Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
Miramax Films
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Austin, Texas, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for action sequences
 
Year of Release
2001
 

 
Genre(s)
Adventure/Action
 
Keyword(s)
starring Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino, Alexa PenaVega, Daryl Sabara, Alan Cumming, Tony Shalhoub, directed by Robert Rodriguez, written by Robert Rodriguez, adventure, action, PG, Miramax Films, Elizabeth Avellan, $112.7M box office, Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby EX, Dolby Digital, Flat (1.85:1) aspect ratio, reviewed by Nell Minow, Lael Loewenstein, Derek Adams, Steven D Greydanus, Rick Groen, Stephen Hunter, Rosa Parra, B Ruby Rich, R.L Shaffer, Felix Vasquez Jr., Mark Halverson, Scott Mendelson, starring Antonio Banderas as Gregorio Cortez, Carla Gugino as Ingrid Cortez, Alexa PenaVega as Carmen Cortez, Daryl Sabara as Juni Cortez, Alan Cumming as Fegan Floop, Tony Shalhoub as Alexander Minion
 

Cast & Crew

Antonio Banderas

Carla Gugino

Alexa PenaVega

Daryl Sabara

Alan Cumming

Gregorio Cortez

Ingrid Cortez

Carmen Cortez

Juni Cortez

Fegan Floop

Antonio Banderas – Gregorio Cortez
Carla Gugino – Ingrid Cortez
Alexa PenaVega – Carmen Cortez
Daryl Sabara – Juni Cortez
Alan Cumming – Fegan Floop
Tony Shalhoub – Alexander Minion

 

Robert Rodriguez

Robert Rodriguez

Elizabeth Avellan

Robert Rodriguez

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Robert Rodriguez
 
Writer(s)
Robert Rodriguez
 
Producer(s)
Elizabeth Avellan, Robert Rodriguez

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 10 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Nell Minow

Lael Loewenstein

Derek Adams

Steven D. Greydanus

Rick Groen

Common Sense Media

Variety

Time Out

Decent Films

Globe and Mail

SPY KIDS
 All Critics (128) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (119) | Rotten (9)
 Just the right combination of fantasy and comedy.
 
 December 28, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Nell Minow
 Common Sense Media
 TOP CRITIC
 Fulfills kids’ empowerment fantasies and features enough techno-wizardry and cool f/x to satisfy those weaned on videogames.
 
 March 27, 2009
 
 Lael Loewenstein
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 In terms of its family ethos, this makes an interesting comparison with the Addams Family films.
 
 February 9, 2006
 
 Derek Adams
 Time Out
 TOP CRITIC
 I’ve been trying to think what was the last popcorn movie — let alone the last popcorn “family” movie — that was as much sheer fun as Spy Kids.
 
 May 9, 2002 | Rating: A
 
 Steven D. Greydanus
 Decent Films
 TOP CRITIC
 March 22, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Rick Groen
 Globe and Mail
 TOP CRITIC
 As a piece of almost dadaist filmmaking, Spy Kids is great fun with its continual spirit of invention.
 
 January 6, 2002
 
 Stephen Hunter
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 A fun, entertaining spy movie that feels universal in terms of action-adventure but yet manages to feel relatable to a specific demographic. Still holds up years after its release.
 
 July 3, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Rosa Parra
 Latinx Lens
 Spy Kids is no doubt the very film that Rodriguez wishes he could have seen as a kid and that he’s now determined to give his own children.
 
 February 25, 2020
 
 B. Ruby Rich
 The Nation
 The visual effects don’t really hold up 10 years later, but Spy Kids is still a charming, energetic, inventive kids’ flick that balances its goofier side with its a sense of dramatic maturity.
 
 January 29, 2012 | Rating: 8/10
 
 R.L. Shaffer
 IGN DVD
 The kids play off each other very well and never miss a beat with perfect-timed humor and acting.
 
 April 29, 2009
 
 Felix Vasquez Jr.
 Cinema Crazed
 This year’s most unlikely-and most successful-exhilarating family-type entertainment.
 
 August 7, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Mark Halverson
 Sacramento News & Review
 April 30, 2007 | Rating: A-
 
 Scott Mendelson
 rec.arts.movies.reviews…

 

Plot
Gregorio and Ingrid are the two greatest secret agents the world has ever known: masters of disguise, mavens of invention, able to stop wars before they even start. Working for separate countries, they are sent to eliminate their most dangerous enemy…each other. But in an exotic corner of the world when they finally come face to face, they fall in love instead and embark on the most dangerous mission they have ever faced: raising a family. Now nine years later, after their retirement, having exchanged the adventure of espionage for parenthood, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez are called back in to action. When their former colleagues, the world’s most formidable spies, start disappearing one by one, the Cortez’s are forced to take on techno-wizard Fegan Floop and his evil, egg-headed sidekick, Minion. But when the unthinkable happens and they too disappear, unfortunately there are only two people in the world who can rescue them…their kids.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Spy Kids.
 

 
Robert-Rodriguez.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Orion-Nova Productions,
 
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
G
 
Year of Release
2000
 

 
Genre(s)
Adventure
 
Keyword(s)
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, G-rated, Adventure, 1h 18m, directed by Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer, produced by Gabor Csupo and Arlene Klasky, written by David N Weiss, J David Stem, Jill Gorey, Barbara Herndon, Kate Boutilier, starring E.G Daily as Tommy Pickles, Christine Cavanaugh as Chuckie Finster, Michael Bell as Drew Pickles and Chas Finster, Susan Sarandon as Coco LaBouche, Cheryl Chase as Angelica Pickles, Julia Kato as Kira Watanabe, box office gross of $76.5M, reviewed by Lisa Alspector, Derek Adams, Liam Lacey, Neil Smith, David Hughes, Robert Koehler, Rachel Wagner, Michael Dequina, Gary Arnold, Eugene Novikov, Joe Mader, John R McEwen, more, Nickelodeon-style fun, character-driven plot, catchy songs, celebrity voice-acting, Chuckie, Paris, animatronic dinosaurs, malfunctioning, manager, Coco La Bouche, celebrity voice-acting, Reptarland, amusement park, Yamaguchi company, president, retiring, children, job, seduce, assistant, Princess, Japanese, tamed, mother, cancer, love story, mini plots, characters
 

