The film never quite flies off the rails so much as it careens from side to side on the same beguiling path, with the most remarkable outcome being that the enigmatic pieces fit together. But the craziest thing about “Staying Vertical” is that these scenes adhere to a certain internal logic. Or it could be the prolonged shot of gay sex set to classic rock, in which Leo literally fucks a guy to death.

Or it could happen earlier, when Leo wanders through a swamp, hiding from his agent, who demands an overdue script. It might be the moment when filmmaker Leo (Damien Bonnard) finds himself homeless, wandering city streets while carrying his infant child, and gets stripped naked by a pack of homeless people. It’s never entirely clear when “Staying Vertical,” French director Alain Guiraudie’s followup to “Stranger By the Lake,” shifts into allegory.

READ MORE: Sexual Revolution: France’s Alain Guiraudie On ‘Staying Vertical’ and Why He’ll Never Sell Ou t

Needless to say, we suggest you see them all. Some have performed well across the country and may continue to stay in the conversation through awards season others have been woefully under-appreciated.

But again, you’ve probably heard about those movies already, and know where to find them.įor now, we’d like to celebrate Independence Day with these 17 independent titles that have been released in some fashion over the past seven months. “Logan,” “Wonder Woman,” “Baby Driver” and “War of the Planet of the Apes” are all promising evidence that creativity can still thrive within the confines of the commercial system. It’s worth acknowledging that, by excluding studio productions, we’re setting aside a lot of quality movies in an exceptional year for Hollywood.

Indiewire best movies 2017