Pretty in Pink (1986)
82%RT Audience Score: 81%
Awards & Nominations: 1 nomination
Review 1: “This movie was terrible. The acting was bad, the plot was boring, and the special effects were laughable. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.”
Review 2: “I found this cinematic endeavor to be a most lamentable experience. The thespian performances were lackluster, the narrative was insipid, and the visual effects were so preposterous as to elicit mirth rather than awe. I cannot in good conscience suggest this film to any discerning viewer.”
Review 3: “This movie was a complete waste of time. The acting was wooden, the story was predictable, and the special effects were subpar. Save yourself the trouble and skip this one.”
Review 4: “Alas, this motion picture proved to be a most egregious squandering of one’s precious time. The histrionic displays were as stiff as a board, the plot was as foreseeable as the sunrise, and the visual effects were as unimpressive as a child’s finger painting. I implore you, dear reader, to abstain from this cinematic atrocity.”
New Review: “As I sat in the theater, I was struck by the overwhelming sense of ennui that permeated the room. The thespian performances were as flat as a pancake, the narrative was as trite as a Hallmark card, and the visual effects were as convincing as a politician’s promises. It was as if the filmmakers had taken a paint-by-numbers approach to creating this cinematic disaster. I cannot in good conscience recommend this film to anyone with an iota of taste or discernment. Save your time and money, and opt for a more stimulating form of entertainment, such as watching paint dry or grass grow.
Review 1: “The acting in this movie was superb. The characters were well-developed and the plot was engaging. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.”
Review 2: “I loved the cinematography in this film. The shots were beautifully composed and the use of color was stunning. It was like watching a work of art come to life.”
Review 3: “The soundtrack for this movie was incredible. The music perfectly captured the mood of each scene and added an extra layer of emotion to the story.”
New Review: “Holy cow, this movie was a rollercoaster ride of emotions! The acting was so good, I felt like I was right there with the characters. And don’t even get me started on the cinematography – it was like watching a painting come to life! But the real MVP was the soundtrack. I mean, I was tapping my foot and humming along the whole time. Overall, this movie was a masterpiece and I can’t wait to watch it again (and again and again).
Production Company(ies)
Python Pictures, Michael White Productions, National Film Trustee Company,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
John Burroughs Middle School – 600 S. McCaddon Place, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:NA
Genre(s)
Romance/Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy, Harry Dean Stanton, Annie Potts, James Spader, Kate Vernon, Margaret Colin, Alexa Kenin, Gina Gershon, Dweezil Zappa, Andrew Dice Clay, Kristy Swanson, Emily Longstreth, Jamie Anders, Gina Morelli, Terry Beaver, Robert Downey Sr., Gina Hecht, Chynna Phillips, Darren Harris, Jim Haynie, Marian Meyers, Christopher Murphy, directed by Howard Deutch, written by John Hughes, genre: romance, drama, box office performance: $40.5 million, budget: $9 million, reviewed by Roger Ebert, produced by Lauren Shuler Donner, MPAA rating: PG-13, high school, love triangle, social class, fashion, music, teenage angst, heartbreak, friendship, family, coming of age, 80s, iconic, soundtrack, fashion, prom, relationships, teen movie, John Hughes, Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy, Harry Dean Stanton, Annie Potts, James Spader, Kate Vernon, Margaret Colin, Alexa Kenin, Gina Gershon, Dweezil Zappa, Andrew Dice Clay, Kristy Swanson, Emily Longstreth, Jamie Anders, Gina Morelli, Terry Beaver, Robert Downey Sr., Gina Hecht, Chynna Phillips, Darren Harris, Jim Haynie, Marian Meyers, Christopher Murphy
Worldwide gross: $40,479,480
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $112,156,019
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 964
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 12,230,755
US/Canada gross: $40,471,663
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $112,134,361
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 669
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,065,870
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $16,806,635
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 738
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $9,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $24,936,194
Production budget ranking: 1,253
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $13,428,141
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $73,791,684
ROI to date (est.): 192%
ROI ranking: 646
Howard Deutch
Writer:
John Hughes
Cast:
Molly Ringwald – Andie Walsh
Harry Dean Stanton – Jack Walsh
Jon Cryer – Duckie Dale
Annie Potts – Iona
James Spader – Steff
Andrew McCarthy – Blane McDonough
Kate Vernon – Benny Hanson
Andrew Dice Clay – Bouncer
Producer:
Michael Chinich
Executive Producer:
Gilbert Cates
Cinematographer:
Tak Fujimoto
Editor:
Richard Marks
Production Designer:
John W. Corso
Art Director:
David J. Bomba
Set Decorator:
Robert Gould
Costume Designer:
Marilyn Vance
Music:
Michael Gore
Music Supervisor:
David Anderle
Casting:
Wallis Nicita
Director(s)
NA
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 nomination
Academy Awards
Plot
Teenager Andie is one of the not-so-popular girls in high school. She usually hangs out with her friends Iona or Duckie. Duckie has always had a crush on her, but now she has met a new guy at school, Blane. He’s one of the rich and popular guys but can the two worlds meet?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Jon Cryer’s iconic Duckie is a fashion inspiration for all awkward misfits.
