Indie Film Release Guide: May 25th [An ONTD Original]
Not interested in the adventures of a young Solo? Since that's literally the only new wide release this week, you may want to take a gander at what the smaller studios are putting in theaters instead.
Note that some of the movies listed are in their first week or two of limited release in the USA, so it may take them a few more weeks (or months) to show up in your local arthouse theater or on VOD. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have just opened near you: May 18th, May 11th, and May 4th.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties
Click to viewStars: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Ruth Wilson, Alex Sharpe
Writer: John Cameron Mitchell, Philippa Goslett
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Genre: Comedy, Music, Romance
Plot: An alien touring the galaxy breaks away from her group and meets two young inhabitants of the most dangerous place in the universe: the London suburb of Croydon.
What you should know: This is based on a short story by Neil Gaiman (which I saw him read aloud when I was still in college because I am old, y’all!)
Opens in: NYC, LA
Mary Shelley
Stars: Elle Fanning, Ben Hardy, Maisie Williams, Douglas Booth
Writer: Emma Jensen, Haifaa Al-Mansour
Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Plot: The love affair between poet Percy Shelley and 18 year old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, which resulted in Mary Shelley writing Frankenstein.
What you should know: Haifaa Al-Mansour is the first female Saudi director to helm a Hollywood film.
Opens in: NYC, LA
The Gospel According to Andre
Director: Kate Novack
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: From the segregated American South to the fashion capitals of the world, operatic fashion editor André Leon Talley's life and career are on full display, in a poignant portrait that includes appearances by Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Bethann Hardison, Valentino, and Manolo Blahnik.
What you should know: According to the reviews, if you like fashion, you will probably like this doc.
Opens in: NYC, LA
Future World
Stars: James Franco, Suki Waterhouse, Jeffrey Wahlberg, Snoop Dogg
Writer: Jeremy Cheung, Bruce Thierry Cheung, Jay Davis
Director: James Franco, Bruce Thierry Cheung
Genre: Sci-Fi
Plot: In a post-apocalyptic world, where water and gasoline have long since dried-up, a prince from the oasis (one of the last known safe-havens) must venture out to find medicine for the ailing queen, but along the way he gets mixed up with the warlord and his robot Ash, which leads to a daring journey through the desolate wastelands.
What you should know: Quote direct from the comments section below the trailer: “This looks and feels like a bootleg movie”
Opens in: NYC, LA
Summer 1993
Stars: Laia Artigas, Paula Robles, Bruna Cusí, David Verdaguer
Writer: Carla Simón, Valentina Viso
Director: Carla Simón
Genre: Drama, Family
Plot: After her mother's death, six-year-old Frida is sent to her uncle's family to live with them in the countryside. But Frida finds it hard to forget her mother and adapt to her new life.
What you should know: It’s in Catalan, so be prepared to read some subtitles.
Opens in: NYC, LA
In Darkness
Stars: Natalie Dormer, Emily Ratajkowski, Ed Skrein, Joely Richardson
Writer: Anthony Byrne, Natalie Dormer
Director: Anthony Byrne
Genre: Thriller
Plot: A blind musician hears a murder committed in the apartment upstairs from hers that sends her down a dark path into London's gritty criminal underworld.
What you should know: This is the first joint venture between Natalie Dormer and her filmmaker fiance Anthony Byrne.
Opens in: Major cities
Who We Are Now
Stars: Julianne Nicholson, Jason Biggs, Zachary Quinto, Emma Roberts
Written and directed by: Matthew Newton
Genre: Drama
Plot: An ex-con tries to get back custody of her son with the help of an idealistic young public defender and at the same time falls into a romantic fling with a traumatized former US soldier.
What you should know: The film has an 84 Metascore on Metacritic, with Julianne Moore getting great reviews.
Opens in: NYC
Feral
Stars: Scout Taylor-Compton, Olivia Luccardi, Lew Temple, Renee Olstead
Writer: Mark Young, Adam Frazier
Director: Mark Young
Genre: Action, Drama, Horror
Plot: A wild animal attacks six medical students on a weekend hike in the woods. One by one, they become infected with a "feral disease", turning them into rabid, bloodthirsty creatures, and the vacation becomes a nightmare as they fight to survive each other.
Opens in: NYC, LA
How Long Will I Love U
Stars: Jiayin Lei, Liya Tong, Zheng Xu
Written and directed by: Su Lun
Genre: Romance
Plot: In this rollicking romantic comedy, a man and a woman living in the same apartment nearly twenty years apart wake one day to find their timelines have merged. Now they’re stuck with one another, unless they can work together long enough to find a way back to their normal lives... if destiny will allow it.
What you should know: It’s in Mandarin, so you’ll probably have to read subtitles.
Opens in: Major cities
The Misandrists
Stars: Susanne Sachße, Viva Ruiz, Kembra Pfahler, Caprice Crawford
Written and directed by: Bruce La Bruce
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Plot: When an injured male leftist on the run discovers the remote stronghold of the Female Liberation Army -- a radical feminist terrorist group whose mission is to usher in a female world order -- one of the members takes pity on him and hides him in the basement. However, the man in the basement is just one of many secrets threatening to disrupt the FLA's mission from within.
What you should know: Reviews are mixed - seems to be a love it or hate it type of flick.
Opens in: NYC
Kasal
Stars: Bea Alonzo, Derek Ramsay, Paulo Avelino, Christopher De Leon
Writer: Kris G. Gazmen, Patrick John Valencia
Director: Ruel S. Bayani
Genre: Drama
Plot: Lia, who, after finding a man to marry, is confronted by an ex trying to win her back.
What you should know: It’s mainly in Filipino and Tagalog.
Opens in: Major cities
Parmanu: The Story of Pohkran
Stars: John Abraham, Diana Penty, Boman Irani, Zachary Coffin
Writer: Sanyukta Shaikh Chawla, Saiwyn Quadras, Abhishek Sharma
Director: Abhishek Sharma
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Plot: A look at India's first confidential nuclear test series at Pokhran lead by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, during the time of PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure.
What you should know: It’s in Hindi
Opens in: NYC
Fury of the Fist and the Golden Fleece
Stars: Danny Trejo, Jason London, Cynthia Rothrock, Ron Jeremy
Writer: Sean Stone, Alexander Wraith
Director: Alexander Wraith
Genre: Action
Plot: The biggest porn star of the 1970s must reclaim his mojo in the '80s by saving all male kind, fighting his way to the heart of a conspiracy to sell meat pumped full of estrogen to emasculate men.
What you should know: This is what happened to Jason London’s career.
Opens in: LA, and available VOD
Another Soul
Stars: Anthony Misiano, Tia Link, Rebecca Lovett, Bailey Newman
Written and directed by: Paul Chau
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Plot: A couple on the run battle to save their daughter from possession by a demon.
Opens in: LA, and available VOD
Source 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33
What movies have you seen recently? What are you planning to see?