Indie Film Release Guide: January 14th [An ONTD Original]

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This weekend, the fifth installment of the Scream franchise will serve as the first serious competition to Spider-Man’s continued box office dominance. It’s been over 25 years since the first installment of Scream, and all the major players have returned to (presumably) fight for their lives once again. If you’re not into horror, or even theaters, there are several other options listed below - read on more for info.

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: January 7th, December 31st, and December 24th.

Belle

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Stars: Kaho Nakamura, Ryô Narita, Kylie McNeill, Manny Jacinto
Writer/Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
Plot: Suzu is a shy high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters "U", a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a globally-beloved singer.
What you should know: It will be available in both dubbed and subtitled versions.
Where to watch: In theaters



Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America

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Writer: Jeffery Robinson
Director: Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations, lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States, from slavery to the modern myth of a post-racial America.
What you should know: Won the Documentary Spotlight Audience Award at SXSW 2021.
Where to watch: In theaters

Italian Studies

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Stars: Vanessa Kirby, David Ajala, Annika Wahlsten, Lars Wahlsten
Writer/Director: Adam Leon
Genre: Drama
Plot: A writer loses her memory. Adrift in NYC, she connects with a group of teenagers - in conversations both real and imagined - and searches for a way home.
What you should know: Director Adam Leon’s last film was 2016’s Tramps.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD

Stoker Hills

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Stars: Tony Todd, Steffani Brass, David Gridley, Vince Hill-Bedford
Writer: Jonah Kuehner
Director: Benjamin Louis
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Plot: Three college students filming a horror movie find themselves trapped in their own worst nightmare. Their only hope for survival is two detectives who find the camera they left behind.
What you should know: This is the first film from director Benjamin Louis since 2004.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD

Delicious

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Stars: Grégory Gadebois, Isabelle Carré, Benjamin Lavernhe, Guillaume de Tonquédec
Writer: Éric Besnard, Nicolas Boukhrief
Director: Éric Besnard
Genre: Comedy, Drama, History
Plot: France, 1789, just before the Revolution. With the help of a surprising young woman, a chef who has been sacked by his master finds the strength to free himself from his position as a servant and opens the first restaurant.
What you should know: It’s in French.
Where to watch: In theaters

Arctic Void

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Stars: Michael Weaver, Tim Griffin, Justin Huen, Rune Temte
Writer: William Paul Jones, Darren Mann, Michael Weaver
Director: Darren Mann
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Plot: When the power mysteriously fails, and almost everyone vanishes from a small tourist vessel in the Arctic, fear becomes the master for the three who remain. Forced ashore, the men deteriorate in body and mind until a dark truth emerges that compels them to ally or perish.
What you should know: Filmed in Svalbard, Norway.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD.

The Pink Cloud

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Stars: Renata de Lélis, Eduardo Mendonça, Helena Becker, Girley Paes
Writer/Director: Iuli Gerbase
Genre: Drama
Plot: After a toxic and mysterious pink cloud appeared, Giovana finds herself stuck in a flat with a man she just met, changing her life in a way she never expected.
What you should know: It’s in Portuguese and English.
Where to watch: In theaters

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania

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Stars: Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Brian Hull, Fran Drescher
Writer: Amos Vernon, Nunzio Randazzo, Genndy Tartakovsky
Director: Derek Drymon, Jennifer Kluska
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Plot: When Van Helsing's mysterious invention, the "Monsterfication Ray", goes haywire, Drac and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny becomes a monster. In their new mismatched bodies, Drac, stripped of his powers, and an exuberant Johnny, loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it's too late, and before they drive each other crazy. With help from Mavis and the hilariously human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.
What you should know: This is a Sony property, but it’s being distributed by Amazon.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Alter Ego

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Stars: Dylan Walsh, Eric Roberts, Steve Stanulis, Deborah Twiss
Writer/Director: Ezio Massa
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Plot: This is a story of a reclusive paranoia genius author who spends a night in his isolated mansion waiting for his creation to come and destroy him.
What you should know: Picked up a bunch of awards at small film festivals in 2020.
Where to watch: In theaters

Ray Donovan: The Movie

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Stars: Liev Schreiber, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Pooch Hall
Writer: David Hollander, Liev Schreiber, Ann Biderman
Director: David Hollander
Genre: Drama
Plot: A showdown decades in the making brings the Donovan family legacy full circle as they find themselves drawn back to Boston. Struggling to overcome their violent upbringing, their fierce love for each other keeps them in the fight.
What you should know: Picks up where Season 7 of the show left off.
Where to watch: Showtime

More New Releases

Scream (Trailer) from Paramount
Borrego (Trailer) from Paramount

New to Streaming

Bergman Island (Trailer) on Hulu
I’m Your Man (Trailer) on Hulu
The Tragedy of Macbeth (Trailer) on Apple

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What have you been watching lately, ONTD?