Adoring Limited Releases
May 9, 2009
It is the second weekend in summer, and there is still no breakout hit on the horizon. There are a couple of films that are worth checking out, including Adoration and Outrage, but nothing here has a better than average chance at expanding wide.
Adoration - Reviews
Julia - Reviews
Kabei - Reviews
Little Ashes - Reviews
Love N’Dancing - Reviews
Outrage - Reviews
Powder Blue - Reviews
One of the best reviewed films coming out this week, and it is only earning 78% positive on Rotten Tomatoes. Writer / Director Atom Egoyan latest is about a boy who uses the story of an attempted terrorist attack as the basis for a school project, and through flashbacks we learn how some of this ties into his family tragedy. Adoration opens tonight in six theaters, mostly in the Los Angeles area.
Tilda Swinton stars as the titular character, an alcoholic woman whose life is spiraling downward. She gets mixed up in a kidnapping scheme, but when the pay-off goes wrong, she begins to bond with her victim. So far the reviews are mixed, but Tilda Swinton is earning praise for her performance. Julia opens tonight in three theaters, two in New York City, and the other in West Hollywood.
One of the smaller new releases for the week, this Japanese film is opening with very few reviews, and in a place not normally associated with limited release debuts. Its two reviews are both positive, and perhaps the people of Honolulu, Hawaii will turn out to see this movie, because they get so few chances to see a premiere. We will find out on Monday.
A BioPic about three men form the 1920s: painter Salvador Dali, filmmaker , and writer Federico Garcia Lorca. I have been hearing about this film for a while, but the reviews are not living up to the buzz. Robert Pattinson might be the biggest draw here, but I do not think it will be enough to overcome the reviews. Little Ashes opens tonight in 12 theaters, mostly in San Francisco and the Los Angeles areas.
The widest release of the week, it is also earning some of the weakest reviews. I hate it when that happens. It is a romantic comedy about a dance competition, and there are enough clichés in those genres to fill five films. Not the kind of film that tends to do well in limited release, and the reviews will not help. Love N’Dancing opens tonight in 30 theaters, mostly in southern California, but it is likely that will be as wide as the film plays.
A documentary about gays working in Washington, D.C. Not just gays, but closeted gays working in Washington helping to draft anti-gay legislation. Reviews are only mixed, but there is more buzz surrounding this movie than accompany most documentaries, and that could help it remain afloat long enough till it earns enough name recognition to thrive on the home market. That is the most that most limited releases can hope for. Outrage opens tonight in five theaters in cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and others.
This film is not likely to be a hit in limited release, because going into its debut this weekend, most of the buzz was surrounding Jessica Biel’s nude scenes. That might be a selling point on the home market, but not on the art house scene. Add in few reviews, all negative, and there is little hope for this movie. On the other hand, the movie does have an impressive cast for a limited release, and the star power might help it during its opening weekend, but even if that happens, I do not expect it to have long legs. Powder Blue opens tonight in four theaters, including two in New York City, and one in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Little Ashes, Love N' Dancing, Powder Blue