10 Movies To See This Summer That Might Not Have Been On Your Radar

Earlier this week we covered some of the biggest major releases coming out this summer. But maybe you're like me — with a few exceptions (The Nice Guys, The BFG, and Jason Bourne), few popcorn movies coming up have me thinking, "I gotta see that." There are plenty of releases to look forward to, of course, it's just that very few major titles truly pop when I look over what's opening in theaters soon.

If you wish there were more options this summer, then luckily for you there are plenty of limited releases to seek out. If you frequent the site, then you've probably already read about a few of these upcoming films. But just don't forget actually to see them when they hit theaters. If you need a breather from all of the hero's journeys, explosions, and talking CG animals, then the arthouse cinemas have got you covered.

Below, check out our summer movie preview for some independent films you shouldn't miss.

Release date: July 1

I know, I know, how the farting corpse movie didn't score the number one spot on this list is a mystery to me as well. Is Swiss Army Man more than a farting corpse movie, though? I hope so, but even if it's not, how often do we see a farting corpse movie that stars Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead? According to Angie, Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert's film does have more to offer than its fetching concept. "There's a pervasive sense of sadness in Swiss Army Man," she wrote, "about the way that all the societal rules meant to keep our communities running smoothly also keep us from being truly honest with one another, from exposing the ugly parts that bind us as much as our best qualities do. 'If my best friend won't fart in front of me,' Manny says at point, 'what else is he keeping from me?'" Pretty heavy stuff for a farting corpse movie.

Release date: July 29

Logan Lerman stars in this period drama, based on Philip Roth's novel of the same name. At the Sundance Film Festival, Ethan gave Indignation a 9 out of 10 and called Lerman's performance "the best of his career," and said that "it helps that the film surrounding his stellar work is brilliant as well." To avoid fighting in the Korean War, Marcus Messner (Lerman) goes to college, where he meets a girl (played by Sarah Gadon) with a complicated past. Gadon is one of the main draws of Indignation. The actress has done excellent work in Enemy, Antiviral, and a handful of David Cronenberg films. In addition to Lerman and Cronenberg's frequent collaborator, James Schamus' adaptation also stars the great Tracy Letts (August: Osage County, Killer Joe), another reason to keep this film on your radar.

Release date: August 26

Who wouldn't want to see a movie starring the likes of Melanie Lynskey, Clea DuVall, Cobie Smulders, Natasha Lyonne, Jason Ritter, Alia Shawkat, and Ben Schwartz? I know I do. DuVall makes her directorial debut with The Intervention, a comedic drama about four couples turning a vacation into an intervention on their marriages. DuVall — who expressed no shortage of range as an actress when she was on Carnivále – scored positive reviews and a distribution deal when the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. With this cast, she shouldn't have trouble making an impression with her first feature film as a writer and director.

Release date: May 20

Rebecca Miller makes these gentle, compassionate dramas that aren't ever flashy or grand, just these lovely, intimate and almost fly-on-the-wall looks at slightly lost characters. Maggie's Plan, which stars Greta Gerwig and Ethan Hawke, is Miller's first film in over six years, following The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. As proven by her previous effort, Miller has a particularly keen eye for performances, often capturing well-liked performers in a new light. She showed Keanu Reeves at his most vulnerable and internalized in The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, and I'm excited to see what she does with a cast that features Gerwig, Hawke, Julianne Moore, Bill Hader, Maya Rudolph, and Wallace Shawn.

Release date: July 22

Jacob Hall was a big fan of writer-director Mike Birbiglia's comedy at South by Southwest, writing that Gillian Jacobs' performance as a struggling NY improv comic is "both hilarious and heartbreaking." Jacobs recently did fantastic work on Netflix's Love, and Jacob claimed her lead performance in Don't Think Twice was one of the best he saw at SXSW. Birbiglia last directed Sleepwalk with Me, a very charming and promising debut film with an authentic voice behind it. The standup comic co-stars in Don't Think Twice alongside Jacobs, Keegan-Michael Key, Kate Micucci, and plenty of more talent.

