Slowly but surely, movie theaters are reopening across the country. While this means we'll be seeing more big blockbusters in the coming months, it also means more independent films will get to be seen on the big screen as intended. In April 2021, a growing number of high-profile, critically acclaimed indie films will be released in theaters. For those still being reasonably cautious about going to the movies, there are also promising new films to be found on streaming services, VOD and virtual cinemas. Here are eight independent films to put on your April calendar and how to watch them.
Shiva Baby
The feature-length expansion of Canadian filmmaker Emma Seligman's NYU thesis film, Shiva Baby was a word-of-mouth hit across the film festival circuit in 2020. A cringe comedy so anxious it borders on horror, the film follows Jewish bisexual college senior Danielle as she tries to keep her career in sex work secret from her parents at a shiva, which her sugar daddy just so happens to be attending. CBR's review of the film states, "Although Shiva Baby is a simple story, it's emotionally full, equal parts infuriating, touching, funny and sad -- and always disconcertingly uncomfortable."
Written and directed by Emma Seligman, Shiva Baby stars Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Dianna Agron, Danny Deferrari, Polly Draper and is now playing in select theaters and on VOD.
Ride or Die
Based on the yuri manga Gunjo by Chin Nakamura, Ride or Die is a new entry in what could be called the "be gay, do crimes" genre. When Rei discovers her former classmate Nanae is being abused by her husband, she murders him, and the two women fall in love while hiding from the law. No reviews have been released yet as of this writing, but the premise and trailer make this movie appear intriguing.
Directed by Ryuichi Hiroki, Ride or Die stars Kiko Mizuhara and Honami Sato and premieres on Netflix April 15.
Gunda
Joaquin Phoenix executive-produced Gunda, a movie that Paul Thomas Anderson has described as "pure cinema" and "what we should all aspire to as filmmakers and audiences." If a G-rated black-and-white dialogue-free documentary about a pig, two cows and a one-legged chicken so deeply moved the director of There Will Be Blood, this could be something special.
Directed by Viktor Kossakovsky, Gunda will be released in theaters and virtual cinemas April 16.
In the Earth
Like many of the sci-fi and horror films that premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, In the Earth tells a scarily topical story about people trying to survive an out-of-control virus. Unlike many of those other films, In the Earth was actually made as a direct response to the coronavirus pandemic, filming in secret last August. Director Ben Wheatley's controversial film, which draws from the "folk horror" genre a la Midsommar, promises to be a major conversation-starter.
Written and directed by Ben Wheatley, In the Earth stars Joel Fry, Reece Shearsmith, Hayley Squires, Ellora Torchia, John Hollingworth and Mark Monero and will be released in theaters April 16.
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Sesame Street has been entertaining and educating children for over 50 years, and its extensive history makes it an excellent subject for documentary treatment. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, based on the book of the same name by Michael Davis, serves as an overview of the show's first couple of decades, from its experimental beginnings up until the death of Jim Henson. At its 2021 Sundance Film Festival premiere, CBR wrote of the film, "Street Gang never gets too complicated or too heavy; it's a celebration first and foremost, but it's a subject that deserves celebrating."
Directed by Marilyn Agrelo, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street will be released in theaters April 23.
Together Together
One of the lighter selections from the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, Together Together is a comedy-drama about a single man who awkwardly develops a friendship with his future child's surrogate mother. The film has received widely positive reviews, with many critics particularly praising Patti Harrison's performance. Harrison is also one of the few trans women to play an explicitly cisgender role in a major motion picture.
Written and directed by Nikole Beckwith, Together, Together stars Ed Helms and Patti Harrison and will be released in theaters April 23 and on VOD May 11.
Labyrinth of Cinema
The late Nobuhiko Obayashi directed dozens of movies, but until now, only two of his feature-length works have received major releases in the States: the 1977 gonzo horror film Hausu and the 1998 sexual true-crime film Sada. This changes with the streaming release of Labyrinth of Cinema, the master's final film. This epic meta-commentary on how war has been depicted in cinema over the decades is at once humorous, heart wrenching and overwhelming. CBR's review from the 2020 Japan Cuts film festival described it as "a three-hour epic that feels as if [Obayashi]'s packed everything he could ever want to say to future generations in one movie."
Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, Labyrinth of Cinema stars Takuro Atsuki, Takahito Hosoyamada, Yoshihiko Hosoda, Rei Yoshida, Riko Narumi, Hirona Yamazaki and Takako Tokiwa and will premiere on MUBI April 27.
About Endlessness
Swedish director Roy Andersson's absurdist dark comedies have earned him international acclaim from filmmakers ranging from Darren Aronofsky, to Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, to the Wachowski sisters. His latest film, About Endlessness, won the Silver Lion for Direction at the 2019 Venice Film Festival. Character descriptions include "The Flying Woman," "The Man in the Stairs" and "Adolf Hitler," so expect something weird.
Written and directed by Roy Andersson, About Endlessness stars Lesley Leichtweis Bernardi, Ania Nova and Gloria Ormandlaky and will be released in theaters and virtual cinemas April 30.