Cast & Crew

E.G. Daily

Christine Cavanaugh

Michael Bell

Susan Sarandon

Cheryl Chase

Tommy Pickles

Chuckie Finster

Drew Pickles

Chas Finster

Coco LaBouche

E.G. Daily – Tommy Pickles (Voice)
Christine Cavanaugh – Chuckie Finster (Voice)
Michael Bell – Drew Pickles / Chas Finster
Susan Sarandon – Coco LaBouche (Voice)
Cheryl Chase – Angelica Pickles (Voice)
Julia Kato – Kira Watanabe (Voice)
Stig Bergqvist – Director
Paul Demeyer – Director
Gabor Csupo – Producer
Arlene Klasky – Producer
David N. Weiss – Writer
J. David Stem – Writer
Jill Gorey – Writer
Barbara Herndon – Writer
Kate Boutilier – Writer

 

Stig Bergqvist

David N. Weiss

Gabor Csupo

Arlene Klasky

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Stig Bergqvist, Paul Demeyer
 
Writer(s)
David N. Weiss, J. David Stem, Jill Gorey, Barbara Herndon, Kate Boutilier
 
Producer(s)
Gabor Csupo, Arlene Klasky

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 7 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Lisa Alspector

Derek Adams

Liam Lacey

Neil Smith

David Hughes

Chicago Reader

Time Out

Globe and Mail

BBC.com

Empire Magazine

RUGRATS IN PARIS: THE MOVIE
 All Critics (75) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (57) | Rotten (18)
 Nauseating gags suggest the makers of this eclectically animated adventure… know their audience, though all the Godfather references will be thoroughly puzzling to at least half of it.
 
 May 20, 2008
 
 Lisa Alspector
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 This is one kids’ film that’s actually quite charming.
 
 June 24, 2006
 
 Derek Adams
 Time Out
 TOP CRITIC
 Musically … the Rugrats sequel is a big step backward.
 
 April 5, 2002 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Liam Lacey
 Globe and Mail
 TOP CRITIC
 We get nauseating homilies on the values of friendship, family, and parenting and a soundtrack full to bursting with vacuous pop acts.
 
 April 16, 2001 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Neil Smith
 BBC.com
 TOP CRITIC
 Just as good as the last outing, this is great kiddie fare with some filmic references for the adults.
 
 April 6, 2001 | Rating: 3/5
 
 David Hughes
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 Thesp voicings are outstanding, and sometimes reach the level of comic warmth of the Toy Story ensemble.
 
 January 1, 2000
 
 Robert Koehler
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s pretty entertaining if you like these characters
 
 March 29, 2021
 
 Rachel Wagner
 Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
 Offers plenty to amuse the young and young at heart.
 
 January 17, 2010 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Michael Dequina
 TheMovieReport.com
 Everything considered, the Rugrats movie franchise remains lively and secure, but the Pickles family and friends might want to choose their next travel agent with more care.
 
 November 20, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Gary Arnold
 Washington Times
 An entertaining add-on to an entertaining show.
 
 May 22, 2003 | Rating: B
 
 Eugene Novikov
 Film Blather
 Not as fresh as the first film.
 
 May 14, 2003 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Joe Mader
 Palo Alto Weekly
 The writing team is adept at childish malapropisms and the skewed perspectives of 5-year-olds, but the characterizations and plot lines are witheringly simplistic.
 
 February 8, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 John R. McEwen
 Film Quips Online…

 

Plot
Wishes come true in this movie, and love makes its way into the hearts of those young, old, and overseas. Chuckie’s dad, Chaz (Michael Bell), starts dating again, and it’s Chuckie’s wish to find a new mom. When Stu Pickles (Jack Riley) is summoned to Reptarland, an amazing new amusement park in Paris, to work on his Reptar invention, Tommy (Elizabeth Daily), Chuckie (Christine Cavanaugh), Angelica (Cheryl Chase), Phil (Kath Soucie), Lil (Kath Soucie), Dil (Tara Strong), Didi (Melanie Chartoff), and the whole gang tag along to the city of romance. But the Rugrats’ big adventure turns out to be more than glamor, fashion, and smelly cheese. Chuckie learns that when it comes to Princesses and potential mommies, things are not always what they seem, and for Chaz, finding the right woman can be difficult in any language. As the Rugrats’ travels take them from the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame and everywhere in-between, the world’s favorite babies learn new lessons about courage, loyalty, trust, and above all, true love.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Susan Sarandon voices the character Coco La Bouche in the film.
 

 
Stig-Bergqvist.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Les Films, du Poisson Arte France Cinéma Entre Chien et Loup
 
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for language and thematic elements
 
Year of Release
2000
 

 
Genre(s)
Romance
 
Keyword(s)
starring David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, Carroll O’Connor, Robert Loggia, Bonnie Hunt, David Alan Grier, Eddie Jones, William Bronder, Marianne Muellerleile, directed by Bonnie Hunt, written by Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Andrew Stern, Samantha Goodman, produced by Jennie Lew Tugend, romance, PG rating, box office gross $32.7M, budget unknown, reviewed by Nell Minow, Steven D Greydanus, Eleanor Ringel Cater, Desson Thomson, Robert Horton, Steven Rosen, Rachel Wagner, Michael Dequina, Brian Orndorf, Mark Halverson, characters, heart transplant, organ donor, car accident, blind date, intimacy problems, recovered, waitress, unusual romance, comedy, heart-warming, solid debut, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
 

Cast & Crew

David Duchovny

Minnie Driver

Carroll O’Connor

Robert Loggia

Bonnie Hunt

Bob Rueland

Grace Briggs

Marty O’Reilly

Angelo Pardipillo

Megan Dayton

David Duchovny – Bob Rueland
Minnie Driver – Grace Briggs
Carroll O’Connor – Marty O’Reilly
Robert Loggia – Angelo Pardipillo
Bonnie Hunt – Megan Dayton
David Alan Grier – Charlie Johnson

 

Bonnie Hunt

Bonnie Hunt

Jennie Lew Tugend

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Bonnie Hunt
 
Writer(s)
Bonnie Hunt, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Don Lake, Andrew Stern, Samantha Goodman
 
Producer(s)
Jennie Lew Tugend

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 2 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Nell Minow

Steven D. Greydanus

Eleanor Ringel Cater

Desson Thomson

Robert Horton

Common Sense Media

Decent Films

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Washington Post

Film.com

RETURN TO ME
 All Critics (100) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (38)
 An unbelievable premise, but sweet and romantic.
 
