Chained for Life (2019)
77%RT Audience Score: 54%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 7 nominations
Darkly funny and impressively ambitious, Chained for Life is as unpredictable as it is original
Chained for Life is a movie that’s as strange as it is charming. It’s a movie about making movies, but with a surreal twist that keeps you on your toes. The characters are all flawed and awkward, but that’s what makes them so relatable. It’s a movie that’s both serious and funny, and it’s definitely not your typical Hollywood fare. If you’re looking for something a little different, give Chained for Life a try. Who knows, you might just love it!
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Bill, Phillips
Distributor
Kino Lorber
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2019
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 31m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 11, 2019 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 10, 2019
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Chained for Life, drama, 1h 31m, Jess Weixler, Adam Pearson, Stephen Plunkett, Charlie Korsmo, Sari Lennick, Daniel Gilchrist, directed by Aaron Schimberg, written by Aaron Schimberg, produced by Daniel Patrick Carbone, Vanessa McDonnell, Matthew Petock, Jane Schoenbrun, Zachary Shedd, Kino Lorber, $17.4K box office, critic reviews, darkly funny, impressively ambitious, unpredictable, satire, moviemaking, surreal touches, low-budget, original, facial deformity, Hollywood portrayals, disability, representation, self-reflexive, character-driven, slow-paced, unique, serious, meaningful, darkly funny, creepy
Worldwide gross: $17,431
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $20,141
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,122
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,196
US/Canada gross: $17,431
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $20,141
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,799
US/Canada opening weekend: $7,415
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $8,568
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,734
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Adam Pearson – Rosenthal
Stephen Plunkett – Max
Charlie Korsmo – Herr Director
Sari Lennick – Sarah
Daniel Gilchrist – Demby
Director(s)
Aaron Schimberg
Writer(s)
Aaron Schimberg
Producer(s)
Daniel Patrick Carbone, Vanessa McDonnell, Matthew Petock, Jane Schoenbrun, Zachary Shedd
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (52)
[A] wonky, charming satire…
October 27, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Simran Hans
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A sharp movie about moviemaking, with welcome surreal touches that are best left unspoiled.
October 24, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Josh Slater-Williams
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
This low-budget film written and directed by Aaron Schimberg is almost every kind of strange, and yet it has an amiable warmth and an inexhaustible reserve of originality that make it compelling as hell.
October 24, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Leslie Felperin
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Anchored by Weixler’s and Pearson’s natural charm, “Chained for Life” stands up as both a quiet ode to the experimental, dreamlike spirit of moviemaking and a seriocomic corrective to sentimentalized sideshow portrayals.
October 18, 2019
Robert Abele
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
If the point of Tod Browning’s Freaks was that it’s what’s inside that makes someone a monster, Chained for Life finds that everyone is awkward, everyone sees their own flaws, and everybody is just somebody.
October 3, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Richard Whittaker
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Chained for Life’s genius is in its playfulness, and in [director Aarpm] Schimberg’s vision, lucid but disorienting, insistent that there be no boundary between the movie we’re watching and the movie – movies? – his characters are making.
September 23, 2019
K. Austin Collins
Vanity Fair
TOP CRITIC
It’s less like a dream than it is a trippy sniff off the fumes of a failed suicide by carbon-monoxide poisoning – that’s a compliment, by the way!
July 6, 2021
Jason Adams
The Film Experience
The film works as both an affectionate movie-industry comedy (with references to Franju and ‘Freaks’) and as a provocative inquiry into the parameters of onscreen ‘representation.’
June 22, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
Chained is more than a bit of a scathing indictment of Hollywood portrayals of anyone with a disability or who doesn’t conform to traditional matinee idol looks…and cinematic mindfuckery to boot.
April 25, 2020 | Rating: B+
Frank J. Avella
Edge Media Network
[A] character driven film that may feel a bit slow but has a decent pay-off for those it will touch and work for in the end.
April 11, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Emilie Black
Cinema Crazed
Although this film raised some very important topics, it continued on its journey as a self-reflexive movie within a movie. Independently, this is an interesting risk to take…
February 23, 2020
Allie Loukas
Battle Royale With Cheese
He’s crafted something wholly unique as it navigates the serious and meaningful as deftly as it does the darkly funny and creepy.
December 20, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Lisa Trifone
Third Coast Review…
Plot
In Chained for Life, an actress forms a connection with a young man who has a facial deformity, in a darkly funny and unpredictable exploration of moviemaking and societal perceptions of beauty.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Jess Weixler, known for her roles in Teeth and The Good Wife.
Aaron-Schimberg.jpg
77%
Us (2019)
77%RT Audience Score: 59%
Awards & Nominations: NA
With Jordan Peele’s second inventive, ambitious horror film, we have seen how to beat the sophomore jinx, and it is Us
Us is a movie that will leave you questioning everything, from the meaning of life to what you had for breakfast this morning. Jordan Peele has once again proven that he’s a master of horror, and he’s not afraid to use his formidable verbal and visual vocabulary to scare the pants off of you. The performances are top-notch, the production values are detailed and atmospheric, and the soundtrack will have you on the edge of your seat. So grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and get ready for a wild ride that you won’t soon forget. Just don’t blame us if you have trouble sleeping afterwards!
