Indie Film Release Guide: April 2nd [An ONTD Original]
It’s no big mystery as to what film is gonna take the lead at the box office this week - Godzilla vs. Kong is already in theaters preparing to stomp all over the (meager) competition. This film is part of the Warner Bros deal with simultaneous theater and HBO premieres, meaning you can watch it either in theaters or at home on HBO Max, which is excellent news for those of us who still aren’t ready to head back to theaters. But what are your other viewing options for this weekend? Read on to find out.
The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Columbia/Sony and Disney. All films listed will be available at their respective sources on Friday unless otherwise noted. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have already come to VOD: March 26th, March 19, and March 12th.
Concrete Cowboy
Click to viewStars: Idris Elba, Lorraine Touissant, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome
Writer: Ricky Staub, Dan Walser
Director: Ricky Staub
Genre: Drama
Plot: A teenager discovers the world of urban horseback riding when he moves in with his estranged father in North Philadelphia.
What you should know: Filmed on location in Philadelphia, PA.
Where to stream: Netflix
Shiva Baby
Stars: Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Polly Draper, Danny Deferrari
Writer/Director: Emma Seligman
Genre: Comedy
Plot: At a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a college student runs into her sugar daddy.
What you should know: Premiered at TIFF 2020.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn
Writer/Director: Jed Rothstein
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: An account of the six-week death spiral that brought down the company's IPO, a behind-the-scenes look at WeWork's frat-boy culture.
What you should know: Premiered at SXSW 2021.
Where to stream: Hulu
Nina Wu
Stars: Ke-Xi Wu, Vivian Sung, Kimi Hsia, Li-Ang Chang
Writer: Ke-Xi Wu, Midi Z
Director: Midi Z
Genre: Drama
Plot: After toiling for years in bit-parts, aspiring actress Nina Wu finally gets her big break with a leading role in a spy thriller set in the 1960s. The part, which calls for nudity and explicit sex scenes, is made all the more challenging thanks to the director’s unending belittlements. While seemingly on the brink of professional triumph, Nina’s psychological resolve begins to crack under the pressure. As she rushes to her childhood home following a family emergency, Nina begins suffering paranoid fantasies that a mysterious woman is stalking and attacking her. As Nina clings to memories of happier times, it seems that there is one crucial memory that she is repressing…
What you should know: It’s in Mandarin
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
The Outside Story
Stars: Brian Tyree Henry, Sonequa Martin-Green, Sunita Mani, Olivia Edward
Writer/Director: Casimir Nozkowski
Genre: Drama
Plot: While on a tight deadline, an introverted editor is locked out of his apartment. In order to find his way back inside, he's forced to interact with...his neighbors.
What you should know: Made the film festival rounds in 2020-21, garnering several nominations.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
Funny Face
Stars: Cosmo Jarvis, Jonny Lee Miller, Dela Meskienyar, Dan Hedaya
Writer/Director: Tim Sutton
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Plot: Two young outcasts-turned-avengers meet in a late night bodega and form a bond that takes them on an ethereal, romantic journey of revenge through a maze-like Brooklyn in the midst of great change.
What you should know: Director Tim Sutton’s last film was 2018’s Donnybrook.
Where to stream: Available VOD
Say Your Prayers
Stars: Will Barton, Harry Melling, Tom Brooke, Roger Allam
Writer: Jamie Fraser, Harry Michell
Director: Harry Michell
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Plot: Two orphaned brothers turned radical Christian hitmen venture to rural Ilkley under the instruction of Father Enoch. Their mission: assassinate Professor John Huxley, famed atheist writer.
What you should know: Director Harry Michell is also an actor, appearing in Devils and Fate: The Winx Saga.
Where to stream: Available VOD
This is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection
Stars: Mary Twala, Jerry Mofokeng, Makhaola Ndebele, Tseko Monaheng
Writer/Director: Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
Genre: Drama
Plot: When her village is threatened with forced resettlement due to reservoir construction, an 80-year-old widow finds a new will to live and ignites the spirit of resilience within her community.
What you should know: Official submission of Lesotho for the 2021 Academy Awards Best International Feature Film; it’s in Southern Sotho.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
Malni - Towards the Ocean, Towards the Shore
Writer/Director: Sky Hopinka
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Circling the origin of the death myth from the Chinookan people in the Pacific Northwest.
What you should know: Director Sky Hopinka is a descendant of the Pechanga band of Luiseno Native Americans, and has made an interest in Indigenous languages and cultural heritage a main part of his work.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas
In Theaters
The Man Who Sold His Skin
Stars: Yahya Mahayni, Dea Liane, Koen De Bouw, Monica Bellucci
Writer/Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Genre: Drama
Plot: His own body turned into a living work of art and promptly exhibited in a museum, Sam, a Syrian refugee, will soon realize to have sold away more than just his skin.
What you should know: Nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 2021 Academy Awards .
Where to watch: In theaters
More New Releases
The Unholy (Trailer) from Sony
Godzilla vs. Kong (Trailer) from Warner Bros
Roe v. Wade (Trailer)
Every Breath You Take (Trailer)
New to Streaming
Unhinged (Trailer) on Amazon Prime
Just Say Yes (Trailer) on Netflix
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What have you been watching lately, ONTD?