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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

The FP
In a post apocalyptic future rival gangs, the 245 and the 248, battle for control of Frazier Park, aka The FP. They battle through the chosen mode of combat, the dance video game Beat Beat Revelation. When BTRO, the leader of the 248 dies in a “Beat Off” against the leader of the 245 L Dubba E, BTRO’s little brother JTRO leaves the game and the FP behind. A year later and the FP has gone downhill under the control of L Dubba E and the 245. He controls the distribution of alcohol forcing the town’s alcoholics to turn to meth for their fix. That’s when KCDC seeks out JTRO to return to take up the mantle of his fallen brother.

Intentionally making cult film is a tricky task. There is a fine line to walk between winking at the audience, yet still taking the movie seriously enough to not fall completely into parody. The FP handles that balance wisely. Jason Trost (who also co-wrote and co-directed the film with his brother Brandon) plays the straight man as the hero JTRO. He plays the character earnestly, which allows other actors, particularly Lee Valmassy as the villain L Dubba E and Art Hsu as the sidekick KCDC, to shine in memorable over the top performances. The film has fun with the post apocalyptic movie tropes, but its main model is the Rocky genre with an underdog training to face his rival, complete with training montages. The rapid fire dialogue is the star of the film with quotable lines and memorable monologues. KCDC has a particularly hilarious speech involving ducks.

While it is the VOD pick of the week, it is probably best enjoyed when viewing with an audience that can go along with the joke. So gather a group of friends, watch the movie through your gaming system, and then challenge each other to a Beat Off.
Available at Amazon
Available at iTunes
Available at Vudu
Available at Netflix

New releases for August 16th

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints: With a trailer that echoes Terrence Malick’s Badlands, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints recalls 1970s cinema. Bob (Casey Affleck) and Ruth (Rooney Mara) are a young couple who wind up in a police shoot out when a heist goes wrong. They turn themselves in, but not before a police officer is shot, and though Ruth pulled the trigger Bob takes the blame and the 25-year prison sentence that goes with it. Four years later Bob escapes from prison looking to return to Ruth and their daughter who was born while he was in jail. Also keeping an eye on Ruth is the local sheriff (played by Ben Foster) who expects that Bob will return to her setting up a doomed love triangle.

Austenland: When you think of role playing or cons, you generally think of the science fiction, fantasy, and superhero genres, but who’s to say that romantic British period literature shouldn’t get the same treatment? Austenland is a fictional theme park where visitors get to immerse themselves in the world of Jane Austen novels. Jane Hayes (Keri Russell) has been saving up for a trip and finally arrives only to find out that she can only afford the servant’s quarters package instead of the luxurious experience of the more wealthy patrons. Still she soldiers on, hoping to become the hero of her own Austen novel when she falls for a dashing young servant.

Cutie and the Boxer: Ushio Shinohara was an avant-garde artist from Japan who gained notoriety for his boxing paintings (where he literally punched the canvas with boxing gloves dipped in paint) when he came to New York City in 1969. Then in 1972, 19-year-old art student Noriko fell in love with and married Ushio, who was 21 years her senior. Noriko put her career on hold to become assistant to her demanding alcoholic husband as he pursued his artistic endeavors. Only recently has she started to gain notice for her comic book-like drawings of the relationship between Cutie and Bullie, autobiographically depicting her relationship with Ushio. The documentary tells the story of their 40 year marriage through current day interviews, Noriko’s art, and the couple’s Super 8 footage that they shot throughout the years.