Production Company(ies)
Channel 4 News Channel 4 Frontline
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-14
Year of Release
2019
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:16:9 HD
-
Runtime:1h 56m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 22, 2019 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2019
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Anna Diop, directed by Jordan Peele, written by Jordan Peele, horror, R-rated, produced by Jordan Peele, Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Ian Cooper, box office gross $175.0M, reviewed by Stephanie Zacharek, John Semley, Randy Myers, Amy Nicholson, Hannah Giorgis, Ina Diane Archer, Brian Eggert, David Gonzalez, Lupita Nyong’o as Adelaide Wilson/Red, Winston Duke as Gabe Wilson/Abraham, Elisabeth Moss as Kitty Tyler, Tim Heidecker as Josh Tyler, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Russel Thomas/Weyland, Anna Diop as Rayne Thomas/Eartha, family, home invasion, doppelgangers, trauma, social commentary, inequality, Hands Across America, suspense, tension, violence, psychological horror, thriller, horror masterwork, chilling, intense, subversive, biting, satirical, pop-cultural references, allegory
Worldwide gross: $256,022,707
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $175,084,580
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Winston Duke – Gabe Wilson, Abraham
Elisabeth Moss – Kitty Tyler
Tim Heidecker – Josh Tyler
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – Russel Thomas, Weyland
Anna Diop – Rayne Thomas, Eartha
Director(s)
Jordan Peele
Writer(s)
Jordan Peele
Producer(s)
Jordan Peele, Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Ian Cooper
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (554) | Top Critics (104) | Fresh (515) | Rotten (39)
It’s one thing for a movie to humble you by leaving you unsure about yourself and your place in the world; it’s another for it to leave you wondering what, exactly, a filmmaker is trying to use his formidable verbal and visual vocabulary to say.
December 10, 2019
Stephanie Zacharek
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Peele develops a genuinely thrilling, heart-in-the-throat-scary horror picture.
December 10, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
John Semley
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Every element in this film serves a purpose and is set up like a chess move, from the soundtrack to the detailed production values. (Be sure to check out the old VHS tapes in a flashback sequence).
December 10, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Randy Myers
San Jose Mercury News
TOP CRITIC
I love the performances, but I’m just not super sold on the script, to be honest… I’m really ready for [Jordan Peele] to be his own voice now.
September 24, 2019
Amy Nicholson
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
A sharp, often funny meditation on the terrifying power of human connection.
September 10, 2019
Hannah Giorgis
The Atlantic
TOP CRITIC
…[A]ll the elements of the production work together to create an atmospheric menace that occupies a breathless two-thirds of the high-intensity 116-minute running time.
May 10, 2019
Ina Diane Archer
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Peele has committed most of his film’s runtime to an unyielding, scary premise that proves the filmmaker has his audience wrapped around his little finger.
March 3, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Just like that, Us has confirmed that Peele has become a tour de force as a director in Hollywood.
February 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
David Gonzalez
Reel Talk Inc.
It grips you immediately.
September 30, 2021
Lonita Cook
KCTV5 News at 9
Episode 32: Captive State / Pandorum / Mirror Image / Us
September 14, 2021 | Rating: 66/100
Taylor Baker
Drink in the Movies
It doesn’t pack the psychological punch of Get Out, but Us confirms that Jordan Peele’s phenomenal debut film was no fluke — and the praise he’s given is indeed well deserved.
July 13, 2021
Rick Marshall
Digital Trends
Similar to his first film, Peele practically demands multiple viewings.
June 25, 2021 | Rating: 4 / 5
Nicolás Delgadillo
Discussing Film…
Plot
Rebecca Pearson once had a difficult pregnancy with triplets. The resulting births occurred on the same day as her husband Jack Pearson’s thirty-sixth birthday. The lives of Rebecca, Jack and their three offspring – Kevin, Kate and Randall – are presented at different points in time. The Rebecca and Jack stories generally take place during the early stage of their marriage, surrounding the birth of the three children or at different phases of the children’s upbringing, which was not always smooth sailing for any of the five. Separate stories concerning Kevin, Kate and Randall are also presented in their adult years, each who has his or her own baggage resulting from that upbringing: Kevin who was generally the neglected one because he had no outward issues; Kate who has always had weight issues; Randall, the gifted one, being the visible outsider and being the “non-K” child. These stories may demonstrate the emotional ties that exist not only because of being family, but also because of four of them having the same birthday and some of them having always been together, meaning since conception.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Lupita Nyong’o’s performance in Us is described as “marvelous” and “terrifying” by audience reviewers.
Jordan-Peele.jpg
77%
Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
77%RT Audience Score: 65%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 4 Oscars
23 wins & 111 nominations total
Mary Poppins Returns relies on the magic of its classic forebear to cast a familiar — but still solidly effective — family-friendly spell
Mary Poppins Returns is practically perfect in every way! This sequel tells a new story while still capturing the heart and magic of the original. Emily Blunt shines as Mary, bringing her own sassy attitude to the role. And while some critics may say it plays it safe by following the structure of the first film, I say why mess with a good thing? This movie is a must-see for anyone who wants to feel like a kid again and be swept away by the whimsy of Disney magic.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions,
Distributor
Walt Disney
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
City of London, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for some mild thematic elements and brief action
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos Dolby Surround 7.1
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 10m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 2018 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 12, 2019
Genre(s)
Musical/Fantasy
Keyword(s)
Mary Poppins Returns, starring Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Pixie Davies, Nathanael Saleh, directed by Rob Marshall, written by David Magee, produced by Rob Marshall, John DeLuca, Marc Platt, musical, fantasy, adventure, PG rating, box office gross of $172.0M, reviewed by Danielle Gensburg, tt stern-enzi, Roxana Hadadi, Stephen Romei, Wenlei Ma, Anupama Chopra, Brian Eggert, Nicolás Delgadillo, Alex Bentley, Richard Crouse, Mike Massie, sequel, family-friendly, classic, bank teller, loan, missing certificate, magical, fun-filled adventure, Dolby Atmos, Scope (2.35:1), Walt Disney
Worldwide gross: $349,546,142
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $411,336,727
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 375
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 44,856,786
US/Canada gross: $171,958,438
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $202,356,177
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 341
US/Canada opening weekend: $23,523,121
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,681,391
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 501
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $130,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $152,980,588
Production budget ranking: 212
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $82,380,047
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $175,976,092
ROI to date (est.): 75%
ROI ranking: 1,038
Lin-Manuel Miranda – Jack
Ben Whishaw – Michael Banks
Emily Mortimer – Jane Banks
Pixie Davies – Anabel Banks
Nathanael Saleh – John Banks
Director – Rob Marshall
Producers – Rob Marshall, John DeLuca, Marc Platt
Writer – David Magee
Director(s)
Rob Marshall
Writer(s)
David Magee
Producer(s)
Rob Marshall, John DeLuca, Marc Platt
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
23 wins & 111 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (378) | Top Critics (75) | Fresh (301) | Rotten (77)
As wonderful as the original, telling a new story with equally important lessons about family, love, and hope.
