Hoosiers (1986)
89%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
3 wins & 5 nominations total
It may adhere to the sports underdog formula, but Hoosiers has been made with such loving craft, and features such excellent performances, that it’s hard to resist.
Hoosiers is a slam dunk of a movie! It’s got heart, it’s got basketball, and it’s got Gene Hackman giving a performance that’s so good, it’s like he’s been practicing his whole life for this role. And let’s not forget about Dennis Hopper, who brings his A-game as the town drunk turned assistant coach. Sure, it’s a bit manipulative and conventional, but who cares when you’re rooting for the underdogs and feeling all the feels? This movie is a winner in my book!
Production Company(ies)
Discovery Channel, Jigsaw Productions, Tall Woods
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Orion Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Knightstown, Indiana, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1987
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 54m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 14, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 29, 2000
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper, Sheb Wooley, Fern Persons, Brad Boyle, directed by David Anspaugh, written by Angelo Pizzo, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Chris Stuckmann, Steven D Greydanus, Richard Schickel, Rick Groen, Pat Graham, James Berardinelli, Mike Massie, Matt Brunson, Ángel Luis Inurria, Rachel Wagner, Emanuel Levy, Randy White, PG rating, high school basketball, sports underdog, redemption, community criticism, unconventional coaching, alcoholism, teacher-student relationship, small town, Indiana, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Orion Pictures, Surround sound, Stereo sound
Worldwide gross: $28,607,524
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $76,360,201
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,148
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,327,176
US/Canada gross: $28,607,524
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $76,360,201
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 880
US/Canada opening weekend: $220,068
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $587,413
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,369
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $6,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $16,015,409
Production budget ranking: 1,484
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $8,624,298
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $51,720,494
ROI to date (est.): 210%
ROI ranking: 609
Barbara Hershey – Myra Fleener
Dennis Hopper – Shooter
Sheb Wooley – Cletus
Fern Persons – Opal Fleener
Brad Boyle – Whit
Director(s)
David Anspaugh
Writer(s)
Angelo Pizzo
Producer(s)
Angelo Pizzo, Carter DeHaven
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
3 wins & 5 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (4)
This film has so much heart. Every time I watch it, I am on the verge of tears for almost the entire runtime.
February 17, 2021 | Rating: A
Chris Stuckmann
ChrisStuckmann.com
TOP CRITIC
The filmmakers are at the top of their game.
October 29, 2008 | Rating: A-
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films
TOP CRITIC
Hackman is wonderful as an inarticulate man tense with the struggle to curb a flaring, mysterious anger.
August 1, 2008
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Shameless, yes, but open your eyes, close your mind, sit back and enjoy.
March 21, 2007
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Bobby Knight would not be amused, though Tark the Shark might’ve had a good laugh at the naive masquerade.
March 21, 2007
Pat Graham
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Basketball movies don’t get any better.
March 21, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
There are quite a number of practicing and shooting and gameplay montages, but it’s actually the character interactions that remain most stirring.
January 2, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Much of its appeal comes courtesy of Gene Hackman, whose work here — a canny mix of aw-shucks bluster and below-the-surface slyness — was a warm-up for the career-best performance he would deliver two years later in Mississippi Burning.
June 7, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Hoosiers benefits from David Anspaugh’s experience as a TV director, from the soundtrack, and the performances. [Full Review in Spanish]
March 26, 2020
Ángel Luis Inurria
El Pais (Spain)
Hoosier certainly qualifies [as a great sports moive].
June 28, 2019
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
An enjoyable, if conventional and manipulative small-town sports melodrama, boasting strong turns from Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper, who received his only acting nomination for his part.
April 22, 2012 | Rating: B
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
A tale of heroic sportsmanship.
January 2, 2011 | Rating: 5/5
Randy White
Common Sense Media…
Plot
Based on the true story of a small-town Indiana team that made the state finals in 1954, this movie chronicles the attempts of a coach with a spotty past, and the town’s basketball-loving drunk to lead their high school team to victory.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Dennis Hopper received his only Academy Award nomination for his role as Shooter in Hoosiers.
David-Anspaugh.jpg
Ferris Buellers Day Off
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
88%RT Audience Score: 92%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 1 nomination
Matthew Broderick charms in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a light and irrepressibly fun movie about being young and having fun
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is a classic movie that has stood the test of time. Sure, some critics may say that it lacks originality or that the script is off-balance, but who cares? This movie is all about having fun and living life to the fullest, just like Ferris himself. Plus, it’s got some seriously iconic scenes that will make you want to jump up and dance along with the parade. So, if you’re feeling down or just need a break from the real world, pop in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and let the good times roll.
Production Company(ies)
Film4 Ingenious Film Partners Special Treats Production Company,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Ben Rose Auto Museum – 370 Beach Street, Highland Park, Illinois, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 43m
-
Language(s):English, German
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 11, 1986 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 19, 1999
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Matthew Broderick, directed by John Hughes, written by John Hughes, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Paul Attanasio, Kathleen Carroll, Patrick Goldstein, Jay Boyar, Carrie Rickey, Gene Siskel, Eddie Harrison, Wayne Broadway, Armond White, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, Alan Ruck, Jennifer Grey, Edie McClurg, PG-13, Chicago, high school, principal, skipping school, day off, Ferrari, graduation, coming of age, teenage comedy, cult classic, John Hughes film, 80s film, iconic, rebellious, fun, heartwarming, light-hearted, charming, witty, clever, quotable, iconic soundtrack, fourth wall breaking, physical comedy, ridiculous situations, procrastination, imagination, friendship, adventure, romance, family-friendly, timeless, classic, must-see
Worldwide gross: $70,720,215
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $195,943,668
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 700
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 21,367,903
US/Canada gross: $70,136,369
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $194,326,013
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 366
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,275,647
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,387,861
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 724
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $5,800,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $16,069,992
Production budget ranking: 1,480
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $8,653,691
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $171,219,985
ROI to date (est.): 693%
ROI ranking: 182
Alan Ruck – Cameron Frye
Mia Sara – Sloane Peterson
Jennifer Grey – Jean ‘Jeanie’ Bueller
Jeffrey Jones – Dean Edward ‘Ed’ R. Roony
Edie McClurg – Grace, School Secretary
Director(s)
John Hughes
Writer(s)
John Hughes
Producer(s)
John Hughes, Tom Jacobson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (73) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (59) | Rotten (14)
The whole script is off-balance.
