Chunhyangdyun (2000)
83%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 5 nominations
Chunhyang is a cinematic masterpiece that transcends time and culture, weaving together a premodern folk tale with postmodern sensibilities. Im’s direction evokes a seething, primitivist beauty that rivals the likes of Makhmalbaf, while also exploring the contrapuntal textual investigations of Resnais. The result is a film that casts its own peculiar spell, drawing the viewer in with its charm and elegance. Part Disney, part Karl Marx, and all Korean, Chunhyang is a must-see for anyone who appreciates mythically resonant storytelling and richly cinematic visuals.
Chunhyang is like a Korean fairy tale that’s been given a modern twist, and it’s definitely worth watching. The movie is beautifully shot and the story is captivating, even if it’s a bit slow at times. It’s like a mix of Disney and Karl Marx, which sounds weird but somehow works. Plus, the protagonist is a total badass, even if she lived centuries ago. Overall, I’d say Chunhyang is a must-see for anyone who loves a good story and stunning visuals.
Production Company(ies)
Hecht-Lancaster Productions, Steven Productions,
Distributor
Lot 47 Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
South Korea
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some sexuality
Year of Release
2000
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 1m
-
Language(s):Korean
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 7, 2000 Original
Genre(s)
Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Lee Hyojeong, Cho Seung-woo, Lee Rogeon, Kim Sung-nyu, Kim Hak-young, Lee Hye-eun, directed by Im Kwon-taek, written by Kim Myung-gon, romance, R rating, Lot 47 Films, $802.9K box office, Dolby Stereo, Dolby SR, Surround sound mix, Flat (1.85:1) aspect ratio, reviewed by Lisa Schwarzbaum, Geoff Pevere, Liam Lacey, Michael Atkinson, Eleanor Ringel Cater, Michael Wilmington, Burl Burlingame, Prairie Miller, Jim Lane, Jeffrey Overstreet, Emanuel Levy, Carol Cling, Korean language, period romance, folktale formula, social class, despotic ruler, love story, elopement, death sentence, sincerity, savory visuals, Im Kwon-taek’s masterpiece, Korean cinema, ancient story, moral teachings, loyalty, obstacles, boundaries, Korean culture, epic piece, Chinese influence, slow-paced, singer, operatic delivery, voice-over, dialogue, cinematography, breathtaking scenery, immersion, Korean folklore
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $798,220
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,384,445
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,110
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
Cho Seung-woo – Lee Mongryong
Lee Rogeon – Byeon Hakdo
Kim Sung-nyu – Wolmae
Kim Hak-young – Bangja
Lee Hye-eun – Hyangdan
Director(s)
Im Kwon-taek
Writer(s)
Kim Myung-gon
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 5 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (42) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (36) | Rotten (6)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B+
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A seductively watchable, mythically resonant experience.
November 30, 2001
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
A premodern folk tale in a postmodern form that refreshes both the eye and our ideas about storytelling.
November 30, 2001 | Rating: 3/4
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Im’s movie approaches a seething, primitivist beauty that evokes Makhmalbaf and parallels the contrapuntal textual investigations of Resnais.
August 15, 2001
Michael Atkinson
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
Admiration gives way to something like enthrallment. Be patient and you’ll see that this picture casts its own peculiar spell.
February 26, 2001 | Rating: B+
Eleanor Ringel Cater
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
It’s a movie charmingly traditional and richly cinematic, and I’m not damning with faint praise when I say it’s the best Korean film I’ve seen.
February 26, 2001
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Reminded of ‘Ever After,’ a film that took a standard western myth and updated it with wit, verve and relevance. This is in that league, and rather more elegant and adult.
July 5, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Burl Burlingame
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Part Disney, part Karl Marx, the movie might be characterized as a North Korean post-revolutionary blockbuster. And though the persecuted protagonist is hardly a shrinking violet but not quite a budding feminist, hey, we’re talking centuries ago.
May 16, 2009
Prairie Miller
NewsBlaze
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review
Chunhyang is a gorgeous, elaborate film that feels like a fairy tale with a fresh coat of paint. Unfortunately, the paint is the most interesting part.
