Indie Film Release Guide: May 15th [An ONTD Original]
Right now, we’d typically be on the doorstep of summer box office season, but this year is obviously a bit different. While some films are getting direct to digital releases, others are being held until later this year, or early next year, or even Summer 2021. But this week marks the first week in months that a film is getting an exclusive theatrical release of sorts - Andrew Patterson's debut The Vast of Night has a two-week engagement at drive-in theaters across the country, before becoming available on Amazon Prime.
The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Columbia/Sony and Disney. Some releases are streaming on popular services like Netflix and Hulu, some are rentals in cooperation with location theaters, and some are VOD - that is, available to rent or buy on digital services like Apple, Amazon and Google Play. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have already come to VOD: May 8th, May 1st, and April 24th.
The Vast of Night
Click to viewStars: Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz, Gail Cronauer, Bruce Davis
Writer: James Montague, Craig W. Sanger
Director: Andrew Patterson
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Plot: In the twilight of the 1950s, on one fateful night in New Mexico, a young switchboard operator Fay and charismatic radio DJ Everett discover a strange audio frequency that could change their small town and the future forever.
What you should know: This micro-budget indie premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.
Opens in: Select drive-ins, then streaming on Amazon Prime beginning May 29th
Capone
Stars: Tom Hardy, Linda Cardellini, Matt Dillon, Al Sapienza
Writer/Director: Josh Trank
Genre: Bioography, Crime, Drama
Plot: The 47-year old Al Capone, after 10 years in prison, starts suffering from dementia and comes to be haunted by his violent past.
What you should know: This is Josh Trank’s first film since the critically panned Fantastic Four (and the reviews of this one aren’t great, either).
Streams on: Virtual cinemas, and available VOD
Castle in the Ground
Stars: Imogen Poots, Neve Campbell, Alex Wolff, Keir Gilchrist
Writer/Director: Joey Klein
Genre: Drama
Plot: After the untimely death of his mother, a teenager befriends his charismatic but troubled next-door neighbor and becomes embroiled in a world of addiction and violence just as the opioid epidemic takes hold of their small town.
What you should know: Nominated for Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF 2019.
Streams on: Available VOD
Blood and Money
Stars: Tom Berenger, Kristen Hager, Paul Ben-Victor, Erica McDermott
Writer: John Barr, Alan Petherick
Director: John Barr
Genre: Thriller
Plot: A retired veteran hunting in Northern Maine stumbles across a dead woman and a large sum of money.
What you should know: This is director John Barr’s first feature film.
Streams on: Available VOD
The Wrong Missy
Stars: David Spade, Lauren Lapkus, Nick Swardson, Molly Sims
Writer: Chris Pappas, Kevin Barnett
Director: Tyler Spindel
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Plot: Tim thinks he's invited the woman of his dreams on a work retreat to Hawaii, realizing too late he mistakenly texted someone from a nightmare blind date.
What you should know: Filmed on location in Hawaii.
Streams on: Netflix
Proximity
Stars: Ryan Masson, Highdee Kuan, Christian Prentice, Shaw Jones
Writer: Eric Demeusy, Jason Micheltree
Director: Eric Demeusy
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Plot: A young NASA JPL scientist is abducted by extraterrestrials but when no one believes his story he becomes obsessed with finding proof which leads him on a journey of discovery.
What you should know: Director Eric Demeusy was also a digital artist on Stranger Things.
Streams on: Available VOD
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
Director: Donick Cary
Genre: Documentary
Plot: Mixing comedy with a thorough investigation of psychedelics, the film explores the pros, cons, science, history, future, pop cultural impact, and cosmic possibilities of hallucinogens.
What you should know: This is the director’s first feature documentary, and has commentary from Carrie Fisher, Will Forte, Anthony Bourdain and more.
Streams on: Netflix
The Sound of the Wind
Stars: Christian Gnecco Quintero, Stefanie Rons, Dwayne Tarver, Ramona Thornton
Writer/Director: Jared Douglas
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Plot: A young man’s paranoia has him torn between the pain of abandoning his daughter and the safety of his own life. A bag of money, a tumultuous chase and a story of man vs. self...
What you should know: This is the director’s first feature-length film.
Streams on: Virtual cinemas, and available VOD
Phoenix, Oregon
Stars: James Le Gros, Jesse Borrego, Lisa Edelstein , Diedrich Bader
Writer/Director: Gary Lundgren
Genre: Comedy
Plot: Two longtime friends battle a mid-life crisis by opening a bowling alley/pizzeria in their small hometown.
What you should know: The film was shot almost entirely in Oregon.
Streams on: Virtual cinemas, and available VOD
Not Indie, But New:
Scoob
Stars: Will Forte, Mark Wahlberg, Gina Rodriguez, Zac Efron
Writer: Matt Liberman, Adam Sztykiel, Jack Donaldson, Derek Elliott
Director: Tony Cervone
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Plot: Scooby and the gang face their most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this dogpocalypse, the gang discovers that Scooby has an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.
What you should know: There are four credited writers, and three people with story credits, and not one of those seven is a woman! Fun.
Streams on: Available VOD
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What have you been watching lately, ONTD?