While Superman, the latest from James Gunn, will be dominating at the Box Office, it’s not the only new movie making its debut this weekend. Below is a trio of smaller films in limited release or on VOD that you can check out. To keep up with everything I’m watching, follow me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734

Daniela Forever (Limited)
Starring: Henry Golding and Beatrice Granno
Synopsis: This is the latest from writer/director Nacho Vigalondo. It’s an interesting sci-fi drama about a man, Nicolas (Golding), who is mired in grief. His girlfriend Daniela (Granno) died six months prior, and he can’t let it go. A friend offers to get him into a program that uses lucid dreaming to help people move on. It’s meant to help him make peace with the past. Instead, he uses the process to bring Daniela back to life and continue their journey. But soon the line between reality and fiction blurs completely. This is an interesting concept. It reminds me of other films, like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Inception, that are about exploring the realities we create. And in the process, we get a few nifty visual flourishes and some good work from Golding and Granno. But, unfortunately, the story from Vigalondo doesn’t match the lofty premise. There is potential and some good moments, but it doesn’t result in an overall satisfying film. The film opens in theaters Friday and comes to VOD July 22.
Rating: Rated R for some language.

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (Limited)
Starring: Embeth Davidtz and Lexi Venter
Synopsis: This film is based on the non-fiction memoir from Alexandra Fuller. Known as Bobo, the story centers on her experiences growing up in Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe). The film picks up in 1980 with the country on the cusp of a vote at the end of a Civil War. Bobo (Venter) is a young girl living with an affluent white family that’s part of the ruling class. But this election threatens to change the order and upend the lives they’ve known. Davidtz plays Bobo’s mother Nicola, who is having a particularly hard time with the potential change. As we open the film, she is pressuring many in the country to vote for the “right” candidate, or the one that will maintain the status quo. The film goes through the election and the aftermath, during which time Nicola has to come to grips with leaving her life behind as the family moves away to start over. The film also serves as the directorial debut for Davidtz, who does some solid work in front of and behind the camera. There is a sturdy construction and a solid performance from Venter, who is our POV into the world. The story is likely something American audiences won’t be familiar with; however, I wish we’d explored more of the history of this period and what was going on. The source material being a reflection of a young girl likely limits how deeply this is approached, but it left me wanting more. Despite that, it’s a sturdy and engaging film. The film opens in theaters on Friday.
Rating: Rated R for violent/bloody images, language, sexual assault, and some underage smoking/drinking.

Sovereign (VOD)
Starring: Nick Offerman, Jacob Tremblay, and Dennis Quaid
Synopsis: This new drama feels like a jarring a timely tale that comes to VOD on Friday. There is a certain social contract we have to have to live in a society. But what happens if someone rejects that social contract? Sovereign looks at just such an individual who feels like the rules and constructs of society don’t apply to them. Jerry Kane (Offerman) is a single father who is a “Sovereign Citizen,” not recognizing the authority of the government, banks, contracts, or even the courts. He travels the country inspiring like-minded followers to squeak out a living. But it’s not what his son, Joe (Tremblay), wants as a life. And with them on the verge of losing their house and Jerry in denial, and things are getting worse. He quickly runs afoul of a local jurisdiction when he’s caught driving without a license. The local chief (Quaid) tries to probe Joe for more information but stalls out. Still, the enmity remains when Jerry is released. It isn’t long before things reach a boiling point. This film comes from writer/director Christian Swegal and it delivers a poignant final product that resonates with the discord in the country. While there is an interesting discussion of this specific point-of-view, the film also succeeds in looking at troubled father-son dynamics. Joe and Jerry are at the heart of the story, but so too is Quaid’s chief of police and his own son, Adam (Thomas Mann). Both men have a very specific view of the world and a very specific definition of what it means to be a man, imparting those to the next generation. It ends with some dire consequences that lead to introspection for at least one father. We also get some good performances. Tremblay shines in another difficult role. Your heart breaks for Joe as we round on the Third Act. But the star of the film is Offerman, who gives a searing performance. He is captivating as Jerry and really helps lift the film to another level. It’s a tough story, but this was an interesting watch. It lands on VOD this Friday.
Rating: Rated R for violence and language.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.