Do you ever get the slithering suspicion that movies are getting worse every year in leaps of unfairly large increments? When you sign into your Netflix account, do you feel dismayed about the safe, expected selections you’re asked to pick from? Does Judd Apatow really make every movie these days or what? The reality is that sometimes the best movies don’t get made because they don’t have the funding or the people to make them. But — listen here, my friends (I feel a bond between us already) — sometimes the best movies do get made and you simply never see them because they don’t get any real publicity. Luckily, a solution is here for all of you weary film-loving souls. That’s right — it’s time to confidently enter the Official Best of Fest collections up for the consideration of your time and entertainment. And you can set your expectation bar high!

International film curators (aka fancy film experts) have put these Best of Fest compilation gift sets/personal packs together. The collections are distinguished not by the genre of the films (psh — that’d just be predictable) but by the feeling and mood you’ll get while watching. Do you want to have a “Girls Night In” or a “Dog Lovers” evening? Well, no matter what you select, you’ll be inspired by something new.

I was sent a copy of the Official Best of Fest Sampler to review. It included 14 films of various lengths (all running between two minutes and 111 minutes). I’ve already watched almost every film in the sampler, although stupid necessary things like laundry and sleeping have gotten in my way of seeing them all. I would have rushed it for you guys, but I selfishly really like savoring these films bit by bit. I prepare a snack, watch, mull over deep thoughts that have then been provoked, feel a tiny bit (read: massively) superior to my “I’m just going to watch that new Hayden Panettiere* movie” friends for about an hour, and then repeat the process.

What the Official Best of Fest collections claim is that they show you the best films you’ve never seen. Indie filmmaker and founder of Official Best of Fest, Rich Stevenson, says the company wants to “help a quality-starved public, junk-food fed audience get cinematic nourishment.” Kinda wordy, but I think you get the idea. When you go to buy jewelry, do you only want to buy what’s mass-produced, trendy and popular at Target? Or would you like to go to a cool, unheard-of boutique that Sarah Jessica Parker slyly mentioned in In Style? The jewelry from the small boutique will likely be made with more care and will be much more unique than anything you’d find at Tar-jay. (Not to totally hate on Target — they have good deals on wrought iron lamps!) You should cultivate your imagination and let your taste in films be as high as you want it to be. Don’t limit your movie-watching to what you see as most readily available or talked about. Lots of people might have talked about that Cat Woman remake with Halle Berry, but they weren’t so much saying anything positive about it.

I’d actually never even heard of any of those 14 films in the sampler, but I found all that I watched to be incredibly wonderful. They all have a point of view and a message they were conveying (I sound like a Project Runway judge, don’t I?). Even without knowing anything about the directors, I still felt like I understood what they were trying to say, and I think you know a director is doing an excellent job when they are able to speak to you through their films in that way. I really appreciate when you remove the ‘celebrity’ aspect and just appreciate art for art. That’s how it should be. Too often, a big name is attached to something and you’ll see it just because of that – only to come away angry and annoyed. I mentioned Cat Woman, right?

The first short film I watched from the sampler was Full Disclosure, and it settled me into the mind-frame of being open to Indie movies while still including a recognizable Hollywood name (Judy Greer, whom I worship just the tiniest bit). But, again, these movies aren’t about the world of who’s hot in Hollywood. Getting into the mindset for these movies is about seeing past the external noise and, instead, watching a story unfold. Full Disclosure was about a first date (stop your automatic groan — this is a new angle on the first date movies) and was only 18 minutes long. I enjoyed it so much, I’ll definitely be watching it again. The writing was snappy, the actors knew how to execute their quick exchange of banter, the plot was truly clever, and now I really want to make other people watch it in that vein of “I’m excited because I found something amazing that I bet you’ve never seen!”  Showing off with uncommon, invaluable knowledge is a time-honored tradition of people that I engaged with whenever appropriate – and really, when isn’t it appropriate? I mean, Siskel and Ebert basically built their entire careers on the foundation of, “Nyah, nyah, I know better than you!”

Another noteworthy film I watched from the sampler was Snakebite, wherein a seven-year-old boy becomes convinced he’s going to die from a poisonous snakebite. Being a worry-wort myself, I completely understood his mindset. I would attribute the strength of this film to all of the forces that merged together into realizing it for the screen (acting, writing, scenery — the full yadda). The plot seems fairly straightforward at times, but the journey it takes you on sparkles in an untouched way as though you’ve never heard of this idea. Make no mistake, though, in some ways, the plot really felt authentically original. What’s significant to me is that in less than 9 minutes, this film made me think about mortality in regards to my personal self. (I don’t often like to think about my own death, unless it’s death by chocolate – in which case I am always ready**.)

The Mantis Parable was an animated film inclusion about a caterpillar that actually made me cry. Dutch Bird involved Irish Pigeon Racing and drug trafficking, with a convincing performance by an elderly actor that I would literally stand up and applaud if I watched this movie in a public space. The Wine Bar took 12 minutes to drop me into this cozy little world that I loved, oddly reminded me a bit of the TV show Felicity, and was encouraging of emboldening compassionate actions. All of the movies really do make you feel satisfied for having watched them. Rather than just sit and zone out, I always felt engaged. More than that, I felt proud to be giving these movies a chance, because it’s crazy-easy to slip into the habit of only including things in your life of which you’re already familiar.

While I realize the Official Best of Fest company is working to convince film buffs and critical viewers that these are competent collections worthy of their perusal (which they are), I want to extend an invite to those of you who enjoy a broad spectrum of movies but also feel intimidated. You don’t have to abandon Jim Carrey movies if that’s something you like, but there’s no reason to shy away from something new and different (believe me, that’s how I pathetically missed my only chance to go on Space Mountain at Disney World). New and different films can be alarmingly rewarding to watch, and I found that to be true of those included in the Official Best of Fest collections.

You can find Official Best of Fest gift collections or personal packs online or in select Nordstrom, Whole Foods and Deseret Book and gift stores.

The full list of Best of Fest Gift Collections and Personal Packs available:

*Award-winning films that INSPIRE
*Award-winning films to make you LAUGH
*Award-winning films about REAL PEOPLE
*Award-winning films for FAMILY
*Award-winning CHICK FLICKS
*Award-winning films for KIDS
*Award-winning films for DOG LOVERS
*Award-winning films for a GIRLS NIGHT IN
*Award-winning films for FATHERS, SONS and BROTHERS
*Award-winning films about ROMANCE
*Official Best of Fest SAMPLER

* I do not mean to hate on Hayden Panettiere — she’s a competent actress and has really cute red-carpet style. But a lot of her movies are huge time-wasters. Do not, under even the direst of “I’m bored” circumstances, watch her movie I Love You, Beth Cooper. Awfulness x 173.

** Now I must prepare for nightmares of drowning in chocolate syrup while someone taunts me by saying, “Careful what you wish for.”