Surprise Packages

The independent film calendar for 1999 is, as always, filled with surprises. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to predict the coming blockbuster success of the “Star Wars” prequel or other mainstream films that are launched with buzz and hype aplenty. But it would have been virtually impossible to handicap the breakout specialized hits of recent years like “The Full Monty,” “Life Is Beautiful,” or, on a more modest level, “The Opposite of Sex.”

This year should prove to be no exception. The high hopes the independent film companies have for certain films will, as usual, be overshadowed by movies that capture the fancy of the critical community and audiences. An independent movie that is picked up at the last minute at a film festival like Sundance or Cannes can break out of the box and become a phenomenon like “sex, lies, & videotape” did several years ago. But it’s precisely that element of surprise that adds spice to the often too predictable movie year.

Here are some possible breakout indie films for ’99. Keep in mind that the line between indie films and more mainstream fare is getting smaller and smaller.

Something With a British (or Irish) Accent: American movie audiences are, let’s face it, suckers for English accents or a little bit of Irish whimsy--for example “The Full Monty,” “Shakespeare in Love,” “Waking Ned Devine.” There are more than a handful of independent movies to satisfy the Anglophile (or Celtophile) in us all, including:

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Fox Searchlight)--Another chance to brush up your Bard, a full-dress adaptation of Shakespeare’s most popular comedy with Kevin Kline, Calista Flockhart and Michelle Pfeiffer, speaking in couplets in the Tuscan countryside at the turn of the century (the last one).

“The Winslow Boy” (Sony Classics)--David Mamet has adapted the classic Terrence Ratigan drama starring the newly knighted Sir Nigel Hawthorne.

“Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” (Gramercy)--In the tradition of “Trainspotting.” This comically twisted tale of a group of hapless would-be hoods was a sensation in its native England last year.

“This Is My Father” (Sony Classics)--The history of the Quinn family, directed by Paul Quinn, photographed by Declan Quinn and starring their brother Aidan Quinn. A real Irish clan bake.

For the Young and Young at Heart: It’s not only the major studios that want to tap the burgeoning youth market:

“Dairy Queens” (New Line)--This blend of “Heathers” and “Smile” features Christina Ricci, Kirsten Dunst and Kirstie Alley. (Note: This is a working title for the film.)

“White Boys” (Fox Searchlight)--From the creators of “Slam” comes this oddball tale of white rappers in Iowa.

Thrills and Spills: If you can’t make ‘em laugh, scare them out of their wits:

“A Stir of Echoes” (Artisan)--A supernatural thriller with echoes of “Poltergeist” from David Koepp, the writer of “Jurassic Park,” starring Kevin Bacon.

“Untitled Winona Ryder Project” (New Line)--Described as an intense psychological thriller starring Ryder and directed by “Saving Private Ryan” cinematographer Janusz Kaminski.

“Killing Mrs. Tingle” (Miramax)--Kevin Williamson makes his directorial debut with a psychological thriller based on his own script about a confrontation between a teenager (Katie Holmes) and a high school teacher from hell (metaphorically speaking) played by Helen Mirren.

Foreign Fare: For those who like to read their movies, or even hear them in English with a foreign accent:

“Besieged” (Fine Line)--Bernardo Bertolucci’s tale of obsessive love (shades of “Last Tango in Paris”) starring “Beloved’s” Thandie Newton and British actor David Thewlis (“Naked”). In English.

“Run Lola Run” (Sony Classics)--A German high-tech thriller described as a ‘90s version of “Diva,” the ‘80s French techno-thriller.

“Black Cat White Cat” (October Films)--The Cannes Film Festival prizewinning raucous comedy from Yugoslav director Emir Kusturica.

“Legend of the Pianist” (Fine Line)--A kid grows up aboard an ocean liner without ever debarking. Starring Tim Roth. From Giuseppe Tornatore, the director of “Cinema Paradiso.” In English.

“The Idiots” (October Films)--Danish director Lars von Trier’s (“Breaking the Waves”) controversial and sexually explicit drama.

Uncategorizable: Independent movies can sometimes delight because their stories often break the mold, defying genre limitations:

“A Walk on the Moon” (Miramax)--The first directorial effort for actor Tony Goldwyn about a woman in upstate New York whose life is changed by the Summer of Love (that’s 1967 for those of you who weren’t born yet). The drama stars Diane Lane and Viggo Mortensen.

“Cookie’s Fortune” (October Films)--Robert Altman is back with another eccentric multistory ensemble comedy set in the South featuring Patricia Neal in the title role and Glenn Close, Julianne Moore, Liv Tyler and Chris O’Donnell among others. “Cookie” is the opening-night attraction at Sundance this year.

“Outside Providence” (Miramax)--Based on the novel by Peter Farrelly (“There’s Something About Mary”) about his experiences growing up near the capital of Rhode Island. Stars Alec Baldwin.

“Being John Malkovich” (Gramercy)--The candidate for the oddest-sounding film of the year is this comedy in which Cameron Diaz and John Cusack literally invade the brain of the famous actor, who obviously plays a significant supporting role.