VOD Releases: Will Arkansas earn an A on VOD?
May 1, 2020
This was the week that Black Widow was supposed to open. That level of competition was going to scare away most limited releases, so it was always going to be a slow week. Fortunately, while the quantity is low, the quality is high and there are several films earning strong reviews. In fact, the only films on this week’s list that don’t have overwhelmingly positive reviews are those with no reviews are all opening on Tuesday, so they have time to gain reviews. This does include Arkansas, which is the biggest film on this week’s list, at least based on pre-release buzz. It might not live up to that buzz.
Highlights:
Arkansas - No Reviews
Bull - Reviews
James vs. His Future Self - Reviews
Tammy’s Always Dying - Reviews
The Wretched - Reviews
Secondary Releases:
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War - No Reviews - Rent Video on Demand: Amazon or Vudu
Amazon or Google Play
This is the biggest film on this week’s release in terms of pre-release buzz and star power. However, it has no reviews yet. That said, it doesn’t debut on VOD until Tuesday, so it does have time to get some reviews before then. Also, it is Clark Duke’s directorial debut, so it will be interesting to see how well it does with critics and with audiences, because if it does well, he could have a second career behind the camera.
iTunes
This is Annie Silverstein feature-length directorial debut. The film is earning 88% positive reviews, so it could find an audience on VOD. There’s not a lot of star power here, at least when it comes to movies. Rob Morgan and Yolanda Ross do have a lot of TV credits between them. Perhaps fans of their TV work will check out this movie. It is just $5 to rent.
Video on Demand or Vudu
James is a young scientist working on time travel. James is him from the future who has travelled to the past to tell him to stop obsessing over time travel and live a real life. The two men have a disagreement over how to live their life. The film’s reviews are 100% positive, but the average score is just 7.2 out of 10, so it is yet another case of the critics liking them movie, but not loving it. Then again, that’s just fine for a VOD rental.
Amazon
Felicity Huffman stars as the titular Tammy, a woman who always tries to kill herself when her welfare runs out. Anastasia Phillips stars as her 35-year old daughter, Catherine, who has to talk her off the bridge every single month. When Tammy is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Catherine finally gets the chance to escape her mother’s manipulation, but will she take it. This film’s reviews are good, but not great, while it has better star power than most similar releases have. I don’t expect it to be a massive hit on the home market, but it should find a reasonably sized audience.
Amazon
A supernatural thriller about a teenage boy who suspects his neighbors have been possessed by an evil spirit. If this film were opening in theaters, I would be very pessimistic about its box office chances. It is the wrong genre for limited release and its reviews are good, but not good enough. That said, its reviews are just fine for a $6 VOD rental.
Mother’s Little Helpers - No Reviews - iTunes
Both secondary release don’t debut until Tuesday, so they have a chance to get some reviews before then. Justice League Dark: Apokolips War will very likely be the bigger hit of the two films.
Filed under: Home Market Releases, VOD Releases, Arkansas, The Wretched, Bull, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, Mother’s Little Helpers, Tammy’s Always Dying, James vs. His Future Self, Jonas Chernick, Clark Duke, Felicity Huffman, Daniel Stern, Yolanda Ross, Rob Morgan, Anastasia Phillips, Annie Silverstein