Independent - Movies

Going All the Way (The Director's Edit)

Independent

Mark Pellington's adaptation of Dan Wakefield's seminal novel about a young man coming of age in the 1950s is a timeless story of freedom and repression, friendship and family, sex and love, and the psychological and spiritual struggle to be true to one’s self even if it means going against society’s expectations. In his debut as a feature filmmaker, Pellington constructs an elegant and morally complex tale about two young high school alumni and Korean war veterans returning to their sheltered Indianapolis community, only to find they no longer fit in. As classmates, shy, artistic Sonny (distinctly portrayed by Jeremy Davies) and charming, popular Gunner (Ben Affleck in his first lead role) had nothing to do with one another, but now, in the stifling climate of Eisenhower America, where prejudice and paranoia rule the day, the two young men find in each other the strength to change their lives and futures. Each must choose between the suffocating, but familiar comforts offered to them by their mothers (Jill Clayburgh, Lesley Ann Warren) and their old flames and friends (Amy Locane, Nick Offerman), or the exciting, but uncertain futures represented by a pair of enthralling new romantic prospects (Rachel Weisz, Rose McGowan). Theirs is an emotionally fraught journey—especially for Sonny, who struggles with self-doubt and thoughts of suicide—but one leavened by moments of humor, uplift, and self-discovery. Originally released in 1997, the newly re-edited and restored version of Going All The Way completely upends the original cut, hews closer to the source novel, and cements the film as one of the most aesthetically fresh and thematically fascinating films of the 90s, as well as a testament to the ever-evolving possibilities of cinematic rediscovery.

Cry

Independent

Who do you love? How will you die? Neighbors Cable Malone and Carson Johnson could not be more different, but both meet their daily lives with dread. Carson, a quiet, bullied teen keeping another boy's dark secret, drags himself to school where he knows he will fumble his relationship with his girlfriend and receive new bruises and taunts at the hands of his classmates. Cable, a gruff old man, spends his days waiting to die in the company of his ancient dog, Beau and mourning the loss of the wife. When Carson attempts a small gesture of kindness towards Cable the results end in tragedy, sending Cable into a darker, lonelier state and compounding Carson's feelings of powerlessness. But then, somehow, the old man and the teenage boy form a friendship that saves them both.

Quiet Riot: Well Now You're Here, There's No Way Back

Independent

"Real-life Spinal Tap" says Rolling Stone magazine. A funny and inspiring chronicle of the rise, fall, and resurrection of '80s metal band Quiet Riot, "Well Now You're Here, There's No Way Back" also offers an unlikely and surprisingly personal account of coping with the loss of a friend. The career of Frankie Banali, the drummer of Quiet Riot, reached a serious crossroads when Kevin DuBrow -- the band's singer and Banali's best friend -- died in 2007. Years later, in 2010, Banali realizes he must forge ahead and make a new life for himself and his daughter, and decides to reunite the band and try filling the immense void left by Kevin. Focusing on a man whose ambition, adaptability, principle, and relentless determination help him navigate successfully through a series of daunting obstacles, the alternately tragic and hilarious “Quiet Riot: Well Now You're Here, There's No Way Back" proves far more compelling than just another story of getting the band back together.

The Iron Orchard

Independent

THE IRON ORCHARD is the story of Jim McNeely (Lane Garrison), a young man thrust into the vibrant and brutal West Texas oilfields in 1939. In a state gushing with oil and filled with ambition, McNeely settles into a small-town community that is slowly overcoming the trauma of the Great Depression. The formidable path before him is riddled with obstacles – overbearing bosses who try to keep him down, powerful oilmen who are reluctant to invest in a fresh face, and women who see salvation in his charms – but he finds a glimmer of hope with his first loves: new wife Lee Montgomery (Ali Cobrin) and drilling for oil. With everything falling into place to ascend to the top of the oil chain, McNeely stumbles upwards through his success and in turn jeopardizes his desperate longing to conquer this brave new world of influence and wealth. What will define his legacy in building the rich oil tradition of West Texas?

The Argument

Independent

A couple get into an argument at their cocktail party that escalates until it brings an abrupt end to the festivities. They and their guests decide to re-create the entire night again and again to determine who was right.