September 20, 2007 | Rating: C+
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer
July 31, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
February 20, 2004 | Rating: 5/5
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal…
Plot
Mongryong marries the beautiful Chunhyang without telling his father, the Governor of Namwon. When his father is transferred to Seoul, Mongryong has to leave Chunhyang and finish his exams. Chunhyang, being the daughter of a courtesan, is also legally a courtesan. She is beaten and imprisoned when she refuses to obey the new Governor Byun, as she wishes to be faithful to her husband. After three years, Mongryong passes his exam and becomes an emissary to the King. He returns to Namwon, disguised as a beggar, just before Chunhyang is to be flogged to death at the governor’s birthday celebration.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about Chunhyang.
Im-Kwon-taek.jpg
83%
Titus (1999)
83%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
4 wins & 19 nominations total
Titus, Julie Taymor’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, is a film that is both grandiose and grotesque. Taymor’s bold vision is a feast for the eyes, with stunning visuals and a cast that delivers powerful performances. However, the film’s unrelenting violence and bleakness may be too much for some viewers. Nevertheless, Taymor’s willingness to take risks and push boundaries makes Titus a unique and unforgettable cinematic experience. It’s a film that demands to be seen, even if it’s not always easy to watch.
Titus is a wild ride through Shakespeare’s twisted tale of revenge and betrayal. Critics have praised the film for its striking visuals and powerful performances, but let’s be real, we’re all here for the gore. From severed heads to cannibalistic feasts, Titus delivers on the blood and guts. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re looking for a Shakespearean horror movie, this is the one for you. Just don’t watch it while you’re eating dinner.
Production Company(ies)
Guangxi Film Studio, Beijing New Picture Film
Distributor
Fox
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Pula, Croatia
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violent and sexual images
Year of Release
2000
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 42m
-
Language(s):English, Latin
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 1999 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 18, 2006
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming, Colm Feore, James Frain, Laura Fraser, directed by Julie Taymor, written by William Shakespeare and Julie Taymor, History, Drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Todd McCarthy, Andrew Sarris, Geoff Andrew, Liam Lacey, Peter Travers, Chase Burns, David Keyes, Bob Grimm, Ken Hanke, Keith H Brown, MPAA rating R, Conchita Airoldi, Jody Patton, Julie Taymor produced by
Worldwide gross: $2,259,680
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,919,225
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,239
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 427,396
US/Canada gross: $2,007,290
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,481,475
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,909
US/Canada opening weekend: $22,313
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $38,700
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,277
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
Jessica Lange – Tamora
Alan Cumming – Saturninus
Colm Feore – Marcus Andronicus
James Frain – Bassianus
Laura Fraser – Lavinia
Conchita Airoldi – Producer
Jody Patton – Producer
Julie Taymor – Producer, Writer
William Shakespeare – Writer
Director(s)
Julie Taymor
Writer(s)
William Shakespeare, Julie Taymor
Producer(s)
Conchita Airoldi, Jody Patton, Julie Taymor
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
4 wins & 19 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (76) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (24)
A conditional victory.
June 17, 2008
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
A consistently absorbing entertainment that never becomes either campy or facetious, given its inescapable exaggerations.
April 27, 2007
Andrew Sarris
Observer
TOP CRITIC
A striking addition to the Shakespeare filmography.
February 9, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Along with everything else, the acting styles here clash, though the dissonance serves the drama’s bellicose theme.
April 25, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/4
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Eager to allow Shakespeare’s words to shine through as clearly as possible, Taymor shoots the dialogue scenes fairly straight, with a minimum of background action.
December 2, 2002
John Wrathall
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Jessica Lange as Tamora, the captured Goth queen, seethes with sexuality and vengeance.
May 11, 2001 | Rating: 4/5
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
Taymor understands how to direct an epic opera, and the large scale sensuality she embeds into the film tempers the play’s worst impulses.
January 20, 2022
Chase Burns
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
…audaciously steps outside of the tradition when it comes to film adaptations of the bard’s works, but it also does so much more: notably, find distinct meaning in a play where all notions of importance lacked a central point.
September 30, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Bob Grimm
Sacramento News & Review
This may just be the most striking and unsettling translation of Shakespeare ever committed to film.
March 26, 2008 | Rating: 5/5
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
It’s hard to see it matching the success of other recent adaptations of the Bard.
December 7, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/5
Keith H. Brown
Eye for Film
At once mesmerizing and jarring to the point that the audience can never get comfortable in the film.