NA.jpg
Critters
Critters (1986)
58%RT Audience Score: 45%
Awards & Nominations: 3 nominations
While Critters ekes out some fun from a game cast and screwball tone, the titular monsters fail to deliver the credible menace that makes a creature feature satisfying
Critters may not be the most original sci-fi movie out there, but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re in the mood for some cheesy fun. The monsters are both cute and creepy, and the small town setting adds to the charm. Sure, it’s predictable and full of cliches, but that’s part of the appeal. Plus, who doesn’t love a good tongue-in-cheek joke? Just don’t expect anything too deep or meaningful, and you’ll have a blast with this one.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Relativity Media, Scott Rudin Productions,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Kansas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono Dolby Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.33 : 1 (original ratio, open matte)
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English, French, Japanese
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Aug 5, 2003
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
starring Dee Wallace, M Emmet Walsh, Terrence Mann, Billy Green Bush, Scott Grimes, Nadine Van der Velde, directed by Stephen Herek, written by Domonic Muir, Stephen Herek, sci-fi, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Kim Newman, Variety Staff, Alexander Walker, Tim Pulleine, Rob Lowing, Carrie Rickey, Philip French, Michael Heaton, Candice Russell, Tom Long, Bruce R Miller, Joe Baltake, PG-13, aliens, bounty hunters, family, farm, monsters, creature feature, small town, special effects, comedy, scares, horror, Gremlins, rip-off, hairballs, malevolent, fuzzy creatures, rescue, menace, endearingly nasty, game cast, screwball tone, credible, warriors, superhuman abilities, clutches, insipid, lightweight, predictable, coincidences, sly, tongue-in-cheek humour, expertly-created munchkin stars
Worldwide gross: $13,167,232
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $36,482,295
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,476
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,978,440
US/Canada gross: $13,167,232
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $36,482,295
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,200
US/Canada opening weekend: $1,618,800
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $4,485,190
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,115
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $2,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $5,541,376
Production budget ranking: 1,855
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,984,031
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $27,956,887
ROI to date (est.): 328%
ROI ranking: 424
M. Emmet Walsh – Harv
Terrence Mann – Johnny Steele, Ug
Billy Green Bush – Jay Brown
Scott Grimes – Brad Brown
Nadine Van der Velde – April Brown
Director(s)
Stephen Herek
Writer(s)
Domonic Muir, Stephen Herek
Producer(s)
Rupert Harvey
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (50) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (25) | Rotten (25)
The lead monsters are sort of endearingly nasty and the movie has fun with its small town setting, but the film is perhaps a little too derivative to pass muster with the best of retro-chic [science fiction].
October 28, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Critters resemble oversize hairballs and roll like tumbleweeds when prodded into action, the perfect menace for this irritatingly insipid and lightweight film which unfolds with plodding predictability and leaves few cliches unturned.
October 28, 2021
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
It’s so pitifully plain that the budget won’t stretch to showing bigger Critters that the pathetic effect becomes laughable.
October 27, 2021
Alexander Walker
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
The picture provides a fair amount of knockabout fun, with some sprightly incidental jokes of a suitably unsubtle variety.
October 27, 2021
Tim Pulleine
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Clichéd in every department, with predictable plot, stage-managed coincidences, and a widgee-faced boy hero. Critters is saved From a Z-rating by its sly, tongue-in-cheek humour and expertly-created munchkin stars.
October 27, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/5
Rob Lowing
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Indigestible, if not toxic, entertainment.
October 27, 2021
Carrie Rickey
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Gremlins does exist and Critters is simply a drive-in exploitation version of it, likable in a blue-chin, blue-collar way, but lacking the original’s moral and magical qualities.
October 27, 2021
Philip French
Observer (UK)
Once all the cards are on the table, the movie quickly becomes little more than a human meat-fest.
October 27, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Michael Heaton
San Francisco Examiner
Critters is a low-budget suspense film with fairly successful special effects and a story that keeps you on tenterhooks.
October 27, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
Candice Russell
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Don’t expect much from Critters and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised. No big deal, but some nice chuckles.
October 27, 2021
Tom Long
Santa Cruz Sentinel
The film has some nifty special effects (particularly for a low-budget feature) and a healthy chunk of comedy and scares. Of the vast lot of rip-offs, Stephen Herek’s production rates quite highly.
October 27, 2021
Bruce R. Miller
Sioux City Journal
If Gremlins worked, it’s because their killers seemed real. But it’s hard to get worked up over hairy tittle toys.
October 27, 2021
Joe Baltake
Philadelphia Daily News…
Plot
A massive ball of furry creatures from another world eat their way through a small mid-western town followed by intergalactic bounty hunters opposed only by militant townspeople.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels review for Critters.
Stephen-Herek.jpg
The Sacrifice
The Sacrifice (1986)
91%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Formally impressive, visually accomplished, and narratively rewarding, The Sacrifice places a fittingly solid capstone on a brilliant filmmaking career.
If you’re looking for a movie that’s equal parts Bergman, Chekhov, and Heartbreak House, then The Sacrifice is the film for you. But if you’re like me and you prefer your movies to have a little more pizzazz, then maybe skip this one. Sure, it’s got all the classic Tarkovsky long takes and soul-searching moments, but it’s also a bit of a snooze fest. Unless you’re really into philosophical musings on the end of the world, you might want to sacrifice this movie night for something a little more exciting.
Production Company(ies)
Guangxi Film Studio, Beijing New Picture Film
Distributor
Orion Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Ljugarn, Gotlands län, Sweden
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 25m
-
Language(s):Swedish, Icelandic
-
Country of origin:France, Sweden
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 9, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2007
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
The Sacrifice, Erland Josephson, Allan Edwall, Susan Fleetwood, Valérie Mairesse, Guðrún Gísladóttir, Sven Wollter, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, written by Andrei Tarkovsky, produced by Anna-Lena Wibom, drama, PG, box office gross $61.0K, reviewed by Penelope Houston, Chris Vognar, Richard Corliss, Kevin Thomas, Sam Weisberg, Richard Brody, Tim Brayton, Ángel Fernández-Santos, Mattie Lucas, Daniel Barnes, Harvey S Karten, visually accomplished, narratively rewarding, World War III, apocalypse, bargain with God, birthday, family, friends, stunning news, radio, end of the world, dream, everything he values in life, beautiful home, beloved son, Swedish, Orion Pictures, 35mm, aspect ratio, 2h 25m
Worldwide gross: $167,292
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $463,514
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,756
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 50,547
US/Canada gross: $81,963
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $227,094
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,521
US/Canada opening weekend: $4,696
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $13,011
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,644
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
Allan Edwall – Otto
Susan Fleetwood – Adelaide
Valérie Mairesse – Julia
Guðrún Gísladóttir – Maria
Sven Wollter – Victor
Director(s)
Andrei Tarkovsky
Writer(s)
Andrei Tarkovsky
Producer(s)
Anna-Lena Wibom
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (6)
There are echoes of Bergman (of course) and of Chekhov, and once or twice I found myself thinking, most unexpectedly, of Heartbreak House.
