Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros., Lakeshore Entertainment, Malpaso Productions,
 
Distributor
Roadside Attractions
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Nyack, New York, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, some sexuality and drug use
 
Year of Release
2014
 

 
Genre(s)
Lgbtq+
 
Keyword(s)
starring Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason, directed by Craig Johnson, written by Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman, LGBTQ+, family drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Sims, Mark Kermode, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Geoffrey Macnab, Wendy Ide, Peter Bradshaw, Richard Crouse, Mike Massie, Stephen A Russell, Joanne Laurier, Brent McKnight, Chris McCoy, produced by Stephanie Langhoff, Jennifer Lee, Jacob Pechenik, R-rated, suicide, depression, dysfunctional family, sibling relationship, middle age, marriage, first love, truthfulness, acceptance, Roadside Attractions
 

Cast & Crew

Bill Hader

Kristen Wiig

Luke Wilson

Ty Burrell

Boyd Holbrook

Milo

Maggie

Lance

Rich

Billy

Bill Hader – Milo
Kristen Wiig – Maggie
Luke Wilson – Lance
Ty Burrell – Rich
Boyd Holbrook – Billy
Joanna Gleason – Judy
Director – Craig Johnson
Producers – Stephanie Langhoff, Jennifer Lee, Jacob Pechenik
Writers – Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman

 

Craig Johnson

Craig Johnson

Stephanie Langhoff

Jennifer Lee

Jacob Pechenik

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Craig Johnson
 
Writer(s)
Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman
 
Producer(s)
Stephanie Langhoff, Jennifer Lee, Jacob Pechenik

 

Film Festivals
Sundance
 
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 12 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

David Sims

Mark Kermode

Charlotte O’Sullivan

Geoffrey Macnab

Wendy Ide

The Atlantic

Observer (UK)

London Evening Standard

Independent (UK)

Times (UK)

THE SKELETON TWINS
 All Critics (168) | Top Critics (54) | Fresh (145) | Rotten (23)
 Despite occasional charming moments and a generally solid ensemble, The Skeleton Twins doesn’t distinguish itself in any memorable way.
 
 September 22, 2016
 
 David Sims
 The Atlantic
 TOP CRITIC
 Suicide is no laughing matter, but there are some wry smiles in this changeably moody indie-pic about self-destructive siblings.
 
 November 9, 2014
 
 Mark Kermode
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 How can you not love something that gives Wiig so much scope?
 
 November 7, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Charlotte O’Sullivan
 London Evening Standard
 TOP CRITIC
 There is the risk of a credibility gap when charismatic and successful stars play ultra- dysfunctional types. That’s why Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig never quite convince as Milo and Maggie, twins on the cusp of middle age.
 
 November 6, 2014
 
 Geoffrey Macnab
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 The laughs are here, but they are tempered by bruising regrets and simmering grudges in this elegant study of a sibling relationship in crisis.
 
 November 6, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Wendy Ide
 Times (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 [An] entertaining, bleak comedy-drama …
 
 November 6, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Peter Bradshaw
 Guardian
 TOP CRITIC
 An interesting and funny character study for much of its 93 minute running time, but the ending feels almost as if the production ran out of money and shut down before they figured out a satisfactory conclusion.
 
 February 1, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Richard Crouse
 Richard Crouse
 An exhausting succession of dramatic happenings that leave little room for periodic small wins.
 
 December 4, 2020 | Rating: 4/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 It will have you guffawing wildly at a perfectly judged lip synch dance off to Jefferson Starship’s Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now one minute, then sobbing surreptitiously into your sleeve.
 
 August 26, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Stephen A. Russell
 The New Daily (Australia)
 The film’s depiction of the chronic discontent of middle class America is little more than a background prop.
 
 August 13, 2020
 
 Joanne Laurier
 World Socialist Web Site
 No one blows up your life quite like family.
 
 July 7, 2020 | Rating: B
 
 Brent McKnight
 The Last Thing I See
 The Skeleton Twins is Wiig and Hader’s movie.. They take what could have been stock indie characters and created two broken, funny, fully realized people. Watching them play together is sheer joy, something that indie films and Hollywood need more of.
 
 January 8, 2020
 
 Chris McCoy
 Memphis Flyer…

 

Plot
After ten years of estrangement, twins Maggie and Milo coincidentally cheat death on the same day, prompting them to reunite and confront how their lives went so wrong. As the twins’ reunion reinvigorates them both, they realize that the key to fixing their lives just may lie in fixing their relationship with each other.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig’s performances are praised as “outstanding” in The Skeleton Twins.
 

 
Craig-Johnson.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
New Line Cinema, Zupnik Cinema Group II GGR
 
Distributor
Roadside Attractions
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for drug use, language and some sexual content
 
Year of Release
2015
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Sue Rock, Adriene Mishler, directed by David Gordon Green, written by Gary Hawkins, drama, R rating, Lisa Muskat, David Gordon Green, Christopher Woodrow, Derrick Tseng, box office gross $371.9K, reviewed by Jason Bailey, Mark Kermode, Ryan Gilbey, Tara Brady, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Geoffrey Macnab, Kip Mooney, Dan Brightmore, Richard Crouse, John Bleasdale, Paula Fleri-Soler, abuse, father-son relationship, lumber crew, ex-con, protective, intense, powerful performance, southern drama, gritty, emotional, haunting, intense, coming of age, dark, slow-moving, naturalism, Malick-style lyricism, brutal, bleak, tender-hearted, soundtrack, electronic pulse, winter’s bone, abused young boy, dangerous father, outstanding acting, Shakespearean level terrifying, southern, gripping, deeply moving, knockout, unforgettable, must-see, impressive, brilliant, riveting, horror, thriller, action, adventure, comedy, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, animation, musical, crime, mystery, western, war, documentary, independent, limited release, streaming, rent/buy
 

