Rock Me Sexy Limited Releases
August 22, 2008
We have yet to find the sleeper hit of the summer, the limited release that has break out success and outperforms some of its big budget competition at the box office. Films like Little Miss Sunshine are very rare indeed, but every summer we should have at least one limited release with a Waitress-like run. So far, we've not had a film that has managed that, and quite frankly, this weekend represents the last legitimate shot at that feat.
Cthlulhu - Reviews
Hamlet 2 - Reviews
I.O.U.S.A. - Reviews
Momma's Man - Reviews
Trouble the Water - Reviews
A movie based on the mythos created by H.P. Lovecraft, but with a gay twist. This movie doesn't have a great shot at box office success, after all, it is not only a niche market film, but a niche market horror film. Additionally, H.P. Lovecraft is notoriously difficult to adapt to the screen, which partially explains the film's mixed reviews. Cthlulhu opens tonight in Hollywood at the Regent Theater.
The big hit of this year's Sundance Film Festival, it came within $500,000 of tying the record for highest sales price for the festival (just behind Little Miss Sunshine). The film stars Steve Coogan as Dana Marschz, a failed actor turned drama teacher, who just learned that his drama department is being shut down. To prevent this, he decides to write and direct a play to drum up support for the program. That play is... Hamlet 2. While the buzz was incredible, the reviews are merely average and don't suggest a great run at the box office. Granted, they are better than any of the wide releases, but not good enough for the more demanding limited release audiences. Additionally, Hamlet 2 is opening in more than 100 theaters nationwide, which could be too many. Hopefully it will surprise over the weekend.
A documentary about the crippling level of debt that the average American lives under, both national and personal. What is so infuriating about the problem is that is was a long time coming and it has been predicted by a lot of people for a long time. (For instance, Paul Krugman, who is also one of the most entertaining economists out there, not that there's a huge amount of competition for that post.) The movie is earning overwhelmingly positive reviews, but most come with caveats, as the movie it all about the message and it is not as entertaining as a Michael Moore documentary, for instance. That said, it is the most important movie to see this weekend. I.O.U.S.A. opens tonight in 18 theaters in major cities nationwide.
A 30-year old married man returns home while on business and lives at his parents house in his old room for the duration of his consulting job. However, when his job is over, instead of returning to his wife and newborn kid, he decides to stay in his old bedroom. This film is earning amazing reviews. However, while the minimalist style and the deliberately slow pace is likely to draw in art house crowds, it will impair its ability to expand wide later. Momma's Man opens tonight at the Angelika Film Center in New York City.
A documentary about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This film is earning overwhelmingly positive reviews, but not always very enthusiastically positive reviews. Even so, it is the best reviewed new release of the week and it is topical, both politically and meteorologically (it is Hurricane season, after all) and this could help its chances at the box office. I don't expect it to expand wide, but it could do reasonably well for a documentary. Trouble the Water opens tonight in four theaters, half in New York City and half in the Los Angeles area.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Hamlet 2, I.O.U.S.A., Trouble the Water, Momma's Man, Cthulhu