Indie Film Release Guide: April 19th [An ONTD Original]
This week brings us the arrival of a couple of long-awaited indies! Fast Color, Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s starring vehicle from the director of Miss Stevens, is finally hitting select theaters. And Under the Silver Lake, a film that has seen multiple release dates stretching back to last spring, is opening in just a couple of theaters and heading straight to VOD for everyone else. The big studio releases of the week are pretty underwhelming: horror flick The Curse of La Llorona, Disney’s Penguins doc, and the overtly religious Breakthrough, whose trailer (“But I don’t believe in God!!”) will haunt me to the end of my days.
The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Columbia and Disney. 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: April 12th, April 5th, and March 29th.
Little Woods
Click to viewStars: Lily James, Tessa Thompson, Luke Kirby, Lance Reddick
Writer/Director: Nia DaCosta
Genre: Crime, Drama, Western
Plot: A emotionally-charged modern Western about two sisters in a rural area who work outside the law to better their lives.
What you should know: Director Nia DaCosta is doing Q&A’s this weekend at the Nuart Theater in LA. https://twitter.com/LittleWoodsFilm/status/1118544092701577216
Opens in: Select cities
Fast Color
Stars: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint, David Strathairn, Saniyya Sidney
Writer: Julia Hart, Jordan Horowitz
Director: Julia Hart
Genre: Drama, Sci Fi, Thriller
Plot: A woman is forced to go on the run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after having abandoned her family, the only place she has left to hide is home.
What you should know: Director Julia Hart was nominated for the Gamechanger Award at SXSW 2018.
Opens in: Select cities
Under the Silver Lake
Stars: Andrew Garfield, Riley Keough, Callie Hernandez, Jimmi Simpson
Writer/Director: David Robert Mitchell
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Plot: Sam, intelligent but without purpose, finds a mysterious woman swimming in his apartment's pool one night. The next morning, she disappears. Sam sets off across LA to find her, and along the way he uncovers a conspiracy far more bizarre.
What you should know: There will be Q&A’s at the Arclight in LA this weekend with director David Robert Mitchell and star Andrew Garfield.
Opens in: Select cities and available VOD
Hail Satan?
Director: Penny Lane
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: The film traces the rise of The Satanic Temple: only six years old and already one of the most controversial religious movements in American history. The Temple and its enigmatic leader Lucien Greaves are calling for a Satanic revolution to save the nation's soul. But are they for real?
What you should know: The director has made several other documentaries, including Our Nixon and Nuts!.
Opens in: NYC & LA
Rafiki
Stars: Samantha Mugatsia, Neville Misati, Nice Githinji, Sheila Munyiva
Writer: Wanuri Kahiu, Jenna Cato Bass,
Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Genre: Drama, Romance
Plot: "Good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives," but Kena and Ziki long for something more. When love blossoms between them, the two girls will be forced to choose between happiness and safety.
What you should know: Based on the short story by Monica Arac de Nyeko
Opens in: NYC
Drunk Parents
Stars: Salma Hayek, Joe Manganiello, Bridget Moynahan, Alec Baldwin
Writer: Fred Wolf, Peter Gaulke
Director: Fred Wolf
Genre: Comedy
Plot: Two drunk parents attempt to hide their ever increasing financial difficulties from their daughter and social circle through elaborate neighborhood schemes.
What you should know: Despite the number of big names in this film, there has been essentially zero promo for it. And Kid Cudi is involved?!
Opens in: Select cities
Hagazussa: A Heathen’s Curse
Stars: Aleksandra Cwen, Celina Peter, Claudia Martini, Tanja Petrovsky
Writer/Director: Lukas Feigelfeld
Genre: Drama, Horror
Plot: In a remote Alpine village in the 15th century, the orphan Albrun grows up to become a marked woman. The scapegoat of ancient superstitions and monstrous misogyny, this self-styled witch begins to assert her otherworldly birthright.
What you should know: It’s in German.
Opens in: Select cities
Instant Dreams
Director: William Baptist
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: When Polaroid announced the end of instant film in 2008, the last still working factory was bought by a small group of enthusiasts. Among them is the retired scientist Stephen Herchen, who previously collaborated with the inventor of Polaroid, and is still trying to unravel the secret of the lost chemical formula.
What you should know: The film has racked up a number of nominations in its two years on the festival circuit.
Opens in: NYC
Stuck
Stars: Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan, Ashanti, Arden Cho
Writer/Director: Michael Berry
Genre: Drama, Musical
Plot: An original pop musical film about six strangers who get stuck on a New York City subway together and change each others lives in unexpected ways.
What you should know: Based on the musical play by Riley Thomas.
Opens in: Select cities
Family
Stars: Taylor Schilling, Kate McKinnon, Brian Tyree Henry, Jessie Ennis
Writer/Director: Laura Steinel
Genre: Comedy
Plot: An emotionally stunted aunt struggles to bond with her teenage niece, who wants nothing more than to run away from home and become a juggalo.
What you should know: Don't name your movie something generic like "family", because it is impossible to find showtimes and other vital movie info without extensive googling!
Opens in: Select cities
Also opening: Red Joan (Trailer), Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché (Trailer), Daddy Issues (Trailer), Grass (Trailer), Kalank (Trailer), Breaking Habits (Trailer)
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What have you been watching lately, ONTD? Plan on seeing anything soon?