"Yellowbrickroad" (Friday midnight at AMC Mission Valley) and "True Legend" (opening June 10 at Reading Gaslamp Theaters) were both unavailable for preview but might offer good alternatives to summer mainstream releases.
First up, "Yellowbrickroad" is the next film in the Bloody Disgusting Selects series at AMC. First time feature director Jesse Holland spins a tale about the town of Friar, New Hampshire where, in 1940, the entire population walked up a winding mountain trail, leaving everything behind. Then, jump to 2008 and an expedition ventures out into the wilderness to solve the mystery of the lost citizens of Friar. Here's the trailer:
The film was not available for preview but I did see the first film in the Bloody Disgusting Selects series, "Rammbock: Berlin Undead" and quite enjoyed it. So I'm hopeful about this next installment in the series. Plus, if you are a horror fan you might want to support the series so that indie horror films have additional outlets like this. This film will screen only once in San Diego and that is Friday midnight at the AMC Mission Valley.
Another film unavailable for preview but grabbing my attention is Yuen Woo Ping's "True Legend." Yuen is a renowned fight choreographer (Americans will likely remember him for his work on "The Matrix") and director (he helmed the great "Iron Monkey"). "True Legend" is a high flying, gravity defying period martial arts action film about Drunken Boxing. The action and wirework look amazing. Here's the trailer:
So if you don't want to see a sequel or Hollywood blockbuster, consider one of these smaller releases.