Our curated guide
to the top independent
video on demand releases
February 2012
VOD PICK OF THE MONTH
Return
Linda Cardinelli gives a stirring performance in this intimate portrait of a war vet returned home. Though at first elated to be back with her husband (Michael Shannon, as subtly powerful as ever) and children, Kelli has trouble adjusting back to the quiet day-to-day existence of her small mid-western town. Turning to the bottle, refusing to talk about her experiences in the Middle East, and distancing herself from her family, Kelli tracks a path towards self-destruction, then forms a bond with Bud (Mad Men's John Slattery), an unpretentious Vietnam vet. Directed by first-time filmmaker Liza Johnson, “Return” premiered to acclaim at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Director's Fortnight. A quiet but powerful look at a damaged woman's struggle to resume a life that circumstance has rendered all but lost, “Return” goes beyond generalized notions of PTSD and war trauma to present one damaged woman's attempts to pull herself back together.
A war correspondent covers an armed conflict in Eastern Europe. When waking from a temporary coma in his home town of Quebec City, Blaise discovers that his long time collaborator and photographer did not come back with him. Blaise sets out to recapture the events that led to his friend’s disappearance and his own narrow escape from the war zone. (Dir. Charles-Oliver Michaud)
Monsters from the Id explores the psychological and cultural impact of the prolific 1950’s Sci-Fi cinema genre, exploring the question, “where is scientific inspiration found today?” This film weaves together the themes of over thirty classic sci-fi films in order to tell the untold story of the Modern Scientist and his role in inspiring a nation. (Dir. David Gargani)
When Lizzie is dumped by her boyfriend on the eve of their departure to Paris, Lizzie’s life goes into a tail spin. She is forced to confront her fears when her estranged father and an old flame re-enter her life, and she realizes that she must find herself before she is able to find love. (Dir. Ben Shackleford)
Children of the Revolution revolves around the stories of Ulrike Meinhof, leader of Germany’s infamous terror group Baader-Meinhof, and Fusako Shigenobu, founder of the Japanese Red Army, as told through the perspectives of their journalist daughters. (Dir. Shane O’Sullivan)
A look behind-the-scenes at NY Fashion Week, with the history of how it all began in the early 1990’s. Story told by Fashion Insiders and the Top Fashion Designers, as well as Top Fashion Editors and other fashion industry journalists. (Dir. James Belzer)
When the wedding of internationally famous film star Lara Tyler to tweedy English author James Arber is sabotaged by a paparazzo, they decide to relocate the event to the one place where the world’s press won’t find them: the sleepy Island of Hegg. (Dir. Sheree Folkson)
Acerbic Icelandic comedian Jon Gnarr launches his own political party, The Best Party, in order to mock the squabbling left and right. His platform included such outlandish ideas as putting more polar bears in the zoo and ousting from the government anyone who hasn't seen The Wire. It starts out as a joke, but when support for Gnarr's soon found himself with unexpected political momentum, and realized that against all odds – he just might win. (Dir. Gaukur Úlfarsson)
When an experimental surgery cures a young man of Tourette Syndrome he finds the courage to pursue an affair with a beautiful woman, however he soon discovers that he has lost an amazing and mysterious ‘gift’ just when he needs it most. (Dir. Ryan Ward)
Curtis LaForche lives in a small Ohio town with his wife Samantha and six-year-old daughter Hannah, who is deaf. Money is tight, and navigating Hannah's healthcare and special needs education is a constant struggle. Despite that, Curtis and Samantha are very much in love and their family is a happy one. Then Curtis begins having terrifying dreams about an encroaching, apocalyptic storm (Dir. Jeff Nichols)
The sprawling slum that surrounds Rio de Janeiro is one of the most dangerous places on earth, so as the head of Rio's Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE), Captain Nascimento has seen his share of intense situations. When a BOPE mission to stop a jail riot ends in the violent death of a gang leader, Nascimento finds himself accused of a massacre. (Dir. José Padilha)
iring of the noise and madness of New York and the crushing conventions of late Eisenhower-era America, Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) travels to the pristine island of Puerto Rico to write for a local newspaper, run by downtrodden editor Lotterman (Richard Jenkins). Adopting the rum-soaked life of the island, Paul soon becomes obsessed with Chenault (Amber Heard), the wildly attractive Connecticut-born fiancée of Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart). (Dir. Bruce Robinson)
Over half the world’s population now lives in an urban area, and 75% will call a city home by 2050. But while some cities are experiencing explosive growth, others are shrinking. The film looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design and features some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers. (Dir. Gary Hustwit)
Mero, a failed fighter, obsessively trains his teenage son to be a champion boxer, but must confront old wounds when his wife returns and his son becomes involved with a captivating young woman. (Dir. Alessandro Angelini)
A powerful psychological thriller starring Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a young woman rapidly unraveling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader (John Hawkes). Seeking help from her estranged older sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy), Martha is unable and unwilling to reveal the truth about her disappearance. (Dir. T. Sean Durkin)
Adrien Brody stars in this chronicle of three weeks in the lives of several high school teachers, administrators and students as seen through the eyes of a substitute teacher.
A young cop is assigned to a precinct in the working class neighborhood where he grew up, and an old secret threatens to destroy his life and his family.
A desperate young woman must hide a shocking secret in order to keep her job as a caregiver. Amador has screened in competition at the Berlin Int’l Film Festival, Sydney Int’l Film Festival, Miami Int’l Film Festival, and BFI London Film Festival. (Dir. Fernando Leon de Aranoa)
Doug Glatt (Seann William Scott) dreams of the kind of success enjoyed by minor league hockey goon Ross Rhea (Liev Schreiber). When a chance encounter with an on-ice thug leads to a bloody fist fight that Doug easily wins, the coach of the Halifax Highlanders sees potential in this mammoth sized man (Dir. Michael Dowse)
Want your film to be considered for our VOD calendar? E-mail us and include the date it will play and on which platforms (Cable On Demand, iTunes, Netflix Streaming, Amazon Instant Video).