July 14, 2007 | Rating: 2/4
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound…
Plot
War begets revenge. Victorious General Titus Andronicus (Sir Anthony Hopkins) returns to Rome with hostages: Tamora (Jessica Lange), Queen of the Goths, and her sons. He orders the eldest hewn to appease the Roman dead. He declines the proffered Emperor’s crown, nominating Saturninus (Alan Cumming), the last ruler’s venal elder son. Saturninus, to spite his brother Bassianus (James Frain), demands the hand of Lavinia (Laura Fraser), Titus’ daughter. When Bassianus, Lavinia, and Titus’ sons flee in protest, Titus stands against them and slays one of his own. Saturninus marries the honey-tongued Tamora, who vows vengeance against Titus. The ensuing maelstrom serves up tongues, hands, rape, adultery, racism, and Goth-meat pie. There’s irony in which two sons survive.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, and Alan Cumming.
Julie-Taymor.jpg
83%
Paul T Goldman
83%RT Audience Score:
Starring: Paul T. Goldman, Melinda McGraw, Michael Dempsey, Kue Lawrence
Hybrid, Lionsgate, Point Grey Pictures
Year of Release
2023
Technical Specs
Color: NA
Sound mix: NA
Aspect ratio: NA
Language(s): English
Country of origin: United States
Original premiere: 01/01/2023
Newest season premiere: 01/01/2023
Season Finale:
01/22/2023
Genre(s)
Comedy, Disaster, Hybrid, Music, War
Keyword(s)
Improvisational Digital Comedy, Single Camera Comedy, Lionsgate Television, Annapurna Television, Caviar Films, Point Grey Pictures, TV Shows from 2023, Movies from United States, English Language, GLAAD Media Awards Nominees, NAACP Image Awards Winners, NAACP Image Awards Nominees, Critics’ Choice Awards Nominees, Female Producer, LGBTQ Producer, Black Lead Cast
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
Rotten Tomatoes placeholder cast and crew thumbnail image
Paul T. Goldman
Self
Melinda McGraw profile McGraw
Audrey Munson
Michael Dempsey Dempsey
Bob Thompson
Kue Lawrence Lawrence
Johnny
Seth Rogen Rogen
Executive Producer
Evan Goldberg Goldberg
Producer
Director(s)
Writer(s)
Executive(s)
NA
Awards & Nominations
NA
Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)
Stream Now
(Click to Watch)
Coming soon…
83%
Amistad (1997)
83%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 4 Oscars
11 wins & 43 nominations total
Heartfelt without resorting to preachiness, Amistad tells an important story with engaging sensitivity and absorbing skill
Amistad” is a film that tells the story of a slave-ship rebellion in 1839 and its aftermath in the U.S. judicial system. Critics have had mixed reviews about the film, with some praising its powerful moments and performances, while others criticize its wordy courtroom drama and lack of subtlety. However, as a non-critic, I can say that “Amistad” is definitely worth watching for its important story and Djimon Hounsou’s magnetic performance. Plus, who doesn’t love a good courtroom drama with some stormy scenes on a slave boat? Overall, it may not be Spielberg’s best work, but it’s still a film that will leave an impact on its viewers.
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Distributor
DreamWorks SKG, United International Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some scenes of strong brutal violence and some related nudity
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 32m
-
Language(s):English, Mende, Spanish, Portuguese
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 10, 1997 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 7, 2005
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Matthew McConaughey, Nigel Hawthorne, Djimon Hounsou, David Paymer, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by David Franzoni, History, Drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Mike Clark, Owen Gleiberman, Nell Minow, Geoff Andrew, Steven D Greydanus, Eric L McKitrick, Yael Shuv, Jeffrey M Anderson, Tom Meek, produced by Debbie Allen, Steven Spielberg, Colin Wilson, R-rated, slave ship, uprising, Connecticut, John Quincy Adams, property lawyer, exonerated, Spanish merchants, courtroom drama, historical inaccuracies, Shindlers List, epic, sympathy, forgotten films, hair on end, documentary-like authenticity, powerful, violent, inhumane atrocities, slave trading, brilliant, smart, horrors, truths, sympathy, forgotten films, inaccuracies, Hollywood, cast, phenomenal, high point, signifigant role, core, sympathy, actor
Worldwide gross: $44,229,441
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $82,447,254
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,112
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,990,976
US/Canada gross: $44,229,441
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $82,447,254
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 843
US/Canada opening weekend: $4,573,523
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $8,525,417
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 999
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $36,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $67,106,911
Production budget ranking: 624
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $36,137,072
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$20,796,728
ROI to date (est.): -20%
ROI ranking: 1,500
Anthony Hopkins – John Quincy Adams
Matthew McConaughey – Baldwin
Nigel Hawthorne – Martin Van Buren
Djimon Hounsou – Cinque
David Paymer – Secretary Forsyth
Director(s)
Steven Spielberg
Writer(s)
David Franzoni
Producer(s)
Debbie Allen, Steven Spielberg, Colin Wilson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
11 wins & 43 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (65) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (15)
The narrative perils are daunting in this little-known true tale of a bloody slave-ship rebellion in 1839 and its jumbled aftermath in the U.S. judicial system.
