City of Angels (1998)
RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: NA
City of Angels may not tug the heartstrings as effortlessly as it aims to, but the end results will still leave more than a few viewers in tears
City of Angels is a movie that’s been around for a while, but it’s still worth watching if you’re in the mood for a glossy romance with a supernatural twist. Sure, it’s not as poetic as Wings of Desire, but it’s got Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan deviating from their usual screen personas, which is always fun to see. Plus, the movie’s eerie vision of black-clad angels lurking in the shadows is genuinely haunting. So, if you’re looking for a movie that’ll make you think about mortality, sacrifice, and the mixed blessings of the human condition, give City of Angels a try. Just don’t expect it to be the most emotionally involving flick you’ve ever seen.
Production Company(ies)
Apple Original Films, Cartoon Saloon Mélusine Productions,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
Year of Release
1998
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 57m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 10, 1998 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 29, 1998
Genre(s)
Romance
Keyword(s)
Loading…
Worldwide gross: $198,685,114
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $78,685,114
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
Taika Waititi – Viago
Jonny Brugh – Deacon
Cori Gonzalez-Macuer – Nick
Stuart Rutherford – Stu
Ben Fransham – Petyr
Director(s)
Writer(s)
Wim Wenders, Peter Handke, Richard Reitinger, Dana Stevens
Producer(s)
Charles Roven, Dawn Steel
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (60) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (25)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: C
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Glossy romance as an angel falls for a surgeon.
December 22, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
October 18, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Strains to achieve the enchantingly sublime, but ends up sinking to the depressingly ridiculous.
April 27, 2007
Andrew Sarris
Observer
TOP CRITIC
As a remake it’s not as poetic as Wenders’ masterpiece Wings of Desire, but it’s supremely mounted (by ace lenser John Seale) and contains touching performances from Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan deviating from their respective screen images.
June 1, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Emanuel Levy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Funnier than Wenders’ version, and it also succeeds in visualising LA as a magical city while dealing intelligently with the themes of mortality, sacrifice, free will, and the mixed blessings of the human condition.
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Everything the over-the-top Ghost should have been – stylish, endearing and, watching it now 23 years on, enduring – City of Angels’ only disappointment is that it didn’t make even more of the Cannes-winning source material.
November 30, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
The movie’s eerie, slightly menacing vision of black-clad angels lurking in the shadowy corners of unsuspecting lives is genuinely haunting.
September 18, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide
An emotionally uninvolving flick that attempts to play on the heart strings of the viewer and fails in its effort.
April 9, 2005 | Rating: C-
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews
City of Angels is the sort of compromised movie that could have been almost good, but decided to be a great big hit instead.
January 2, 2005 | Rating: C
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
City of Angels raises theological questions, albeit in a somewhat pedestrian manner, and makes them an integral part of its otherwise formulaic plot.
December 6, 2004
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer
Superb imagery can’t compensate for deficiencies of Dana Steven’s script and can’t hide the formulaic nature of this film.
June 2, 2004 | Rating: 4/10
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews…
Plot
An angel falls in love with a heart surgeon and decides to give up his immortality to be with her as a mortal entity in City of Angels.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
no_poster.png
79%
Breakdown (1997)
RT Audience Score: 68%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 2 nominations
A brainy and suspenseful — if somewhat uneven — thriller
Breakdown is a 90s thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat, even if Kurt Russell’s energy is lacking. The film’s simplicity is what makes it so striking, and the central premise is wholly believable. It’s a taut suspense film that twists and turns before accelerating to a wonderfully overwrought finale. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Ordinary Person in Extraordinary Peril subgenre? Despite a few hiccups, Breakdown is a solid movie that’s worth adding to your watchlist.
Production Company(ies)
Cinema ’84 Euro Film Funding, Hemdale
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
240 St E, Lancaster, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence/terror and language
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): May 10, 2011
Genre(s)
Mystery & thriller
Keyword(s)
starring Kurt Russell, Kathleen Quinlan, J.T Walsh, M.C Gainey, Jack Noseworthy, Rex Linn, directed by Jonathan Mostow, written by Jonathan Mostow, Sam Montgomery, Mystery & thriller, R rating, box office gross $50.2M, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Stephen Hunter, Jeff Strickler, Roger Ebert, Peter Stack, Jen Johans, Matt Brunson, Allison Rose, Danielle Solzman, Mike Massie, produced by Martha De Laurentiis, Dino De Laurentiis, Paramount Presents collection, car trouble, New Mexico desert, truck driver, missing wife, suspenseful, brainy, uneven, gritty, glossy, ordinary person in extraordinary peril, horror movie tricks, actioner clichés, low-and-slow simmer, Blumhouse, tightly wound watch, filigree, flourish, top horror movies, RT Podcasts, most anticipated movies, 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, worst horror movies of all time, best Netflix series & shows
Worldwide gross: $50,159,144
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $93,500,700
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,048
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 10,196,369
US/Canada gross: $50,159,144
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $93,500,700
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 782
US/Canada opening weekend: $12,307,128
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $22,941,482
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 588
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $36,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $67,106,911
Production budget ranking: 624
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $36,137,072
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$9,743,282
ROI to date (est.): -9%
ROI ranking: 1,443
J.T. Walsh – Warren “Red” Barr
Kathleen Quinlan – Amy Taylor
M.C. Gainey – Earl
Jack Noseworthy – Billy
Rex Linn – Sheriff Boyd
Director(s)
Jonathan Mostow
Writer(s)
Jonathan Mostow, Sam Montgomery
Producer(s)
Martha De Laurentiis, Dino De Laurentiis
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 2 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (57) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (10)
Its simplicity is striking, and because the central premise is wholly believable, the sensational and impossible aspects become equally genuine as the film goes along.
