Limited and VOD Releases: The Pros and Cons of Limited Releases
September 20, 2019
Most of the positively reviewed films on this week’s list are documentaries, including Midnight Traveler, which could find a receptive audience on the art house circuit. On the other hand, Promare is the film I’m most interested in seeing.
Always in Season - Reviews
Corporate Animals - Reviews
Diego Maradona - Reviews
Loro 1 and Loro 2 - Reviews
Midnight Traveler - Reviews
Promare - Reviews
Running with the Devil - Reviews
Villains - Reviews
Where’s My Roy Cohn? - Reviews
Zeroville - Reviews
Secondary VOD Releases:
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A documentary about the 2014 lynching of Lennon Lacy. The film’s subject matter is really difficult to watch and that might hurt it at the box office. There are also a lot of documentaries on this week’s list, so there is also a lot of direct competition.
Video on Demand
Social satire about corporate life that has plenty of targets, but misses the mark way too often to be worth even a VOD rental.
A documentary about Argentinian soccer super star Diego Maradona and his time with SCC Napoli. I’m not sure soccer is popular enough here for this film to thrive in limited release, but its reviews suggest it is worth checking out, even for non-fans of the sport.
A biopic about infamous Italian politician Silvio Berlusconi. The reviews are good, but I don’t think they are good enough for the film to find success in limited release.
A documentary by Hassan Fazili about his and his family’s escape from Afghanistan after the Taliban put a price on his head. The film’s reviews are 100% positive and this film could earn some serious Awards Season buzz and that will help its box office chances.
This anime title is earning some of the best reviews of the weekend, but these releases almost never do well at the box office, especially when there’s a special engagement before the theatrical release. The film has made more than $700,000 in these special engagements, so it is arguably already a success.
Video on Demand
This film has an intriguing premise. Cocaine shipments from Columbia to Canada are being compromised, so the leader of the cartel sends two of his most trusted lieutenants to check the next shipment along the way to see where this is happening. So the film shows everyone who is involved in the drug trade. Unfortunately, while the premise it good, the execution is really weak and it isn’t even worth a VOD rental.
A pair of criminals on the run break into a suburban home looking for a car to steal. However, what they find is a secret that the homeowners are willing to kill for to keep from getting out. The reviews suggest it has a shot at box office success, but I think it will have to wait till the home market to find an audience.
This documentary has some of the loudest buzz on this week’s list, thanks mostly to Roy Cohn’s connection to Donald Trump. However, the reviews are merely good and not good enough to thrive in limited release.
A film directed by James Franco and starring James Franco. Most of these movies earn terrible reviews and this one is no different. It does have an impressive supporting cast, on the other hand.
Ambition - Reviews - Video on Demand
American Dreamer - Reviews - Video on Demand
Auggie - Reviews - Video on Demand
Bloodline - Reviews - Video on Demand
Trauma is a Time Machine - Reviews - Video on Demand
Auggie is easily the best secondary VOD release of the week, although Trauma is a Time Machine is also worth at least a rental.
Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, Villains, Loro 1, Loro 2, Bloodline, American Dreamer, Running with the Devil, Where’s My Roy Cohn?, Corporate Animals, Midnight Traveler, Always in Season, Promare, Diego Maradona, Zeroville, Auggie, Ambition, Trauma is a Time Machine, James Franco, Toni Servillo, Hassan Fazili, Roy Cohn, Diego Armando Maradona