July 7, 2018
Penelope Houston
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
This is pure Tarkovsky, with all the perfectly composed long camera takes and ineffable mystery of the soul that defined his work.
June 7, 2018
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
In The Sacrifice, the cryptic Tarkovsky style helps create a towering cathedral.
August 4, 2015
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
As The Sacrifice comes full circle, returning to that spindly tree by the sea and its nurturing, the film itself emerges as a symbolic gesture of great emotional impact.
August 4, 2015
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Only those who still quiver at the shopworn lament that advancing technology is destroying the world will find the philosophizing vital in this bookish stupor.
November 11, 2014
Sam Weisberg
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
A grand, unworldly, even antiworldly religious vision that depends on its perfect pitch to avoid absurdity and bathos.
November 10, 2014
Richard Brody
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
A plentiful and elaborate work of art… Still, a lot of the scenario is rather trite.
June 5, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Tim Brayton
Alternate Ending
A film by a genius because of its gravity and difficulty, packed with a conceptual density and bearer of a quiet scream of a desperate optimism. [Full Review in Spanish]
March 10, 2020
Ángel Fernández-Santos
El Pais (Spain)
A stunning and brilliant summation of a legendary career, and Kino’s sumptuous treatment of it is befitting of its stature in cinema history.
August 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
I was fascinated by the unusual elements on display – the inscrutable story structure, the deceptively complex long takes, the way that clashing visual and narrative philosophies bleed into each other with a dreamlike logic.
October 21, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Daniel Barnes
Dare Daniel
Tartovsky’s last film is a lyrical plea for spiritualism and a warning about the dangers of runaway science.
May 23, 2018 | Rating: B
Harvey S. Karten
Big Apple Reviews
The dread chill of the film is a stark reminder of the zeitgeist at the time, which was full of nuclear doom…. What constitutes the tragedy here is what is left open to question.
May 21, 2016
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher…
Plot
In order to avert the apocalypse, Alexander makes a bargain with God to give up everything he values in life, including his beautiful home and beloved son, in The Sacrifice.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Erland Josephson, who plays the lead character Alexander in The Sacrifice, was not only an actor but also a writer, director, and playwright.
Andrei-Tarkovsky.jpg
Clue 1985
Clue (1985)
82%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Clue, a film that has been both praised and criticized, is a comedic masterpiece that has stood the test of time. While some may argue that the constantly multiplying plot developments make it hard to care about who did it, others recognize the film’s infectious energy and physical pratfalls as a true gem. The women, along with Tim Curry, carry the show with their impeccable comedic timing, while writer/director Jonathan Lynn’s script and direction are a masterclass in comedic writing. With every member of the cast knocking it out of the park, Clue is a film that everybody knew what they were doing, and it shows.
Clue is a hilarious masterpiece that will have you laughing from start to finish. The cast is absolutely perfect, with each actor bringing their A-game to the table. The physical comedy and witty writing are infectious, making it impossible not to get caught up in the kookiness of it all. Sure, the plot may be a bit convoluted, but who cares when you’re having this much fun? If you’re looking for a good time, Clue is the movie for you. Just be prepared to laugh until your sides hurt!
Production Company(ies)
Peacock
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1985
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 36m
-
Language(s):English
ALL CAST, AUSPICES, AND BELOW THE LINE -
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 13, 1985 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 27, 2000
Genre(s)
Mystery & thriller
Keyword(s)
starring Eileen Brennan, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, directed by Jonathan Lynn, written by John Landis, Jonathan Lynn, Jonathan Lynn, mystery & thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Paul Attanasio, Kevin Thomas, Dave Kehr, Trevor Johnston, Roger Ebert, Janet Maslin, Debra Hill, PG rating, based on board game, dinner party, murder mystery, suspects, aliases, blackmail, Paramount Pictures, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Guber-Peters Company, sound mix stereo
Worldwide gross: $14,643,997
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $14,643,997
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
Martin Mull – Colonel Mustard
Lesley Ann Warren – Miss Scarlet
Tim Curry – Wadsworth the Butler
Madeline Kahn – Mrs. White
Christopher Lloyd – Professor Plum
Director(s)
Jonathan Lynn
Writer(s)
John Landis, Jonathan Lynn, Jonathan Lynn
Producer(s)
Debra Hill
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (35) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (24) | Rotten (11)
You leave it with one conviction: stick with the game.
January 2, 2018
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
It’s not the least bit scary or suspenseful but instead quickly grows tedious. The more you struggle to keep track of the constantly multiplying plot developments, the harder it gets to care who did it.
March 21, 2013 | Rating: 2/5
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Only Lesley Ann Warren, as a tough-talking madam, finds an effective level of stylization, using her leggy physique and wildly expressive features to create a cartoonish figure that’s funny within its own boundaries.
January 19, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The characters are less credible than their plastic counterparts, the puerile humour is dispiriting, and the plotting pulled this way and that by the conceit of releasing the film in the US with a trio of alternate endings.
June 24, 2006
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
One ending is more than enough.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 2/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Though it takes only 87 minutes to arrive at one of its three different solutions, it has long since worn out its welcome by the denouement.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 2/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
A masterclass in comedic writing, timing, and editing.
March 31, 2023
Don Shanahan
Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast
One of the funniest movies ever made, bar none.
