Production Company(ies)
Dreamworks Pictures, Pacific Data Images Dream Works Animation,
 
Distributor
Columbia TriStar Home Video, Laurenfilm S.A.
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for mild language and thematic elements
 
Year of Release
1994
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Newman, Charles Durning, John Mahoney, Jim True-Frost, directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Sam Raimi, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Tom Ryan, Adam Mars-Jones, Owen Gleiberman, Duane Byrge, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Todd McCarthy, Josh Larsen, Richard Propes, Brian Costello, MPAA rating PG, produced by Ethan Coen, sound mix Surround, Stereo, Dolby Digital, business, corruption, satire, 1950s, hula-hoop, stock market, board of directors, invention, reporter, New York City, soulless, visually distinctive, smart, absorbing, craftsmanship, wizardly, artificial synthesis, Hollywood, emotionally true, screwball comedy, suicide, smoking, Danny Elfman, whimsy, Roger Deakins, Leslie McDonald, business sleaze
 

Cast & Crew

Tim Robbins

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Paul Newman

Charles Durning

John Mahoney

Norville Barnes

Amy Archer

Sidney J. Mussburger

Waring Hudsucker

Chief Editor Manhattan Argus

Tim Robbins – Norville Barnes
Jennifer Jason Leigh – Amy Archer
Paul Newman – Sidney J. Mussburger
Charles Durning – Waring Hudsucker
John Mahoney – Chief Editor Manhattan Argus
Jim True-Frost – Buzz the Elevator Operator

 

Joel Coen

Joel Coen

Ethan Coen

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
 
Writer(s)
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Sam Raimi
 
Producer(s)
Ethan Coen

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 4 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Tom Ryan

Adam Mars-Jones

Owen Gleiberman

Duane Byrge

Jonathan Rosenbaum

The Age

Independent

Entertainment Weekly

Hollywood Reporter

Chicago Reader

THE HUDSUCKER PROXY
 All Critics (46) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (27) | Rotten (19)
 What’s wrong with The Hudsucker Proxy, though, is that, for all its craftsmanship it is an utterly soulless enterprise. The Coens wisely show no inclination to parody their sources here, but neither do they seem to have anything else in mind for them.
 
 December 22, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Tom Ryan
 The Age (Australia)
 TOP CRITIC
 It is possible to create something emotionally true out of second-hand ingredients, in fact that’s what Hollywood does, but it isn’t the Coen Brothers’ strong point.
 
 November 16, 2017
 
 Adam Mars-Jones
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 September 7, 2011 | Rating: C
 
 Owen Gleiberman
 Entertainment Weekly
 TOP CRITIC
 A visually arresting but emotionally uninvolving dark comedy.
 
 November 6, 2007
 
 Duane Byrge
 Hollywood Reporter
 TOP CRITIC
 A jeering, dreamlike comedy with nothing much on its mind except how neat the Coen brothers are and how stupid or contemptible everybody else is, including everyone in the audience.
 
 November 6, 2007
 
 Jonathan Rosenbaum
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 Nearly everything in the Coen brothers’ latest and biggest film seems like a wizardly but artificial synthesis, leaving a hole in the middle where some emotion and humanity should be.
 
 November 6, 2007
 
 Todd McCarthy
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 …has an unexpected sense of benevolence.
 
 April 23, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Josh Larsen
 LarsenOnFilm
 I have, minimally, enjoyed every film from the Coen Brothers, yet in my eyes The Hudsucker Proxy is the finest of all of them.
 
 September 11, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
 
 Richard Propes
 TheIndependentCritic.com
 Dark Coen Brothers screwball comedy has suicide, smoking.
 
 June 16, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Brian Costello
 Common Sense Media
 Once the film gets up to speed, it remains going fast enough to barrel through the awkward blend of tones.
 
 May 12, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Tim Brayton
 Alternate Ending
 Few of the Coen Brothers’ films spike the vein of pure pleasure as easily. It’s an irresistibly loquacious, unpredictably riotous comedy that dares you to keep up with its daffiness and doesn’t give a damn whether you get left behind.
 
 February 1, 2014 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 Nick Rogers
 The Film Yap
 A pastiche of a movie that lacks distinct identity and authenticity, made up of borrowed parts from scrwball comedies Frank Capra, Howard Hawks, and Preston Sturges.
 
 August 4, 2010 | Rating: C
 
 Emanuel Levy
 EmanuelLevy.Com…

 

Plot
When Waring Hudsucker, head of hugely successful Hudsucker Industries, commits suicide, his board of directors, led by Sidney Mussberger, comes up with a brilliant plan to make a lot of money: appoint a moron to run the company. When the stock falls low enough, Sidney and friends can buy it up for pennies on the dollar, take over the company, and restore its fortunes. They choose idealistic Norville Barnes, who just started in the mail room. Norville is whacky enough to drive any company to ruin, but soon, tough reporter Amy Archer smells a rat and begins an undercover investigation of Hudsucker Industries.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a cast of talented actors, including Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Paul Newman.
 

