Indie Film Release Guide: August 23rd [An ONTD Original]

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There are no big studio wide releases this weekend, strangely enough! But there are plenty of indies (and a film from a big studio subsidiary) to look out for, as well as holdovers from previous weeks such as Blinded by the Light.

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: August 16th, August 9th, and August 2nd.

Brittany Runs a Marathon

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Stars: Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lil Rel Howery
Writer/Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Plot: A woman living in New York takes control of her life- one block at a time.
What you should know: Jillian Bell lost the weight her character loses in the film during filming.
Opens in: Select cities



Ready or Not

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Stars: Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O’Brien, Henry Czerny
Writer: Guy Busick, Ryan Murphy
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett
Genre: Horror, Myster, Thriller
Plot: A bride's wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.
What you should know: Samara Weaving is Australian.
Opens in: Wide release

Vita and Virginia

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Stars: Gemma Arteron, Elizabeth Debicki, Isabella Rossellini, Rupert Penry-Jones
Writer: Eileen Atkins, Chanya Button
Director: Chanya Button
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
Plot: It's the fascinating true story about the love affair between socialite and popular author Vita Sackville-West and literary icon Virginia Woolf.
What you should know: The screenplay is based on the letters written by Sackville-West and Woolf.
Opens in: Select cties

American Factory

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Director: Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: In post-industrial Ohio, a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant, hiring two thousand blue-collar Americans. Early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.
What you should know: This is the first film from the production company Higher Ground, formed by former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
Opens in: Select theaters & Netflix

Hot Air

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Stars: Neve Campbell, Steve Coogan, Skylar Astin, Taylor Russell
Writer: Will Reichel
Director: Frank Coraci
Genre: Drama
Plot: A right wing talk show host's life takes a sudden turn when his 16 year old niece comes crashing into his life.
What you should know: This is from the same director as The Wedding Singer.
Opens in: Select cities

Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles

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Director: Max Lewkowicz
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: The origin story behind one of Broadway’s most beloved musicals, Fiddler on The Roof, and its creative roots in early 1960s New York, when “tradition” was on the wane as gender roles, sexuality, race relations and religion were evolving.
What you should know: The producer of the original show. Hal Prince, died last month.
Opens in: Select cities

Give Me Liberty

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Stars: Lauren ‘Lolo’ Spencer, Chris Galust, Maxim Stoyanov, Darya Ekamasova
Writer: Alice Austen, Kirill Mikhanovsky
Director: Kirill Mikhanovsky
Genre: Comedy
Plot: In this freewheeling comedy, medical transport driver Vic risks his job to shuttle a group of rowdy seniors and a Russian boxer to a funeral, dragging clients like Tracy, a young woman with ALS, along for the ride.
What you should know: It’s in English and Russian.
Opens in: Select theaters

Friedkin Uncut

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Director: Francesco Zippel
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Discusses the life and works of legendary filmmaker William Friedkin.
What you should know: William Friedkin most famously directed The Exorcist.
Opens in: Select cities

Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

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Director: Stanley Nelson
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Horn player, bandleader, innovator. Elegant, intellectual, vain. Callous, conflicted, controversial. Magnificent, mercurial. Genius. The very embodiment of cool. The man with a sound so beautiful it could break your heart. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage, studio outtakes, and rare photos, this film tells the story of a truly singular talent and unpacks the man behind the horn.
What you should know: Musicians like Herbie Hancock and Flea appear in this documentary.
Opens in: Select cities

Tigers are Not Afraid

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Stars: Paola Lara, Juan Ramón López, Hanssel Casillas, Rodrigo Cortes
Writer/Director: Issa López
Genre: Fantasy, Horror
Plot: A dark fairy tale about a gang of five children trying to survive the horrific violence of the cartels and the ghosts created every day by the drug war.
What you should know: It’s in Spanish.
Opens in: Select theaters

Also opening: Angel Has Fallen (Trailer), Jacob’s Ladder (Trailer), Jawline (Trailer), Genèse (Trailer)

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What have you been watching lately, ONTD? Seeing anything this weekend?