Cast & Crew

Nicolas Cage

Tye Sheridan

Gary Poulter

Ronnie Gene Blevins

Sue Rock

Joe

Gary

Wade aka G-Daawg

Willie-Russell

Merle

Nicolas Cage – Joe
Tye Sheridan – Gary
Gary Poulter – Wade aka G-Daawg
Ronnie Gene Blevins – Willie-Russell
Sue Rock – Merle
Adriene Mishler – Connie

 

David Gordon Green

Gary Hawkins

Lisa Muskat

David Gordon Green

Christopher Woodrow

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
David Gordon Green
 
Writer(s)
Gary Hawkins
 
Producer(s)
Lisa Muskat, David Gordon Green, Christopher Woodrow, Derrick Tseng

 

Film Festivals
South by Southwest, Venice, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 3 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Jason Bailey

Mark Kermode

Ryan Gilbey

Tara Brady

Charlotte O’Sullivan

Flavorwire

Observer (UK)

Sight & Sound

Irish Times

London Evening Standard

JOE
 All Critics (135) | Top Critics (54) | Fresh (116) | Rotten (19)
 The way director David Gordon Green uses Cage, and the way the actor modulates the performance, seems a quiet commentary on who he’s become onscreen, and how to draw upon it.
 
 June 18, 2016
 
 Jason Bailey
 Flavorwire
 TOP CRITIC
 Generally as raw as the steaks that Cage manfully cuts from the carcass of an impaled deer, the high whiff of which seeps through every frame of the film.
 
 July 27, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Mark Kermode
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 There is a pleasing synchronicity between Joe’s attempts to stem his temper and the effort made by Cage to keep his own actorly excesses in check.
 
 July 25, 2014
 
 Ryan Gilbey
 Sight & Sound
 TOP CRITIC
 Bearded redneck turns out to be a good look for Cage, who puts in his best screen performance since Werner Herzog’sBad Lieutenant
 
 July 25, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Tara Brady
 Irish Times
 TOP CRITIC
 With a bolder script, Joe could have been a Texan masterpiece to rank alongside Badlands.
 
 July 25, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Charlotte O’Sullivan
 London Evening Standard
 TOP CRITIC
 Green specialises in a soulful naturalism, and Joe contrasts moments of Malick-style lyricism with scenes of extreme brutality.
 
 July 24, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Geoffrey Macnab
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 A story with some power, humor and heart.
 
 September 9, 2021 | Rating: B
 
 Kip Mooney
 College Movie Review
 Green avoids the cliché…opting instead for a soundtrack fused with an electronic pulse.
 
 May 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Dan Brightmore
 NME
 It’s bleak, with little relief from scene to scene, but is a happy medium for Green, melding his indie work with his Hollywood films in an interesting and satisfying way.
 
 February 1, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Richard Crouse
 Richard Crouse
 With an air of an old Jim Thompson novel, Joe is a grungy thriller with a surprisingly tender heart.
 
 April 3, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
 John Bleasdale
 CineVue
 A story of genuine emotions.
 
 March 5, 2019
 
 Paula Fleri-Soler
 Times of Malta
 Funny, poignant and bleak, often all at the same time, any true fan of His Cageness should certainly give it a watch.
 
 November 2, 2018 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Jennifer Heaton
 Alternative Lens…

 

Plot
Joe, a rough boss of a lumber crew, risks trouble when he defends the youngest member of his team from an abusive father, in this drama anchored by a powerful performance from Nicolas Cage.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The late Gary Poulter, who played the abusive father in the film, was actually a homeless man discovered and cast by the director.
 

 
David-Gordon-Green.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Constantin Film Norddeutscher Rundfunk Westdeutscher Rundfunk
 
Distributor
Strand Releasing
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Berlin, Germany
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Marlen Kruse, Meret Becker, Axel Milberg, Peri Baumeister, directed by David Wnendt, written by Claus Falkenberg, David Wnendt, comedy, German language, box office gross $59.4K, reviewed by Judy Berman, Amelia Ayrelan Iuvino, Bill Goodykoontz, Richard Corliss, Richard Brody, Jonathan Romney, Joe Lipsett, David Lamble, Dan Tabor, Nicholas Bell, Mattie Lucas, MPAA rating R, rebellious teen, hospital, male nurse, divorced parents, feminist riffs, black comedy, gross-out moments, sexual content, hygiene, family drama, friendship, love story, unconventional storytelling, sweet soundtrack, engrossing visuals
 

Cast & Crew

Carla Juri

Christoph Letkowski

Marlen Kruse

Meret Becker

Axel Milberg

Helen Memel

Robin

Corinna

Mother

Father

Carla Juri – Helen Memel
Christoph Letkowski – Robin
Marlen Kruse – Corinna
Meret Becker – Mother
Axel Milberg – Father
Peri Baumeister – Sister Valerie
David Wnendt – Director/Producer
Claus Falkenberg – Writer

 

David Wnendt

Claus Falkenberg

David Wnendt

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
David Wnendt
 
Writer(s)
Claus Falkenberg, David Wnendt
 
Producer(s)
David Wnendt

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 8 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Judy Berman

Amelia Ayrelan Iuvino

Bill Goodykoontz

Richard Corliss

Richard Brody

Flavorwire

Bitch Media

Arizona Republic

TIME Magazine

New Yorker

WETLANDS
 All Critics (57) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (5)
 … The film is packed with subtle, feminist riffs on romantic movie clichés…
 
 September 21, 2017
 
 Judy Berman
 Flavorwire
 TOP CRITIC
 Helen is really rad and funny and brave.
 
 December 5, 2016
 
 Amelia Ayrelan Iuvino
 Bitch Media
 TOP CRITIC
 “Wetlands” tells a fairly conventional story in about the most unconventional ways imaginable.
 
 November 13, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Bill Goodykoontz
 Arizona Republic
 TOP CRITIC
 Even if Wetlands were far less entertaining, it would still be a calling card for Juri’s star-is-born performance. The beguiled viewer watches her and thinks, “Bingo!”
 
 October 16, 2014
 
 Richard Corliss
 TIME Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 An absurdly simplistic family drama; the movie’s apparent audacity isn’t even skin deep.
 
 September 22, 2014
 
 Richard Brody
 New Yorker
 TOP CRITIC
 Yes, you could call Wetlands the anal anti-Amélie, but-although Wnendt is nowhere near as stylistically pedantic-this film has a certain Jeunet-like flamboyance that you’ll either love or hate.
 
 September 18, 2014
 
 Jonathan Romney
 Film Comment Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 Gross and funny, the film wisely understands how to adapt Charlotte Roche’s far more controversial and shocking source material in a way that’s palatable to audiences. Carla Juri is a delight
 
 July 1, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Joe Lipsett
 Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast
 An uncompromising comedy.
 
 June 10, 2020
 
 David Lamble
 Bay Area Reporter
 Wetlands is gross, complicated and dysfunctional and honestly I wouldn’t want it any other way. The film, much like its protagonist, isn’t an easy film to love, but those who look beyond the shock will find it has a heart.
 
 May 29, 2020
 
 Dan Tabor
 Cinapse
 Wetlands is a film that gloriously embraces a frank exploration of human bodily functions like no other, a veritable ‘warts and all’ endeavor, if you will, that’s refreshing, funny, and most importantly, memorable.
 
 September 5, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Nicholas Bell
 IONCINEMA.com
 A film that is always vibrantly alive with a sense of self discovery and even wonder – at the world, at life, at the human body, and it does so without any self consciousness or forced sincerity.
 
 August 7, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Mattie Lucas
 From the Front Row
 In spite of an early disclaimer that states “This book shouldn’t be read or adapted to film,” taken from a letter to the editor from Bild Online, you’re glad Wnendt and company went ahead and did it anyway.
 
 November 15, 2018
 
 Stephen Saito
 Moveable Fest…

 

Plot
The eccentric 18 year-old Helen narrates the story of her life, including stories about her preferred sexual practices that involve vegetables, her attitude towards hygiene, drugs, her best friend Corinna and her challenging childhood. The frame story takes place in a hospital where she is treated because of an anal fissure. During her stay she plans to reunite her divorced parents and falls in love with the male nurse Robin.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Carla Juri’s performance in Wetlands is described as “incredible” and a “breakthrough” for the actor.
 

 
David-Wnendt.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Highline Pictures, Camera One Endless Picnic
 
Distributor
Oscilloscope Pictures
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
 
Year of Release
2014
 

 
Genre(s)
Documentary
 
Keyword(s)
documentary, dirt-bike riders, Baltimore, male role models, subculture, poverty, outlaw appeal, inner-city, Lotfy Nathan, John Kassab, Eric Blair, Taylor Gillespie, English, Oscilloscope Pictures, 12 O’Clock Boys, Pug, box office, gross USA, $44.1K, MPAA rating, critics, Ty Burr, Chris Nashawaty, Kimber Myers, Ann Hornaday, Peter Howell, Peter Rainer, Richard Crouse, Jordan M Smith, Nathan Bartlebaugh, Robert Roten, Todd Jorgenson, Brian Orndorf, audience reviews, genre, producer, director, cinematographer, runtime, limited release, streaming, rent/buy, Tomatometer, audience score, critic consensus, reviews
 

Cast & Crew

Lotfy Nathan

John Kassab

Eric Blair

Taylor Gillespie

Lotfy Nathan

Director

Producer

Producer

Producer

Executive Producer

Lotfy Nathan – Director
Lotfy Nathan – Producer
John Kassab – Producer
Eric Blair – Producer
Taylor Gillespie – Executive Producer
Lotfy Nathan – Cinematographer

 

Lotfy Nathan

NA

Lotfy Nathan

John Kassab

Eric Blair

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Lotfy Nathan
 
Writer(s)
NA
 
Producer(s)
Lotfy Nathan, John Kassab, Eric Blair

 

Film Festivals
South by Southwest, Cannes
 
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 7 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Ty Burr

Chris Nashawaty

Kimber Myers

Ann Hornaday

Peter Howell

Boston Globe

Entertainment Weekly

The Playlist

Washington Post

Toronto Star

12 O’CLOCK BOYS
 All Critics (50) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (4)
 A short, pungent, ambiguous portrait of the poorer sections of Baltimore and the young men who get their kicks riding dirt bikes through the streets en masse, popping wheelies and dodging the police.
 
 February 13, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Ty Burr
 Boston Globe
 TOP CRITIC
 Documentary filmmaker Lotfy Nathan explores the outlaw appeal of an inner-city Baltimore dirt-bike gang through the eyes of a 13-year-old wannabe member named Pug.
 
 February 10, 2014 | Rating: B
 
 Chris Nashawaty
 Entertainment Weekly
 TOP CRITIC
 An exciting, beautifully shot look at a subculture through the eyes of one of its most devoted admirers.
 
 January 31, 2014 | Rating: B
 
 Kimber Myers
 The Playlist
 TOP CRITIC
 It could have romanticized its subjects, portraying them as outlaws and folk heroes. Or it could have gone the way of moral panic. To its credit, [it] does neither of these things – or, rather, it does both, in the most subtle and insightful way possible.
 
 January 31, 2014
 
 Ann Hornaday
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 Take a closer look, as Lofty Nathan does in his freewheeling debut feature… and bike gangs like the 12 O’Clock Boys start to differentiate as more than just a dangerous nuisance.
 
 January 31, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Peter Howell
 Toronto Star
 TOP CRITIC
 [Pug is] a fiercely individual child, but, inevitably, his predicament also symbolizes how poverty can warp a good boy’s nature.
 
 January 31, 2014 | Rating: B
 
 Peter Rainer
 Christian Science Monitor
 TOP CRITIC
 This show-me, don’t-tell-me doc is an effective, poignant but slightly depressing look at one young man’s struggle to find the right path.
 
 February 1, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Richard Crouse
 Richard Crouse
 Nathan’s onscreen portrayal of Baltimore is a grim, but wholly alive piece of documentary filmmaking.
 
 November 4, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Jordan M. Smith
 IONCINEMA.com
 The filmmaking on 12 O’Clock Boys is masterfully even-handed and fastidiously detailed.
 
 June 21, 2016 | Rating: B+
 
 Nathan Bartlebaugh
 The Film Stage
 This defiance of the law, combined with the skill, speed and excitement, is part of the romance that draws Pug and other kids into the biker life. It is like the wild west.
 
 January 2, 2015 | Rating: C+
 
 Robert Roten
 Laramie Movie Scope
 The result is evocative and compelling, even if it doesn’t offer much context or socioeconomic insight into its broader subject.
 
 March 21, 2014
 
 Todd Jorgenson
 Cinemalogue
 There’s no balance of perspective, but what the feature lacks in fullness it makes up for in pure energy, extracting a sense of life in motion as its influence by a false sense of security.
 
 March 5, 2014 | Rating: B+
 
 Brian Orndorf
 Blu-ray.com…

 

Plot
12 O’Clock Boys is a documentary about a young boy named Pug who idolizes a group of dirt-bike riders in Baltimore and hopes to join their ranks one day.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about 12 O’Clock Boys.
 

 
Lotfy-Nathan.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Forty Four Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,
 
Distributor
Roadside Attractions
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Adventure/Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Robert Redford, directed by J.C Chandor, written by J.C Chandor, Adventure, Drama, PG-13, Neal Dodson, Anna Gerb, Justin Nappi, Teddy Schwarzman, $6.3M, reviewed by Jason Bailey, David Stratton, Sandra Hall, Michael Koresky, Donald Clarke, Tim Robey, Robert Redford as Our Man, Dolby Digital, Indian Ocean, solo voyage, veteran mariner, collision, shipping container, radio, navigation equipment, violent storm, survival, mortality, perseverance, sharks, box office, minimalist, pure cinema, Hollywood films, survival exercise, cautionary document, masterpiece, fiction storytelling, exceptional film, gripping, vintage, life or death situation, hope, despair, emotions, tension, water effects, outstanding performance, suspense, dialogue-free, believable, realistic, slow-paced, facial expressions, limited, water effects, moving, eminently worthwhile, testament, Robert Redford’s ability to hold the screen
 

Cast & Crew

Robert Redford

J.C. Chandor

Neal Dodson

Anna Gerb

Justin Nappi

Our Man

Director

Screenwriter

Producer

Producer

Robert Redford – Our Man
J.C. Chandor – Director, Screenwriter
Neal Dodson – Producer
Anna Gerb – Producer
Justin Nappi – Producer

 

J.C. Chandor

J.C. Chandor

Neal Dodson

Anna Gerb

Justin Nappi

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
J.C. Chandor
 
Writer(s)
J.C. Chandor
 
Producer(s)
Neal Dodson, Anna Gerb, Justin Nappi, Teddy Schwarzman

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes, Telluride
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
3 wins & 48 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Jason Bailey

David Stratton

Sandra Hall

Michael Koresky

Donald Clarke

Flavorwire

The Australian

Sydney Morning Herald

Sight & Sound

Irish Times

ALL IS LOST
 All Critics (241) | Top Critics (72) | Fresh (227) | Rotten (14)
 A vital, exciting piece of work from Mr. Redford, an actor whom you’d have been forgiven for counting out by now.
 
 June 18, 2016
 
 Jason Bailey
 Flavorwire
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s a rare example of pure cinema, and that, in itself, gives it a stature to which few Hollywood films these days aspire.
 
 February 28, 2014 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 David Stratton
 The Australian
 TOP CRITIC
 Chandor has produced a minimalist gem.
 
 February 28, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Sandra Hall
 Sydney Morning Herald
 TOP CRITIC
 The film attains an operatic grandeur in its closing moments, and surprisingly earns it: Chandor’s intensely physical, experiential work has brought us right up to the perilous edge between life and death.
 
 February 6, 2014
 
 Michael Koresky
 Sight & Sound
 TOP CRITIC
 Gravity’s great weakness was the unnecessarily abundant corny dialogue. All Is Lost is makes no such compromises.
 
 January 1, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Donald Clarke
 Irish Times
 TOP CRITIC
 [Redford] speaks barely a handful of lines in All Is Lost, but the film still manages to feel like an internal monologue, a conversation between one man and himself.
 
 December 26, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Tim Robey
 Daily Telegraph (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Commanding the screen without his smile and very few words, Redford gives an acting clinic on screen presence in this exhilarating and striking survival drama.
 
 June 26, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Don Shanahan
 Every Movie Has a Lesson
 The rest of the film is an almost entirely dialogue free exercise in man’s determination and will to survive, a harrowing film that sees the tension ramp up as the runtime and specter of death increases…
 
 April 14, 2021
 
 Jim Rohner
 Battleship Pretension
 All Is Lost is about man’s struggle against the world and society. The problems that we face as we get older, highlighting that there is never a satisfying or easy answer, that happy endings aren’t always guaranteed.
 
 March 17, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Niall Browne
 Movies in Focus
 While the pace may be too slow to keep most viewers involved, All is Lost does have an approach that stands in stark contrast to the slew of big-budget, star-studded, CGI-driven films available at today’s multiplexes.
 
