Limited and VOD Releases: These Limited Releases are Actually Really Good

January 19, 2018

This Giant Papier-Mâché Boulder Is Actually Really Heavy

There are two major awards ceremonies this weekend, so it is no surprise there are not many great limited releases to talk about. The art house aficionados are distracted. That’s not to say there are no films worth checking out. Mary And The Witch’s Flower and This Giant Papier-Mâché Boulder Is Actually Really Heavy both look good. Neither look like they will be hits at the box office, but I do want to watch them.

A Ciambra - Reviews
A 14-year old boy has to learn to survive after the disappearance of his older brother. The film has arguably the best reviews of the week, but it is a foreign-language film and those rarely do well at the box office.

The Final Year - Reviews
Video on Demand
A documentary looking at the last year of the Obama administration. The film’s Tomatometer is 82% positive, but its average score is just 6.7 out of 10, so it is another case of most critics liking the movie, but few loving it. That usually means it is better as a rental. Fortunately, you can rent it on VOD for just $6.

Mary And The Witch’s Flower - Reviews
The latest Anime release brought from Japan by GKIDS. It tells the story of a young girl who finds a flower that grants magical abilities to anyone who picks it. The reviews are great, but animated films rarely do well in limited release. Granted, GKIDS has a better track record than most, but I still think this film will have to wait till the home market to find an audience.

Mom & Dad - Reviews
Video on Demand
Kids worldwide have to survive when something turns all parents murderously violent. It’s a Nicolas Cage movie that is earning good reviews. It is also playing on VOD, so its box office chances are negligible. That said, if you like black comedies / horror comedies, this is worth spending $7 on for the rental. Equally, the purchase price is only $10, so it might be a better deal for fans of the genre.

The Road Movie - Reviews
A documentary composed entirely of dash-cam footage taken from Russian cars. The film’s Tomatometer Score is 85% positive, but the average score given by the critics is just 6.6 out of 10 and that’s not good enough for limited release.

Small Town Crime - Reviews
Video on Demand
John Hawkes plays an ex-cop in a small town who discovers the body of a young lady. He decides to find out who murdered her as a way of getting some redemption. The reviews are right on the edge between good and good enough to thrive in limited release. However, it is playing on VOD, so its reviews don’t matter, as its box office chances are close to zero.

This Giant Papier-Mâché Boulder Is Actually Really Heavy - Reviews
A group of friends go to a Sci-fi convention and get sucked into a 1960s Sci-fi movie. There are only five reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, which would normally not be enough to mention here. However, all five of them are positive, which makes it technically the best-reviewed film on this week’s list. However, it is the wrong genre for limited release, so it will likely struggle to find an audience in theaters. That said, I hope I get a chance to watch the movie when it comes out on DVD / Blu-ray.

Secondary VOD Releases:
Delirium - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Midnight Man - Reviews - Video on Demand
There are two horror movies called Delirium coming out this year. Some sources have mixed them up, so keep an eye out for that.

Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, This Giant Papier-Mâché Boulder Is Actually Really Heavy, Mom & Dad, Small Town Crime, Meari to majo no hana, A Ciambra, The Final Year, The Midnight Man, The Road Movie, Delirium, Nicolas Cage, John Hawkes