January 9, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mike Clark
USA Today
TOP CRITIC
‘Amistad’ may not be the first, or fifth, or tenth film people talk about when Spielberg’s name comes up. But it has more moments that will put your hair on end than other filmmakers’ best works, and that says something.
December 15, 2017
Jason Bailey
Vice
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: C
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Powerful story for mid-teens and up.
December 21, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
In short, a wordy courtroom drama which seldom progresses beyond ciphers, stereotypes and salutary slogans.
June 24, 2006
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
As with Schindler’s List, Spielberg allows his subjects to be remote and somewhat unknowable human beings, creating an air of documentary-like authenticity.
July 19, 2003 | Rating: B+
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films
TOP CRITIC
Amistad is certainly a film of considerable power.
August 17, 2018
Eric L. McKitrick
The New York Review of Books
Amistad is worth seeing for the stormy scenes on board the slave boat, and for Djimon Hounsou’s magnetic performance. Otherwise, it can’t decide on its direction, and this unique historical event is stifled into a less than thrilling courtroom drama.
June 1, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Yael Shuv
Total Film
Amistad is worth seeing just for people to know about this important story, this moment in history. But from the world’s most powerful, successful and famous director, we expect more.
May 26, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
Aiming to instruct and entertain, and often struggling to reconcile these goals, Amistad lacks the subtlety of tone and simplicity of form that made Schindler’s List one of Spielberg’s very best; here, however, every idea and image are too explicit.
February 13, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Fortunately, the dry, courtroom banter is interjected with powerful accounts of the violent, inhumane atrocities inflicted on the slaves by Spanish merchants.
December 6, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Tom Meek
Film Threat
Amistad is the telling of an interesting event in American history, but doesn’t draw its audience in to the heart of the story.
April 9, 2005 | Rating: B+
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews…
Plot
Amistad is the name of a slave ship travelling from Cuba to the U.S. in 1839. It is carrying a cargo of Africans who have been sold into slavery in Cuba, taken on board, and chained in the cargo hold of the ship. As the ship is crossing from Cuba to the U.S., Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), who was a tribal leader in Africa, leads a mutiny and takes over the ship. They continue to sail, hoping to find their way back to Africa. Instead, they are misdirected and when they reach the United States, they are imprisoned as runaway slaves. They don’t speak a word of English, and it seems like they are doomed to die for killing their captors when an abolitionist lawyer decides to take their case, arguing that they were free citizens of another country and not slaves at all. The case finally gets to the Supreme Court, where John Quincy Adams (Sir Anthony Hopkins) makes an impassioned and eloquent plea for their release.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Anthony Hopkins delivers a brilliant performance as John Quincy Adams in Amistad.
Steven-Spielberg.jpg
83%
The Ice Storm (1997)
83%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 BAFTA Award
6 wins & 34 nominations total
Director Ang Lee revisits the ennui-laden decadence of 1970s suburban America with deft humor and gripping pathos
The Ice Storm” is a movie that captures the essence of suburban life in the 1970s. It’s like watching a time capsule of a time when people were trying to find their way in a world that was changing rapidly. The movie is beautifully directed by Ang Lee, and the performances are top-notch. The story is told through the eyes of the children, which adds a layer of innocence to the film. It’s a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and think about your own life. So, grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!