July 1, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: A-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
[Kurt Russell’s] lack of energy afflicts the film as much as its director’s lack of ideas.
May 7, 2003
Stephen Hunter
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
A taut suspense film.
November 6, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/5
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Taut, skillful and surgically effective.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
A 96- minute thrill ride that twists and turns before accelerating to a wonderfully overwrought finale.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 4/4
Peter Stack
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Clocking in at roughly ninety minutes, Mostow’s film plays like a gritty yet glossy entry into the universally relatable Ordinary Person in Extraordinary Peril subgenre
October 13, 2021
Jen Johans
Film Intuition
A turbo-charged thriller.
September 24, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Despite a few hiccups, Breakdown is a solid movie and Paramount Pictures made a very good choice adding to their Paramount Presents collection.
September 23, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
Breakdown is a 90s thriller through and through.
September 20, 2021
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
Dabbles in a few horror movie tricks and actioner clichés that weaken the momentum, but it nonetheless refuses to lose all of its steam.
September 10, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Sometimes a tightly wound watch – with a little bit of filigree and flourish to set it apart – is all you need. The sort of low-and-slow simmer that Blumhouse might now push into 1,000 theaters at best.
September 21, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Nick Rogers
The Film Yap…
Plot
Jeff and Amy Taylor are moving to California and must drive across the country. When they find themselves stranded in the middle of a desert with hardly anyone or anything around, their trip comes to a sudden halt. Amy had taken a ride with a friendly trucker to a small diner to call for help, but after a long time, Jeff becomes worried. He finds that no one in the diner has seen or heard from his wife. When he finds the trucker who gave Amy the ride, the trucker swears he has never seen her. Now Jeff must attempt to find his wife, who has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. But who can he trust?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for the film Breakdown.
Jonathan-Mostow.jpg
79%
Lost Highway (1997)
RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 7 nominations
Marking a further escalation in David Lynch’s surrealist style, Lost Highway is a foreboding mystery that arguably leads to a dead end, although it is signposted throughout with some of the director’s most haunting images yet
Lost Highway is a movie that will leave you feeling like you just went on a wild ride through the mind of David Lynch. With its jarring narrative and hallucinatory frenzy, it’s not for the faint of heart. But if you’re up for a challenge, you’ll be rewarded with stunning visuals and a cast that’s as eclectic as it is talented. Just don’t expect to come out of it with all the answers – sometimes it’s better to just enjoy the ride.
Production Company(ies)
Produzioni Europee Associate, Arturo González Producciones Cinematográficas, Constantin Film
Distributor
October Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
7035 Senalda Road, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for bizarre violent and sexual content, and for strong language
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 15m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 21, 1997 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 25, 2008
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Lost Highway, drama, 2h 15m, Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, Balthazar Getty, Robert Blake, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Richard Pryor, directed by David Lynch, written by David Lynch and Barry Gifford, mystery, surrealist, haunting images, dead end, noir, horror, sexual insecurity, paranoia, schizophrenic, alternate reality, underworld purgatory, dream hallucinations, suppressed memories, femme fatales, gangster, pornography, murder, jazz musician, accused of murder, mechanic, web of deceit, temptress, Mystery Man, reviewed by Richard Brody, Owen Gleiberman, Jeremiah Kipp, James Berardinelli, Roger Ebert, Mike Clark, Andy Klein, Nicholas Bell, Stephen Silver, Jason Shawhan, Grant Watson, David Nusair, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR, produced by Deepak Nayar, Tom Sternberg, Mary Sweeney, $18.0K box office gross in the USA, R MPAA rating, English original language, February 21, 1997, wide theatrical release, March 25, 2008, streaming release, October Films distributor, Scope (2.35:1) aspect ratio
Worldwide gross: $3,756,869
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $6,903,713
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,077
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 752,859
US/Canada gross: $3,675,201
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $6,850,872
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,718
US/Canada opening weekend: $212,710
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $396,509
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,463
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $27,961,213
Production budget ranking: 1,184
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $15,057,113
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$36,114,613
ROI to date (est.): -84%
ROI ranking: 1,918
Patricia Arquette – Renee Madison, Alice Wakefield
Balthazar Getty – Pete Dayton
Robert Blake – Mystery Man
Natasha Gregson Wagner – Sheila
Richard Pryor – Arnie
Director – David Lynch
Producers – Deepak Nayar, Tom Sternberg, Mary Sweeney
Writers – David Lynch, Barry Gifford
Director(s)
David Lynch
Writer(s)
David Lynch, Barry Gifford
Producer(s)
Deepak Nayar, Tom Sternberg, Mary Sweeney
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (50) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (33) | Rotten (17)
Lynch brings the movie’s febrile and violent artifice to life in visual compositions of a poised, painterly authority and interrupts them with quick bursts of hallucinatory frenzy.