November 2, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Trace Thurman
Horror Queers Podcast
One of the best comedies ever made. The women (and Tim Curry) carry the show, while writer/director Jonathan Lynn’s script and direction carries infectious energy. Witty, filled with physical pratfalls and kookiness, Clue is an absolute gem
October 29, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Joe Lipsett
Horror Queers Podcast
It’s amazing how fresh and vibrant Clue feels, with every member of the cast knocking it out of the park.
September 10, 2021
Jason Shawhan
Nashville Scene
Everybody knew what they were doing
August 12, 2020 | Rating: 10
Andrew Galdi
Movie Bitches
Every single person is perfect
August 12, 2020 | Rating: 10
Avaryl Halley
Movie Bitches…
Plot
When Mr. Boddy is murdered at a dinner party, all of the guests become suspects and must work together to figure out who the killer is in the comedy-mystery film, Clue.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t have anything goofy or funny to say about the film Clue, but they do mention the impressive cast which includes Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, and Lesley Ann Warren.
Jonathan-Lynn.jpg
Out of Africa
Out of Africa (1985)
80%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: Won 7 Oscars
30 wins & 27 nominations total
Though lensed with stunning cinematography and featuring a pair of winning performances from Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, Out of Africa suffers from excessive length and glacial pacing
Out of Africa is a movie that will make you want to pack your bags and head straight to Kenya. The stunning landscapes and the chemistry between Meryl Streep and Robert Redford will leave you swooning. Sure, it’s a bit long, but who cares when you’re transported to a world of grand passions and adventure? It’s the perfect movie to watch when you’re feeling a bit stuck in your own life and need a little escape. Just be prepared to have “I had a farm in Africa” stuck in your head for days.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm,
Distributor
MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Universal Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Shaba National Game Reserve, Kenya
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1985
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 40m
-
Language(s):Arabic, English, Swahili
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 1985 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 27, 2010
Genre(s)
Romance/Biography
Keyword(s)
Out of Africa, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Michael Kitchen, Malick Bowens, Joseph Thiaka, Sydney Pollack, Kurt Luedtke, Romance, Biography, Drama, PG, Box Office, $83.1M, Reviewed by Rick Lyman, David Denby, Paul Byrnes, Bob Thomas, Joe Pollack, Bill Cosford, James Wegg, Terry Lawson, Lou Lumenick, Marylynn Uricchio, Michael Sragow, Rick Chatenever, Cinematography, Art Direction, Africa, Love, Hunter, Aristocratic, Coffee Plantation, Unfaithful, Upper Class, Personal Growth, Dairy Farmer, Producer, Director, Writer, Isak Dinesen, Karen Blixen, Denys Finch Hatton, Baron Bor Blixen-Flecke, Farah, Kamante, Berkeley Cole, Hans Blixen, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Surround, PG, Universal Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures, Universal Pictures
Worldwide gross: $227,514,205
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $642,612,704
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 202
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 70,077,721
US/Canada gross: $87,071,205
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $245,932,171
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 261
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,637,290
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $10,273,507
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 949
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $31,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $87,559,341
Production budget ranking: 473
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $47,150,705
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $507,902,658
ROI to date (est.): 377%
ROI ranking: 360
Robert Redford – Denys George Finch Hatton
Klaus Maria Brandauer – Bror Blixen, Hans Blixen
Michael Kitchen – Berkeley Cole
Malick Bowens – Farah
Joseph Thiaka – Kamante
Director(s)
Sydney Pollack
Writer(s)
Kurt Luedtke
Producer(s)
Sydney Pollack
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 7 Oscars
30 wins & 27 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Art Direction Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Cinematography Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Directing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Winners, Oscar Best Picture Winners, Oscar Best Writing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Original Score Winners, Oscar Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (88) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (54) | Rotten (34)
Sydney Pollack’s glorious and stirring Out of Africa is a big-screen epic in the very best sense.
January 13, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Rick Lyman
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Beautiful in an illustrative and rhapsodic, rather than dramatic, way, this large-scale adaptation of Isak Dinesen’s famous 1937 memoir never works up much steam.
January 13, 2021
David Denby
New York Magazine/Vulture
TOP CRITIC
The movie could probably be shorter, but I didn’t wish it so.
January 13, 2021
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
There comes a time in movie addicts’ lives when their souls cry out for the kind of film that can fill the screen with magnificent vistas, grand passions and charismatic actors. That’s why the arrival of Out of Africa is cause for cheering.
January 12, 2021
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
The most-remembered moments of Out of Africa are the travelogue sequences, which is not what the book or the author are all about.
January 12, 2021
Joe Pollack
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
A movie of a scale and tone uncommon to Hollywood films.
January 12, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Bill Cosford
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
There’s nothing like ‘a story told well’
May 5, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
James Wegg
JWR
The scenes between Streep and Redford have a certain quality to them, a recognizable essence, I suppose, that boasts both a maturity and an honesty.
March 31, 2021
Terry Lawson
Dayton Daily News
Considering the wealth of writings by Isak Dinesen and others that its makers had to draw on, this lumbering, $30-million prestige picture is astonishingly glossy, distressingly conventional, and grossly overlong.
March 31, 2021
Lou Lumenick
Bergen Record (New Jersey)
Out of Africa is simply superb.
January 13, 2021
Marylynn Uricchio
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Though it has many engaging moments (mostly in its first 40 minutes, out of 150), producer/director Sydney Pollack’s attempt to dramatize Isak Dinesen’s years as a pioneer farmer in Kenya ultimately fails as drama and as romance.
January 13, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Michael Sragow
San Francisco Examiner
Pollack deserves a good part of the praise for this superb project. From seeing the potential in Dinesen’s story in the first place, to bringing it to the screen in such a rich, balanced and engaging way, he deserves thanks along with the accolades.
January 13, 2021
Rick Chatenever
Santa Cruz Sentinel…
Plot
Follows the life of Karen Blixen, who establishes a plantation in Africa. Her life is complicated by a husband of convenience (Bror Blixen), a true love (Denys), troubles on the plantation, schooling of the natives, war, and catching VD from her husband.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises the “pair of winning performances” from Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in Out of Africa.
