EntertainmentMovies32 must-see low budget moviesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentMovies32 must-see low budget moviesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: New Line Cinema)
Some of the biggest movies in the world have been made with blank checks. But other iconic movies, and some underrated gems, were made for next to nothing at all.
In the long history of cinema, money is the biggest difference-maker for artists. Some studios seem to throw money around like candy, bankrolling mega-budget tent poles for eye-watering sums. (And only sometimes do the results actually seem to show.) But just as often, there comes a stone-cold classic made for miniscule amounts. Those movies might become classics in their own right. They win awards, or catapult the artists behind them to a greater level of fame.
Some of the greatest movies in history came together out of pure ingenuity, grit, cleverness over limitation, and tons of maxed-out credit cards. Here are 32 must-see low budget movies - our parameters being that they were made for under $10 million U.S. - many of which have spawned artists you’ve definitely heard of before.
32. Versus (2000)
(Image credit: Arrow Video)
31. El Mariachi (1992)
(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)
30. Moonlight (2016)
(Image credit: A24)
29. The Lobster (2015)
(Image credit: A24)
Only Yorgos Lanthimos could make a nonsense, $4 million movie feel intimately harrowing. In this absurdist dystopian sci-fi, romantic partnerships are a matter of life and death. This spurs lonely people like David (Colin Farrell) to submit themselves to sumptuary “hotels” in which guests must find a partner or else they are morphed into an animal of their choice. (David has chosen to become a lobster, should his efforts fail.) Lanthimos’ movie sports an outsized cast, including Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux, Olivia Colman, and John C. Reilly, all of whom buoy this clever and illuminative satire about how much pressure society imposes on relationships and how modern dating is painfully awful.
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28. Rocky (1976)
(Image credit: United Artists)
27. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (2021)
(Image credit: Utopia)
26. Super (2010)
(Image credit: IFC Midnight)
BeforeJames Gunnblasted off into superhero franchises, the filmmaker satirized the genre with his own indie black comedy Super, which was priced at $2.5 million. Rainn Wilson plays a short-order cook who becomes a superhero known as the “Crimson Bolt” to rescue his drug addict wife (Liv Tyler) from the clutches of her new boyfriend and strip club owner (Kevin Bacon). While a hybrid of sorts, being both a superhero satire and rescue thriller, Super is ultimately a provocative portrait of the ideals we create in our heads, and how much reality isn’t always a simple matter of good versus evil.
25. Tangerine (2015)
(Image credit: Magnolia Pictures)
In this microbudget comedy-drama from director Sean Baker, a trans sex worker named Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) learns that her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her with a cisgender white woman. Over the course of one fateful Christmas Eve, Sin-Dee hunts for her boyfriend with the help of her best friend Alexandra (Mya Taylor). With its strange vibes of “Grand Theft Auto meets Wong Kar-wai” and footage shot entirely on iPhone 5S smartphones, Tangerine unearths tons of heart in its seedy aesthetics, the always-setting California sun drenching the grimey corners of Hollywood in a picturesque golden glow.
24. First Cow (2019)
(Image credit: A24)
From acclaimed filmmaker Kelly Reichardt, First Cow is a heart-shattering portrait of friendship and the personal decimation in one’s pursuit in the American dream. In 1820 Oregon, two unlikely friends - a quiet chef (John Magaro) and a Chinese immigrant on the lam (Orion Lee) - hatch a scheme to secretly milk the cow belonging to a wealthy English trader. Their delicious biscuits, baked from the cow’s milk, become a huge hit, allowing them to enjoy a small fortune before fate intervenes. While First Cow’s budget of over $2 million was the most money the filmmaker had ever dealt with at that point, it’s still a (milk) drop in the bucket compared to the unimaginable figures of other movies. Reichardt acknowledged as much, telling GQ in 2020 that First Cow was “a low-budget film, obviously, but bigger for me.”
23. Guyver: Dark Hero (1994)
(Image credit: New Line Cinema)
22. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
(Image credit: Legendary Pictures)
21. Clerks (1994)
(Image credit: Miramax)
20. The Worst Person in the World (2021)
(Image credit: NEON)
19. I Saw the Devil (2010)
(Image credit: Magnet Releasing)
18. Lost in Translation (2003)
(Image credit: Focus Features)
17. American Psycho (2000)
(Image credit: Lionsgate)
16. Drive (1997)
(Image credit: MVD)
No, we’re not talking about the Ryan Gosling movie here. From director Steve Wang and Power Rangers choreographer Koichi Sakamoto, Drive stars Mark Dacascos (John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum) and Kadeem Hardison (A Different World), whose characters meet and end up on a time-sensitive road trip to deliver a cutting-edge device to buyers in Los Angeles. Boasting gravity-defying martial arts scenes and a young Brittany Murphy making an appearance early in her career, Drive is a serious joyride, an underrated, overlooked ‘90s gem produced at a modest $3.5 million budget.
15. Colin (2008)
(Image credit: Nowhere Fast)
14. Aniara (2018)
(Image credit: Magnolia Pictures)
A haunting British-Danish sci-fi based on a 1956 poem, Aniara takes place in a semi-distant future after climate change has ravaged Earth. Mass migration to Mars is now possible, including the luxury ship Aniara that takes travelers on a three week long, one-way cruise. After Aniara is thrown off course, the passengers overflow “Mima,” an escapist virtual experience that allows them to escape into memories of Earth’s lush and verdant past. Emelie Garbers stars as the nameless caretaker of Mima, who herself feels lost with her fellow passengers. Shot for $1.95 million Euros and filmed in a shopping mall that doubles as the ship’s interiors, Aniara’s arresting, slow-crawl into existential horror eclipses the shortcomings of its budget CGI.
13. Better Luck Tomorrow (2002)
(Image credit: MTV Films)
12. Pig (2021)
(Image credit: NEON)
11. Singles (1992)
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
With Cameron Crowe sourcing his music expertise as a former Rolling Stone journalist, his second feature film Singles captures the nascent grunge scene of Seattle with a collection of young adults balancing between love and their dreams. Bridget Fonda takes center stage as a coffee bar waitress with feelings for an aloof musician (Matt Dillon). While Singles had a respectably hefty budget for a ‘90s indie film - in the ballpark of $9 million - it still looks, feels and plays out like a basement show.
10. Breathless (1960)
(Image credit: Société nouvelle de cinématographie)
9. Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)
(Image credit: Arrow Video)
Shinya Tsukamoto’s cinematic debut tells of a Japanese salaryman (Tomorowo Taguchi) who finds his body slowly de-morphing into a metallic monstrosity. He quickly develops a connection with a hit-and-run accident victim (Kei Fujiwara), who is also enduring a similar affliction. Made on a budget between $100,000 to $130,000, Tetsuo: The Iron Man introduced Tsukamoto to the Japanese underground filmmaking scene, where he amassed a reputation and has since been cited as an influence over filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, and the Wachowskis. It’s alarming, it’s arresting, it’s downright sinister, but it proves that big ideas aren’t exclusive to big budgets.
8. A Ghost Story (2017)
(Image credit: A24)
At first glance A Ghost Story feels like a farce, a bad joke, because of its titular “ghost” character (Casey Affleck) hiding under a white sheet with black cutout eyes. But that’s the playful genius of David Lowery. His supernatural romance from 2017 is more than what it seems, carrying realistic feelings of regret and yearning under a simple idea. Casey Affleck plays the recently deceased spirit of a husband, who returns as a specter to haunt his home only to feel powerless as his widowed wife (Rooney Mara) also falls apart in his absence. Profound in its minimalism, A Ghost Story unearths all our curiosities about the ones who leave us - and maybe, the ones we’ll leave behind - and it does so with just a $100,000 budget. (Exactly how much was that white bedsheet?)
7. The Invitation (2015)
(Image credit: Drafthouse Films)
6. Before Sunrise (1995)
(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)
5. All of Us Strangers (2023)
(Image credit: Searchlight Pictures)
4. Skinamarink (2022)
(Image credit: IFC Midnight)
3. The People’s Joker (2022)
(Image credit: Altered Innocence)
2. Columbus (2017)
(Image credit: Sundance Institute)
1. The Evil Dead (1981)
(Image credit: New Line Cinema)
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5
Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1
Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”