VOD Releases: Promare has Promise

April 17, 2020

Promare

It’s a much slower week for digital releases, with no major first-run releases to talk about. That said, there are some previous theatrical releases that are making it to digital this week, including Promare. This movie was a monster hit for an anime release late last year, so it could be the biggest release on this week’s chart. That said, anime fans will probably want to buy it on Blu-ray.

Highlights:

Abe - Reviews
 Amazon or Vudu
A 12-year old aspiring chef wants to use food to heal the rift between his family. It is a part Israeli, part Palestinian family. The film’s reviews are strong, even if its average rating is a little lower than its Tomatometer Score. It is certainly worth a rental.

Endings, Beginnings - Reviews
 Video on Demand
Great cast plus a weak script results in a mediocre end product. You can buy it today, but I would wait till it is available to rent, and that’s only if you really like the cast. Otherwise, you can skip this one.

A Kid From Coney Island - Reviews
 Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu
This basketball documentary was previously released digitally, but now you can rent it as well as buy it.

Promare - Reviews
 Amazon VOD (English Language Version), Amazon VOD (Japanese Language Version)
This film previously opened in limited release back in September and it earned stellar reviews and pulled in a massive $2 million. That doesn’t sound like a lot compared to a wide release, but this is one of the best results for an anime title. I suspect it will do as well on the home market, but it might have to wait for a Blu-ray release.

The Quarry - Reviews
 Google Play
I like the cast and the trailer had me interested; however, the reviews are no where near where they need to be to find an audience. The lack of big name options is the film’s biggest asset.

Selah and the Spades - Reviews
 Amazon or Amazon (Ultra HD)
This film is earning more pre-release buzz than most similar films earn. Additionally, its Tomatometer Score is in the mid-80% range. However, its average score is under seven out of ten, so while most critics like it, few love it.

Wendy - Reviews
 Amazon or Google Play
A re-imagining of the Peter Pan story as told by the writer / director of Beasts of the Southern Wild. It really didn’t live up to expectations with critics or at the box office when it opened in limited release. The film hits VOD on Friday, but I don’t think it will get a lot of attention on the home market either.

Secondary Releases:

Bad Therapy - Reviews - Amazon
Beyond the Visible — Hilma af Klint - Reviews - Google Play
Green Fever - No Reviews - Amazon
Beyond the Visible is the best of the secondary releases, but I’m not 100% sure it is coming out. Most platforms didn’t have the film and the one that did only had it as coming soon.

Filed under: Home Market Releases, VOD Releases, Selah and the Spades, Endings, Beginnings, Promare, Wendy, Green Rush, Abe, Jenseits des Sichtbaren — Hilma af Klint, A Kid From Coney Island, The Quarry, Bad Therapy, Benh Zeitlin