This past weekend, "Up in the Air" made more than $1 million on 15 screens while "Transylmania" took in only $250,000 (roughly) on more than 1,000 screens. So you see, limited release doesn't mean limited box office gross, and it certainly doesn't mean limited appeal. Of course, "Up in the Air" stars George Clooney. This week's three spotlighted films opening in limited release don't have that luxury, yet each has enough appeal to enough of a built-in audience that I won't be surprised to see all of them do relatively well with the screens their given.
"A Single Man"
What it is: Fashion designer Tom Ford makes his directorial debut with "A Single Man," a '60s-set drama in which a college professor (Colin Firth) deals with the death of his boyfriend (Matthew Goode). Julianne Moore and Nicholas Hoult, of "About a Boy," also appear as the man's best friend and student, respectively. Based on the novel by Christopher Isherwood. Read More...
When Sony 
Vampires pretty much put Summit Entertainment on the map after the company made the wise decision to produce and distribute "
Summit Entertainment, hot off "
Now that December is upon us, you can expect to hear about a lot of new releases you probably won't be able to see right away, unless you happen to live in a major market. Unfortunately, this is how it goes with films vying for year-end awards notice. Some of these hopeful contenders will show up at your multiplex around Christmas, when the marquee will be filled with so many new releases your head is likely to spin. Others will expand in January, and still others won't go wide until the Oscar nominations are announced on February 2. Meanwhile, we'll continue to see some titles released that don't have the benefit of an Oscar campaign and some that don't have the qualifying status to warrant such promotion. 
Indira Gandhi, India's first and only female Prime Minister, is getting a much-deserved biopic, and big name actors are being wooed for star-studded cameos. 
It's another big holiday weekend with plenty of new releases to consider following your Thanksgiving feast this Thursday (and following your subsequent leftovers feasts through Sunday). In the same way that many Americans prefer alternatives to the traditional turkey and stuffing dinner on the day of gratitude, many moviegoers want something other than a studio tentpole release the day after Thanksgiving. Really, why would you want a popcorn movie when you're still full from the night before? 
Last week, during 
As long as Hollywood is turning board games into movies, why not also mine game shows? I'd love to see movies made out of "Press Your Luck" and that Japanese show where contestants had to guess what dangerous animal was atop their head. In a way, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" has already been turned into a movie ("Slumdog Millionaire"), and now a producer of "300" is bringing "American Gladiators" to the big screen.
Despite the