Limited Releases You Can Take Pride In
September 26, 2014
The list of new releases is a little calmer this week than it was last week. There are still a few movies that could do well. The Two Faces of January has some of the best reviews and has an impressive cast, but it is also playing on Video on Demand, so its box office numbers might not shine. On the other hand, I think Pride will turn its excellent reviews into a long run on limited release. It might even find a significant measure of mainstream success.
Advanced Style - Reviews
Asmodexia - Reviews
Believe Me - Reviews
Darker than Night - No Reviews
Days and Nights - Reviews
Fishing Without Nets - Reviews
Good People - Reviews
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart - Reviews
Jimi: All is By My Side - Reviews
Lilting - Reviews
The Little Bedroom - Reviews
Plastic - Reviews
Pride - Reviews
The Song - Reviews
The Two Faces of January - Reviews
Two Night Stand - Reviews-Thumbnail.jpg)
A look at seven women from the ages of 62 to 95 who continue to explore their sense of style. This is one of the best-reviewed releases on this week's list. However, it is playing on Video on Demand and I think it will perform better there than in theaters.
A horror film about an exorcist and his granddaughter traveling across the country trying to stop an epidemic of possessions. This is the wrong genre for limited release and the reviews are too weak to believe it will find an audience. Asmodexia opens tonight at the IFC Center in New York City.
Four college students are short on money, so they create a fake Church to scam donations to a charity. One of them falls in love with a woman and has to decide if he wants to do the right thing. There are not a lot of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and most of them are negative. It is also opening on Video on Demand, so its box office chances are even weaker. Believe Me opens tonight in 14 theaters. Check out the official site for more details.
A 3D horror film that is a remake of a Mexican horror film of the same name. It is about a woman who inherits a mansion from her aunt under the condition that she takes care of her aunt's cat. When the cat dies, her and her friends' are in danger. The film is one of the widest releases of the week opening in close to 200 theaters and since it is targeted at Hispanics, it might actually do well despite the lack of reviews and higher theater count.
This movie has an impressive ensemble cast, but so far there are zero positive reviews out of six reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Days and Nights opens tonight at the IFC Center in New York City.
This movie is basically the same story as Captain Phillips, but it focuses on the pirates. Unfortunately, the reviews are merely good and it is a busy enough week that it likely won't find an audience in theaters. It is also playing on Video on Demand and will likely perform better there.
A young couple are trying to renovate their home but money troubles threaten their financial security. The person living in the apartment below them was murdered and left behind $400,000, which they take. When they spend it too freely, the people who stole it want it back. This film is the wrong genre for limited release, the reviews are terrible, and it is playing on Video on Demand. Its box office chances are nearly zero.
Jack was born on the coldest night. It was so cold his heart froze and was replaced by a clock. If he gets too excited, it could stop and kill him. Worse still, he can never fall in love. It is very rare that a family film thrives in limited release, while it is also playing on Video on Demand. Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart opens tonight in ten theaters. Check out the official site for more details.
A biopic about Jimi Hendrix... but without the music. The filmmakers couldn't get the rights to the music, but they went ahead and made the movie anyway. This is undoubtedly hurting the reviews, but they are still very good. Jimi: All is By My Side opens tonight in select theaters.
A Cambodian-Chinese mother mourns the death of her son. She is approached by the man who loved her son and although they don't speak the same language, they connect sharing memories of the man they both loved. The film's reviews are excellent, but there are a few films earning even better reviews on this week's list, so I fear this one will slip between the cracks. Lilting opens tonight at the IFC Center in New York City.
A Swiss film from 2010 that is only getting a release this week. It also doesn't have a lot of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and while all three of them are positive, it still suggests it will fall between the cracks. The Little Bedroom opens tonight at the Cinema Village in New York City.
A group of college students run a credit card scam, but when they accidentally steal from a gangster, they have to pay him £5 million or their lives are in danger. At first they simply try to ramp up their original scam, but when that fails to raise enough money fast enough, they plan a diamond heist. This is one of the worst-reviewed films on this week's list and there doesn't appear to be an official site for the North American release.
One of the best reviewed new releases of the week. The film focuses on a group of LGBT activists who raise money for striking miners during Thatcher's Britain. However, when the national organization doesn't want to take their money, they go to a small town in Wales to give directly to the miners. This film might earn some Awards Season buzz, which could help it perform on the box office. Pride opens tonight in six theaters, three in New York City and the rest in the Los Angeles area / San Francisco. Check out the official site for more details.
A faith-based film about a singer / songwriter who writes a song for his new wife and it becomes a huge hit. However, the fame puts a strain on their marriage. There are four reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, which generally means there is a lack of buzz. Worse still, they are all negative. On the other hand, the target audience of faith-based films generally don't care about reviews. The Song opens tonight in roughly 300 theaters. It could earn over $2 million, or it could open with less than $500,000. Faith-based films are highly unpredictable.
Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst play two con artists and a married couple. While on vacation in Greece, they get into trouble and turn to another con artist, Oscar Isaac, for help. The cast is very impressive, as are the reviews. On the downside, the film is playing on Video on Demand and that will likely hurt its box office chances. The Two Faces of January opens tonight in six theaters, two in New York City and the rest in the Los Angeles area. Check out the official site for more details.
A young couple engage in a one-night stand, only to be trapped in a tiny apartment due to a blizzard and they are forced to get to know each other. It's a romantic comedy, so you shouldn't be surprised that it is earning weak reviews. Unfortunately, they are even weaker than normal for this genre and I really don't think it will find an audience in theaters. On the other hand, it debuts on Video on Demand next week, so it should do better there.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Good People, Jimi: All is By My Side, The Two Faces of January, Two Night Stand, Jack et la mecanique du coeur, The Song, Pride, Believe Me, Plastic, Lilting, Más negro que la noche, Fishing Without Nets, Advanced Style, Asmodexia, Days and Nights, La petite chambre, Kirsten Dunst, Oscar Isaac, Viggo Mortensen, Johanna Braddy