 February 16, 2021
 
 Josh Long
 Battleship Pretension
 Probably more audacious than it is entertaining, but it showcases Chandor’s nimble footed technique and Redford’s effortless star power.
 
 January 31, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Richard Crouse
 Richard Crouse
 It’s an account of perseverance, a tense survival exercise that serves as a cautionary document more than a masterpiece of fiction storytelling.
 
 December 3, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins…

 

Plot
Deep into a solo voyage in the Indian Ocean, an unnamed man (Redford) wakes to find his 39-foot yacht taking on water after a collision with a shipping container left floating on the high seas. With his navigation equipment and radio disabled, the man sails unknowingly into the path of a violent storm. Despite his success in patching the breached hull, his mariner’s intuition and a strength that belies his age, the man barely survives the tempest. Using only a sextant and nautical maps to chart his progress, he is forced to rely on ocean currents to carry him into a shipping lane in hopes of hailing a passing vessel. But with the sun unrelenting, sharks circling and his meager supplies dwindling, the ever-resourceful sailor soon finds himself staring his mortality in the face.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Robert Redford’s “tremendous performance in a career full of them” and highlights his ability to hold the screen in All Is Lost.
 

 
J.C.-Chandor.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Mooz Films, Cedrus Invest Bank Sunnyland Film
 
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for sexuality, some language and a disturbing image
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Crime/Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Christopher St John, Charles Cioffi, Gwenn Mitchell, Lawrence Pressman, directed by Gordon Parks, written by Ernest Tidyman, John D F Black, genre: Crime/Drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Margaret Hinxman, Craig Fisher, Kim Newman, A.D Murphy, J R Jones, Geoff Andrew, Peter Canavese, Rob Aldam, Aaron Neuwirth, Ron Hutson, Mike Massie, Brian Costello, produced by Joel Freeman, MPAA rating: R, black crime mob, black nationals, white mafia, kidnapping, detective, blaxploitation, Isaac Hayes, soundtrack, suave, ultimate, cool, empowering, stereotypical, anachronisms, classic lines, coffee, violence, sex, profanity, an engaging story, all over the place, switching between plots, score
 

Cast & Crew

Richard Roundtree

Moses Gunn

Christopher St. John

Charles Cioffi

Gwenn Mitchell

John Shaft

Bumpy Jonas

Ben Buford

Vic Androzzi

Ellie Moore

Richard Roundtree – John Shaft
Moses Gunn – Bumpy Jonas
Christopher St. John – Ben Buford
Charles Cioffi – Vic Androzzi
Gwenn Mitchell – Ellie Moore
Lawrence Pressman – Sergeant Tom Hanson
Director – Gordon Parks
Producer – Joel Freeman
Writers – Ernest Tidyman, John D. F. Black

 

Gordon Parks

Ernest Tidyman

Joel Freeman

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Gordon Parks
 
Writer(s)
Ernest Tidyman, Ernest Tidyman, John D. F. Black
 
Producer(s)
Joel Freeman

 

Film Festivals
Sundance
 
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 10 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Margaret Hinxman

Craig Fisher

Kim Newman

A.D. Murphy

J. R. Jones

Daily Telegraph

Hollywood Reporter

Empire Magazine

Variety

Chicago Reader

SHAFT
 All Critics (44) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (38) | Rotten (6)
 A good, gutsy crime yarn in the ‘forties style.
 
 June 8, 2020
 
 Margaret Hinxman
 Daily Telegraph (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 If Shaft were indeed a hard-hitting, fast-paced, action-packed detective thriller, as it was meant to be, then it would be an acceptable entertainment. But it isn’t.
 
 June 25, 2018
 
 Craig Fisher
 Hollywood Reporter
 TOP CRITIC
 A blaxploitation pic that’s never quite as cool as its theme song.
 
 April 3, 2012 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Kim Newman
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 Excellent cast, headed by newcomer Richard Roundtree, may shock some audiences with heavy dose of candid dialog and situation.
 
 March 26, 2009
 
 A.D. Murphy
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 Forty years of gumshoe noir collided with black power in this 1971 action classic, the most popular of the blaxploitation pictures.
 
 March 1, 2007
 
 J. R. Jones
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 A hip, cool, entertaining thriller.
 
 June 24, 2006
 
 Geoff Andrew
 Time Out
 TOP CRITIC
 Pop culture transcendence.
 
 June 28, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Peter Canavese
 Celluloid Dreams
 A fascinating and unique crime drama which provides a snapshot of a time and place in history.
 
 June 23, 2022
 
 Rob Aldam
 Backseat Mafia
 Whether watching it to see a fun detective story or get a handle on the Blaxploitation era, Shaft is still and has always been one cool cat to follow.
 
 June 16, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Aaron Neuwirth
 Why So Blu
 Most of the characters are poorly cast and unconvincing. And except for some souped-up violence, especially at the end, there just isn’t much to the movie.
 
 January 25, 2022
 
 Ron Hutson
 Call and Post (Cleveland)
 Even when interactions remain low-key, Shaft’s screen presence and larger-than-life attitude are enough to spice things up.
 
 August 31, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 Violence, some sex, profanity in ’70s classic.
 
 June 11, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Brian Costello
 Common Sense Media…

 

Plot
In Shaft, suave black detective John Shaft finds himself up against various criminal factions, including the black crime mob and the white mafia, as he works to rescue the daughter of a crime boss.
 