January 3, 2018
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
“Ferris Bueller” has some cheerfully zany scenes, but lacks the originality and verve of Hughes’ previous telltale teen comedies.
June 10, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
What should’ve been a joyful romp turns into a stale, sour-edged celebration of the New Conformist, an affluent, technology-addled cherub without a rebellious whim in his brain.
April 23, 2014
Patrick Goldstein
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
It is most curious that Hughes, who is obviously clever and talented, has failed to develop the intriguing situation he has set in motion.
April 23, 2014
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
[While Risky Business] suggested that money isn’t everything, Ferris Bueller insists just the opposite.
April 23, 2014 | Rating: 2/4
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
A film that doesn’t seem to know what it’s about until the end.
January 16, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Ferris Buellers Day Off still works like a cure to stave the blues away
March 20, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
‘Ferris Buellers Day Off’ celebrates life, even when that celebration can feel hedonistic and egotistic.
March 1, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Wayne Broadway
Black Girl Nerds
Writer-director John Hughes bypassed teen angst by creating happy-go-lucky Ferris Bueller, wise beyond his years with the realization that life and learning involve more than school.
August 11, 2021
Robin Holabird
Robin Holabird
The most compelling of all John Hughes movies. It’s the one that cuts through the typical adolescent sentimentality in his popular Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club to reveal a truth about American cultural values.
August 4, 2021
Armond White
National Review
Thirty-five years later, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off remains a treat and quite the Chicago love letter.
June 14, 2021
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
The picture is ultimately too surface-skimming and scattershot to have such delusions of greatness thrust upon it.
February 26, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy…
Plot
High school student Ferris Bueller wants a day off from school and he’s developed an incredibly sophisticated plan to pull it off. He talks his friend Cameron into taking his father’s prized Ferrari and with his girlfriend Sloane head into Chicago for the day. While they are taking in what the city has to offer school principal Ed Rooney is convinced that Ferris is, not for the first time, playing hooky for the day and is hell bent to catch him out. Ferris has anticipated that, much to Rooney’s chagrin.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
John-Hughes.jpg
Big Trouble in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
83%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 1 nomination
Brimming with energy and packed with humor, Big Trouble in Little China distills kung fu B-movies as affectionately as it subverts them
Big Trouble in Little China” is a wild ride that’s part action, part comedy, and all fun. Kurt Russell’s bulging biceps and easy-going self-confidence are a highlight, but the real star of the show is the chaotic and inventive plot that careens through an imaginary world for two hours. Sure, it’s not always convincing and the tension is minimal, but who cares when you’re having this much of a good time? John Carpenter has created a campy, convoluted series of outrageous adventures that’s perfect for anyone in the mood for a good, goofy time. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!
Production Company(ies)
New Line Cinema, Zupnik Cinema Group II GGR
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
San Francisco, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 38m
-
Language(s):English, Cantonese
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 30, 1986 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 27, 2002
Genre(s)
Action/Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Victor Wong, Kate Burton, directed by John Carpenter, written by Gary Goldman, David Weinstein, W.D Richter, action, fantasy, PG-13, Larry J Franco produced, $11.0M box office, reviewed by James Berardinelli, Paul Byrnes, Eleanor Ringel Cater, Kathleen Carroll, Jay Boyar, Michael H Price, Eddie Harrison, Michael Sragow, Hal Lipper, Patrick Taggart, George Williams, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Mono, Surround, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo, 70mm, Scope (2.35:1) aspect ratio
Worldwide gross: $11,100,577
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $30,756,238
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,542
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,354,006
US/Canada gross: $11,100,000
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $30,754,639
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,266
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,723,211
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $7,545,169
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,030
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $25,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $69,267,206
Production budget ranking: 605
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $37,300,390
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$75,811,358
ROI to date (est.): -71%
ROI ranking: 1,814
Kim Cattrall – Gracie Law
Dennis Dun – Wang Chi
James Hong – David Lo Pan
Victor Wong – Egg Shen
Kate Burton – Margo
Director(s)
John Carpenter
Writer(s)
Gary Goldman, David Weinstein, W.D. Richter
Producer(s)
Larry J. Franco
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (63) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (16)
It’s sporadically amusing but not consistently funny. There’s plenty of action but minimal tension. And the story never tries hard to be even a little convincing.
August 16, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
A rollicking, colourful comic strip of a movie with bells on.
June 29, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Carpenter and his lively cast seem to be having such a good time that the easiest thing to do is relax and enjoy the ride. In a way, this is the movie “Escape from New York” was trying to be but never quite managed to pull off.
June 29, 2021
Eleanor Ringel Cater
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
Watching Kurt Russell display not only a set of bulging biceps, but also… easy-going self-confidence is admittedly fun at times, even if the movie is as impenetrable as chop suey.
June 29, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Big Trouble in Little China is a failure, but it’s a fascinating, atypical failure.
June 29, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
The result – suspense/action/comedy/kung fu/supernatural – defies categorization. Let’s just call it a rousing good movie and proceed
June 29, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Michael H. Price
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
TOP CRITIC
…Big Trouble in Little China rises to meet our elevated expectations; fast, chaotic and inventive, its yet another Carpenter film that really deserved more than it got from audiences at the time…
March 9, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
“Big Trouble in Little China” turns into yet another failed remake of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
June 29, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Michael Sragow
San Francisco Examiner
A campy, convoluted series of outrageous adventures that careens through an imaginary world for two hours before depositing you, breathless, back in your seat.