 
Joel-Coen.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Rancho Maria – 25933 Sand Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for off-color humor
 
Year of Release
1993
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Tracey Ullman, Dave Chappelle, Mark Blankfield, Matthew Porretta, Eric Allan Kramer, Amy Yasbeck, directed by Mel Brooks, written by Mel Brooks, J.D Shapiro, Evan Chandler, comedy, PG-13, box office gross, $35.3M, reviewed by Bill Cosford, Johanna Steinmetz, Angie Errigo, Gene Siskel, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Jay Boyar, Marilynne S Mason, David Parkinson, Stephen Hunter, Dennis King, TV Guide Staff, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, spoof, sight gags, slapstick, parody, cult favorite, anything-goes goofiness, amiable, silly, groan-worthy, bawdy, smart, Mel Brooks, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Maid Marian, chastity belt, Prince John, Sheriff of Rottingham, Blinkin, Little John, commited, friendly, Cary Elwes’s approach, sarcastic, absurdity, Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Tracey Ullman, Dave Chappelle, Mark Blankfield, Matthew Porretta, Eric Allan Kramer, Amy Yasbeck
 

Cast & Crew

Cary Elwes

Richard Lewis

Roger Rees

Amy Yasbeck

Dave Chappelle

Robin Hood

Prince John

Sheriff of Rottingham

Marian

Ahchoo

Cary Elwes – Robin Hood
Richard Lewis – Prince John
Roger Rees – Sheriff of Rottingham
Amy Yasbeck – Marian
Dave Chappelle – Ahchoo
Mark Blankfield – Blinkin
Mel Brooks – Producer, Writer, Director
J.D. Shapiro – Writer
Evan Chandler – Writer

 

Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Mel Brooks
 
Writer(s)
Mel Brooks, J.D. Shapiro, Evan Chandler
 
Producer(s)
Mel Brooks

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
1 nomination
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Bill Cosford

Johanna Steinmetz

Angie Errigo

Gene Siskel

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Miami Herald

Chicago Tribune

Empire Magazine

Christian Science Monitor

People Magazine

ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS
 All Critics (44) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (26)
 The movie is not nearly as bawdy as it needs to be. Or as smart, either.
 
 August 18, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Bill Cosford
 Miami Herald
 TOP CRITIC
 Robin Hood: Men In Tights, Brooks’ spoof of the Robin Hood legend, gets off to a creaky start before it loosens up and produces laughs.
 
 December 7, 2018 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Johanna Steinmetz
 Chicago Tribune
 TOP CRITIC
 To say that this is the funniest film Mel Brooks has co-written, produced and directed in some years is, alas, not saying very much.
 
 December 7, 2018 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Angie Errigo
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 A most disappointing Mel Brooks movie parody that suggests that the once hilarious Brooks has completely lost his way.
 
 December 7, 2018 | Rating: 0.5/4
 
 Gene Siskel
 Chicago Tribune
 TOP CRITIC
 Predictably slapdash but indefatigably good-natured and sometimes funny to boot.
 
 December 7, 2018
 
 Jonathan Rosenbaum
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 A nominal spoof of traditional swashbucklers, this crashingly unfunny comedy is mainly an excuse for Brooks to take yet another crack at his master list.
 
 December 6, 2018
 
 Jay Boyar
 Orlando Sentinel
 TOP CRITIC
 Robin Hood is surely one of Mel Brooks’s worst disasters.
 
 March 27, 2019
 
 Marilynne S. Mason
 Christian Science Monitor
 Watch your Blackadder videos instead.
 
 December 6, 2018 | Rating: 2/5
 
 David Parkinson
 Radio Times
 Marvelously funny even for those who didn’t see the film it hilariously parodies – 199l’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – this Mel Brooks comedy is one sprightly spoof.
 
 December 6, 2018
 
 People Staff
 People Magazine
 But generally, Brooks’ humor is extremely limited.
 
 December 6, 2018 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Stephen Hunter
 Baltimore Sun
 Crude and sometimes obscure, Mel Brooks is still an American institution. His Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a merry romp through the forest.
 
 December 6, 2018
 
 Dennis King
 Tulsa World
 Although sporadically funny and not quite the disaster it was initially made out to be, this Robin Hood robs gags from other films while giving the poor viewer far too few laughs.
 
 December 6, 2018 | Rating: 2/5
 
 TV Guide Staff
 TV Guide…

 

Plot
Robin of Locksley, known as the most skilled archer of the land, has just returned to England after fighting in the Holy Crusades, where King Richard the Lionheart is also fighting. Robin finds that much of what he knew of England has gone to ruin, including his longtime family home having been taken away, all at the hands of the evil Prince John, Richard’s brother who has assumed the throne in Richard’s absence. Neurotic John is basically being controlled by the equally evil Sheriff of Rottingham, everything they do to fatten their own coffers at the expense of the commoners and peasants. As such, Robin recruits a band of merry men to help him battle Prince John and the Sheriff, they, who include: Blinkin, his blind longtime servant; Ahchoo, the misguided son of Asneeze, the man who helped him escape from prison while fighting in the Crusades; Little John, who seems to think that being called Little is only coincidental to the fact of he being a hulking man; and Little John’s friend, Will Scarlet O’Hara, a master with daggers. In going to the palace, Robin falls in love at first sight with Marian of Bagelle, a maid of the court. Marian is looking for the man who has the figurative and literal key to unlock her heart (and private parts). The Sheriff has his own eyes on Marian, he who in turn is the object of desire of Latrine, a powerful hag of a sorceress of the court. Robin, and the Sheriff in particular, have a fight to the death mentality to achieve their end goals, which for both are protection of the throne for their trusted royal, and the heart and cherry of Maid Marian.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Cary Elwes stars as the titular character in Robin Hood: Men in Tights, bringing his charming and sarcastic approach to the absurdity of the film.
 

