Limited Releases: Talking Pictures
May 23, 2014
It is not a particularly strong week for limited releases. There are a few that are earning good reviews, but almost none are earning good reviews and any buzz. Cold in July is one of the exceptions and its reviews and star power could have resulted in a fast start, but it is also playing on Video on Demand.
Accident - Reviews
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn - Reviews
The Birder - Reviews
Cold in July - Reviews
The Dance of Reality - Reviews
The Fatal Encounter - Reviews
Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia - Reviews
Grand Depart - Reviews
Heropanti - No Reviews
Lila, Lila - Reviews
The Love Punch - Reviews
Return to the Hiding Place - No Reviews
Stand Clear of Closing Doors - Reviews
This is Where We Live - Reviews
Words and Pictures - Reviews
The director, Joepeh Losey, passed away almost exactly 30 years ago and in a rememberance of his life, Rialto Pictures is re-releasing this picture at the Film Forum in New York City.
Robin Williams plays a man who was just told by his doctor that he only has 90 minutes left to live. He tries to make amends for all of the bad things he's done in his life. The film's reviews are among the worst of all of the new releases this week, and it is coming out on Video on Demand, so its box office chances are nearly zero.
Tom Cavanagh plays a bird watcher who was passed over for the Head of Ornithology position at the National Park, so he seeks revenge against the younger man who got it. The film has a good cast, but there are almost no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and the one that is there is negative. The Birder opens tonight at the The Carlton Cinema in Toronto before expanding to Waterloo next week. Check out the official site for more details.
Michael C. Hall plays a man who investigates a home break in and kills the intruder. When the father of the slain man comes to town, all hell breaks loose. This is one of the best-reviewed new releases of the week and the cast has a lot of star power. However, it is also playing on Video on Demand, so its chances at the box office are limited. Cold in July opens tonight in six theaters in select cities nationwide.
Written, directed, and about Alejandro Jodorowsky. More specifically, it is about his childhood in 1930s Chile. The reviews are excellent and fans of his other films should be interested in seeing it. The Dance of Reality opens tonight in two theaters, one in New York City and the other in Los Angeles, before expanding next weekend. Check out the official site for more details.
Set in the late 18th century in Korea, a king has to deal with assassins sent by various factions hoping to dethrone him. The film focuses specifically on one day (although there are numerous flashbacks). There are only two reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and both are negative. The Fatal Encounter opens tonight in nearly two-dozen theaters, including a few in Canada. Check out the official site for more details.
A documentary about Gore Vidal, who is a writer and not shy about expressing his opinions, especially about politics. The reviews are excellent, although some critics note it is more of a hagiography than a balanced look at his life. It should still please fans of his work and should convert neophytes to his views. Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia opens tonight in New York City and Los Angeles.
A son is forced to take care of his ailing father, a father who is disappointed in him. The son has to learn to be his own man. This isn't a bad setup, but the lead character isn't sympathetic enough to carry the movie. Grand Depart opens tonight at the Village East Cinema in New York City.
A Bollywood movie about a man and a woman falling in love. Also there's music and dance numbers. Granted, that's true of every Bollywood movie, but there are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, so it is hard to tell how this one stands out from the crowd. The two leads are not established stars, so it will probably struggle to find an audience compared to other Bollywood films released Stateside.
Daniel Bruhl stars as a socially awkward man working a dead-end job. When he finds an unpublished manuscript, he passes it off as his own in order to impress the woman he loves. When she insists he publish the novel and it becomes a big hit, the real author shows up. The film's reviews are split 50/50, so its chances at the box office are limited. Lila, Lila opens tonight Quad Cinema in New York City.
Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson star as a divorced couple who are on the brink of retirement, until they learn his pension was frozen due to the company being investigated for financial crimes. When they learn the CEO bought a $10 million diamond for his fiancee, the pair decide to steal it. Critics think the two leads give strong performances and there is definitely a strong premise here, but they are not given nearly enough to work with to make the movie work as a whole. The Love Punch opens tonight select cities, mostly in the AMC Loews theater chain.
This film is set in World War II and focuses on a group of Dutch resistance fighters. There are no reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, so it is hard to judge if the movie is any good. On the other hand, that's a sign that the buzz is really weak. Return to the Hiding Place opens tonight in six theaters in select cities. Check out the official site for more details.
A child bullied for being autistic takes to the New York subway system and gets lost. Meanwhile, his mother searches for him. The film's reviews are nearly perfect but I haven't heard a lot of buzz about the movie, so it might not be able to turn those strong reviews into ticket sales. Stand Clear of Closing Doors opens tonight at the Cinema Village in New York City.
A mother hires a local handyman to help look after her son, who has cerebral palsy. I think This is Where We Live is opening this week. Some sources have it opening last November. It is definitely playing at the Angelika Film Center in Dallas, but it might have played in other theaters previously.
Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche star as two college professors who argue whether or not words are more important than pictures. (One's a writer and the other is a painter.) The reviews are weak with more critics praising the performances of the two leads, but complaining that the script doesn't give them enough to work with. Words and Pictures opens tonight in ten theaters in select cities.
Filed under: Limited Releases, Return to the Hiding Place, Words and Pictures, Cold in July, The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, The Love Punch, Grand départ, Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia, Yeok-rin, Heropanti, Lila, Lila, Accident, This is Where We Live, La danza de la realidad, Robin Williams, Juliette Binoche, Pierce Brosnan, Daniel Brühl, Thomas Cavanagh, Michael C. Hall, Mila Kunis, Clive Owen, Emma Thompson, Alejandro Jodorowsky,