Limited Releases: No Mistake

March 28, 2014

Mistaken for Strangers poster

It's quite a good week for limited releases, as there are several that are earning overwhelmingly positive reviews. Finding Vivian Maier, Hide Your Smiling Faces, and Mistaken for Strangers are all earning excellent reviews. The Raid 2 is also earning excellent reviews, but it also possesses the buzz needed to thrive in limited release.

Blumenthal - Reviews
Brian Cox plays the titular Blumenthal, a playwright who died laughing at one of his own jokes. His family takes the news... indifferently. There are not a lot of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and the ones there are mixed, so it likely won't find an audience in theaters. Blumenthal opens tonight at the City Cinemas Village East in New York City.

Boys of Abu Ghraif - Reviews
Written, directed, and starring Luke Moran. This movie looks at the infamous Abu Ghraif prison, in which rampant abuse took place. Unfortunately, while this is an important story, the reviews are very weak and it is unlikely to find an audience, either in theaters or on Video on Demand.

Breathe In - Reviews
A foreign exchange student changes the lives of her host family. This is not an unique story, which is something the critics have noted. It is still earning overall positive reviews, but limited releases generally need much better than that to thrive. Breathe In opens tonight in select cities.

Finding Vivian Maier - Reviews
A documentary about Vivian Maier, who during her lifetime took 100,000 photographs. However, she never published any of them. It wasn't until after her death that someone found her collection and she was discovered as one of the best street photographers in the 20th century. The film is earning some of the best reviews of the week and could do well in theaters, for a documentary. Finding Vivian Maier opens tonight in several theaters, with planned expansions over the coming weeks. Check out the official site for more details.

Greencard Warriors - Reviews
When his older brother joins the military to secure a green card, a 14-year old Hispanic boy has to deal with a gang in the old neighborhood. There's only one review on Rotten Tomatoes, which speaks of the lack of buzz for the film, but at least it is positive. Greencard Warriors opens tonight in AMC theaters in New York, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

Hide Your Smiling Faces - Reviews
First time writer / director Daniel Patrick Carbone brings a story of the day in the life of two brothers. The film had a successful Kickstarter run and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive, so it could find an audience. On the other hand, it is also playing on Video on Demand, so it will likely do better there than in theaters. Hide Your Smiling Faces opens tonight at the Cinema Village in New York City.

Locker 13 - Reviews
An anthology movie that deals with several stories of people making life or death decisions. There are only four reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and all of them are negative. About the most interesting aspect of the movie is its Kickstart campaign. Locker 13 opens tonight in seven theaters and on Video on Demand. Check out the official site for more details.

Mistaken for Strangers - Reviews
This documentary started out as a Rockumentary with director, Tom Berninger, set to follow his brother's band, The Nationals, while on tour. On the other hand, what it turned into was a look at the relations between Tom and Matt. The reviews are amazing and even though it is playing in Video on Demand, it could find an audience in theaters. Mistaken for Strangers is currently playing in nine theaters, while there are plenty of scheduled expansions. Check the official site for more details.

Refuge - Reviews
Krysten Ritter plays a young lady whose parents abandon her and her two younger siblings, so she has to take over as their parent. When she meets a guy, Sam, they try to have a relationship, despite the obstacles. So far there are only five reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and only one of them is positive. That's not a good sign. This could explain why it was made in 2010 but isn't coming out till this week. Refuge opens tonight at the City Cinemas Village East in New York City before expanding to Los Angeles next week.

The Raid 2 - Reviews
The original film made more than $4 million in limited release, not to mention the money it made in its native Indonesia and around the world, so it should come as no surprise there is a sequel. It is a bit of a surprise that the sequel is earning overwhelmingly positive reviews. The Raid 2 opens tonight in seven theaters, mostly in the Los Angeles area, but also in New York City, and could be the biggest hit in limited release for the week.

Road to the Open - No Reviews
A dramedy about two tennis players past their prime looking to get back into sport. Additionally, one of them is still dealing with the death of his wife many years ago and raising his daughter as a single parent. There are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but it did earn the Dove Seal of Approval, so it will likely do well on the home market with those looking for safe family entertainment. Road to the Open opens tonight, although there's no information on the official site.


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Filed under: Limited Releases, Mistaken for Strangers, Breathe In, Serbuan maut 2: Berandal, Finding Vivian Maier, Boys of Abu Ghraib, Road to the Open, Refuge, Hide Your Smiling Faces, Locker 13, Greencard Warriors, Blumenthal, Brian Cox, Brian Geraghty, Krysten Ritter, Luke Moran, Tom Berninger, Daniel Patrick Carbone, Vivian Maier, Matt Berninger