Indie Film Release Guide: April 26th [An ONTD Original]

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The end of a sluggish April at the box office is upon us, and Zendaya looks to bring some life to the box office with Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers. The only real big studio competition comes in the form of re-releases of Alien and The Mummy, if that is any indication as to how slow the new release schedule is this year. Of course there are plenty of indies, as usual, and you can read on for more info 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 19th, April 12th, and April 5th.

Challengers

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Stars: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor, A.J. Lister
Writer: Justin Kuritzkes
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sport
Plot: Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach is married to a champion on a losing streak. Her strategy for her husband's redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against his former best friend and Tashi's former boyfriend.
What you should know: Writer Justin Kuritzkes is married to director Celine Song.
Where to watch: In theaters



Boy Kills World

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Stars: Bill Skarsgård, Famke Janssen, Jessica Rothe, Michelle Dockery
Writer: Tyler Burton Smith, Arend Remmers, Moritz Mohr
Director: Moritz Mohr
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Plot: A fever dream action film that follows Boy, a deaf person with a vibrant imagination. When his family is murdered, he is trained by a mysterious shaman to repress his childish imagination and become an instrument of death.
What you should know: Samara Weaving was cast as June 27, but stepped down as scheduling conflicts and replaced by Jessica Rothe.
Where to watch: In theaters

The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

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Stars: Joanna Arnow, Scott Cohen, Babak Tafti, Phillip Andry
Writer/Director: Joanna Arnow
Genre: Comedy
Plot: A mosaic-style comedy following the life of a woman as time passes in her long-term casual BDSM relationship, low-level corporate job, and quarrelsome Jewish family.
What you should know: Writer and director Joanna Arnow was nominated for the Golden Camera award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
Where to watch: In theaters

Break

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Stars: Jeff Kober, Patricia Belcher, Victor Rasuk, Uriah Shelton
Writer: Dikega Hadnot, Spencer Mandel, Will Wernick
Director: Will Wernick
Genre: Drama
Plot: Eli learns that his absent father was a Detroit pool hall legend. He journeys into the scene, and must confront the realities and danger of the game - and himself.
What you should know: This is the first writing credit for co-writers Dikega Hadnot and Spencer Mandel.
Where to watch: In theaters

Nowhere Special

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Stars: James Norton, Daniel Lamont, Carol Moore, Valene Kane
Writer/Director: Uberto Pasolini
Genre: Drama
Plot: When John, a thirty-five-year-old window cleaner, is given only a few months to live, he attempts to find a new, perfect family for his three-year-old son, determined to shield him from the terrible reality of the situation.
What you should know: Released in the UK in 2021.
Where to watch: In theaters

Humane

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Stars: Jay Baruchel, Emily Hampshire, Peter Gallagher, Enrico Colantoni
Writer: Michael Sparaga
Director: Caitlin Cronenberg
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Plot: In the wake of an environmental collapse that is forcing humanity to shed 20% of its population, a family dinner erupts into chaos when a father's plan to enlist in the government's new euthanasia program goes horribly awry.
What you should know: This is director Caitlin Cronenberg’s first film.
Where to watch: In theaters

Infested

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Stars: Théo Christine, Sofia Lesaffre, Jérôme Niel, Lisa Nyarko
Writer: Florent Bernard, Sébastien Vanicek
Director: Sébastien Vanicek
Genre: Horror
Plot: Residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders.
What you should know: It’s in French.
Where to watch: Shudder

Dancing Village: The Curse Begins

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Stars: Aulia Sarah, Maudy Effrosina, Jourdy Pranata, Moh.Iqbal Sulaiman
Writer: Lele Laila, SimpleMan
Director: Kimo Stamboel
Genre: Horror
Plot: The village still holds many mysteries. Piece by piece of mystery is revealed, including the terror of the most feared entity, namely, Badarawuhi.
What you should know: It’s in Indonesian.
Where to watch: In theaters

Cash Out

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Stars: John Travolta, Kristin Davis, Lukas Haas, Quavo
Writer: Dipo Oseni, Doug Richardson
Director: Ives
Genre: Action
Plot: Professional thief Mason attempts his biggest heist with his brother, robbing a bank. When it goes wrong, they're trapped inside surrounded by law enforcement. Tension rises as Mason negotiates with his ex-lover, the lead negotiator.
What you should know:
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD

Uncropped

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Director: D.W. Young
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: The stories behind iconic images of New York and celebrities, from Alfred Hitchcock to Muhammad Ali, recounted by photojournalist James Hamilton.
What you should know: Wes Anderson is an Executive Producer on this film.
Where to watch: In theaters

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Stress Positions (Trailer)

More New Releases

Alien (Trailer) Re-release from 20th Century
Breathe (Trailer) from Warner Bros
The Mummy (Trailer) Re-release from Universal
The Big Bend (Trailer)
Pratfall (Trailer)

New to Streaming

Boy in the Walls (Trailer) on Hulu
Barber (Trailer) on Hulu
City Hunter (Trailer) on Netflix
King Richard (Trailer) on Netflix

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