 
Mel-Brooks.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Sister, Touchstone Pictures
 
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
California, United States; Nevada, United States
 
MPAA / Certificate
PG
 
Year of Release
1992
 

 
Genre(s)
Musical/Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Whoopi Goldberg, Harvey Keitel, Maggie Smith, Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, Mary Wickes, directed by Emile Ardolino, written by Paul Rudnick, musical, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Dolores Barclay, Jeff Menell, Owen Gleiberman, David Ansen, Roger Ebert, Steve Davis, Eddie Harrison, Mike Massie, Vanessa Letts, Colette DeDonato, James Plath, Brian Orndorf, PG rating, witness protection, California convent, choir, lounge singer, mobster, murder, nun, soulful act, vibrant, Teri Schwartz, Mario Iscovich, Touchstone Pictures, Buena Vista Pictures, Surround, Stereo
 

Cast & Crew

Whoopi Goldberg

Maggie Smith

Kathy Najimy

Wendy Makkena

Mary Wickes

Deloris Van Cartier/Sister Mary Clarence

Mother Superior

Sister Mary Patrick

Sister Mary Robert

Sister Mary Lazarus

Whoopi Goldberg – Deloris Van Cartier/Sister Mary Clarence
Maggie Smith – Mother Superior
Kathy Najimy – Sister Mary Patrick
Wendy Makkena – Sister Mary Robert
Mary Wickes – Sister Mary Lazarus
Harvey Keitel – Vince LaRocca
Director – Emile Ardolino
Producer – Mario Iscovich, Teri Schwartz
Writer – Paul Rudnick

 

Emile Ardolino

Paul Rudnick

Mario Iscovich

Teri Schwartz

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Emile Ardolino
 
Writer(s)
Paul Rudnick
 
Producer(s)
Mario Iscovich, Teri Schwartz

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Dolores Barclay

Jeff Menell

Owen Gleiberman

David Ansen

Roger Ebert

Associated Press

Hollywood Reporter

Entertainment Weekly

Newsweek

Chicago Sun-Times

SISTER ACT
 All Critics (28) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (7)
 Sister Act is outrageous fun and delicious deviltry. The laughs keep coming but, best of all, there’s much humanity at work. It’s a movie that just, pardon me, makes you feel darn good.
 
 February 19, 2020
 
 Dolores Barclay
 Associated Press
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s all pretty predictable, and if there was time you might get pissed off at the ridiculousness of it all. But things move at such a quickened pace, and the comedic timing of all involved is impressive enough to override the structural flaws.
 
 June 1, 2019
 
 Jeff Menell
 Hollywood Reporter
 TOP CRITIC
 September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
 
 Owen Gleiberman
 Entertainment Weekly
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s Whoopi and the girls who keep this confection tasty.
 
 March 31, 2008
 
 David Ansen
 Newsweek
 TOP CRITIC
 The trailer has high energy and whammo punchlines. The movie is sort of low-key and contemplative and a little too thoughtful.
 
 January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Roger Ebert
 Chicago Sun-Times
 TOP CRITIC
 January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Steve Davis
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 …the kind of unassuming, crowd-pleasing, light-weight but satisfying film that cinema has completely lost the formula for by 2023…
 
 February 21, 2023 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Eddie Harrison
 film-authority.com
 Whoopi is aware of the goofy premise, refusing to take her situation with any seriousness, even though the rest of the cast attempts a level of sincerity.
 
 September 24, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 The film trundles along, full of holy-poky, mayhem and one-liners.
 
 July 25, 2018
 
 Vanessa Letts
 The Spectator
 The musical numbers really make Sister Act.
 
 June 20, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Colette DeDonato
 Common Sense Media
 Light and fluffy as it is, “Sister Act” still has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and some warm fuzzies as well as some believable action, and that makes it a 7 out of 10 in my book. But the sequel? It’s more like a 5.
 
 June 24, 2012 | Rating: 6/10
 
 James Plath
 Movie Metropolis
 Nothing like a heartwarming Disney comedy with a body count to raise spirits.
 
 May 28, 2012 | Rating: C+
 
 Brian Orndorf
 BrianOrndorf.com…

 

Plot
When a lounge singer witnesses a murder committed by her mobster boyfriend, she is relocated to a California convent under the guise of a nun, where she shakes up the quiet lives of the resident sisters by turning their choir into a vibrant and soulful act in Sister Act.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about Sister Act, but it does mention that the film stars Whoopi Goldberg, Maggie Smith, and Harvey Keitel.
 

 
Emile-Ardolino.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Mooz Films, Cedrus Invest Bank Sunnyland Film
 
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
 
Year of Release
1991
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Dan Hedaya, Elizabeth Wilson, Judith Malina, Christina Ricci, Carel Struycken, Dana Ivey, Paul Benedict, John Franklin, Christopher Hart, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, written by Charles Addams, Caroline Thompson, Larry Wilson, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Angie Errigo, Owen Gleiberman, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Janet Maslin, Rita Kempley, Almar Haflidason, Douglas Davidson, James Kendrick, Tim Brayton, Brian D Johnson, Matt Brunson, PG-13, produced by Scott Rudin, Charles Addams’s macabre drawings, lawyer Tully Alford, Addams’ Attorney, Dr Greta Pinder-Schloss, Grandm, Morticia Addams, Gomez Addams, Uncle Fester, Gordon Craven, Abigail Craven, The Addams Family, Paramount Pictures, Surround, Dolby SR, Flat (1.85:1)
 

Cast & Crew

Anjelica Huston

Raul Julia

Christopher Lloyd

Dan Hedaya

Elizabeth Wilson

Morticia Addams

Gomez Addams

Uncle Fester

Gordon Craven

Tully Alford

Anjelica Huston – Morticia Addams
Raul Julia – Gomez Addams
Christopher Lloyd – Uncle Fester, Gordon Craven
Dan Hedaya – Tully Alford, Addams’ Attorney
Elizabeth Wilson – Abigail Craven, Dr. Greta Pinder-Schloss
Judith Malina – Grandma

 

Barry Sonnenfeld

Charles Addams

Scott Rudin

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Barry Sonnenfeld
 
Writer(s)
Charles Addams, Caroline Thompson, Larry Wilson
 
Producer(s)
Scott Rudin

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
5 wins & 23 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Angie Errigo

Owen Gleiberman

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Janet Maslin

Rita Kempley

Empire Magazine

Entertainment Weekly

Chicago Reader

New York Times

Washington Post

THE ADDAMS FAMILY
 All Critics (49) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (17)
 Deliciously sick and delightfully cast.
 
