Limited and VOD Releases: Singing Praises

April 15, 2016

Sing Street

There are not a lot of new releases on this week's list, but four of the seven of of them are earning overwhelmingly positive reviews. Additionally, one of the other three, Fan, doesn't have enough reviews for a Tomatometer Score, but the first two reviews are positive. Of the best films, Sing Street is the one I expect to do the best at the box office.

The Adderall Diaries - Reviews
The worst-reviewed limited release of the week. It stars James Franco as an author who is investing a murder case, which helps him come to terms with his troubled past. Good cast, but the reviews will likely kill its chances in limited release.

Colonia - Reviews
Emma Watson stars in this film, which is set in Chile in the 1970s. In the movie, her husband in kidnapped by the secret police and she has to infiltrate a cult run by an ex-Nazi to get him back. ... Huh? Furthermore... wha? Maybe that's why the reviews are so bad.

Fan - Reviews
A Bollywood thriller about a fan trying to meet his idol, only his fandom turns into a dangerous obsession. There are only two reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but both of them are positive. This is better than most Bollywood films get, as most mainstream critics don't review the genre. Fan opens tonight in nearly 300 theaters.

The First Monday in May - Reviews
A documentary about China: Through The Looking Glass, which was the most successful fashion event at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The reviews are great and fashion docs have a significant target audience, at least compared to the average documentary. I don't expect it to earn $1 million at the box office, but I can't rule out that possibility either.

The Measure of a Man - Reviews
A French film about a 51-year old man, Vincent Lindon, who has been unemployed for nearly two years. The process of getting a new job is dehumanizing and when he finally gets one, he's faced with a moral dilemma. The reviews are 95% positive and French-cinema does have an audience on the art house circuit. On the other hand, foreign-language films rarely expand significantly.

Our Last Tango - Reviews
A documentary about Maria Nieves Rego and Juan Carlos Copes, who were tango partners for nearly 50 years, starting when they were just in their teens. The reviews are unanimously positive and this documentary could do well in theaters, for a documentary. I don't expect it to expand truly wide, obviously, but it could do well on the per theater chart.

Sing Street - Reviews
Connor is the new kid in school and he tries to impress the beautiful Raphina by asking her to be in a muisic video for his band. There's only one problem. There is no band. This is arguably the best-reviewed new release of the week earning 97% positive reviews. Sing Street opens tonight in five theaters and it could do well enough to expand significantly as summer starts.

Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, Colonia, The Adderall Diaries, La loi du marché, Sing Street, Fan, Un tango mas, The First Monday in May, James Franco, Vincent Lindon, Emma Watson, Lucy Boynton, Maria Nieves Rego, Juan Carlos Copes, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo