My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
80%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
12 wins & 24 nominations total
Thanks to a charming performance from Julia Roberts and a subversive spin on the genre, My Best Friend’s Wedding is a refreshingly entertaining romantic comedy
My Best Friend’s Wedding is the perfect movie to watch with your besties and a tub of ice cream. Julia Roberts shines as always, and the storyline is a classic romantic comedy with a twist. Sure, there are a few musical numbers that might make you cringe, but Rupert Everett’s comedic timing more than makes up for it. It’s a fun, lighthearted movie that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. Plus, who doesn’t love a good wedding movie?
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Media Rights Capital,
Distributor
Columbia Tristar, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Drake Hotel – 140 E. Walton Pl., Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 on appeal for one use of strong language and brief sex-related humor
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS DTS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 12.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 45m
-
Language(s):English, French, Italian
-
Country of origin:United States, China
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 20, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 3, 2001
Genre(s)
Comedy/Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz, Rupert Everett, Philip Bosco, M Emmet Walsh, directed by P.J Hogan, written by Ronald Bass, produced by Jerry Zucker, comedy, romance, PG-13, box office gross $126.8M, reviewed by David Ansen, Carol Buckland, Duane Byrge, Owen Gleiberman, Lisa Alspector, Leonard Klady, Emanuel Levy, Heather Boerner, Michael Dequina, Betsy Bozdech, Robin Clifford
Worldwide gross: $299,288,605
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $557,898,161
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 254
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 60,839,494
US/Canada gross: $127,120,029
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $236,962,013
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 278
US/Canada opening weekend: $21,678,377
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $40,410,248
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 303
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $38,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $70,835,073
Production budget ranking: 596
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $38,144,687
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $448,918,401
ROI to date (est.): 412%
ROI ranking: 333
Dermot Mulroney – Michael O’Neal
Cameron Diaz – Kimberly Wallace
Rupert Everett – George Downes
Philip Bosco – Walter Wallace
M. Emmet Walsh – Joe O’Neal
Director(s)
P.J. Hogan
Writer(s)
Ronald Bass
Producer(s)
Jerry Zucker
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
12 wins & 24 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (59) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (16)
The buoyant, bittersweet “Wedding” puts new fizz in an old form.
February 28, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Although [Hogan] stages most of the scenes in a straightforward way for Friend’s Wedding, there are some charming, offbeat touches here. One wishes he’d mined some of the story’s kinkier subtexts a bit more, but hey … this is a commercial-minded flick.
January 5, 2018
Carol Buckland
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
A bittersweet, modern-love morsel, this scrumptious drama should touch moviegoers’ hearts in this action gorged summer.
June 20, 2017
Duane Byrge
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
We don’t feel much of anything.
February 3, 2009 | Rating: C+
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
The draggy narrative of this 1997 comedy is tough to sit through — there are even several overproduced musical numbers — but it does have an intriguing subversive element that I don’t want to give away.
February 3, 2009
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Anchored by skilled comedienne Julia Roberts, this skewered variation on jealousy and the wrong woman doing battle in the aisles is a winning balance of the familiar and the novel.
February 3, 2009
Leonard Klady
Variety
TOP CRITIC
August 25, 2012 | Rating: B
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
A poor imitation of a screwball comedy.
December 18, 2010 | Rating: 2/5
Heather Boerner
Common Sense Media
The Roberts audiences knew and loved is back–not only has the smile returned, but also the glow, the joy of performance.
October 13, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com
A fun, funny romantic comedy that, despite a few weaknesses (some trite patches in the script, Mulroney’s somewhat dull Michael), is entertaining from start to finish.
October 21, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Betsy Bozdech
DVDJournal.com
For those of us not so enthralled with Ms. Roberts, you’ll have to endure the movie, but will be mildly entertained with good, old music and some stellar comedy provided almost entirely by Rupert Everett.
April 9, 2005 | Rating: C+
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews
A romantic comedy that is both mawkish and subversive.
March 10, 2004 | Rating: B-
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews…
Plot
A woman who, by a promise made years earlier, is supposed to marry her best friend in three weeks, even though she doesn’t want to. When she finds out that he’s marrying someone else, she becomes jealous and tries to break off the wedding.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for My Best Friend’s Wedding.
P.J.-Hogan.jpg
80%
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
80%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 8 nominations
A light and goofy comedy which provides laughs, largely due to performances and screenwriting by Myers
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery is a groovy and hilarious spoof of the James Bond franchise. The film’s period tackiness and outlandish villains make it a loving paean to the spy genre. Mike Myers’ dodgy catchphrases and irrepressible sexual desperation will have you crumpling with laughter. The film’s gags are well-observed and affectionate for the era they parody. It’s hard work to make comedy look easy, but Myers and co. pull it off with ease. Austin Powers deserves its place amongst the comedy greats, baby!
