This Summer's action movies [1] are fun and plentiful, but if you're not that into big-budget spectacle, we have your Summer movie guide right here. There are several indies coming out over the next few months that don't have a big distributor, but they do have great casts and charming-looking trailers. For a refreshing alternative to the blockbusters of Summer, here are nine smaller movies to see instead.
Obvious Child
- Who's starring: Jenny Slate plays a young woman who gets pregnant on the rebound.
- Why we're interested: The ultracharming trailer won us over with SNL alum Slate's charm, and we're intrigued by the way it flips the romantic comedy on its head.
- When it opens: June 6
- Watch the trailer for Obvious Child [2].
Source: A24 [3]
They Came Together
- Who's starring: Amy Poehler [4] and Paul Rudd [5] play love interests, while Wet Hot American Summer alums like Chris Meloni and Ken Marino costar. Plus, there's also Bill Hader and Ellie Kemper!
- Why we're interested: This comedy promises to relentlessly satire the romantic comedy, but come on, we love Rudd and Poehler so much, we'd see just about anything with them paired up.
- When it opens: June 27
- Watch the trailer for They Came Together [6].
Begin Again
- Who's starring: Keira Knightley [7] is the ex-girlfriend of a rocker (Adam Levine), and Mark Ruffalo [8] is the down-on-his luck record exec who wants to help her make music.
- Why we're interested: Besides Levine as a scruffy rocker, we love the idea of Knightley and Ruffalo bonding over music.
- When it opens: July 4
- Watch the trailer for Begin Again [9].
A Long Way Down
- Who's starring: Pierce Brosnan [10], Toni Collette, Aaron Paul, and Imogen Poots play strangers who become friends after resolving to wait to kill themselves.
- Why we're interested: This is based on a Nick Hornby novel, and adaptations of Hornby's books tend to make excellent films (High Fidelity, About a Boy).
- When it opens: July 11
- Watch the trailer for A Long Way Down [11].
Wish I Was Here
- Who's starring: Zach Braff [12] stars as a soul-searching dad, Kate Hudson [13] plays his wife, and Joey King [14] is his daughter.
- Why we're interested: We're not ashamed to say that we still love Garden State [15], and this is Braff's second shot as writer/director/star. Will it be the moody hipster Summer hit we hope it is?
- When it opens: July 18
- Watch the trailer for Wish I Was Here [16].
Magic in the Moonlight
- Who's starring: Emma Stone [17] and Colin Firth [18] are love interests, while Marcia Gay Harden and Hamish Linklater also costar.
- Why we're interested: Woody Allen [19]'s film is set in the 1920s on the French Riviera, and has Stone and Firth as romantic leads. We're in.
- When it opens: July 25
What If
- Who's starring: Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan are a pair of best friends whose relationship may be teetering the the direction of romance.
- Why we're interested: Zoe Kazan is like the quirky, indie-loving best friend we never had, and hello? Daniel Radcliffe [20]. We're there.
- When it opens: Aug. 1
Life After Beth
- Who's starring: Aubrey Plaza plays Beth, a girl who gets turned into a zombie, and Dane DeHaan is the boy who loves her.
- Why we're interested: The movie made a buzz at Sundance in January, and we always love seeing Plaza out of her Parks and Recreation character's sneer.
- When it opens: Aug. 15
Source: A24 [21]
The One I Love
- Who's starring: Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss [22] play a couple whose marriage is crumbling.
- Why we're interested: Despite the bleak premise, The One I Love is described as a comedy, and there's no way we'd miss TV stars Moss and Duplass out of their usual roles and playing a couple.
- When it opens: Aug. 15
Source: Radius-TWC [23]