Limited Releases: Hitting a Brick Wall
March 31, 2006
Four films on this week's list, but I can't see any of them really earning widespread success. Brick probably has the best chance, but the appeal will be limited by its over-stylized nature.
Brick - Reviews
Drawing Restraint 9 - Reviews
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School - Reviews
Niagara Motel - Reviews
A film noir set in High School rather than the adult world. This, along with a very stylized dialogue, gives the film a unique feel that will either draw you in, or leave you in the cold. Brick opens tonight at the Angelika Film Center in New York City and Arclight Cinemas in Los Angeles before expanding next weekend.
Matthew Barney of the Cremaster Cycle writer, directs and stars in this experimental film. Bjork co-write, co-stars as well as provides the music. Because it is an experimental film, there is a very limited appeal for mainstream moviegoers while it's hard to tell if the critics truly enjoyed the movie or bought into some kind of "Emperor has no clothes" mentality. Drawing Restraint 9 opened on Wednesday at the IFC Center in New York City.
The widest release on this week's list is also the one with the weakest reviews. The film stars Robert Carlyle, a widower still unable to deal with his wife's death. One day he witnesses a fatal car accident but before the driver dies, he tells him his story and asks to fulfil a promise he made 40 years ago. It's not a terrible movie, but it doesn't feel fresh enough to earn the word of mouth needed to expand past the 38 theatres it is opening in tonight. Paradoxically, the film has a more populist feel than most that wind up on this list every week and with the proper support probably could have opened wide.
The latest Canadian movie to open with no publicity in is native market. In fact, it opened last week and chances are it's already out of theatres by tonight. I didn't mention it last week because I didn't realize it was opening in theatres, and I make a conscious effort to look for Canadian movies so the fact that this one slipped past me just shows how little advertising there was. Niagara Motel opened last week in Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg. On an interesting side note, Caroline Dhavernas stars in this movie and starred in the shot-lived TV series Wonderfall, which was also set in Niagara Falls.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Brick, Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School