Saintly Limited Releases

August 16, 2013

There are not a lot of limited release this week and only two of them are earning overwhelmingly positive reviews. Cutie and the Boxer is earning the best reviews, but it is a documentary, so its potential to expand is limited. Ain't Them Bodies Saints' reviews are not as good, but good enough to suggest it will find an audience in theaters.

Abandoned Mine - Reviews
A horror film opening in limited release. That's rarely a good sign. Alexa Vega stars as one of several high school students who check out a rumored haunted mine. There are not many reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and it will likely have to wait till the home market to find an audience. Abandoned Mine opened on Thursday in 15 cities. Check out the official site for more details.

Ain't Them Bodies Saints - Reviews
Casey Affleck stars as a convict who escapes prison and travels to get to his wife, Noomi Rapace, and their young daughter, whom he's never met. The film has a great cast and the reviews are among the best for the week. It should be the biggest hit of the week. Ain't Them Bodies Saints opens tonight in three theaters, split between New York City and Los Angeles.

Austenland - Reviews
A romantic comedy starring Keri Russell as a Jane Austen obsessed woman who goes to a Jane Austen theme park, Austenland. There she falls for one of the actors who plays a servant in the park. The film's reviews are weak, which is common for a romantic comedy, but fatal for a limited release. If you are interested in this film, check out the British mini-series Lost in Austen now while you wait for this one on the home market. Austenland opens tonight in a few theaters in New York City and Los Angeles.

Cutie and the Boxer - Reviews
The best-reviewed new release of the week. It focuses on Ushio Shinohara, a 'boxing' artist. He dips boxing gloves in paint and uses them to create art. At the time the film was made, he was 80-years old and looking to make a comeback. The film also focuses on his wife, Noriko, who is an artist as well, but who is trying to get noticed for her work rather than being the wife / assistant to Ushio. Cutie and the Boxer opens tonight in New York City and Los Angeles.

Everyday Is Like Sunday - Reviews
A Canadian film about a group of college graduates dealing with becoming adults. It is directed by Pavan Moondi, who also co-wrote it with Michael Sloane. It is based on their short film of the same name, which earned good reviews. This film only has one review on Rotten Tomatoes, but it is positive. Everyday Is Like Sunday opens tonight at the Carlton Cinema in Toronto, Ontario and there is a Q&A tonight. Check the official site for details.

Inch'Allah - Reviews
A Canadian movie that opened in its native market last year earning $100,000 in limited release. It deals with the Palestinian / Israeli conflict from the perspective of a Canadian doctor, played by Evelyne Brochu The film's reviews are only mixed, while it is playing on Video on Demand already, so its box office chances are really weak. Inch'Allah opens tonight at the Quad Cinema in New York City.

Standing Up - Reviews
Based on a book by Brock Cole, who specializes in books for kids that deal with more mature themes. For instance, this film focuses on two kids, played by Chandler Canterbury and Annalise Basso, who go to summer camp, but fall victim to bullies. I'm not going to say what happens to them, because I'm not sure the movie follows the book, and if it does, I don't want to spoil it. There are very few reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and this is the wrong genre for limited release. On the other hand, it could find an audience on the home market. Standing Up opens tonight at the Laemmle's Playhouse 7 in Los Angeles, while it comes out on DVD / Video on Demand either on the 20th August, the 3rd of September, or the 22nd of October. Sources vary.


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Filed under: Limited Releases, Inch'Allah, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Austenland, Cutie and the Boxer, Abandoned Mine, Casey Affleck, Chandler Canterbury, Keri Russell, Alexa Vega, Noomi Rapace, Evelyne Brochu, Annalise Basso