 December 28, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Nell Minow
 Common Sense Media
 TOP CRITIC
 Characters you can enjoy watching and will care about, places you will enjoy spending time, and a charming, hopeful look at love amid the vagaries of life.
 
 May 8, 2002 | Rating: B+
 
 Steven D. Greydanus
 Decent Films
 TOP CRITIC
 Return to sender. Except for David Duchovny.
 
 March 21, 2001 | Rating: C
 
 Eleanor Ringel Cater
 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 TOP CRITIC
 As if aware they are imprisoned in the subplot of a terrible movie, actors Carroll O’Connor, Robert Loggia, Eddie Jones, William Bronder and Marianne Muellerleile have a near mutiny on screen.
 
 January 1, 2000
 
 Desson Thomson
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 Duchovny is surprisingly out-of-joint with the romantic atmosphere.
 
 January 1, 2000
 
 Robert Horton
 Film.com
 TOP CRITIC
 Return to sender.
 
 January 1, 2000
 
 Steven Rosen
 Denver Post
 TOP CRITIC
 Driver and Duchovny have such great chemistry and all the supporting cast feel like a family.
 
 February 28, 2019 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Rachel Wagner
 rachelsreviews.net
 Touches the audience’s heart without being sappy.
 
 January 4, 2010 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Michael Dequina
 TheMovieReport.com
 Contrivances abound, no doubt, but the picture refuses any disingenuous pollutant access to the mix, instead leading with heartfelt, lived-in emotions, enjoying a deliciously homey mood of friendly flirtation and old-world wisdom.
 
 December 7, 2009 | Rating: A
 
 Brian Orndorf
 BrianOrndorf.com
 August 7, 2008 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Mark Halverson
 Sacramento News & Review
 It works, despite the far-fetched plot, because the characters and the script are fresh and engaging.
 
 September 1, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Betsy Bozdech
 Reel.com
 October 31, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Robert Strohmeyer
 Filmcritic.com…

 

Plot
The film opens with a loving husband and wife preparing for a very important fund raising dinner. The evening ends with the loss of the wife. In a hospital a weak young woman who may die soon if she can not get a new heart. Jump ahead one year the young woman received a heart and is trying to adjust to a life no longer counted by hours or days, she can actually make plans. The grieving husband and his dog are still trying to adjust to life without his wife. His friends keep trying to pry him from his “work is my life” existence by setting him up on blinds dates. Finally he actually shows up for one at an Irish-Italian restaurant where he finds himself more attracted to the waitress than his blind date. He finds an excuse to return to the restaurant in hopes of seeing the waitress again, there’s just something attractive about her. Unknown to both the attraction they both feel for one another is Grace has the heart of Bob’s dead wife. What can you say after that! Carroll O’Connor says exactly the right thing to Bob after he finds out this ironic coincidence.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
David Duchovny stars in this heart-warming romance and comedy.
 

 
Bonnie-Hunt.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Strike Entertainment, New Amsterdam Entertainment, Metropolitan Filmexport
 
Distributor
Universal Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for war violence
 
Year of Release
2000
 

 
Genre(s)
Mystery & thriller
 
Keyword(s)
starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi, Jake Weber, David Keith, directed by Jonathan Mostow, written by Jonathan Mostow, Sam Montgomery, David Ayer, produced by Dino De Laurentiis, Martha De Laurentiis, Mystery & Thriller, PG-13, box office gross $77.1M, budget, reviewed by Nell Minow, Louis B Parks, Tom Tunney, Marc Savlov, Mick LaSalle, George Perry, Eddie Harrison, Tony Black, John A Nesbit, Peter Canavese, Bob Grimm, Rob Gonsalves, Enigma decoder, World War II, submarine, American Navy, German U-boat, naval backup, Lieutenant Andrew Tyler, Lieutenant Commander Mike Dahlgren, Chief Klough, Lt Pete Emmett, Lt Hirsch, Marine Major Coonan, Dolby Stereo, DTS, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
 

Cast & Crew

Matthew McConaughey

Bill Paxton

Harvey Keitel

Jon Bon Jovi

Jake Weber

Lt. Andrew Tyler

Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren

Chief Klough

Lt. Pete Emmett

Lt. Hirsch

Matthew McConaughey – Lt. Andrew Tyler
Bill Paxton – Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren
Harvey Keitel – Chief Klough
Jon Bon Jovi – Lt. Pete Emmett
Jake Weber – Lt. Hirsch
David Keith – Marine Major Coonan
Jonathan Mostow – Director, Writer
Dino De Laurentiis – Producer
Martha De Laurentiis – Producer
Sam Montgomery – Writer
David Ayer – Writer

 

Jonathan Mostow

Jonathan Mostow

Dino De Laurentiis

Martha De Laurentiis

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Jonathan Mostow
 
Writer(s)
Jonathan Mostow, Jonathan Mostow, Sam Montgomery, David Ayer
 
Producer(s)
Dino De Laurentiis, Martha De Laurentiis

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
4 wins & 10 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Editing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
 

Top Reviews

Nell Minow

Louis B. Parks

Tom Tunney

Marc Savlov

Mick LaSalle

Common Sense Media

Houston Chronicle

Sight & Sound

Austin Chronicle

San Francisco Chronicle

U-571
 All Critics (117) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (79) | Rotten (38)
 A very tense and exciting war movie.
 
 December 29, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Nell Minow
 Common Sense Media
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s a wham-bam bumpy ride, great fun in the old-fashioned war movie tradition.
 
 July 21, 2005 | Rating: B
 
 Louis B. Parks
 Houston Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 Sharply edited and vigorously directed and performed.
 
