Limited and VOD Releases: Limited Releases get a Green Light

November 16, 2018

Green Book

This week is filled with films that are earning reviews that are good, but likely not quite good enough to thrive in limited release. There are a few exceptions, mostly documentaries. This leaves Green Book as the only film that has a real shot at mainstream success. In fact, given its reviews, it could earn some Awards Season success.

Anchor and Hope - Reviews
 Oona Chaplin and Natalia Tena star as a lesbian couple, one of whom wants to have a child. When Roger enters their lives, they decide he would be the perfect person to father their child. Like a lot of films on this week’s list, this one has reviews that are good, but likely not good enough to thrive in limited release.

At Eternity’s Gate - Reviews
 A biopic that combines fact and fiction to tell the life story of Vincent van Gogh. The reviews are probably not good enough to thrive in limited release; however, it has more star power than most limited releases can dream of, including Willem Dafoe as the lead.

Blue My Mind - Reviews
 Video on Demand
Mia is a 15-year old girl dealing with puberty, which is even more troubling for her than the average girl, because the bodily changes she’s going through are a little more extreme than most girls deal with. Think of it as Ginger Snaps, but switching out werewolves for mermaids. The reviews are likely not good enough to thrive in limited release, but it could do very well on VOD.

The Clovehitch Killer - Reviews
 Video on Demand
A teenage boy’s life takes a turn when he discovers evidence that suggest his perfect father might be a sadistic serial killer. The reviews are right on the border between merely good and good enough to thrive in limited release. However, limited release is rarely kind to this genre, so I think it will struggle. I do hope I’m being too pessimistic.

Family in Transition - Reviews
 A documentary about a middle-age father living a traditional small town in Israel who has come out as a transgender woman. There are not that many reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but all of them are positive, so that’s a good sign. Also, it’s a documentary.

Green Book - Reviews
 Viggo Mortensen plays a bouncer who is hired to be the driver for Mahershala Ali, an African-American Pianist who is touring the deep south. The film’s reviews are excellent and the film is earning some strong Awards Season buzz. I’ve heard some push back with some saying it treats racism in a way meant to placate white people. This might actually help it with Oscar voters.

Jinn - Reviews
 Video on Demand
An African-American woman converts to Islam, which has a major impact on her daughter’s life. The reviews are excellent, with a lot of critics specifically praising the performances by the two lead women.

Jonathan - Reviews
 Video on Demand
Ansel Elgort stars as a set of twins whose harmonious relationship crumbles when a woman enters their lives. The reviews are at the overall positive level, barely. This likely won’t be enough to find an audience in theaters.

The Last Race - Reviews
 Video on Demand
A documentary about a stock car race track in Long Island that is struggling to survive. The film’s reviews are currently 100% positive, while documentaries have had an unusual amount of success at the box office this year. This one won’t crack $1 million at the box office, but it could do well on the home market.

Mobile Homes - Reviews
 Imogen Poots stars as a single parent who moves around with her son and boyfriend going from hustle to hustle. The reviews are just below the overall positive level, which will likely prove fatal for its box office chances.

Ruben Brandt, Collector - Reviews
 An animated film from Hungary. It is about a psychotherapist who has nightmares about famous works of art and some of his patients, all expert thieves, offer to steal them for him. There are only five reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but all of them are positive. Animated films usually struggle in limited release, but perhaps this one will do better on the home market.

Under the Wire - Reviews
 A documentary about Marie Colvin, a war correspondent who is also the subject of A Private War. This film’s reviews are better that the earlier film and documentaries have had a stunning success rate this year.

Secondary VOD Releases:
Speed Kills - Reviews - Video on Demand
Texas Cotton - No Reviews - Video on Demand
Welcome Home - Reviews - Video on Demand
Texas Cotton has no reviews, but it is still arguably the best secondary VOD release of the week.

Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, Mobile Homes, Speed Kills, Tierra Firme, Welcome Home, The Clovehitch Killer, Jinn, Jonathan, Green Book, A Private War, At Eternity’s Gate, Under the Wire, The Last Race, Ruben Brandt, a gyujto, Mishpakha BiTrans, Blue My Mind, Texas Cotton, Willem Dafoe, Viggo Mortensen, Imogen Poots, Natalia Tena, Mahershala Ali, Ansel Elgort, Oona Chaplin, Suki Waterhouse, David Verdaguer, Simone Missick, Zoe Renee, Luna Wedler