 July 16, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Angie Errigo
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 They’re creepy and they’re predictable? Mysterious and rather tame?
 
 July 7, 2010 | Rating: C+
 
 Owen Gleiberman
 Entertainment Weekly
 TOP CRITIC
 An extended collection of one-liners and not much more.
 
 May 3, 2007
 
 Jonathan Rosenbaum
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 The film’s aimlessness and repetitiveness eventually become draining.
 
 May 20, 2003 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Janet Maslin
 New York Times
 TOP CRITIC
 More than merely a sequel of the TV series, the film is a compendium of paterfamilias Charles Addams’s macabre drawings, a resurrection of the cartoonist’s body of work. For family friends, it would seem a viewing is de rigueur mortis.
 
 January 1, 2000
 
 Rita Kempley
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 At times this can all become a little silly but Sonnenfeld manages to rein the film in before things get too ridiculous.
 
 January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Almar Haflidason
 BBC.com
 TOP CRITIC
 It may mostly be cosmetic, but this release is a reminder that some stories are lightning in a bottle, capturing a cast and a concept that works only once in a generation, and stand the test of time.
 
 November 23, 2021
 
 Douglas Davidson
 Elements of Madness
 captures the family’s droll humor with just the right mixture of morbidity and genuine care
 
 November 10, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
 
 James Kendrick
 Q Network Film Desk
 Lets the bizarre rhythms of the cast move us from gag to gag with a stately slowness that keeps a fundamentally slapstick-driven film from ever feeling too busy or rushed.
 
 October 13, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Tim Brayton
 Alternate Ending
 A late Halloween treat giftwrapped for Christmas, The Addams Family does not live up to its packaging.
 
 October 11, 2019
 
 Brian D. Johnson
 Maclean’s Magazine
 Intermittently amusing.
 
 October 5, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Matt Brunson
 Film Frenzy
 First-time filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld has infused The Addams Family with a gleefully broad visual sensibility that remains a highlight from start to finish…
 
 May 11, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
 
 David Nusair
 Reel Film Reviews…

 

Plot
The Addams Family steps out of Charles Addams’ cartoons. They live with all of the trappings of the macabre (including a detached hand for a servant) and are quite wealthy. Added to this mix is a crooked accountant and his loan shark and a plot to slip the shark’s son into the family as their long-lost Uncle Fester. Can the false Fester find his way into the vault before he is discovered?
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The performances in The Addams Family are “extraordinarily good,” particularly Anjelica Huston’s delivery of the dry, morbid humor.
 

 
Barry-Sonnenfeld.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
New Line Cinema
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)
Castle Hayne, North Carolina, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
PG
 
Year of Release
1990
 

 
Genre(s)
Fantasy/Adventure
 
Keyword(s)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, PG, Fantasy, Adventure, 1h 33m, directed by Steve Barron, written by Todd W Langen, Bobby Herbeck, produced by David Chan, Kim Dawson, Simon Fields, starring Judith Hoag, Elias Koteas, Josh Pais, Michelan Sisti, Leif Tilden, David Forman, reviewed by John Dorschner, Valerie Monroe, Henry Sheehan, Gene Siskel, Michael Wilmington, Carrie Rickey, Sean Collier, Mike Cecchini, Tim Brayton, Roger Hurlburt, Ralph Novak, box office gross $133.1M
 

Cast & Crew

Judith Hoag

Elias Koteas

Josh Pais

Michelan Sisti

Leif Tilden

April O’Neil

Casey Jones

Raphael

Man in Cab

Michaelangelo

Judith Hoag – April O’Neil
Elias Koteas – Casey Jones
Josh Pais – Raphael, Man in Cab
Michelan Sisti – Michaelangelo, Pizza Man
Leif Tilden – Donatello, Foot Messenger
David Forman – Leonardo, Gang Leader

 

Steve Barron

Todd W. Langen

David Chan

Kim Dawson

Simon Fields

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Steve Barron
 
Writer(s)
Todd W. Langen, Bobby Herbeck
 
Producer(s)
David Chan, Kim Dawson, Simon Fields

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 3 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

John Dorschner

Valerie Monroe

Henry Sheehan

Gene Siskel

Michael Wilmington

Miami Herald

Entertainment Weekly

Hollywood Reporter

Chicago Tribune

Los Angeles Times

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
 All Critics (54) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (32)
 The calculated money-grubbing motives are so obvious it overwhelms the delightful turtles.
 
 August 18, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
 
 John Dorschner
 Miami Herald
 TOP CRITIC
 So should you take your kid to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? I’m not recommending that you do – this movie will not enrich your child’s worldview.
 
 March 17, 2020
 
 Valerie Monroe
 Entertainment Weekly
 TOP CRITIC
 The one subplot that could have been milked, about a young friend of O’Neil’s who falls in with the gang, is handled indifferently and fails to supply much in the way of a youthful identification figure.
 
 May 29, 2015
 
 Henry Sheehan
 Hollywood Reporter
 TOP CRITIC
 The cynicism of the motion picture industry will be apparent to any child who is exposed to the many product plugs for a nationwide pizza delivery company.
 
 August 6, 2014 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Gene Siskel
 Chicago Tribune
 TOP CRITIC
 As a movie, Ninja Turtles would make a better cereal. It looks like it needs a little milk and mother-wit poured over it, something to make it snap, crackle and pop.
 
 August 6, 2014
 
 Michael Wilmington
 Los Angeles Times
 TOP CRITIC
 Ninja Turtles is cluttered and flashy. In terms of plot, there’s not much flesh on its bones.
 
 August 6, 2014 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Carrie Rickey
 Philadelphia Inquirer
 TOP CRITIC
 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was, if not conventionally good, very, very interesting.
 
 October 11, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
 
 Sean Collier
 Box Office Prophets
 The fights and stunts in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are genuinely exciting, made all the more remarkable by the fact that they’re mostly being done by guys in 50 pounds of foam rubber.
 
