Limited and VOD Releases: Have Mercy on the Limited Releases

July 5, 2019

My Days of Mercy

It’s a really slow week for limited releases. It is so slow that I had to relax my normal limitations for what makes the list and there is still barely anything to talk about. The best movie on this week’s list is My Days of Mercy, which is also earning the loudest buzz. However, it is playing on Video on Demand, so almost no one will see it in theaters.

The Cat Rescuers - Reviews
A documentary about the people who are trying to deal with the stray cat problem in Brooklyn by capturing the cats, neutering them, and when possible, finding them homes. There are only two reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, which strongly suggests there is not enough buzz to thrive in limited release. That said, both reviews are positive.

Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love - Reviews
A documentary about the relationship between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen. The film’s reviews are good and I keep hoping for a breakout documentary hit. I don’t think this one will crack $1 million at the box office, but it could do well on the theater average chart.

My Days of Mercy - Reviews
Video on Demand
This film is about two women on opposite sides of the death penalty debate who meet and develop a deep connection. The reviews are among the best on this week’s list and the film also has better star power than most limited releases can hope for. However, it is playing on VOD, so its box office chances are close to nil.

Phil - Reviews
A suicidally depressed dentist in shocked when one of his patients kills themself, so he goes undercover as a handyman to figure out what part of his life made his patient commit suicide. The film has louder buzz than most films on this week’s list, but very weak reviews.

Pink Wall - Reviews
A film that looks at the six biggest moments in the relationship between two people. The reviews are merely good, but not good enough to thrive in limited release.

The Return of Martin Guerre - Reviews
A re-release of the 1980s film starring Gerard Depardieu as the titular Martin Guerre, maybe. In the movie, the actor plays a man returning from war after nine years, but he might not be the man he claims to be. This film isn’t available on DVD anymore and it has never been released on Blu-ray, but I think this re-release means that will change soon.

Secondary VOD Releases:
Breaker Reviews - Video on Demand
Cold Blood Legacy - Reviews - Video on Demand
Silent Panic - Reviews - Video on Demand
Skin in the Game - Reviews - Video on Demand
There are four secondary VOD releases this week and they have one positive review among them. Ouch. That said, if I were to pick any of these four films to watch, it would be Skin in the Game. It’s a message movie and the one negative review points out that the message gets in the way of being a compelling movie. That’s far from the biggest insult one could level at a film.

Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, Le retour de Martin Guerre, Phil, My Days of Mercy, Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love, Cold Blood Legacy, Breaker, Silent Panic, Pink Wall, The Cat Rescuers, Skin in the Game, Gerard Depardieu, Leonard Cohen, Marianne Ihlen