Indie Film Release Guide: April 12th [An ONTD Original]

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The biggest release of this weekend comes from A24. Alex Garland’s Civil War is A24’s biggest budget film, eclipsing last year’s Beau is Afraid, and it is seeking to make some box office dollars in a somewhat quiet movie month. Otherwise, this weekend's releases are fairly low-key, and you can read on for more information on those.

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: April 5th, March 29th, and March 22nd.

Civil War

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Stars: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Nick Offerman, Cailee Spaeny
Writer/Director: Alex Garland
Genre: Action
Plot: A journey across a dystopian future America, following a team of military-embedded journalists as they race against time to reach DC before rebel factions descend upon the White House.
What you should know: With a $50 million budget, this is A24’s most expensive film to date.
Where to watch: In theaters



Sasquatch Sunset

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Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, Christophe Zajac-Denek, Nathan Zellner
Writer: David Zellner
Director: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Plot: A year in the life of a unique family. It captures the daily life of the Sasquatch with a level of detail and rigor that is simply unforgettable.
What you should know: No dialogue is spoken by the actors - they communicate in grunts and gutteral noises.
Where to watch: In theaters

Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead

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Stars: Simone Joy Jones, Ayaamii Sledge, Carter Young, June Squibb
Writer: Chuck Hayward, Neil Landau, Tara Ison
Director: Wade Allain-Marcus
Genre: Comedy
Plot: Tanya finds her summer plans canceled when her mom jets off for a last-minute retreat and the elderly babysitter who arrives at her door unexpectedly passes away.
What you should know: Remake of the 1991 film of the same name.
Where to watch: In theaters

The Greatest Hits

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Stars: Lucy Boynton, David Corenswet, Retta, Justin H. Min
Writer/Director: Ned Benson
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Plot: A love story centering on the connection between music and memory and how they transport us, sometimes literally.
What you should know: The film premiered at SXSW 2024.
Where to watch: Hulu

Sting

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Stars: Alyla Browne, Silvia Colloca, Ryan Corr, Jermaine Fowler
Writer/Director: Kiah Roache-Turner
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Plot: After raising an unnervingly talented spider in secret, 12-year-old Charlotte must face the facts about her pet-and fight for her family's survival-when the once-charming creature rapidly transforms into a giant, flesh-eating monster.
What you should know: First film from Australian director Kiah Roache-Turner to be set in the United States.
Where to watch: In theaters

Arcadian

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Stars: Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, Sadie Soverall
Writer: Michael Nilon
Director: Benjamin Brewer
Genre: Action, Horror, Thriller
Plot: A father and his twin teenage sons fight to survive in a remote farmhouse at the end of the end of the world.
What you should know: Writer Michael Nilon is Nicolas Cage's agent, manager, and producing partner.
Where to watch: In theaters

LaRoy, Texas

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Stars: Steve Zahn, John Magaro, Dylan Baker, Galadriel Stineman
Writer/Director: Shane Atkinson
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Plot: When Ray discovers that his wife is cheating on him, he decides he's going to kill himself. His plans suddenly change when a stranger mistakes him for a low-rent hitman.
What you should know: Won several awards at the 2023 Deauville Film Festival.
Where to watch: In theaters

Damaged

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Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Vincent Cassel, Gianni Capaldi, Laura Haddock
Writer: Paul Aniello, Gianni Capaldi, Koji Steven Sakai
Director: Terry McDonough
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Plot: Dan Lawson, a Chicago detective, travels to Scotland to link up with Scottish Det. Boyd, following the resurgence of a serial killer who's crimes match an unsolved case that he looked into 5 years previous in Chicago.
What you should know:
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD

Indigo Girls: It’s Only Life After All

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Director: Alexandria Bombach
Genre: Documentary, Music
Storyline: Known for stirring harmonies and socially conscious lyrics, iconic folk rock duo Indigo Girls are the subject of this intimate and insightful documentary, which tracks their decades-long career.
What you should know: Picked up several nominations and a couple of wins on the 2023 film festival circuit.
Where to watch: In theaters

In Flames

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Stars: Ramesha Nawal, Omar Javaid, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Mohammadsamue Ali Hashmi
Writer/Director: Zarrar Kahn
Genre: Drama, Horror
Plot: After the death of the family patriarch, a mother and daughter's precarious existence is ripped apart. They must find strength in each other if they are to survive the malevolent forces that threaten to engulf them.
What you should know: Official submission of Pakistan for the Best International Feature Film category of the 96th Academy Awards in 2024.
Where to watch: In theaters

More New Releases

Sweet Dreams (Trailer) from Paramount
Omen (Trailer)
Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill (Trailer)
The Long Game (Trailer)
The Absence of Eden (Trailer)

New to Streaming

Strange Way of Life (Trailer) on Netflix
Night Swim (Trailer) on Peacock

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What have you been watching lately, ONTD? Seeing anything this weekend?