June 29, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Hal Lipper
Tampa Bay Times
If you’re in the right mood for this sort of thing, John Carpenter’s new movie presents as fine an opportunity as any this summer to have a good, goofy time.
June 29, 2021
Patrick Taggart
Austin American-Statesman
When a circus is done right, you get caught up in its rhythm and lost in the fun of it. Carpenter has done it right.
June 29, 2021
George Williams
Sacramento Bee
For every genuine martial arts feat or gruesome monstrosity, there’s a sequence of riotous slapstick to counter the brief seriousness.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
Truck driver Jack Burton arrives in Chinatown, San Francisco, and goes to the airport with his Chinese friend Wang Chi to welcome his green-eyed fiancée Miao Yin who is arriving from China. However she is kidnapped on the arrival by a Chinese street gang and Jack and Wang chase the group. Soon they learn that the powerful evil sorcerer called David Lo Pan, who has been cursed more than two thousand years ago to exist without physical body, needs to marry a woman with green eyes to retrieve his physical body and Miao is the chosen one. Jack and Wang team-up with the lawyer Gracie Law, the bus driver and sorcerer apprentice Egg Shen and their friends and embark in a great adventure in the underground of Chinatown, where they face a world of magicians and magic, monsters and martial arts fighters.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Kurt Russell delivers yet another great performance in Big Trouble in Little China.
John-Carpenter.jpg
Stand by Me
Stand by Me (1986)
94%RT Audience Score: 94%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
5 wins & 11 nominations total
Stand By Me is a wise, nostalgic movie with a weird streak that captures both Stephen King’s voice and the trials of growing up.
Stand by Me” is like a warm hug from your childhood best friend, if that friend was a movie. It’s got everything you need for a good time: adventure, humor, and a touch of sadness that makes you appreciate the good times even more. Sure, some critics might say it’s a bit too self-indulgent or condescending, but who cares? This movie is a classic for a reason. So grab some popcorn, call up your old pals, and settle in for a trip down memory lane.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Act III Act III Communications,
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Eagle Mountain Ln, Burney, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 29m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 8, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 21, 2003
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
Starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Casey Siemaszko, directed by Rob Reiner, written by Stephen King, Raynold Gideon, Bruce A Evans, comedy, drama, R rating, box office gross $46.7M, reviewed by Adam Nayman, Carrie Rickey, Jay Boyar, Sheila Benson, Dave Kehr, Pat Graham, David Elliott, Mark Jackson, Eve Tushnet, Peter Canavese, Joe Baltake, Gordie Lachance, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, Vern Tessio, Ace Merrill, Billy Tessio, Bruce A Evans, Raynold Gideon, Andrew Scheinman, Columbia Pictures, growing up, nostalgia, friendship, adventure, coming-of-age, 1950s Americana, childhood, loss of innocence, Stephen King’s voice, defining event, leeches, mean junk man, rural homes, Oregon boys, different home lives, trials of growing up, weird streak, morbid fascination, haunting fact, male identity, autumnal movie, self-indulgent, emotional level, comedic touch, universal theme, bonds of friendship, undated, easygoing direction, joy to watch, innocence, paragon of beauty in simplicity
Worldwide gross: $52,287,414
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $144,872,123
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 852
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 15,798,487
US/Canada gross: $52,287,414
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $144,872,123
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 534
US/Canada opening weekend: $242,795
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $672,709
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,333
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $8,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $22,165,506
Production budget ranking: 1,317
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $11,936,125
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $110,770,492
ROI to date (est.): 325%
ROI ranking: 430
River Phoenix – Chris Chambers
Corey Feldman – Teddy Duchamp
Jerry O’Connell – Vern Tessio
Kiefer Sutherland – Ace Merrill
Casey Siemaszko – Billy Tessio
Director(s)
Rob Reiner
Writer(s)
Stephen King, Raynold Gideon, Bruce A. Evans
Producer(s)
Bruce A. Evans, Raynold Gideon, Andrew Scheinman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
5 wins & 11 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (58) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (53) | Rotten (5)
It’s among the light sprinkling of King tales that elide the supernatural entirely. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t morbid…
September 5, 2019
Adam Nayman
The Ringer
TOP CRITIC
Stand by Me is a small, quiet film that walks tall and resonates long after.
June 26, 2013 | Rating: 4/4
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Its perspective is that of a knowing adult, which is to say that though the film is frequently affectionate and funny, it contains a drop too much condescension to be entirely successful.
June 26, 2013
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
It stands, sweet and strong, ribald, outrageous and funny, like its heroes themselves — a bit gamy around the edges, perhaps, but pure and fine clear through. It’s one of those treasures absolutely not to be missed.
June 26, 2013 | Rating: 4.5/5
Sheila Benson
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Stand by Me is a film of honorable ambitions severely compromised by a creeping show-biz phoniness.
June 26, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
Dave Kehr
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Reiner seems lost in his own cinematic wilderness — button-down careful, almost afraid to move
March 28, 2011
Pat Graham
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
“Stand by Me” stirs memories, especially if you’ve been a boy, especially if (like me), you were a ’50s kid whose old pals have grown up and drifted apart.
August 23, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
David Elliott
San Diego Union-Tribune
The line, “I never really had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve,” is a haunting fact and true wellspring of great sadness for most men. “Stand By Me” is one of the most memorable, funny, and wise movies ever made about boyhood.
May 17, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Mark Jackson
Epoch Times
It’s an autumnal movie and a self-indulgent one, carried by the inherent pathos of its premise…
March 26, 2020
Eve Tushnet
Patheos
Exquisitely captures the vulnerability not only of youth, but of the male identity.
September 26, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews
When you are an adventure-seeker stuck in that odd transition between early youth and adolescence, few movies resonate more than “Stand by Me.”
September 26, 2013 | Rating: 4/4
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org
It is about the evolution of a writer, his relationship with his three closest friends and a situation that formed his talent — and morbid fascination.
