‘Agora,’ ‘The Killer Inside Me’ & ‘Life During Wartime’ Get Summer Release Dates

For those of you looking for a bit of a reprieve from the onslaught of CGI at the multiplex this summer, your local arthouse just might have the fix you’re looking for as release dates for three highly anticipated films have been slotted for the hazy, lazy days of summer.

First up, Alejandro Amenábar’s “Agora” has been penciled in for a May 28th release by Newmarket Films. The film, which got a tepid reception at Cannes last year though became a smash hit in Spain, stars Rachel Weisz and Max Minghella and depicts Hypatia’s struggle to save the wisdom of the ancient world while embroiled in a love triangle. At Cannes, the film ran two hours and twenty minutes and we called it an “ungratifying portrait of history set in Roman Egypt in 391AD that is a lot like history class while eating raw vegetables and dry oats.” The film will arrive on U.S. shores with a slightly shorter two hour and six minute running time.

This year’s “Antichrist,” Michael Winterbottom’s demented serial killer noir “The Killer Inside Me” will hit cinemas on June 18th though likely in limited release (but probably OnDemand at the same time as well). The film stars Casey Affleck as a murderous small-town Texas sheriff whose violent ways are catching up to him forcing him to take even more drastic measures. The film debuted at Sundance where it earned buzz for its gratuitous violence, and confirmed by the shocking stills of a battered Jessica Alba which hit the web, will undoubtedly arrive in theaters on a wave of controversial buzz which IFC is more than capable into turning into box office success as they did with “Antichrist.” Kate Hudson, Bill Pullman and Simon Baker also star.

Finally, Todd Solodnz’ quasi-sequel to “Happiness,” “Life During Wartime” will arrive on July 23rd also via IFC. The the film centers on the lives of several of the characters in “Happiness,” plus a few from 1995’s “Welcome To The Dollhouse” and revolves around the themes of forgiveness, which was once the working title of the film. The rub is that every single character in the previous films are now played by new actors. So you might want to Netflix the previous films to do some prep work. While our EIC didn’t love it through and through when he saw it at TIFF, it still comes recommended and frankly anything Solodnz does is worth of at least some attention. You can check out the U.K. trailer for the film here.

So, arthouse fans no need to worry. There will at least some options for cinematic viewing this summer that don’t involve 3D, CGI or adaptations of television shows and comic books.