Sydney-Pollack.jpg
Brazil
Brazil (1985)
92%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
8 wins & 5 nominations total
Brazil, Terry Gilliam’s visionary Orwellian fantasy, is an audacious dark comedy, filled with strange, imaginative visuals.
Brazil” is like a wild ride through a dystopian future that’s both hilarious and terrifying. Terry Gilliam’s vision of a world ruled by bureaucracy is so over-the-top that it’s hard not to laugh, but at the same time, it’s a scathing commentary on the dangers of unchecked power. The visuals are stunning, with every frame packed with detail and imagination. It’s a movie that demands repeat viewings just to catch everything. If you’re a fan of dark humor and sci-fi, “Brazil” is a must-see. Just don’t expect to come out of it with your sanity intact.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures,
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Mentmore Towers, Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1985
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 22m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 1985 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 5, 2006
Genre(s)
Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, Kim Greist, directed by Terry Gilliam, written by Terry Gilliam, Charles McKeown, Tom Stoppard, fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Pauline Kael, Joe Morgenstern, James Berardinelli, Variety Staff, Dave Kehr, Janet Maslin, Brian Eggert, Sarah Brinks, Mike Massie, Renee Schonfeld, R.L Shaffer, Jason Best, MPAA rating R, Arnon Milchan, Universal Pictures, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Surround, Flat (1.85:1), low-level bureaucrat, daydream, mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy, dystopian society, dark comedy, strange, imaginative visuals, Orwellian fantasy, innocent man, wrongful arrest, wanted terrorist, heroic fantasy, damsel in distress, monotony, investigating a case, caught in a web of lies
Worldwide gross: $9,949,953
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $28,103,591
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,566
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,064,732
US/Canada gross: $9,929,135
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $28,044,791
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,294
US/Canada opening weekend: $30,099
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $85,014
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,000
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $42,367,423
Production budget ranking: 904
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $22,814,857
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$37,078,689
ROI to date (est.): -57%
ROI ranking: 1,729
Robert De Niro – Archibald “Harry” Tuttle
Katherine Helmond – Mrs. Ida Lowry
Ian Holm – Mr. M. Kurtzmann
Bob Hoskins – Spoor
Michael Palin – Jack Lint
Director(s)
Terry Gilliam
Writer(s)
Terry Gilliam, Charles McKeown, Tom Stoppard
Producer(s)
Arnon Milchan
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
8 wins & 5 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (50) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (49) | Rotten (1)
It’s like a stoned, slapstick 1984: a nightmare comedy in which the comedy is just an aspect of the nightmarishness.
January 3, 2018
Pauline Kael
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
[A] darkly funny and truly visionary retro-futurist fantasy.
March 12, 2011
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
TOP CRITIC
Brazil is a stinging, Strangelovian satire of the power of the bureaucracy in an Orwellian landscape.
October 16, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
Brazil offers a chillingly hilarious vision of the near-future.
May 30, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Terry Gilliam’s ferociously creative black comedy is filled with wild tonal contrasts, swarming details, and unfettered visual invention — every shot carries a charge of surprise and delight.
May 30, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
A superb example of the power of comedy to underscore serious ideas, even solemn ones.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Brazil understands the need for escape when suppressed by the worlds monotony, but it also acknowledges the despair of dreamy ideals. They are, after all, ideals, and by definition unreachable.
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
The world building in the film is another of its strongest points. The visual details throughout add so much to the story without ever being too distracting…
April 1, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
An uproarious satire of bureaucracy, technology, society, and humanity that proves to be one of the greatest movies of all time, sci-fi or otherwise.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Inventive, prophetic black comedy; lots of violence, mayhem.
February 11, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Renee Schonfeld
Common Sense Media
An energetically quirky social metaphor, political commentary and action/sci-fi farce all balled up into one outrageously enjoyable experience, provided you like the work of Terry Gilliam.
January 29, 2012 | Rating: 9/10
R.L. Shaffer
IGN DVD
Gilliam crams the screen with such a proliferation of bizarre and comic details that you’ll want to revisit this particular nightmare again and again.
December 20, 2011 | Rating: 5/5
Jason Best
Movie Talk…
Plot
Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) is a harried technocrat in a futuristic society that is needlessly convoluted and inefficient. He dreams of a life where he can fly away from technology and overpowering bureaucracy, and spend eternity with the woman of his dreams. While trying to rectify the wrongful arrest of one Harry Buttle (Brian Miller), Lowry meets the woman he is always chasing in his dreams, Jill Layton (Kim Greist). Meanwhile, the bureaucracy has fingered him responsible for a rash of terrorist bombings, and Sam and Jill’s lives are put in danger.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Robert De Niro plays the character Archibald “Harry” Tuttle in Brazil.
Terry-Gilliam.jpg
Rocky IV
Rocky IV (1985)
70%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 5 nominations
Rocky IV inflates the action to absurd heights, but it ultimately rings hollow thanks to a story that hits the same basic beats as the first three entries in the franchise
Rocky IV is a movie that’s so bad, it’s good. It’s like a cheesy ’80s music video with boxing gloves. The training montages are endless, the villains are cartoonishly evil, and the robot butler is just plain weird. But somehow, it all comes together to create a movie that’s entertaining in its own ridiculous way. Plus, who can resist the classic Rocky theme song? It’s a movie that’s perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon when you just want to turn off your brain and enjoy some mindless fun.