Trivia

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

 
Gordon-Parks.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Red Light Films, HBO, Cinemax Documentary Creative Visions
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Dallas, Texas, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)

Cast & Crew

Coral Puente

Juan García del Tocado

Angelina Chen

Leo Zapata

Jonathan Espinoza

Coral Puente

Juan García del Tocado

Angelina Chen

Leo Zapata

Jonathan Espinoza

Coral Puente – Chaparra
Juan García del Tocado – Ulises Sampiero
Angelina Chen – Lin
Leo Zapata – Isai
Jonathan Espinoza – Jeremy
Leonardo Garza – Pekesillo

 

Shane Carruth

Shane Carruth

Shane Carruth

Casey Gooden

Ben LeClair

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Shane Carruth
 
Writer(s)
Shane Carruth
 
Producer(s)
Shane Carruth, Casey Gooden, Ben LeClair

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Berlin, South by Southwest
 
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 35 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Amy Taubin

Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

Wesley Morris

Michael Phillips

Michael Atkinson

Film Comment Magazine

metro.co.uk

Grantland

Chicago Tribune

Sight & Sound

UPSTREAM COLOR
 All Critics (148) | Top Critics (55) | Fresh (127) | Rotten (21)
 Upstream Color is a gorgeous movie-the play of sunlight in the visuals is exquisite-but its images of intestinal parasites are, well, off-putting.
 
 August 28, 2019
 
 Amy Taubin
 Film Comment Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 Blending languorous visual sensuality with a driving sense of paranoid urgency, this metaphorical mix of skin-crawling body horror and Lynchian mystery boasts a compelling dream logic that offsets its huge potential for being pretentious studenty twaddle.
 
 September 5, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Larushka Ivan-Zadeh
 metro.co.uk
 TOP CRITIC
 What the movie points to is worth following until you’re left with an enormous map that you spend the rest of the drive trying to refold.
 
 January 3, 2014
 
 Wesley Morris
 Grantland
 TOP CRITIC
 Carruth’s visual approach, saved from abstraction by his own rapid, forward-leaping editing, is extremely assured. Seimetz is a fine and expressively haunted actress. I look forward to the enigmas in Carruth’s next picture.
 
 December 17, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Michael Phillips
 Chicago Tribune
 TOP CRITIC
 Clearly, the film is intended as a tactile experience of poetic ideas, of modern disconnection and biophysical insecurity and existential doubt, and the clarity of these anxieties is bruising and stunning.
 
 December 17, 2013
 
 Michael Atkinson
 Sight & Sound
 TOP CRITIC
 Iit’s a film that I’d like to go back and look at again and give it a second go.
 
 December 17, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
 
 David Stratton
 At the Movies (Australia)
 TOP CRITIC
 Parasitic worms and pig farms, past and present, real and surreal, Whitman and Thoreau all come together in this strangely sensual concoction.
 
 July 24, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 Prahlad Srihari
 Firstpost
 Thematically huge, spiritual in nature, sweeping and epic despite a seemingly limited scope, this is a story about the human experience, about healing yourself and others, and that defies easy classification.
 
 July 9, 2020 | Rating: A
 
 Brent McKnight
 The Last Thing I See
 A gorgeous, utterly intoxicating Möbius strip, a wholly original work of art that defies simple categorization and achieves something few modern films ever do – a true sense of cinematic discovery.
 
 August 6, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Mattie Lucas
 From the Front Row
 After just two films, Carruth has proven himself a filmmaker that’s fine with creating works that are open to interpretation for viewers willing to not have everything spelled out for them.
 
 August 2, 2019
 
 Paul Freitag-Fey
 Daily Grindhouse
 Carruth places us in the same radical position as his two stranded protagonists, who have been forced into a Thoreauvian journey to discover their inner “drummer”.
 
 December 16, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
 PJ Nabarro
 Patrick Nabarro
 Where .. .acting lacks expression … music fills in the blanks.
 
 August 30, 2018
 
 Pat Padua
 DCist…

 

Plot
After undergoing a series of bizarre experiments, a woman meets a man who may have experienced the same ordeal, leading them on a journey to uncover the truth behind their shared experiences in Upstream Color.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
 

 
Shane-Carruth.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Killer Films, New Line Cinema,
 
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Fantasy
 
Keyword(s)
starring James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, directed by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, comedy, fantasy, R rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Dan Simolke, Wesley Morris, Max Kyburz, Anthony Lane, Mark Kermode, Kip Mooney, Mike Massie, Richard Propes, Brent McKnight, David Harris, Michael Compton, self-deprecating performances, apocalypse, biblical proportions, Hollywood, celebrity pals, party, cabin fever, dwindling supplies, Tinseltown’s elite, crude content, sexual content, brief graphic nudity, drug use, pervasive language, some violence, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital, James Weaver, produced by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver
 

Cast & Crew

James Franco

Jonah Hill

Seth Rogen

Jay Baruchel

Danny McBride

James Franco

Jonah Hill

Seth Rogen

Jay Baruchel

Danny McBride

James Franco – Self
Jonah Hill – Self
Seth Rogen – Self
Jay Baruchel – Self
Danny McBride – Self
Craig Robinson – Self

 

Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen

Evan Goldberg

James Weaver

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
 
Writer(s)
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
 
Producer(s)
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
10 wins & 22 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

Dan Simolke

Wesley Morris

Max Kyburz

Anthony Lane

Metro.co.uk

Shadow and Act

Grantland

Film Comment Magazine

New Yorker

THIS IS THE END
 All Critics (228) | Top Critics (61) | Fresh (189) | Rotten (39)
 There are some terrific one-liners, most of them insults…But this is a string of character gags, not a film, and the narrative barely putters along.
 
 September 5, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Larushka Ivan-Zadeh
 metro.co.uk
 TOP CRITIC
 Luckily, when the jokes hit, they hit hard, and it’s almost always at least entertaining.
 
 August 14, 2017 | Rating: B-
 
 Dan Simolke
 Shadow and Act
 TOP CRITIC
 There’s wonder here that films with quadruple the effects budget would kill for.
 
