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The landscape for independent films has changed rapidly. On one hand, the opportunity to build a theatrical release has become increasingly difficult, but on the other hand, digital release has given indies a chance to play to a broad national audience at once. Each week, new indie releases will be profiled and because they might not be playing at a theater near you, one highly recommended film available now a click or two away via VOD (whether a new or not quite new release) will be presented for viewing without leaving your computer.

VOD Pick of the Week

Putty Hill
Filmed as a hybrid faux-documentary/narrative, Putty Hill takes place in a working class neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland. When Cory dies of a heroin overdose, his family and friends gather on the eve of his funeral to commemorate his life. A mix of documentary and natural realism techniques create a unique storytelling aesthetic as the characters’ shared memories paint a portrait of a community hanging in the balance.

The film is largely improvised and loosely structured with narrative scenes interspersed with interviews with the characters by an unseen director. The cast of unknowns is largely comprised of residents of the actual neighborhood who bring much of their real life experiences to their characters. The effect is unsettling, but it also draws you into the film and the characters, and though it is a work of fiction it feels like it provides a more realistic portrait of this neighborhood than any straightforward documentary could.

Putty Hill is also blessed with gorgeous cinematography that brings an understated beauty to even the simplest scenes allowing even small moments such as a touch of a hand to have a large impact. Through Cory’s death, the film and the characters are forced to contemplate larger issues, but at the same time the mundanity of life continues. As the film builds towards an unforgettable funeral celebration, Putty Hill provides an intimate portrait of a time and a place and the people who inhabit them.

Available at iTunes

New releases for May 31st

The East: Writer-director Zal Batmanglij and writer-actress Brit Marling team for their second pairing together after last year’s Sound of My Voice. In The East, Marling plays a former FBI agent working for a private intelligence firm who is chosen to infiltrate a radical anarchist environmental group involved in eco-terrorism against major corporations. Once accepted as part of the group she begins to fall under the spell of the group’s charismatic leader (which is not surprising considering that he is played by Alexander Skarsgard) and begins to question her original mission.

Hannah Arendt: Most everyone is familiar with the phrase, “the banality of evil,” but most people may not be familiar with the woman who coined the phrase, Hannah Arendt. Legendary director Margarethe von Trotta reteams with actress Barbara Sukowa who plays the title role. The film focuses on the time Arendt spent covering the trial of Adolf Eichmann for The New Yorker by interweaving actual footage from the trial with a narrative that spans three countries.

The Kings of Summer: Three teenage friends tired of dealing with their parents decide to run off and build a house in the woods for the summer. The three young stars are joined in the cast by some familiar faces from the sitcom world: Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally play parents, while Alison Brie plays a sister. The film comes from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts who previously directed episodes of the Funny or Die Presents… television show and looks to be a breakout hit for the summer.

Shadow Dancer: Director James Marsh is best known for his documentary films, Man on Wire and Project Nim, but his career has included a mix of documentary and fiction films. With Shadow Dancer he tackles a thriller that takes place amidst the conflict between the IRA and the British. Andrea Riseborough plays a single mother who is arrested during a subway bombing attempt. When an MI5 officer (played by Clive Owen) provides her with the choice of 25 years in jail away from her son or returning to Belfast to spy on her friends and family, she reluctantly chooses the latter. That sets up a slow burn thriller that mixes spy movie with tense family drama. The film which has already opened in the UK and elsewhere has already gathered great acclaim, particularly for Riseborough’s performance.
Available at Amazon
Available at iTunes
Available at Vudu