February 21, 2020
Danielle Gensburg
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
I’m usually not a big fan of Rob Marshall but everything about this is seamless.
March 4, 2019
tt stern-enzi
WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)
TOP CRITIC
For first-time Mary Poppins viewers, especially young ones, the messages in Mary Poppins Returns about seeing the world through curious eyes will be refreshing and fun.
February 7, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Roxana Hadadi
Chesapeake Family Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It may seem unfair to compare the two movies, yet this sequel, with its deliberate nods to the original, is made to encourage just that. I think it’s what the filmmakers expect us to do.
January 18, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Stephen Romei
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Mary Poppins Returns plays it exceedingly safe, aping the original film beat by beat and note by note. It follows the exact structure of the 1964 movie to the point it starts to feel more like a remake than a sequel.
January 17, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Wenlei Ma
News.com.au
TOP CRITIC
If you have young children, you might consider giving Mary Poppins Returns a chance. I think they will enjoy it. There is less fodder here for adults but perhaps like me, you can distract yourself by admiring the sharp cut and fit of Mary’s coats.
January 4, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/5
Anupama Chopra
Film Companion
TOP CRITIC
I feel the same way about both Mary Poppins and its sequel, in that both are frivolous, certainly silly, occasionally imbalanced, definitely overlong, and somewhat meaningless fun.
March 4, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
A truly whimsical feeling of that classic Disney magic.
June 25, 2021 | Rating: 3.5 / 5
Nicolás Delgadillo
Discussing Film
Mary Poppins Returns is a film designed to make tons of money, but you won’t regret paying to see it for one second. Your childhood memories will remain intact and be enhanced by this mesmerizing movie.
April 9, 2021
Alex Bentley
CultureMap
Feels modern without sacrificing its nostalgic charm. There’s no “Supercallifragilisticexpialidocious” but, like the first film, there is plenty of heart.
February 3, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
This new Mary Poppins has a considerable struggle ringing true; the playfulness surrounding her actions, along with one after another misadventure, never feel quite right.
December 7, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Emily Blunt is practically perfect in every way as Mary capturing that sassy attitude we love about her.
November 5, 2020
Paul McGuire Grimes
KSTP-TV (St. Paul, MN)…
Plot
In Depression-era London, a now-grown Jane (Emily Mortimer) and Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw), along with Michael’s three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Mary Poppins Returns on Fresh Kernels.
Rob-Marshall.jpg
77%
Montparnasse Bienvenue (Jeune femme) (2017)
77%RT Audience Score: 55%
Awards & Nominations: 11 wins & 14 nominations
Jeune Femme is a tour de force of character study, with Laetitia Dosch delivering a performance that is both hilarious and poignant. The film’s syncopated approach to narrative gives it a very human spirit, and director Léonor Serraille should be commended for her confident debut. While some critics may see Paula as a reflection of identity politics, the film’s exploration of maturation and self-discovery is reflective of life itself, with all its ups and downs. Remember the names of Serraille and Dosch, as they have created a magnetic and unforgettable character in Paula.
Jeune Femme is a hilarious and heartwarming French indie film that follows the journey of Paula, a 31-year-old woman who is trying to find her place in the world. Laetitia Dosch delivers a captivating performance as Paula, whose audacity and free-spirited nature will have you rooting for her from start to finish. The film is a refreshing character study that explores the ups and downs of life, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with it. With its syncopated approach to narrative and human spirit, Jeune Femme is a must-watch for anyone looking for a good laugh and a touching story.
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros., 5000 Broadway Productions, Likely Story
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Paris, France
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2017
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):French, English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:NA
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Laetitia Dosch, Souleymane Seye Ndiaye, Grégoire Monsaingeon, Jean-Christophe Folly, Nathalie Richard, Marie Rémond, directed by Léonor Serraille, written by Léonor Serraille, drama, French (France), produced by Sandra da Fonseca, box office performance, budget, reviewed by J R Jones, Hannah McGill, Mark Kermode, Tara Brady, Kevin Maher, Peter Bradshaw, Andrew Gaudion, Marshall Shaffer, Tom Bond, Jason Best, PJ Nabarro, Alistair Ryder, Jeune Femme, Paula Simonian, Ousmane, Joachim Deloche, Médecin urgences, La mère de Paula, Anne, character study, emotional freefall, maturation, self-discovery, identity politics, clown, patriarchal, bourgeois villainy, 2022’s Most Anticipated Movies, 2022’s Most Anticipated TV & Streaming, All MCU Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, Renewed & Cancelled TV Shows 2022, Best 2022 Horror Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, TV Premiere Dates 2022, The Worst Horror Movies of All Time, Best Netflix Series & Shows
Worldwide gross: $423,747
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $511,139
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,733
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 55,740
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Souleymane Seye Ndiaye – Ousmane
Grégoire Monsaingeon – Joachim Deloche
Jean-Christophe Folly – Médecin urgences
Nathalie Richard – La mère de Paula
Marie Rémond – Anne
Director(s)
Léonor Serraille
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Sandra da Fonseca
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
11 wins & 14 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (1)
Laetitia Dosch gives a wildly funny performance as the red-headed heroine, Paula, whose audacity knows no bounds.
March 27, 2020
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Is the woman whose adult capabilities are a thin veneer over hysteria a rebellious threat to patriarchal expectations, or a perfect product thereof?
June 18, 2018 | Rating: 6
Hannah McGill
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
This is a refreshingly invigorating and unvarnished character study, thrumming with anxious life. Bravo!
