"Connection is everything"

The Visitor (2007)
Directed by Thomas McCarthy, rated PG-13, 104 minutes

The Visitor is an intelligent and unique film about a dejected college professor who travels to New York for a conference and finds a young foreign couple living in his apartment. Richard Jenkins, who got an Oscar nomination for his role, is perfect, as you go along with him as his life changes in an truly unexpected way. The story, though at times a little heavy-handed, is a beautiful one and makes a powerful message about relationships between people. The Visitor is a authentic and touching independent film that ends in a realistic but genuinely inspiring way. You'll like it if: You like movies about unlikely friendships, independent movies, Richard Jenkins, The Savages or Reign Over Me.

"Let your imagination set you free"

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
Directed by Julian Schnabel, rated PG-13, 112 minutes

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is an inspiring, but deeply sad French film about the true story of a man who has a stroke and ends up completely paralyzed other than his left eye. The supporting cast is superb and Matthieu Amalric is fantastic, even though he can only communicate with his left eye. The film has an interesting visual style, parts of the film are filmed from the paralyzed man's point of view, and the story is enthralling as you see a man enduring a truly cruel fate and how he deals with it. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a beautiful and powerfully moving film, that tackles an incredible story without the melodrama or the fluff. You'll like it if: You like movies about true stories, inspiring movies, French cinema, The Pianist, Into the Wild or The Elephant Man.

5 Impressive Directorial Debut Films of the Last 20 Years

5. Reservoir Dogs (1992) Directed by Quentin Tarantino, rated R, 99 minutes

Reservoir Dogs is a bold and stylish crime-comedy about the aftermath of a jewelry heist gone wrong, and the surviving criminals who believe one of them is working for the police. The cast, including Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi and Michael Madsen, is amazing, each of them crafting authentic and likable characters. Director Quentin Tarantino delivers his trademark hilarious dialogue, dark comedy and violent shootouts. Reservoir Dogs is a wonderfully entertaining film, with a great cast, amazing writing, perfect music and inventive direction. You'll like it if: You like crime movies, 90's cinema, Quentin Tarantino's films or The Departed.

4. El Mariachi (1992) Directed by Robert Rodriguez, rated R, 81 minutes

El Mariachi is an uncommon film made on a budget of just $7,000, originally expected to be a Mexican straight-to-video flick, this cleverly written action film is just incredible. El Mariachi is about a traveling mariachi who gets mistaken for a criminal on the run from an even worse criminal, and so our mariachi ends up on the run from a gang that wants him dead. The action scenes are fairly impressive for such a tiny budget. The storyline is very engrossing and the film boasts one of the best endings ever. El Mariachi is an original and independent film with an interesting style and story. You'll like it if: You like indie thrillers, Mexican cinema, Desperado or No Country for Old Men.

3. Pi (1998) Directed by Darren Aronofsky, rated R, 84 minutes

Pi is a deeply engrossing and visually stunning sci-fi thriller about a paranoid mathematician who searches for a mathematical pattern that is true through everything in the entire world. The film's look is simply incredible, shot in high contrast black and white, the film creates a powerful mood and frightening feel. The story is not too heavy on the math to the point you don't understand what's going on, and the main character is intriguing and relatable. Pi is an odd, thrilling and thoroughly exciting film, filled with incredible and unsettling images. You'll like it if: You like weird movies, indie thrillers, A Beautiful Mind or Requiem for a Dream.

2. The Seventh Continent (1989) Directed by Michael Haneke, not rated, 104 minutes

The Seventh Continent is a shocking and truly disturbing Austrian film about a family that realizes how boring and monotonous their life is after their daughter, in an attempt to get attention from her parents, pretends to be blind. The events that follow are incredible and repulsive. Director Michael Haneke is not the type to let the viewer off the hook, as the story becomes more grim, you're there to witness it all. The Seventh Continent can be a little hard to follow, but in the end you'll be floored at the shocking turn this family takes. You'll like it if: You like disturbing movies, foreign cinema, Happiness or In Cold Blood.