July 5, 2022
Richard Brody
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
It’s pensive male anxiety, and for some cultural reason it’s easier for audiences to accept female hysteria than the insecurities of men.
April 1, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jeremiah Kipp
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
[Lynch] knows how to put effective images on the screen, and how to use a soundtrack to create mood, but at the end of the film, our hand closes on empty air.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Visually arresting, the movie does keep you going until the finale confirms suspicions that Lynch has painted himself into a corner.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/4
Mike Clark
USA Today
TOP CRITIC
Behind Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, it’s probably my favorite David Lynch film.
June 25, 2022
Andy Klein
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
Justifiably off-putting in its simple but nonetheless jarring narrative disorientation, Lost Highway is hardly the empty, superficial exercise it was written off as.
June 24, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
It looks fantastic, it has a wildly eclectic cast, and most of all, its pure, unadulterated Lynch.
March 4, 2022 | Rating: B
Stephen Silver
Tilt Magazine
Lost Highway, Lynch’s second collaboration with Wild at Heart author Barry Gifford, is all too conscious of doom nipping at your metaphorical heels. It’s a down-and-dirty Los Angeles noir that even James Ellroy would have to look at and say, “damn.”
September 10, 2021
Jason Shawhan
Nashville Scene
Senses of unease and menace are soaked into every scene. It is genuinely disturbing in places, adding up to an overall frightening experience that tops close to every horror work of its decade.
July 24, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Grant Watson
Fiction Machine
A prototypically baffling David Lynch picture…
June 23, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews…
Plot
Fred Madison, a saxophonist, is accused under mysterious circumstances of murdering his wife Renee. On death row, he inexplicably morphs into a young man named Pete Dayton, leading a completely different life. When Pete is released, his and Fred’s paths begin to cross in a surreal, suspenseful web of intrigue, orchestrated by a shady gangster boss named Dick Laurent.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Lost Highway includes Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, Balthazar Getty, Robert Blake, Natasha Gregson Wagner, and Richard Pryor.
David-Lynch.jpg
79%
Everyone Says I Love You (1996)
RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: NA
A likable, infectious musical, Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You is sometimes uneven but always toe-tapping and fun
Everyone Says I Love You is a classic Woody Allen film that follows the lives of rich, uninteresting New Yorkers. While some critics found the story half-hearted and the jokes hit or miss, others found it to be a warmhearted and original tribute to classic Hollywood movies of the 1930s. Personally, I found it to be a painless and pleasing middlebrow fare, much like a Bob Hope musical comedy. The dance numbers were clever, fun, and funky, and the film had a sweet conceit that glued a grin on my face until its crucial next-to-last scene hit a clunker note. Overall, it’s a great movie to watch if you’re in the mood for some light-hearted entertainment.
Production Company(ies)
HBO Documentary Films, Jigsaw Productions, Sky Atlantic
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Rue Cortot, Paris 18, Paris, France
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for one use of strong language
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 41m
-
Language(s):English, French, Italian, Hindi
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 3, 1997 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2012
Genre(s)
Musical/Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Woody Allen, Goldie Hawn, Drew Barrymore, Edward Norton, Julia Roberts, Tim Roth, Natasha Lyonne, Alan Alda, Robert Dandridge, directed by Woody Allen, written by Woody Allen, produced by Robert Greenhut, musical, romance, R rating, box office gross $9.7M, budget, reviewed by Steve Davis, Ruthe Stein, Kenneth Turan, Mike Clark, Charles Taylor, Roger Ebert, Jas Keimig, Emanuel Levy, Ellen Twadell, Dennis Schwartz, Jeffrey M Anderson, Robin Clifford, Natalie Portman, Paris, New York, singing, dancing, family, divorce, wedding, criminal, Europe, love, comedy, drama, star-studded cast, charming, likable, infectious, uneven, toe-tapping, fun
Worldwide gross: $9,759,200
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $18,191,938
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,745
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,983,854
US/Canada gross: $9,759,200
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $18,191,938
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,442
US/Canada opening weekend: $131,678
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $245,458
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,599
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $20,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $37,281,617
Production budget ranking: 1,008
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $20,076,151
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$39,165,830
ROI to date (est.): -68%
ROI ranking: 1,796
Woody Allen – Joe Berlin
Drew Barrymore – Schuyler Dandridge
Goldie Hawn – Steffi Dandridge
Julia Roberts – Von Sidell
Tim Roth – Charles Ferry
Director(s)
Woody Allen
Writer(s)
Woody Allen
Producer(s)
Robert Greenhut
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (44) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (34) | Rotten (10)
The preoccupation with rich, uninteresting, New Yorkers continues to distance his audience from his work more and more with each movie.
July 4, 2004 | Rating: 1.5/5
Steve Davis
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Listening to the others sounding like a spouse in the shower makes one wonder: How bad could Barrymore be that she had to be dubbed?
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 2/4
Ruthe Stein
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Much of the film’s story is half-hearted, its jokes hit or miss, and what starts out feeling genial ends up unavoidably thin.
