Too Limited to Thrive

August 12, 2011

It's a short list of limited releases this week, and not only that, but only one of them is opening in more than a couple theaters. The widest release, Aarakshan, is also a Bollywood production, so its chances of expanding are remote.

Aarakshan - Reviews
The latest Bollywood film is about an inspirational principal who worked to turn around a failing school. The film doesn't have many reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes, but that's true of most Bollywood films. Plus, the two reviews it does have are both positive, which is a good sign. On the other hand, the odds of finding any crossover audience are slim to none. Aarakshan opens tonight in nearly 100 theaters in the usual Bollywood hotspots.

Littlerock - Reviews
Two Japanese tourists get stuck in small town in southern California after their rental car breaks down. One of them wants to get back on the road and onto their destination, while the other wants to observe the residents there and get to know the real America. The film's reviews are good, but I'm not sure if they are good enough to thrive in limited release. The low amount of competition could help. Littlerock opens tonight at the Cinema Village in New York City and strangely doesn't open in Los Angeles till September.

Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow - Reviews
A documentary about German artist Anselm Kiefer and the "large scale" sculptures he constructs. The film is earning very good reviews, but its odds of expanding beyond the art house circuit are as small as the artwork is large. Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow opened on Wednesday at the Film Forum in New York City

Senna - Reviews
A documentary on three time Formula One champion Ayrton Senna and his life and career up to his untimely death. If you are a fan of F1 racing in general, or of Ayrton Senna in particular, it's absolutely worth checking out. However, that market is likely too small to make this movie a big hit. It is earning the best reviews of the weekend and perhaps that will be enough to boost the crossover appeal. Senna opens tonight at the The Landmark in Los Angeles and the Sunshine Cinema in New York City.

Sex and Zen 3D: Extreme Ecstasy - Reviews
The highest grossing 3D Porn film of all time. Okay, it was the first major 3D Porn film of all time; however, it did top Avatar's opening day in its native Hong Kong, so the box office numbers were impressive. The film opens in the United States tonight (Village East Cinema and City Cinemas East 86th St. Cinema) and in Canada next weekend.

Son of the Sunshine - Reviews
Sonny Johnns is a faith healer suffering from Tourettes Syndrome. When he finally saves enough money to pay for experimental therapy, it seems to have worked, but at a cost. It's a Canadian movie and there are not many reviews online to judge the film. Son of the Sunshine starts a limited run at the Winnipeg Cinematheque in Winnipeg, Manitoba.


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Filed under: Senna, 3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy, Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow, Littlerock, Aarakshan