6. The Definition of Cult Fan-Favorites and Independent Movie-Making
Quentin Tarantino. Kevin Smith. Robert Rodriguez. Wes Anderson. Names associated of up-and-coming writer/directors who made their mark in the 90s and ultimately refashioned the idea of movie-making from a different, out-of-frame perspective. While movies like Sam Raimi's
Evil Dead series had notoriety, it didn't start the influx of films that were smaller in budget, but not lacking in heart, talent, and story. We were the first generation to really be exposed to the idea that anyone can make a movie, and because of it, we were able to find a new magic in the industry. While I didn't see
Reservoir Dogs and
Clerks until long after their release, I was starting to see films take off that literally seemed to come from nowhere. Hollywood was becoming something it just wasn't before: accessible. New interests in the internet and social media were beginning to take off about the time where a young teenager could have a defined interest in the idea, and it truly blew everything to new heights. The entry isn't to say that there weren't cult favorites before the 90s, it's merely to cement that these are the films that came from the names that would go on to prove that "bigwigs" and "bigshots" could be taken out of the equation to get your work out there. Look at the strides we've made so far, where new filmmakers are being discovered practically every day. It just wasn't like that before.