May 20, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
There’s a white-knuckle sense of emotional freefall powering every fraught scene.
May 18, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Two mesmerising portraits for the price of one.
May 18, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It’s like a film that Philippe Garrel might have made, although Paula isn’t a thousand miles from Agnès Varda’s Cléo.
May 17, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Jeune Femme is a confidant debut for both director and star with its syncopated approach to narrative gives it a very human spirit to this tale of a 30-something woman in a state of crisis, just hoping she can land on her feet.
August 30, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Andrew Gaudion
THN
It’s a story of maturation and self-discovery that’s reflective of life itself in all the ups and downs.
April 20, 2019
Marshall Shaffer
Vague Visages
Remember the names of Léonor Serraille and Laetitia Dosch…The pair have created a hilarious, touching and magnetic Jeune Femme with Paula, a character you won’t be able to forget.
February 13, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Tom Bond
One Room With A View
Laetitia Dosch is hypnotic as the 31-year-old heroine of the bracingly peppery French indie drama Jeune Femme (aka Montparnasse Bienvenüe).
February 2, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Jason Best
Movie Talk
Progressively devolves into cheap identity politics. Paula becomes a form of clown, reflecting back on a conveniently unnuanced world of patriarchal and bourgeois villainy.
December 9, 2018 | Rating: 2/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
It often feels like there is a great film within Jeune Femme, but it just got lost in the editing suite; the emotional essence of Paula’s struggle remains, but it just doesn’t hit as hard as it should do.
November 12, 2018 | Rating: 6/10
Alistair Ryder
The Digital Fix…
Plot
After being left by her long-term partner, Paula wanders the streets of Paris in a state of crisis, but her audacious and unpredictable behavior leads her on a journey of self-discovery in this refreshingly invigorating character study.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Laetitia Dosch gives a wildly funny performance as the red-headed heroine, Paula, whose audacity knows no bounds.
Léonor-Serraille.jpg
77%
The Witch (2016)
77%RT Audience Score: 59%
Awards & Nominations: 43 wins & 71 nominations
As thought-provoking as it is visually compelling, The Witch delivers a deeply unsettling exercise in slow-building horror that suggests great things for debuting writer-director Robert Eggers
The Witch is a movie that’ll make you want to sleep with the lights on for a week. It’s not your typical horror flick with jump scares and gore, but it’s a slow burn that’ll leave you feeling uneasy. The soundscape is amazing, and the meticulousness of the director is evident in every scene. It’s a chilly film that’ll nibble away at your nerves, and the origin story of America bubbling beneath the surface adds an extra layer of intrigue. Overall, it’s a haunting and thrilling debut for Anya Taylor Joy, and I can’t wait to see what the director does next.
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros. Pictures, Endeavor Content One Community
Distributor
A24
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Kiosk, Ontario, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for disturbing violent content and graphic nudity
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 32m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:Canada
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 19, 2016 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 17, 2016
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, Lucas Dawson, directed by Robert Eggers, written by Robert Eggers, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Britt Ashley, Steven D Greydanus, Nigel Andrews, Sara Michelle Fetters, Max Weiss, Jason Bailey, Brian Eggert, Rosa Parra, Olly Richards, Emma Wolfe, Ian Brill, Richard Crouse, produced by Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Jodi Redmond, Daniel Bekerman, Rodrigo Teixeira, R-rated, witchcraft, New England, puritan, folklore, supernatural, slow-building horror, unsettling, disturbing, paranoia, faith, loyalty, love, family, twins, suspicion, MPAA rating, graphic nudity, disturbing violent content, A24, 1630, farmer, wife, children, youngest son, Samuel, disappears, Thomasin, oldest daughter, witchcraft, allegorical interpretation, origin story, America, The Shallows, Haywire, Cold in July, Split, Ma
Worldwide gross: $40,423,945
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $49,822,454
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,327
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 5,433,201
US/Canada gross: $25,138,705
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $30,983,418
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,264
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,800,230
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $10,846,271
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 933
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $4,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $4,929,994
Production budget ranking: 1,914
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,654,802
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $42,237,658
ROI to date (est.): 557%
ROI ranking: 229
Ralph Ineson – William
Kate Dickie – Katherine
Harvey Scrimshaw – Caleb
Ellie Grainger – Mercy
Lucas Dawson – Jonas
Director(s)
Robert Eggers
Writer(s)
Robert Eggers
Producer(s)
Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Jodi Redmond, Daniel Bekerman, Rodrigo Teixeira
Film Festivals
Sundance, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
43 wins & 71 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (332) | Top Critics (73) | Fresh (300) | Rotten (32)
Like any good horror film, The Witch is rife with opportunity for allegorical interpretation, and one of the most compelling narratives bubbling beneath surface is the origin story of America itself.
February 10, 2021
Britt Ashley
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
The stakes are real. The Devil is real. All roads do not lead up the mountain. Some lead to the heart of darkness, to the depths of a witch-haunted wood.
April 28, 2017 | Rating: A
Steven D. Greydanus
Catholic Digest
TOP CRITIC
The film starts with wordy wittering and ends by trying to woo our shrieks — from Arthur Miller to Dennis Wheatley in the shortest time possible between two blunt points.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 2/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
I’m fairly positive scares are not the point. Eggers takes things to a place that’s far more disconcerting, showing how human nature can be the most destructive of all forces.
August 15, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
As horror films go, the film is more slow burn than an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but it builds steadily to its dreadful and earned conclusion.
June 10, 2016 | Rating: 2.5/4
Max Weiss
Baltimore Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A film that surrounds you with a general yet mostly indescribable sense of unease, less through its violence or blood than its mood and tension. And then it clobbers you.
April 27, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
Eggers has made an unforgettable film that leaves us eagerly anticipating what he’ll do next.
April 22, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
An incredible debut for Anya Taylor Joy. Haunting, thrilling, and accompanied by a strong score.
January 25, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Rosa Parra
Latinx Lens
A chilly horror film that’ll nibble away at your nerves…
June 8, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Olly Richards
NME
I thought the soundscape was amazing in this movie… I felt like if it didn’t have that soundscape going along with the images it wouldn’t have been as scary as it was.
May 11, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Emma Wolfe
SpookyAstronauts
Eggers’ meticulousness, no doubt honed in his former job, is the source of this film’s strength.
April 13, 2021
Ian Brill
Battleship Pretension
The kind of horror film that is not content to simply say “Boo!” There are few, if any, jump scares in the film. Instead, it’s the kind of puritanical folk tale that slowly burrows itself into your brain, leaving you queasy and uneasy.
February 3, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse…
Plot
New England, 1630: William and Katherine try to lead a devout Christian life, homesteading on the edge of an impassible wilderness, with five children. When their newborn son mysteriously vanishes and their crops fail, the family begins to turn on one another. ‘The Witch’ is a chilling portrait of a family unraveling within their own sins, leaving them prey for an inconceivable evil.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Witch stars Anya Taylor-Joy in her breakout role as Thomasin.
Robert-Eggers.jpg
77%
Queen of Earth (2015)
77%RT Audience Score: 58%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 3 nominations
Led by a searing performance from Elisabeth Moss, Queen of Earth is a demanding — and ultimately rewarding — addition to writer-director Alex Ross Perry’s impressive filmography
Queen of Earth” is a movie that will make you feel like you’re stuck in a room with two feuding friends who just won’t stop bickering. But don’t worry, Elisabeth Moss and Katherine Waterston’s performances are so good that you won’t even mind being a fly on the wall. Director Alex Ross Perry’s style may not be for everyone, but if you’re in the mood for a slow-burning drama with simmering resentment and emotional violence, this movie is worth a watch. Just be prepared for some cursing and a lot of navel-gazing.
Production Company(ies)
Preferred Content Sundial Pictures,
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Carmel, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 29m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 26, 2015 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 22, 2015
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Elisabeth Moss, Katherine Waterston, Patrick Fugit, Kentucker Audley, Keith Poulson, Kate Lyn Sheil, directed by Alex Ross Perry, written by Alex Ross Perry, produced by Elisabeth Moss, Alex Ross Perry, Joe Swanberg, Adam Piotrowicz, Comedy, Drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Wendy Ide, Geoffrey Macnab, Peter Bradshaw, Donald Clarke, David Jenkins, Kim Newman, MPAA rating, psychological thriller, Catherine’s descent into madness, mental instability, depression, best friend, emotionally fragile woman, demanding, rewarding, addition, impressive filmography
Worldwide gross: $95,183
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $118,814
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,012
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 12,957
US/Canada gross: $91,218
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $113,865
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,647
US/Canada opening weekend: $11,360
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,180
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,619
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $200,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $249,654
Production budget ranking: 2,133
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $134,439
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$265,278
ROI to date (est.): -69%
ROI ranking: 1,800
Katherine Waterston – Virginia
Patrick Fugit – Rich
Kentucker Audley – James
Keith Poulson – Keith
Kate Lyn Sheil – Michelle
Elisabeth Moss – Producer
Alex Ross Perry – Producer, Writer, Director
Joe Swanberg – Producer
Adam Piotrowicz – Producer
Director(s)
Alex Ross Perry
Writer(s)
Alex Ross Perry
Producer(s)
Elisabeth Moss, Alex Ross Perry, Joe Swanberg, Adam Piotrowicz
Film Festivals
Berlin
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (83) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (77) | Rotten (6)
It displays some of the navel-gazing impulses of the mumblecore movement; it’s no surprise to see that mumble-originator Joe Swanberg serves as a producer.
July 4, 2016 | Rating: 2/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
At times, the style is very mannered but Moss and Waterston give rich and subtle performances as the two feuding friends who provide a twisted reflection of one another.
July 1, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It’s a one-note drama of simmering resentment. That note is sustained with impressive conviction.
June 30, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Moss is incandescently brilliant as a woman who smiles when she should be unnerved and boils with rage at the most inconsequential slights.
June 30, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
A lifetime pass for Perry – anything he makes from here on in will be of interest.
June 30, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
You have to be in the right mood for it, but this is one of the season’s finest films.
June 16, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Even if you prefer his previous film there is no doubt that the filmmaker is one to continue to watch, and perhaps an even more interesting one that first thought.
January 14, 2021
Aaron Pinkston
Battleship Pretension
An intelligent and emotionally driven dramatic thriller.
September 20, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Unlikable drama about so-called best friends has cursing.
April 14, 2020 | Rating: 1/5
Barbara Shulgasser
Common Sense Media
If only Perry’s direction had been as brave as the performances, Queen of Earth would be unmissable.
April 18, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Rachel Brook
One Room With A View
Queen of Earth is a rather curious take on paranoia, and how personal it can be. Two astounding performances make it worthwhile. [Full review in Spanish].
January 15, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Federico Furzan
Cinelipsis
Puts mumblecore millennials in a different context, and it suddenly all makes sense: these movies are about the despair of self-absorption and the emotional violence inflicted by spoiled brats.
August 29, 2018
Pat Padua
DCist…
Plot
Queen of Earth follows the tumultuous relationship between two best friends, as tensions rise during a week-long vacation.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Elisabeth Moss’s “searing performance” in Queen of Earth.
Alex-Ross-Perry.jpg
77%
Mr. Turner (2014)
77%RT Audience Score: 56%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 4 Oscars
20 wins & 71 nominations total
Led by a masterful performance from Timothy Spall and brilliantly directed by Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner is a superior Hollywood biopic
Mr. Turner” is like a painting come to life, with Timothy Spall’s performance as the eccentric artist stealing the show. Sure, it’s a bit long, but it’s worth it to see the stunning art direction and get a glimpse into the life of J.M.W. Turner. Plus, who doesn’t love a good biopic about a tortured artist? It’s like “A Star is Born,” but with more oil paint and less Lady Gaga.