February 14, 2001 | Rating: 2/5
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
If it doesn’t quite mandate a viewer song burst, this sweet conceit ought to glue a grin on your face until its crucial next-to-last scene hits a clunker note.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4
Mike Clark
USA Today
TOP CRITIC
For a picture that’s almost a complete misfire, it’s painless to sit through.
January 1, 2000
Charles Taylor
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
It would take a heart of stone to resist this movie.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 4/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Though the premise is unoffensive enough, there’s still a queasy Allenian sheen to the character he plays in the film…
January 20, 2022
Jas Keimig
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
Warmhearted, original, but not entirely successful tribute to classic Hollywood movies of the 1930s, specifically Capra’s You Can’t Take It With You.
May 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Modern musical will not interest teens.
January 1, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Ellen Twadell
Common Sense Media
Slight but pleasing middlebrow fare (much like a Bob Hope musical comedy).
November 22, 2006 | Rating: B-
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Everyone Says I Love You won me over completely.
May 26, 2006
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
The dance numbers are clever, fun and, sometimes, funky and are cleanly choreographed.
April 9, 2005 | Rating: B
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews…
Plot
In Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You, a wealthy Manhattan family deals with divorce, impending weddings, unexpected love interests, and musical numbers.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The star-studded cast of Everyone Says I Love You includes Woody Allen, Goldie Hawn, Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts, and Tim Roth.
Woody-Allen.jpg
79%
A Time to Kill (1996)
RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 12 nominations
Overlong and superficial, A Time to Kill nonetheless succeeds on the strength of its skillful craftsmanship and top-notch performances
If you’re in the mood for a courtroom drama that’s a little bit pulpy, a little bit intense, and a lot bit Matthew McConaughey, then A Time To Kill might just be the movie for you. Sure, it’s got its flaws (like any good legal thriller), but it’s also got some great performances, some thought-provoking themes, and a whole lot of southern charm. So grab your gavel and your homemade wig, and settle in for a wild ride through the deep south.
Production Company(ies)
Horizon Pictures,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
London, Ontario, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for violence and some graphic language
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Aug 22, 1997
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Samuel L Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Spacey, Sandra Bullock, Brenda Fricker, Oliver Platt, Ellen Roark, Carl Lee Hailey, Jake Tyler Brigance, D.A Rufus Buckley, Ethel Twitty, Harry Rex Vonner, directed by Joel Schumacher, written by Akiva Goldsman, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chris Peachment, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Richard Schickel, Todd McCarthy, Geoff Andrew, Grant Watson, David Nusair, James Croot, Leigh Paatsch, Lynnette Nicholas, produced by Arnon Milchan, Michael G Nathanson, Hunt Lowry, John Grisham, R rating, courtroom drama, racial tensions, Southern town, untested lawyer, rape, revenge, bigotry, deliberate crimes, faith, skillful craftsmanship, top-notch performances
Worldwide gross: $152,266,007
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $290,637,057
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 520
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 31,694,336
US/Canada gross: $108,766,007
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $207,606,627
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 331
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,823,159
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $28,293,638
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 490
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $40,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $76,349,820
Production budget ranking: 548
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $41,114,378
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $173,172,858
ROI to date (est.): 147%
ROI ranking: 774
Samuel L. Jackson – Carl Lee Hailey
Matthew McConaughey – Jake Tyler Brigance
Kevin Spacey – D.A. Rufus Buckley
Brenda Fricker – Ethel Twitty
Oliver Platt – Harry Rex Vonner
Director(s)
Joel Schumacher
Writer(s)
Akiva Goldsman
Producer(s)
Arnon Milchan, Michael G. Nathanson, Hunt Lowry, John Grisham
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 12 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (58) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (19)
In order to enjoy this mediocre John Grisham courtroom drama, labeled as top-notch entertainment by many of my colleagues, you have to accept an ersatz, cartoonish version of the deep south…
June 14, 2022
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
(Grisham) films are… grossly over-inflated examples of that old genre which hardly ever need change, the courtroom drama. A Time To Kill is no different, except that its verdict would be laughed out of any court anywhere in the civilised world.
November 29, 2017
Chris Peachment
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: C
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A likable — maybe even lovable — movie.
June 14, 2009
Richard Schickel
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Although it has its share of implausibilities, A Time To Kill is generally the most satisfying of the John Grisham screen adaptations to date.
October 8, 2008
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Justice may be blind, but rarely have courtroom dramas presumed quite so heavily on cultural myopia as this heinous version of John Grisham’s first novel.
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
There is a lot in here that is effective, and plenty that works. There is simply also a lot that doesn’t.
July 3, 2022 | Rating: 6/10
Grant Watson
Fiction Machine
…a slow-moving yet mostly engrossing drama…
June 13, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
It’s not perfect, but perhaps that’s part of its sometimes pulpy joy (and certainly McConaughey’s character flaws are part of his charm).
October 16, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
Better grab those homemade wigs and gavels, because here comes another ripping, one-size-fits-all slab of legal eaglery from the platinum paperback pen of John “you can buy my collected works at any airport newsagent” Grisham.
May 26, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
Legal drama candidly tackles race relations in America.
May 29, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Lynnette Nicholas
Common Sense Media
A gritty, intense and engaging courtroom drama.
June 14, 2009
Film4 Staff
Film4…
Plot
When Tonya Hailey, an innocent little African-American girl is raped and beaten by 2 beer-guzzling rednecks, the town of Clanton, Mississippi is shocked. Her father Carl Lee Hailey is outraged, and figuring he could not see those boys set free, decides to take justice into his own hands and kills them in the court house, in front of numerous witnesses. Now it’s up to Jake Brigance to get Carl Lee off the hook. He has people that help him, but he is up against tough D.A. Rufus Buckley. Will he be able to prove that a black man can get a fair trial in Mississippi?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about A Time to Kill.
Joel-Schumacher.jpg
79%
Freeway (1996)
RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 4 nominations
A modern update on the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, Freeway is an audacious black comedy with a star-making performance from the young Reese Witherspoon
If you’re looking for a movie that’s a little bit twisted, a little bit funny, and a lot bit Reese Witherspoon, then Freeway is the flick for you. It’s a modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, but with a whole lot more violence and a whole lot less grandma. Critics are divided on whether it’s a masterpiece or a mess, but we say it’s worth a watch just to see Witherspoon in one of her earliest roles. Plus, who doesn’t love a good road trip movie? Just maybe don’t watch it with your grandma.
Production Company(ies)
X-Filme Creative Pool Westdeutscher Rundfunk ARTE
Distributor
Roxie Releasing, Republic Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Sunland, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong lurid violence and sexual dialogue, some sexual situations, drug content and language
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 42m
-
Language(s):Spanish, English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 23, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 3, 2007
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherland, Amanda Plummer, Brooke Shields, Wolfgang Bodison, Dan Hedaya, directed by Matthew Bright, written by Matthew Bright, produced by Brad Wyman, Chris Hanley, comedy, R rating, Little Red Riding Hood, I-5 Killer, modern retelling, black comedy, graphic sociology, box office gross, $283.8K, reviewed by Kim Newman, Joe Leydon, Lawrence Van Gelder, Liam Lacey, Mick LaSalle, Kevin Thomas, Joe Lipsett, Trace Thurman, Ren Jender, Deborah Hornblow, Emanuel Levy, Jeffrey M Anderson, cult film, satire, twisted, inner-city life, grim humor, tasteless, Reese Witherspoon’s best acting, Kiefer Sutherland’s despicable character, over the top, exploitation film, comedic, terrifying, top horror movies, top Netflix series, anticipated movies, anticipated TV & streaming, MCU movies ranked, renewed & cancelled TV shows 2022, worst horror movies of all time
Worldwide gross: $295,493
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $550,823
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,714
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 60,068
US/Canada gross: $295,493
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $550,823
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,303
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,945
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,859
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,388
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $5,592,243
Production budget ranking: 1,851
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,011,423
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$8,052,842
ROI to date (est.): -94%
ROI ranking: 1,982
Reese Witherspoon – Vanessa Lutz
Brooke Shields – Mimi Wolverton
Wolfgang Bodison – Detective Mike Breer
Dan Hedaya – Detective Garnet Wallace
Amanda Plummer – Ramona Lutz
Matthew Bright – Director/Writer
Brad Wyman – Producer
Chris Hanley – Producer
Director(s)
Matthew Bright
Writer(s)
Matthew Bright
Producer(s)
Brad Wyman, Chris Hanley
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (10)
Not for the faint hearted but should have been much bigger than it was.
September 10, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
“Freeway” is a thoroughly nasty piece of work, the product of a filmmaker with a ludicrously misplaced confidence in his own cleverness.
March 26, 2009
Joe Leydon
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Freeway glints here and there with dark humor amounting to a knowing wink that undercuts the cautionary tale at its heart and the seriousness of its graphic sociology.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 2/5
Lawrence Van Gelder
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Cynical, stylish and witty.
July 12, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Rude in the way the truth is rude — only funnier.
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 4/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
It’s too drawn-out, too talky and, at the most crucial moment, needlessly implausible, to sustain its humor and large dose of violence.
February 14, 2001 | Rating: 2/5
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
A black comedy exploitation film with far more social commentary than expected. Sutherland and Witherspoon are magnetic and you wish they would interact more.
March 7, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Joe Lipsett
Horror Queers Podcast
Matthew Bright’s Freeway is an intentionally offensive and hilarious update of Little Red Riding Hood with a tour de force performance from a pre-fame Reese Witherspoon.
March 1, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Trace Thurman
Horror Queers Podcast
Freeway is far from a perfect film but well worth seeing, even for those who don’t count themselves as fans of Witherspoon.
March 13, 2019
Ren Jender
Bitch Flicks
The greatness of [Matthew] Bright’s storytelling lies in his sympathy and admiration for his characters, especially his Red Riding Hood.
January 2, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5
Deborah Hornblow
Hartford Courant
Darkly humorous, witty and nasty, Freeway is an original take on the Red Riding Hood fairytale, featuring a wonderful performance by the teenage Reese Witherspoon, before she became a star
March 6, 2011 | Rating: B
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
[The] characters are crisp and fascinating, and the movie has a great anything-can-happen B-movie excitement feel to it.
January 28, 2011
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid…
Plot
Little Red Riding Hood for the 1990’s: After her mom and step-dad are arrested, 15-year-old Vanessa Lutz decides that instead of once again being put into a foster home, she’d rather go and search for the grandmother she’s never met, and live with her. “On the way to grandma’s house,” (actually a trailer park) Vanessa’s car breaks down, and she’s picked up from the side of the road by Bob Wolverton, a counselor at a school for troubled boys. Bob slowly earns Vanessa’s trust, and eventually convinces her to talk about her sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather. When Vanessa realizes that Bob is enjoying what she’s saying, she realizes that he’s “The I-5 Killer,” from the news. She tries to get out of his truck, but the inside door handle has been removed…
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Kiefer Sutherland plays the notorious I-5 Killer in this modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.
Matthew-Bright.jpg
79%
Courage Under Fire (1996)
RT Audience Score: 66%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 7 nominations
An emotional and intriguing tale of a military officer who must review the merits of a fallen officer while confronting his own war demons. Effectively depicts the terrors of war as well as its heartbreaking aftermath
Courage Under Fire is a military drama that will have you on the edge of your seat. Denzel Washington gives a powerful performance as a commander who must investigate the death of a female helicopter pilot. Meg Ryan also surprises with her role as a wounded soldier. The film is well-crafted and has plenty of surprises, but be warned, there is plenty of violence and swearing. Overall, it’s a solid and honorable movie that treats its subject with clarity and intelligence.
Production Company(ies)
Wildbear Entertainment, National Geographic
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for war violence and language
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 55m
-
Language(s):English, Arabic
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 12, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 26, 2000
Genre(s)
Action/Drama
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $100,860,818
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $192,517,633
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 721
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 20,994,289
US/Canada gross: $59,031,057
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $112,675,265
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 666
US/Canada opening weekend: $12,501,586
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $23,862,346
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 566
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $46,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $87,802,293
Production budget ranking: 471
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $47,281,535
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $57,433,805
ROI to date (est.): 43%
ROI ranking: 1,188
Meg Ryan – Captain Karen Emma Walden
Lou Diamond Phillips – Sgt. Monfriez
Michael Moriarty – Brigadier General Hershberg
Bronson Pinchot – Bruno
Seth Gilliam – Altameyer
Director(s)
Edward Zwick
Writer(s)
Patrick Sheane Duncan
Producer(s)
John Davis, David T. Friendly, Joseph Singer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (56) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (8)
What emerges may not be quite as cut-and-dried as the movie’s structure sometimes implies.
June 14, 2022
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Washington, subtle, moving and charismatic, anchors the movie…Zwick’s movie is solid, honorable and well crafted, but when all the veils have dropped and the mysteries solved, it feels tidier and more melodramatic than it promised.
February 27, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B+
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A carefully conceived, dramatically honorable picture that treats its subject with clarity and intelligence, especially by contemporary standards.
July 22, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Despite its underlying predictability, Courage Under Fire manages warmth, intelligence and a healthy share of surprises.
August 30, 2004 | Rating: 3/4
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
I wasn’t particularly moved or riveted with suspense.
September 11, 2002
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
If a woman in command has wounded soldiers that need protecting from enemy forces, and her maternal instinct kicks in-look out.
August 5, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Jackson
Epoch Times
Military drama deploys plenty of violence, swearing.
September 14, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
Charles Cassady
Common Sense Media
Denzel Washington gives as fine a performance as I have seen him give.
April 9, 2005 | Rating: A-
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews
A provocative film with Oscar caliber performances. (published 7-19-96)
December 28, 2004 | Rating: A
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan
Denzel Washington reinforces his image as a serious leading man who dominates a film with his quiet intensity and aura of introspection.
June 22, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4
Judith Egerton
Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
Underrated war flick with a surprisingly effective performance by Meg Ryan
April 2, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Jon Niccum
Lawrence Journal-World…
Plot
The pilot of a rescue copter, Captain Karen Walden, died shortly before her helicopter crew was rescued after it crashed in Desert Storm. It first appears that she made a spectacular rescue of a downed helicopter crew, then held her own crew together to fight off the Iraqis after her copter crashed. Lt. Colonel Serling, who is struggling with his own demons from Desert Storm, is assigned to investigate her worthiness for the Medal of Honor. But some conflicting accounts, from her crew and soldiers in the area, cause him to question whether she deserves it.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Courage Under Fire.
Edward-Zwick.jpg
79%
The Rock (1996)
RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
9 wins & 9 nominations total
For visceral thrills, it can’t be beat. Just don’t expect The Rock to engage your brain
The Rock is like a rollercoaster ride that never ends, with explosions, car chases, and Sean Connery’s Scottish accent thrown in for good measure. Michael Bay’s signature style of tight shots and loud music might make you a bit dizzy, but it’s worth it for the sheer entertainment value. Plus, who doesn’t love seeing Nicolas Cage play an unlikely action hero? It’s a fun, over-the-top movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s what makes it a classic.
Production Company(ies)
Igor Film Casbah Film
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence, language and a sex scene
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 16m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 7, 1996 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 13, 2001
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, Michael Biehn, William Forsythe, David Morse, Tony Todd, directed by Michael Bay, written by Douglas S Cook, David Weisberg, Mark Rosner, produced by Don Simpson, Jerry Bruckheimer, action, R-rated, box office gross $134.1M, reviewed by Gene Siskel, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Doug Thomas, Jeff Strickler, Michael Wilmington, Jay Boyar, Sheila Reid, Eddie Harrison, Mike Massie, genre: thriller, adventure, military, chemical warfare, Alcatraz Island, FBI, Navy SEALs, terrorist threat, war reparations, servicemen, covert operations, San Francisco, General Francis X Hummel, Commander Anderson, Major Tom Baxter, Special Agent Ernest Paxton, MPAA rating R, Don Simpson, Jerry Bruckheimer
Worldwide gross: $335,062,621
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $639,549,272
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 207
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 69,743,650
US/Canada gross: $134,069,511
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $255,904,577
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 244
US/Canada opening weekend: $25,069,525
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $47,851,343
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 246
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $75,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $143,155,913
Production budget ranking: 239
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $77,089,459
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $419,303,900
ROI to date (est.): 190%
ROI ranking: 649
Nicolas Cage – Dr. Stanley Goodspeed
Ed Harris – General Francis X. Hummel
Michael Biehn – Commander Anderson
William Forsythe – Special Agent Ernest Paxton
David Morse – Major Tom Baxter
Director(s)
Michael Bay
Writer(s)
Douglas S. Cook, David Weisberg, Mark Rosner
Producer(s)
Don Simpson, Jerry Bruckheimer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
9 wins & 9 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (70) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (22)
Very entertaining action hokum that benefits hugely from the uses made of the three stars.
June 14, 2022
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
There isn’t a shot, scene or sequence in The Rock that doesn’t move furiously, typically with colored lights flashing into our faces or onto those of the actors.
May 27, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
You might need to take Dramamine before entering a Michael Bay movie. The one-time music-video director has an annoying habit of finding the tightest shots, editing the heck out of them and scoring the works to loud music.
May 27, 2014 | Rating: 2/4
Doug Thomas
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
For action-adventure fans, it just doesn’t get any better than The Rock.
May 27, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Since the plot is ridiculous, The Rock works best when it’s most light-hearted.
May 27, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
If it’s not the most awful thing I’ve ever seen, it’s close enough to make me wince.
May 27, 2014 | Rating: 2/5
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
The special effects are reason enough to check this one out.
May 31, 2022
Sheila Reid
Women in the Life
…if The Rock lacks any kind of realism…there’s no shortage of crowd-pleasing antics to amuse all classes…
October 30, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
The most enjoyable, and the most rewatchable, action blockbuster of the 1990s. (25th anniversary)
July 16, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Stephen Silver
Tilt Magazine
The Rock’s secret sauce though, the thing that allows it to stand the test of time, is the casting.
July 9, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
The Rock makes sense as Cage’s true action debut because it basically forces the quirky Cage character to become an action hero.
June 7, 2021
Fred Topel
Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Connery and Harris are decent in just about anything, shaping their roles into something more memorable and quirky than basic heroes and villains.
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
Stanley Goodspeed, who lives in Washington, D.C., is a biochemist who works for the F.B.I. Soon after his fiancée Carla Pestalozzi announces that she is pregnant, Stanley gets a call from F.B.I. Director James Womack. Womack tells Stanley that San Francisco’s Alcatraz Island has been taken hostage, along with eighty-one tourists, by Marine General Francis Xavier Hummel who, for years, has been protesting the government’s refusal to pay benefits to families of war veterans who died during covert military operations. The death of his wife Barbara on March 9, 1995 drove General Hummel over the edge, and now he’s holding hostages in order to get his point across. Stanley is needed because General Hummel has stolen some VX gas warheads and has announced that he will launch them onto San Francisco unless his demands are met. Stanley knows how to disarm the bombs, but he needs someone who knows Alcatraz well enough to get him inside. That man is former British Intelligence Agent John Patrick Mason, who has been in prison for the past thirty years without a trial because he was accused of stealing the private files of J. Edgar Hoover. In 1962, John became the only inmate ever to escape from Alcatraz, and he stayed out of Alcatraz long enough to father a daughter named Jade Angelou. Despite his extreme hatred of the F.B.I., John agrees to help Stanley. When John and Stanley are sent into Alcatraz with a Navy S.E.A.L. team, General Hummel’s men kill the entire S.E.A.L. team, leaving Stanley and John to work on their own to rescue the hostages.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage both give “amazing performances” in The Rock, according to an audience review.
Michael-Bay.jpg
79%
To Die For (1995)
RT Audience Score: 65%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
7 wins & 13 nominations total
Smart, funny, and thoroughly well-cast, To Die For takes a sharp – and sadly prescient – stab at dissecting America’s obsession with celebrity
To Die For is a movie that will make you laugh, cringe, and question your own obsession with fame and television. With a killer cast, including a young Joaquin Phoenix and a breakout performance from Nicole Kidman, this black comedy is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good satire. Gus Van Sant’s direction is spot-on, and Buck Henry’s script is both smart and wickedly funny. So sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the grotesque ride that is To Die For. Just don’t let it give you any ideas about becoming a TV star.
Production Company(ies)
Ealing Studios, Michael Balcon Productions,
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Columbia Tristar
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Black River, Georgina, Ontario, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong sexual content, and for language
Year of Release
1995
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby SR SDDS Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 43m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 1995 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 29, 2001
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, Illeana Douglas, Alison Folland, directed by Gus Van Sant, written by Joyce Maynard, Buck Henry, comedy, drama, mystery, thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Kenneth Turan, Owen Gleiberman, Jonathan Rosenbaum, David Ansen, Geoff Andrew, Janet Maslin, Mal Vincent, Margaret A McGurk, Dan Webster, Eleanor Ringel Cater, MPAA rating R, produced by Laura Ziskin
Worldwide gross: $21,284,514
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $41,853,014
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,419
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,564,124
US/Canada gross: $21,284,514
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $41,853,014
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,148
US/Canada opening weekend: $386,510
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $760,018
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,312
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $20,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $39,327,197
Production budget ranking: 973
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $21,177,696
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$18,651,879
ROI to date (est.): -31%
ROI ranking: 1,567
Matt Dillon – Larry Maretto
Joaquin Phoenix – Jimmy Emmett
Casey Affleck – Russel Hines
Illeana Douglas – Janice Maretto
Alison Folland – Lydia Mertz
Director – Gus Van Sant
Producer – Laura Ziskin
Writers – Joyce Maynard, Buck Henry
Director(s)
Gus Van Sant
Writer(s)
Joyce Maynard, Buck Henry
Producer(s)
Laura Ziskin
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
7 wins & 13 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (58) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (7)
A smart black comedy that skewers America’s fatal fascination with television and celebrity, it employs an unerring nasty touch to parody our omnipresent culture of fame. And it uses a rather unlikely combination of talents to do the job.
October 26, 2018
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
As Jimmy, the teen sap who falls hard for Suzanne, Joaquin Phoenix is dead-eyed yet touchingly vulnerable — a mush-mouthed angel.
February 12, 2008 | Rating: B-
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
If, like me, you find things to admire in all of Gus Van Sant’s early films, you may be especially gratified by what he’s done with a satirical anti-TV script by Buck Henry.
February 12, 2008
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
A smart and wicked delight
February 12, 2008
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
If you’ve hitherto failed to respond to the laid-back oddball appeal of Van Sant’s movies, fear not: this is a sharp, consistently funny blend of black comedy and satire on the deleterious effects of television.
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
An irresistible black comedy and a wicked delight.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 4.5/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
A hilarious satiric treat.
March 28, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Mal Vincent
The Virginian-Pilot
Aside from outstanding performances, the movie is smartly paced and well designed. Most of all, it delivers fascinating characters and provocative ideas with skill and grace.
August 19, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer
To Die For is a slickly savage look at contemporary life and the power of the media manipulators all around us.
August 8, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Dan Webster
Spokesman-Review (Washington)
In this wickedly funny look at TV-spawned celebrity-obsession, Nicole Kidman gives a breakthrough performance as a psychopathic Jane Pauley wannabe.
October 26, 2018
Eleanor Ringel Cater
Film Scouts
A grotesque black comedy.
April 4, 2008 | Rating: B
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Like Roseanne, Gus Van Sant refuses to compromise his trademark smarty-pants assault on storybook America.
February 12, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
Harlan Jacobson
TV Guide…
Plot
Suzanne Stone (Kidman) knows exactly what she wants. She wants to be a television newscaster and she is willing to do anything to get what she wants. What she lacks in intelligence, she makes up for in cold determination and diabolical wiles. As she pursues her goal with relentless focus, she is forced to destroy anything and anyone that may stand in her way, regardless of the ultimate cost or means necessary.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nicole Kidman’s performance as Suzanne Stone is described as “perfect, equal parts terrifying and hilarious.”
Gus-Van-Sant.jpg
79%
Litvinenko
RT Audience Score:
Starring: David Tennant, Margarita Levieva, Mark Bonnar, Neil Maskell, Barry Sloane
VOD
Year of Release
2022
Technical Specs
Color: Color
Sound mix: NA
Aspect ratio: NA
Language(s): English
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Original premiere: 12/16/2022
Newest season premiere: 12/16/2022
UK Digital
(Originating Distributor)
Series Premiere:
12/15/2022
Season Premiere:
12/15/2022
U.S. Digital
Series Premiere:
12/16/2022
Season Premiere:
12/16/2022
Genre(s)
Biographical, Crime, Dance, Drama, Historical, History, Police, Police Drama, True Story/Event, War
Keyword(s)
Biographical Digital Drama, Crime Digital Drama, Historical Digital Drama, Police Drama Digital Drama, Serialized Drama Digital Drama, True Story/Event, Patrick Spence, ITV Studios, Tiger Aspect Productions, TV Shows from 2022, Movies from United Kingdom, English Language, BAFTA Awards Nominees, Patrick Spence Company, PGA Awards Nominees, BAFTA Awards Winners, Critics’ Choice Awards Nominees, Golden Globes Nominees, Female Producer
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
David Tennant
Tennant
Alexander Litvinenko
Margarita Levieva Levieva
Marina Mark Bonnar Bonnar
DS Clive Timmons
Neil Maskell Maskell
Brent Hyatt
Barry Sloane Sloane
Jim Dawson
Daniel Ryan Ryan
DAC Peter Clarke
Director(s)
Writer(s)
Executive(s)
NA
Awards & Nominations
NA
Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)
Coming soon…