It seems like most films these days are considered indie to some degree, with more and more popular faces doing “smaller” pictures. That’s not to say there are no films being created by outsiders that go on to strike a chord with viewers through unlikely casting and challenging themes. In fact, 2012 saw quality films from both sides of the aisle — making it a great year for arthouses and bold experimentation in storytelling.

Tim Heidecker – Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie & The Comedy

Tim Heidecker made a big impact in the indie film world this year with two very different films. Early in 2012, he co-wrote/co-directed/co-starred in Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie alongside Eric Wareheim. But it was The Comedy that finally ingratiated him to critics. In the Rick Alverson film, Heidecker plays an aging hipster who grows tired of his trust fund safety bubble and decides to test the limits of socially acceptable behavior. To say more would be to say too much, but it’s a tough film that sticks with you.

Mike Birbiglia & Seth Barrish – Sleepwalk With Me

Mike Birbiglia adapted his popular stage show for the big screen this past summer, raking in rave reviews.

David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook

Directed by Oscar favorite David O. Russell and starring a few of the biggest actors in Hollywood, Silver Linings Playbook is truly the little film that could.

Benh Zeitlin – Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Director Benh Zeitlin cast a bakery employee and a six-year old first-time actress for his debut feature. You can’t get more indie than that without dressing Parker Posey in clothes that match the wallpaper behind her.

Zal Batmanglij – Sound Of My Voice

Besides having one of the best last names on the planet, Zal Batmanglij made a splash with his first feature, The Sound Of My Voice. It didn’t hurt to have longtime collaborator and indie darling Brit Marling on board. But I like to think she agreed to do it because of his last name.

Jake Schreier – Robot & Frank

Of all the indie films to make an impact this year, this is the only one that features a robot which is awesome in its own right. But this film isn’t one to rest solely on the awesome laurels of featuring a robot. Instead, the film deals with the idea of adapting to technological change at an old age while also shining a light on the death of print culture in favor of digital media. And there are also jewel heists which are awesome as well.

I went to see Sound of My Voice only because it stars Brit Marling from Another Earth. She co-wrote both films but she was such a warm, sincere presence I wanted to see her work again. There are similar tones and themes, but I don’t think Sound is as strong. Marling is still amazing though.

Peter and Lorna join a cult led by Maggie (Marling). Maggie says she’s from the year 2054, and she’s hooked up to tubes and oxygen tanks because present day air makes her sick. Peter’s plan is to expose Maggie’s cult and bring her down. Even when it seems like she’s getting through to him, Peter maintains he’s just playing along.

One of Maggie’s first lessons is to feed her underlings the apple of logic and make them throw it up. Peter stonewalls because vomiting would actually reveal the remote transmitter he swallowed. Maggie seems to make a revelation about Peter’s mother, or does she?

Another disciple, Lam, questions Maggie’s veracity. She has the perfect answer for why she can’t tell him what’s going to happen tomorrow. 2010 is 20 years before she was born. When Maggie sings a song from the future and it’s a hit from the ‘90s, Lam presses her more and she’s had enough. Lam is forcibly removed, his girlfriend Christie stays.

There’s a small amount of discussion of the future. Maggie talks about the music industry, and a present day character who she claims is related to her. That’s the same kind of subtle mention of sci-fi that Another Earth executed so well, but leaving open the question of whether or not it’s true makes it more of a mystery than a sci-fi.

The ambiguity between psychological therapy and a cult would be more effective if Peter weren’t so self-righteous. Maggie doesn’t ultimately challenge him because he’s s closed off. Lorna only has the scantest of conversations on the subject, sounding more like a nagging girlfriend than a voice of reason.

The scores of these indie movies just feel cheep. They have this steady tone that’s really just white noise, so it would be more effective to take it out completely. When the score gets a little bigger, it just feels like homemade simulation, not a real movie score. Not that it’s orchestra or nothing, but it really calls attention when the score is just plain old sound.

Like Another Earth, Marling delivers a strong payoff to the mystery, only in Sound that payoff leads to another incident that totally leaves you hanging. Open endings are fine, but this isn’t one you can really interpret. It just starts a whole new subplot. So Marling fans can revel in her performance as Maggie, but the Marling magic isn’t in the script.