June 26, 2013
Joe Baltake
Philadelphia Daily News…
Plot
It’s the summer of 1959 in Castlerock, Oregon and four 12 year-old boys – Gordie, Chris, Teddy and Vern – are fast friends. After learning of the general location of the body of a local boy who has been missing for several days, they set off into the woods to see it. Along the way, they learn about themselves, the meaning of friendship and the need to stand up for what is right.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
River Phoenix’s performance in Stand By Me is considered one of his best and helped launch his career as a young actor.
Rob-Reiner.jpg
Ruthless People
Ruthless People (1986)
84%RT Audience Score: 72%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 3 nominations
It’s sometimes crude and tasteless, but Ruthless People wrings acid-soaked laughs out of its dark premise and gleefully misanthropic characters
Ruthless People” is a hilarious movie that will have you laughing from start to finish. The characters are so over-the-top and ridiculous that you can’t help but love them, especially Bette Midler’s character who is just the right amount of obnoxious. The plot is full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the writing is clever and well-crafted. If you’re in the mood for a comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, “Ruthless People” is the perfect choice. Just be prepared for some raunchy jokes and a lot of human slime!
Production Company(ies)
Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios,
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
10690 Somma Way – Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 35m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 27, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 3, 2004
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
Ruthless People, Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater, Anita Morris, Bill Pullman, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Michael Peyser, O Henry, Dale Launer, Comedy, R, Box Office, $70.9M, reviewed by Ryan Murphy, Kathleen Carroll, Michael H Price, Catherine Rambeau, Joe Pollack, Michael Wilmington, Eddie Harrison, Michael Heaton, Hal Lipper, David Keyes, Candice Russell, Touchstone Pictures, Buena Vista Pictures, Surround, kidnapping, ransom, murder, dark comedy, acid-soaked laughs, misanthropic characters, misunderstandings, con comedy, Disney-funded, crude humor, strong profanity, lovably obnoxious mannerisms, sleazoid, vengeful husband, overbearing wife, confused kidnappers, twisted plot, dark premise, sophisticated handling of comedy
Worldwide gross: $71,624,879
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $198,450,210
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 695
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 21,641,244
US/Canada gross: $71,624,879
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $198,450,210
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 354
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,274,306
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,613,458
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 803
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $13,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36,018,947
Production budget ranking: 1,038
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,396,203
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $143,035,060
ROI to date (est.): 258%
ROI ranking: 519
Bette Midler – Barbara Stone
Judge Reinhold – Ken Kessler
Helen Slater – Sandy Kessler
Anita Morris – Carol Dodsworth
Bill Pullman – Earl Mott
Self – O. Henry (Writer)
Self – Dale Launer (Writer)
Jim Abrahams – Director
David Zucker – Director
Jerry Zucker – Director
Michael Peyser – Producer
Director(s)
Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Writer(s)
O. Henry, Dale Launer
Producer(s)
Michael Peyser
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (3)
Screenwriter Dale Launer makes the film earn every laugh with well-crafted cleverly set-up situations. This sophisticated handling of the comedy is definitely Ruthless People’s strongest asset.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Ryan Murphy
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
One tires of the movie’s relentlessly shrill tone and its excessively raunchy jokes.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Bette Midler’s mastery of lovably obnoxious mannerisms has never had such deliciously wicked exposure, Danny De Vito brings his trademark sleazoid to full seriocomic flower, and Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater approach perfection…
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Michael H. Price
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
TOP CRITIC
Directors Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker are the same guys who who gave us “Airplane!” six years ago and “Ruthless People” is a lot funnier and meaner.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Catherine Rambeau
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
There are both belly laughs and chuckles along the way, and comedy that shows the skill of writer, directors and actors, all put together for optimum results.
April 20, 2021
Joe Pollack
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
The characters here aren’t just bad; most of them are truly vile — human slime. And the film makers chew them up (especially two nefarious bonbons played by Danny DeVito and Bette Midler) with the toothsome glee of jolly cannibals.
July 31, 2013
Michael Wilmington
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
…the narrative offers the kinds of twists and turns that wouldn’t disgrace a Coen brothers thriller…
December 5, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Like the Los Angeles freeway system, “Ruthless People” is full of twists, turns and nasty people. Unlike the LA. freeway, ‘Ruthless People” is a project that works.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Heaton
San Francisco Examiner
This is Zucker, Zucker and Abraham’s best movie since Airplane! although there is enough crude humor and strong profanity for a half-dozen R ratings.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Hal Lipper
Tampa Bay Times
A great deal of bizarre circumstances occur in this very effective farce, and for any mind that is easily won over by the insistence of shocking humor, it continues to hold a bewildering power to inspire shock, awe and some unforgettable chuckles.
November 25, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org
DeVito and Midler are superb in their roles as the greedy philanderer and his screaming, overbearing other half.
August 11, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Jo Berry
Radio Times
Occasionally crude and tasteless, Ruthless People is a comedy with a vitriolic twist. It`s a comedy about people who love to hate, with actors who make it worth seeing.
July 31, 2013
Candice Russell
South Florida Sun-Sentinel…
Plot
Sam Stone (Danny DeVito) is a clothing manufacturer who married his wife Barbara (Bette Midler) for the money that she was supposed to inherit from her dying father, but her father didn’t die for another 15 years. He is now planning to kill her and he tells his girlfriend Carol Dodsworth (Anita Morris) what he intends to do. He then goes home to do just that, but when he gets there, she’s not there. He soon receives a call from someone claiming to have kidnapped Barbara and threatening to kill her if he informs the police
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Danny DeVito’s performance as the loathsome and scheming Sam Stone is a standout in Ruthless People.
Jim-Abrahams.jpg
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck (1986)
42%RT Audience Score: 35%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 4 nominations
While it has its moments, Howard the Duck suffers from an uneven tone and mediocre performances
Howard the Duck is a movie that’s so bad, it’s almost good. Almost. The puns are the highlight of the film, and even they can’t save it from being a disaster. Howard himself is irritating and unconvincing, with the glassy eyes of a doll. The plot might have worked with cartoon characters, but with live actors, it just falls flat. The only thing fascinating about this movie is its blissful perversity. It’s a wack!-wack!-wacky comedy-adventure that’s not worth watching unless you’re in the mood for a good laugh at its expense.
