Limited and Virtual Releases: Escaping Capitalism in Space
August 14, 2020
After months of limited releases topping the box office charts by default, this week could be anti-climactic, if the wide releases do well in Canada. If not, then perhaps Sputnik will be the latest horror film to top the box office chart this weekend.
Jazz on a Summer’s Day (Virtual Release)
Sound of Metal
Sputnik
Change of Life (Virtual Release)
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Highlights
A concert film shot at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival and originally released 60 years ago this year. This film has the best reviews on this week’s list; however, it is a re-release and it is only opening virtually, so don’t expect much in terms of box office numbers.
A heavy metal drummer and recovering heroin addict (Riz Ahmed) learns he is losing his hearing. His girlfriend / bandmate (Olivia Cooker) checks him into a rehab facility for the deaf, because she fears this bad news will cause him to fall off the wagon. This film is earning some of the best reviews of the week, but as we’ve seen countless times in the past, dramas are not doing well during the pandemic.
A sci-fi horror movie set in the space program. This isn’t unique, but it is from a Russian perspective and that makes it stand out. The reviews are overwhelmingly, but not enthusiastically, positive. Normally this would kill the film’s box office chances. Actually, just being a horror film released in limited release would be enough to kill its chances, but these films have tended to thrive during the pandemic. Additionally, it is being released by IFC Midnight, which is one of the few distributors to do well consistently during the past several months.
Other Releases
In the Life of Music
Murder in the Woods
Ravage
Represent (Virtual Release)
Sunken Roads: Three Generations After D-Day
Filed under: Limited Releases, Sound of Metal, Sunken Roads: Three Generations After D-Day, Sputnik, In the Life of Music, Ravage, Murder in the Woods, Mudar de Vida, Represent, Jazz on a Summer’s Day, Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke