Dueling Biopics

November 12, 2004

This weekend we have dueling Biopics, which is similar to dueling banjos but with less squealing like a pig. Moving on. Just like the wide releases, this is a very busy week for limited releases and while there are a couple of films earning impressive reviews, most are sub-par at best.

Bright Future - Reviews
One of the weaker efforts from Japanese director, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who also directed Cure. The film opens in the Cinema Village theatre in New York tonight.

Finding Neverland - Reviews
The film had a sneak peak in nearly 1000 theatres just a couple of weeks ago, but now it is opening in merely 8 theatres tonight. Johnny Depp's performance should be the biggest draw at the box office, but this film looks more like it was made for Oscar glory than big bucks.

Kinsey - Reviews
This is the best rated film being released this week, but if it is a success it may have the Christian Right to thank. Several such groups are protesting the release of the film with one leader comparing Dr. Alfred Kinsey to Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele. In the end this should just be more proof that there's no such thing as bad publicity. One of several films in release with strong Oscar potential, it opens in five theatres tonight before expanding in the coming weeks.

Noel - Reviews
Opening in 10 theatres tonight, being released on FlexPlay DVD at the same time, and scheduled to be shown on TNT for the Thanksgiving Holiday. This film certainly has a unique release strategy, which may be the only part of the film worth noting given its lackluster performance with the critics. Well, that's entirely true, it is also Chazz Palminteri's theatrical debut as a director.

Overnight - Reviews
This is a very interesting film with a very interesting history. Troy Duffy was working as a bartender when he was discovered by Miramax's Harvey Weinstein who bought his script for The Boondock Saints. This documentary was made by two of Duffy's friends to document the making of the film. However, it turned into a, "How not to make it in Hollywood" cautionary tale. (Step 1, be an arrogant prick and piss of everyone you know.) The film opened on Wednesday in a single theatre, but if there's any justice it should go on to make more than The Boondock Saints did.

La Petite Lili - Reviews
Ludivine Sagnier is certainly becoming a force in French cinema, but her latest film is a bit of a misstep. The film is an adaptation of the play, "The Seagull" but could only manage mixed reviews.

Veer-Zaara - Reviews
The biggest Bollywood film of the year, and one that is receiving a worldwide release, a first such a film. With two of Bollywood's biggest stars, there's a lot of anticipation and expectation attached to the film and it will be interesting to see if it can expand the Bollywood appeal outside India. The film opens tonight in 88 theatres.

Who Killed Bambi? - Reviews
Another French film being released tonight, this film is earning even weaker reviews. Too much effort was put into style and mood and not enough is creating a compelling plot.


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Filed under: Finding Neverland, Overnight