Limited and VOD Releases: Won’t You See a Movie?
June 8, 2018
There is a disproportionate number of documentaries on this week’s list, including several earning amazing reviews. Of these, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? has the best shot at mainstream success. However, it isn’t the only film with good reviews and I think Hearts Beat Loud could also do well in limited release.
211 - Reviews
Believer - Reviews
Bernard and Huey - Reviews
Half the Picture - Reviews
Hearts Beat Loud - Reviews
Nancy - Reviews
On The Seventh Day - Reviews
Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist - Reviews
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? - Reviews
The Workers Cup - Reviews
Secondary VOD Releases:
Video on Demand
Yet another terrible Nicolas Cage movie. Moving on.
There are only six reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, which is normally not enough to be included here. However, all six reviews are positive and it is a South Korean film, so having six reviews is better than expected. If you like South Korean crime thrillers, then this film is certainly worth checking out.
Video on Demand
A comedy that has won a lot of film festival awards, but its reviews suggest it is better as a VOD rental than a trip to the theaters.
A talking-head documentary in which countless female directors are interviewed about working in TV and movies. The reviews are really good, but there’s simply too much direct competition this week and I fear this one will slip between the cracks.
Father and daughter start a band together just before she goes to college. The film’s Tomatometer Score is 93% positive and it has better star power than most other limited releases. That said, limited release is never an easy road to travel.
A psychological thriller about a woman, Nancy, who creates false identities online. However, when she comes across a couple whose daughter went missing 30 years ago, she begins to think she’s their missing daughter. The film’s reviews are probably not good enough to thrive in limited release.
A group of working class men play soccer on Sundays. When the team gets to the final, the team’s captain is forced by his boss to work on the same day as the championship game. The film is earning 100% positive reviews, although the average score isn’t as good as Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’s reviews are.
A biographical documentary about Vivienne Westwood, a fashion icon. Had the film been the only documentary to come out this week, it could have found an audience in theaters. However Won’t You Be My Neighbor? will likely steal all of its thunder.
The is one of the best-reviewed movies of the year and it is one of the few documentaries that is earning mainstream buzz. And I think we can all agree that we need a little more Mister Rogers in our life.
Video on Demand
A documentary about the 2022 World Cup, more specifically, the migrant workers who are helping to build it under grueling conditions. The reviews are right on the border between merely good and good enough for limited release. Additionally, documentaries rarely find mainstream success in limited release and it has massive direct competition.
2036 Origin Unknown - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Quest of Alain Ducasse - Reviews - Video on Demand
Zoo - Reviews - Video on Demand
All three secondary VOD releases have positive reviews, although in the case of 2036 Origin Unknown, it only has one review that happens to be positive. That’s not enough to judge a film’s quality.
Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist, Hearts Beat Loud, Zoo, En el Séptimo Día, 2036 Origin Unknown, Half the Picture, Nancy, 211, La quête d’Alain Ducasse, Dokjeon, The Workers Cup, Bernard and Huey, Nicolas Cage, Nick Offerman, Andrea Riseborough, Kiersey Clemons, Fred Rogers