Basically,ingenuity trumps finances.
From psychological thrillers to gripping sci-fi dramas, these movies showcase the power of artistry and resourcefulness.
The big Hollywood studios ought to take notes.
Image via Umbrella Entertainment
For example, detailed miniatures and restrained CGI are used to depict the lunar base and its surroundings.
To futher save costs, director Duncan Jones filmed almost entirely in a studio and used some pre-existing sets.
It paid off, asMoon’s visuals feel totally believable.
Image via Universal Pictures
This is courtesy of cinematographerToby Oliver, who had previously worked almost entirely on low-budget projects.
The cinematography also effectively uses contrast and misdirection.
As Oliverexplains: “The color and the light lull the audience into a false sense of security.”
Nevertheless, it works out well, withBlue Ruinpunching far above its weight.
Proving himself an amateur assassin, he winds up in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.
Grey soon transforms from a grief-stricken victim to a reluctant avenger.
The futuristic setting is brought to life with clever production design and inventive camerawork.
Carefully choreography is used to create a sense of dynamism.
The plot sees a man suffering a tragic accident and becoming paralyzed as a result.
He soon accepts a STEM implant that gives him back his body and much more.
Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger.
3’Undead' (2003)
Budget: $750,000
You dont mess with the meteor.
Image via RADiUS-TWC
The filmmakers lean into the absurdity, delivering over-the-top gore and dynamic action sequences that keep the energy high.
Simply put,Halloweenlooks terrific, even today, with surprisingly modern shots and camera moves.
Curtis delivers a breakout performance, embodying vulnerability and resilience as the films final girl.
A mysterious outsider’s quiet life is turned upside down when he returns to his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance. Proving himself an amateur assassin, he winds up in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family.
Nabbing the top spot on this list isUpstream Color, a hypnotic sci-fi drama by indie directorShane Carruth.
His breakout project was the similarly micro-budget time-travel filmPrimer, which earned him significant fame in cult circles.
Like that movie,Upstream Colorfeels far more professional than its paltry budget would suggest.
Image via Blumhouse
Even more impressively, Carruth handled almost all of these aspects himself.
Hopefully, Carruth follows it up with another directorial effort soon.
NEXT:The 10 Worst Faith-Based Movies, Ranked
Written and directed by Leigh Whannell, Upgrade is a Sci-Fi, Action, and Cyberpunk film starring Betty Gabriel, Logan Marshall-Green, and Harrison Gilbertson. The plot sees a man suffering a tragic accident and becoming paralyzed as a result. He soon accepts a STEM implant that gives him back his body and much more.
Image via Umbrella Entertainment
Image via The Weinstein Company
After carefree teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her new boyfriend, Hugh (Jake Weary), for the first time, she learns that she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse. Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger. Jay’s friends don’t believe her seemingly paranoid ravings, until they too begin to see the phantom assassins and band together to help her flee or defend herself.
