Just like any other sector, Hollywood has reeled under the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic too. Filmmakers had to stop shooting movies due to the lockdown imposition throughout the United States. Producers and filmmakers lost a lot of money in the bargain, and the box office took a hit. That was in 2020. 2021 has seen things improving, though the people are still quite apprehensive. The box office is slowly waking up. However, only Hollywood sequels from large banners have done good business till now. A host of indie films may hit the theatres very soon and go by the look of them. One can say that the arthouse in your locality would be worth a visit, provided that you take all the safety precautions.
Summertime
After Blindspotting and Raya and the Last Dragon, Carlos Lopez Estrada has come up with Summertime, his tribute to all the young people of Los Angeles. Summertime has more than a dozen stories that intersect with each other with the help of spoken word poetry. Though pulling it off seems to be a hard task without being pretentious.
Still, considering Estrada’s ability to wow the audience with a rap scene in the climax of Blindspotting, critics feel that the filmmaker might come out with flying colors regarding Summertime. Things might fall into place for him. The star cast of Summertime includes Tyris Winter, Maia Mayor, Marquesha Babers, Bryce Banks, Austin Antoine, Amaya Blankenship, Gordon Ip, Jason Alvarez, Benet Benton. July 9, 2021, is the premiere date.
The Woman Who Ran
The Woman Who Ran had rave reviews at the international film festival last year. Hong Sang-soo’s 24th film is a comedy-drama with a runtime of 77 minutes. The plot revolves around a woman who unexpectedly meets three friends from her youth when her husband is not present with her. It might not come across as a film that would make big at the box office on paper. Critics are speaking rather highly about it, which makes the audience quite intrigued about the project. Rotten Tomatoes has given the film full points. The Woman Who Ran has Kim Min-hee, Song Seon-mi, Kim Sae-byuk, and Seo Young-Hwa in pivotal roles.
Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Summer of Soul (…Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) was one of the biggest attractions at Sundance 2021. The directorial debut of Questlove won the jury and the audience prizes in the Best Documentary category. It draws inspiration from a series of unreleased videos from the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969.
Summer of Soul boasts of some amazing performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, and Sly and the Family Stone. Catching it on the silver screen will be an experience of its own, especially when you are watching with a crowd. If you want to enjoy the documentary privately, you can stream it home. It has hit the theatre on July 2, 2021.
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
Won’t You Be My Neighbor was among the most successful documentaries ever, and Morgan Neville has reaped the dividends? It was back in 2018. Three years down the line, the director is ready with another project, a biography of Anthony Bourdain, one of the most celebrated chefs and television personality, who is no more amongst us. Those who have watched the film at the Tribeca Film Festival have described it as painful, but the power-packed script makes it worth a watch. Rotten Tomatoes has given Roadrunner full points. It’s a joint production of CNN Films and HBO Max and will hit the theatres on July 16, 2021.
The Green Knight
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, The Green Knight was a movie everyone was looking forward to in 2020. The creative marketing, along with the extraordinary trailer, created a lot of excitement. Those who were waiting with bated breath for the film to release now have a reason to rejoice. The film is about Sir Gawain and the Arthurian legend surrounding him.
The fantasy is a must-watch as it has touches of horror and action as well. The art direction has been amazing, and Dev Patel in the titular role is also why many want to catch it in the theatres. The Green Knight releases on July 30, 2021.
July is going to be all about the releases of some of the best indie movies. Nine Days, Stillwater, and Pig, are other projects that movie fanatics worldwide are eagerly awaiting.