Production Company(ies)
Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios,
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Kingsand, Cornwall, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some sexual content
Year of Release
2014
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 29m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 19, 2014 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 5, 2015
Genre(s)
Biography
Keyword(s)
starring Timothy Spall, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey, Paul Jesson, Lesley Manville, Martin Savage, directed by Mike Leigh, written by Mike Leigh, biography, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Rafer Guzman, Marjorie Baumgarten, James Berardinelli, Moira MacDonald, Joe Williams, Ty Burr, Nikki Baughan, Anne Brodie, Jennifer Merin, David Lamble, Katie Smith-Wong, MPAA rating R, some sexual content, Georgina Lowe produced, J.M.W Turner, eccentric British painter, seaside landlady, faithful housekeeper, unrequited love, Dolby Digital sound mix
Worldwide gross: $22,179,785
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $27,719,125
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,571
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,022,805
US/Canada gross: $3,958,500
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,947,124
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,815
US/Canada opening weekend: $109,000
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $136,222
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,824
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): £8,200,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Dorothy Atkinson – Hannah Danby
Marion Bailey – Sophia Booth
Paul Jesson – William Turner
Lesley Manville – Mary Somerville
Martin Savage – Benjamin Robert Haydon
Director(s)
Mike Leigh
Writer(s)
Mike Leigh
Producer(s)
Georgina Lowe
Film Festivals
Cannes, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
20 wins & 71 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (196) | Top Critics (69) | Fresh (190) | Rotten (6)
Mike Leigh’s biopic is so richly detailed that it feels like a documentary. Spall goes for broke in the outsize title role.
February 6, 2015 | Rating: 4/4
Rafer Guzman
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
There is little in the way of narrative eventfulness in the film, but Leigh luxuriates in the moments, and provides glimpses of what it takes to be an artist amid the fray.
February 2, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
At 150 minutes, it’s a little too long but there are stretches during its course when it captivates and amazes.
January 23, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
You leave “Mr. Turner,” as with all good fact-based films, wanting to know more about this man and his work – and remembering that beautiful, almost touchable light, on the canvas and on the screen.
January 22, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
For modern moviegoers, the earthy “Mr. Turner” may seem like slowly steeped tea with an unpleasant aftertaste. But while some are impatiently waiting for the paint to dry, astute viewers will see a cinematic landscape bloom.
January 15, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
Joe Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
If the past is a foreign country, then “Mr. Turner” is one of the most rhapsodic foreign films you may ever see.
January 12, 2015 | Rating: 4/4
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Mr. Turner is vivid in all senses, a masterful portrait of an iconic artist that is firmly in the frame this Awards season.
October 7, 2021
Nikki Baughan
AWFJ Women on Film
Mr. Turner is genius. In every way, the performances, the incredible true story and the superb art direction-and regular direction-create a stunning, unsentimental phenomenon…
October 7, 2021
Anne Brodie
AWFJ Women on Film
Mike Leigh’s exquisitely crafted and profoundly affecting Mr. Turner is one of the best films of 2014. Timothy Spall’s performance is brilliant.
October 7, 2021
Jennifer Merin
AWFJ Women on Film
Turner emerges as a complex and memorably tragic figure building on contemporary notions of artists as wastrels and failed adults.
June 18, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
[O]verlong and contextually lacking.
November 20, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/5
Katie Smith-Wong
Flick Feast
It’s an extraordinary film that brings to life an extraordinary artist, warts and all.
June 4, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Alexa Dalby
Dog and Wolf…
Plot
Mr. Turner is a biopic about eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner, who lives his last 25 years with gusto and secretly becomes involved with a seaside landlady, while his faithful housekeeper bears an unrequited love for him.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a masterful performance from Timothy Spall as J.M.W. Turner.
Mike-Leigh.jpg
77%
Arbitrage (2012)
77%RT Audience Score: 62%
Awards & Nominations: 4 wins & 6 nominations
Arbitrage is both a tense thriller and a penetrating character study, elevated by the strength of a typically assured performance from Richard Gere
Arbitrage is like a fancy dinner party where everyone is dressed to the nines and the food is delicious, but you can’t help but feel a little dirty after finding out how it was all paid for. The movie is a psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end, and the performances are noteworthy. It’s not an epic masterpiece, but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re in the mood for some moral dilemmas and pleasing twists. Just don’t expect to come out feeling squeaky clean.
Production Company(ies)
Les Films, du Cru Film4 Orange Studio
Distributor
Roadside Attractions
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, brief violent images and drug use
Year of Release
2012
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 40m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2012 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 21, 2012
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Richard Gere, Tim Roth, Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling, Evelina Turen, Monica Raymund, Laura Bickford, Kevin Turen, Justin Nappi, Robert Salerno, directed by Nicholas Jarecki, written by Nicholas Jarecki, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Deborah Ross, Anna Smith, Monica Castillo, Donald Clarke, David Sexton, David Cox, R MPAA rating, fraud, hedge fund, crime, thriller, character study, Wall Street, legal thriller, Richard Gere performance, family, detective, moral dilemmas, plot holes, affair, hit and run, suspense, tension, unnerving, top horror movies, MCU movies, Netflix series, TV premiere dates, worst horror movies, renewed and cancelled TV shows, horror movies ranked by Tomatometer
Worldwide gross: $35,485,056
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $45,748,201
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,379
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,988,899
US/Canada gross: $7,919,574
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $10,210,108
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,609
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,002,165
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $2,581,240
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,176
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $12,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $15,470,693
Production budget ranking: 1,499
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $8,330,968
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $21,946,540
ROI to date (est.): 92%
ROI ranking: 970
Tim Roth – Det. Michael Bryer
Susan Sarandon – Ellen Miller
Brit Marling – Brooke Miller
Evelina Turen – Emma
Monica Raymund – Reina
Director(s)
Nicholas Jarecki
Writer(s)
Nicholas Jarecki
Producer(s)
Laura Bickford, Kevin Turen, Justin Nappi, Robert Salerno
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (171) | Top Critics (54) | Fresh (149) | Rotten (22)
So slyly and craftily entertaining even though it probably doesn’t bear close scrutiny, I didn’t much care. It wasn’t epic. It didn’t ask me to ponder the meaning of life. And it’s good.
