“The East,” starring Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgard and Jason Ritter, is a crime thriller about eco-terrorism that opens in theaters on May 31. (Courtesy of collider.com)
Sure, the summer movie season is traditionally reserved for big budget action picks with a broad appeal but the hot summer months have also been known to deliver some charming indie flicks as well.
This summer is no different.
Last year we saw the likes of “Safety Not Guaranteed,” “People Like Us,” and Oscar-darling “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” here are ten movies that may be flying under the radar but are certainly worth a watch:
“Frances Ha” (May 17) – Greta Gerwig continues her career path as indie film’s quirky darling with the monochromatic, but equally charming “Frances Ha.” Gerwig plays title character, a Manhattan modern dancer who is doing her best to become an adult and survive in the concrete jungle that is New York.
“Before Midnight” (May 24) – “Before Midnight” made waves at Sundance as the third film in the “Before” three-quel that follows Ethan Hawke’s Jesse and Julie Delpy’s Celine as the two explore romance in an intimate, very dialogue heavy way. The franchise’s previous two movies “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset” have a cult following and are known for their cuttingly sharp scripts.
“The East” (May 31) Ellen Page returns to the big screen in “The East,” a crime thriller that follows an eco-terrorist collective through the eyes of corporate spy Sarah, played by Brit Marling. In this slicky directed picture, Marling finds herself morally and physically challenged as the inner-working of one of America’s most sought after, and secret, groups come forth.
“I’m So Excited” (June 28) – Pedro Almodovar, who got seriously dark in his last project “The Skin I Live In,” takes a lighter turn in his career with the Spanish language comedy “I’m So Excited.” The film follows the passengers and crew of a plain that is stuck on the runway and seemingly never taking flight. A clip from the film that showed an impromptu rendition of the Pointer Sister’s “I’m So Excited” went viral earlier this year.
“The Way, Way Back” (July 5) – With a cast that includes the comedic talents of Allison Janney, Steve Carell and Toni Collette, “The Way Way Back” is easily this summer’s strongest, and potentially best comedic offering. The film follows adolescent Duncan as he travels to his mother’s boyfriend’s summer home in Massachusetts. Duncan, and the rest of the film’s younger characters, has to deal with ever-present bad parents that are too concerned with getting drunk to pay attention to their children’s lives. With a screenplay from Oscar winners Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, “The Way Way Back” is a solidified summer classic.
“Fruitvale Station” (July 26) – Another Sundance standout, “Fruitvale Station” tells the tragic and true story of Oscar Grant, an Oakland, Calif., man who was shot and killed outside of a public transportation station while waiting for a train. Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Grant is garnering much critical praise as well as the performance from Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer.
“Girl Most Likely” (July 19) – It was just two years ago that Kristen Wiig became a box-office superstar with her breakout hit “Bridesmaids.” In “Girl Most Likely,” Wiig plays a down-on-her-luck Imogene who has to move back home when her career turns sour. Annette Bening plays Wiig’s loopy mother who lets Darren Criss’ Lee rent out a room in her home. The packed house narrative follows Imogene as she reclaims her life and finds balance once again.
“The Spectacular Now” (Aug. 2) – Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley lead this Sundance-acclaimed dramady that tells the story of a an out-of-control high schooler whose life takes a new direction when he meets Woodley’s Aimee Finicky. The film picked up the Special Jury Prize at Sundance and Teller was singled out for his career affirming performance.
“The Bling Ring” (June 14) – Ripped from the headlines, “The Bling Ring” tells the story of a group of twenty-somethings who find themselves in trouble with the law after managing to pull off a string of jewelry heists from various celebrity homes like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. Emma Watson steps out of her “Harry Potter” shell under the direction of Sofia Coppola as well.
“Much Ado About Nothing” (June 7) – What happens when “The Avengers” director Joss Whedon gathers a close group of his friends at his Hollywood home for two weeks to shoot a film? “Much Ado about Nothing,” of course. Whedon tries, and succeeds, to make Shakespeare relevant once again with his black-and-white version of the bard’s most famous works. Amy Acker, Nathan Fillion and Clark Gregg all deliver stellar performances.
