Limited and VOD Releases: Limited Releases are Not Very Talkative

December 14, 2018

If Beale Street Could Talk

It’s a great time of year to release an Awards Season contender. Ironically, there is so much competition in that space that the number of Oscar-bait films already in release is too much competition, so there are not too many films coming out this week. That’s not to say there are no prime releases coming out. If Beale Street Could Talk is an Awards Season contender, but it is arguably the only film on this week’s list with a realistic chance of doing well at the box office.

Bird Box - Reviews
 This film is getting an Oscar-qualifying run before heading to Netflix next week. Its reviews are below the overall positive level, so having an Oscar-qualifying run seems silly. On the other hand, its reviews are not so bad that it isn’t worth watching on Netflix.

Capernaum - Reviews
 This film tells the story of a Lebanese boy who runs away from his neglectful parents and after living on the streets sues them for giving him life. This is one of only a few films that has a significant number of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, but sadly its reviews are merely good and likely not good enough to thrive in limited release.

If Beale Street Could Talk - Reviews
 Barry Jenkins’ follow-up to Moonlight. I’m not sure if this film will do as well at the box office or with Awards Season voters, but it could. It certainly should get off to a fast start and lead the way on the theater average chart this weekend.

Maine - Reviews
 Video on Demand
Laia Costa plays Bluebird, a married woman from Spain who decides to hike the Appalachian Trail alone to clear her mind. While hiking, she meets a man and there’s a connection. The reviews are not good enough for limited release, but they are good enough to rent on VOD.

The Quake - Reviews
 Video on Demand
A sequel to The Wave, this time a massive earthquake hits Oslo. The reviews are only good and not great, plus it is the wrong genre to do well in limited release. Then again, if you are a fan of the genre, then it is worth the $7 to rent on VOD.

The Second Time Around - Reviews
 A Canadian movie about romance in a retirement home. The reviews are good, but there are not enough of them to suggest the film will do well at the box office.

Secondary VOD Releases:
Backtrace - Reviews - Video on Demand
Beyond White Space - Reviews - Video on Demand
Deadman Standing - No Reviews - Video on Demand
There are three secondary VOD releases this week, but none of them are really worth spending money on.

Filed under: Limited Releases, VOD Releases, Home Market Releases, If Beale Street Could Talk, Maine, Cafarnaúm, Deadman Standing, The Second Time Around, Beyond White Space, Backtrace, Bird Box, Skjelvet, Thomas Mann, Laia Costa, Barry Jenkins