September 4, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
Pleasing twists and moral dilemmas abound.
September 5, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Anna Smith
metro.co.uk
TOP CRITIC
Really, it could use some nip/tuck on the screenplay, but the players are decent and the movie looks opulent enough.
April 13, 2016
Monica Castillo
Dig Boston
TOP CRITIC
We are persuaded to root for Miller, even when he is betraying the people he loves best. You’ll feel dirty, and well you should after a few hours in this company.
March 1, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Arbitrage is a slick, intelligent psychological thriller that works to connect public and private immorality.
March 1, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
David Sexton
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
An old-fashioned treat.
February 28, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
David Cox
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
In many ways, Arbitrage is the awards contender it may have first appeared to be. It is deep and meaningful and one of the most intelligent movies of the year.
March 11, 2021
David Bax
Battleship Pretension
Arbitrage is an ultimately timid work that has its heart half in the world it purports to disparage.
February 28, 2021
Joanne Laurier
World Socialist Web Site
Arbitrage is a mechanically sound and consistently entertaining film, with some noteworthy performances. However, after the film concludes, it’s hard to find anything to be enthusiastic about it.
July 8, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
Pointed but not polemical, [Nicholas] Jarecki’s allegorical film moves along steadily, buoyed by an eerie and modern score, as it traces the fault lines of one man’s delusions.
February 26, 2019
Molly Templeton
Eugene Weekly (OR)
Jarecki surprisingly manages to draw out a sense of sympathy for his protagonist.
February 9, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Russell Cook
CineVue
Arbitrage is unlikely to become a blockbuster, but it is clever, keeps us guessing and, in its credible depiction of the world of high finance, is more than a little chilling.
January 31, 2019 | Rating: B
Abbie Bernstein
Assignment X…
Plot
Robert Miller is a successful financial businessman with a loving wife and a smart daughter ready to take over the family business. Professional secrets involving illegal fraudulent activities start coming out at the same time that Robert’s personal secrets take a turn for the worse and threaten to derail everything he has achieved.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Richard Gere’s “typically assured performance” in Arbitrage.
Nicholas-Jarecki.jpg
77%
Red Lights (2004)
77%RT Audience Score: 65%
Awards & Nominations: 2 nominations
Red Lights is a film that, much like a stop-and-go traffic jam, has its moments of tension and intrigue, but ultimately fails to deliver a satisfying ride. While the film paints a devastating portrait of a marriage on the rocks, it falls short in its attempt to be a compelling thriller. The confluence of the mundane with the extraordinary is intriguing, but the lack of thrills leaves the audience wanting more. The film’s fastidiousness in prioritizing verisimilitude over entertainment ultimately hinders its ability to shine. In the end, Red Lights is one weird movie that barely makes it into the passing lane.
Red Lights is a movie that’s like driving on a highway with a lot of traffic – it’s stop-and-go all the way. While it starts off as a devastating little portrait of a marriage on the rocks, it quickly turns into a thriller that unfortunately lacks thrills. However, it’s still a compelling addition to the long tradition of artful French film adaptations of works of mystery and suspense literature. Overall, it’s one weird movie that’s worth watching if you’re in the mood for something a bit different.
Production Company(ies)
Power Pictures, 2002 Ltd., Bórd Scannán na hÉireann Nederlandse Programma Stichting
Distributor
Wellspring Cinema
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Casino L’Aliança del Poblenou, Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and some violence
Year of Release
2012
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 45m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 3, 2004 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2007
Genre(s)
Mystery & Thriller
Keyword(s)
Red Lights, Mystery, Thriller, 1h 45m, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Carole Bouquet, Vincent Deniard, Cédric Kahn, Laurence Ferreira-Barbosa, Gilles Marchand, Georges Simenon, French (France), Wellspring Cinema, Surround, Box Office, Gross USA, $672.1K, reviewed by Nick Schager, Peter Travers, Marjorie Baumgarten, Roger Moore, Geoff Pevere, Rick Groen, Keith H Brown, Dennis Schwartz, John Beifuss, Urban Cinefile Critics, Paul Doro, Steve Schneider, Hitchcockian, failing marriage, salesman, debauched night, hitchhiker, escaped killer, train, bickering, daughter, camp, journalist, inspector, waitress, directed by Cédric Kahn, written by Cédric Kahn, Laurence Ferreira-Barbosa, Gilles Marchand, Georges Simenon, produced by Wellspring Cinema, MPAA rating
Worldwide gross: $14,107,313
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $18,187,493
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,746
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,983,369
US/Canada gross: $52,624
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $67,844
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,716
US/Canada opening weekend: $10,340
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $13,331
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,635
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): 14000000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $18,049,142
Production budget ranking: 1,418
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,719,463
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$9,581,112
ROI to date (est.): -35%
ROI ranking: 1,594
Carole Bouquet – Hélène
Vincent Deniard – Man On The Run
Charline Paul – Waitress
Jean-Pierre Gos – Inspector
Damien Givelet – Journaliste
Director(s)
Cédric Kahn
Writer(s)
Cédric Kahn, Laurence Ferreira-Barbosa, Gilles Marchand, Georges Simenon
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Sundance, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
2 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (86) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (72) | Rotten (14)
Shines.
May 4, 2005 | Rating: B+
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
March 7, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
January 15, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Barely makes it into the passing lane. It’s stop-and-go all the way.
January 7, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Puts a tense, deteriorating marriage on a highway-bound collision course with a killer.
December 24, 2004 | Rating: 3/5
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
Before it turns into a thriller, and goes badly awry, Red Lights paints a devastating little portrait of a marriage on the rocks.