Production Company(ies)
Film4 Ingenious Film Partners Special Treats Production Company,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Petaluma, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Mar 10, 2009
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Jones, Tim Robbins, Paul Guilfoyle, Liz Sagal, Dominique Davalos, directed by Willard Huyck, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, PG, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, box office gross $15.0M, reviewed by David Stratton, Michael Burkett, Michael Shmith, David Robinson, Bob Thomas, Nigel Andrews, Bill Chambers, Peter Sobczynski, Matt Brunson, Joe Leydon, Octavi Marti, produced by Gloria Katz, Robert Latham Brown
Worldwide gross: $37,962,774
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $105,183,011
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 987
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 11,470,339
US/Canada gross: $16,295,774
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $45,150,509
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,120
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,070,136
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,047,766
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 825
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $37,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $102,515,465
Production budget ranking: 398
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $55,204,578
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$52,537,031
ROI to date (est.): -33%
ROI ranking: 1,586
Jeffrey Jones – Dr. Walter Jenning
Tim Robbins – Phil Blumburtt
Paul Guilfoyle – Lieutenant Welker
Liz Sagal – Ronette
Dominique Davalos – Cal
Director(s)
Willard Huyck
Writer(s)
Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz
Producer(s)
Gloria Katz, Robert Latham Brown
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (81) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (70)
There are a few good jokes along the way, but the final effect is that we’ve been here rather too many times before.
December 15, 2020
David Stratton
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Sound the horns, light the speakers, and cue the marching band, because Howard the Duck is here — and bad movie historians could not ask for a more mallard-droit venture than this.
December 15, 2020
Michael Burkett
Orange County Register
TOP CRITIC
This creature with a mobile bill, scrawny body, and with a voice like Humphrey Bogart proves irritating beyond belief. Also, Howard has the glassy eyes of a doll and an artificiality that even his brusque, wise-quacking manner cannot quite conceal.
December 15, 2020
Michael Shmith
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
There must have been a terrible moment, many millions of collars into the production of Howard, when everyone realised it was not going to work either as comedy or thriller, as kid’s stuff or sophisticated fore.
December 15, 2020
David Robinson
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The plot might have provided a pleasant little fable if done with cartoon characters. But with live actors and a star duck that is not terribly convincing, the film just doesn’t make it.
December 15, 2020
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
The sophisticated tone of the project is set early on by its array of puns. Our hero reads Playduck magazine and has a wallet bursting with credit cards like Mallardcard and Bloomingducks. The problem is that these are the funniest things in the film.
December 14, 2020
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
For me, the real hell of Howard the Duck is that I actually feel represented by it.
March 3, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Bill Chambers
Film Freak Central
The team’s most disastrous move in a film filled with them though was dramatically softening Howard, sanding down his trademark sarcasm in a doomed attempt to invoke the lovable charm of E.T.
August 5, 2021
Peter Sobczynski
The Spool
The overall movie is often fascinating in its blissful perversity.
July 11, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
It’s a wack!-wack!-wacky comedy-adventure.
July 8, 2021
Joe Leydon
The Moving Picture Show
George Lucas, who is one of the kings of fairy tale fads, seems to have lost his ingenuousness or the ability to simulate it. [Full review in Spanish]
December 15, 2020
Octavi Marti
El Pais (Spain)
Car crashes, explosions, chases. But nothing resembling a real plot or genuine characters.
December 15, 2020 | Rating: 2/4
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star…
Plot
A scientific experiment unknowingly brings extraterrestrial life forms to the Earth through a laser beam. First is the cigar smoking drake Howard from the duck’s planet. A few kids try to keep him from the greedy scientists and help him back to his planet. But then a much less friendly being arrives through the beam…
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny comments were found in the Fresh Kernels review for Howard the Duck.
Willard-Huyck.jpg
Flight of the Navigator 1986
Flight of the Navigator (1986)
81%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Flight of the Navigator may not be a groundbreaking masterpiece, but it certainly has its charms. The film manages to balance the familiar human-meets-alien trope with a sense of humor and poignancy that makes it an enjoyable watch for both kids and adults. While it may borrow from other sci-fi classics, Flight of the Navigator still manages to stand on its own as a fun and entertaining adventure that encourages viewers to use their heads. With a mix of nostalgia and feel-good entertainment, this underrated gem is a must-see for any sci-fi fan.
Flight of the Navigator may not be a Disney classic, but it’s definitely a fun and entertaining sci-fi movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story may be a bit stale with the whole human-meets-alien theme, but the flying saucer scenes are bright and lively. It’s almost like two movies in one, with a creepy sci-fi mystery and a BFF road trip comedy all squished up together. And let’s not forget the nostalgia factor that will make you feel like a kid again. So, buckle up and get ready for a euphoric mix of pop culture and feel-good entertainment!
Production Company(ies)
Alien, Disney+, The Walt Disney Studios
Distributor
Walt Disney Pictures, Viking Film, Producers Sales Organization
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 29m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 30, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 5, 2006
Genre(s)
Kids & family/Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
starring Joey Cramer, Veronica Cartwright, Cliff DeYoung, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matt Adler, Howard Hesseman, directed by Randal Kleiser, written by Michael Burton and Matt McManus, Kids & family, Sci-fi, Adventure, PG rating, reviewed by Lee Siegel, Dave Kehr, Desmond Ryan, Jay Boyar, Kevin Thomas, Gene Siskel, Kelechi Ehenulo, William Wolf, Emmet Asher-Perrin, Dennis Schwartz, Joe Baltake, Candice Russell, box office gross $17.2M, budget, produced by Robert Wald and Dmitri Villard, Walt Disney Pictures, Viking Film, Producers Sales Organization
Worldwide gross: $18,564,613
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $18,564,613
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Veronica Cartwright – Helen Freeman
Cliff DeYoung – Bill Freeman
Sarah Jessica Parker – Carolyn McAdams
Matt Adler – Jeff (16 years)
Howard Hesseman – Dr. Faraday
Director – Randal Kleiser
Producers – Robert Wald, Dmitri Villard
Writers – Michael Burton, Matt McManus
Director(s)
Randal Kleiser
Writer(s)
Michael Burton, Matt McManus
Producer(s)
Robert Wald, Dmitri Villard
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (31) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (26) | Rotten (5)
Flight of the Navigator won’t earn a place among Disney’s classics. but it’s a perfectly entertaining sci-fi movie that does a creditable job with the stale human-meets-alien theme.
