Indie distributor Corinth Films is releasing two films on DVD right in time for the July 4th holiday weekend - Heather Graham's 2008 film Miss Conception and Freedom, a 2017 release from German filmmaker Jan Speckenbach. 

Miss Conception stars Graham as Georgina Salt, a Londonite and owner of Salt Construction who is feeling her biological time clock ticking and is determined to become a mother despite <giggle> inconceivable odds and a mate, Zak (Tom Ellis), who doesn't seem to be fatherhood material. When her biological clock is met by an even more serious obstacle from her doctor, Georgina sets out with friend Clem (Mia Kirshner) to find a way to meet what has become an even more <giggle> inconceivable deadline. In the meantime, Zak sits on the sidelines convinced that eventually Georgina will come calling. 

If the entire concept behind Miss Conception seems outdated, well, it is. From its absolutely tone deaf storyline to an inability of director Eric Styles to capitalize on the always delightful Heather Graham, Miss Conception is a film that seems to have promise but never lives into that promise and ends up being a mostly unfunny, antiquated effort that falls flat and never convinces. 

On the flip side, Jan Speckenbach's directorial debut, Freedom, is somewhat more successful at living into its promise as it tells the complex but convincing story of Nora (Johanna Wokalek), a woman who leaves her husband and children without saying goodbye. The film is an episodic endeavor that starts off with Nora's relocation to Vienna and Bratislava as she creates a new life for herself. In the second episode, the left behind family is followed a good two years after Nora's disappearance. In the final episode, Freedom looks at the family's last night. While Freedom isn't always successful, it's nearly always compelling on the strength of Wokalek's performance and the performances of her supporting ensemble cast. It's a thought provoking film that doesn't so much entertain as it immerses you in its story. 

Both films will be available on DVD beginning July 2nd. For more information, follow the links in the credits. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic