Don't Miss It: 4 Under-the-Radar Films to Catch This Summer

Moviegoers can count on one consistency in the summertime: Hollywood will unleash some of its biggest and most-expensive blockbusters. From franchise flicks, to action-packed adventures to zany animated children's movies (although don't count Seth Rogen's "Sausage Party"), the slate of summer films is usually a fun time.

While this year's crop of popcorn movies includes the long awaited sequel to Pixar's "Finding Nemo" (called "Finding Dory"), an even longer awaited "Independence Day" sequel, an all-female remake of "Ghostbusters," the third installment in "The Purge" series, a spooky follow up to "The Conjuring," a new "Bourne" flick and the highly anticipated super villain movie "Suicide Squad," there are still a bunch of films that may not be as flashy, but still worth your attention.

Below are just four of those movies. They may not break the box office like the films listed above, but these under-the-radar features can nevertheless pack a powerful punch, just like Captain America.

"The Neon Demon"
Starring: Elle Fanning, Karl Glusman, Jena Malone
Dir.: Nicolas Winding Refn
Release date: June 24

"The Neon Demon" debuted during France's Cannes Film Festival this month to mixed reviews. Still, the latest picture from controversial director Nicolas Winding Refn is worth your time and money. "The Neon Demon" is Refn's biggest movie since the 2011 neo-noir horror film "Drive," starring Ryan Gossling in arguably one of his best roles. The film took on a life of its own, scoring big at the box office, and has since become a cult classic.

After helming the forgotten (and rightfully so) "Only God Forgives," Refn's latest feature stars Elle Fanning as Jesse, an inspiring model who moved to L.A. and is eventually hired by a fashion designer to be his muse. As she enters the high-stakes modeling and fashion world, things seem to take a darker, and horrific turn. If the movie's trailer is any indication, we can expect another highly stylized psychological thriller from Refn. Based on some critics' reviews, it looks like audiences are in for a mind-bending Lynchian violent movie. Whether you like it or not will probably depend on your taste threshold. Still, Refn was wise enough to team up again with legendary composer Cliff Martinez, whose music brought "Drive" to life, so "The Neon Demon" could prove to be another commercial hit for the Danish filmmaker.

"De Palma"
Starring: Brian De Palma, Noah Baumbach
Dir.: Noah Baumbach, Jake Paltrow
Release date: June 10 (limited)

Film fanatics and cinephiles will be lining up to see "De Palma" this summer. The documentary, brought to you by indie director Noah Baumbach ("Frances Ha," "While We're Young," "Greenberg") and director/writer Jake Paltrow, "De Palma" is an intimate conversation with iconic filmmaker Brian De Palma, who changed movies with films like, "Scarface," "Carrie," "Dressed to Kill" and "Mission: Impossible." He's been credited as being one of the best (suspense/thriller) directors of all time, coming from the New Hollywood wave of moviemaking.

"De Palma," distributed by the rising company A24, chronicles the auteur's 55-year career in Hollywood and looks at his life and creative process. Writing on the social media film-based website Letterboxd, film critic David Ehrlich said of the film, "Hard to overstate just how rich, candid and layered this thing is. I feared a DVD extra, I got a cinematic portrait for the ages. And I say that as a De Palma agnostic."

"Tickled"
Starring: David Farrier
Dir.: David Farrier, Dylan Reeve
Release date: June 17

Back in 2010, a documentary called "Catfish" took the nation by storm, eventually spawning a popular MTV reality show of the same name. The controversial movie told the story of a young handsome man's plight to find the true identity of a woman he met online. But "Tickled" upends "Catfish," becoming one of the most brain-melting docs ever made.

The film starts with David Farrier, an out New Zealand journalist and culture writer, who becomes fascinated with "competitive endurance tickling." After contacting the company that sponsors many of these events, Farrier is bombarded by hateful messages, threats and lawsuits from the business. This only sparks Farrier's interest, leading him down an insane rabbit hole that's incredibly compelling. It's a documentary showcasing investigative journalism at its best, and is essential summertime viewing.

"Swiss Army Man"
Starring: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Dir.: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Release date: July 1

"Swiss Army Man" may be one of the most controversial movies of the summer. It certainly was when it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival this January. The action-comedy stars Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, who both continue to take on strange and challenging roles, and comes from directing duo Dan Kwan and Dan Scheinert - the men who helmed one of the greatest music videos of the 21st century, "Turn Down For What."

The film, an A24 feature, is already off to a great start, with its trailer earning more than an astounding 6.7 million views on YouTube. "Swiss Army Man" is about Hank (Dano), who is marooned on an island. Just before taking his own life, he finds a body washed up on the beach. Naming the corpse Manny (Radcliffe), Hank learns his new pal has powers and the ability to talk...and fart.

If "Swiss Army Man" is anything like "Turn Down For What," viewers can expect a wild ride of lowbrow humor accompanied by some truly fantastic special effects. This may be indie film's answer to "Tommy Boy."