the scope of those projects we saw in the late 70’s. My city didn’t even receive a press screening and it appears as if Warner Bros was looking for an “exit” strategy instead of a release strategy on this one. After pushing the film’s release back a full year, WB made film festival appearances for the 2-plus hour opus at Venice and Toronto, but they didn’t follow suit with a marketing budget (perhaps they were overwhelmed by the film’s lengthy title). After ten weeks in theaters, the most theaters that the film was shown in was 301 – making for a pathetic less than 4 million tally for a Brad Pitt film.

8. Grindhouse (Dimension)
It opened on 2,629 screens and in a short 5 weeks was down to 53 screens. Dimension learned the hard way that not everyone wants to sit in a theater for 3 plus hours. It was an experiment that went totally wrong (depends on who you ask) but still managed a 25 million dollar domestic take. In this case it becomes an example of a genre film that was overlooked by the masses and not by the loyal followers.
 

       

7. Eagle vs. Shark (Miramax)
It might have resembled Napoleon Dynamite in approach, but not in terms of box office. Though this is very much an international film it was properly workshoped at the Sundance labs before release. Miramax put in some dollars for a viral marketing campaign but ultimately had no clue how to handle the picture. Debuting in mid June, they pulled the plug after 7 weeks (never attaining more than 20 screens) – the final tally for this summer release was less than a quarter of a million – here’s hoping that this laugher got a better life on DVD. 

6. Rescue Dawn (MGM)
Again we have a case of either not knowing how to maximize the presence of a star (with Batman’s Christian Bale) or knowing when to slot a film for maximum returns. After changing release dates on more than one occasion, MGM finally fitted the film with an admirable 500+ screen release at the end of June. They kept the film in theaters for a long haul and took in just over 5 million dollars. 

5. Stephanie Daley (Regent Releasing)
Aesthetically challenged some might say, this Sundance film waited a while to find a domestic distributor – but my business sense tells me they could have pushed it purely on the controversial subject matter and the great perf from Tilda Swinton. A film that was projected on less than 3 screens in a given week – it was perhaps a difficult proposal to begin. This deserved a larger audience and more than its 25G tally.
 

       

4. Talk to Me (Focus Features)
Take what would typically be a fall movie and placing it in the summer can sometimes have adverse effects – as is the case with this feel good drama. In a very limited run (never going over the 200 screen platform) there is plenty of good stuff in this independent production – unfortunately Focus Features chose an odd release paradigm and perhaps an ill-conceived summer slot to push Don Cheadle’s yummy performance. They gave it a good go with screens all the way until September – but it never had the impact that it might have deserved.

3. The Hawk Is Dying (Strand Releasing)
It came with a rare “if you don’t like it you’ll get your money back guarantee” by the film’s producer, yet it received little support from its distributor. One screen, four weeks and a 6 thousand dollar take is all this small indie film managed to grab, and though it was a difficult subject matter it did have a standout perf from Paul Giamatti. I admire the small distribution companies but sometimes I wish they’d get behind one title and really throw the dice.

2. The Hoax (Miramax)
An enjoyable film that surprised this critic, I’m not sure why after a decent box office start that the folks at Miramax were so quick to axe the film. After only 5 weeks it picked up a 7 million dollar cull and just when the second vague of filmgoers might have enjoyed the film (that was very much built on good word of mouth) it mysteriously vanished.

       

1. Lars and the Real Girl (MGM)
If you can get Tom Hanks to talk to a volleyball for the better half of a film and get major recognition then I expect no different for this oddball comedy with a heart. It is dwindling down to its final screenings with a six million dollar take so far, but it got easily tossed during the heavy fall season traffic and merits a first look from many of you viewers out there.