 March 17, 2020
 
 Mike Cecchini
 Den of Geek
 The unapologetically hokey humor and dialogue and characters have their charms for sheer late-’80s kitsch value.
 
 August 14, 2014 | Rating: 6/10
 
 Tim Brayton
 Antagony & Ecstasy
 Despite brisk direction by Steve Barron, plus unbridled energy and fine special effects, an overt glorification of violence is still at the crux of this stunt film.
 
 August 6, 2014
 
 Roger Hurlburt
 South Florida Sun-Sentinel
 A movie that displays two traits nobody would ever associate with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: It is grim and it is no fun.
 
 August 6, 2014
 
 Ralph Novak
 People Magazine
 Elias Koteas scores as a mock-turtle vigilante, and there are some nifty turtle effects from the Henson Creature Shop, but little else hits the target, despite Barron covering the cracks with fast editing.
 
 August 6, 2014 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Alan Jones
 Radio Times…

 

Plot
Through contact with a mysterious ooze, four turtles in the sewers of New York mutate into intelligent pizza-loving humanoids, and are mentored in the art of ninja combat by the wise rat Splinter. When the evil Shredder attempts to take over the world, the turtles set out to stop him.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
 

 
Steve-Barron.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, Marvel Enterprises Marvel Studios,
 
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Brewster Building Apartments – 2800 N. Pine Grove Avenue, Lake View, Chicago, Illinois, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
R
 
Year of Release
1988
 

 
Genre(s)
Horror
 
Keyword(s)
Loading…
 

Cast & Crew

Catherine Zeta-Jones

Michael Douglas

John Lithgow

Zoe Saldana

Antonio Banderas

Tramell

Nick Curran

Beth Garner

Roxy

Hazel Dobkins

Catherine

 

Tom Holland

Don Mancini

David Kirschner

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Tom Holland
 
Writer(s)
Don Mancini, John Lafia, Tom Holland
 
Producer(s)
David Kirschner

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 4 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Nigel Andrews

Dave Kehr

Kevin Thomas

Scott Tobias

Dennis Fischer

Financial Times

Chicago Tribune

Los Angeles Times

AV Club

Hollywood Reporter

CHILD’S PLAY
 All Critics (49) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (14)
 A rip-roaring low-budget screamer.
 
 May 14, 2020
 
 Nigel Andrews
 Financial Times
 TOP CRITIC
 The filmmakers seem more than aware of the logical and dramatic deficiencies of their material, and so they flee to that last refuge of movie scoundrels: self-conscious campiness.
 
 May 14, 2020 | Rating: 1/4
 
 Dave Kehr
 Chicago Tribune
 TOP CRITIC
 Scary, yet darkly funny, this thriller of the supernatural from the director of the terrific “Fright Night” moves with the speed of a bullet train and with style to burn.
 
 May 14, 2020
 
 Kevin Thomas
 Los Angeles Times
 TOP CRITIC
 The sequences without Chucky are as stock as they come, and so are all the flesh-and-blood characters around him, but he’s still a hugely entertaining mischief-maker, and what he lacks in physical gifts, he compensates for in sneakiness.
 
 May 13, 2020
 
 Scott Tobias
 AV Club
 TOP CRITIC
 Making a good horror-thriller, or even a good horror-comedy, is not child’s play, as this schizoid film all too unfortunately proves.
 
 November 2, 2014
 
 Dennis Fischer
 Hollywood Reporter
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s nothing wildly original, but it is pacey and entertaining when it gets going.
 
 October 21, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Kim Newman
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 Separates chills from laughter. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 June 16, 2022
 
 Rene Jordan
 El Nuevo Herald (Miami)
 A perfect character design gives Chucky that fiendishly creepy edge, along with drastically changing facial features that accommodate scarier expressions.
 
 August 31, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 This is about a random target’s struggle to survive a predicament nobody will ever believe. That sense of isolation and futility easily overshadows any remnants of allegory still present.
 
 May 14, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
 
 Jared Mobarak
 Jaredmobarak.com
 Unfortunately, the screenplay by Don Mancini and John Lafia is so predictable, that the jump-out-of-your-seat shocks are telegraphed far in advance.
 
 May 14, 2020 | Rating: 0.5/4
 
 Roger Hurlburt
 South Florida Sun-Sentinel
 A steady stream of standard scares is dragged from a thinly stretched, formula slasher plot, thanks to panache beyond the call of duty from director Tom Holland.
 
 May 13, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Alan Jones
 Radio Times
 There is definitely some silly stuff in this movie – when you’re dealing with a two foot tall killer, it’s hard to take things seriously… However, the movie’s ace in the hole was Chucky himself.
 
 May 13, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
 
 IGN Movies Editors
 IGN Movies…

 

Plot
When Charles Lee Ray needs to get a quick escape from cop Mike Norris, he takes his soul and buries it into playful, seemingly good guy doll Chucky. Little does he know a little boy by the name of Andy Barclay will be the new owner of him soon-to-come. Charles confides in Andy while he commits numerous murders and once the adults accept Andy’s story as truth, it’s too late.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The review mentions Brad Dourif’s “fantastic vocal talents” as the voice of Chucky.
 