 December 2, 2002
 
 Tom Tunney
 Sight & Sound
 TOP CRITIC
 For all its realistic bluster, feels vaguely hollow.
 
 November 24, 2002 | Rating: 2.5/5
 
 Marc Savlov
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 If watching a two-hour submarine movie is this nerve-shattering, imagine what the real thing must have been like.
 
 June 18, 2002 | Rating: 4/4
 
 Mick LaSalle
 San Francisco Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 Alas, it’s a noisy, cliche-ridden, incomprehensible mess.
 
 April 17, 2001 | Rating: 2/5
 
 George Perry
 BBC.com
 TOP CRITIC
 U-571 is junk as history; as a mindless Saturday night action flick, its pretty good
 
 April 26, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Eddie Harrison
 film-authority.com
 Well-executed but troubling wartime historical revisionism.
 
 February 15, 2021 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Tony Black
 Cultural Conversation
 … more like a Star Trek television episode
 
 August 7, 2013 | Rating: C
 
 John A. Nesbit
 Old School Reviews
 [Both] a rousing action thriller…[and] near-parody of the rah-rah American military adventures that filled screens in the ’40s and ’50s. [Blu-Ray]
 
 August 20, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Peter Canavese
 Groucho Reviews
 Delivers action scenes that are both visually dynamic and highly suspenseful.
 
 August 7, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Bob Grimm
 Sacramento News & Review
 I’ve never seen a movie as dependent on a fancy sound system.
 
 July 25, 2007 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Rob Gonsalves
 eFilmCritic.com…

 

Plot
In the midst of World War II, the battle below the seas rages. The Nazis have the upper edge as the Allies are unable to crack their war codes. That is, until a wrecked U-boat sends out an SOS signal, and the Allies realize this is their chance to seize the ‘enigma coding machine’. But masquerading as Nazis and taking over the U-boat is the smallest of their problems. The action really begins when they get stranded on the U-boat.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for U-571.
 

 
Jonathan-Mostow.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Bluemark Productions, C-Hundred Film Corporation, Civilian Pictures,
 
Distributor
Aurum Producciones S.A. [es], RCV Film Distribution, Warner Home Vídeo, New Line Cinema, Buena Vista Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Space Needle – 400 Broad Street, Seattle Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for sexual innuendo and crude humor
 
Year of Release
1999
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Rob Lowe, Seth Green, Demi Moore, John S Lyons, Eric McLeod, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd, directed by Jay Roach, written by Mike Myers, Michael McCullers, comedy, PG-13, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nell Minow, Edward Guthmann, Ernest Hardy, Janet Maslin, Michael Wilmington, Rod Dreher, Mike Massie, Richard Propes, Leigh Paatsch, Alyssa Bereznak, Emanuel Levy, Austin Powers, Dr Evil, Fat Bastard, Felicity Shagwell, Basil Exposition, Number Two, Young Number Two, Scott Evil, fembot, time travel, laser, mojo, pint-size attack-clone
 

Cast & Crew

Mike Myers

Heather Graham

Michael York

Robert Wagner

Rob Lowe

Austin Powers

Dr. Evil

Fat Bastard

Felicity Shagwell

Basil Exposition

Mike Myers – Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, Fat Bastard
Heather Graham – Felicity Shagwell
Michael York – Basil Exposition
Robert Wagner – Number Two
Rob Lowe – Young Number Two
Seth Green – Scott Evil

 

Jay Roach

Mike Myers

John S. Lyons

Eric McLeod

Demi Moore

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Jay Roach
 
Writer(s)
Mike Myers, Mike Myers, Michael McCullers
 
Producer(s)
John S. Lyons, Eric McLeod, Demi Moore, Mike Myers, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
18 wins & 31 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Nell Minow

Edward Guthmann

Ernest Hardy

Janet Maslin

Michael Wilmington

Common Sense Media

San Francisco Chronicle

Film.com

New York Times

Chicago Tribune

AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME
 All Critics (90) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (43)
 Full of sex and bathroom humor. Not for kids.
 
 December 22, 2010 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Nell Minow
 Common Sense Media
 TOP CRITIC
 June 18, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Edward Guthmann
 San Francisco Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 A funnier, tighter film than its predecessor!
 
 January 1, 2000
 
 Ernest Hardy
 Film.com
 TOP CRITIC
 Despite an oversupply of bathroom jokes and scattered scenes that play like outtakes, this is still a crafty, intermittently hilarious comedy.
 
 January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Janet Maslin
 New York Times
 TOP CRITIC
 Too much of the new Powers looks like bad TV and sounds like old burlesque!
 
 January 1, 2000
 
 Michael Wilmington
 Chicago Tribune
 TOP CRITIC
 Amusing but ultimately disappointing.
 
 January 1, 2000
 
 Rod Dreher
 New York Post
 TOP CRITIC
 The sexual innuendo is back and still largely effective, but the repetitiousness of jokes from the first film start to lose their hilarity.
 
 September 9, 2020 | Rating: 4/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 The Spy Who Shagged Me is a funny film, but often elicited little more than chuckles out of me.
 
 September 2, 2020 | Rating: 3.0/4.0
 
 Richard Propes
 TheIndependentCritic.com
 A rare comedy sequel that matches the original.
 
 July 21, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Leigh Paatsch
 Herald Sun (Australia)
 Against all odds, Myers’s wacky step-and-repeat characters remain enduringly entertaining.
 
 March 26, 2019
 
 Alyssa Bereznak
 The Ringer
 August 10, 2012 | Rating: C
 
 Emanuel Levy
 EmanuelLevy.Com
 The film opened with a Star Wars-styled text scrolling, about how Austin Powers was frozen in 1967 and defrosted in the 90s to battle his nemesis Dr. Evil. After succeeding and banishing Evil, Powers settled down with his newly-wed wife Vanessa…
 
 July 6, 2010 | Rating: A+
 
 Tim Dirks
 Filmsite…

 

Plot
Thirsting for revenge after the events of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), despicable Dr Evil gets his hands on a diabolical machine and travels back to groovy 1969. But everyone knows that bad habits are hard to break, and this time, apart from world domination, the ambitious megalomaniac is bent on stealing everything Austin holds dear: his undeniable charm and swagger and his vaulting libido. As an insecure Powers returns to the psychedelic 1960s, teamed up with blonde CIA bombshell Felicity Shagwell, the out-of-time British agent must do the impossible: salvage what’s left of his once-unstoppable sex drive and thwart Dr Evil’s latest lunatic plot. Can Austin Powers, the man who lost his mojo, avert the inevitable for the second time?
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features Mike Myers in multiple roles, including Austin Powers, Dr. Evil, and Fat Bastard.
 

