Limited Releases are Feeling Restless
September 16, 2011
Not a lot of limited releases with breakout potential on this week's list. My Afternoons With Margueritte might be tops on the per theater chart this week, but even it is does so, odds are it won't expand dramatically after that.
Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre - No Reviews
Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death & Technology - Reviews
The Mill and the Cross - Reviews
My Afternoons With Margueritte - Reviews
Restless - Reviews
Silent Souls - Reviews
Stay Cool - Reviews
The Weird World of Blowfly - Reviews
This film was made in 2008 and it is just getting a release this week, maybe. Or maybe it started last week, because that's what it says on the official site. This film is a parody of teenage slashers, specifically those set in summer camps. It was written, directed, and stars Dave Campfield and it's the second of three films in the Caesar and Otto franchise (not counting the two shorts). The latest film, Caesar and Otto's Deadly Christmas, is in post-production and is aiming for a release later this year.
A documentary by writer / director / star Tiffany Shlain, who made the film after the death of her father and the birth of her second child. It's about, among other things, how the internet is creating a new world where people are more connected than ever. There are few reviews online, and they are mostly mixed, so it could have trouble finding an audience. Connected opens tonight in three theaters in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Mills Valley, while Tiffany Shlain will be at a Q&A at select screenings. Check out the official site for more details.
Rutger Hauer plays Pieter Bruegel, a Flemish artist who lived in the 1500s. In this movie, we step inside one of his paintings, The Way to Calvary, with Pieter and his patron as our guides. The film has a very unique look and it might do well with art house moviegoers, but its potential to expand is limited. The Mill and the Cross opened on Wednesday at the Film Forum in New York City.
One of the few limited releases earning overwhelmingly positive reviews on this week's list. It stars Gérard Depardieu and Gisèle Casadesus as a middle-aged, semi-illiterate man, and an author in her 90s who likes to read her books in the park. Since Gérard Depardieu is one of the best known French actors in the States, this film could be a sizable hit in art house theaters. My Afternoons With Margueritte opens tonight in two theaters, the Paris Theatre in New York City and the Laemmles Royal Theater in Los Angeles.
One of the limited releases coming out this week that I was actually looking forward to. Mia Wasikowska is a very talented young actress and I don't think it will be too long before she starts winning major awards. However, while she's earning a lot of praise for her performance in this movie, that's the only part of the film that is earning praise. The overall reviews have dropped to just under 40%, which is bad for a wide release and is fatal for a limited release. Restless opens tonight in five theaters, three in New York City and two in the Los Angeles area.
A Russian film about a man who works at the local mill who is asked by his boss to help bury his recently deceased wife according to their ancient tribal traditions. This trip is a little bit awkward, as the man might have had an affair with his boss's wife. The film is earning some of the best reviews of the weekend, but while it could score in art house theaters, there's little hope that this film will expand significantly. Silent Souls opens tonight in two theaters, including the Angelika Film Center in New York City and at the MIFF By the Sea in Bar Harbor, Maine.
The latest film from the Polish brothers, Michael and Mark. They've made quite a few films in their careers, but so far major box office success has eluded them. This film likely won't change that steak. The reviews are not only weak at just 20% positive, there are only five of them on Rotten Tomatoes. Stay Cool opens tonight in five theaters in Seattle, San Diego, Bloomington, and other cities.
A documentary look at Clarence Reid, a.k.a., Blowfly, who has made a career with parodies of songs with an X-rated twist. The reviews are good, but not great, and this is a movie that could have a limited target audience. Blowfly is not exactly a mainstream act and many fans of documentaries are unlikely to know his work. The Weird World of Blowfly opens tonight at the Quad Cinema in New York City, while it also debuts online and on Video on Demand.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Stay Cool, Restless, La tête en friche, The Mill and the Cross, Ovsyanki, The Weird World of Blowfly, Connected: An Autobiography about Love, Death & Technology