Lovely Limited Releases
December 11, 2009
Another week, another batch of limited releases. This time of year we normally see a lot of Oscar hopefuls being released; however, half the film's on this week's list have no shot at Awards Season glory, and only one of the Oscar bait movies seems to have fulfilled its potential.
The Lovely Bones - Reviews
Rocket Singh - Salesman of the Year - No Reviews
A Single Man - Reviews
The Slammin' Salmon - Reviews
Peter Jackson's first directorial effort in five years.
There was a lot of buzz that this could be a major player during awards season, but one look at the reviews shows that's not going to be the case.
There are some strong aspects to the movie, including the performance by Saoirse Ronan, but the visuals are oppressive enough to crush what should be an emotionally effective story.
That said, there's enough star power on both sides of the camera that the movie could do reasonably well in limited release, for a short time, but I think its legs will be weak and its potential to expand will be limited. The Lovely Bones opens tonight in two theaters, one in New York City and the other in Los Angeles, while it plans to expand on Christmas day.
The latest Bollywood production to open stateside.
Like most Bollywood films, this one is opening in quite a large number of theaters for a limited release (63 to be precise) and with too few reviews (zero on Rotten Tomatoes at the moment).
There's a chance it could earn the most out of the four limited releases thanks to its hefty theater count, but most likely the film will have no legs.
Colin Firth is earning Oscar-level praise for his performance as a college professor from Britain living in Los Angeles in the 1960s who has to deal with the sudden death of his partner.
It is also the writing / directing debut of Tom Ford, who is more famous for his work in the world of fashion.
The film has already picked up a number of nominations, which can only help it at the box office, while strong box office numbers could help it get notice by more Awards Season voters.
A Single Man opens tonight in nine theaters, split between New York City and the Los Angeles area.
The Broken Lizard gang are back, which is either a cause for celebration, or more likely a warning to stay away.
They have been involved in three previous films, which have made just over $40 million combined.
Since this film is opening in limited release, it is unlikely to improve that average.
Let's be realistic here; it is monstrously unlikely that this film will earn $1 million during its run.
It's the wrong target audience, its reviews are too weak for a limited release, and the competition is too great.
The Slammin' Salmon opens tonight in nearly a dozen theaters nationwide.
Filed under: Limited Releases, A Single Man, The Slammin' Salmon, The Lovely Bones