Limited Releases: Out of the Shadows
February 13, 2015
After two weeks of doing highlights for limited release, I'm thinking of sticking with the format. If the film can't get at least five reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, it likely won't find an audience in theaters. I was thinking of only talking about films with overwhelmingly positive reviews, but some weeks that would be none. This week, there are only two. What We Do in the Shadows (Reviews) and Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (Reviews). The latter has better reviews, but the former has more popular appeal.
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus - Reviews
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem - Reviews
The Last 5 Years - Reviews
The Rewrite - Reviews
What We Do in the Shadows - Reviews
Wyrmwood - Reviews
A crowdfunded film from Spike Lee. It is a remake of a 1973 horror film about a person who is cursed and becomes addicted to drinking blood, but who is not a true vampire. Unfortunately, the film is the wrong genre for limited release, the reviews are weak, and it is also opening on Video on Demand.
The best-reviewed movie of the week. It is about a Jewish woman in Israel trying to get a divorce from her husband. However, the only way to get a divorce is if he agrees to it and after three years of trying, he still refuses. The film should do well in limited release, but as a foreign-language film, its chances of expanding wide are limited. Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem opens tonight in two theaters, one in New York City and the other in Los Angeles, with scheduled expansions over the coming weeks. Check out the official site for more details.
A romantic musical that looks at the five-year relationship of the two leads. However, it jumps back and forth between the two perspectives, which are moving in opposite directions through time. It is an interesting twist, but the reviews are only good and not great. Also, it is opening on Video on Demand, so its box office chances are even weaker.
A romantic comedy about a washed up screenwriter who takes a job as a writing teacher. He thinks it will be an easy job, but he becomes more attached to his students than he thought he would. The reviews are good, especially for a romantic comedy, but not good enough to think it will thrive in limited release. On the other hand, it should do well on the home market.
A horror comedy about a 8,000-year old vampire who sires a 20-year old hipster. Immortal hipsters: that really is horror. The film’s reviews are better than for most of the Oscar-nominated films and it is co-written and co-directed by the two men behind Flight of the Concords so that should also help its box office chances. What We Do in the Shadows opens tonight in two theaters, one in New York City and the other in Los Angeles. Additionally, there are Q&A sessions on Friday and Saturday. Check out the official site for more details.
An Australia film about the zombie apocolypse. The reviews started out amazing, but they have since slipped to merely good. Additionally, this is the wrong genre for limited release. Worse still, it is opening on Video on Demand.
Filed under: Limited Releases, What We Do in the Shadows, The Last Five Years, The Rewrite, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, Wyrmwood, Spike Lee