Limited Releases: Big Bad Limited Releases
January 17, 2014
It's the weekend after the Oscar nominations were announced and it is closing in on Sundance, so it is not a good time to release a film in limited release, as art house aficionados are focuses elsewhere. Unfortunately, there are lots of limited releases on this week's list, most of which are earning weak, or really weak reviews. There are a few that are earning good reviews, Big Bad Wolves, G.B.F., Like Father, Like Son, etc., but with the competition, I can practically guarantee that most of them will get lost in the crowd.
Back in the Day - Reviews
Big Bad Wolves - Reviews
Freezer - Reviews
G.B.F. - Reviews
Jamesy Boy - Reviews
Life of a King - Reviews
Like Father, Like Son - Reviews
Maidentrip - Reviews
Oil Sands Karaoke - Reviews
Reasonable Doubt - Reviews
Summer in February - Reviews
Michael Rosenbaum writes, directs, and stars in this movie, which is about a failed actor who goes back home for his high school reunion. This is the feature-length directorial debut for the actor, but the critics are not impressed with zero positive reviews out of the five so far on Rotten Tomatoes. It is also the wrong genre for limited release and it is already on Video on Demand. Its chances at box office success are very low. Back in the Day opens tonight in a dozen theaters. Check out the official site for more details.
After a series of children are murdered, three men are set on a collision course. There's the father of one of the victims, a cop looking to crack the case by whatever means he has to employ, and the lead suspect in the murders. The reviews are really good, perhaps strong enough to do well in limited release, but the subject matter will likely prevent it from expanding significantly. Big Bad Wolves opens tonight in six theaters, including three in Canada. Check the official site for more details.
While at a restaurant for his birthday dinner, Dylan McDermott is knocked out and when he wakes up he finds himself locked in the restaurant's walk-in freezer. He soon finds he's not alone, but he needs to find out why he is there and, more importantly, how to survive. There are only a few reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but they are mostly positive. Freezer opens tonight, it is already playing on Video on Demand, and is released on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday.
A film about a group of girls in high school determined to get the must-have item for social status: A Gay Best Friend. Their target is Tanner, who was recently outed. That plot doesn't sound particularly good, but the film is one of the better reviewed films of the week and critics are complimenting the film for avoiding the easy jokes and dealing with the subject matter in a strong way. G.B.F. opens tonight in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta, while it expands the following week to New York, Seattle, and other cities. Check the official site for more details.
The story of a young man caught up gang life sent to prison, but while there begins to turn his life around. Like too many other films on this week's list, this one is earning bad reviews. Not mixed, not weak, but just plain bad. Jamesy Boy opens tonight at the Arena Cinema in Hollywood.
Cuba Gooding, Jr. stars as Eugene Brown, an ex-con who tries to help inner cities kids not follow the same criminal footsteps he did. The film's reviews are awful, although Cuba Gooding, Jr. is getting praise for his performance. The film is just too devoted to the genre clichés and no amount of good acting could help it overcome that. Life of a King opens tonight in 16 theaters in select cities nationwide.
Two babies are switched at birth and six years later when the mistake is finally caught, the two families come together. The film's reviews are strong enough to suggest it will do well in limited release, but it is a foreign language film, so its chances at expanding significantly are limited. Like Father, Like Son opens tonight at the IFC Center in New York City before debuting on Video on Demand next Thursday.
This film came out on December 20th, but many sources say is it coming out again today. The documentary looks at Laura Dekker, who at the age of 14 took a two-year, solo trip around the world. This film is earning some of the best reviews on this week's list, but I'm not 100% sure if or where it is playing, because the official site has no details on its release.
A Canadian documentary about several oil patch workers who are trying to win a Karaoke contest. It also looks at the oil sands industry and the conditions these workers have to endure. There are only two reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but both of them are positive, which is a good sign. Oil Sands Karaoke opens tonight at the Vancity Theatre in Vancouver.
Dominic Cooper stars as a rising A.D.A., but when he commits a hit and run it could derail his career. When another man is charged with the crime, he manipulates the case to get him free. However, he then learns that man was a serial killer who continues to strike. It is an interesting setup, but so far the film only has one positive review out of five on Rotten Tomatoes. Additionally, the film is already on Video on Demand, so its chances at the box office are really weak. Reasonable Doubt opens tonight, but I don't know where, because it doesn't have an official site. I guess the studio doesn't high hopes for its box office chances either.
A biography that looks at the love triangle between two artists, A.J. Munnings and Gilbert Evans, and an aristocrat, Florence Carter-Wood. The reviews are mixed with too many critics complaining that the movie is simply unengaging and there is no chemistry between the three leads. Summer in February opens tonight at the Quad Cinema in New York City, while it is also playing on Video on Demand.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Big Bad Wolves, Reasonable Doubt, Back in the Day, Freezer, Jamesy Boy, Life of a King, Soshite chichi ni naru, Maidentrip, G.B.F., Summer in February, Emily Browning, Dominic Cooper, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Dylan McDermott, Michael Rosenbaum, Dan Stevens, Laura Dekker