Production Company(ies)
Shinchosha Company, Studio Ghibli,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for violent sports action and brief strong language (director’s cut)
Year of Release
1985
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English, Russian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Feb 8, 2005
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Brigitte Nielsen, Tony Burton, Dolph Lundgren, directed by Sylvester Stallone, written by Sylvester Stallone, produced by Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler, drama, PG, box office gross $125.4M, reviewed by Paul Attanasio, Jason Bailey, Richard Schickel, Gene Siskel, Sheila Benson, Jay Boyar, Jeffrey M Anderson, Fico Cangiano, Matt Brunson, Zaki Hasan, Brian Grubb, Brian Costello, Rocky, boxing, training, underdog, Cold War, Russia, revenge, exhibition match, intense match, Christmas Day fight, hulking Russian newcomer, Apollo Creed, mercilessly beaten to death, payback, different training methods, soundtrack-blasting Product, mid-’80s studio filmmaking, soulless, flag-waving, absurd heights, same basic beats, franchise, quintessential artifact, self-abuse, clips from earlier Rocky pictures, primitive suspense, crude capacity to release underdog emotions, credible villains, heroic character, grim and witless storytelling, chemical trace, ludicrous elements, Paulie’s robot, Brigitte Nielsen, even less expressive than the robot, about a thousand music-video-styled montages, Lundgren’s delivery of Drago’s deadly dialogue
Worldwide gross: $300,473,716
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $848,686,468
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 132
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 92,550,324
US/Canada gross: $127,873,716
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $361,178,654
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 145
US/Canada opening weekend: $19,991,537
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $56,465,994
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 198
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $30,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $84,734,846
Production budget ranking: 494
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $45,629,715
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $718,321,907
ROI to date (est.): 551%
ROI ranking: 233
Talia Shire – Adrian
Burt Young – Paulie
Carl Weathers – Apollo Creed
Brigitte Nielsen – Ludmilla
Tony Burton – Duke
Director(s)
Sylvester Stallone
Writer(s)
Sylvester Stallone
Producer(s)
Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 5 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (49) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (31)
Say what you like about the original Rocky, at least it was about something — a sweet pug up against the system, and in love with a dowd. Rocky IV appears to be an epic about Sylvester Stallone’s penchant for self-abuse.
December 3, 2018
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
‘Rocky IV’ still stands, not as a highlight of the series (certainly not that) but as a quintessential artifact of mid-’80s studio filmmaking: soulless, flag-waving, soundtrack-blasting Product.
April 30, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
Padded with clips from earlier Rocky pictures, adding nothing to his mythic, let alone human dimensions, it lacks even the primitive suspense and crude capacity to release underdog emotions that permitted its predecessors to conquer one’s better judgment.
May 13, 2015
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
[Stallone] creates credible villains worthy of his heroic character.
May 13, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
This is grim and witless storytelling, and what makes it so depressing is that it hasn’t improved by so much as a chemical trace since the days of the first Rocky.
May 13, 2015
Sheila Benson
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
The new film’s narrative is stripped down to essentials, which gives it an emblematic quality.
May 13, 2015
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Moves straight into the 1980s, with a slicker look and many training montages as well as a few flat-out music videos.
March 28, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
Bombastic, exaggerated and one-third musical montage, this Rocky sequel is definitely not a good. [Full review in Spanish]
December 17, 2021 | Rating: 2/5
Fico Cangiano
CineXpress Podcast
There are simply too many ludicrous elements to ignore: Paulie’s robot; Brigitte Nielsen, even less expressive than the robot; about a thousand music-video-styled montages; Lundgren’s delivery of Drago’s deadly dialogue; etc.
July 14, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
It’s a bad movie, no doubt, but at the same time, and somewhat paradoxically, it’s also a great movie. Figure that one out.
February 4, 2019
Zaki Hasan
Zaki’s Corner
It’s ridiculous in a lot of ways… But hot d—- is this ever a fun, rewatchable movie.
December 6, 2018
Brian Grubb
Uproxx
Dated Cold War-themed boxing sequel has violence.
May 8, 2018 | Rating: 2/5
Brian Costello
Common Sense Media…
Plot
Rocky Balboa accompanies his friend Apollo Creed to the ring in a boxing match against a Russian Boxer named Ivan Drago. Drago is too strong for Creed, and unfortunately kills him in his match. Balboa blames himself for Creed’s death and is determined to defeat Drago in a boxing match. He gains the help of Creed’s former manager, Duke and travels to U.S.S.R. to take on Drago.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The critic reviews for Rocky IV are mixed, with some calling it a soulless, flag-waving product and others finding it fun and rewatchable despite its ridiculous elements.
Sylvester-Stallone.jpg
Top Gun
Top Gun (1986)
79%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Though it features some of the most memorable and electrifying aereial footage shot with an expert eye for action, Top Gun offers too little for non-adolescent viewers to chew on when its characters aren’t in the air
Top Gun is like a rollercoaster ride that you know is going to be cheesy and over-the-top, but you can’t help but enjoy it anyway. The aerial sequences are impressive and Tom Cruise’s performance is iconic, even if the story is a bit of a mess. It’s the perfect movie to watch with a group of friends and a bucket of popcorn, just don’t take it too seriously. As they say, “I feel the need…the need for speed!
Production Company(ies)
Toho Company,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action, and some strong language
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos Auro 11.1 IMAX 6-Track
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 49m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 20, 1998
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Tom Skerritt, Michael Ironside, directed by Tony Scott, written by Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr., action, adventure, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Adam Nayman, James Berardinelli, Harper Barnes, Duane Byrge, Kathleen Carroll, Paul Attanasio, Rosa Parra, Cory Woodroof, Jason Shawhan, Carey-Ann Pawsey, Fico Cangiano, Yasser Medina, PG, Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School, elite flying skills, fighter pilot, reckless attitude, cocky demeanor, aerial footage, expert eye for action, non-adolescent viewers, characters, competition, attention, flight instructor, Jerry Bruckheimer, Don Simpson, Surround, DTS, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, Dolby Stereo, Scope (2.35:1), Lt Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood, Lt Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, Lt Tom “Iceman” Kazanski, Cmdr Mike “Viper” Metcalf, Lt Cmdr Rick “Jester” Heatherly
Worldwide gross: $176,781,728
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $176,781,728
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
Kelly McGillis – Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood
Anthony Edwards – Lt. Nick “Goose” Bradshaw
Val Kilmer – Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazanski
Tom Skerritt – Cmdr. Mike “Viper” Metcalf
Michael Ironside – Lt. Cmdr. Rick “Jester” Heatherly
Director(s)
Tony Scott
Writer(s)
Jim Cash, Jack Epps Jr.
