Ryan gosling, meryl streep and 'swiss army man' lead the counterprogramming charge la times

Ryan Gosling, Meryl Streep and 'Swiss Army Man' lead the counterprogramming charge at the movies this summer The summer movie season has more to offer than just explosions.

During the summer months, seeing the latest superhero sequels, big-budget action reboots or cookiecutter comedies can start to feel like an obligation.

That's where counterprogramming comes in. For every potential blockbuster, there are a handful of alternatives heading to theaters the same weekend. Some have serious star power and marketing muscle; others will fly under the radar.

Not all of them are serious art-house dramas, either. There are plenty of potential laughs, chills, thrills and oddities on the list -- but you should probably leave the kids at home for most of these.