 January 6, 2014
 
 Wesley Morris
 Grantland
 TOP CRITIC
 The loose structure lazily rushes out plot points late in the game
 
 November 4, 2013
 
 Max Kyburz
 Film Comment Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 The film is more guileful than it looks, even though the narrative is nuts …
 
 July 1, 2013
 
 Anthony Lane
 New Yorker
 TOP CRITIC
 [A] bloated and only sporadically chucklesome vanity project from Hollywood’s new generation of superannuated frat boys.
 
 June 30, 2013
 
 Mark Kermode
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 The movie needs more plot but works better when the guys are just goofing off.
 
 September 17, 2021 | Rating: B-
 
 Kip Mooney
 College Movie Review
 It’s clear that the creators have learned little from the mistakes of preceding endeavors, as virtually every pratfall and shortcoming is repeated in spades.
 
 December 4, 2020 | Rating: 5/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have created a film that mostly makes fun of the real life characters in the film while making them accountable for the choices they make.
 
 September 26, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
 
 Richard Propes
 TheIndependentCritic.com
 Does watching a bunch of foul-mouthed, weed-smoking, pill-popping celebrities attempt to survive the end of the world sound like a good time?
 
 July 9, 2020 | Rating: B+
 
 Brent McKnight
 The Last Thing I See
 This is the End demonstrates a sweet core that keeps us cheering for the protagonists, even while Goldberg and Rogen are skewering the self-absorption of Hollywood types.
 
 November 19, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 David Harris
 Spectrum Culture
 Sure, “This Is the End” is juvenile and inconsequential, but it is also a lot of fun.
 
 April 10, 2019 | Rating: B
 
 Micheal Compton
 Bowling Green Daily News…

 

Plot
All Jay Baruchel expected coming to LA was a fun time with Seth Rogen with all the wild partying to have both by themselves and at James Franco’s housewarming party. Suddenly, the Rapture hits and the Biblical Apocalypse has begun. Now, Jay and Seth are desperately sheltering in James’ house for rescue along with a few other friends. Together, they must band together to attempt to survive the end of the world, only for Jay to find that they are all too dumb and superficial to do it until they discover the only way out.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
“This Is the End” features a star-studded cast playing exaggerated versions of themselves, including James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, and more.
 

 
Seth-Rogen.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Gruskoff, Venture Films, Crossbow Productions, Jouer Limited
 
Distributor
CBS Films
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence, bloody images, pervasive language, sexuality/nudity and some drug use
 
Year of Release
2012
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, Abbie Cornish, Tom Waits, directed by Martin McDonagh, written by Martin McDonagh, comedy, R-rated, box office gross $15.0M, reviewed by Jason Bailey, Donald Clarke, David Sexton, Robbie Collin, Nigel Andrews, Peter Bradshaw, Mike Massie, Allen Almachar, Brent McKnight, Jim Ross, David Harris, Quentin Tarantino-esque, dark comedy, violent, witty dialogue, meta-film, gangster, kidnapping, screenplay, alcoholic writer, struggling relationship, mobsters, Jack O’ Diamonds killer, bloody images, sexuality/nudity, some drug use, strong violence, Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin, produced by Martin McDonagh, CBS Films, Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital
 

Cast & Crew

Colin Farrell

Christopher Walken

Sam Rockwell

Woody Harrelson

Abbie Cornish

Marty

Hans

Billy

Charlie

Kaya

Colin Farrell – Marty
Christopher Walken – Hans
Sam Rockwell – Billy
Woody Harrelson – Charlie
Abbie Cornish – Kaya
Tom Waits – Zachariah

 

Martin McDonagh

Martin McDonagh

Graham Broadbent

Peter Czernin

Martin McDonagh

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Martin McDonagh
 
Writer(s)
Martin McDonagh
 
Producer(s)
Graham Broadbent, Peter Czernin, Martin McDonagh

 

Film Festivals
Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
3 wins & 21 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Jason Bailey

Donald Clarke

David Sexton

Robbie Collin

Nigel Andrews

Vice

Irish Times

London Evening Standard

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Financial Times

SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS
 All Critics (219) | Top Critics (69) | Fresh (181) | Rotten (38)
 A less successful picture, mostly because it’s more concerned with its winking meta-textual framework than the larger humanistic concerns of his other work.
 
 November 14, 2017
 
 Jason Bailey
 Vice
 TOP CRITIC
 At times, the galloping absurdity drifts into off-the-peg comedy gangster cliché. But McDonagh’s brilliant way with one-liners always claws back enough ground to stifle any groans.
 
 December 7, 2012 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Donald Clarke
 Irish Times
 TOP CRITIC
 There’s not much point to a meta-film once the actual film has ceased to grip.
 
 December 7, 2012 | Rating: 3/5
 
 David Sexton
 London Evening Standard
 TOP CRITIC
 Self-aware stupidity does not equal wit.
 
 December 6, 2012 | Rating: 1/5
 
 Robbie Collin
 Daily Telegraph (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Clever, ludic, perky, perspicacious – and ever so slightly tiring.
 
 December 6, 2012 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Nigel Andrews
 Financial Times
 TOP CRITIC
 After a while the narrative falters, the ideas flag and it simply gets dull …
 
 December 6, 2012 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Peter Bradshaw
 Guardian
 TOP CRITIC
 In its efforts to be thought-provoking and unique, it nearly derails itself by transforming into something less than a whole, sensible project.
 
 December 2, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 This is a dark, screwball comedy-drama that constantly surprises.
 
 July 29, 2020 | Rating: A
 
 Allen Almachar
 The MacGuffin
 A testosterone-fueled, pseudo-road movie with a story that’s smart, quick-witted, and self-referential.
 
 July 18, 2020 | Rating: B+
 
 Brent McKnight
 The Last Thing I See
 When the end result is quite as funny and off-the-wall as this, and the actors all quite as engaging and sharp, it’s rather hard to care about the lack of lasting impact.
 