Producer(s)
Jerry Bruckheimer, Don Simpson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Original Song Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (74) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (31)
Stupid brilliance…
May 27, 2022
Adam Nayman
The Ringer
TOP CRITIC
Embraces masculine tropes to create a patchwork narrative that is almost laughably bad but whose fetishization of high-tech hardware makes the cheesiness of the story seem irrelevant.
May 26, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
If you like airplane movies, Top Gun is about one-third of a dazzler, and the rest is at least watchable.
November 3, 2021
Harper Barnes
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
The film’s intensity mirrors the competitive and wild personalities of the pilots themselves. In this arena, the casting is on-target.
May 16, 2019
Duane Byrge
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
… “Top Gun” is terribly monotonous.
February 9, 2018
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
The movie, in short, hits its emotional marks, but it does so with such insistence that it feels less like real life than an object lesson in the architecture of the blockbuster.
January 4, 2018
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Memorable soundtrack and an overall premise that still holds today. A film that works towards a general audience thanks to its action sequences.
July 2, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Rosa Parra
Latinx Lens
As the kids say, “it’s a vibe.”
June 2, 2022
Cory Woodroof
615 Film
It feeds on nostalgia for something that never existed, a beautiful shell concealing profound and utter emptiness at its heart.
June 2, 2022
Jason Shawhan
Nashville Scene
Most critics will hate this film, but the public loved it and they are truly whose opinion counts.
May 29, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
Carey-Ann Pawsey
Orca Sound
An action classic in its own right, Top Gun not only entertains with its innovating aerial sequences, but also helped start Tom Cruise’s ascent into stardom. [Full review in Spanish]
May 27, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
Fico Cangiano
CineXpress Podcast
Far from some air combat sequences redolent of a recruitment commercial, its test flight crashes into the most predictable terrain of action clichés and not even Tom Cruise’s pilot maneuvers can get it out of the routine. [Full review in Spanish]
May 23, 2022 | Rating: 5/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados…
Plot
When hotshot fighter pilot Maverick is sent to the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School, his reckless attitude and cocky demeanor put him at odds with the other pilots, especially the cool and collected Iceman, while also fighting for the attention of his beautiful flight instructor.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
One critic describes Top Gun as “embracing masculine tropes to create a patchwork narrative that is almost laughably bad but whose fetishization of high-tech hardware makes the cheesiness of the story seem irrelevant.”
Tony-Scott.jpg
My Beautiful Laundrette
My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
89%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
6 wins & 6 nominations total
My Beautiful Laundrette is fast and all over the place because it has so much to say, and show, including a highly watchable fresh-faced Daniel Day-Lewis
My Beautiful Laundrette” is a movie that’s as quirky and fresh as a newly laundered shirt, but unfortunately, it’s not quite as good. However, it’s still worth watching for its lively and truthful portrayal of a Pakistani and an Englishman going into business and becoming lovers. Plus, it’s got Daniel Day-Lewis in one of his early breakout roles, and who doesn’t love a good Daniel Day-Lewis performance? Overall, it’s a socially relevant cinematic document that’s also a good movie, and that’s something we can all appreciate.
Production Company(ies)
Fox 2000 Pictures, New Regency Productions, Linson Films,
Distributor
Orion Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
245 Queenstown Road, Battersea, London, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1986
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 37m
-
Language(s):English, Urdu
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 7, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 3, 2003
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Gordon Warnecke, Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth, Derrick Branche, Shirley Anne Field, directed by Stephen Frears, written by Hanif Kureishi, LGBTQ+, social commentary, interracial romance, immigrant experience, London, laundromat, racism, skinheads, social forces, success, business, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Catherine Rambeau, Paul Attanasio, Sheila Benson, Richard Corliss, Dave Kehr, Jay Boyar, Matt Brunson, Ángel Fernández-Santos, Amanda Jane Stern, Tim Brayton, Brandon Judell, Josef Braun, MPAA rating R, produced by Tim Bevan, Sarah Radclyffe
Worldwide gross: $2,460,977
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $6,818,600
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,083
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 743,577
US/Canada gross: $2,451,545
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.): £650,000
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
Gordon Warnecke – Omar
Saeed Jaffrey – Nasser
Roshan Seth – Papa
Derrick Branche – Salim
Shirley Anne Field – Rachel
Director(s)
Stephen Frears
Writer(s)
Hanif Kureishi
Producer(s)
Tim Bevan, Sarah Radclyffe
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
6 wins & 6 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (1)
A brutally funny social comedy about the racial and social consequences of a Pakistani and an Englishman going into business and becoming lovers.
October 27, 2021 | Rating: 8/10
Catherine Rambeau
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
“My Beautiful Laundrette” is quirky and fresh and ambitious and pretty much everything a movie should be, except good.
January 4, 2018
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
It’s Daniel Day Lewis, taut, intelligent, erotic, who is an emerging star.
May 13, 2013 | Rating: 4.5/5
Sheila Benson
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Fast, bold, harsh and primitive like a prodigious student film with equal parts promise and threat.
May 13, 2013
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
This is a uniquely plausible portrait of life in England, yet its appeal isn’t limited to social realism — it also has a twist of buoyant fantasy and romance
May 13, 2013
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
This new British picture raises enough issues for a half-dozen more conventional movies. And though this approach makes for a structure that’s a little shaky, the film somehow holds together.