 
Jay-Roach.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment
 
Distributor
20th Century Fox, Fox
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Navy Pier – 600 E. Grand Avenue, Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for sex-related material and some drug content
 
Year of Release
1999
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Romance
 
Keyword(s)
starring Drew Barrymore, David Arquette, Michael Vartan, Molly Shannon, John C Reilly, Garry Marshall, directed by Raja Gosnell, written by Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein, comedy, romance, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Anthony Quinn, Paul Clinton, Andrew Pulver, Nell Minow, Lisa Alspector, Andrew Sarris, Zaki Hasan, Chelsea Steiner, Leah Rozen, Chris Kaltenbach, Jo Berry, PG-13, high school, journalism, undercover, popular clique, English teacher, Chicago Sun-Times, inner circle, contemporary teenage culture, failed love life, baby-faced junior copywriter, infiltrates, degradations of high school life, nerdy, overly enthusiastic girls, second chance, predictable, dull, shamefully optimistic, fake, corny, charming, well-written
 

Cast & Crew

Drew Barrymore

David Arquette

Michael Vartan

Molly Shannon

John C. Reilly

Josie Geller

Robert Gellar

Sam Coulson

Anita Olesky

Augustus Strauss

Drew Barrymore – Josie Geller
David Arquette – Robert Gellar
Michael Vartan – Sam Coulson
Molly Shannon – Anita Olesky
John C. Reilly – Augustus Strauss
Garry Marshall – James Rigfort

 

Raja Gosnell

Abby Kohn

Sandy Isaac

Nancy Juvonen

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Raja Gosnell
 
Writer(s)
Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein
 
Producer(s)
Sandy Isaac, Nancy Juvonen

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 8 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Anthony Quinn

Paul Clinton

Andrew Pulver

Nell Minow

Lisa Alspector

Independent

CNN.com

Guardian

Common Sense Media

Chicago Reader

NEVER BEEN KISSED
 All Critics (89) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (49) | Rotten (40)
 Never Been Kissed does very little to distinguish itself from the umpteen other high-school comedies we’ve seen this year.
 
 January 23, 2019
 
 Anthony Quinn
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 This is one of those films that just doesn’t know when to end.
 
 January 23, 2019
 
 Paul Clinton (CNN.com)
 CNN.com
 TOP CRITIC
 [B]y and large she generates the kind of charm that, since Scream and Everyone Says I Love You, she’s made her trademark.
 
 January 23, 2019
 
 Andrew Pulver
 Guardian
 TOP CRITIC
 A genuinely sweet and romantic story for teens.
 
 December 26, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Nell Minow
 Common Sense Media
 TOP CRITIC
 Drew Barrymore’s virtuoso performance smooths over the plot holes.
 
 August 7, 2007
 
 Lisa Alspector
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 The most exhilarating American movie I have seen this year — which isn’t saying much.
 
 April 27, 2007
 
 Andrew Sarris
 Observer
 TOP CRITIC
 Attempts to tap into the sense of missed opportunity that one inevitably leaves high school with. Unfortunately, it fails to offer anything other than that same old crop of clichés.
 
 August 28, 2019 | Rating: C-
 
 Zaki Hasan
 Zaki’s Corner
 Never Been Kissed remains one of the best teen movies and romcoms of the ’90s, and a true ode to nerdy, overly enthusiastic girls of all ages.
 
 April 10, 2019
 
 Chelsea Steiner
 The Mary Sue
 “This is a very bad idea.” Exacta-mundo, sister.
 
 January 23, 2019
 
 Leah Rozen
 People Magazine
 Too bad the film, about a budding journalist assigned to do an expose on the degradations of high school life, simply isn’t worthy of [Barrymore].
 
 January 23, 2019
 
 Chris Kaltenbach
 Baltimore Sun
 [T]hanks to Barrymore’s captivating performance, a fun turn from David Arquette (as her slightly odd older brother) and a minor role for Leelee Sobieski, this is enjoyable fare.
 
 January 23, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Jo Berry
 Radio Times
 August 7, 2008 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Jim Lane
 Sacramento News & Review…

 

Plot
Chicago Sun Times copy editor Josie Gellar (25), who was desperate to graduate from perfectionist copy editor to reporter, gets her chance when the goody owner orders the editor to cover the high-school scene by undercover. Josie, who was a frustrated, ridiculed nerd, gets a popular make-over from her drop-out, naturally funny brother Rob Geller. Both siblings find love and joys of youth again. But in Josie’s case, it’s sensitive bachelor teacher Sam Coulson, who enjoys sophisticated conversation. As the publication deadline approaches, the price of blowing their cover seems ever more daunting, yet inevitable unless she sacrifices her career.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Never Been Kissed.
 

 
Raja-Gosnell.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures
 
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence, language, and drug and sexual content
 
Year of Release
1999
 

 
Genre(s)
Action
 
Keyword(s)
starring Mel Gibson, Deborah Kara Unger, Gregg Henry, Maria Bello, David Paymer, Bill Duke, Lucy Liu, James Coburn, John Glover, Kris Kristofferson, directed by Brian Helgeland, written by Donald E Westlake, Brian Helgeland, Terry Hayes, produced by Bruce Davey, action, R-rated, crime, thriller, neo-noir, betrayal, heist, revenge, crime syndicate, prostitute, violence, humor, box office performance, $81.5M, reviewed by Rick Groen, Linda Barnard, Mick LaSalle, Liam Lacey, Nick Roddick, Mike Massie, Leigh Paatsch, Chuck O’Leary, Donald Westlake, Terry Hayes, MPAA rating, Paramount Pictures, SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround
 