Production Company(ies)
The Weinstein Company, UK Film Council Momentum Pictures,
Distributor
New Line Cinema
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Santa Clarita, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for nudity, sex-related dialogue and humor
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 29m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 1997 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 5, 2000
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York, Mimi Rogers, Robert Wagner, Seth Green, directed by Jay Roach, written by Mike Myers, produced by Demi Moore, Mike Myers, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd, comedy, PG-13, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Owen Gleiberman, John F Kelly, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Rita Kempley, Leonard Klady, Trevor Johnston, Stephen Silver, James Croot, James Luxford, Eddie Harrison, Rob Aldam, Austin Powers, James Bond, Dr Evil, spy, cryogenic freeze, mod mannerisms, swinging sexuality, sex-related humor, sex-related dialogue, nudity, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, Scope (2.35:1), New Line Cinema
Worldwide gross: $67,711,748
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $126,220,174
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 912
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 13,764,468
US/Canada gross: $53,911,748
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $100,495,858
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 748
US/Canada opening weekend: $9,548,111
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,798,451
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 714
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $16,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $30,757,334
Production budget ranking: 1,142
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $16,562,824
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $78,900,015
ROI to date (est.): 167%
ROI ranking: 724
Elizabeth Hurley – Miss Vanessa Kensington, Mrs. Vanessa Powers
Michael York – Basil Exposition
Mimi Rogers – Mrs. Kensington
Robert Wagner – Number Two
Seth Green – Scott Evil
Director(s)
Jay Roach
Writer(s)
Mike Myers
Producer(s)
Demi Moore, Mike Myers, Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (18)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
We may not need as many Austin Powers movies as there are James Bond pictures, but one or two more might be nice.
April 1, 2008
John F. Kelly
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Jay Roach directed with just the right amount of period tackiness.
April 1, 2008
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The originals were spoofs in their own way, too, unless you really believe that secret agents look more like Sean Connery than Aldrich Ames.
April 1, 2008
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
A loving paean to Bond, Flint, Helm and their ilk (as well as a myriad of outlandish villains), the film knows its turf and only missteps when it ventures into more contemporary territory.
April 1, 2008
Leonard Klady
Variety
TOP CRITIC
It would take a stone face not to crumple at Austin’s dodgy catchphrases and irrepressible sexual desperation.
June 24, 2006
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Hugely influential at the time but getting old relatively quickly Austin Powers-mania was a major force in the late 90s and early 2000s, especially when the sequels arrived in 1999 and 2002. (25th anniversary)
May 3, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Stephen Silver
Tilt Magazine
The result is a thoroughly entertaining slice of enjoyable escapism.
March 8, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
Whereas many 1990s comedies might draw a horrified wince from future generations, the film is relatively unproblematic. At least, for a film featuring penis pumps and literal toilet humour.
February 17, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
James Luxford
Dirty Movies
Austin Powers remains a blast of swinging silliness with gags that are not only well observed but affectionate for the era they parody.
April 21, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Jack Hawkins
HeyUGuys
Comedy is a lot of hard work, but Myers and co make it look easy, and Austin Powers deserves its place amongst the comedy greats…
April 19, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Whilst the heavy lifting might fall on Myers, Jay Roach’s film is elevated by a series of great supporting performances.
April 15, 2021
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia…
Plot
Austin Powers is a 60’s spy who is cryonically frozen and released in the 1990’s. The world is a very different place for Powers. Unfortunately for Austin, everyone is no longer sex-mad. Although he may be in a different decade, his mission is still the same. He has teamed up with Vanessa Kensington to stop the evil Dr. Evil, who was also frozen in the past. Dr. Evil stole a nuclear weapon and is demanding a payment of (when he realises its the 90’s) 100 billion dollars. Can Austin Powers stop this madman? or will he caught up with Evil’s henchman, with names like Alotta Fagina and Random Task? Only time will tell!
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
Jay-Roach.jpg
80%
Selena (1997)
80%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 6 nominations
Selena occasionally struggles to tell its subject’s story with depth or perspective, but those flaws are rendered largely irrelevant by Jennifer Lopez in the title role
Selena” is a movie that’s as spicy as a taco and as sweet as a churro. J-Lo brings the heat with her electric performance as the Tejano superstar, and the musical numbers will have you dancing in your seat. While the movie tries to do a lot, it still manages to capture the heartbreak of Selena’s untimely death and the cultural significance of her music. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth a watch, especially if you’re a fan of J-Lo or Latinx music.
Production Company(ies)
Titanus Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma Société Générale de Cinématographie
Distributor
Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
San Antonio, Texas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for some mild language and thematic elements
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 7m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 21, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 12, 2006
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Constance Marie, Jacob Vargas, Lupe Ontiveros, directed by Gregory Nava, written by Gregory Nava, produced by Robert Katz, Moctesuma Esparza, biography, drama, PG, box office gross $35.4M, reviewed by Sarah Kerr, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Duane Byrge, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Richard Harrington, Kenneth Turan, Rosa Parra, Rachel Wagner, Matt Brunson, Dennis King, Justin Brown, Selena Quintanilla, Mexican-American, Tejano, music, family, father-daughter relationship, romance, tragedy, English-language album, Texas, guitarist, Yolanda Saldivar, Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros
Worldwide gross: $35,764,351
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $66,667,642
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,212
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 7,270,190
US/Canada gross: $35,764,351
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $66,667,642
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 945
US/Canada opening weekend: $11,615,722
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $21,652,645
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 614
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.): $9,309,874
ROI to date (est.): 16%
ROI ranking: 1,314
Edward James Olmos – Abraham Quintanilla
Jon Seda – Chris Perez
Constance Marie – Marcela Quintanilla
Jacob Vargas – Abie Quintanilla
Lupe Ontiveros – Yolanda Saldivar
Director(s)
Gregory Nava
Writer(s)
Gregory Nava
Producer(s)
Robert Katz, Moctesuma Esparza
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (16)
It tries to satisfy too many different groups at once and ends up watering down the art so much it satisfies no one.
