Birthing Pains for Limited Releases
January 11, 2008
The year is starting off really slow on the limited release front with just two films last week and three films this week. Maybe. (Having a bit of trouble tracking down the theaters for Naming Number 2.) Fans of limited releases will probably have better luck checking out the latest round of expansions, which include The Orphanage this week.
The Business of Being Born - Reviews
Naming Number 2 a.k.a. No. 2 - Reviews
Woman on the Beach - Reviews
A documentary produced and starring Ricki Lake. It takes a look at childbirth in America, which has turned from a medical condition into a major industry. Clearly the filmmakers have a point of view they are trying to pass along, and will likely be most effective with those who refer to it as, 'the miracle of childbirth' and not, 'the single most painful thing you will ever endure.' The Business of Being Born opens tonight at the IFC Center in New York City before expanding to Los Angeles next week.
The matriarch of a Fijian family decides to call all of her children, and her grandchildren, together for a reunion so she can name her successor. You could call it a pre-funeral reunion movie. Reviews are better than most wide releases can manage, it is not enough for the much more demanding art house fans. Even with these people running out of Oscar contenders to check out, it is unlikely that this film will find an audience. Naming Number 2 opened yesterday in two theaters, one in Los Angeles and the other in New York City.
A South Korean film about a love triangle. The film is directed by Sang-soo Hong, who has previously made Tale of Cinema and Woman is the Future of Man. The film is earning great reviews like most of his films do, but like his previous body of work, it moves slowly, perhaps too slowly for all but the most dedicated art house fan. Woman on the Beach opened at the Film Forum in New York City on Wednesday.
Filed under: Limited Releases, The Business of Being Born, No. 2