Indie Film Release Guide: December 17th [An ONTD Original]
This is the second to last big release weekend of 2021, and it also has the biggest release of the year in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which is expected to dominate the box office by an enormous margin. But other studios also have films coming out this weekend, and we’ll get into those below. The next couple of weeks will be light on new releases, so I'll also be refreshing your memories on all the content that's new to streaming in the past month or so in those posts.
The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Studios, Universal, Columbia/Sony 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: December 10th, December 3rd, and November 24th.
The Lost Daughter
Click to viewStars: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris
Writer/Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Genre: Drama
Plot: A woman's beach vacation takes a dark turn when she begins to confront the troubles of her past.
What you should know: Based on the book by Elena Ferrante.
Where to watch: In theaters; on Netflix December 28th
Swan Song
Stars: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Awkwafina, Glenn Close
Writer/Director: Benjamin Cleary
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Plot: In the near future, a terminally ill man explores a heart wrenching, emotionally complex solution to save his wife and son from grief by duplicating himself without them knowing.
What you should know: All of the main cast members are also part of the MCU.
Where to watch: In theaters, and streaming on Apple TV+
Nightmare Alley
Stars: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe
Writer: Kim Morgan, Guillermo del Toro
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Plot: An ambitious carny with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychiatrist who is even more dangerous than he is.
What you should know: This is the second prominent film adaptation of the William Lindsay Gresham novel.
Where to watch: In theaters
The Tender Bar
Stars: Tye Sheridan, Ben Affleck, Daniel Ranieri, Lily Rabe
Writer: William Monahan
Director: George Clooney
Genre: Drama
Plot: A boy growing up on Long Island seeks out father figures among the patrons at his uncle's bar.
What you should know: Based on the book by J.R. Moehringer
Where to watch: In theaters; on Amazon Prime January 7th
Boxing Day
Stars: Aml Ameen, Aja Naomi King, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Tamara Lawrance
Writer: Aml Ameen, Bruce Purnell
Director: Aml Ameen
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Plot: Follows Melvin, a British author living in America, who returns home to London for Christmas to introduce his American fiancée, Lisa, to his eccentric British-Caribbean family. Their relationship is put to the test as she discovers the world her fiancée has left behind.
What you should know: Triple threat Aml Ameen also appeared in I May Destroy You.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
The Novice
Stars: Isabelle Fuhrman, Amy Forsyth, Dilone, Jonathan Cherry
Writer/Director: Lauren Hadaway
Genre: Thriller
Plot: A college freshman joins her university's rowing team and undertakes an obsessive physical and psychological journey to make it to the top varsity boat, no matter the cost.
What you should know: This is director Lauren Hadaway’s feature film directorial debut.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD
President
Director: Camilla Nielsson
Genre: Documentary
Plot: A young and charismatic leader takes on the corrupt ruling party in Zimbabwe's 2018 presidential election.
What you should know: It’s in Shona and English.
Where to watch: In theaters; on VOD February 18th
New Year
Stars: Timothy V. Murphy, Neil Jackson, Kyle Mac, Nelson Lee
Writer: Elisha Skorman, Nathan Sutton, Christian Williams
Director: Nathan Sutton
Genre: Drama
Plot: A group of friends come together for a distressing New Year's Eve celebration, full of love, lies, and unquestionable truth.
What you should know: Director Nathan Sutton has many acting credits to his name.
Where to watch: in theaters
Magrete: Queen of the North
Stars: Trine Dyrholm, Maya Ilsøe, Morton Hee Andersen, Bjørn Floberg
Writer: Jesper Fink, Maya Ilsøe, Charlotte Sieling
Director: Charlotte Sieling
Genre: Drama, Biography, History
Plot: 1402. Queen Margrete is ruling Sweden, Norway and Denmark through her adopted son, Erik. But a conspiracy is in the making and Margrete finds herself in an impossible dilemma that could shatter her life's work: the Kalmar Union.
What you should know: It’s in several different languages - Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, English, French and German.
Where to watch: In theaters
Mother/Android
Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz, Oscar Wahlberg, Raúl Castillo, Steve M. Robertson
Writer/Director: Mattson Tomlin
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Plot: In a post-apocalyptic world rocked by a violent android uprising, a young pregnant woman and her boyfriend desperately search for safety.
What you should know: Raúl Castillo is in the upcoming Cha Cha Real Smooth, premiering at Sundance 2022.
Where to watch: Hulu
More New Releases
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Trailer) from Sony/Columbia/Marvel
Minamata (Trailer)
Fortress (Trailer)
Striding into the Wind (Trailer)
Last Words (Trailer)
New to Streaming
The Hand of God (Trailer) on Netflix
Ron’s Gone Wrong (Trailer) on HBO Max
The Nowhere Inn (Trailer) on Hulu
Dead Asleep (Trailer) on Hulu
Christmas is Canceled (Trailer) on Amazon
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What have you been watching lately, ONTD?