Four out of Five Critics Agree

July 8, 2005

It's one of the better weeks for limited releases as four of the five films are earning very strong reviews and a couple seem destined for mainstream success.

Beautiful Country - Reviews
The film deals with Bui doi, (less than dust), which is the derogatory term used by some to described Vietnamese children with American fathers. Binh is one such child who, at the age of 17, tries to escape Vietnam and travel to America to find his father. Beautiful Country opens tonight in 6 theatres in New York City and Los Angeles including the Arclight Cinemas in Los Anegeles.

Cronicas - Reviews
Cronicas is the first foreign language film starring John Leguizamo. In the film John Leguizamo stars as a reporter who travels to Ecuador to get the scope on a serial killer who hunts children, but his ambition for the big story soon out weights other concerns. It is the widest limited release at just nine theatres in Los Angeles and New York City including the Mann Theatres in the former and the Angelika Film Center in the latter.

Murderball - Reviews
This documentary deals with the sport of Wheelchair Rugby, or Murderball as it used to be known. It specifically follows the USA Paralympic Team and their heated rivalry with the Canadian team, who were coached by an former US National Champion. The film is earning perfect reviews and the intense sport action should be a crowd pleaser. Granted, it's not a mainstream sport as most people have never heard of Wheelchair Rugby, but the film should still earn some mainstream success starting in 8 theatres in New York City and Los Angeles tonight. Theatres include the Laemmles Sunset 5 in Los Angeles and City Cinemas Cinema 1, 2, and 3 in New York City.

Saraband - Reviews
Ingmar Bergman's last film, and that alone should attract attention while unbelievable reviews will garner impressive word of mouth. A divorced woman visits her ex-husband after more than 30 years of separation but their intense reunion happens in the middle or a family drama involving the man and his children from another marriage. Saraband opens in four theatres in New York and Los Angeles including the Film Forum and Nuart Theatre.

Steve + Sky - Reviews
The only limited release this week not to earn overwhelmingly positive reviews, in fact, it is earning the exact opposite. The critics have not been kind to this Belgian film complaining that it's aimless and random. Steve + Sky opens at the Quad Cinema in New York City tonight before touring the nation over the rest of summer.


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Filed under: Saraband, The Beautiful Country, Cronicas