Limited Releases Save Audiences

May 28, 2004

One of the more controversial movies in a while leads a quartet of limited releases into theatres this weekend. Even the worst reviewed film has overall positive reviews and is mile above what the wide releases could manage critically.

Baadasssss! - Reviews
Originally called How to get the Man's Foot out of Your Ass, and personally I like that title better. I biopic of Melvin Van Peebles and his struggles to make the revolutionary film Sweet Sweetback's Baad Asssss Song. The film was written, directed, produced and stars Mario Van Peebles, son of Melvin. For fans of Blaxploitation films this is a great movies to see where it all began. The film opens in more than a dozen theatres in California and New York this week before expanding over the next month.

Frankie and Johnny are Married - Reviews
Playing at the Westside Pavilion in Los Angeles, this film tells the story of a husband (who is a director) who decides to direct his wife (who is an actress) in a play to help revive their marriage. It stars real-life husband and wife couple, Michael Pressman, (who really is a director) and Lisa Chess (who really is an actress) as Michael Pressman and Lisa Chess. It co-stars Alan Rosenberg as … Alan Rosenberg. Did I mention the film is based on real life events?

The Mother - Reviews
The story of a widow who has an affair with her daughter's boyfriend. Don't worry, it's not as Jerry Springer as it sounds. Of course, with its subject matter, this film is definitely not for everyone.

Saved! - Reviews
Potentially the most controversial movie since, well since The Passion of the Christ. Some are calling the film an attack on Christianity, but it is as much anti-Christian as the novel The Satanic Verses was anti-Islam. The film attacks the intolerance that fanaticism breeds its just uses Christianity because that is the religion the author is most familiar with. Continuing the comparison to Passion, reviews are slightly better, both among the regular reviewers and the cream of the crop. On of the more shocking aspects of the movie is the fact that Macaulay Culkin can act; a few more roles like this and he might make the transition from child star to legitimate actor, which is something I didn't think possible after Richie Rich. And even with his impressive performance, it was Eva Amurri, as the lone Jew Cassandra, who stole the show. Opening in 20 theatres in 5 cities, it is the widest limited release on this week's chart, and could have the most mainstream success.


Submitted by:

Filed under: Limited Releases, Saved!, The Mother, How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass