Indie Film Release Guide: January 20th [An ONTD Original]
Avatar: The Way of Water has had essentially no major studio competition since its release, and this weekend does not bring about any change in that regard. The Screen Gems Searching sequel, Missing, is the biggest release of the weekend. Aside from that, there are several indies, and also a few films that are expanding to more theaters - Women Talking, The Son, and Alice Darling.
The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Five” - Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Walt Disney Pictures, and Columbia Pictures.. 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 13th, January 6th, and December 23rd.
Missing
Click to viewStars: Storm Reid, Nia Long, Ken Leung, Tim Griffin
Writer: Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick, Sev Ohanian
Director: Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Plot: After her mother goes missing, a young woman tries to find her from home, using tools available to her online.
What you should know: Sequel to 2018’s Searching.
Where to watch: In theaters
When You Finish Saving the World
Stars: Julianne Moore, Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, Alisha Boe
Writer/Director: Jesse Eisenberg
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Plot: Evelyn and her oblivious son Ziggy seek out replacements for each other as Evelyn desperately tries to parent an unassuming teenager at her shelter, while Ziggy fumbles through his pursuit of a brilliant young woman at school.
What you should know: This is director Jesse Eisenberg’s debut feature directorial effort.
Where to watch: In theaters
Alone at Night
Stars: Ashley Benson, Jake Weary, Luis Guzmán, Pamela Anderson
Writer: Diomedes Raul Bermudez, Jimmy Giannopoulos
Director: Jimmy Giannopoulos
Genre: Horror
Plot: Quarantine leads to a night of terror.
What you should know: Director Jimmy Giannopoulos’ last film was 2021’s The Birthday Cake.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD
Blaze
Stars: Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Josh Lawson, Yael Stone
Writer: Huna Amweero, Del Kathryn Barton
Director: Del Kathryn Barton
Genre: Animation, Crime, Drama
Plot: After accidentally witnessing a violent crime, a young girl is left catatonic with shock, and struggles to make sense of what she saw, ultimately finding renewal in the inestimable world of her own imagination.
What you should know: This is director Del Kathryn Barton’s feature directorial debut.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD
After Love
Stars: Joanna Scanlan, Nathalie Richard, Talid Ariss, Nasser Memarzia
Writer/Director: Aleem Khan
Genre: Drama
Plot: Set in the port town of Dover, Mary Hussain suddenly finds herself a widow following the unexpected death of her husband. A day after the burial, she discovers he has a secret just twenty-one miles across the English Channel in Calais.
What you should know: Dated 2020, this film was released in the UK over a year ago.
Where to watch: In theaters
Kids vs. Aliens
Stars: Dominic Mariche, Phoebe Rex, Calem MacDonald, Asher Grayson Percival
Writer: John Davies, Jason Eisener
Director: Jason Eisener
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi
Plot: An all-time rager of a teen house party turns to terror when aliens attack, forcing two warring siblings to band together to survive the night.
What you should know: Based on the short, titled "Slumber Party Alien Abduction" from found footage horror anthology sequel V/H/S/2.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD.
In From the Side
Stars: Alexander Lincoln, Alexander King, William Hearle, Alex Hammond
Writer: Matt Carter, Adam Silver
Director: Matt Carter
Genre: Drama, Sport, LBGT
Plot: Following a drunken encounter, two equally attached men from a cash strapped and divided gay rugby club unwittingly sleepwalk into an adulterous affair but must conceal their growing feelings or risk destroying the club they love.
What you should know: Won a couple of awards at San Diego’s 2022 FilmOut Festival.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD
Out of Exile
Stars: Ryan Merriman, Peter Greene, Hayley McFarland, Jake Roberts
Writer/Director: Kyle Kauwika Harris
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Plot: After a botched armored car robbery, a recently paroled thief tries to balance his life and mend a troubled family as a determined FBI agent hunts down him and his crew.
What you should know: Director Kyle Kauwika Harris also directed the 2017 documentary I Stand: The Guardians of the Water about the Standing Rock Sioux Nation opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Where to watch: Available VOD
New Gods: Yang Jian
Stars: Su Ling Chan, David Chen, Alex Hom, Jason Ko
Writer: Muchuan
Director: Ji Zhao
Genre: Animation, Action, Fantasy
Plot: Fifteen hundred years after the war of gods, the heaven declined. Yang Jian, the God of Erlang, made a living by working as a catcher. One day, Yang Jian was ordered to hunt down a young man, his own nephew.
What you should know: This is the latest entry in the New Gods universe from Light Chaser Animation.
Where to watch: In theaters
Jung_E
Stars: Kim Hyun-joo, Ryu Kyung-Soo, Kang Soo-yeon, Park So-yi
Writer/Director: Yeon Sang-ho
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Plot: On an uninhabitable 22nd-century Earth, the outcome of a civil war hinges on cloning the brain of an elite soldier to create a robot mercenary.
What you should know: Director Yeon Sang-ho also directed 2016’s Train to Busan.
Where to watch: Netflix
More New Releases
Detective Knight: Independence (Trailer)
Expanding
Women Talking (Trailer)
Alice Darling (Trailer)
The Son (Trailer)
New to Streaming
One Way (Trailer) on Hulu
Vengeance (Trailer) on Amazon
Men (Trailer) on Showtime
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What have you been watching lately, ONTD? Seeing anything this weekend?