Indie Film Release Guide: July 19th [An ONTD Original]
On this weekend one year ago, the cinematic event known as Barbenheimer flooded movie theaters nationwide, prompting endless photos, tweets and memes about watching both Barbie and Oppenheimer in theaters. Both films went on to make boatloads of money and win Oscars. This weekend… twins!! We’ve got twins!! Twisters, an extremely belated follow-up to the 1996 action film, opens opposite basically nothing. Of course, there are plenty of releases from the last few weeks still in theaters, but read on for more options.
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: July 12th, July 5th, and June 28th.
Widow Cliquot
Click to viewStars: Haley Bennett, Leo Suter, Natasha O’Keefe, Tom Sturridge
Writer: Erin Dignam, Christopher Monger, Tilar J. Mazzeo
Director: Thomas Napper
Genre: Drama
Plot: The story behind the Veuve Clicquot champagne family and business that began in the late 18th century.
What you should know: Filmed in France.
Where to watch: In theaters
My Spy: The Eternal City
Stars: Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Kristen Schaal, Flula Borg
Writer: Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber, Peter Segal
Director: Peter Segal
Genre: Action, Comedy
Plot: JJ, a veteran CIA agent, reunites with his protégé Sophie, in order to prevent a catastrophic nuclear scheme aimed at the Vatican, which disrupts a high school choir trip to Italy.
What you should know: Sequel to 2020’s My Spy.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Before Dawn
Stars: Travis Jeffrey, Levi Miller, Ed Oxenbould, Stephen Peacocke
Writer: Jordon Prince-Wright, Jarrad Russell
Director: Jordon Prince-Wright
Genre: Drama, History, War
Plot: The journey of fictional WA outback kid Jim Collins and his battalion on the Western Front.
What you should know: Filmed in Western Australia.
Where to watch: In theaters, and available VOD
Crossing
Stars: Mzia Arabuli, Lucas Kankava, Deniz Dumanli, Nino Karchava
Writer/Director: Levan Akin
Genre: Drama
Plot: Lia, a retired teacher, has promised to find her long-lost niece, Tekla. Her search takes her to Istanbul where she meets Evrim, a lawyer fighting for trans rights, and Tekla starts to feel closer than ever.
What you should know: It’s in Georgian, Turkish and English.
Where to watch: In theaters
Oddity
Stars: Carolyn Bracken, Gwilym Lee, Tadhg Murphy, Caroline Menton
Writer/Director: Damian McCarthy
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Plot: Following the savage murder of her twin sister, Darcy seeks vengeance by harnessing the power of haunted artifacts against those accountable.
What you should know: Won the Midnight Audience Award at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival.
Where to watch: In theaters
Find Me Falling
Stars: Harry Connick, Jr., Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney, Tony Demetriou
Writer/Director: Stelana Kliris
Genre: Comedy, Music, Romance
Plot: After a failed comeback album, rock star John Allman escapes to a dreamy Mediterranean island, only to discover that his new cliffside home has an unfortunate notoriety that attracts unwanted visitors and an old flame.
What you should know: Formerly titled The Islander.
Where to watch: Netflix
Join or Die
Writer/Director: Pete Davis, Rebecca Davis
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Centers on America's civic unraveling through the journey of scientist Robert Putnam, whose research on the decline in American community lights a path out of our democracy's present crisis.
What you should know: Premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival.
Where to watch: In theaters
Crumb Catcher
Stars: Rigo Garay, Ella Rae Peck, John Speredakos, Lorraine Farris
Writer: Chris Skotchdopole, Larry Fessenden, Rigo Garay
Director: Chris Skotchdopole
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Plot: A newlywed couple is held captive in a remote lake house by a maniacally optimistic inventor and his sour wife who are desperate to finance his dream project with a half-baked blackmail plot.
What you should know: Won a couple of awards at the 2023 Brooklyn Horror Festival.
Where to watch: In theaters
Hollywoodgate
Writer: Shane Boris, Talal Derki, Ibrahim Nash'at
Director: Ibrahim Nash'at
Genre: Documentary
Storyline: Immediately after the US pullout from Afghanistan, Taliban forces occupied the Hollywood Gate complex, which is claimed to be a former CIA base in Kabul.
What you should know: Nominated for awards at several film festivals, including Venice.
Where to watch: In theaters
Great Absence
Stars: Mirai Moriyama, Tatsuya Fuji, Yôko Maki, Hideko Hara
Writer: Kei Chika-ura, Keita Kumano
Director: Kei Chika-ura
Genre: Drama
Plot: Distanced from his father Yohji for twenty years, Takashi is brought back home by a jarring police call-Yohji has disconnected from reality due to dementia, and his second wife Naomi is missing.
What you should know: It’s in Japanese
Where to watch: In theaters
More New Releases
Twisters (Trailer)
Clear Cut (Trailer)
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What have you been watching lately, ONTD? Seeing anything this weekend? Back to our regularly timed post schedule next week!