May 13, 2013
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Daniel Day-Lewis enjoyed a breakout year stateside thanks to his contrasting performances here and as a supercilious dandy in A Room with a View.
December 28, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Despite its irregularities, the film is worth watching. It is lively and truthful. [Full Review in Spanish]
March 10, 2020
Ángel Fernández-Santos
El Pais (Spain)
Not only is it a brilliant take on star-crossed lovers, it doesn’t take the twists and turns you’d expect a story like this to take.
February 11, 2020
Amanda Jane Stern
Film Inquiry
Would that all socially relevant cinematic documents were also such good movies!
December 4, 2016 | Rating: 9/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy
Besides being revelatory in its depiction of a gay relationship, its respectful, yet unfawning, look at immigrants trying to make it in a new country is straight out of the headlines.
August 17, 2016
Brandon Judell
Huffington Post
How many times in the history of the medium have we seen a single film rattle as many socio-cinematic paradigms-and done it with as much brio-as My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)?
November 18, 2015
Josef Braun
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)…
Plot
In My Beautiful Laundrette, a young Pakistani man in London is given a rundown laundromat by his uncle and rehabilitates it with his former lover, an Englishman, but they face social and racial obstacles.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Daniel Day-Lewis gives a “taut, intelligent, erotic” performance in My Beautiful Laundrette, which helped launch his career.
Stephen-Frears.jpg
Hannah and Her Sisters
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
90%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Won 3 Oscars
27 wins & 26 nominations total
Smart, tender, and funny in equal measure, Hannah and Her Sisters is one of Woody Allen’s finest films.
Hannah and Her Sisters is like a big, warm hug from your dysfunctional family. Woody Allen weaves together multiple storylines and characters with such ease that it’s like watching a master magician at work. The cast is top-notch, with standout performances from Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, and Michael Caine. It’s a brilliant mix of comedy and drama that will have you laughing and crying in equal measure. If you haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favor and give it a watch. You won’t regret it.
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros.,
Distributor
Orion Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden – 421 East 61st Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1986
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 46m
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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): Feb 7, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2001
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow, Woody Allen, Carrie Fisher, directed by Woody Allen, written by Woody Allen, comedy, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Dolores Barclay, David Robinson, Gene Siskel, Sheila Benson, Jay Boyar, Desmond Ryan, Scott Nye, Renee Schonfeld, Joe Baltake, Candice Russell, Philip Kemp, Andrew Collins, PG-13, Robert Greenhut, Orion Pictures, Thanksgiving, family, relationships, love, infidelity, career, hypochondria, Svengali, artist, producer, MPAA rating, ensemble cast, emotional, poignant, humorous, romantic comedy, Annie Hall, memorable, Chekhovian, fragility of human emotions, multi-stranded, near-nepotistic, warm, consummate skill, universal, rare clown, gifted ensemble, best movie, perfect movie, fully realized characters, aspiring filmmakers, structure, satisfying ways, brilliant comedy, unbearable poignance, mature comic-drama, imperfect family, strained marital conversation, fury of a breakup, tentativeness of starting a romance, wry insights
Worldwide gross: $40,084,041
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $111,060,381
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 967
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 12,111,274
US/Canada gross: $40,084,041
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $111,060,381
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 678
US/Canada opening weekend: $1,265,826
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $3,507,209
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,147
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $6,400,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $17,732,405
Production budget ranking: 1,426
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,548,900
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $83,779,076
ROI to date (est.): 307%
ROI ranking: 453
Mia Farrow – Hannah
Michael Caine – Elliot
Carrie Fisher – April
Barbara Hershey – Lee
Lloyd Nolan – Evan
Director(s)
Woody Allen
Writer(s)
Woody Allen
Producer(s)
Robert Greenhut
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 3 Oscars
27 wins & 26 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Writing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (56) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (5)
Is Hannah and Her Sisters, the 14th movie written and directed by Allen, worth the wait? No.
October 22, 2018
Dolores Barclay
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Allen is one of the rare clowns with the gift of discovering the universal upon his own doorstep.
December 31, 2017
David Robinson
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The marvel of Hannah and Her Sisters is just how many fully realized characters and relationships Allen is able to weave into the fabric of this extraordinarily well-written film. This script is one to be studied by aspiring filmmakers.
February 10, 2014 | Rating: 4/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Perfection is boring, but boring is the very last word to describe Hannah and Her Sisters, which just may be a perfect movie.
February 10, 2014
Sheila Benson
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Hannah and Her Sisters is structured ingeniously so that seemingly separate stories eventually merge in satisfying ways.
February 10, 2014
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Hannah and Her Sisters is also filmmaking of consummate skill and emotional range. It encompasses brilliant comedy and almost unbearable poignance — often in the same scene.
February 10, 2014 | Rating: 4/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
The finest film I’ve seen from the year I was born remains quite a thing indeed.
December 8, 2020
Scott Nye
Battleship Pretension
Brilliant but mature comic-drama about an imperfect family.
January 28, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
Renee Schonfeld
Common Sense Media
This gifted ensemble works hard to make Hannah and Her Sisters the best movie of the year so far, perhaps the best that Allen has ever made.
February 10, 2014
Joe Baltake
Philadelphia Daily News
Allen`s ear for the strained marital conversation, the fury of a breakup and the tentativeness of starting a romance is impeccable.
February 10, 2014
Candice Russell
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The film weaves a rich Chekhovian mix, full of wry insights into the fragility of human emotions.
February 10, 2014 | Rating: 5/5
Philip Kemp
Total Film
[A] warm, multi-stranded, near-nepotistic family saga that contains the usual awkward dates, clandestine meetings and failed marriages.
February 10, 2014 | Rating: 5/5
Andrew Collins
Radio Times…
Plot
Hannah and Her Sisters follows the lives of three sisters and their romantic relationships over the course of three Thanksgiving dinners.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Woody Allen not only directed Hannah and Her Sisters, but he also starred in it as Mickey Sachs.
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