Shooting Stars

Independent

Based on the book by LeBron James and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Buzz Bissinger (Friday Night Lights), Shooting Stars is the inspiring origin story of a basketball superhero, revealing how LeBron James and his childhood friends become the #1 high school team in the country, launching James's breathtaking career.

The Sparks Brothers

Independent

How can one rock band be successful, underrated, hugely influential, and criminally overlooked all at the same time? Take a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron and Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band's favorite band.

Lucky

Independent

Spanning more than five years on the streets of New York City, this intimate story of survival follows Lucky Torres, a homeless mother masked in tattoos who longs to rise from a life of darkness. Journalist Laura Checkoway marks an astonishing filmmaking debut with this powerful, unvarnished documentary, capturing an experience rarely depicted onscreen. Executive Producer Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters, Life Itself) affirms, “There are not enough of these kinds of stories being told today.”

Les Miserables: The History of the World's Greatest Story

Independent

From Victor Hugo's classic French novel of the nineteenth century to Tom Hooper's award winning blockbuster this year, Les Misérables has undergone one of the most successful transitions from book to stage to screen. In this new documentary, the scintillating journey of Hugo's universal story is traced from book to stage to screen with contributions from many who have starred in or helped to create this entertainment phenomenon. Helmed by entertainment and celebrity journalist Neil Sean, this insightful documentary traces the events of the Paris insurrection in 1832 and the storming of the barricades using the restored 1978 Les Miserables film starring Anthony Perkins. Also included are archive interviews with Frances Ruffelle, Hugh Jackman, Phil Jonas, Tom Hooper, Alfie Boe, Amanda Seyfried, Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Anne Hathaway who recount the amazing story of why Les Misérables has captured a place in everyone's hearts and through all its mediums.

No Heart Feelings

Independent

29 year-old Melanie is in love with her life in Toronto, but out of love with her long-distance boyfriend. Her breakup throws her easy life into mild existential crisis, but the arrival of a new boy on the scene, Lewis, diverts her attention and helps her rediscover the joys of a lazy summer in the city. Acting as unofficial tour guide, Mel introduces Lewis to her neighborhood. Together they buy Lewis a bike from a crotchety yard salesman, and embark on a two-wheeled urban adventure. But is Mel ready to switch gears? Unsure of her true heart feelings, she and her gang of young, witty friends, enjoy the season's last gasps.

Body of Sin

Independent

Sexy female con artist, Erica, and her young apprentice, Lauren, use seduction to steal from cheating men. When they discover and steal a million dollars’ worth of diamonds, the score of a lifetime becomes a run for their lives.

Hidden Assets

Independent

A determined, self made woman hires a down and out ex-cop to help her retrieve the money her unfaithful husband has disappeared with but soon finds she is not the only one he has decieved and becomes the target of a ruthless killer. This Award-Winning independent feature stars Jacqueline Journey, Steve Daron, Chris Marks, Alexander Leaty, Roberto Escobar, Eli Jeffree Zen, Orfelina deLeon, Virginia Sinicki and introduces Madison Guldi. Written & Directed by Jacqueline Journey, Executive Producer Constance Wodlinger, Producer Dean Lyon.

Shortbus

Independent

John Cameron Mitchell’s SHORTBUS explores the lives of several emotionally challenged characters as they navigate the comic and tragic intersections between love and sex in and around a modern-day underground salon. A sex therapist who has never had an orgasm, a dominatrix who is unable to connect, a gay couple who are deciding whether to open up their relationship, and the people who weave in and out of their lives, all converge on a weekly gathering called Shortbus: a mad nexus of art, music, politics, and polysexual carnality. Set in a post-9/11, Bush-exhausted New York City, SHORTBUS tells its story with sexual frankness, suggesting new ways to reconcile questions of the mind, pleasures of the flesh, and imperatives of the heart.

The Painting

Independent

Three characters of different social classes escape their unfinished painting in search of the Painter, hoping he will complete it.

