Examining Limited Releases

February 27, 2009

It's the slowest time of year for limited releases. It's way too early to release a film for next year's Awards Season, and there's little hope for a limited release to expand wide at this time of year either. This explains why there are only three films on this week list, and only one of which is earning positive reviews. I doubt any of them will do well enough to expand significantly.

Crossing Over - Reviews
Good news, the movie is finally coming out in theaters after several delays and scheduling changes. Bad news, it is coming out in nine theaters and with terrible reviews. 11% positive is terrible regardless of the situation, and since limited releases have to rely on positive reviews and strong word-of-mouth, this will likely be fatal. Crossing Over opens tonight in nine theaters, just over half in the Los Angeles area, and the rest in New York City.

Examined Life - Reviews
A documentary about philosophy ... and some people are already pretending to fall asleep. Several intellectual thinkers are interviewed while walking through real world examples of their philosophical areas of expertise. Talking about consumerism while walking through Fifth Avenue. Talking about environmentalism while sitting in a garbage dump. It is earning easily the best review of the three films on this week's list, but documentaries have trouble expanding at the best of times. Examined Life opened on Wednesday at the IFC Center in New York City.

The Trouble with Romance - Reviews
A sex comedy. A sex comedy opening in limited release. A sex comedy opening in limited release with poor reviews. That's three strikes right there. As an anthology film, it is better suited for the home market, and perhaps it will find an audience when it arrives there. In the meantime, The Trouble with Romance opens tonight at the Quad Cinema in New York City.


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Filed under: Limited Releases, Crossing Over