1. Clerks (1994) Directed by Kevin Smith, rated R, 92 minutes

Clerks is a ridiculously funny and brilliantly written low budget indie comedy about a day in the life of two convenience store clerks, including most of their time spent not working and the complicated love life of one. The writing is nothing short of perfect, creating likable and realistic characters, as well as some of the best dialogue around. The story is a little plotless, but the film is extremely entertaining and still manages to realistically present its theme. The direction is decidedly unstylish, but is rather impressive and beautifully minimalistic. Clerks is an extremely funny film that characterizes the 90's perfectly, and above all, will entertain you. You'll like it if: You like indie comedies, slice of life movies, Judd Apatow's films, Slacker, The Big Lebowski or Superbad.

"Sometimes life brings some strange surprises."

Broken Flowers (2005)
Directed by Jim Jarmusch, rated R, 106 minutes

Broken Flowers is a subtle, quirky and slow paced independent comedy about a decidedly undetermined man who, after receiving a letter from an unknown past flame stating that he has a 19 year old son, visits a few of his old girlfriends to try and find out which one sent him the letter. Every little thing Bill Murray does in this film is enough to make you laugh, and his character is both likable and sad. The film's slow pace and very subtle humor may turn off some people, but the film can engross you with its interesting characters and intriguing end. Broken Flowers is a subdued and fascinating comedy, filled with enticing characters and an absorbing story. You'll like it if: You like independent film, road trip movies, slow paced movies, Jim Jarmusch's films, Big Fish or Stranger than Paradise.

A Romantic Stoner Comedy

Knocked Up (2007)
Directed by Judd Apatow, rated R, 133 minutes

Knocked Up is a raucously funny and heartwarming stoner comedy about an unemployed loser who finds out the successful woman he had a one night stand with is pregnant. Seth Rogen is the relatable everyman, and his comedic timing is superb. The supporting cast really shines as well, including Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill and Jason Segal. All the characters are entertaining and feel authentic, and the relationships are actually interesting to watch play out. Knocked Up is basically a romantic comedy that men will enjoy as much as women, as it delivers hilarious moments along with its touching ones. You'll like it if: You like romantic comedies, stoner comedies, Judd Apatow's movies, The 40 Year Old Virgin or Chasing Amy.

"To some it's a game. To others it's a habit"

Owning Mahowny (2003)
Directed by Richard Kwietniowski, rated R, 104 minutes

Owning Mahowny is a fascinating and shockingly real film about the true story of a bank manager who pulled off the largest one-man bank fraud in Canadian history to fund his gambling addiction. Philip Seymour Hoffman simply sinks into his role, creating a pitiful but completely relatable character, that you root for even when thing looks their worst. The story is quite intriguing, and it draws you into sad the life of Dan Mahowny. Owning Mahowny is a subtly brilliant and undoubtedly sad film that shows the unglamorous and wretched world of gambling addiction. You'll like it if: You like movies about addiction, true crimes movies, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Shattered Glass, Trainspotting or Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.

The Most Depressing Film Ever Made

The Bicycle Thief (1948)
Directed by Vittorio De Sica, not rated, 93 minutes

The Bicycle Thief is an utterly demoralizing and painfully honest Italian neo-realist film about a poor man and his son, who go searching for the man's stolen bicycle, which he must have to keep his job. The acting is authentic and the characters feel real - their desperation is palpable. The story is fairly simple but it packs an enormous punch, it's like being transplanted to post-war Italy. The Bicycle Thief is not an easy film to watch, but its devastating story is relatable and emotionally powerful. You'll like it if: You like sad movies, movies about family, Italian cinema, Boyz n the Hood or Umberto D.

"There's more than one way to lose your life to a killer"

Zodiac (2007)
Directed by David Fincher, rated R, 157 minutes

Zodiac is a deeply unsettling and truly engrossing crime drama about a San Franciscan cartoonist who becomes involved in the hunt for the Zodiac Killer, and quickly becomes obsessed with the case. Jake Gyllenhaal is great as the cartoonist, you can't help but pity and root for him, and Robert Downey Jr. is both funny and sad as a crime reporter. Though Zodiac is about a serial killer, and there are moments of horror and well crafted suspense, the film is more about the men trying to catch the serial killer and their arduous undertaking is draining and gripping. Zodiac is a brilliantly directed and absorbing film that will take you through the suspenseful and incredible true story of the Zodiac Killer. You'll like it if: You like true crime movies, crime dramas, David Fincher's films, Seven, Silence of the Lambs or In Cold Blood.