Production Company(ies)
Orion-Nova Productions,
Distributor
Fox, 20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
New Canaan, Connecticut, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for sexuality and drug use, including scenes involving children, and for language
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 53m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 1997 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 17, 2002
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood, Sigourney Weaver, directed by Ang Lee, written by Rick Moody and James Schamus, drama, R-rated, box office gross $7.9M, produced by Ted Hope, Ang Lee, James Schamus, reviewed by Gene Siskel, David Ansen, Todd McCarthy, Brian Eggert, David Thomson, Tom Meek, Owen Gleiberman, Margaret Pomeranz, Michael Atkinson, Brian D Johnson, ensemble cast, Thanksgiving, suburban America, infidelity, sexual affairs, ice storm, upper-middle-class, emotional deep freeze, 1970s, Watergate scandal, drugs, alcohol, swinging, dysfunctional families, suppressed emotions, tragedy, subtle brilliance, hypnotizing, gripping pathos, deft humor, ennui-laden decadence, surgical precision, compassionate, alienation, moral vacuity, puberty, sexual evolution, compassion, ensemble pieces, upper-middle-class, emotional deep freeze, surgical precision, compassionate, alienation, moral vacuity, puberty, sexual evolution, compassion
Worldwide gross: $8,038,061
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $14,983,596
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,817
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,633,980
US/Canada gross: $8,038,061
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $14,983,596
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,495
US/Canada opening weekend: $75,183
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $140,147
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,813
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $18,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $33,553,456
Production budget ranking: 1,085
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $18,068,536
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$36,638,396
ROI to date (est.): -71%
ROI ranking: 1,812
Joan Allen – Elena Hood
Henry Czerny – George Clair
Adam Hann-Byrd – Sandy Carver
David Krumholtz – Francis Davenport
Tobey Maguire – Paul Hood
Sigourney Weaver – Janey Carver
Christina Ricci – Wendy Hood
Elijah Wood – Mikey Carver
Director – Ang Lee
Producers – Ted Hope, Ang Lee, James Schamus
Writers – Rick Moody, James Schamus
Director(s)
Ang Lee
Writer(s)
Rick Moody, James Schamus
Producer(s)
Ted Hope, Ang Lee, James Schamus
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 BAFTA Award
6 wins & 34 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (69) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (59) | Rotten (10)
Nothing less than one of the year’s best pictures, a portrait of wealthy Connecticut suburbanites in the 1970s whose lives have no emotional or spiritual rudder.
March 28, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
The Ice Storm captures this place, this season, this garish and confused moment in history, with surgical precision…It’s Lee’s sympathetic detachment that gives the movie its paradoxical power.
February 27, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Among its many virtues, ‘The Ice Storm’ keenly captures the sheer, visceral terror of puberty-of grappling with these urges, trying to do what you think you’re supposed to, and lashing out when you can’t.
October 7, 2017
Jason Bailey
Vice
TOP CRITIC
I think one of the things [Ang Lee] really specializes in is ensemble pieces like this one.
February 27, 2014
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B+
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A well-observed and deftly performed examination of upper-middle-class emotional deep freeze…
July 28, 2008
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
The Ice Storm contains a deeply human authenticity and willingness to portray, but not resolve, its characters’ collective alienation.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Family life — the real focus of The Ice Storm — is rendered as having something like the alienating density of prison; each solitary feels enclosed in his or her own sentence and injustice.
August 12, 2020
David Thomson
Esquire Magazine
The film’s smartly told through the eyes of the children…
August 7, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
The key to The Ice Storm’s ambiguity and unexpected depth is that the events of the story mean wholly different things to different characters — there’s no moral, just life sliced like a loaf of bread.
October 25, 2019
Michael Atkinson
Spin
Elegantly directed by Sense and Sensibility’s Ang Lee, it frames the moral vacuity of the Seventies with cool, contemporary hindsight.
October 11, 2019
Brian D. Johnson
Maclean’s Magazine
What struck me about it was the fluidity and discipline of Lee’s direction, the performances which captured so beautifully the confusion of that period of cultural and sexual evolution, and the compassion which I think is a feature of all of Lee’s films.
February 27, 2014
Margaret Pomeranz
At the Movies (Australia)…
Plot
During the 1973 Thanksgiving weekend, the Hoods are – relationship-wise, skidding out-of-control, isolated from each other; Benjamin reels from drink-to-drink, His wife, Elena’s losing patience with Ben’s incessant lies. Home for the holidays, their son, Paul, heads into Manhattan, in search of a rich girl from his prep school. Wendy, the teenage daughter, roams the neighborhood, exploring the liquor and lingerie of her friends’ parents, looking for something – anything – new. Then, an ice storm hits, and their problems seem inconsequential, and nothing will ever be the same.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for The Ice Storm.
