Limited Releases: Boy Oh Boy
July 11, 2014
There are more than a dozen limited releases coming out this week, including a few earning good buzz and / or good reviews. Closed Curtain, Land Ho!, Underwater Dreams all have a shot at finding an audience in limited release. However, leading this pack is Boyhood, the latest from Richard Linklater. If only one movie is a hit this weekend, it will most likely be Boyhood.
Affluenza - Reviews
As It Is in Heaven - Reviews
Boyhood - Reviews
Closed Curtain - Reviews
The Empty Hours - Reviews
Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania - No Reviews
Land Ho! - Reviews
A Long Way Down - Reviews
Made in America - Reviews
The Perfect Wave - Reviews
Road to Paloma - Reviews
Rage - Reviews
Underwater Dreams - Reviews
Where Was God - No Reviews
This film earned some of the louder pre-release buzz on this week's list. However, its reviews are terrible and it is debuting on Video on Demand, so the chances of success are very limited. Affluenza opens tonight in New York City.
A cult has to deal with the death of their prophet and the new leader. Meanwhile, they are eagerly awaiting the end of the world. There are only three reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, which suggests not enough buzz to survive in limited release. As It Is in Heaven opens tonight in New York City and Chicago, while it expands over the coming weeks. Check out the official site for more details.
Richard Linklater has been making this movie for 12 years. Seriously. He wanted to film a movie about a boy growing up, so instead of casting a bunch of different actors for the various ages, he cast one actor and filmed the movie as he grew up. If this movie sucked, it would have been a huge waste of time and effort. Fortunately, the film's reviews are 100% positive. It is also earning the most buzz and is the film most likely to find an audience in theaters. Boyhood opens tonight in six theaters, mostly in New York City, but also a couple in Los Angeles, while it expands over the coming weeks. Check out the official site for more details.
A screenwriter lives alone with his dog and that's the way he likes it. However, his tranquility is interrupted by a woman on the run from the authorities. There are seventeen reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and all of them are positive. On the other hand, this film practically screams art house, so its chances of expanding wide are limited, to say the least. Closed Curtain opened on Wednesday at the Film Forum in New York City.
A Spanish film set in a rent-by-the-hour motel. The film focuses on the relationship between the clerk and one of his regular customers. The reviews are 75% positive, which would normally mean it had a chance at finding an audience in theaters. However, there are currently only four reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, so it is too soon to tell. The Empty Hours opens tonight, but the official site doesn't say where.
A Bollywood movie about a man and a woman who fall in love. That's pretty much the plot to all Bollywood movies. Also like most Bollywood movies, there are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and no official site listing the theaters.
Two men in their 60s decide to take a road trip in Iceland. The reviews are good, but not great, and limited releases generally need great reviews to thrive. On the other hand, I have heard more buzz about this film than most limited releases get, so it could do well in limited release. Land Ho! opens tonight in three theaters, two in New York City and the other in Los Angeles. Check out the official site for more details.
A film about a group of four people who separately decide to kill themselves on New Year's day and all choose the same rooftop to jump off. Instead of committing a mass suicide, they decide to try and help each other. The film is based on a good book, but the reviews are terrible. Additionally, it is opening on Video on Demand, so its chances in theaters is even weaker. A Long Way Down opens tonight in Quad Cinema in New York City.
A look at the Made in America music festival setup by Jay Z. The reviews are below the overall positive level and it comes out on DVD in less than two weeks. I think most moviegoers interested in the movie will wait.
A faith-based film inspired by a true story of a surfer who has a near death experience. There are only two reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, which suggests a lack of buzz. Additionally, both of those reviews are negative. The Perfect Wave opens tonight, I think. The official site says the American release is TBA.
Written, directed, and starring Jason Momoa. In the movie, he plays a Native American who gets revenge on the people who murdered his mother and now has to go on the run. The transition from actor to director isn't always a smooth one, but this film's reviews are better than most. On the other hand, I don't think they are strong enough to suggest it will thrive in limited release. Road to Paloma opens tonight in select theaters, as well as on Video on Demand.
An action film starring Nicolas Cage that is opening on Video on Demand / in limited release. These are becoming distressingly common. Given the reviews, it certainly won't find an audience in theaters. It likely won't find an audience on the home market either. Rage opens tonight, but the official site doesn't say where.
A documentary about a group of high school kids who entered a NASA sponsored Robotics competition. Against the odds, they won. The reviews are currently 100% positive and while there are only six reviews, this is still good news and hopefully it will do well for a documentary. Underwater Dreams opens tonight in two theaters, one in New York City and the other in Los Angeles. Check out the official site for more details.
A faith-based documentary about the Tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma. There are no reviews and the official site says it is opening in select theaters, but only has one listed on the site. I think this one will disappear quietly.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Boyhood, Road to Paloma, A Long Way Down, Affluenza, Land Ho!, Tokarev, Made in America, Parde, Underwater Dreams, The Perfect Wave, Las horas muertas, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Where Was God, As It Is in Heaven, Richard Linklater, Jason Momoa, Jay Z