Limited Releases: Fading Chances

April 18, 2014

Trailer Park Boys 3: Don't Legalize It poster

It is a busy week for limited releases, but not a good week. Arguably the best film is Gojira, which is getting a re-release for its 60th anniversary. As for new films, The Final Member and Gabrielle are earning the best reviews. However, I'm most interested in seeing Trailer Park Boys: Don't Legalize It.

13 Sins - Reviews
A remake of 13: Game of Death, a Thai film from 2006. I watched the original when it came out in on DVD back in 2008, but I'm not sure how similar this film is. The reviews are mixed and since it is a horror / thriller, its chances at the box office are limited. 13 Sins opens tonight in select cities, while it is also playing on Video on Demand.

2 States - No Reviews
A Bollywood film about a couple who want to get married, but decide to wait till their parents can get along. There are no reviews, but that is common for Bollywood films.

Antboy - Reviews
A Danish film about a 12-year old super hero named Antboy. It's the wrong genre for limited release and the reviews are only mixed. It obviously did well enough in its home market, because there is already a sequel in the works. Antboy opened on Wednesday, but the official site doesn't say where. When you open a film in limited release, the official site's main job is to tell people when and where it is opening.

Authors Anonymous - Reviews
This film was shot in 2012 but it is only coming out now. One look at the reviews and you can tell why it was delayed. Authors Anonymous opens tonight, maybe. The official site redirects to the iTune page where you can watch it on Video on Demand.

Bank$tas - No Reviews
Two friends and recent college graduates find their dream jobs on Wall Street, but when they learn their boss is corrupt, they try to stop him. No reviews likely means no chance of success for this film. Bank$tas opens tonight, I think. The official site still says coming soon.

Fading Gigolo - Reviews
John Turturro writes, directs and stars in this movie. He stars as a gigolo, while Woody Allen plays his friend / manager. The reviews are only mixed, but it has louder buzz than most other films on this week's list. Fading Gigolo opens tonight in five theaters, split between New York City and Los Angeles.

The Final Member - Reviews
A documentary about an Icelandic museum dedicated to penises. There's really no delicate way to put that. (Just be thankful I'm not filling this entry with penis puns.) The curator, Sigurður "Siggi" Hjartarson, needs one more specimen to complete his collection, a human penis. The film's reviews are perfect and this is the kind of film that could do relatively well in limited release, but its chances of expanding are extremely limited. The Final Member opens tonight in select theaters. Check out the official site for details.

Gabrielle - Reviews
Gabrielle Marion-Rivard stars as the titular Gabrielle, a woman with a developmental disorder called Williams syndrome, but has an amazing musical talent. When she falls in love with a man in a similar situation, her friends and family are worried that she can't handle an adult relationship. The film is the best-reviewed film on this week's list and it certainly has art house potential. Gabrielle opens tonight, but the official site doesn't have the details.

Half the Road - Reviews
A documentary about professional cycling and how women are not given equal respect in the sport. The reviews are only mixed, while cycling isn't a big sport here, so its box office prospects are not strong. Half the Road opens tonight in New York City and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kid Cannabis - Reviews
Inspired by real life events, the film tells story of a high school drop-out who becomes a millionaire by smuggling pot from Canada, but then finds himself over his head. The film's reviews are excellent, but the buzz is not. One of two pot-related movies coming out this weekend. This isn't too surprising, as Sunday is 4/20. Kid Cannabis opens tonight in select theaters.

Make Your Move - Reviews
A dance movie starring Derek Hough, from Dancing with the Stars, and K-Pop singing BoA. I would like to see more international stars find success here, but the reviews are mixed, to be kind. Also, this isn't the type of film to find success in limited release. Make Your Move opens tonight in select cities.

Poseidon Rex - Reviews
An intentionally bad B-movie creature feature about a dinosaur eating spring breakers. I'm sure the filmmakers were going for so bad it's good, but the critics are saying it is just boring, which is the worst sin a film like this could make. Poseidon Rex opens tonight at the Quad Cinema in New York City. There might be other theaters, but there's no official site I could find.

Proxy - Reviews
Alexia Rasmussen plays Ester Woodhouse, a woman who is eight-months pregnant. In the beginning of the film, she is brutally attacked and has a miscarriage. She joins a support group for women who have lost children, but one of the women she meets is not someone you want to be your friend. The reviews are good, but not great. Also, horror movies rarely do well in limited release. Finally, it is also coming out on Video on Demand. Proxy opens tonight at the IFC Center in New York City.

Redwood Highway - Reviews
Shirley Knight plays Marie, a woman who decides to end her life of seclusion and travel to the Oregon coast to be a guest at her granddaughter's wedding. There is only one review on Rotten Tomatoes, which suggests a lack of buzz. It is positive, on the other hand, so that's something. Redwood Highway opens tonight in two theaters with planned showings over the coming weeks / months. Check out the official site for more details.

Small Time - Reviews
Christopher Meloni and Devon Bostick star as father and son. When the latter graduates from high school, he decides to join his father in the used car business. The reviews are very good, but I don't think there's enough buzz for the film to thrive in limited release. Small Time opens tonight in theaters, as well as on Video on Demand.

Tasting Menu - Reviews
A world-famous restaurant is closing and costumers from around the world come for one last meal. The film is earning some of the worst reviews of the weekend so it will likely not find an audience in theaters. Tasting Menu opens tonight in five theaters, four in the Los Angeles area and the other in New York City.

That Demon Within - Reviews
A cop saves the life of an injured patient by donating blood, only to learn he is a violent criminal who is part of a gang that are suspects in a brutal robbery. This is a good setup, but the reviews are mixed. That Demon Within opens tonight in 16 theaters in select cities. Check out the official site for more details.

Trailer Park Boys: Don't Legalize It - Reviews
The third theatrical release in the Trailer Park Boys franchise. In this movie, the boys are broke, in part because the Canadian government is looking to legalize pot, which would kill their business. So far there are only four reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but they are all positive. On the other hand, the show it is based on was never a mainstream hit in the United States, so I doubt the movie will be a box office hit. Trailer Park Boys: Don't Legalize It opens tonight in select theaters in both Canada and the United States.

Visions of Mary Frank - Reviews
A documentary about Mary Frank Madera, who began her career in the 1950s. There are not a lot of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but all four of them are positive. Visions of Mary Frank opened on Wednesday at the Film Forum and the tickets are free.


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Filed under: Limited Releases, Gojira, Kid Cannabis, Proxy, Small Time, Menu degustacio, Fading Gigolo, Gabrielle, 13 Sins, The Final Member, Antboy, Authors Anonymous, Redwood Highway, Visions of Mary Frank, Make Your Move, Trailer Park Boys 3: Don’t Legalize It, Half the Road, Mo jing, 2 States, Trailer Park Boys, Woody Allen, Devon Bostick, Shirley Knight, Christopher Meloni, John Turturro, Alexia Rasmussen, Derek Hough, BoA, Gabrielle Marion-Rivard