Limited and VOD Releases: The Art of Goodbyes and Swordplay

July 12, 2019

Sword of Trust

For the first time in a while, there are a lot of limited releases to talk about. This includes a trio that have a real shot at mainstream success: The Art of Self-Defense, The Farewell, and Sword of Trust. It is very unlikely all three will thrive at the box office, but hopefully one of them will.

The Art of Self-Defense - Reviews
 The first of three limited releases that have earned a lot of pre-release buzz on this week’s list. Spoiler alert: All three films are earning excellent reviews. This film does have the most star power, so that could give it the edge at the box office.

Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable - Reviews
 A documentary about Bethany Hamilton, a surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack when she was a young teenager. She was played by AnnaSophia Robb in Soul Surfer, so if you liked that movie, then this film will likely be worth checking out.

Darlin' - Reviews
 Video on Demand
A feral teenager is taken in by a monastery to be raised by nuns, but her equally feral mother comes looking for her. The reviews are good enough for a VOD rental, which is where many horror films find most of their audiences anyway.

The Farewell - Reviews
 A Chinese family learns their grandmother doesn’t have long to live, but instead of telling her, they pretend to hold a wedding as an excuse to get all the family together one last time. The film’s reviews are 100% positive and Asian Americans go to the theater more per capita than other ethnicities, but don’t have nearly as many movies aimed at them, so this one could do well enough in limited release to expand significantly.

Firecrackers - Reviews
 Video on Demand
Two friends are trying to escape their small town when an act of revenge spirals out of control. The movie’s reviews are excellent and it might have been able to find an audience in theaters, except that it is also playing on VOD. That said, if you are looking for a VOD rental this week, this film is one of the best options.

Ray & Liz - Reviews
 A bleak look at a dysfunctional family in which a man returns to his childhood home to confront his parents. The film’s reviews are excellent, but this film could be too grim to escape art house theaters.

Rojo - Reviews
 An Argentinian film about a stranger who arrives in town, begins to insult a lawyer, but when the other patrons side with the lawyer, the stranger plans revenge. The reviews are excellent, but the film is unlikely to escape limited release, because it is a foreign-language film.

Sea of Shadows - Reviews
 A documentary about an attempt to save a rare whale species from poachers. The reviews are more than 90% positive and we are due for a documentary success story at the box office.

Sword of Trust - Reviews
 This is one of the three films on this week’s list that is earning any pre-release buzz and fortunately its reviews more than live up to that buzz. Too often the buzz is louder than the critical praise and that’s disappointing. This doesn’t mean the movie will do well in theaters, but I do have some hope, because its writer / director Lynn Shelton has had some success in limited release in the past.

Trespassers - Reviews
 Video on Demand
A weekend getaway goes wrong and then a potentially murderous visitor arrives. The reviews are good, but not good enough for limited release. It is also the wrong genre for limited release and it is playing on VOD, so its box office chances are essentially zero. That said, it’s good enough for a VOD rental.

Secondary VOD Releases:
Armstrong - Reviews - Video on Demand
Better Than Love - Reviews - Video on Demand
I Got The Hook-Up 2 - Reviews - Video on Demand
Loqueesha - Reviews - Video on Demand
Lying and Stealing - Reviews - Video on Demand
Saving Zoë - Reviews - Video on Demand
Summer Night - Reviews - Video on Demand
Both Armstrong and Summer Night are earning excellent reviews, just not enough of them to be included above. They are among the best options if you want to see a new movie, but don’t want to head out to see one.

Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable, Rojo, Firecrackers, Ray & Liz, The Art of Self-Defense, Saving Zoë, Summer Night, Lying and Stealing, The Farewell, Darlin', Sword of Trust, I Got The Hook-Up 2, Loqueesha, Armstrong, Sea of Shadows, Trespassers, Better Than Love, Fairuza Balk, AnnaSophia Robb, Lynn Shelton, Bethany Hamilton