Limited Releases: Lockedown
April 25, 2014
It is a busy week for limited releases, but most of the films are earning weak reviews. Several are earning reviews that would be good if they were opening wide, but not good enough to suggest they will thrive in limited release. There are a few of films with truly great reviews, including Blue Ruin, which not only has amazing reviews, but also earned a number of film festival awards. Both Last Passenger and Locke are also earning close to 90% positive reviews, but none of them really feel like limited release hits.
Bicycling with Moliere - Reviews
Blue Ruin - Reviews
Bright Days Ahead - Reviews
For No Good Reason - Reviews
From the Rough - Reviews
The German Doctor - Reviews
The Girl and Death - Reviews
The Girl on the Train - No Reviews
Last Passenger - Reviews
Locke - Reviews
The Machine - Reviews
Walking with the Enemy - Reviews
Who is Dayani Cristal - Reviews
Young & Beautiful - Reviews
This movie came out last year in Canada as Molière à Bicyclette. It's reviews haven't improved since then and it might not do as well in the United States as it did in Quebec. Bicycling with Moliere opens tonight at the Film Forum in New York City.
A man returns to the town where his estranged family live to get revenge on another family, one of whom killed his parents. One act of violence begets another and things spiral out of control. This film is earning the best reviews of the weekend, at least at the moment. (It is close enough that it could slip into second place with one or two bad reviews.) It also won the FIPRESCI Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival, which should help the buzz. On the other hand, Blue Ruin is not only opening in 12 theaters tonight, but it is also playing on Video on Demand.
The film is about a woman, Caroline, who has a midlife crisis and begins an affair with a younger man. There are only four reviews and they are split 50/50. Bright Days Ahead opens tonight in four theaters, mostly in the Los Angeles area, but also in New York city.
A documentary about Ralph Steadman, an illustrator who worked with Hunter S. Thompson. The reviews are weak with many critics complaining that it is unfocused and shallow. For No Good Reason opens tonight in New York City and Los Angeles.
The story of Dr. Catana Starks, who was the first African-American woman to coach a collegiate sports team. There are only two reviews, which suggests the buzz is limited. They are both positive, which is at least something. From the Rough opens tonight in select cities. The official site has a Zip Code find-a-theater function.
One of three films dealing with World War II on this week's list. This one looks at a notorious Nazi and the family who unknowingly helped him hide from justice. The film's reviews are good, but not great. There are also a lot of film's opening in limited release this week, so the competition is tough. The German Doctor opens tonight in New York City and Los Angeles.
Set in post-World War II Russia, this film tells the story of an older doctor who travels to the place where he met the love of his life and then flashes back to tell that story. The reviews are really weak, weak enough that they would be an issue if it were opening wide. The Girl and Death opens tonight in New York City and expands to Los Angeles next month.
A film about a documentarian who is traveling to make his next movie, but meets a girl on the train and decides to follow her instead. There are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, which indicates a lack of buzz. Then again, I'm not 100% sure it is coming out tonight, as the official site doesn't even have a trailer yet.
A group of passengers learn the commuter train conductor has hijacked their train. The film's reviews are excellent, but this isn't exactly the genre that does the best in limited release. Also, it is opening in too many theaters. Last Passenger opens tonight in select theaters in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Orlando.
Tom Hardy plays a man whose life seems to be in order, until her learns a women he had a one-night stand with is about to give birth to his child. The film's reviews are the best on this week's list and could become the biggest hit as well. Locke opens tonight in four theaters, split evenly among New York City and Los Angeles. It also expands next weekend. Check out the official site for more details.
Two men create an artificial intelligence robot for humanitarian purposes, but the government steals it and tries to turn it into a weapon. The films reviews are very good, but I'm not sure they are good enough to thrive in limited release. The Machine opens tonight in theaters, as well as on video on demand.
Set in World War II, this film tells the story of man who stole a Nazi uniform and pretended to be the enemy in order to find his family. The reviews are very weak. Worse still, Walking with the Enemy opens tonight in way too many theaters. Check out the official site for details.
A documentary that tries to learn the story of an undocumented immigrant whose body was found in the Arizona desert. The reviews are good, but not great, so its chances of earning a measure of mainstream success is nearly zero. Who is Dayani Cristal opens tonight at the Cinema Village in New York City.
Written and directed by Francois Ozon. The film is about a 17-year old girl who loses her virginity and becomes a prostitute. ... I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the message that sends. The reviews are good, but not great. On the other hand, Francois Ozon has a big enough following here that it might do well in limited release regardless. Young & Beautiful opens tonight at the IFC Center in New York City.
Filed under: Limited Releases, From the Rough, Last Passenger, , Locke, Les beaux jours, Wakolda, For No Good Reason, The Machine, Blue Ruin, Jeune & Jolie, Walking with the Enemy, Alceste a bicyclette, Met Meisje en de Dood, Who is Dayani Cristal?, Fanny Ardant, Tom Hardy, Hunter S. Thompson, Francois Ozon, Ralph Steadman