Indie Film Release Guide: June 24th [An ONTD Original]
There are a few new box office challengers arriving this weekend: Warner Bros is unleashing Elvis, while Universal is finally releasing The Black Phone. While it remains to be seen how audiences will receive those films, it's possible that Top Gun: Maverick could swoop in to reclaim the box office crown from Jurassic World Dominion. The indie films below probably won't make any box office waves, but they would certainly appreciate as many viewers as they can grab.
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: June 17th, June 10th, and June 3rd.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Click to viewStars: Jenny Slate, Dean Fleischer-Camp, Isabella Rossellini, Rosa Salazar
Writer: Dean Fleischer-Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Nick Paley
Director: Dean Fleischer-Camp
Genre: Comedy
Plot: Marcel is an adorable, 1-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother, Connie, and their pet lint, Alan. Once part of a sprawling community of shells, they now live alone as the sole survivors of a mysterious tragedy. However, when a documentary filmmaker discovers them, the short film he posts online brings Marcel millions of passionate fans, as well as unprecedented dangers and a new hope of finding his long-lost family.
What you should know: Based on the short films starring the same character.
Where to watch: In theaters
Beba
Writer/Director: Rebeca Huntt
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: A stunning self-portrait; tough, raw, stubborn, and powerful "Beba" stares down the curses of her ancestry, probing the psychic wounds she has inherited, while simultaneously embracing the vastness of her multitudes.
What you should know: This is Rebeca Huntt’s first feature film.
Where to watch: In theaters
Apples
Stars: Aris Servetalis, Sofia Georgovassili, Anna Kalaitzidou, Argyris Bakirtzis
Writer: Christos Nikou, Stavros Raptis
Director: Christos Nikou
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Plot: Amidst a worldwide pandemic that causes sudden amnesia, middle-aged Aris finds himself enrolled in a recovery program designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities.
What you should know: It’s in Greek.
Where to watch: In theaters
The Man From Toronto
Stars: Kaley Cuoco, Kevin Hart, Woody Harrelson, Ellen Barkin
Writer: Robbie Fox, Chris Bremner, Jason Blumenthal
Director: Patrick Hughes
Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
Plot: The world's deadliest assassin and New York's biggest screw-up are mistaken for each other at an Airbnb rental.
What you should know: Woody Harrelson stepped in for Jason Statham.
Where to watch: Netflix
Flux Gourmet
Stars: Leo Bill, Richard Bremmer, Asa Butterfield, Gwendoline Christie
Writer/Director: Peter Strickland
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Horror
Plot: Set at an institute devoted to culinary and alimentary performance, a collective finds themselves embroiled in power struggles, artistic vendettas, and gastrointestinal disorders.
What you should know: Writer/director Peter Strickland also wrote and directed 2018’s In Fabric.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD
Wildhood
Stars: Michael Greyeyes, Steve Lund, Phillip Lewitski, Joel Thomas Hynes
Writer/Director: Bretten Hannam
Genre: Drama
Plot: Two brothers embark on a journey to find their birth mother after their abusive father had lied for years about her whereabouts; along the way, they reconnect with their indigenous heritage and make a new friend.
What you should know: Won several awards on the 2021-2022 film festival circuit.
Where to watch: Hulu
Press Play
Stars: Lewis Pullman, Clara Rugaard, Christina Chang, Danny Glover
Writer: Greg Björkman, James Bachelor
Director: Greg Björkman
Genre: Music
Plot: A young woman has a chance to save the love of her life, when she discovers that the mix-tape they made together can transport her back in time.
What you should know: This is writer and director Greg Björkman’s first feature film.
Where to watch: In theaters
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes
Director: James Jones
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Newly-discovered archive footage and witness accounts to lay bare the tragedy and heroic efforts made to prevent another explosion.
What you should know: Director James Jones has been directing documentaries for the past years.
Where to watch: HBO Max
Murder at Yellowstone City
Stars: Gabriel Byrne, Isaiah Mustafa, Thomas Jane, Anna Camp
Writer: Eric Belgau
Director: Richard Gray
Genre: Western
Plot: A former slave arrives in Yellowstone City, Montana, a desolate former boomtown now on the decline, looking for a place to call home. On that same day, a local prospector discovers gold - and is murdered.
What you should know: Shot on location in Montana.
Where to watch: In theaters
Cryo
Stars: Jyllian Petrie, Emily Marie Palmer, Mason D. Davis, Curt Doussett
Writer: Barrett Burgin, Mason D. Davis
Director: Barrett Burgin
Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Plot: In an underground facility, five scientists wake from cryosleep with no memory of who they are or how long they've been asleep. They soon make a shocking realization: a killer is hunting them down there, and may even be hiding among them.
What you should know: This is writer and director Barrett Burgin’s first feature film.
Where to watch: In theaters
More New Releases
The Black Phone (Trailer) from Universal
Elvis (Trailer) from Warner Bros
Olga (Trailer)
The Human Trial (Trailer)
Mad God (Trailer), also on Shudder
New to Streaming
Beavis and Butthead Do the Universe (Trailer) on Paramount+
Rise (Trailer) on Disney+
Trevor: The Musical (Trailer) on Disney+
Menudo: Forever Young (Trailer) on HBO Max
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What have you been watching lately? Seeing anything this weekend?