Independent Film

Outside Providence (1999)

In this coming-of-age comedy, Tim Dunphy (Shawn Hatosy) is leading a go-nowhere existence, spending his days smoking pot and hanging out with his best friend, Drugs Delaney (Jon Abrahams). But Tim’s lazy days of getting high are jettisoned after a brush with the law convinces his blue-collar dad (Alec Baldwin) to send him to a Connecticut prep school. The one saving grace of the new school is Jane (Amy Smart), a fellow student Tim falls for immediately.

Blue Velvet (1986)

College student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) returns home after his father has a stroke. When he discovers a severed ear in an abandoned field, Beaumont teams up with detective’s daughter Sandy Williams (Laura Dern) to solve the mystery. They believe beautiful lounge singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) may be connected with the case, and Beaumont finds himself becoming drawn into her dark, twisted world, where he encounters sexually depraved psychopath Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper).

Rushmore (1998)

When a beautiful first-grade teacher (Olivia Williams) arrives at a prep school, she soon attracts the attention of an ambitious teenager named Max (Jason Schwartzman), who quickly falls in love with her. Max turns to the father (Bill Murray) of two of his schoolmates for advice on how to woo the teacher. However, the situation soon gets complicated when Max’s new friend becomes involved with her, setting the two pals against one another in a war for her attention.

Clerks (1994)

Dante (Brian O’Halloran) is called in to cover a shift at his New Jersey convenience store on his day off. His friend Randal (Jeff Anderson) helps him pass the time, neglecting his video-store customers next door to hang out in the Quick Stop. The uneventful day is disrupted by news that one of Dante’s ex-girlfriends has died. After attending her memorial service, Dante muses over staying with current girlfriend Veronica (Marilyn Ghigliotti) or reuniting with ex Caitlin (Lisa Spoonhauer).

Detroit Rock City (1999)

“Detroit City Rocks” Rock-loving teens and aspiring musicians Hawk (Edward Furlong), Lex (Giuseppe Andrews), Trip (James DeBello) and Jam (Sam Huntington) can’t wait to see their favorite band, KISS, perform at an upcoming concert. However, when Jam’s pious mother (Lin Shaye) finds the tickets to the event, she incinerates them, leaving the boys desperate for a way to see the show. In their attempts to see KISS, the lads endure misunderstandings, humiliation, and violence, all just to see their beloved idols.

Repo Man (1984)

After being fired from his job, Los Angeles slacker and punk rocker Otto (Emilio Estevez) lands a gig working for an eccentric repossession agent named Bud (Harry Dean Stanton). At first, Otto is reluctant to work as a repo man, but he grows to love the fast-paced job. After learning of a Chevy Malibu that has been given a $20,000 price tag, Otto embarks on a quest to find the car with the beautiful Leila (Olivia Barash), who claims the trunk’s contents are otherworldly.

Sling Blade (1996)

Mentally disabled Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thornton) is released from the mental hospital where he has spent most of his life after murdering his mother and her lover. He soon forms a bond with Frank (Lucas Black), a boy whose father committed suicide. When Frank’s mother, Linda (Natalie Canerday), lets Karl stay at their house, her cruel boyfriend, Doyle (Dwight Yoakam), tries to get Karl removed. Determined to protect his friend, Karl devises a way to save Frank from years of Doyle’s abuse.

After avenging the death of his wife and young son at the hands of a vicious gang leader, Max (Mel Gibson) drives the post-apocalyptic highways of the Australian outback, fending off attacks from nomadic tribes that prey on outsiders. Falling into an encampment led by the relatively peaceful Pappagallo (Mike Preston), Max at first schemes to steal their oil, but soon becomes the group’s reluctant defender against the hulking Humungus (Kjell Nilsson) and his ruthless marauders.

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)

When we recorded this episode, the Coronavirus pandemic had just begun. Four weeks later, listener Jeremy’s commission gives us the timely 1981 post-apocalyptic Mad Max: Road Warrior. In this episode, Gene points out the worst choice of vehicle in a gas shortage and we discover the science of boomerangs and their connection to a lonely childhood and answer the question of who from the pod would be whom if cast in this movie. And, to wrap it all up, we get in a goodbye to every listener just in case the virus overtakes us all before we hit publish.