Indie Film Release Guide: June 26th [An ONTD Original]
There are no major studio releases to speak of this week, but there are plenty of indie features to go around: several docs, several dramas, and a couple of comedies, too.
The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Columbia/Sony and Disney. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have already come to VOD: June 19th, June 12th, and June 5th.
Athlete A
Click to viewDirector: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk
Genre: Documentary
Storyline:[TW: Abuse]An August 2016 article in the Indianapolis Star about USA Gymnastics protecting coaches accused of abuse leads to the explosive revelation that the USAG women’s team doctor, Larry Nassar, had been abusing athletes for over two decades. This film follows the IndyStar reporters as they reveal the extensive cover-up that allowed abuse to thrive within elite-level gymnastics for more than two decades, the attorney who is fighting the institutions that failed these athletes, and most importantly, the brave whistle-blowers who refuse to be silenced.
What you should know: The song in the trailer is Julian Baker’s “Appointments”.
Where to stream: Netflix
House of Hummingbird
Stars: Park Ji-hu, Kim Sae-byuk, Lee Seung-yeon, Jeong In-gi
Writer/Director: Kim Bora
Genre: Drama
Plot: 14-year-old Eun-hee moves through life like a hummingbird searching for a taste of sweetness wherever she may find it. Ignored by her parents and abused by her brother, she finds her escape by roaming the neighborhood with her best friend, going on adventures, exploring young love and experiencing everything that comes with growing up in a country on the brink of enormous change.
What you should know: It’s in Korean.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
Beats
Stars: Cristian Ortega, Lorn Macdonald, Laura Fraser, Brian Ferguson
Writer: Kieran Hurley, Brian Welsh
Director: Brian Welsh
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Plot: Two teenage boys in Scotland in 1994, best friends with no control over their lives, risk everything to attend an illegal rave, hoping for the best night of their boring lives.
What you should know: Based on the play by Kieran Hurley.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
The Last Tree
Stars: Samuel Adewunmi, Nicholas Pinnock, Denise Black, Tuwaine Barrett
Writer/Director: Shola Amoo
Genre: Drama
Plot: After a happy childhood in the countryside, a teenager moves to London, where he must navigate an unfamiliar environment on his road to adulthood.
What you should know: This is director Shola Amoo’s second feature film, following 2016’s A Moving Image.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
The Audition
Stars: Nina Hoss, Simon Abkarian, Jens Albinus, Ilja Monti
Writer: Daphne Charizani, Ina Weisse
Director: Ina Weisse
Genre: Drama
Plot: Anna Bronsky is a violin teacher at a music-focused high school. Despite the opposition of all other teachers, Anna drives through the admission of a student, Alexander, in whom she detects a remarkable talent. Committed, she prepares him for the intermediate exam and neglects her family - her son Jonas, whom she brings into competition with her new student, and her husband Philippe.
What you should know: It’s in German and French.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
All I Can Say
Director: Danny Clinch, Taryn Gould, Colleen Hennessey, Shannon Hoon
Genre: Documentary, Music
Storyline: An archive of '90s culture and a philosophical study of fame via the intimate video-diary of Shannon Hoon, the late lead singer of alt-rock band Blind Melon.
What you should know: In hundreds of hours of footage, Hoon
meticulously documented his life - his family, his creative process, his television, his band’s
rise to fame and his struggle with addiction.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things
Director: Leslie Woodhead
Genre: Documentary, Music
Storyline: Known as “The First Lady Of Jazz,” Ella Fitzgerald’s sublime tone, emotive delivery, and supreme improvisatory scat vocalizations laid the groundwork for generations of vocalists. However, outside of the spotlight, Ella was a very private person, conflicted with reconciling her public image and hunger for adoring audiences with a longing for domestic life with her husband and son.
What you should know: Director Leslie Woodhead has been directing documentaries since the late 1960’s.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
The 11th Green
Stars: Campbell Scott, Agnes Bruckner, George Gerdes, Leith Burke
Writer/Director: Christopher Munch
Genre: Drama
Plot: A respected journalist uncovers the truth behind the mythology of President Eisenhower's long-alleged involvement in extraterrestrial events.
What you should know: This is director Christopher Munch’s sixth feature film.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
Nobody Knows I’m Here
Stars: Jorge Garcia, Nelson Brodt, Juan Falcón, Millaray Lobos
Director: Gaspar Antillo
Genre: Drama, Music
Plot: The life of Memo Garrido, a lonely former child singer changes forever with the arrival of Marta, who forces him to face his past, giving him an opportunity for redemption.
What you should know: It’s in Spanish, and is the first Chilean original film from Netflix.
Where to stream: Netflix
Irresistible
Stars: Steve Carell, Rose Byrne, Chris Cooper, Topher Grace
Writer/Director: Jon Stewart
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Plot: A Democratic strategist helps a retired veteran run for mayor in a small, conservative Midwest town.
What you should know: Inspired in part by the 2017 speciale election for Georgia's 6th congressional district.
Where to stream: VOD
My Spy
Stars: Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Kristen Schaal
Writer: Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber
Director: Peter Segal
Genre: Action, Comedy, Family
Plot: A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family.
What you should know: The film was originally scheduled for theatrical release last summer, but a bump to Spring 2020 ended up putting in the dead zone for theatrical releases.
Where to stream: Amazon Prime
Atypical Wednesday
Stars: J. Lee, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Seth Green, Michael Ealy
Writer/Director: J. Lee
Genre: Comedy
Plot: A young man embarks on an adventure with another patient at his therapist's office, who he visits every Wednesday.
What you should know: The film held a premiere earlier this week in Hollywood, with limited attendance and several of the stars wearing matching masks on the red carpet.
Where to stream: VOD
7500
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Omid Memar, Aylin Tezel, Carlo Kitzlinger
Writer: Patrick Vollrath, Senad Halilbasic
Director: Patrick Vollrath
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Plot: When terrorists try to seize control of a Berlin-Paris flight, a soft-spoken young American co-pilot struggles to save the lives of the passengers and crew while forging a surprising connection with one of the hijackers.
What you should know: 7500 is the code sent to ATC in the event of a hijacking.
Where to stream: Amazon Prime
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What have you been watching lately, ONTD? Indies, classics, TV shows?