October 25, 2018
Lee Siegel
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
When the film shifts into the action mode in its second half — the flying saucer returns to aid in David`s rescue — it becomes quite bright and lively.
April 1, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Dave Kehr
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
If there is more than a little something borrowed from Spielberg, Kleiser’s movie is amiably undemanding entertainment that says the right things, albeit without great originality.
April 1, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
There’s no mistaking Flight of the Navigator for a really first-rate children’s picture like, say, The Black Stallion. But Flight of the Navigator is an enjoyable film that encourages kids to use their heads.
April 1, 2014
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Whereas its plot may be derivative–and at several junctures, unconvincing–“Flight of the Navigator” nevertheless manages to develop considerable humor and poignancy from David’s predicament and what he does about it.
April 1, 2014
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
This children’s adventure turns out to be, despite its title, less of a Star Wars trip than an entertaining variation on the time-travel adventure Back to the Future.
January 16, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
When you add up all the evidence, Flight of the Navigator remains one of the most underrated pinnacles of the sci-fi genre, a euphoric mix of pop culture nostalgia and feel-good entertainment.
July 15, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Kelechi Ehenulo
VultureHound
Flight of the Navigator, the Disney studio’s new movie aimed at children, has the warmed-over feeling of other time-travel yarns. But the story is snappily told and is sure to keep youngsters enthralled.
November 6, 2019
William Wolf
Gannett News Service
Flight of the Navigator is almost like two movies in one — a creepy sci-fi mystery and a BFF road trip comedy all squished up together.
January 9, 2019
Emmet Asher-Perrin
Tor.com
Appealing children’s sci-fi fantasy film, that follows the squeaky-clean Disney formula.
April 9, 2014 | Rating: B
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
The brain-assaulting sci-fi second half of Flight of the Navigator is made palpable by Cramer, who deftly conveys anguish during the first half. Now, he wants to go home and his gung-ho attitude makes every dumb effect exciting.
April 1, 2014
Joe Baltake
Philadelphia Daily News
Flight of the Navigator, in spite of a rough beginning, soars as it should, taking a child on the journey of his life.
April 1, 2014
Candice Russell
South Florida Sun-Sentinel…
Plot
After being knocked out in the forest, 12-year-old David wakes up to find that eight years have passed and he hasn’t aged, leading him on a journey to unravel the mystery and recover the life he lost in Flight of the Navigator.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about the film Signed in.
Randal-Kleiser.jpg
Manhunter
Manhunter (1986)
86%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: 2 nominations
Michael Mann introduces audiences to Hannibal Lecter for the first time in Manhunter, a modish thriller that fleshes out Thomas Harris’ heinous creations with an elegant, chilling detachment
Manhunter” is a killer thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. With a stylish and intense atmosphere, this movie is perfect for anyone who loves a good psychological thriller. The synth score might be a bit distracting at times, but it’s worth it for the tension it creates. William Peterson shines as the detective, and the story will keep you hooked until the very end. So grab some popcorn and get ready for a wild ride with “Manhunter.
Production Company(ies)
Poly Gram Filmed Entertainment, Spelling Films, International, Blue Parrot
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
High Museum of Art – 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 59m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 22, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 14, 2002
Genre(s)
Drama/Crime
Keyword(s)
starring William L Petersen, Kim Greist, Dennis Farina, Joan Allen, Brian Cox, Stephen Lang, directed by Michael Mann, written by Michael Mann, drama, crime, mystery, thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Paul Attanasio, David Edelstein, Pat Graham, Geoff Andrew, Walter Goodman, Ian Nathan, Jas Keimig, Alistair Lawrence, David Nusair, Peter Sobczynski, produced by Dino De Laurentiis, R MPAA rating, FBI, criminal profiler, serial murder case, Tooth Fairy, cannibal, Dr Hannibal Lecktor, interfering journalist, cat-and-mouse game, psychological thriller, Thomas Harris, heinous creations, elegant, chilling detachment, modish thriller, gory, gorgeous cop thriller, age of empathy for the devil, woozy synth scores, tense, interesting, elliptical dialogue, moody, bleak tone, pulse-pounding, nocturnal fluorescence, sociopathic symbiosis, deranged serial killer, creepy performances, top horror movies, top thriller movies, top crime movies, top mystery movies, top drama movies, top R-rated movies, top FBI movies, top psychological thriller movies, top Michael Mann movies, top William L Petersen movies, top Brian Cox movies, top Joan Allen movies, top Stephen Lang movies, top Dennis Farina movies, top Kim Greist movies
Worldwide gross: $8,622,412
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $23,890,016
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,644
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,605,236
US/Canada gross: $8,620,929
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $23,885,907
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,352
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,204,400
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,107,705
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,065
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $41,560,324
Production budget ranking: 922
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $22,380,234
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$40,050,542
ROI to date (est.): -63%
ROI ranking: 1,763
Kim Greist – Molly Graham
Dennis Farina – FBI Section Chief Jack Crawford
Joan Allen – Reba McClane
Brian Cox – Dr. Hannibal Lecktor
Stephen Lang – Freddy Lounds
Director(s)
Michael Mann
Writer(s)
Michael Mann
Producer(s)
Dino De Laurentiis
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (3)
… “Manhunter” is a gory and gorgeous cop thriller…
January 4, 2018
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Manhunter ushered in the age of empathy for the devil.
