Limited and VOD Releases: In the Land of Quarantines, VOD is the King
March 20, 2020
The COVID-19 outbreak has hit all 50 states and in many of them it is a state of emergency. Mass theater closings hasn’t stopped all limited releases, but I assume Video on Demand will generate a lot more business this weekend. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, there are so few theatrical releases that, starting this week, I am including made-for-VOD and streaming releases, including some original TV shows. We are also going to include theatrical releases that were fast-tracked to VOD this week. If you don't want to / can't hit theaters this week (and the overwhelming advice coming from the professionals is not to), you can watch some big movies early on the home market, including The Invisible Man, Onward, and others. Stay safe!
Movies:
Altered Carbon: Resleeved - Reviews
Blow the Man Down - Reviews
Emma. - Reviews
Frozen II - Reviews
Hooking Up - Reviews
Human Capital - Reviews
The Hunt - Reviews
International Falls - Reviews
The Invisible Man - Reviews
Onward - Reviews
Phoenix, Oregon - Reviews
The Platform - Reviews
Ultras - No Reviews
The Wolf House - Reviews
TV Shows:
Feel Good - Reviews
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker - Reviews
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness - Reviews
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Video on Demand
This is an anime spin-off to the Netflix series based on the 2002 cyberpunk novel. There are only two reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but they are both positive, so fans of the show will want to check it out.
Video on Demand
Two women, Morgan Saylor and Sophie Lowe, are dealing with the death of their mother when they accidentally kill a very dangerous man and have to cover up the death. The film’s reviews are 100% positive and I suspect a lot of people are going to be staying home this weekend, so it could be a hit for Amazon Studios.
Video on Demand
This is the first of four films that were in the top ten at the box office last weekend that are getting a VOD release this week in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The reviews are fantastic and if you are a fan of Jane Austen, then it is 100% worth checking out.
Disney+
This is technically not a VOD release this week, but it did hit Disney+ three months early, so it would be a strange omission if I didn’t at least mention it.
Video on Demand
This film was supposed to open in theaters today, but that no longer appears to be the case. It is still playing on VOD and has since Tuesday, which is why it is on this list. Its reviews are mixed, to be generous, but the average score isn’t so bad that it’s a deal-breaker for fans of romantic comedies looking for something new to rent.
Video on Demand
I think this film is coming out in theaters still, but I can’t be sure. There were three movies that had theatrical releases when I started researching this story yesterday that were pulled before I started writing it today. The film’s reviews are good, but not good enough to thrive in limited release, even under the best of circumstances. It is one of the better choices for VOD.
Video on Demand
This film is a social satire / dark comedy, which is a tough sell at the best of times. It was then pulled from the schedule due to controversies before coming out at the worst time possible. It is now on VOD and I think it will draw in some people who were curious, but wouldn’t have bothered to go out and see it in the theaters, even without the COVID-19 outbreak.
Video on Demand
Rachael Harris stars as a woman in a failing marriage who dreams of being a stand-up comic, but has never had the courage to try. When she has a one-night stand with a stand-up comic who performed at the hotel she works at, it changes her life. There is only one review on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is positive, so perhaps this film is worth the risk as a $7 rental.
Video on Demand
It has been a bad year for low-budget horror movies, but this film was the one exception. The film was still in the top five domestically, but it is coming out on VOD today, because no studio wants to encourage people to go to the theaters at a time like this.
Video on Demand
As expected, Disney is fast-tracking the latest Pixar movie to Video on Demand. I wasn’t expecting it to come out today, though. This could steal a lot of thunder from other releases hitting VOD this week. Meanwhile, it comes out on Disney+ on April 3rd, so if you are a subscriber there, you won’t have to wait long to see it.
Two friends in the middle of a mid-life crisis decide to quit their jobs and restore an old bowling alley to glory by creating and selling the world’s greatest pizza. This is a film that would slip between the cracks most weekends, but it might be the only choice for a new release.
Video on Demand
A Spanish sci-fi social satire about a brutal prison where the prisoners on the lower levels only get the food the upper levels don’t eat. The reviews are very good, but I think this will be a tough sell for audiences.
Video on Demand
A movie about the leader of a group of fanatical and sometimes violent soccer fans. This Italian film is debuting on Netflix today, but it has no reviews and I don’t think it will find an audience.
This is one of the best-reviewed films on this week’s list. However, it is an animated film and animated films almost never do well in limited release. With so few theaters open and most people staying home unless it is an emergency, I seriously doubt this will be an exception.
Netflix
An auto-biographical dramedy starring Canadian comedian Mae Martin, who is dealing with addiction and a new romance. The six-part series came out in its native U.K. on Wednesday and hit Netflix on Thursday. It is earning 100% positive reviews, so those interested will likely binge it all in one sitting.
Netflix
Octavia Spencer stars as C.J. Walker, the first female African-American self-made millionaire. The TV show’s reviews are good, but not great. That said, it does have an impressive cast.
Netflix
A Netflix True Crime TV series about Joseph Maldonado-Passage, who is best known for running a zoo featuring exotic animals, specifically big cats. Also, he tried to hire a hit man to kill a rival. The reviews are 100% positive and this genre is popular right now, so Netflix could have a hit on their hands.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Home Market Releases, VOD Releases, Frozen II, Onward, The Invisible Man, The Hunt, Human Capital, Emma., Hooking Up, Blow the Man Down, Rachael Harris, Jane Austen, Octavia Spencer, Sophie Lowe, Morgan Saylor