Release date: May 13

Another Whit Stillman film, you say? And we don't have to wait 13 years to see it? That's how long it took Stillman to make a movie after 1998's The Last Days of Disco. His last directorial effort, Damsels in Distress, is a low-key charmer, but he's taking on slightly different material with Love & Friendship. For starters, it's based on Jane Austen's novella Lady Susan, making this the director's first adaptation to date. Starring The Last Days of Disco's Kate Beckinsale and Chloë Sevigny, Love & Friendship, Angie noted at Sundance, is still the kind of "out-and-out comedy" fans of the filmmaker expect. Jane Austin and Whit Stillman's sensibilities combined should make for a delightful time at the movies, and based on most of the reviews out of Sundance, including Angie's, it is.

Release date: June 10

If you watched director Noah Baumbach's (Mistress America) interview with Brian De Palma on the Criterion release of Blow-Out, then you're already aware of the fact Baumbach knows how to dig deep while discussing craft with the legendary filmmaker. Co-directed by Baumbach and Jake Paltrow (The Young Ones), De Palma is 107 minutes of the director behind Carlito's Way, The Untouchables, and Dressed to Kill discussing his career and Hollywood. De Palma is pretty candid in interviews as is, but talking to two fellow filmmakers should open up the filmmaker in a whole new way.

Release date: June 24

"Hunt for Wilderpeople feels like a throwback to '80s adventure films in some ways, but it mostly just feels like a new childhood classic," Angie wrote in her review at Sundance. "It has all the makings of one: it's got wonder and adventure and loads of humor, and ultimately winds up on the side of optimism—but it also has moments of genuine tragedy and danger." Before director Taika Waititi ventures off into Marvel land, make sure to see his third feature film, which is a buddy picture about young Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) and his uncle (Sam Neill) getting lost in the New Zealand bush. If Hunt for the Wilderpeople is half as delightful as Waititi's vampire comedy, What We Do in the Shadows, then audiences are in for a treat.

Release date: May 13

In the future, it's illegal to be single. In 45 days, if a single man or woman hasn't found a spouse, they're turned into an animal of their choosing. If it comes down to it, David (Colin Farrell) wants to live the rest of his life as a lobster. As ridiculous as Yorgos Lanthimos' (Dogtooth) film sounds, it's one of the most human stories you'll see all year. The film presents a smorgasbord of honest emotions and ideas about relationships and the single life. You'll either find The Lobster incredibly romantic, depressing or maybe both, which is why you should see the dark romantic comedy: it'll spark a discussion about what it has to say.

Release date: now in limited release

Director Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) and screenwriter Dave Kajganich's remake of Jacques Deray's La Piscine is almost an assault on the senses. What starts as a visual feast with old friends (and lovers) reuniting turns into an unnerving drama, where everything that was once visually or audibly pleasing, like Harry Nilsson's "Jump into the Fire," playing at full blast, turns into an absolute nightmare. Even the sound of an iPhone going off makes for an unsettling sound effect.

For a movie with little plot, A Bigger Splash is dense: plenty of subtle setups and payoffs, striking visual motifs (the food), and endlessly fascinating characters. As brutal as this story of fidelity and intense love can get, it's also a surprisingly funny and exciting experience. I believe scientists will one day prove you haven't fully lived life until you've seen Ralph Fiennes dance in A Bigger Splash. Fiennes' performance is absolutely hypnotic and unpredictable, and the film itself is just as mesmerizing, with its unexpected turns, gorgeous costumes and locations, and a group of characters that'll likely continue to grow richer on repeat viewings.

Honorable Mentions: Sunset Song (May 13th), Almost Holy (May 20th), Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words (June 24th), Captain Fantastic (July 8th), and Into the Forest (July 22nd).