Which Will be the Greatest of the Limited Releases?
April 2, 2010
A slow week for limited releases, but this is not a surprise, as this time of year tends to be weak for limited releases. That should change relatively soon as we are coming close to the summer blockbuster season. In the meantime, we only have three films on this week's list, none of which seem terribly likely to earn breakout success.
Breaking Upwards - Reviews
The Greatest - Reviews
The Warlords - Reviews
Written and starring Zoe Lister Jones and Daryl Wein, the latter of whom also takes the reins as director. They star as a couple trying to revive their relationship, at least at the beginning that's the plan. Apparently this film is about a real life former relationship between the two and that adds another layer to the film. It is also one of the few films opening this week that's earning overall positive reviews, so that should help at the box office. Breaking Upwards opens tonight at the IFC Center in New York City.
This film has an unbelievable cast with three Oscar-nominated actors, including Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon. However, the overall result is merely mixed. In the movie, Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan are a married couple trying to deal with the death of their adult son, who was killed in a car crash. When a woman, Carey Mulligan, shows up claiming to be pregnant with their son's child, her presence further strains their relationship. The Greatest is the widest limited release on this week's list, opening in eight theaters, mostly in the Los Angeles area.
An historical epic that debuted in its native China more than two years ago becoming a solid hit, but an expensive one to make. (It reportedly cost $40 million.) The film does have a few actors that have made either made some Hollywood films (Jet Li) or at least starred in some films that managed some measure of mainstream success here (Andy Lau). That said, the buzz is not particularly high, and if Red Cliff wasn't able to expand beyond a few dozen theaters, I don't see this film having more luck. The Warlords opens tonight in 3 theaters, one in New York City and the other two in the Los Angeles area.
Filed under: Limited Releases, The Greatest, , Breaking Upwards