Cast & Crew

Mel Gibson

Gregg Henry

Maria Bello

Deborah Kara Unger

David Paymer

Porter

Val Resnick

Rosie

Mrs. Lynn Porter

Arthur Stegman

Mel Gibson – Porter
Gregg Henry – Val Resnick
Maria Bello – Rosie
Deborah Kara Unger – Mrs. Lynn Porter
David Paymer – Arthur Stegman
Bill Duke – Det. Hicks

 

Brian Helgeland

Donald E. Westlake

Bruce Davey

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Brian Helgeland
 
Writer(s)
Donald E. Westlake, Brian Helgeland, Terry Hayes
 
Producer(s)
Bruce Davey

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 2 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Rick Groen

Linda Barnard

Jeff Strickler

Mick LaSalle

Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

Toronto Star

Minneapolis Star Tribune

San Francisco Chronicle

Sight & Sound

PAYBACK
 All Critics (76) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (42) | Rotten (34)
 March 16, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Rick Groen
 Globe and Mail
 TOP CRITIC
 March 16, 2012 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Linda Barnard
 Toronto Star
 TOP CRITIC
 Demonstrates why Mel Gibson is a movie star: He can take mediocre material and through sheer willpower — not to mention oodles of charm — make it work.
 
 November 6, 2002
 
 Jeff Strickler
 Minneapolis Star Tribune
 TOP CRITIC
 A higher class of thriller.
 
 June 18, 2002 | Rating: 4/4
 
 Mick LaSalle
 San Francisco Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 It quickly slides into a Lethal Weapon without Danny Glover, complete with blowups and wisecracks, gratuitous torture scenes and Gibson in familiar form as the twinkling rascal who makes a virtue out of viciousness.
 
 March 22, 2002 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Liam Lacey
 Globe and Mail
 TOP CRITIC
 Both star and director seem to be more interested in playing off perceptions of Gibson’s on-screen persona than in actually telling the story, which lurches along from one violent set piece to the next.
 
 March 5, 2002
 
 Nick Roddick
 Sight & Sound
 TOP CRITIC
 Unrelentingly paints a picture of murder, mayhem, and retribution that is both bold and entertaining.
 
 September 24, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 Directed with panache and gritty authenticity by first-timer Brian Helgeland.
 
 June 4, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Leigh Paatsch
 Herald Sun (Australia)
 A solid enough action comedy, albeit one that had a lot of potential to be wittier and darker.
 
 June 21, 2007
 
 Ryan Cracknell
 Calgary Movies
 A tough, entertaining homage to the kind of gritty ’70s crime film that long ago gave way to a slicker yet tamer form of action movie … Both the studio’s cut and Helgeland’s cut work about equally well.
 
 May 10, 2007 | Rating: B
 
 Chuck O’Leary
 FulvueDrive-in.com
 This is the seediest studio picture I’ve seen since TO LIVE OR DIE IN LA. Even the theater floor feels stickier while watching this thing unfold.
 
 June 25, 2005
 
 Moriarty
 Ain’t It Cool Movie Reviews
 June 14, 2004 | Rating: 2/10
 
 Dragan Antulov
 rec.arts.movies.reviews…

 

Plot
Porter is bad, but his neighbours are worse. Street-wise and tough, an ex-marine, he is betrayed by a one-time partner, and shot in the back by his junkie wife. He survives and returns, looking to recover his share from the robbery of an Asian crime gang. The money has passed into the hands of “the Outfit”, a slick gangster organisation that runs the city. He has to make his way through a world populated by heroin dealers, prostitutes, sado-masochists, gunmen and crooked cops, a place where torture is a way of life. His only friend is a former employer, a prostitute, and her loyalty is in question, given she now works for the Outfit. He makes good early progress, but then falls into the hands of Fairfax, the crime boss.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Mel Gibson as the lead character, Porter.
 

 
Brian-Helgeland.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Alcon Entertainment, Columbia Pictures, Sony
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Tappan, New York, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for language and thematic elements
 
Year of Release
1998
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris, Jena Malone, Liam Aiken, Lynn Whitfield, directed by Chris Columbus, written by Gigi Levangie, produced by Wendy Finerman, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan, drama, PG-13, box office, $91.0M, reviewed by Jami Bernard, Jay Boyar, Richard Schickel, William Thomas, John Hartl, Joe Morgenstern, Rachel Wagner, Daniel Barnes, Laura Clifford, Todd Anthony, Dennis King, family, divorce, stepmother, fashion photographer, children, mother, loyalty, crisis, manipulation, sentimentality, illness, death, formulaic, Hollywood, production values, laughter, sobs, melodrama, struggles, adulthood, Home Alone, horror, MCU, Netflix, TV shows, streaming, anticipated movies, TV, renewed, cancelled, worst horror movies, careers
 

Cast & Crew

Julia Roberts

Susan Sarandon

Ed Harris

Jena Malone

Liam Aiken

Isabel Kelly

Jackie Harrison

Luke Harrison

Anna Harrison

Ben Harrison

Julia Roberts – Isabel Kelly
Susan Sarandon – Jackie Harrison
Ed Harris – Luke Harrison
Jena Malone – Anna Harrison
Liam Aiken – Ben Harrison
Lynn Whitfield – Dr. P. Sweikert

 

Chris Columbus

NA

Wendy Finerman

Chris Columbus

Mark Radcliffe

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Chris Columbus
 
Writer(s)
NA
 
Producer(s)
Wendy Finerman, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
8 wins & 7 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Jami Bernard

Jay Boyar

Richard Schickel

William Thomas

John Hartl

New York Daily News

Orlando Sentinel

TIME Magazine

Empire Magazine

Seattle Times

STEPMOM
 All Critics (90) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (49)
 It’s a lovely daydream, made lovelier by the fiercely maternal performance of Sarandon as a lioness protecting her cubs, and Julia Roberts as a mass of insecurity trying to measure up to impossible standards.
 
 April 2, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Jami Bernard
 New York Daily News
 TOP CRITIC
 Well, if unearned pathos is your cup of tea, drink up.
 