December 23, 2004 | Rating: 2/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
December 7, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/5
Keith H. Brown
Eye for Film
One weird movie.
April 11, 2005 | Rating: A
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
A compelling addition to the long tradition of artful French film adaptations of works of mystery and suspense literature.
March 4, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
It’s a gripping and powerful film that intrigues by the confluence of the mundane with the extraordinary.
February 11, 2005
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
A peculiar and occasionally engaging thriller that unfortunately lacks thrills.
January 6, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/4
Paul Doro
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Everything that ensues is exactly what we expect to ensue, doled out with a fastidiousness that places too high a priority on verisimilitude and not enough on, y’know, entertainment.
January 6, 2005 | Rating: 2.5/5
Steve Schneider
Orlando Weekly…
Plot
The skeptical psychologist Dr. Margaret Matheson and her assistant, physicist Tom Buckley, are specialists in disclosing fraudulent paranormal phenomena. When the famous psychic Simon Silver reappears to his public after many years of absence, Tom becomes singularly obsessed in determining whether Silver is a fraud or not.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Red Lights on Fresh Kernels.
Cédric-Kahn.jpg
77%
Compliance (2012)
77%RT Audience Score: 60%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 35 nominations
Anchored by smart, sensitive direction and strong performances, Complicance is a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that’s equal parts gripping and disturbing
Compliance is like that one time I accidentally watched a horror movie and couldn’t sleep for a week. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s definitely worth the watch if you’re into psychological thrillers. The fact that it’s based on true events makes it all the more disturbing, but the acting is so good that you can’t look away. Just be prepared to feel angry, frustrated, and maybe a little bit sick to your stomach.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures,
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and sexual content/nudity
Year of Release
2012
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:1h 30m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 17, 2012 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 8, 2013
Genre(s)
Mystery & thriller
Keyword(s)
Compliance, Mystery, Thriller, 2012, R, English, Craig Zobel, Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin, Lisa Muskat, Theo Sena, Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Bill Camp, Philip Ettinger, James McCaffrey, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, Deborah Ross, Steve Erickson, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Francesca Steele, Damon Wise, Jordan M Smith, David Harris, Mattie Lucas, Craig Williams, Sarah Ward, Pat Padua, based on a true story, fast-food worker, theft, interrogation, psychological horror, thriller, ripped-from-the-headlines, box office, $311.9K, budget, Magnolia Pictures, MPAA rating, sexual content, nudity, language, directed by Craig Zobel, written by Craig Zobel, produced by Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin, Lisa Muskat, Theo Sena, Craig Zobel, starring Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Bill Camp, Philip Ettinger, James McCaffrey
Worldwide gross: $592,116
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $763,370
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,651
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 83,247
US/Canada gross: $319,285
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $411,630
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,376
US/Canada opening weekend: $16,427
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $21,178
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,497
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $270,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $348,091
Production budget ranking: 2,125
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $187,447
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $227,833
ROI to date (est.): 43%
ROI ranking: 1,187
Dreama Walker – Becky
Pat Healy – Officer Daniels
Bill Camp – Van
Philip Ettinger – Kevin
James McCaffrey – Det. Neals
Self – Craig Zobel (Director/Writer)
Tyler Davidson – Producer
Sophia Lin – Producer
Lisa Muskat – Producer
Theo Sena – Producer
Director(s)
Craig Zobel
Writer(s)
Craig Zobel
Producer(s)
Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin, Lisa Muskat, Theo Sena, Craig Zobel
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 35 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (144) | Top Critics (57) | Fresh (128) | Rotten (16)
It took me places I did not want to go, got me in a mindset so infuriating I was angry at myself for thinking the thoughts I was.
March 2, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
It’s not an easy watch, which is kind of the point, and I’m not even sure what genre it is. Psychological horror? Thriller? But it will haunt and resonate.
September 4, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
Compliance’s underlying humanism and political conscience lift it beyond being a macho endurance test.
February 22, 2018
Steve Erickson
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
Plausibly acted, if implausibly directed by Craig Zobel (Great World Of Sound), the credulity of this provocative scenario would snap had it not actually happened more than 70 times across 30 US states.
September 1, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Larushka Ivan-Zadeh
metro.co.uk
TOP CRITIC
The most disturbing aspect of Compliance is its implied complicity.
August 11, 2017
Francesca Steele
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A punchy and effective drama.
March 22, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Damon Wise
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Rife with the downfalls of human subservience, Compliance is a luminous, pulsating Milgram experiment come to life, and you won’t be able to turn your gaze from the results.
November 16, 2020
Jordan M. Smith
IONCINEMA.com
Writer-director Craig Zobel puts both his characters and his audience through 90 minutes of squirmy hell.
November 11, 2019 | Rating: 2.4/5
David Harris
Spectrum Culture
A complex and unnerving psychological thriller that is unmistakably the work of a promising and daring new talent.
August 6, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Compliance is a tremendously incisive film; deeply intelligent and clinically compelling.
February 13, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Craig Williams
CineVue
The challenging but compelling feature is at all times exasperating and thought-provoking.
December 4, 2018
Sarah Ward
Trespass
Fraught with thriller tropes seen through an art-house filter, with plenty of coldly beautiful establishing shots of corporate America.
August 30, 2018
Pat Padua
DCist…
Plot
At a fast food restaurant, the manager, Sandra, is having a bad day. Suddenly, she gets a phone call from a man claiming to be a police officer who has a complaint that one of her young female employees has stolen from a customer. At the orders of this authoritative sounding stranger, Sandra takes the apparent accused, Becky, to a back room to search her before she is picked up. Once there, the phone scammer manipulates the gullible personnel into participating in Becky’s sexual humiliation that grows more twisted with every new sucker on the phone. Only when one final person has the conscience to revolt do they realize the crime they were tricked into, which the real police are hard pressed to solve.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Ann Dowd delivers a strong performance as the manager who subjects her employee to harsh interrogation in Compliance.
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