February 7, 2007
David Edelstein
Slate
TOP CRITIC
I’m intrigued by that stylistic envelope: simultaneously hypnotic and enervating, meditative and empty.
February 7, 2007
Pat Graham
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
One of the most impressive American thrillers of the late ’80s.
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
The movie drives along with such intensity for much of the time that you can just let it work on your senses without worrying about whether it makes sense.
August 30, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Walter Goodman
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
A slick and glossy thriller that still stands out.
May 2, 2003 | Rating: 5/5
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The highly stylized and reality-bending film was critically and commercially maligned when it first came out, but has since enjoyed a cult resurgence.
June 17, 2022
Jas Keimig
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
Director Michael Mann’s trademark love of woozy synth scores is occasionally distracting. But Manhunter still manages to be a tense, interesting psychological thriller.
January 25, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Alistair Lawrence
Common Sense Media
…exceedingly compelling for the duration of its running time…
September 24, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Manhunter is one of those films that I could stumble upon on cable at any point and be compelled to watch until the very end.
August 18, 2021
Peter Sobczynski
The Spool
Overall I think William Peterson did really well as the detective.
October 13, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Emma Wolfe
SpookyAstronauts
A beautifully conceived early work from Mann, Manhunter has aged like a fine Chianti.
October 8, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com…
Plot
Will Graham (William Petersen) is a former F.B.I. Agent who recently retired to Florida with his wife Molly (Kim Greist) and their young son, Kevin (David Seaman). Graham was a “profiler”, one who profiles criminal’s behavior and tries to put his mind into the minds of criminals to examine their thoughts while visiting crime scenes. Will is called out of his self-imposed retirement at the request of his former boss Jack Crawford (Dennis Farina) to help the F.B.I. catch an elusive serial killer, known to the press as the “Tooth Fairy” (Tom Noonan), who randomly kills whole families in their houses during nights of the full moon and leaves bite marks on his victims. To try to search for clues to get into the mind of the killer, Will has occasional meetings with Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (Brian Cox), a charismatic, but very dangerous imprisoned serial killer that Will captured years earlier which nearly drove him insane from the horrific encounter that nearly cost Will’s life. With some help and hindrance, Will races against the clock before the next full moon when the “Tooth Fairy” will strike again. Elsewhere, a local photographer named Francis Dollarhyde, the killer for whom Will is looking, struggles to stay undetected while seeing a hope of redemption when be begins a relationship with a blind woman (Joan Allen) who is not aware of his double life.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Manhunter on Fresh Kernels.
Michael-Mann.jpg
Aliens
Aliens (1986)
96%RT Audience Score: 94%
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Oscars
20 wins & 23 nominations total
While Alien was a marvel of slow-building, atmospheric tension, Aliens packs a much more visceral punch, and features a typically strong performance from Sigourney Weaver.
If you thought Alien was a slow burn, then Aliens is like a shot of adrenaline straight to the heart. It’s got all the action and excitement you could want, plus Sigourney Weaver is once again kicking butt and taking names. This movie is like a rollercoaster ride through space, with plenty of thrills and chills along the way. If you’re a fan of sci-fi and action, then Aliens is definitely worth checking out. Just make sure you buckle up and hold on tight!
Production Company(ies)
Twentieth Century Fox, Brandywine Productions, Pinewood Studios,
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Acton Lane Power Station, Acton Lane, Acton, London, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for monster violence, and for language
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 17m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 18, 1986 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 1, 1999
Genre(s)
Horror/Action
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $131,060,248
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $363,127,088
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 420
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 39,599,464
US/Canada gross: $85,160,248
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $235,952,497
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 281
US/Canada opening weekend: $10,052,042
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,851,075
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 499
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $18,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $51,257,732
Production budget ranking: 777
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $27,602,289
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $284,267,066
ROI to date (est.): 360%
ROI ranking: 383
Sigourney Weaver – Lt. Ellen Ripley
Carrie Henn – Rebecca “Newt” Jorden
Michael Biehn – Corporal Dwayne Hicks
Paul Reiser – Carter J. Burke
Lance Henriksen – Science Officer L. Bishop
Bill Paxton – Private W. Hudson
Show all Cast & Crew
Director(s)
James Cameron
Writer(s)
James Cameron, David Giler
Producer(s)
Gale Anne Hurd
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Oscars
20 wins & 23 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Editing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Visual Effects Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (79) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (77) | Rotten (2)
Sigourney Weaver is merely terrific… When she straps on her armament to do battle with the aliens, she makes Sylvester Stallone look like a pipsqueak.
March 15, 2019
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Beyond dispute, however, is the film’s timeless worth as a cathartic work, especially in terms of its accidentally commentary on the sexism of the corporate structure.
October 4, 2018
Melanie McFarland
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
The whole finale is white-knuckled, some of the best aciton and suspense film-making I’ve ever seen.
May 12, 2018 | Rating: A+
Chris Stuckmann
ChrisStuckmann.com
TOP CRITIC
Scene to scene, encounter to encounter, its tension builds unrelentingly. So, fasten your seat belts. It`s a blast.
October 14, 2014 | Rating: 4/4
Rick Kogan
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
[Aliens] is a spectacular example of state-of-the-art science fiction simply because it never tries to be overtly spectacular.
July 30, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
It’s blaster action, not Gothic future-horror. Fortunately, director-screenwriter James Cameron has shaped his film around the defiant intelligence and sensual athleticism of Weaver, and that’s where Aliens works best.
July 30, 2013
Sheila Benson
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
It is in its simplest form a fight between two mothers over their children to me, given the genre and the time in which the film was made thats rather remarkable.
March 12, 2022 | Rating: 10/10
Grant Watson
Fiction Machine
If more filmmakers took Cameron’s approach to sequel-making, Hollywood’s franchises might not seem so dull and homogenized today.
March 2, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Around 100 minutes of some of the finest tension building and breathless action ever committed to celluloid.
October 13, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
Just when you think the movie is over, Cameron comes back with another piece of action more daring than the last. While Aliens has more than its share of special effects, the heart of the film’s success is its intense, unrelenting and spectacular action.