 
Tom-Holland.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Scion Films, Canana Films, Creando Films,
 
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Santa Monica Beach, Santa Monica, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
PG
 
Year of Release
1982
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Sylvester Stallone, Mr T, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, directed by Sylvester Stallone, written by Sylvester Stallone, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Derek Malcolm, David Robinson, Nigel Andrews, Gary Arnold, Bruce McCabe, Variety Staff, Stephen Silver, Jeffrey M Anderson, Peter Stack, F.X Feeney, Diego Galán, PG, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler, boxing, underdog, championship, fame, riches, trainer, father figure, opponent, exhibition match, charity, homo-erotic, montage, workout, action, glory, sequel, franchise, Rocky Balboa, Clubber Lang, Apollo Creed, Mickey Goldmill
 

Cast & Crew

Sylvester Stallone

Mr. T

Talia Shire

Carl Weathers

Burt Young

Rocky Balboa

Clubber Lang

Adrian

Apollo Creed

Paulie

Sylvester Stallone – Rocky Balboa
Mr. T – Clubber Lang
Talia Shire – Adrian
Carl Weathers – Apollo Creed
Burt Young – Paulie
Burgess Meredith – Mickey Goldmill

 

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone

Robert Chartoff

Irwin Winkler

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Sylvester Stallone
 
Writer(s)
Sylvester Stallone
 
Producer(s)
Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
3 wins & 8 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Derek Malcolm

David Robinson

Nigel Andrews

Gary Arnold

Bruce McCabe

Guardian

Times (UK)

Financial Times

Washington Post

Boston Globe

ROCKY III
 All Critics (42) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (14)
 It would be true to say that Stallone has improved as a director, delivering a short, almost staccato movie which zips through the whole fable fast enough to prevent familiarity breeding contempt.
 
 November 11, 2021
 
 Derek Malcolm
 Guardian
 TOP CRITIC
 Stallone is distinctly at his best when the film takes off into almost abstract montages of ;music or images, or in the nifty choreography of the fights.
 
 September 24, 2020
 
 David Robinson
 Times (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Rocky was a right hook that hit satisfying home: Rocky II was a good follow-up left: Rocky III is a redundant flurry of fisticuffs long after the match has been won and the referee has raised the victor’s arm.
 
 September 24, 2020
 
 Nigel Andrews
 Financial Times
 TOP CRITIC
 Rocky III is an engaging exercise in discreet, incisive and good-humored hokum.
 
 April 27, 2018
 
 Gary Arnold
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 In Rocky III, Rocky Balboa achieves a peace and contentment with both his strengths and weaknesses that he hasn’t shown before. He’s still growing.
 
 April 27, 2018
 
 Bruce McCabe
 Boston Globe
 TOP CRITIC
 The real question with Rocky III was how Sylvester Stallone could twist the plot to make an interesting difference. He manages.
 
 July 6, 2010
 
 Variety Staff
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 Very much a film of the ’80s. Not only did it co-star 1980s icons like Mr. T and Hulk Hogan, but it made Rocky a bit more musclebound than he’d been earlier, in line with the G.I. Joe aesthetics of the time. (40th anniversary)
 
 May 27, 2022 | Rating: B+
 
 Stephen Silver
 Tilt Magazine
 Working behind the camera again, Sylvester Stallone keeps things going in an effective way, expanding on the familiar characters and hitting all the right beats.
 
 March 28, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Jeffrey M. Anderson
 Combustible Celluloid
 This is the stuff of comic books and corny American movies; credible, colorful entertainment, seemingly meat-headed but maybe meatier than we thought.
 
 November 11, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Peter Stack
 San Francisco Examiner
 Give Sylvester Stallone credit: this picture so totally recycles the first two Rockys that — in a just universe — it would be practically nonexistent; but the finished product is nonetheless a huge crowd pleaser.
 
 November 10, 2021
 
 F.X. Feeney
 L.A. Weekly
 The fight scenes are brilliantly shot, but there’s a total absence of talent. [Full Review in Spanish]
 
 August 23, 2019
 
 Diego Galán
 El Pais (Spain)
 Rocky III marks the point where the series starts to get silly, but the end result is so enjoyable that it’s hard to carp too much.
 
 July 14, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Matt Brunson
 Film Frenzy…

 

Plot
Sylvester Stallone returns to the character which made him famous in this wildly successful sequel. Rocky III starts with the Italian Stallion so famous that his likeness is everywhere, including pinball machines. Fame and complacency soon cause Balboa to lose his title to young thug Clubber Lang ( Mr. T ), who inadvertently causes the death of Rocky’s beloved trainer, Mickey (Burgess Meredith), before their first championship bout. After sinking into a depression, Balboa must regain the love and support of his family, as well as the elusive “eye of the tiger,” the hungry need to beat the opponent which former foe Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) teaches him during this film’s training sequence. In the end, Balboa faces off against Lang for a second time.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Rocky III on Fresh Kernels.
 

 
Sylvester-Stallone.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Buddy Pic, Paramount Pictures
 
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
R
 
Year of Release
1978
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Stacy Keach, Edie Adams, Tom Skerritt, Zane Buzby, directed by Lou Adler, written by Tommy Chong, Cheech Marin, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Variety, Chicago Reader, Slant Magazine, Time Out, Austin Chronicle, Film Frenzy, Common Sense Media, Q Network Film Desk, EmanuelLevy.Com, Rob’s Movie Vault, Filmcritic.com, R rating, Paramount Pictures, produced by Lou Adler, Lou Lombardo, sound mix mono, aspect ratio scope, rock band contest, marijuana, counterculture icons, misadventures, technicality, likability, seminal piece, stoner cinema, Cheech & Chong Still Smokin’, Eddie Murphy Raw, Hellraiser, Cheech & Chong’s Next Movie, Porky’s
 

Cast & Crew

Cheech Marin

Tommy Chong

Stacy Keach

Edie Adams

Tom Skerritt

Pedro De Pacas

Anthony ‘Man’ Stillman

Sgt. Stedenko

Mrs. Tempest Stillman

Strawberry

Cheech Marin – Pedro De Pacas
Tommy Chong – Anthony ‘Man’ Stillman
Stacy Keach – Sgt. Stedenko
Edie Adams – Mrs. Tempest Stillman
Tom Skerritt – Strawberry
Zane Buzby – Jade East
Director – Lou Adler
Producers – Lou Adler, Lou Lombardo
Writers – Tommy Chong, Cheech Marin

 

Lou Adler

Tommy Chong

Lou Adler

Lou Lombardo

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Lou Adler
 
Writer(s)
Tommy Chong, Cheech Marin
 
Producer(s)
Lou Adler, Lou Lombardo

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Variety Staff

Dave Kehr

Fernando F. Croce

Fiona Ferguson

Marjorie Baumgarten

Variety

Chicago Reader

Slant Magazine

Time Out

Austin Chronicle

UP IN SMOKE
 All Critics (19) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (9) | Rotten (10)
 What’s lacking in Up in Smoke is a cohesiveness in both humor and characterization.
 
