Limited Releases Want to be Heard
August 9, 2013
It is not a good week for limited releases with a couple of higher profile releases failing to win over critics. Lovelace had been earning a lot of buzz before its release, but the reviews suggest it won't be able to capitalize on this buzz. On the other hand, In a World is earning surprisingly strong reviews and it does have a lot of name recognition in the cast, so hopefully it will thrive.
Blood - Buy from Amazon
Chennai Express - Reviews
I Give It a Year - Reviews
In a World - Reviews
Jug Face - Reviews
Lovelace - Reviews
Off Label - Reviews
Prince Avalanche - Reviews
Two brothers are cops, just like their father. Their father was known for doing what it takes to get a confession, something the two brothers try to live up to. However, when they go too far they have to cover up their crimes. The reviews are mixed at exactly 50%. A lot of critics are praising the performances, but the script just isn't compelling enough to carry the movie. Blood opens tonight in select cities.
A Bollywood film opening in nearly 200 theaters but with nearly no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. The theater count is higher than average for a Bollywood film, so perhaps it is be a much bigger than average hit.
Romantic comedies rarely work in limited release and this film's reviews suggest it won't be one of the rare exceptions. On the other hand, the film has been released in a number of international markets and has done better than most limited releases do internationally. It opened in third place in the U.K., for instance, making a total of nearly $10 million. It is also a British film, so that's not a fair comparison. It is very likely this film will have to wait till the home market to find an audience here. I Give It a Year opens tonight in New York City and Los Angeles, but it has also be playing on Video on Demand.
Lake Bell wrote, directed, and stars in this movie, her first as writer / director. In the movie, she plays a woman who wants to break into the trailer voiceover business, just like her father. However, the industry isn't itching to have a female voiceover artist, something her father likes to point out. The reviews are excellent and the cast is incredible, so hopefully it will be the big limited release hit this weekend. In a World opens tonight in three theaters, two in Los Angeles and the other in New York City.
A horror movie opening in limited release. Those rarely work out. On the other hand, the film's reviews are strong, perhaps strong enough to overcome the genre. It is also writer / director Chad Crawford Kinkle's first film. This means it doesn't have a major name to draw in viewers, but it could be the first film in a long and successful career. Jug Face opens tonight in theaters, as well as video on demand. The latter will likely be a lot more lucrative.
Amanda Seyfried stars as Linda Lovelace, who is arguably the first porn start to be known by name by mainstream audiences. However, she did not have a happy life, as her husband / manager was abusive and forced her into the industry. A lot of critics are praising her performance, but at the same time saying the overall movie isn't very good. Additionally, the movie is playing in Video on Demand, so its box office chances are even weaker. This is a shame, because there was a lot of potential here.
A documentary about the pharmaceutical industry. It specifically looks at the common practice of prescribing medications for any reason other than what it was originally tested for, so it is unsure if it is effective, or even safe. But it is profitable. The reviews are only mixed with many critics complaining about the lack of focus. Off Label opens tonight in three theaters in three cities, including New York City, Los Angles, and Missoula, Montana. Not your usual spot for a limited release debut.
This film is written and directed by David Gordon Green, whose previous films include some Indie successes like All the Real Girls and wide release hit, Pineapple Success. Unfortunately, his two most recent wide releases struggled with critics and moviegoers, so it is nice to see him return to his Indie roots. Prince Avalanche is about two road workers played by Paul Rudd and Emilie Hirsch. It is a loose remake of an Icelandic film, Ã annan veg, and the reviews are among the best this week and it has more name recognition in the cast and crew than most Indie films can dream of. On the other hand, it debuted on Video on Demand previously. Prince Avalanche opens tonight in more than a dozen theaters in select cities nationwide.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Lovelace, Jug Face, I Give It a Year, Blood, In a World..., Prince Avalanche, Off Label, Chennai Express, Lake Bell, David Gordon Green, Paul Rudd, Amanda Seyfried, Chad Crawford Kinkle,