Tired of Summer Blockbusters? 9 Indie Movies to See Instead
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This Summer's action movies are fun and plentiful, but if you're not that into big-budget spectacle, we have your Summer movie guide right here. There are several indies coming out over the next few months that don't have a big distributor, but they do have great casts and charming-looking trailers. For a refreshing alternative to the blockbusters of Summer, here are nine smaller movies to see instead.
01
Obvious Child
- Who's starring: Jenny Slate plays a young woman who gets pregnant on the rebound.
- Why we're interested: The ultracharming trailer won us over with SNL alum Slate's charm, and we're intrigued by the way it flips the romantic comedy on its head.
- When it opens: June 6
- Watch the trailer for Obvious Child.
Source: A24
02
They Came Together
- Who's starring: Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd play love interests, while Wet Hot American Summer alums like Chris Meloni and Ken Marino costar. Plus, there's also Bill Hader and Ellie Kemper!
- Why we're interested: This comedy promises to relentlessly satire the romantic comedy, but come on, we love Rudd and Poehler so much, we'd see just about anything with them paired up.
- When it opens: June 27
- Watch the trailer for They Came Together.
03
Begin Again
- Who's starring: Keira Knightley is the ex-girlfriend of a rocker (Adam Levine), and Mark Ruffalo is the down-on-his luck record exec who wants to help her make music.
- Why we're interested: Besides Levine as a scruffy rocker, we love the idea of Knightley and Ruffalo bonding over music.
- When it opens: July 4
- Watch the trailer for Begin Again.
04
A Long Way Down
- Who's starring: Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Aaron Paul, and Imogen Poots play strangers who become friends after resolving to wait to kill themselves.
- Why we're interested: This is based on a Nick Hornby novel, and adaptations of Hornby's books tend to make excellent films (High Fidelity, About a Boy).
- When it opens: July 11
- Watch the trailer for A Long Way Down.
05
Wish I Was Here
- Who's starring: Zach Braff stars as a soul-searching dad, Kate Hudson plays his wife, and Joey King is his daughter.
- Why we're interested: We're not ashamed to say that we still love Garden State, and this is Braff's second shot as writer/director/star. Will it be the moody hipster Summer hit we hope it is?
- When it opens: July 18
- Watch the trailer for Wish I Was Here.
06
Magic in the Moonlight
- Who's starring: Emma Stone and Colin Firth are love interests, while Marcia Gay Harden and Hamish Linklater also costar.
- Why we're interested: Woody Allen's film is set in the 1920s on the French Riviera, and has Stone and Firth as romantic leads. We're in.
- When it opens: July 25
07
What If
- Who's starring: Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan are a pair of best friends whose relationship may be teetering the the direction of romance.
- Why we're interested: Zoe Kazan is like the quirky, indie-loving best friend we never had, and hello? Daniel Radcliffe. We're there.
- When it opens: Aug. 1
08
Life After Beth
- Who's starring: Aubrey Plaza plays Beth, a girl who gets turned into a zombie, and Dane DeHaan is the boy who loves her.
- Why we're interested: The movie made a buzz at Sundance in January, and we always love seeing Plaza out of her Parks and Recreation character's sneer.
- When it opens: Aug. 15
Source: A24
09
The One I Love
- Who's starring: Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss play a couple whose marriage is crumbling.
- Why we're interested: Despite the bleak premise, The One I Love is described as a comedy, and there's no way we'd miss TV stars Moss and Duplass out of their usual roles and playing a couple.
- When it opens: Aug. 15
Source: Radius-TWC