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

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After two packed weekends of releases, this weekend’s schedule is a little lighter, but still full of fare you can watch from your couch. Since there aren’t that many new releases, the post includes ones that are currently in theaters only, but they are clearly marked as such. And good news - if A24's Minari screening schedule was too rigid for you, the film is available VOD starting Friday.

The films listed are from studios other than the “Big Six” - Paramount, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Columbia/Sony and Disney. All films listed will be available at their respective sources on Friday unless otherwise noted. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have already come to VOD: February 19th, February 12th, and February 5th.

The United States vs. Billie Holiday

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Stars: Andra Day, Trevante Rhodes, Garrett Hedlund, Miss Lawrence
Writer: Suzan-Lori Parks
Director: Lee Daniels
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music
Plot: The Federal Bureau of Narcotics launches an undercover sting operation against jazz singer Billie Holiday.
What you should know: Based on the book Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari.
Where to stream: Hulu



Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry

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Director: R.J. Cutler
Genre: Documentary, Biography, Music
Storyline: An intimate look at the singer-songwriter's journey, navigating life on the road, on stage, and at home, while creating her debut album.
What you should know: Director R.J. Cutler previously directed documentaries about John Belushi and Dick Cheney.
Where to stream: In theaters, and on Apple TV+

Night of the Kings

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Stars: Bakary Koné, Steve Tientcheu, Jean Cyrille Digbeu, Rasmané Ouédraogo
Writer/Director: Philippe Lacôte
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Plot: A young man is sent to "La Maca", a prison of Ivory Coast in the middle of the forest ruled by its prisoners. With the red moon rising, he is designated by the Boss to be the new "Roman" and must tell a story to the other prisoners.
What you should know: It’s in French and Dyula, and is the submission of the Ivory Coast to the Best International Feature Film category for the 2021 Oscars.
Where to watch: Select theaters and virtual cinemas

A Dramatic Film

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Director: Eric Baudelaire
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: A collective project with students at a junior high school in a Paris suburb, about friendship, emancipation, trust, and the act of filmmaking for a generation raised by selfies and YouTube.
What you should know: It’s in French and Romanian.
Where to stream: Virtual cinemas

The Dark and the Wicked

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Stars: Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., Julie Oliver-Touchstone, Lynn Andrews
Writer/Director: Bryan Bertino
Genre: Horror
Plot: On a secluded farm in a nondescript rural town, a man is slowly dying. His family gathers to mourn, and soon a darkness grows, marked by waking nightmares and a growing sense that something evil is taking over the family.
What you should know: Filmed at the director’s family farm.
Where to stream: Shudder

The Vigil

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Stars: Dave Davis, Menashe Lustig, Malky Goldman, Lynn Cohen
Writer/Director: Keith Thomas
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Plot: A man providing overnight watch to a deceased member of his former Orthodox Jewish community finds himself opposite a malevolent entity.
What you should know: This is writer/director Keith Thomas’ feature film debut.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD

Tyger Tyger

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Stars: Sam Quartin, Dylan Sprouse, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Craig Stark
Writer/Director: Kerry Mondragon
Genre: Western
Plot: After robbing a pharmacy, a selfless woman and her mute friend kidnap a drug addict then hit the road to distribute the stolen "life saving" medication, but find themselves trapped in the fringe lands of a law-less and psychedelic city.
What you should know: The film was shot during the pandemic.
Where to stream: Available VOD

In Theaters Only

The Father

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Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Olivia Williams
Writer: Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller
Director: Florian Zeller
Genre: Drama
Plot: A man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.
What you should know: Writer/director Florian Zeller adapted his own play.
Where to stream: In theaters

Cherry

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Stars: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, Jack Reynor, Michael Rispoli
Writer: Angela Russo-Otstot, Jessica Goldberg
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Genre: Crime, Drama
Plot: An Army medic suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder becomes a serial bank robber after an addiction to drugs puts him in debt.
What you should know: Based on the novel by Nico Walker.
Where to stream: In theaters; will be on Apple TV+ on March 12

Crisis

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Stars: Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, Evangeline Lilly, Greg Kinnear
Writer/Director: Nicholas Jarecki
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Plot: An intense thriller set against the backdrop of the opioid epidemic, Crisis features three interwoven stories that highlight the greed, violence and tragedy of the drug war. A drug trafficker arranges a multi-cartel Fentanyl smuggling operation, an architect recovering from an oxycodone addiction tracks down the truth behind her son’s disappearance and a university professor battles unexpected revelations about his employer, a pharmaceutical giant bringing a new “non-addictive” painkiller to market.
What you should know: This is writer/director Nicholas Jarecki’s first film since 2012’s Arbitrage.
Where to stream: In theaters, with a VOD release on March 5th.

New to Digital

Minari (Trailer) available VOD
Tom and Jerry (Trailer) on HBO Max
Caught By a Wave (Trailer) on Netflix
Lupe (Trailer) on HBO Max

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What have you been watching lately, ONTD?