Ang-Lee.jpg
83%
Brassed Off (1997)
83%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: 10 wins & 7 nominations total
Brassed Off combines inspiring drama with populist socioeconomics to create a film whose familiar outlines are filled in with genuine and surprisingly palpable emotion
Brassed Off” is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even want to pick up a flugelhorn (although maybe don’t quit your day job just yet). The film’s depiction of a tight-knit community facing the harsh realities of Thatcherism is both audacious and agreeable, and the performances from the cast, including Ewan McGregor and Pete Postlethwaite, are remarkable. Sure, the movie can get a bit gushy at times, but for the most part, it strikes a perfect balance between humor and heart. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to be brassed off in the best possible way.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
British Waterways Wharf, Friars Gate, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby SR
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 49m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 23, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 6, 2011
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor, Jim Carter, Philip Jackson, Peter Martin, directed by Mark Herman, written by Mark Herman, produced by Steve Abbott, Comedy, Drama, R, Miramax Films, $2.6M, reviewed by Lisa Alspector, Paul Tatara, Quentin Curtis, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Derek Elley, Nell Minow, Mal Vincent, Tracey Petherick, Leah Rozen, David Parkinson, Dennis King, Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor, brass band, coal mine, Northern England, economic future, Gloria, Andy, national competition, Viability study, Grimley, miners, redundancy package, Trevor Jones, The Grimethorpe Colliery Band, dying town, poor politicians, emotional orchestrator, satisfying ending
Worldwide gross: $2,583,621
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,816,078
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,188
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 525,199
US/Canada gross: $2,576,331
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,802,489
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,822
US/Canada opening weekend: $52,534
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $97,928
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,941
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
Tara Fitzgerald – Gloria
Ewan McGregor – Andy
Jim Carter – Harry
Philip Jackson – Jim
Peter Martin – Ernie
Director(s)
Mark Herman
Writer(s)
Mark Herman
Producer(s)
Steve Abbott
Film Festivals
Berlin
Awards & Nominations
10 wins & 7 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (49) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (10)
Pete Postlethwaite is moving as the bandleader, whose dream of taking his players to compete at the Albert Hall nearly eclipses his appreciation of the dire issues they face.
September 9, 2020
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
“Brassed Off” is about as sloppy as it gets, but for nearly two-thirds of the movie the gushiness is pretty much kept in check. And those two thirds are quite a treat.
September 9, 2020
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
It survives through its never-failing sense of humour and the fact that by its loving depiction of alternative values — of warmth and community — to the ones it assaults, you feel it has earned the right to turn attacker.
November 22, 2017
Quentin Curtis
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Herman has come up with a neat idea in a setting he knows and understands, and the script, helped along by an excellent selection of Brit character actors, has a generally taught, well-worked-over feel.
July 6, 2010
Derek Elley
Variety
TOP CRITIC
May 5, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
Brassed Off’ should not be missed.
March 28, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Mal Vincent
The Virginian-Pilot
You’ll definitely laugh, you’ll probably cry, and you might even want to take up the flugelhorn.
October 21, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Tracey Petherick
Common Sense Media
The movie delivers way too much doom-and-gloom-pah-pah.
September 9, 2020
Leah Rozen
People Magazine
The edgy pace writer/director Mark Herman brings to the drama and his presentation of the musical sequences can’t be faulted, and he draws remarkable performances from a cast that includes Ewan McGregor and Pete Postlethwaite.
September 9, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
David Parkinson
Radio Times
[An] audacious, angry but oddly agreeable screed on the social evils of Thatcherism in 1992 Great Britain.
September 9, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Dennis King
Tulsa World
The film is sentimental and its politics black-and-white. Still, “Brassed Off” is as rousing and immensely likable as a superb brass band, which the film is ostensibly about.
September 9, 2020
Michael Ollove
Baltimore Sun…
Plot
In existence for a hundred years, Grimley Colliery Brass band is as old as the mine. But the miners are now deciding whether to fight to keep the pit open, and the future for town and band looks bleak. Although the arrival of flugelhorn player Gloria injects some life into the players, and bandleader Danny continues to exhort them to continue in the national competition, frictions and pressures are all too evident. And whose side is Gloria actually on?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy, funny, or odd comments were made by Fresh Kernels about Brassed Off.
