Indie Film Release Guide: January 10th [An ONTD Original]
This is the first full slate of new releases in weeks, and it’s… well, it’s new movies, and isn’t that more important than "quality"? Big studio films making their wide release debut this weekend are Paramount’s Like a Boss and Underwater from 20th Century Fox. Meanwhile, both 1917 and Just Mercy expand to wide release after opening in limited release on Christmas Day.
The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, 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 3rd, December 27th, and December 20th.
Les Misérables
Click to viewStars: Damien Bonnard, Alexis Manenti, Djibril Zonga, Issa Perica
Writer: Ladj Ly, Giordano Gederlini, Alexis Manenti
Director: Ladj Ly
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Plot: A cop of provinces moves Paris to join the Anti-Crime Brigade of Montfermeil, discovering an underworld where the tensions between the different groups mark the rhythm.
What you should know: This is France’s submission for Best International Film at this year’s Oscars, beating out Portrait of a Lady on Fire for the honor.
Opens in: Select cities
Three Christs
Stars: Richard Gere, Peter Dinklage, Walton Goggins, Bradley Whitford
Writer: Eric Nazarian, Jon Avnet
Director: Jon Avnet
Genre: Drama
Plot: Dr. Alan Stone is treating three paranoid schizophrenic patients at the Ypsilanti State Hospital in Michigan, each of whom believed they were Jesus Christ. What transpires is both comic and deeply moving.
What you should know: Based on the book The Three Christs of Ypsilanti by Milton Rokeach.
Opens in: Select cities
The Sonata
Stars: Freya Tingley, Simon Abkarian, James Faulkner, Rutger Hauer
Writer: Andrew Desmond, Arthur Morin
Director: Andrew Desmond
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Plot: A young violinist unravels her long lost father's past, triggering dark forces that reach beyond her imagination.
What you should know: Shot almost entirely in a palace in Latvia.
Opens in: Select cities
VHYes
Stars: Kerri Kenney, Thomas Lennon, Mark Proksch, Courtney Pauroso
Writer: Nate Gold, Nunzio Randazzo, Jack Henry Robbins
Director: Jack Henry Robbins
Genre: Comedy
Plot: This bizarre retro comedy, shot entirely on VHS and Beta, follows 12-year-old Ralph as he accidentally records home videos and his favorite late night shows over his parents' wedding tape.
What you should know: The film was shot entirely on VHS and Betacam
Opens in: Select cities
Inherit The Viper
Stars: Josh Hartnett, Bruce Dern, Margarita Levieva, Owen Teague
Writer: Andrew Crabtree
Director: Anthony Jerjen
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Plot: For siblings Kip and Josie, dealing opioids isn’t just their family business-it’s their only means of survival. When a deal goes fatally wrong, Kip decides he wants out. But Kip’s attempt to escape his family’s legacy ignites a powder keg of violence and betrayal, imperiling Kip, Josie, and their younger brother, Boots.
What you should know: This is director Andrew Jerjen’s first feature film.
Opens in: Select cities and available on demand
Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike DeGruy
Director: Mimi Armstrong DeGruy
Genre: Documentary
Plot: When ocean explorer and filmmaker Mike deGruy dies unexpectedly in an accident, his wife returns to the edit room to make a film.
What you should know: Opened the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2019.
Opens in: Select cities; check film’s website for more info https://divingdeepmovie.com
At The Video Store
Director: James Westby
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: An ode to the death (and life!) of the American Video Store that is equal parts personal essay, intense rumination, and playful satire.
What you should know: Appearances from Bill Hader, Nicole Holofcener, Gus van Zant, and many more.
Opens in: Select cities, starting tonight in Austin; check film site for more info https://www.atthevideostoremovie.com
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes
Director: Alison Reid
Genre: Documentary
Plot: A profile of giraffe researcher Anne Dagg who, in 1956, became one of the first people to ever observe and report on animal behaviour.
What you should know: Director Alison Reid has done stunt work on over 250 productions.
Opens in: NYC & Tallahassee
The Corrupted
Stars: Sam Claflin, Timothy Spall, Hugh Bonneville, Noel Clarke
Writer: Nick Moorcroft
Director: Ron Scalpello
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Plot: Stratford was home to the Olympic Games; decorated in the notion of legacy. But there's little hope to be found for the recently released Liam McDonagh; a talented boxer put away for armed robbery, who wants nothing more than a peaceful life, and to reconnect with his young son Archie. But his brother Sean is in deep, caught up in property developer Clifford Cullen's violent, unforgiving circle, with no route out.
Opens in: Select cities
Advocate
Director: Philippe Bellaiche, Rachel Leah Jones
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: A look at the life and work of Jewish-Israeli lawyer Lea Tsemel who has represented political prisoners for nearly 50 years.
Opens in: Select cities
Also opening: Afterward (Trailer), The Dawn (Trailer), Reality Queen (Trailer), Chhapaak (Trailer), Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (Trailer), The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson (Trailer)
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What have you been watching lately, ONTD? Seeing anything this weekend?