The meaning of what constitutes an “indie film” is hotly
contested among the film community (although I think we can all agree that Transformers doesn’t qualify). I don’t
claim to be an authority on the term, but as an avid moviegoer I do find myself
often seeking out the smaller, lower-scale productions that haven’t spent 80%
of their budgets on marketing. Amidst the commercial cash cows, yuppie romcoms,
and superhero franchises that regularly hog the theaters, I urge you to
consider the bounty of relatively below-the-radar films slipping onto screens
in between their behemoth counterparts.
Read on for my picks of must-see indie releases this July!
Begin Again
Release Date: July 4
Starring: Keira
Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, James Cordon, Hailee Steinfeld, Catherine Keener, Adam
Levine, Mos Def
What’s the story? When
singer-songwriter Gretta—newly dumped by the boyfriend she moved to New York
with—sparks the interest of downtrodden record label executive Dan, the two
decide to merge talents in a new partnership, setting the stage for unique and
life-changing experiences.
My take: It’s not just the impressive names on its
marquee—including Mark Ruffalo in that signature “pitiful screw-up” role that
only he can pull off endearingly—that make this film an appealing choice at the cinema this weekend. With an addictive (in a guilty-pleasure kind of way)
soundtrack on which Keira Knightley croons some of the tunes herself, plus some quintessential
Manhattan backdrops that just scream “summer,” there’s an irresistible
feel-good aura to Begin Again. I’ve already purchased my ticket.
Boyhood
Release Date: July 11
Starring: Ellar
Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette
What’s the story? Director
Richard Linklater (of Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight fame) clouds the lines
between fiction and reality in this story documenting moments of a young boy’s
life as he goes from 5 to 18 years old over the course of the film, thus
literally coming of age both on and off-screen.
My take: It may
not have been on my radar for the whopping 12
years it took to make, but I’ve long anticipated Boyhood nonetheless. Linklater’s gift for organic storytelling, and
extracting humor as well as wisdom from the mundane is bound to reach new heights as he follows
his subject navigating the pains and pleasures of growing up. From the few
clips I was shown during a live Q&A event with Linklater himself a few
weeks ago, Boyhood promises to be an
unprecedented portrait of childhood. I’m trying not to read the rave reviews
already pouring in from those lucky pre-screeners; to say I’m looking forward
to this would be such a gross understatement, it would border on dishonesty.
Life Itself
Release Date: July 11
Starring: Roger
Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel
What’s the story? While
it’s not technically an indie, my list would be incomplete without mention of
this nonfiction documentary of one of the most iconic modern-day enthusiasts,
authorities, and educators on film.
My take: I’ve
said it before, I’ll say it again: I want to be like Roger Ebert when I grow
up. Say what you will about movie critics or the inevitable bias of documentaries,
there’s no denying that Ebert was, for many, the definitive voice of film
journalism. As someone who grew up on and was greatly influenced by the approachable
nature of his reviews, yet has little insight into his own story, it’s a particularly
personal connection that draws me to this deeper look behind the man who made
film criticism accessible while keeping it an art.
Wish I Was Here
Release Date: July 18
Starring: Zach
Braff, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin
What’s the story? When
a struggling actor, flailing family man, and all-around aimless human is forced
to home school his children, he finds his life thrown under a revelatory
magnifying glass and learns some of his own lessons along the way.
My take: Just
when I had concluded that Zach Braff peaked when he wore a garbage bag and
screamed from the top of a tractor in 2004, his newest writing/directing venture, in which he’s all grown
up as a 35-year old father of two, gives me a glimmer of hope not to dismiss
him as a has-been just yet. The film’s lighthearted yet poignant and reflective
approach to life’s crossroads shows lingering strains from Garden State, but I’m curious for Braff’s perspective now that he’s
a decade older and (presumably) wiser.
A Most Wanted Man
Release Date: July 25
Starring: Philip
Seymour Hoffman, Willem Dafoe, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright
What’s the story? The
film adaptation of spy novelist John Le Carre’s story about the murky identity
and loyalties of a Russian/Chechen immigrant in Hamburg.
My take: On a
regular basis, spy thrillers aren’t my cup of chai. But the intriguing
combination of actors here, coupled with the fact that John Le Carre is known to write a pretty captivating page-turner, and most importantly, the
sad truth that there are few more opportunities to watch Philip Seymour Hoffman
work his magic on the big screen after this…it would simply feel wrong to pass A Most Wanted Man up. If there’s anyone
who can make this genre palatable even to me, it’s Hoffman. I must pay my
respects.
Magic in the Moonlight
Release Date: July 25
Starring: Emma
Stone, Colin Firth
What’s the story? When
a questionable clairvoyant has a family of socialites under her spell, an
English magician is enlisted to investigate whether she’s bogus or bona fide.
My take: Another film
that perches precariously on the periphery of the indie category, but since you
can’t exactly call Woody Allen mainstream either, I’m leaving him here as the
final release of the month. That also works out well because I can then say
that I saved the absolute best for last. Whimsical, nostalgic, positively
brimming with Cote d’Azur charm…Magic in
the Moonlight has in spades all the ingredients that worked so well in
favor for Allen’s other films in recent years. Whether those elements can once
again create a magical story or not remains to be seen, but I’m pretty sure
that with Emma Stone and Colin Firth sharing a frame, we’re already guaranteed
an enchanting experience.
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