VOD Releases: More than just Ordinary
May 29, 2020
There are a lot of good films coming out on VOD this week, and even some great ones. Extra Ordinary is one of the great ones and it deserves to be seen by more. The High Note isn’t as good, but it is also one of the more high-profile releases and could have done well in wide release.
Highlights:
1BR - Reviews
Beanpole - Reviews
Debt Collectors - Reviews
Disappearance at Clifton Hill - Reviews
End of Sentence - Reviews
Extra Ordinary - Reviews
The High Note - Reviews
Of Fish and Foe - Reviews
Phoenix, Oregon - Reviews
The Vast of Night - Reviews
Other Releases:
The Blackout: Invasion Earth - No Reviews - Amazon
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iTunes or Vudu
The first of several films on this week’s list that are earning reviews that are good, but not great. You can check it out on VOD now, or wait until Tuesday to buy it on DVD / Blu-ray. A rental is probably enough.
Google Play or Vudu
This film got a limited release in January and a virtual release in April. Now it is coming out on VOD, as well as DVD / Blu-ray, but you will have to wait until June 2nd to buy it on physical media. It is worth owning.
Vudu
A pair of enforcers go to Vegas to collect a debt from a crooked casino owner, but one of the pair has a history with the casino owner and soon everyone is in over their head. The film’s reviews are currently 100% positive, but the average score it less than 7 out of 10, so while the critics liked the movie, few loved it. Then again, this is fine for a $4 rental.
Amazon, iTunes, or Vudu
This is one of several films on this week’s list that is earning reviews best described as good, but not great. It is about a woman who returns home after the death of her mother and begins to investigate a violent kidnapping she witnessed as a child. It’s worth a rental at the very least.
Vudu
A father and son travel to Ireland to fulfill the last wish of their recently-departed wife / mother. The film has better star power than most other films on this week’s list and the reviews are good enough that it could have thrived in limited release. Hopefully it will find an audience on VOD.
Amazon, iTunes, or Vudu
Please let this film find an audience. This is the third time we’ve talked about this film, as it was originally scheduled for a fall release, but got pulled at the last minute. It was rescheduled for March, right when the COVID-19 pandemic was causing businesses to close. Now it is coming out on VOD and I fear it will slip between the cracks. Its reviews are amazing and it is at least worth the $4 or $5 to rent it, if not the $10 or $13 to buy it.
Vudu
Dakota Johnson stars as, Maggie Sherwoode, an assistant in the music industry working for Grace Davis, played by Tracee Ellis Ross. Grace wants to record another album, but her label just wants her to tour with her greatest hits. Maggie decides to help Grace get her new album made. The reviews are good, but not great. It’s the kind of film that could have done reasonably well as a wide release, but wouldn’t be able to find an audience in limited release. It is worth at least a rental on VOD, but I would wait until it is no longer a premium VOD release, because $20 is a lot to ask for a rental.
iTunes
A documentary about a clash between salmon fisherman and environmentalists. The environmentalists are interested in saving the salmon, but the fisherman also kill seals to help the salmon stocks, as seals eat a lot of salmon. This understandably raises questions about the boundaries when it comes to conservation and economic well-being. The documentary takes the complex issue and presents a balanced view. It is worth checking out when it comes out on Monday.
iTunes
This movie hits VOD on Monday, following a virtual theatrical release. It is about a pair of friends who have a midlife crisis, but instead of buying a fancy sports car, they buy a bowling alley and try and create the world’s perfect pizza. The reviews are good, but not great, as the average score is in the 6 out of 10 range. Likewise, the film does have some star power, although the actors are mostly known for TV roles and not movies. In other words, I doubt the film would find an audience in limited release, but it is just fine for a VOD rental.
Amazon Ultra HD VOD or Amazon VOD
We talked about this film not too long ago when it was getting a theatrical release. There were no box office numbers released, but this is not a surprise, as almost no studios are releasing box office numbers. This week it is getting a VOD release and its reviews are still spectacular, so hopefully it will find an audience on the home market.
Clickbait - Reviews - Vudu
For We Are Many - Reviews - Vudu
Infidelity in Suburbia - No Reviews - Amazon or iTunes
The Last Beyond - No Reviews - Video on Demand, iTunes, or Vudu
A Mother on the Edge - No Reviews - Amazon or iTunes
Clickbait and For We Are Many only have five reviews combined; however, all five are positive, so they are worth renting, if you are fans of horror films.
Filed under: Home Market Releases, VOD Releases, The High Note, The Vast of Night, Clifton Hill, Phoenix, Oregon, Dylda, End of Sentence, 1BR, Extra Ordinary, Of Fish and Foe, Avanpost, The Last Beyond, Debt Collectors, For We Are Many, Infidelity in Suburbia, A Mother on the Edge, Clickbait, Tracee Ellis Ross, Dakota Johnson