DVD Releases of the Week: 'Afflicted,' 'Like Father, Like Son' and 'The Lunchbox' Lead the New Releases
On July 1, a number of films will be released on home video and it will be a chance for film lovers to view films they missed in theaters. The following are a number of options that viewers will be able to see at home.
"Afflicted" - Back in April CBS films released a critically acclaimed horror film. The movie tells the story of two best friends who see their trip of a lifetime take a dark turn when one of them is struck by a mysterious affliction. The horror movie premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and Austin Fantastic Festival where it received rave reviews and even won the Best Canadian First Feature award. However when it was released, CBS was unable to garner an audience and only made $121,000. However the company had a more successful run on VOD, which allowed the film to expand its audience. "Afflicted" is likely to play better on DVD and Blu-Ray and could likely garner a cult audience especially since many horror and genre films do.
"The Lunchbox" - After a successful run at the box office, Sony Classics will bring the Indian film to home video. The new movie, starring Irfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur, tells the story of a mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system which connects a young housewife to an older man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. The film premiered at the Sundance, Toronto and Telluride Film Festivals where it received rave reviews. When it opened in February, the film exceeded expectations and made $4 million. To date it has become one of the most successful Independent Films of the year and one that is likely to attract foreign film lovers. Sony will release the film in a Blu-Ray and DVD combo.
"Like Father, Like Son" - The critically acclaimed Japanese film will be released on home video after having had a successful festival and theatrical run. The IFC Film tells the story of Ryota Nonomiya who is a successful businessman driven by money. When he learns that his biological son was switched with another child after birth, he must make a life-changing decision and choose his true son or the boy he raised as his own. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it competed for the Palme D'Or and won the Jury award and Ecumenial Jury award. It was later showcased at the Toronto Film Festival and also won the People's Choice at the Vancouver Film Festival. The drama was expected to be the Japanese Official Selection for the Academy Awards but did not get chosen. However the movie still ended up making $301,000 at the box office and won numerous international awards. Expect the movie to gain a following throughout its home video and on demand run.
"The Unknown Known" - Documentary films have had a hard time garnering audiences this year. That was the case with this Radius TWC release. The movie tells the story of former United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, who discusses his career in Washington, D.C., from his days as a congressman in the early 1960s to planning the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The documentary garnered rave reviews and had an 83 percent aggregate score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Radius only made $276,000 on the release. "The Unknown Known" is likely to continue to garnering an audience especially with those interested in politics. Additionally, the movie is directed by Errol Morris, who won an Oscar for his work on "The Fog of War." Radius won the Documentary Oscar last year and the company will likely build a strong campaign; as a result, "The Unknown Known will likely play an important part in awards season.