 April 1, 2019
 
 Jay Boyar
 Orlando Sentinel
 TOP CRITIC
 Under Chris Columbus’ direction, they make a pretty but utterly misleading picture in which cheap sentiment is used to supply easy, false resolutions to agonizing issues.
 
 April 1, 2019
 
 Richard Schickel
 TIME Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 Roberts holds her own with a very attractive performance, admittedly given that hers is the character who is likeable, good-humoured and too good to be true.
 
 April 1, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
 
 William Thomas
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 The result is a cartoonish two-hour-plus soap opera of little distinction, played by actors who deserve better and should have known better.
 
 April 1, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
 
 John Hartl
 Seattle Times
 TOP CRITIC
 A disjointed hybrid of domestic comedy and mortal illness that might have been written by a support group of lobotomy survivors.
 
 April 1, 2019
 
 Joe Morgenstern
 Wall Street Journal
 TOP CRITIC
 It earns its tears with great performances and good writing
 
 January 22, 2021 | Rating: 7.5/10
 
 Rachel Wagner
 Hallmarkies Podcast
 If you’re going to make children say such terrible things, you should at least back it up with a movie about divorce and death that is sincere and penetrating. In other words, the type of film that Chris Columbus wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.
 
 October 8, 2019 | Rating: 1/5
 
 Daniel Barnes
 Dare Daniel
 Stepmom is a piece of formulaic Hollywood product that’s barely redeemed by its three fine leads and top notch production values. It suffers in comparison to the similar, but far better, One True Thing.
 
 April 2, 2019 | Rating: C
 
 Laura Clifford
 Reeling Reviews
 Were it not for the stellar acting of Sarandon (the most infectious weeper this side of Brenda Blethyn) and Julia Roberts (irresistible as ever) the whole predictable enterprise would be too mawkish for words.
 
 April 1, 2019
 
 Todd Anthony
 South Florida Sun-Sentinel
 Stepmom is highly effective filmmaking, eliciting its fair share of laughter and sobs, even though the least gullible moviegoers will be able to see all the melodramatic machinery cranking and groaning behind the curtains.
 
 April 1, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Dennis King
 Tulsa World
 Though Stepmom has its ups and downs, it shows Columbus as a director who has graduated to adulthood after his two Home Alone hits without losing sight of the struggles of children.
 
 April 1, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Malcolm Johnson
 Hartford Courant…

 

Plot
Anna and Ben, the two children of Jackie and Luke, must cope with the fact that their parents divorced and their father is now with successful photographer Isabel. She does her best to treat the kids in a way that makes them still feel at home when they’re with their dad, but she also loves her work and doesn’t plan to give it up. But full-time mother Jackie finds Isabel’s efforts offensively insufficient and can’t understand that work can be important to her as well as the kids. The conflict between them is deepened by the sudden diagnosis of cancer, which might be deadly for Jackie. They all have to learn a little in order to grow together.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about Stepmom, but it does mention the solid performances from Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon.
 

 
Chris-Columbus.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Lucasfilm,
 
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for scenes of violence and sexuality, and for strong language
 
Year of Release
1995
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
Higher Learning, drama, 1995, 2h 7m, starring Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson, Michael Rapaport, Jennifer Connelly, Ice Cube, Jason Wiles, directed by John Singleton, written by John Singleton, produced by Paul Hall and John Singleton, reviewed by Emma Cochrane, David Ansen, Owen Gleiberman, Todd McCarthy, Geoff Andrew, Janet Maslin, Brandon Collins, Dennis Schwartz, R MPAA rating, college life, freshmen, racial tensions, neo-Nazis, gender lines, box office gross $36.8M, Columbia Pictures, Suround, Stereo
 

Cast & Crew

Omar Epps

Malik Williams

Kristy Swanson

Kristen Connor

Michael Rapaport

Malik Williams

Kristen Connor

Remy

Taryn

Fudge

Omar Epps – Malik Williams
Kristy Swanson – Kristen Connor
Michael Rapaport – Remy
Jennifer Connelly – Taryn
Ice Cube – Fudge
Jason Wiles – Wayne

 

John Singleton

John Singleton

Paul Hall

John Singleton

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
John Singleton
 
Writer(s)
John Singleton
 
Producer(s)
Paul Hall, John Singleton

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 1 nomination
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Emma Cochrane

David Ansen

Owen Gleiberman

Todd McCarthy

Geoff Andrew

Empire Magazine

Newsweek

Entertainment Weekly

Variety

Time Out

HIGHER LEARNING
 All Critics (40) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (22)
 Good intentions, but dull and predictable.
 
 April 26, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Emma Cochrane
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 Higher Learning sells its soul (and its brain) for overwrought melodrama.
 
 February 16, 2018
 
 David Ansen
 Newsweek
 TOP CRITIC
 Despite some likable performances (Epps is especially winning), the drama in Higher Learning is constricted, hemmed in by Singleton’s compulsion to view his characters as walking paradigms of racial and sexual politics.
 
 July 6, 2010 | Rating: C
 
 Owen Gleiberman
 Entertainment Weekly
 TOP CRITIC
 Higher Learning has a great many things on its mind, which immediately places it in a rather exclusive category of American films these days.
 
 October 18, 2008
 
 Todd McCarthy
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 A stylish, intelligent film-maker, Singleton interweaves the threads of his demographic tapestry with assurance, passion and a welcome awareness of the complexities of the college community’s contradictory impulses towards integration and separatism.
 
 February 9, 2006
 
 Geoff Andrew
 Time Out
 TOP CRITIC
 Everyone here, from beer-swilling white fraternity boys to rap-loving black students harassed by the campus police, can be judged at face value. Everyone is exactly what he or she seems.
 
 May 20, 2003 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Janet Maslin
 New York Times
 TOP CRITIC
 I felt like it was lengthy, and they could have chopped down some of this stuff while trying to appeal to everyone…Malik and Remy could have been the movie right there.
 
 September 19, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Justin Brown
 Medium Popcorn
 What is high…what is learning…yes it’s a pretty decent cast, but it’s all over the place, and I really wanted it to end.
 
 September 19, 2019 | Rating: 1/5
 
 Brandon Collins
 Medium Popcorn
 It was too schematic, too didactic and too cliched to work.
 