August 16, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Tony Mastroianni
Akron Beacon Journal
Perhaps the greatest exemplar of science-fiction, action, and horror faultlessly blended together into one film.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
An often astonishingly engaging and entertaining sequel…
July 13, 2020 | Rating: 4/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews…
Plot
57 years after Ellen Ripley had a close encounter with the reptilian alien creature from the first movie, she is called back, this time, to help a group of highly trained colonial marines fight off against the sinister extraterrestrials. But this time, the aliens have taken over a space colony on the moon LV-426. When the colonial marines are called upon to search the deserted space colony, they later find out that they are up against more than what they bargained for. Using specially modified machine guns and enough firepower, it’s either fight or die as the space marines battle against the aliens. As the Marines do their best to defend themselves, Ripley must attempt to protect a young girl who is the sole survivor of the nearly wiped out space colony.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
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Poltergeist II The Other Side
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
44%RT Audience Score: 35%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
1 win & 5 nominations total
They’re back, but this hollow sequel retains none of the charm or suspense that made the original Poltergeist such a haunting specter
Poltergeist II: The Other Side is like a bad rollercoaster ride that doesn’t follow its own rules. It’s a tacky tale of terror that tries to scare you with killer braces and other ridiculous things. The only thing that’s consistent about this movie is its inconsistency. The cast does their best to have some fun with their roles, but they have too much working against them. Overall, this movie is all tease and no payoff. Save yourself the trouble and watch something else.
Production Company(ies)
Ear Goggles
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
1589 Homewood Dr., Altadena, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1986
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:1h 32m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 23, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 26, 2003
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring JoBeth Williams, Craig T Nelson, Julian Beck, Heather O’Rourke, Oliver Robins, Zelda Rubinstein, Will Sampson, directed by Brian Gibson, written by Mark Victor, Michael Grais, horror, PG-13, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Debra Oswald, Alexander Walker, Neil Jillett, Derek Malcolm, Paul Attanasio, Joe Pollack, Philip French, Hal Lipper, Candice Russell, Bruce R Miller, Terry Orme, Allan Ulrich, produced by Michael Grais, Mark Victor, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, shaman, paranormal investigators, Beast, Rev Kane, Tangina Barrons, haunted house, Carol Anne Freeling, Robbie Freeling, supernatural rules, loose ends, special effects, mythology, racial stereotypes
Worldwide gross: $40,996,665
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $113,588,977
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 956
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 12,387,020
US/Canada gross: $40,996,665
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $113,588,977
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 662
US/Canada opening weekend: $12,357,190
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $34,237,921
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 382
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $19,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $52,643,077
Production budget ranking: 757
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $28,348,297
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $32,597,604
ROI to date (est.): 40%
ROI ranking: 1,196
Craig T. Nelson – Steve Freeling
Julian Beck – Kane
Heather O’Rourke – Carol Anne Freeling
Oliver Robins – Robbie Freeling
Zelda Rubinstein – Tangina Barrons
Director(s)
Brian Gibson
Writer(s)
Mark Victor, Michael Grais
Producer(s)
Michael Grais, Mark Victor
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
1 win & 5 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (54) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (11) | Rotten (43)
The annoying thing is that the movie doesn’t make sense. Poltergeist II doesn’t stick to its own supernatural rules and leaves lots of loose ends waving in the breeze.
November 3, 2021 | Rating: 1/5
Debra Oswald
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
It’s a tacky tale of terror. It creates no plausible atmosphere, but springs its shocks indiscriminately.
November 3, 2021
Alexander Walker
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Not much of the first film’s tincture of humor is revived, but most of the tiresome mumbo-jumbo routines get another going-over.
November 3, 2021
Neil Jillett
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O’Rourke and Oliver Robins are involved again, but this is movie-making by numbers, orchestrated with thunderous but ultimately deadening technical resource.
November 3, 2021
Derek Malcolm
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
There are movies that make you want to mince words, and then there’s Poltergeist II: The Other Side, a movie so ineffably bad, you can’t even find the words to mince.
November 3, 2021
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
The sequel is, ho-hum, more of the same, with lots more special effects. And when the writers were stuck for an idea, they just dug through their movie-molded memories.
November 3, 2021
Joe Pollack
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
The original Steven Spielberg-Tobe Hooper Poltergeist was an effective shocker. Gibson’s sequel is a maudlin, religiose affair.
November 3, 2021
Philip French
Observer (UK)
Poltergeist II’s effects immediately build the movie to a frightening plane. Then palpable emotion propels the story through un: fathomable, often ridiculous, yet wholly enjoyable events.
November 3, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Hal Lipper
Tampa Bay Times
A spooky, gross, pointless movie that is all tease and no payoff.
November 3, 2021 | Rating: 0/4
Candice Russell
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Director Brian Gibson has done nothing to justify a sequel to Tobe Hooper’s honor classic. He gives us an experience or two that might have fit into the previous film, but killer braces are not enough to fill an entire sequel.
November 3, 2021
Bruce R. Miller
Sioux City Journal
The cast should be given credit for playing gamely along with Poltergeist II. Nelson and Williams in particular seem to do their best to have some fun with these roles. Unfortunately, they have too much working against them
November 3, 2021
Terry Orme
Salt Lake Tribune
A movie lodged somewhere between life and death, between rip-off and invention, between exploitation and mordant wit.
November 3, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/4
Allan Ulrich
San Francisco Examiner…
Plot
The Freeling family move in with Diane’s mother in an effort to escape the trauma and aftermath of Carol Anne’s abduction by the Beast. But the Beast is not to be put off so easily and appears in a ghostly apparition as the Reverend Kane, a religeous zealot responsible for the deaths of his many followers. His goal is simple – he wants the angelic Carol Anne; but the love of her family and the power of psychic Tangina once again unite, along with an elderly native American, to fight for her life.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny comment about the film Poltergeist II on Fresh Kernels.
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