 May 7, 2008
 
 Variety Staff
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 Director Lou Adler (the record producer) finds a few chuckles, but mostly it’s amateur night.
 
 May 7, 2008
 
 Dave Kehr
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 As far as comedic ingredients go, weed is not so much a surefire laugh-getter as it is a free-floating lubricant capable of setting off wicked complications.
 
 September 5, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Fernando F. Croce
 Slant Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 As the most fun comes not from watching the movie but from recalling great lines later, it would seem that the audio success of C & C has not translated too well into visuals.
 
 June 24, 2006
 
 Fiona Ferguson
 Time Out
 TOP CRITIC
 The duo wrote the genial script about the never-ending search for great pot, and a good supporting cast co-stars.
 
 March 10, 2003
 
 Marjorie Baumgarten
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 Cheech Marin and Thomas Chong prove to be irresistible anti-establishment figures in this consistently amusing dum-dum comedy.
 
 August 30, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Matt Brunson
 Film Frenzy
 Classic stoner comedy has drugs, language, sex.
 
 July 17, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Brian Costello
 Common Sense Media
 a shaggy slice of slacker comedy, and while no one will mistake it for a particularly well-made movie, it is imminently likeable and repeatedly watchable
 
 April 26, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
 
 James Kendrick
 Q Network Film Desk
 The funniest of all the Cheech and Chong movies, Up in Smoke provides a feast of gags for the sympathetically minded.
 
 May 7, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
 
 TV Guide Staff
 TV Guide
 This Cheech and Chong weed comedy was dismissed by most critics (and parents) but it was embraced by young viewers and launched the subgenre of “stoner” comedies way before Linklater made Slacker.
 
 April 12, 2008 | Rating: C+
 
 Emanuel Levy
 EmanuelLevy.Com
 Cheech & Chong had their act down pat by ’78 and turned out to be a natural movie-comedy team.
 
 April 9, 2007 | Rating: B
 
 Rob Gonsalves
 Rob’s Movie Vault
 Up in Smoke is the world’s most revered — and most idiotic — drug movie.
 
 September 6, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/5
 
 Christopher Null
 Filmcritic.com…

 

Plot
Two stoners, Anthony and Pedro, hit the road and get into all sorts of misadventures, including getting arrested for possession of marijuana and competing in a rock band contest in the comedy classic Up in Smoke.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong, two counterculture icons known for their stoner comedy.
 

 
Lou-Adler.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
R
 
Year of Release
1975
 

 
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
 
Keyword(s)
starring Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Jason Robards, Alvy Moore, Helene Winston, Charles McGraw, directed by L.Q Jones, written by L.Q Jones, produced by L.Q Jones, sci-fi, R rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Dave Kehr, Roger Ebert, Eric Henderson, Richard Eder, Rob Gonsalves, Eddie Harrison, MPAA rating, Warner Bros Pictures, Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, Mono sound mix, Scope aspect ratio, post-apocalyptic, telepathic dog, underground community, mechanized procreation, black comedy, eccentric vision, strong dialogue, offbeat, oddball, dystopian, cult classic, Harlan Ellison, Tiger the dog, Tim McIntire, Ray Manzarek, James Cagney, Mad Max, Fallout, Book of Eli, Fist of the North Star, unique, satire, blunt, imaginative sci-fi, dank, dingy polemic, righteous anger, dangerous direction, weirdness, unusual, chauvinist, religious cult, abrupt ending
 

Cast & Crew

Don Johnson

Susanne Benton

Jason Robards

Alvy Moore

Helene Winston

Vic

Quilla June Holmes

Lou Craddock

Doctor Moore

Mez Smith

Don Johnson – Vic
Susanne Benton – Quilla June Holmes
Jason Robards – Lou Craddock
Alvy Moore – Doctor Moore
Helene Winston – Mez Smith
Charles McGraw – Preacher
Director – L.Q. Jones
Producer – L.Q. Jones
Writer – L.Q. Jones

 

L.Q. Jones

L.Q. Jones

L.Q. Jones

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
L.Q. Jones
 
Writer(s)
L.Q. Jones
 
Producer(s)
L.Q. Jones

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Dave Kehr

Roger Ebert

Eric Henderson

Richard Eder

Rob Gonsalves

Chicago Reader

Chicago Sun-Times

Slant Magazine

New York Times

Rob’s Movie Vault

A BOY AND HIS DOG
 All Critics (37) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (8)
 In spite of some clever ideas and a few well-wrought images, it seems too schematic and its satire too blunt.
 
 June 5, 2007
 
 Dave Kehr
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s got a unique… well, I was about to say charm, but the movie’s last scene doesn’t quite let me get away with that.
 
 October 23, 2004 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Roger Ebert
 Chicago Sun-Times
 TOP CRITIC
 Jones’s cameo during an open-air movie theater sequence is by far the most cinematic moment of this 1975 cult classic for boys who hate women.
 
 December 11, 2003 | Rating: 1.5/4
 
 Eric Henderson
 Slant Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 The good ideas are marred by awkwardness; the terrible ideas are redeemed somewhat by being, at least, unpredictable.
 
