There have been many complaints of late as to how crowded December has gotten. With around sixteen films in wide release and more than double that in limited bows, this past December was so packed with new films that many quickly vanished as audiences simply could not keep up.
Some are only now getting around to older releases like "The Last King of Scotland", "The Queen" or "Pan's Labyrinth" - helped by the fact both last month and February has seen just 2-3 films on average getting a wide release each week. Next week's release of five wide titles seems almost an anomaly, but it's one that's about to become the norm.
March 16th kicks off what is arguably the busiest pre-Summer film line-up in recent history. In the seven weeks leading up to the first big Summer movie going weekend (May 4th), an estimated three dozen or so wide-release films, along with at least half that amount again in high profile limited release films, are to debut on screens.
This adds up to an average of 5 wide and 2-3 limited releases per week over the period - an amount even a full-time film reviewer would have a hard time keeping up with let alone the moviegoing public. Many of these are also relatively high profile titles - "Grindhouse", "Hot Fuzz", "TMNT", "Blades of Glory", "Reign Over Me", "Sunshine", "Shooter" and "Dead Silence" just to name a few.
Combined with even higher profile entries immediately preceeding (300, Zodiac) and following (Spider-Man, Shrek, Pirates), the big question now is what will get lost in the shuffle, and more importantly which ones will blink and be held back a few months til a quieter time.
Today already saw high-profile Middle Eastern action film "The Kingdom" and ping pong comedy "Balls of Fury" make the jump to early Fall (ept 28th & 14th respectively). Don't expect it to be the last to make the move in coming weeks.
Here's a list of what's coming in that seven week spring flood. Personally recommended films have been highlighted in blue:
March 16th 2007 Captivity
Premonition Shooter
I Think I Love My Wife (limited release) The Wind That Shakes the Barley (limited release)
March 23rd 2007 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters The Hills Have Eyes II The Last Mimzy Pride Reign Over Me
Angel-A (limited release) Colour Me Kubrick (limited release) First Snow (limited release) The Lookout (limited release) March 30th 2007
Meet the Robinsons The Reaping Rescue Dawn After the Wedding (limited release) Blind Dating (limited release) Live Free or Die (limited release) Exterminating Angels (limited release)
April 4th 2007 Firehouse Dog April 6th 2007 Are We Done Yet?
The Hoax Offside (limited release) Penelope (limited release)
The Pleasure of Your Company (limited release) The TV Set (limited release)
April 13th 2007 Disturbia
Perfect Stranger Spring Breakdown Private Fears in Public Places (limited release) Redline (limited release) Trade (limited release) Year of the Dog (limited release)
April 20th 2007 The Greatest Escape In the Land of Women Kickin' It Old School
The Nanny Diaries Pathfinder Vacancy Civic Duty (limited release) Even Money (limited release) The Flying Scotsman (limited release) Smiley Face (limited release) The Tripper (limited release) The Valet (limited release)
April 27th 2007 The Condemned Fracture The Invisible The Last Legion Next Wind Chill Jindabyne (limited release)
