Indie Film Release Guide: July 23rd [An ONTD Original]

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This weekend sees newcomers Snake Eyes and Old square off against last week's top box office draws Space Jam: A New Legacy and Black Widow. These releases come alongside a bunch of new releases from smaller studios & films going directly to streaming, so you should have plenty of options for your viewing pleasure.

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: July 16th, July 9th, and July 2nd.

The Last Letter From Your Lover

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Stars: Shailene Woodley, Felicity Jones, Emma Appleton, Joe Alwyn
Writer: Nick Payne, Esta Spaulding
Director: Augustine Frizzell
Genre: Drama, Romance
Plot: A pair of interwoven stories set in the past and present follow an ambitious journalist determined to solve the mystery of a forbidden love affair at the center of a trove of secret love letters from 1965.
What you should know: Based on the book by Jojo Moyes.
Where to watch: Netflix



Ailey

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Director: Jamila Wignot
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: An immersive portrait of dance pioneer Alvin Ailey, told through his own words and a new dance inspired by his life.
What you should know: Nominated for the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2021.
Where to watch: In select theaters, expanding 8/6

Settlers

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Stars: Sofia Boutella, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Brooklyn Prince, Jonny Lee Miller
Writer/Director: Wyatt Rockefeller
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Plot: Mankind's earliest settlers on the Martian frontier do what they must to survive the cosmic elements and each other.
What you should know: Filmed in South Africa.
Where to watch: In select theaters, and available VOD

Val

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Director: Ting Poo, Leo Scott
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Documentary centering on the daily life of actor Val Kilmer featuring never-before-seen footage spanning 40 years.
What you should know: Nominee for the Golden Eye Award at Cannes 2021.
Where to watch: In theaters; on Amazon Prime 8/6

Mandibles

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Stars: Grégoire Ludig, David Marsais, Adèle Exarchopoulos, India Hair
Writer/Director: Quentin Dupieux
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Plot: When simple-minded friends Jean-Gab and Manu find a giant fly trapped in the boot of a car, they decide to train it in the hope of making a ton of cash.
What you should know: It’s in French.
Where to watch: In select theaters

Charlatan

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Stars: Ivan Trojan, Joseph Trojan, Juraj Loj, Jaroslava Pokorná
Writer: Marek Epstein, Martin Suic, Jaroslav Sedlácek
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Genre: Drama, History
Plot: The breathtaking story of a man gifted with exceptional abilities set against the background of the events of the totalitarian fifties.
What you should know: It’s in Czech and German.
Where to watch: Select theaters, virtual cinemas

Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters

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Director: Tom Hurwitz, Rosalynde LeBlanc
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Illustrates the creative process that culminated in choreographer-dancer-director Bill T. Jones’s tour de force ballet D-Man in the Waters, one of the most important works of art to come out of the AIDS crisis. As a group of young dancers in the present re-interpret the work, they deepen their understanding of its power - exploring what is at stake in their own personal lives in order to commit and perform it successfully. Through an extraordinary collage of interviews, archival material, and uniquely powerful cinematography, this lyrical documentary uses the story of this iconic dance to illustrate the power of art and the triumph of the human spirit.
What you should know: This is co-director Rosalynde LeBlanc’s first documentary film, and the first directorial effort for Tom Hurwitz since 2006.
Where to watch: In select theaters and virtual cinemas

Jolt

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Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Stanley Tucci, Jai Courtney, Bobby Cannavale
Writer: Scott Wascha
Director: Tanya Wexler
Genre: Action, Comedy
Plot: A bouncer with a slightly murderous anger-management problem that she controls with the help of an electrode-lined vest she uses to shock herself back to normalcy whenever she gets homicidal. After the first guy she's ever fallen for is murdered, she goes on a revenge-fueled rampage to find the killer while the cops pursue her as their chief suspect.
What you should know: Tanya Wexler last directed the 2019 film Buffaloed.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime

Midnight in the Switchgrass

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Stars: Emile Hirsch, Megan Fox, Bruce Wills, Lukas Haas
Writer: Alan Horsnail
Director: Randall Emmett
Genre: Thriller
Plot: An FBI agent and Florida State officer team up to investigate a string of unsolved murder cases.
What you should know: This is Randall Emmett’s directorial debut.
Where to watch: In select theaters

Joe Bell

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Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Connie Britton, Gary Sinise, Reid Miller
Writer: Diana Ossana, Larry McMurtry
Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Genre: Biography. Drama
Plot: The true story of a small town, working class father who embarks on a solo walk across the U.S. to crusade against bullying after his son is tormented in high school for being gay.
What you should know: This is writer Larry McMurtry’s final produced screenplay.
Where to watch: In theaters

Also Opening

Snake Eyes (Trailer)
Old (Trailer)
How It Ends (Trailer)
Bo Burnham: Inside (Trailer)

New on Streaming

Freaky (Trailer) on HBO (7/24)
Playing With Sharks (Trailer) on Disney+

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What have you been watching lately, ONTD?