Limited and VOD Releases: Dark Days for Limited Releases
August 17, 2018
It’s a short week for limited releases, as it is an awkward time of year to release a film. It’s too late to take advantage of the summer holidays, while it is far too soon for Awards Season buzz. That doesn’t mean there are no films earning amazing reviews. In fact, there are several: Blaze, Minding the Gap, We The Animals, The Wife, and The Wild Boys. Hopefully at least one of them will find an audience in theaters.
Blaze - Reviews
Down a Dark Hall - Reviews
Juliet, Naked - Reviews
Memoir of War - Reviews
Minding the Gap - Reviews
Songwriter - Reviews
We The Animals - Reviews
The Wife - Reviews
The Wild Boys - Reviews
Secondary VOD Releases:
A biopic of Blaze Foley, a country singer-songwriter. The film’s Tomatometer Score is 100% positive, but there are only 9 reviews, which suggest not enough buzz to thrive in limited release. I hope I’m wrong about that.
Video on Demand
AnnaSophia Robb stars as a young lady sent to a boarding school. She discovers her new home has a dark past. The film’s the wrong genre for limited release, while it is also playing on VOD. That said, its reviews are good and it is worth a $6 rental.
Rose Byrne stars as Annie, who is in a long-term relationship with Duncan, who is in turn obsessed with an obscure rock musician, Tucker Crowe. Unbeknownst to Duncan, Annie and Tucker used to date. There’s more star power in this cast than most limited releases have; however, its reviews are just below the overall positive level, so its box office chances are very slim.
Mélanie Thierry plays a member of the French resistance who starts a relationship with a Nazi collaborator in order to get information. However, when she believes her husband was killed in the war, she starts to think of this relationship as more than just an intelligence operation. The reviews are good, but not good enough to thrive in limited release.
A coming of age documentary shot over 12 years. The film’s Tomatometer Score is 100% positive, while is average score is 8.4 out of 10. That could be enough to wins awards. On the other hand, it is being produced by Hulu, so most people will likely watch the film on VOD rather than in theaters.
A documentary about Ed Sheeran. I’m not sure he’s had a long enough career to warrant a documentary. The reviews are not great either, so that’s another knock against its box office chances.
A coming of age film about a mother trying to help her youngest son avoid growing up like his volatile father. The film’s reviews are excellent and it could find an audience in limited release. It is one of the best reviewed films on this week’s list and I wouldn’t be too surprised if it found itself in the $10,000 club over the weekend.
Glenn Close plays the titular wife, Joan. Her husband, Joe, is a writer with an incredible career, thanks greatly to Joan sacrifices during their marriage. He’s about to win the Nobel Prize for literature; however, she’s well past her limit of dealing with his crap. The film’s buzz is arguably the loudest of any films on this week’s list and its reviews are over 90% positive, so it has a good shot at being the biggest box office hit.
A group of boys commit a horrible crime while under the influence of a supernatural being called Trevor. They are taken by a boat to a small island where they are to be reformed. Also, all of the boys are played by adult women. It’s a French movie and that will hurt its chances of expanding significantly. However, it could do really well in the art house circuit.
Benched - Reviews - Video on Demand
Billionaire Boys Club - Reviews - Video On Demand
There are only two Secondary VOD releases and they have a combined one positive review.
Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, Down a Dark Hall, Blaze, Juliet, Naked, The Wife, We The Animals, Billionaire Boys Club, Minding the Gap, La douleur, Benched, Songwriter, Les garçons sauvages, Ethan Hawke, Jonathan Pryce, Rose Byrne, Glenn Close, Chris O'Dowd, AnnaSophia Robb, Melanie Thierry, Sheila Vand, Ed Sheeran, Evan Rosado