After a bit of a hiatus, Under the Radar is back with a double movie piece again. Informing you on the upcoming independent and lesser known films, this is your one stop to curiously peek at what you can see next in theaters near you.
The first of the two is the Fox Searchlight Pictures film, Adam. Written and directed by Max Mayer, the Olympus Pictures and Serenade Films feature stars the talents of Hugh Dancy (Confessions of a Shopaholic), Rose Bryne (Knowing), Amy Irving (Alias), Peter Gallagher (The OC) among others.
Soon after moving in, Beth (Rose Bryne), a brainy, beautiful writer damaged from a past relationship encounters Adam (Hugh Dancy), the handsome, but odd, fellow in the downstairs apartment whose awkwardness is perplexing. Beth and Adam’s ultimate connection leads to a tricky relationship that exemplifies something universal: truly reaching another person means bravely stretching into uncomfortable territory and the resulting shake-up can be liberating. (Fox Searchlight)
The feature already has a couple of wins underneath its belt, winning the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at this past year’s Sundance including being nominated for the Jury Prize. Also, it won Best Feature over at the Method Fest. View the trailer below and let us know what you think and if your overall interested:
Continuing on is another, more peculiar, film that is coming right over from South Korea, and thanks to Focus Features, is Bakjwi (Thirst). Written and directed by Chan-wook Park, more famously known for the creation of the 2003 overseas hit Oldboy, this sensual horror drama certainly will crave the vampiric appetite of the curious who find time in between their True Blood and Twilight viewings to see this film.
Sang-hyun (played by top Korean star Song Kang-ho, of The Host) is a priest who cherishes life; so much so, that he selflessly volunteers for a secret vaccine development project meant to eradicate a deadly virus. But the virus takes the priest, and a blood transfusion is urgently ordered up for him. The blood he receives is infected, so Sang-hyun lives – but now exists as a vampire. Struggling with his newfound carnal desire for blood, Sang-hyun’s faith is further strained when a childhood friend’s wife, Tae-ju (Kim Ok-vin), comes to him asking for his help in escaping her life. Sang-hyun soon plunges into a world of sensual pleasures, finding himself on intimate terms with the Seven Deadly Sins.
Winning the Jury Prize and getting a nod for the Golden Palm at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, this overseas flick knows how to catch people’s attention. See if it catches yours with the trailer below:
Both Thirst and Adam are released in limited screens on July 31rst. Check your local theater listings for when either one of these films will stroll its way onto the big screen near you.
