Are you an indie film fan? If so, you are in for a treat this July as there are whole host of great independent films that are on the horizon.
True Story
It is a mixed bag as well as we are going to be treated to drama, horror, as well as some biopic film projects - it really does look like there will be something for everyone.
We take a look at some of the indie films that will be coming our way this July and cannot be missed if you love this kind of film.
- Housebound - out now
Housebound is just one of the independent horror movies that will be coming our way this July and hit the big screen yesterday.
Housebound marks the feature film directorial debut for writer and director Gerard Johnstone. Johnstone is no stranger to the director's chair having working on TV series The Jaquie Brown Diaries, and it is great to see him making the leap into features for the first time. He has also penned the screenplay for the film, which blends elements of comedy, horror, and thriller.
Morgana O'Reilly is an actress who has started to make a name for herself in recent years, and she is set to take on the central role of Kylie Bucknell - this is the biggest film role of her career to date.
O'Reilly is joined on the cast list by Rima Te Wiata, Glen-Paul Waru, Ross Harper, and Cameron Rhodes.
Kylie Bucknell is forced to return to the house she grew up in when the court places her on home detention. Her punishment is made all the more unbearable by the fact she has to live there with her mother Miriam - a well-intentioned blabbermouth who's convinced that the house is haunted.
Kylie dismisses Miriam's superstitions as nothing more than a distraction from a life occupied by boiled vegetables & small-town gossip. However, when she too becomes privy to unsettling whispers & strange bumps in the night, she begins to wonder whether she's inherited her overactive imagination, or if the house is in fact possessed by a hostile spirit who's not particularly thrilled about her return.
Housebound has been playing well on the festival circuit over the last twelve months and the director seems to have found the perfect balance between horror and comedy.
- Love & Mercy - 10th July
One of the July movies that I am really looking forward to comes in the form of Love & Mercy, as it marks the return of John Cusack to the big screen.
Love & Mercy is a biopic movie about Beach Boys star Brian Wilson and is set during two different periods of his life - the 1960s and 1980s - and his struggle with mental illness.
Cusack and Paul Dano will both play an older and younger version of Wilson - I really am intrigued to see these two talented actors take on this interesting and complex role.
Cusack and Dano are joined on the cast list by Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti, and Jake Abel, while Bill Pohlad is in the director's chair. This only the second feature for Pohlad and comes over twenty years after he made his debut with Old Explorers in 1990.
Love & Mercy presents an unconventional portrait of Brian Wilson, the mercurial singer, songwriter and leader of The Beach Boys. Set against the era defining catalogue of Wilson's music, the film intimately examines the personal voyage and ultimate salvation of the icon whose success came at extraordinary personal cost.
The movie was met with acclaim when it was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, where it was met with critical acclaim. I really cannot wait to see what everyone was raving about - it is promising to be one of the unmissable films of the summer.
- The Choir - 10th July
I am a huge Dustin Hoffman and he has delivered some terrific performances during what has been a stellar career. He is back on the big screen this summer as he stars in new drama The Choir - which was originally called Boychoir.
However, it is not all about Hoffman as he is joined on the cast list by Kathy Bates, Eddie Izzard, Debra Winger, Josh Lucas, and Kevin McHale, while François Girard is back in the director's chair.
Girard has been behind movies such as The Red Violin and Silk under his belt and this is his first film since Silk back in 2007.
The Choir follows the inspirational story of a rebellious kid with a remarkable gift who is challenged by a demanding teacher to make the most unlikely of dreams come true.
A stellar ensemble - including Hoffman, Bates, Izzard, Winger, Lucas, and McHale - headline a cast that also introduces an exciting group of newcomers as the young singers who battle each other as they take their boychoir to the competitive heights.
The Choir looks set to be a movie that wears its heart on its sleeve and I always look forward to seeing Hoffman in action.
- The Gallows - 17th July
We have already earmarked one horror movie to watch out for this July, and The Gallows is another that looks set to be well worth a watch this summer.
The Gallows sees Travis Cluff and Chris Lofing on writing and directing duties as they team up in the director's chair for the first time. This is the feature film debut for Lofing, while Cluff is back for only the second feature of his career.
Twenty years after an accident caused the death of the lead actor during a high school play, students at the same small town school resurrect the failed stage production in a misguided attempt to honour the anniversary of the tragedy... but ultimately find out that some things are better left alone.
Cassidy Gifford leads an exciting young cast and she is joined by Ryan Shoos, Reese Mishler, and Pfeifer Brown.
The trailer really does promise that The Gallows will be a haunting and a jump out of your seat film and I am looking forward to seeing what Cluff and Lofing deliver. We haven't had too many horror movies to cheer about so far this year, but The Gallows could be one that bucks that trend.
- True Story - 24th July
We have already seen Jonah Hill and James Franco star together in comedy This Is The End and now they are set to reunite for drama True Story.
True Story is based on actual events and sees Hill and Franco take on the real life roles of reporter Michael Finkel and murderer Christian Longo.
When disgraced New York Times reporter Michael Finkel (Hill) meets accused killer Christian Longo (Franco) - who has taken on Finkel's identity - his investigation morphs into an unforgettable game of cat-and-mouse.
True Story is based on Finkel's memoir and has been adapted for the big screen by Rupert Goold and David Kajganich. The movie will mark the feature film directorial debut for Goold, who is making the leap into movies from television for the first time.
However, it is not all about Hill and Franco as the fantastic Felicity Jones is also on board. She has already enjoyed huge success this year with The Theory of Everything - which saw her pick up her first Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role as Jane Hawking - and she really is one of the most exciting actresses around.
True Story will mark the first time that Jones has teamed up with Hill or Franco and I am excited to see these three actors share the screen together.