 May 10, 2019 | Rating: C+
 
 Dennis Schwartz
 Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
 Cole Hauser is chillingly effective as the white supremacist skinhead who reveals Rapaport’s potential for violence, while Jennifer Connelly gives the most adult performance as a worldly-wise lesbian.
 
 April 26, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
 
 David Parkinson
 Radio Times
 Singleton gets points for exposing the hypocrisy of “politically correct” institutions, but stilted dialogue and cardboard characterizations undermine the message.
 
 July 25, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
 
 TV Guide Staff
 TV Guide
 There’s some nice ideas and realistically felt characters here.
 
 December 6, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Brad Laidman
 Film Threat…

 

Plot
Youngsters from different countries, races, and social background are forced to integrate when they all enroll in Columbus University. They all have their own problems, such as finance, harrassment, personal safety, and self doubt. Additionally, campus life seems to be causing a problem for everyone: racism. Students, already under pressure to perform in the classroom, on the track, or in front of their friends, are strained to the breaking point by prejudice, inexperience, and misunderstanding.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Higher Learning includes Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson, Michael Rapaport, Jennifer Connelly, Ice Cube, and a young Gwyneth Paltrow in a small role.
 

 
John-Singleton.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Hecht-Lancaster Productions, Steven Productions,
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for non-stop action violence, and for strong language
 
Year of Release
1993
 

 
Genre(s)
Action
 
Keyword(s)
starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, Benjamin Bratt, Bob Gunton, directed by Marco Brambilla, written by Peter M Lenkov, Daniel Waters, Robert Reneau, action, sci-fi, satirical, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Ansen, Owen Gleiberman, Richard Schickel, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Emanuel Levy, Phillipa Bloom, Mikel Zorrilla, Mike Massie, Leigh Paatsch, Justin Brown, Brandon Collins, Sergio Benítez, produced by Joel Silver, Michael Levy, Howard G Kazanjian, R-rated, Los Angeles, CryoPrison, 2032, San Angeles, pacifist utopia, future cop, killer, innocent victims, John Spartan, Simon Phoenix, Lenina Huxley, Dr Raymond Cocteau, Alfredo Garcia, Chief George Earle, sci-fi shoot-em-up, strong performances
 

Cast & Crew

Sylvester Stallone

Wesley Snipes

Sandra Bullock

Nigel Hawthorne

Benjamin Bratt

John Spartan

Simon Phoenix

Lenina Huxley

Dr. Raymond Cocteau

Alfredo Garcia

Sylvester Stallone – John Spartan
Wesley Snipes – Simon Phoenix
Sandra Bullock – Lenina Huxley
Nigel Hawthorne – Dr. Raymond Cocteau
Benjamin Bratt – Alfredo Garcia
Bob Gunton – Chief George Earle

 

Marco Brambilla

Peter M. Lenkov

Joel Silver

Michael Levy

Howard G. Kazanjian

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Marco Brambilla
 
Writer(s)
Peter M. Lenkov, Daniel Waters, Robert Reneau
 
Producer(s)
Joel Silver, Michael Levy, Howard G. Kazanjian

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 7 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

David Ansen

Owen Gleiberman

Richard Schickel

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Emanuel Levy

Newsweek

Entertainment Weekly

TIME Magazine

Chicago Reader

Variety

DEMOLITION MAN
 All Critics (42) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (26) | Rotten (16)
 Demolition Man is a movie that should have been fun, and isn’t.
 
 January 29, 2019
 
 David Ansen
 Newsweek
 TOP CRITIC
 September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
 
 Owen Gleiberman
 Entertainment Weekly
 TOP CRITIC
 Ultimately the script’s often sharp social satire is drowned out by the noise and confusion. It is also undercut by casting virtually all the psychopathically murderous criminals as minority-group members.
 
 July 25, 2010
 
 Richard Schickel
 TIME Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 Nearly all the SF premises are accorded the status of Andrew Dice Clay one-liners — which means that they, along with the characters, keep changing from one scene to the next.
 
 April 30, 2008
 
 Jonathan Rosenbaum
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 A noisy, soulless, self-conscious pastiche that mixes elements of sci-fi, action-adventure and romance, then pours on a layer of comedy replete with Hollywood in-jokes.
 
 April 30, 2008
 
 Emanuel Levy
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 This futuristic comedy depends on your opinion of Stallone and his unapologetic popcorn-pleasing action no-brainers. To be fair, this one is one of his better ones.
 
 April 30, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Phillipa Bloom
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 An essential action comedy with unforgettable performances from Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. [Full Review in Spanish]
 
 May 17, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Mikel Zorrilla
 Espinof
 It starts with explosions, gunfire, characters smashing through windows, careening down staircases, and lunging through five foot flames – all before the opening credits roll.
 
 September 11, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 Some clever set-piece chases and skirmishes, and a sly sense of humour round out a very solid effort.
 
 June 2, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Leigh Paatsch
 Herald Sun (Australia)
 This movie is completely bonkers, it makes no sense.
 
 April 18, 2020 | Rating: 1/5
 
 Justin Brown
 Medium Popcorn
 More than two hours, it could’ve easily been under 90 minutes…Sandra Bullock is completely wasted in this film.
 
 April 18, 2020 | Rating: 1/5
 
 Brandon Collins
 Medium Popcorn
 It is almost a rarity in the science fiction of the nineties to bring humor to its last consequences. [Full Review in Spanish]
 
 August 29, 2019
 
 Sergio Benítez
 Espinof…

 

Plot
Frozen in 1996, Simon Phoenix, a convicted crime lord, is revived for a parole hearing well into the 21st century. Revived into a society free from crime, Phoenix resumes his murderous rampage, and no one can stop him. John Spartan, the police officer who captured Phoenix in 1996, has also been cryogenically frozen, this time for a crime he did not commit. In 2032, the former cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Barbara have merged into peaceful, utopian San Angeles. Unable to stop him with their non-violent solutions, the police release Spartan to help recapture Phoenix. Now after 36 years, Spartan has to adapt himself to the future society he has no knowledge about.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises the strong performances of Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, and Sandra Bullock in Demolition Man.
 

 
Marco-Brambilla.jpg