 February 13, 2020
 
 Jim Ross
 TAKE ONE Magazine
 A highly entertaining movie filled with laughs, violence and some wonderful performances.
 
 November 13, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 David Harris
 Spectrum Culture
 A slick little joy ride that manages to gives us another great incarnation of the one and only Christopher Walken.
 
 August 5, 2019
 
 Nicholas Bell
 IONCINEMA.com…

 

Plot
A struggling screenwriter (Colin Farrell) inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his friends (Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell) kidnap a gangster’s (Woody Harrelson) beloved Shih Tzu.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Seven Psychopaths includes Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, and Woody Harrelson.
 

 
Martin-McDonagh.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures,
 
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic material including child imperilment, some disturbing images, language and brief sensuality
 
Year of Release
2012
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama/Adventure
 
Keyword(s)
Beasts of the Southern Wild, PG-13, Drama, Adventure, Fantasy, 1h 33m, starring Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, directed by Benh Zeitlin, written by Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar, produced by Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Josh Penn, box office gross $12.8M, reviewed by Anne Thompson, J Hoberman, Candice Frederick, Francesca Steele, Dwight Brown, Stanley Kauffmann, Dan Bayer, Cory Woodroof, Jason Adams, Josh Long, Mike Massie, MPAA rating Child Imperilment, Brief Sensuality, Language, Some Disturbing Images, Thematic Material, Fox Searchlight
 

Cast & Crew

Quvenzhané Wallis

Dwight Henry

Levy Easterly

Lowell Landes

Pamela Harper

Hushpuppy

Wink

Jean Battiste

Walrus

Little Jo

Quvenzhané Wallis – Hushpuppy
Dwight Henry – Wink
Levy Easterly – Jean Battiste
Lowell Landes – Walrus
Pamela Harper – Little Jo
Gina Montana – Miss Bathsheeba
Benh Zeitlin – Director, Writer
Lucy Alibar – Writer
Michael Gottwald – Producer
Dan Janvey – Producer
Josh Penn – Producer

 

Benh Zeitlin

Benh Zeitlin

Michael Gottwald

Dan Janvey

Josh Penn

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Benh Zeitlin
 
Writer(s)
Benh Zeitlin, Lucy Alibar
 
Producer(s)
Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Josh Penn

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
90 wins & 135 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Anne Thompson

J. Hoberman

Candice Frederick

Francesca Steele

Dwight Brown

indieWire

ARTINFO.com

Reel Talk Online

Independent (UK)

National Newspaper Publishers Association

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
 All Critics (209) | Top Critics (66) | Fresh (180) | Rotten (29)
 The brilliant, original four-hankie dystopian family drama from New Orleans newcomer Benh Zeitlin far surpassed any expectations for a scruffy $1.5 million effort from an unknown film collective…
 
 March 31, 2020
 
 Anne Thompson
 indieWire
 TOP CRITIC
 The movie’s mad gusto is truly infectious.
 
 February 22, 2019
 
 J. Hoberman
 ARTINFO.com
 TOP CRITIC
 It will not only stir your soul, but also open your mind to the possibility of a real-life Promised Land.
 
 September 8, 2017 | Rating: A
 
 Candice Frederick
 Reel Talk Online
 TOP CRITIC
 Beasts of the Southern Wild, a deliciously dreamy tale about a fictional Bayou community in the backwaters of Louisiana, does not so much jump off the screen as float effortlessly off it.
 
 August 11, 2017
 
 Francesca Steele
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s an amazing vision. A work of art.
 
 November 14, 2016 | Rating: 4/4
 
 Dwight Brown
 National Newspaper Publishers Association
 TOP CRITIC
 What is also extraordinary is that almost all the people we see are actors. So this is not a documentary but a moving enactment by people who are themselves moved.
 
 June 17, 2013
 
 Stanley Kauffmann
 The New Republic
 TOP CRITIC
 “Beasts of the Southern Wild” is a vibrant, moving testament to the world’s interconnectedness. It is also one of cinema’s most difficult, hardest-won coming-of-age stories, which makes that even more impressive.
 
 June 2, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
 
 Dan Bayer
 Next Best Picture
 Beasts of the Southern Wild takes the tone of its opening jubilation and stretches it out for the entire duration creating an incomparable cinematic experience that captures the imagination in the best way possible.
 
 February 11, 2022
 
 Cory Woodroof
 Lumination Network
 Beasts wants us to emotionally connect to what basically consist of a bunch of bizarrely ennobled child abusers in a way I was never entirely able to
 
 July 2, 2021
 
 Jason Adams
 My New Plaid Pants
 Though Hushpuppy’s world may not last for long, she and her people continue to live, and thrive, and leave their stamp on it. Beasts of the Southern Wild is about embracing that attitude.
 
 March 10, 2021
 
 Josh Long
 Battleship Pretension
 Wallis’ performance is commendable, showcasing a young actress who convincingly embodies the distraught, innocent, immature, and yet enduring mindset of a child in peril.
 
 December 1, 2020 | Rating: 5/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 There are so many scenes in Beasts of the Southern Wild that work magnificently.
 
 September 2, 2020 | Rating: 4.0/4.0
 
 Richard Propes
 TheIndependentCritic.com…

 

Plot
Hushpuppy, an intrepid six-year-old girl, lives with her father, Wink, in the Bathtub, a southern Delta community at the edge of the world. Wink’s tough love prepares her for the unraveling of the universe; for a time when he’s no longer there to protect her. When Wink contracts a mysterious illness, nature flies out of whack, temperatures rise, and the ice caps melt, unleashing an army of prehistoric creatures called aurochs. With the waters rising, the aurochs coming, and Wink’s health fading, Hushpuppy goes in search of her lost mother.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film in the Fresh Kernels database.
 

 
Benh-Zeitlin.jpg