 May 21, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/5
 
 Richard Eder
 New York Times
 TOP CRITIC
 If you haven’t seen this film, chances are you’ve seen a dozen better-known SF movies it influenced
 
 November 29, 2022 | Rating: A
 
 Rob Gonsalves
 Rob’s Movie Vault
 …A Boy and His Dog isn’t an easy or likeable film, but it’s a great example of imaginative sci-fi, and a dank, dingy polemic that doesn’t dilute Ellison’s righteous anger about the dangerous direction he perceived society to be going…
 
 October 20, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Eddie Harrison
 film-authority.com
 A Boy and His Dog is daft by design but it’s also well-written and full of interesting angles.
 
 October 13, 2022
 
 Rob Aldam
 Backseat Mafia
 It is well made, extremely funny and has one of the great final lines of all-time.
 
 July 25, 2022
 
 John Fleming
 Starburst
 An unexpected triumph.
 
 November 22, 2019
 
 Michael Caton
 Los Angeles Free Press
 If it’s weirdness that you’re after, this cult film goes the whole nine yards.
 
 October 10, 2013 | Rating: B
 
 Dennis Schwartz
 Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
 The savage wasteland is believably captured, but a so-so movie completely goes off the rails once the action moves to an underground society.
 
 August 17, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Matt Brunson
 Creative Loafing
 November 28, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Robert Roten
 Laramie Movie Scope…

 

Plot
In a post-apocalyptic world, a teenage boy and his telepathic dog, Blood, encounter an underground community where the boy is seduced by the leader’s daughter and separated from his loyal companion, leading him to discover a dark secret and fight for his survival.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a young Don Johnson in the lead role of Vic.
 

 
L.Q.-Jones.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
1974
 

 
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
 
Keyword(s)
sci-fi, John Carpenter, Dan O’Bannon, Brian Narelle, Cal Kuniholm, Dre Pahich, Joe Saunders, G rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Adam Smith, Dave Kehr, Variety Staff, Nick Schager, Janet Maslin, Roger Ebert, Anton Bitel, Cody Leach, John Fleming, Eddie Harrison, Jacoba Atlas, satire, astronauts, rogue planets, human eccentricity, technology, emotional frailty, space travel, special effects, set designs, horror, comedy, aliens, molasses-black humour, 16mm, 35mm, mono, flat (1.85:1), directed by John Carpenter, written by John Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon, produced by John Carpenter, original language English, runtime 1h 23m, streaming release date Jul 3, 2001
 

Cast & Crew

Brian Narelle

Dan O’Bannon

Cal Kuniholm

Dre Pahich

Joe Saunders

Lt. Doolittle

Pinback

Boiler

Talby

Commander Powell

Brian Narelle – Lt. Doolittle
Dan O’Bannon – Pinback
Cal Kuniholm – Boiler
Dre Pahich – Talby
Joe Saunders – Commander Powell (uncredited)
John Carpenter – Director
John Carpenter – Producer
John Carpenter, Dan O’Bannon – Writers

 

John Carpenter

John Carpenter

John Carpenter

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
John Carpenter
 
Writer(s)
John Carpenter, Dan O’Bannon
 
Producer(s)
John Carpenter

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Adam Smith

Dave Kehr

Variety Staff

Nick Schager

Janet Maslin

Empire Magazine

Chicago Reader

Variety

Lessons of Darkness

New York Times

DARK STAR
 All Critics (30) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (7)
 Hats off nonetheless to young whippersnapper John Carpenter, whose studenty tale of space tedium, aliens and molasses-black humour remains approximately a thousand times better than the director’s last 15 years.
 
 June 6, 2007 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Adam Smith
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 By introducing human eccentricities into the cold structure of SF, Carpenter creates a vision of the technological future that is both disillusioned and oddly affirmative in its insistence on the unscientific survival of emotional frailty.
 
 June 6, 2007
 
 Dave Kehr
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 The dim comedy consists of sophomoric notations and mistimed one-liners.
 
 June 6, 2007
 
 Variety Staff
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 Isn’t nearly as funny as it once was…but it nonetheless has its amusing moments.
 
 April 26, 2007 | Rating: B-
 
 Nick Schager
 Lessons of Darkness
 TOP CRITIC
 There are some funny routines here, though Mr. Carpenter doesn’t seem to have cared much about integrating or sustaining them.
 
 May 9, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/5
 
 Janet Maslin
 New York Times
 TOP CRITIC
 A berserk combination of space opera, intelligent bombs, and beach balls from other worlds.
 
 October 23, 2004 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Roger Ebert
 Chicago Sun-Times
 TOP CRITIC
 student film plays like a slacker satire of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), exposing all the ennui and idiocy of deep-space travel.
 
 December 16, 2022
 
 Anton Bitel
 BFI
 Dark Star is a student film with a studio release and it’s exactly what you expect from that. Some of Carpenter’s early promise is on display but whatever impressed in 1974 has mostly faded with time and age.
 
 September 10, 2022 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Cody Leach
 Cody Leach (YouTube)
 Dark Star is well worth 83 minutes of anyone’s time: perhaps the most enjoyable piece of anarchy since the Marx Brothers.
 
 July 22, 2022
 
 John Fleming
 Starburst
 …a must-watch for anyone who dug Star Wars, Alien, Halloween or The Thing…
 
 February 24, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Eddie Harrison
 film-authority.com
 If it weren’t for the extremely primitive special effects and set designs (though decent considering the budget), the picture might have succeeded as outright horror.
 
 August 29, 2020 | Rating: 2/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 All good fun, without much substance or lasting power.
 
 December 9, 2019
 
 Jacoba Atlas
 Los Angeles Free Press…

 

Plot
Dark Star is a satirical sci-fi comedy about a crew of bumbling astronauts on a mission to destroy rogue planets.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny or odd about the film Signed in.
 

 
John-Carpenter.jpg