February 27, 2020
Sarah Kerr
Slate
TOP CRITIC
Gregory Nava’s 1997 biopic about the Mexican-American pop star Selena Quintanilla Perez… is typical of the genre’s excesses, but I enjoyed quite a bit of it, in large part because of the energy and charisma of Jennifer Lopez in the title role.
February 27, 2020
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
What makes this movie work is Jennifer Lopez’s electric performance as Selena, capturing the charismatic aspects of Selena’s stage persona and the essence of her maturity as a growing woman.
March 21, 2017
Duane Byrge
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
When it doesn’t, however – when Selena teeters precariously in the direction of hagiography and buckles under the weight of representing all Latinas to all people – then the real young woman herself is hard to find.
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
At its best, “Selena” suggests why so many people reacted with such great heartbreak to her death.
July 6, 2010
Richard Harrington
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
… Lopez’s presence and ability made her seem just one role away from stardom, and with “Selena” she’s seized the opportunity and turned in an incandescent presentation that is especially strong during the film’s numerous musical numbers.
July 6, 2010
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
A formulaic biopic that sets itself apart with its depiction of the Mexican American and Tejano cultural experience.
July 3, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Rosa Parra
Latinx Lens
It captures the appeal of Selena singing and Lopez shines in those scenes.
January 20, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Rachel Wagner
rachelsreviews.net
It’s hard to get too cynical about the approach taken by Selena.
June 14, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Writer-director Gregory Nava… relates the singer’s story on a touchingly human scale, particularly focusing on the father-daughter dynamic.
February 27, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/4
Dennis King
Tulsa World
J-Lo does a phenomenal job…but I want to see the real Selena story, not one written by her parents…
September 20, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Justin Brown
Medium Popcorn
The last five minutes are amazing…J-Lo looked great, the acting is solid, it’s just a bit too long…
September 20, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Brandon Collins
Medium Popcorn…
Plot
The film tells the story of the life of Mexican “Tejano” style singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez and the progress of her career resulting in her No. 1 US album.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Jennifer Lopez’s “electric performance” as Selena in the biographical drama.
Gregory-Nava.jpg
80%
The Pillow Book (1997)
80%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 3 nominations
The Pillow Book is undeniably sensual and visually ravishing, but the film’s narrative lacks the hypnotic pull of its imagery
The Pillow Book is like a fancy, high-end dessert that looks amazing but leaves you feeling a little empty inside. It’s visually stunning and definitely not lacking in the nudity department, but it’s also a bit pretentious and hard to fully connect with. Still, if you’re in the mood for some artsy erotica, it’s worth a watch. Just don’t expect to be emotionally satisfied afterwards.
Production Company(ies)
Mandeville Films, Walt Disney Pictures,
Distributor
Columbia Tristar
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Luxembourg
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Dolby SR
-
Aspect ratio:1.75 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 3m
-
Language(s):English, Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Italian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 6, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 1998
Genre(s)
Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Vivian Wu, Ewan McGregor, Yoshi Oida, Ken Ogata, Hideko Yoshida, Judy Ongg, directed by Peter Greenaway, written by Sei Shonagon, Peter Greenaway, romance, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Lisa Alspector, Richard Corliss, Jami Bernard, Desmond Ryan, Michael Wilmington, Jay Boyar, Nicholas Bell, Leah Rozen, Maitland McDonagh, Rod Dreher, Chris Kridler, Tom Hutchinson, MPAA rating, produced by Kees Kasander, calligraphy, eroticism, visual art, diary, nudity, human form, mathematics, fine arts, puzzles, juxtapositions, visually titillating, introspective, boiling lavishness, sensual, visually ravishing, hypnotic imagery, undeniably sensual, narrative lacks hypnotic pull, metaphorical autobiography, rejects convention, dedicated aesthete, sensualist, cruelty, delight, artistic trickery, graphic artists, Star Wars completists, nudity, Columbia Tristar, Dolby, Surround, 35mm
Worldwide gross: $2,372,744
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,422,987
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,212
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 482,332
US/Canada gross: $2,372,744
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
Ewan McGregor – Jerome
Yoshi Oida – The Publisher
Ken Ogata – The Father
Hideko Yoshida – The Aunt, The Maid
Judy Ongg – The Mother
Director(s)
Peter Greenaway
Writer(s)
Sei Shonagon, Peter Greenaway
Producer(s)
Kees Kasander
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (54) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (18)
One of the most accomplished chapters in Peter Greenaway’s quest to turn movies into books, this may be the writer-director’s metaphorical autobiography.
May 2, 2016
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
In The Pillow Book, text and texture meet so exquisitely. Sex is a visual art, Greenaway says, and writing is a matter of life and death.
May 2, 2016
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It is exciting that in an age of mass book signings and disrespect for literature, Greenaway is able to sexualize the author’s signature as it sweeps up a woman’s neck.
May 2, 2016 | Rating: 3/4
Jami Bernard
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
The Pillow Book is an experiment in the potential of film. It rejects convention and asks the viewer to forget traditions and entrenched assumptions. Those willing to go along will be hypnotized.
May 2, 2016 | Rating: 3/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Greenaway is a dedicated aesthete and sensualist who creates his own little worlds of cruelty, delight and artistic trickery. With tremendous brio and skill, he cuts his patterns into our minds, tickling our skins with his brush.
May 2, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
I can, with many reservations, recommend The Pillow Book for graphic artists and, of course, for Star Wars completists. People who simply can’t get enough nudity might also want to take a look.