Good Dick

Independent

"Good Dick" is an unusual fairy tale about a troubled, solitary young woman and the persistent video clerk who draws her out of her claustrophobic world by pursuing a courtship with her. As they become closer, her sexual antipathy is met with his unflinching optimism, until finally her aggressive defenses overwhelm them both. Profoundly affected by his presence in her life, she finds the courage to face her past. Writer, director and lead Marianna Palka has an uncanny knack for understanding the complex give and take of human interaction and the sometimes painful motivations behind them. She has made a raw, joyously unpredictable feature debut touched with sly humor, tender hope and as much upfront honesty as its title implies, "Good Dick."

Stinking Heaven

Independent

Married couple Jim and Lucy (Keith Poulson, Deragh Campbell) run a commune in the early 90's for sober living out of their suburban New Jersey home. The motley members eat, bathe and work together selling homemade "health tea" out of their van. Although there's constant bickering and plenty of fires to be put out, Jim and Lucy have managed to establish a haven for these outcasts. But the harmony is interrupted when Ann (Hannah Gross), a recovering addict and the ex-lover of one housemate, arrives. Ann's insidious presence sends the members spiraling out of control, resulting in paranoia, drug relapse and eventually death. Directed by Nathan Silver Story by Nathan Silver and Jack Dunphy Produced by Rachel Wolther Cinematography by Adam Ginsberg Edited by Stephen Gurewitz Composed by Paul Grimstad Starring: Hannah Gross, Keith Poulson, Deragh Cambell, Eleonore Hendricks, Tallie Medel, Henri Douvry, Jay Giampietro, Jason Grisell, Eileen Kearney, Larry Novak, Eleanore Pienta, Carl Kranz, Diane Lanyi and Julie Marcus Festivals: Rotterdam International Film Festival, BAMCinemafest, Maryland Film Festival, Oak Cliff Film Festival and more.

Dedalus

Independent

DEDALUS is a fiction triptych portraying community, love, and loss. In rural Iowa, a grocery cashier watches helplessly as classmates conceal their act of sexual violence against his teenaged step-sister. Will she keep the child? A hustler tricks for food, shelter, and intimacy during a winter in New York City. A young woman takes him in, but nothing satiates his unrequited love for an older gay client. Mortality compels a father to leave his home in Los Angeles and move in with his daughter. Jonah Greenstein's gorgeously shot feature debut laces loneliness with beauty to create a film of startling cinematic intimacy.

Starlet

Independent

In the sun-saturated San Fernando Valley, adult-film star Jane, a.k.a. Tess Steele (Dree Hemingway), hits the jackpot when she discovers several thousand dollars inside a thermos purchased at an elderly woman’s yard sale. After splurging on accessories and a manicure, Jane—racked by guilt—offers to assist the old widow, Sadie (Besedka Johnson), with shopping and other chores. Sensing a disruption of her comfortable solitude, Sadie tries fending off Jane’s overtures of friendship, but each gradually find in the other the loving relationship missing from their lives. As the pair’s mother-daughter bond deepens, however," Jane risks alienating her friend, roommate, and colleague Melissa (Stella Maeve). Once again focusing on those at the margins of society and capturing the details of an overlooked profession director Sean Baker elicits revelatory performances from Hemingway (daughter of Mariel and great-granddaughter of Ernest) and the eighty-five-year-old Johnson (in her first and only screen role) for a profound, comic, and beautifully crafted story about the possibility of connection in a world of artifice and isolation.

Interior. Leather Bar.

Independent

Inspired by the mythology surrounding the highly controversial 1980 film, CRUISING, starring Al Pacino - in which, 40 minutes of sexually explicit material was forced to be cut out - filmmakers James Franco and Travis Matthews set out to re-imagine the lost footage. Assembling a mix of gay and straight men, including Val Lauren (THE SALTON SEA, LIVE FROM BAGHDAD) in the lead role, the result is a provocative exploration of the importance of the radical and transgressive in society and the value of engaging with the unfamiliar.

After Fall, Winter

Independent

"After Fall, Winter" is a dangerous, sexy, poignant and at times darkly funny story about two people who desperately want intimacy but have fashioned lives of reclusivity and emotional fracture which ultimately spells the doom of their great love.

Independent Movies