Limited Releases: Have Your Cake and Watch it Too

May 13, 2005

Like last weekend there's plenty of choices for limited releases this week. However, unlike last weekend there appears to be more films with higher box office potential.

Crazy Like a Fox - Reviews
Made by a non-profit independent studio, this film is about a family who lose possession of their house, which has been in their family for generations. But instead of leaving quietly they set up home in a cave and eventually form a revolution to retake the home.

Kings and Queens - Reviews
The latest from French director Arnaud Desplechin, the film was nominated for seven C&eacut;sars and won one of them. Incredible performances, complex story, brilliant directing... this film has it all. The film opens tonight in two theaters in New York City at the Lincoln Plaza and Cinema Village.

Layer Cake - Reviews
Starring one of my favorite actors, Colm Meaney. OK, maybe he's not the star per se, but he's the reason why I want to see the movie. Another reason to check it out: the director is Matthew Vaughn whose next movie is X-Men 3. Need another reason? It's from the same people that brought you Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. The film opens tonight in 10 theaters in New York and Los Angeles and has a shot at earning some mainstream success.

Ma Mere - Reviews
For those of you who thought Spanking the Monkey was too tame. This film earned its NC-17 rating telling a story that most people will cringe at and that I'm hesitant to even hint at here. That would be fine if the film was well made, but that doesn't appear to be the case here. The film opens at the Quad Cinema in New York City and the Laemmles Sunset 5 in Los Angeles tonight before traveling around the country throughout the summer.

Mad Hot Ballroom - Reviews
This documentary is getting compared to Spellbound, which is not unexpected. However, it is a little unfair. The kids are transformed from unwilling participants in Ballroom dance to competitive performers. The film opens tonight at the Sunshine Cinema and City Cinemas Cinema 1, 2, and 3 before expanding into a dozen more cities next weekend.

Modigliani - Reviews
While this film has the worst scores possible on Rotten Tomatoes it is not nearly as bad as that sounds. King's Ransom also earned 0% positive but its average score was 2.2 out of 10. Alone in the dark managed just 1 positive review, but a score of just 1.7 out of 10. On the other hand, Modigliani currently has 4.0 out of 10, meaning while none of the reviewers like the film enough to recommend it, they also didn't hate it either. The film opens in 8 theaters tonight including the Arclight Cinemas in Los Anegeles.

Tell Them Who You Are - Reviews
A biographical documentary about famed cinematographer Haskell Wexler, which is directed by his son Mark Wexler. While the film examines his amazing work in the industry and includes praise from many insiders, it is the father son dynamic that is the real reason to see this film. The film opens tonight in Los Angeles at the Arclight Cinemas before expanding to New York next weekend.

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Filed under: Limited Releases, Mad Hot Ballroom, Layer Cake, Modigliani