May 2, 2016
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
As intricately assembled as all of Greenaway’s works, and representing one of the last films from famed DoP Sacha Vierney, The Pillow Book is worthy of a revisit, easily existing within its own timeless universe.
October 27, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
Greenaway provides a visual feast, then he kills your appetite.
May 2, 2016
Leah Rozen
People Magazine
Seductive eye candy masquerading as thought-provoking art cinema.
May 2, 2016 | Rating: 2.5/5
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide
Pillow Book may be a dull, heartless, cruel film, but for what it’s worth, it looks marvelous.
May 2, 2016
Rod Dreher
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The Pillow Book is erotica for bookworms. Its poetic story is told brush stroke by brush stroke, in calligraphy painted on naked bodies and in the “pillow book” or diary of Nagiko (Vivian Wu).
May 2, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Chris Kridler
Baltimore Sun
Extraordinary. Ravishing. Preposterous.
May 2, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Tom Hutchinson
Radio Times…
Plot
As a young girl in Japan, Nagiko’s father paints characters on her face, and her aunt reads to her from “The Pillow Book”, the diary of a 10th-century lady-in-waiting. Nagiko grows up, obsessed with books, papers, and writing on bodies, and her sexual odyssey (and the creation of her own Pillow Book) is a “parfait mélange” of classical Japanese, modern Chinese, and Western film images.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels reviews for The Pillow Book.
Peter-Greenaway.jpg
80%
James and the Giant Peach (1996)
80%RT Audience Score: 65%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
4 wins & 13 nominations total
The arresting and dynamic visuals, offbeat details and light-as-air storytelling make James and the Giant Peach solid family entertainment
James and the Giant Peach is a wild ride that’s both whimsical and macabre, just like the book it’s based on. The animation is stunning, and the bizarre characters will keep you entertained from start to finish. Plus, that nightmare sequence? It’s a trip. While it may not be as flavorful as the book, it’s still a fun adaptation that’s perfect for a family movie night. Just don’t forget the popcorn!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
San Francisco, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for some frightening images
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 20m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 12, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 3, 2010
Genre(s)
Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes, Pete Postlethwaite, Simon Callow, Richard Dreyfuss, directed by Henry Selick, written by Roald Dahl, Karey Kirkpatrick, Jonathan Roberts, Steve Bloom, Fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Ansen, Dave Kehr, Jeff Strickler, Anthony Lane, Jay Boyar, Steven Rea, Rachel Wagner, Zaki Hasan, Chris Wright, Roger Hurlburt, Tom Gliatto, produced by Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi, PG, stop-motion animation, live action, Roald Dahl, Karey Kirkpatrick, Jonathan Roberts, Steve Bloom, New York City, enchanted peach, talking insects, Buena Vista Pictures, Surround
Worldwide gross: $28,946,127
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $55,250,790
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,286
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,025,168
US/Canada gross: $28,946,127
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $55,250,790
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,026
US/Canada opening weekend: $7,539,098
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,390,219
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 813
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $38,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $72,532,329
Production budget ranking: 581
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $39,058,659
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$56,340,199
ROI to date (est.): -50%
ROI ranking: 1,692
Joanna Lumley – Aunt Spiker (Voice)
Miriam Margolyes – The Glowworm, Aunt Sponge (Voice)
Pete Postlethwaite – Old Man (Voice)
Simon Callow – Grasshopper (Voice)
Richard Dreyfuss – Centipede (Voice)
Director(s)
Henry Selick
Writer(s)
Roald Dahl, Karey Kirkpatrick, Jonathan Roberts, Steve Bloom
Producer(s)
Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
4 wins & 13 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (75) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (68) | Rotten (7)
Dahl himself thought his book would be impossible to translate into film, and for all the ingenuity that’s been thrown at the screen, perhaps he was right. This overgrown peach never ripens.
February 23, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
The film is a technical tour de force, featuring a wealth of inventive design ideas. But James never develops the emotional dimension that Nightmare possessed.
November 11, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Dave Kehr
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
A snappy, fun adaptation that entertains young viewers without speaking down to them.
November 11, 2014
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
TOP CRITIC
As a tribute to the cranky genius of Dahl, it’s both fond and, in the best sense, fruitful.
November 18, 2013
Anthony Lane
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
This movie remembers what fun is.
November 18, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
James and the Giant Peach shines with weird, whimsical invention.
November 18, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Underrated animated film from director Henry Selick
November 14, 2021
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
…valiantly attempts to convey the amazement and childlike sense-of-wonder so characteristic of the late Dahl’s books, and while it does succeed occasionally, more often than not it falls flat.
April 12, 2019 | Rating: C
Zaki Hasan
Zaki’s Corner
This film adaptation of his James and the Giant Peach, though capturing Dahl’s comic brilliance, does not shy away from the tale’s surreal grimness.
November 11, 2014
Chris Wright
Boston Phoenix
A truly sinister fairy story laced with bizarre characters — both live-action and animated — James and the Giant Peach from Walt Disney Pictures is a stunning, if not markedly macabre, adaptation of author Roald Dahl’s best-selling 1961 book.
November 18, 2013
Roger Hurlburt
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
A brief nightmare sequence, which appears to be some sort of hallucinatory blend of collage and live action, is simply one of the greatest bits of animation I’ve ever seen.
November 18, 2013
Tom Gliatto
People Magazine
Ultimately, though, it isn’t nearly as flavorful as Roald Dahl’s deliciously perverse children’s book, upon which the movie is based.
