Limited and VOD Releases: Can an Indian Film Find Mainstream Appeal?

January 26, 2018

Padmavati

Padmavati is the biggest release of the week and unlike most Indian films, it is earning a lot of buzz. It could be a crossover hit. There are also a couple of films earning 100% positive reviews: the Chinese Indie animated film, Have a Nice Day, as well as Kickboxer: Retaliation. I don’t think the latter’s reviews will remain 100% positive for too much longer.

American Folk - Reviews
Video On Demand
Two folk singers take a road trip from California to New York shortly after the events of 9/11. The film’s reviews are good, but not good enough to thrive in limited release. Fortunately, it’s playing on VOD, so it doesn’t need to thrive in limited release to be a financial success.

The Clapper - Reviews
Video on Demand
Ed Helms plays a professional clapper, someone who is paid to be in the audience of infomercials. He spends his days with his friend, Tracy Morgan, going to auditions and acting, while also taking time to flirt with Amanda Seyfried. However, when a talk show host decides it would be fun to uncover the most famous infomercial audience member, Ed’s comfortable life changes for the worse. It’s not a bad setup and the cast is good, but the reviews are terrible. I don’t think it is worth just $7 for a rental.

Have a Nice Day - Reviews
An independent animated film from China. That’s not something you see every day. In the movie, a young man steals money from his boss to help his girlfriend, whose plastic surgery went awry. Once people hear about his heist, they go after him trying to steal the money he stole. There are only six reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but that’s more than most Chinese films get and all six of them are positive.

Kickboxer: Retaliation - Reviews
Video on Demand
This film only has eight reviews, which would normally not be enough to be included here. However, all eight reviews are positive. Granted, while the Tomatometer Score is 100% positive, the average score is just 6.9 out of 10, so while all seven critics liked the movie, very few loved it. Furthermore, it’s the wrong genre for limited release and it is also playing on VOD. On the other hand, if you are a fan of the franchise, then spending $7 on a rental or $10 to buy it on VOD isn’t a bad deal.

Like Me - Reviews
Addison Timlin stars as Kiya, a woman who goes on a crime spree while uploading the video on her crimes on the internet, becoming famous in the process. The film’s reviews are good, but not great, so it will likely have to wait till the home market to find an audience.

Padmavati - Reviews
This film is controversial in its native India. In fact, there were violent acts committed against the film during production. There was even concern that the Indian censor board would ban the film’s release. I don’t know how this will affect the film’s box office, but I can say the reviews are among the best of any film on this week’s list, while its buzz is louder than just about any other Indian film released here.

Please Stand By - Reviews
Video on Demand
Dakota Fanning stars as an autistic woman who runs away to Hollywood to get her Star Trek script made into a movie. The film’s reviews are good, but limited releases usually need great reviews to thrive. Additionally, it is playing on VOD, so its box office chances are even weaker. That said, it is worth the $6 rental.

West of the Jordan River - Reviews
A documentary about the Middle East conflict. Its reviews are right on the edge between merely good and good enough for limited release.

Secondary VOD Releases:
The Competition - Reviews - Video on Demand
The Neighbor - Reviews - Video on Demand
These two secondary VOD releases have a combined two reviews. The Neighbor’s one review is positive, so maybe it is worth the $7 to rent on VOD.

Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, Please Stand By, American Folk, Kickboxer: Retaliation, The Clapper, Padmavati, , The Competition, Like Me, West of the Jordan River, The Neighbor, Kickboxer, Dakota Fanning, Ed Helms, Tracy Morgan, Amanda Seyfried, Addison Timlin