Regal Limited Releases

November 25, 2010

There's an ... interesting mix of limited releases on this week's list, including a film that has been marked for Oscar glory for quite some time, and another that could creep onto our list of the biggest money losers of all time. Also of note, most of these films opened on Wednesday, while a couple don't open till tomorrow.

Break Ke Baad - Reviews
The latest Bollywood release features Imran Khan, who is from Bollywood royalty, and Deepika Padukone, who starred in Om Shanti Om, among other major hits. This bodes well for its chances with its target demographic, but its chances at crossover success are as limited as the number of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Break Ke Baad opened on Wednesday and is now playing in 85 theaters.

Contracorriente, a.k.a. Undertow - Reviews
A Peruvian ghost story centered around a married fisherman and is gay lover. Its unlikely to find mainstream success, but its reviews suggest it could find a receptive audience on the art house circuit, especially if it grabs an Oscar nomination. Undertow opens on Friday in two theaters, one in New York City and the other in Los Angeles.

The King's Speech - Reviews
An instant Oscar favorite. The film tells the real life story of the British Royal Family and the rise of King George the Sixth. At the time he became King he was seen as unfit by the general population, which is impressive if you look at some of his descendents. Look for at least some measure of mainstream success, perhaps even reaching eight digits if Colin Firth picks up his second Oscar nomination in two years. The King's Speech opens on Friday in four theaters, but will likely expand greatly by Christmas.

The Legend of the Pale Male - Reviews
A documentary about a Redtail Hawk living in downtown New York City in 1993. There hadn't been any Redtails observed in New York City for a century, so this was an amazing sight. However, not everyone was impressed, and the nest was eventually destroyed. This film looks at how people nationwide reacted to both events, but given its reviews, it doesn't do a very good job of it. Perhaps people who remember the event first hand will want to see the movie, but its mainstream appeal could be limited. The Legend of the Pale Male opened on Wednesday at the Angelika Film Center in New York City before expanding on December 10th.

The Nutcracker in 3D - Reviews
An adaptation of Tchaikovsky's ballet. Apparently Tchaikovsky hated this ballet, because he felt it was too commercial. There are a lot of negative things being said about this movie, but "too commercial" is not among them. This $90 million production is currently earning zero positive reviews and just as troubling, it is opening in more than 40 theaters. There's a chance that even with inflated 3D ticket prices, it could fail to reach the Mendoza line during its opening weekend, which would mean its planned expansion for next weekend would be in serious doubt. It's a $90 million Christmas movie that could disappear before Christmas arrives.


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Filed under: Limited Releases, The Nutcracker in 3D, The King’s Speech, The Legend of Pale Male, Break Ke Baad, Contracorriente