November 18, 2013
Chris Kridler
Baltimore Sun…
Plot
James’ happy life at the English seaside is rudely ended when his parents are killed by a rhinoceros and he goes to live with his two horrid aunts. Daringly saving the life of a spider he comes into possession of magic boiled crocodile tongues, after which an enormous peach starts to grow in the garden. Venturing inside, he meets not only the spider but a number of new friends including a ladybug and a centipede who help him with his plan to try to get to New York.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about the film James and the Giant Peach.
Henry-Selick.jpg
80%
Nixon (1995)
80%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 4 Oscars
11 wins & 18 nominations total
Much like its subject’s time in office, Nixon might have ended sooner — but what remains is an engrossing, well-acted look at the rise and fall of a fascinating political figure
Nixon is like a mixed bag of candy – some pieces are sweet and satisfying, while others are just plain weird and leave a bad taste in your mouth. But hey, at least Anthony Hopkins gives a killer performance as the infamous president. Stone’s direction may not be as wild as his previous works, but it still packs a punch. Overall, it’s worth a watch if you’re into dense psychodramas and political history. Just don’t expect to come out of it feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros., Heyday Films, 1492 Pictures,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Santa Anita Park & Racetrack – 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English, Mandarin, Russian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Aug 19, 2008
Genre(s)
Biography
Keyword(s)
Nixon, Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, Powers Boothe, Ed Harris, Bob Hoskins, E.G Marshall, Oliver Stone, Clayton Townsend, Andrew G Vajna, biography, Watergate scandal, political figure, non-chronological narrative, Quaker parents, attorney, president, director, producer, writer, MPAA rating, R, box office, gross USA, $13.7M, runtime, 3h 10m, sound mix, surround, stereo, reviewed by Owen Gleiberman, Nick Schager, Matt Noller, Janet Maslin, Sheila Reid, Quentin Crisp, Josh Larsen, Jeffrey M Anderson, Matt Brunson, Charles Cassady, directed by Oliver Stone, written by Oliver Stone, released in 1995
Worldwide gross: $13,681,765
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,115,007
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,606
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,847,874
US/Canada gross: $13,681,765
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,115,007
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,322
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,206,506
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $4,211,658
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,122
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $44,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $83,984,802
Production budget ranking: 498
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $45,225,816
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$103,095,611
ROI to date (est.): -80%
ROI ranking: 1,876
Joan Allen – Pat Nixon
Powers Boothe – Alexander Haig
Ed Harris – E. Howard Hunt
Bob Hoskins – J. Edgar Hoover
E.G. Marshall – John Mitchell
Director(s)
Oliver Stone
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Clayton Townsend, Oliver Stone, Andrew G. Vajna
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
11 wins & 18 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (64) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (16)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: A
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
The filmmaker’s deftness at evoking theme and sentiment through editorial montages within individual dramatic scenes reaches an apotheosis here.
October 27, 2008 | Rating: A-
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
A staggering work of empathy for Stone.
August 19, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Noller
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
As wayward and self-regarding as its subject, the film long overstays its welcome.
January 26, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
For all its unwieldy temporal scope and narrowness of perspective, Nixon is an amazingly graceful beast, flawed yet invigorating, packed with enough material that will fascinate and irk moviegoers of all stripes for quite a time to come.
January 8, 2006 | Rating: 2.5/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
What it finally adds up to is a huge mixed bag of waxworks and daring, a film that is furiously ambitious even when it goes flat, and startling even when it settles for eerie, movie-of-the-week mimicry.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Nixon was not a very likable man and this re-enactment of his life is consistent with that. However, the film does provide insight as to how the late, former president attained his stature as well as how he lost it.
May 13, 2022
Sheila Reid
Women in the Life
It is a triumph for Mr. Hopkins as he schemes, curses, weeps, and prays.
April 25, 2022
Quentin Crisp
Christopher Street
…a pop-psychology portrait of a man who never felt loved, even by those who voted for him.
February 19, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
Stone had just come off of his blast of overcooked insanity Natural Born Killers, and he applies some of that rebellious invention to this otherwise sober undertaking.
August 7, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
Stone’s newfound timidity in both style and content — this appeared after a 10-year stretch that included the high-powered likes of Platoon, JFK and Natural Born Killers — marked it as the beginning of the end of a remarkable run.
June 8, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Dense psychodrama of much-disliked U.S. president.
December 15, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
Charles Cassady
Common Sense Media…
Plot
Writer, Producer, and Director Oliver Stone’s exploration of former President Richard Nixon’s strict Quaker upbringing, his nascent political strivings in law school, and his strangely self-effacing courtship of his wife, Pat (Joan Allen). The contradictions in his character are revealed early, in the vicious campaign against Helen Gahagan Douglas and the oddly masochistic Checkers speech. His defeat at the hands of the hated and envied John F. Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election, followed by the loss of the 1962 California gubernatorial race, seem to signal the end of his career. Yet, although wholly lacking in charisma, Nixon remains a brilliant political operator, seizing the opportunity provided by the backlash against the antiwar movement to take the Presidency in 1968. It is only when safely in office, running far ahead in the polls for the 1972 Presidential election, that his growing paranoia comes to full flower, triggering the Watergate scandal.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon and Joan Allen as his wife, Pat.
Oliver-Stone.jpg
80%
Treason
80%RT Audience Score:
Starring: Charlie Cox, Oona Chaplin, Olga Kurylenko, Ciarán Hinds, Beau Gadsdon
Netflix
Year of Release
2022
Technical Specs
Color: Color
Sound mix: NA
Aspect ratio: NA
Language(s): English
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Original premiere: 12/26/2022
Newest season premiere: 12/26/2022
Genre(s)
Drama, Political, Relationship Drama, Spy, War
Keyword(s)
Limited/Event Series Digital Drama, Political Digital Drama, Relationship Drama Digital Drama, Serialized Drama Digital Drama, Spy, Binocular Productions, TV Shows from 2022, Movies from United Kingdom, English Language, Emmy Awards Nominees, Emmy Awards Winners, Critics’ Choice Awards Winners, Critics’ Choice Awards Nominees, GLAAD Media Awards Nominees, PGA Awards Nominees, 2+ Ethnicity Lead Cast, Female Director, 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
Charlie Cox
Cox
Adam Lawrence
Oona Chaplin Chaplin
Maddy De Costa
Olga Kurylenko Kurylenko
Kara Yerzov
Ciarán Hinds Hinds
Sir Martin Angelis
Beau Gadsdon Gadsdon
Samuel Leakey
Director(s)
Writer(s)
Executive(s)
NA
Awards & Nominations
NA
Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)
Netflix
Stream Now
(Click to Watch)
Coming soon…
80%
Desperado (1995)
80%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 5 nominations
Desperado contains almost too much action and too little story to sustain interest, but Antonio Banderas proves a charismatic lead in Robert Rodriguez’s inventive extravaganza
Desperado is the kind of movie that makes you want to grab a beer, some popcorn, and just enjoy the ride. Sure, it’s not the most original film out there, but who cares when you have Antonio Banderas looking like a total badass with his guitar case full of guns? The action scenes are over-the-top and ridiculous, but that’s what makes them so much fun. Plus, the soundtrack is killer. If you’re in the mood for some mindless entertainment, Desperado is the perfect choice.
Production Company(ies)
Nouvelles Éditions de Films,
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Ciudad Acuña, Coahuíla, Mexico
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong bloody violence, a strong sex sequence and language
Year of Release
1995
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby SR
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 43m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 25, 1995 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 9, 1999
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi, Carlos Gomez, directed by Robert Rodriguez, written by Robert Rodriguez, produced by Robert Rodriguez, Bill Borden, action, R rating, strong bloody violence, language, strong sex scene, box office gross $24.9M, budget, reviewed by Juan M Mendez, Owen Gleiberman, Geoff Andrew, Janet Maslin, Kenneth Turan, Mick LaSalle, Mariachi, Mexican drug lords, Bucho, Carolina, Short Bartender, Right Hand, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, SDDS, Surround, Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, Flat (1.85:1)
Worldwide gross: $25,405,445
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $49,956,247
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,324
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 5,447,791
US/Canada gross: $25,405,445
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $49,956,247
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,071
US/Canada opening weekend: $7,910,446
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $15,554,783
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 770
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $7,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $13,764,519
Production budget ranking: 1,545
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $7,412,193
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $28,779,535
ROI to date (est.): 136%
ROI ranking: 807
Salma Hayek – Carolina
Joaquim de Almeida – Bucho
Cheech Marin – Short Bartender
Steve Buscemi – Buscemi
Carlos Gomez – Right Hand
Director(s)
Robert Rodriguez
Writer(s)
Robert Rodriguez
Producer(s)
Robert Rodriguez, Bill Borden
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 5 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (49) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (33) | Rotten (16)
[A] satisfying banquet of pulp filmmaking.
August 18, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Juan M. Mendez
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Rodriguez’s second feature may be a rambling, derivative exercise in gratuitous violence, but its determination to proceed as if the word ‘restraint’ never existed makes for gleeful entertainment.
January 26, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Mr. Rodriguez may be good enough to make a film about anything, but Desperado would collapse if its characters had to do anything but play with guns.
May 20, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/5
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
What Rodriguez has essentially done in Desperado is make a slicker, more expensive copy of what came before. And what looked promising for $7,000 looks tiresome for a whole lot more.
August 15, 2002 | Rating: 2/5
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
The routine gets tiresome for the Mariachi, and for the audience, too, after about an hour.
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 2/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
If you laugh through most of the uniquely entertaining Desperado,’ you’ll have a great time.
February 25, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Mal Vincent
The Virginian-Pilot
Desperado is a brilliant action film and an enduring favorite among fans of Rodiguez’s oeuvre.
October 22, 2021
Toussaint Egan
Polygon
It’s a splashy, flashy, sexy cartoon with a charismatic star who has a fine old time stomping his refined European image into the dust.
August 19, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer
Filled with action thrilling sequences, “Desperado” goes to show what Robert Rodriguez can do with a decent budget. With stylish and inventive weapons, this film will keep audiences entertained.
July 3, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Rosa Parra
Latinx Lens
Brimming with innovative and whimsical gunplay and action arrangements, built up through fitting music, sharp camerawork, and a unique, semi-Spaghetti Western setting.
September 11, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
“Desperado is filled with an undeniable enthusiasm that makes its faults easier to ignore.”
August 27, 2020
Tim Stevens
The Spool…
Plot
Director Robert Rodriguez picks up where his successful independent debut El Mariachi left off with this slam-bang South of the Border action saga. Bucho (Joaquim DeAlmeida) is a wealthy but casually bloodthirsty drug kingpin who rules a seedy Mexican border town. Bucho and his men make the mistake of angering El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas), a former musician who now carries an arsenal in his guitar case. Bucho was responsible for the death of El Mariachi’s girlfriend and put a bullet through his fretting hand, making him unable to play the guitar. Bent on revenge, the musician-turned-killing machine arrives in town to put Bucho out of business, though he finds few allies except for Carolina (Salma Hayek), who runs a bookstore that doesn’t seem to attract many readers. Desperado features supporting performances from Cheech Marin as a cynical bartender, Steve Buscemi as the cantina patron who sets up the story, and Quentin Tarantino as a man with a really terrible joke to tell.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Desperado.
Robert-Rodriguez.jpg
80%
Dumb & Dumber (1994)
80%RT Audience Score: 84%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Dumb and Dumber, a film that has stood the test of time, is a masterpiece of low-brow humor that manages to be both crass and clever. The film’s success lies in its ability to take the most mundane situations and turn them into comedic gold. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels’ performances as the dim-witted duo are nothing short of brilliant, and their chemistry on screen is undeniable. From the iconic “most annoying sound in the world” scene to the hilarious “Samsonite” mix-up, Dumb and Dumber is a film that will have you laughing out loud from start to finish. It’s the perfect movie for anyone who loves to laugh and doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
Dumb and Dumber is the kind of movie that you watch when you need a good laugh and don’t want to think too hard. It’s a classic comedy that has stood the test of time, and for good reason. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are hilarious as two dim-witted friends who embark on a road trip that goes hilariously wrong. From the ridiculous costumes to the over-the-top gags, this movie is a non-stop ride of stupidity that will leave you in stitches. It’s not high-brow humor, but it’s definitely the kind of movie that will make you forget your problems and just enjoy the ride. So grab some popcorn, turn off your brain, and get ready to laugh until you cry.
Production Company(ies)
Buddy Pic, Netflix, New Line Cinema
Distributor
New Line Home Video [us], New Line Cinema, Image Entertainment Inc.
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1994
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 46m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 1994 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 2, 2001
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Lauren Holly, Teri Garr, Karen Duffy, Mike Starr, directed by Peter Farrelly, Robert Farrelly, written by Peter Farrelly, Robert Farrelly, Bennett Yellin, comedy, PG-13, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Ryan Gilbey, Gene Siskel, Frank Scheck, Mark Dinning, Owen Gleiberman, Variety Staff, Rob Gonsalves, Mike Massie, David Nusair, Bill Clark, Felix Vasquez Jr., Scott G Mignola, Jim Carrey as Lloyd Christmas, Jeff Daniels as Harry Dunne, Lauren Holly as Mary Swanson, produced by Brad Krevoy, Steven Stabler, MPAA rating, New Line Cinema, Motion Picture Corporation of America, Dolby Digital, Stereo, Surround, suitcase, kidnapping, friendship, road trip, humor, comedy duo, farcical comedy, improvised moments, low-brow humor, likable performances, silly, outlandish, soundtrack, lighthearted tone, quotable, mindless entertainment, gags, against-type performance, hired killers, police, friendship tested, Aspen, Colorado, suitcase full of money, Mary Swanson, pursued, anti-social behavior, etiquette, vulgarity, desire to be a child, adult world
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
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.): $17,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36,522,048
Production budget ranking: 1,029
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,667,123
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jeff Daniels – Harry Dunne
Lauren Holly – Mary Swanson
Teri Garr – Helen Swanson
Karen Duffy – J.P. Shay
Mike Starr – Joe “Mental” Mentaliano
Director – Peter Farrelly, Robert Farrelly
Producers – Brad Krevoy, Steven Stabler
Writers – Peter Farrelly, Robert Farrelly, Bennett Yellin
Director(s)
Peter Farrelly, Robert Farrelly
Writer(s)
Peter Farrelly, Robert Farrelly, Bennett Yellin
Producer(s)
Brad Krevoy, Steven Stabler
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (17)
What makes this fantasy of anti-social behaviour so painfully funny, is the gulf between etiquette and vulgarity, the desire to be a child whooping it up in the adult world.
December 13, 2017
Ryan Gilbey
Independent on Sunday
TOP CRITIC
You cannot deny a laugh, and Dumb and Dumber has plenty.
August 23, 2017 | Rating: 3/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
The plot, of course, is merely an excuse for an endless series of gags, and the percentage of them that score is fairly high.
November 12, 2014
Frank Scheck
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
[Featrues] a plethora of memorable scenes.
April 28, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Dinning
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Dumb and Dumber, which features Carrey and Jeff Daniels as nitwits traveling cross-country, is a frayed string of gags posing as a movie. Carrey, though, does literal-minded doofdom with peerless enthusiasm.
April 28, 2008 | Rating: B-
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
The wholeheartedness of this descent into crude and rude humor is so good-natured and precise that it’s hard not to partake in the guilty pleasures of the exercise.
April 28, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
It isn’t nonstop hilarity; there are quite a few dead spots. But I liked it a lot.
August 31, 2022 | Rating: B
Rob Gonsalves
Rob’s Movie Vault
The teaming and the formula are often copied but rarely matched.
September 11, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
…a modern classic of the comedy genre…
November 18, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
From the puns to the slapstick to the toilet, Dumb and Dumber is performed at such a high level that it transcends many of its influences.
November 4, 2014
Bill Clark
FromTheBalcony
Easily one of the funniest (and most quotable) movies ever made…
July 1, 2013
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
The caviar of low-brow, gross-out comedy.
January 2, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Scott G. Mignola
Common Sense Media…
Plot
Two best friends, Lloyd and Harry, stumble upon a suitcase full of money and embark on a road trip to Aspen to return it, unaware that it’s connected to a kidnapping, in the comedy film “Dumb & Dumber.”
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t have any goofy or funny comments about the film Signed in.
Peter-Farrelly.jpg
80%
Immortal Beloved (1994)
80%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: NA
A contrived romantic mystery and ponderous pacing make Immortal Beloved a not-so-joyful ode to Ludwig van Beethoven, despite Gary Oldman’s best efforts to inject some passion into proceedings
Immortal Beloved is a film that’s as dramatic as Beethoven’s music, but with a lot more talking. Critics have been divided on the film’s authenticity, but one thing’s for sure: Gary Oldman’s performance is electric. The film takes us on a journey through the composer’s life, love, and music, and while it may not be historically accurate, it’s still a fun ride. Just don’t expect to be humming any of the tunes on your way out of the theater.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Zentralfriedhof, Vienna, Austria
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for scenes of violence and sexuality
Year of Release
1995
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS DTS Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 12.35 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English, Hungarian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Oct 21, 2003
Genre(s)
Biography
Keyword(s)
starring Gary Oldman, Jeroen Krabbé, Isabella Rossellini, Johanna ter Steege, Marco Hofschneider, Miriam Margolyes, directed by Bernard Rose, written by Bernard Rose, produced by Bruce Davey, biography, Ludwig van Beethoven, hearing loss, Schindler, love letters, flashbacks, classical music, romantic mystery, passion, musical genius, authenticity, music scholars, image-making, cartoon, dark, harrowing grandeur, Hollywood, private life, legendary composer, illicit passion, creative reveries, detective-like investigation, twist ending, slow, flat, turgid affair, palette, used Ace bandages, over-the-top artiste, emotional resonance, historical hokum, absorbing motion picture, heady blend, stellar performances, spectacular backdrops, crafty screenwriting, puny, stodgy pudding, snail’s pace, wildly different performing styles, R, box office, gross USA, $8.7M, surround, stereo, critic reviews, Gene Siskel, Michael Wilmington, Kenneth Turan, Jay Boyar, Desson Thomson, Rita Kempley, David Sterritt, Malcolm Johnson, People Staff, Sky Staff, Roger Hurlburt, Stephen Hunter, Tomatometer, audience score, streaming, rent/buy, MPAA rating, critic submission, licensing, advertise, careers
Worldwide gross: $9,914,409
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $19,495,296
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,725
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,125,986
US/Canada gross: $9,914,409
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $19,495,296
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,423
US/Canada opening weekend: $120,108
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $236,176
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,608
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
Jeroen Krabbé – Anton Felix Schindler
Isabella Rossellini – Anna Marie Erdody
Johanna ter Steege – Johanna Reiss, van Beethoven
Marco Hofschneider – Karl van Beethoven
Miriam Margolyes – Nanette Streicher
Director(s)
Bernard Rose
Writer(s)
Bernard Rose
Producer(s)
Bruce Davey
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (55) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (31) | Rotten (24)
Music scholars have challenged the film’s authenticity, but they cannot dispute the magnificent image-making by director Bernard Rose.
May 24, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
It may be a cartoon. Yet, with Beethoven’s compositions crashing and storming around him, it’s a cartoon that has some dark, harrowing grandeur.
May 24, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Yes, this is another one of Hollywood’s silly symphonies, an unintentionally amusing bit of piffle that allows mortals a privileged glimpse into the private life of a legendary composer.
May 24, 2019
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Moments like these may lift Immortal Beloved high enough for even the most skeptical of purists to forgive it. Moments like these and, of course, all that glorious music.
May 24, 2019
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
For all the story’s illicit passion, creative reveries, detective-like investigation and twist ending, Immortal Beloved is episodically slow and surprisingly flat.
May 24, 2019
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
A turgid affair with a palette that recalls used Ace bandages.
May 24, 2019
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
The results are always excessive and sometimes quite aggravating, but they’re weirdly appropriate to the subject of the story, an over-the-top artiste who seemed excessive and aggravating to many of his 19th-century cronies.
May 24, 2019
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor
Despite Oldman’s powers, this adds up to a less than immortal musical love story.
May 24, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
Malcolm Johnson
Hartford Courant
Ultimately, Beloved has all the sound and fury of Beethoven’s music but none of its emotional resonance.
May 24, 2019
People Staff
People Magazine
Puffed up and pompous, but puny, this is a stodgy pudding of a film that moves at a snail’s pace and tries unsuccessfully to accommodate wildly different performing styles from actors of various countries.
May 24, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
Sky Staff
Sky Cinema
Immortal Beloved is pure historical hokum. Nevertheless, it is an absorbing motion picture and a heady blend of stellar performances, spectacular backdrops and crafty screenwriting.
May 24, 2019
Roger Hurlburt
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Da-da-da-DUMB!
May 24, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Stephen Hunter
Baltimore Sun…
Plot
The life and death of the legendary Ludwig van Beethoven. Besides all the work he is known for, the composer once wrote a famous love letter to a nameless beloved, and the movie tries to find out who this beloved was
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Despite the film’s flaws, critics praise Gary Oldman’s performance as Ludwig van Beethoven in Immortal Beloved.
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