Mark-Herman.jpg
83%
Hercules (1997)
83%RT Audience Score: 76%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
9 wins & 16 nominations total
Fast-paced and packed with dozens of pop culture references, Hercules might not measure up with the true classics of the Disney pantheon, but it’s still plenty of fun
Hercules is a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and feel like you can take on the world. It’s got everything you could want in an animated film: action, adventure, romance, and a whole lot of heart. Sure, some critics might call it “insipid” or “childish,” but those people clearly don’t know how to have fun. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride with Hercules and his gang of misfit heroes. You won’t regret it!
Production Company(ies)
Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
G
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1 (original and intended ratio)
-
Runtime:1h 32m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish, Greek
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 14, 1997 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 3, 2002
Genre(s)
Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, Susan Egan, Josh Keaton, Roger Bart, directed by Ron Clements, John Musker, written by Ron Clements, Irene Mecchi, John Musker, Adventure, Greek mythology, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Carol Buckland, Desson Thomson, Susan Stark, Rita Kempley, Richard Corliss, Leonard Klady, Rachel Wagner, Felix Vasquez Jr., James Plath, Dustin Putman, Josh Larsen, MPAA rating G, produced by Ron Clements, Alice Dewey Goldstone, John Musker, Hercules, son of gods, Hades, Mount Olympus, Philoctetes, evil creatures, Disney, animated feature, pop culture references, anachronistic humor, musical numbers, James Woods as Hades, Danny DeVito as Philoctetes
Worldwide gross: $252,712,101
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $471,075,791
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 304
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 51,371,406
US/Canada gross: $99,112,101
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $184,752,971
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 401
US/Canada opening weekend: $249,567
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $465,213
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,428
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $85,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $158,446,873
Production budget ranking: 199
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $85,323,641
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $227,305,276
ROI to date (est.): 93%
ROI ranking: 967
Josh Keaton – Young Hercules (Voice)
Roger Bart – Young Hercules (Singing Voice)
Danny DeVito – Philoctetes (Voice)
James Woods – Hades; Lord of the Underworld (Voice)
Susan Egan – Megara (Voice)
Director(s)
Ron Clements, John Musker
Writer(s)
Ron Clements, Irene Mecchi, John Musker
Producer(s)
Ron Clements, Alice Dewey Goldstone, John Musker
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
9 wins & 16 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (55) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (9)
Kids will love Hercules. It’s fast-paced, it’s funny, and it has a very positive message. Adults will enjoy it as well, thanks to its animated artistry and sly wit.
January 5, 2018
Carol Buckland
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
[An] insipid, lifeless, animated feature.
November 16, 2009
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
October 18, 2008 | Rating: 4/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Chock-full of celeb cameos, puns and contemporary camp, the movie is annoyingly hip.
October 18, 2008
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
This is a bright movie, in both senses of the word.
September 1, 2008
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s a winning tall tale, cleverly told and wonderfully voiced…
September 1, 2008
Leonard Klady
Variety
TOP CRITIC
I guess it’s something different from Disney which felt refreshing and it made me laugh.
May 8, 2019 | Rating: B
Rachel Wagner
rachelsreviews.net
One of [Disney’s] more unique and outside the box animated adaptations.
February 26, 2017
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
‘Hercules’ may be second-tier Disney, but it’s TOP second tier, not far behind the studio’s best animated work.
August 14, 2014 | Rating: 7/10
James Plath
Movie Metropolis
[Blu-ray Review] Isn’t one of the Mouse House’s absolute best, but it is an astutely written entertainment with a keen aesthetic sense and a fun ensemble of characters. For Disney collectors, picking “Hercules” up is a no-brainer. Highly recommended.
August 13, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Dustin Putman
TheBluFile.com
…compiles pop-culture references and genre tropes that are not only crudely envisioned, but often downright contradictory to the story at hand.
June 21, 2014 | Rating: 1/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
The most flat-out childish film of the Disney Renaissance: this is both its great triumph and ultimately the reason that it’s so hard to care about it all that much.
December 2, 2009 | Rating: 7/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy…
Plot
Hercules, son of the Greek God, Zeus, is turned into a half-god, half-mortal by evil Hades, God of the Underworld, who plans to overthrow Zeus. Hercules is raised on Earth and retains his god-like strength, but when he discovers his immortal heritage Zeus tells him that to return to Mount Olympus he must become a true hero. Hercules becomes a famous hero with the help of his friend Pegasus and his personal trainer, Phil the satyr. Hercules battles monsters, Hades and the Titans, but it is his self-sacrifice to rescue his love Meg which makes him a true hero.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
James Woods’ performance as Hades is a standout in the film, with his deadpan sarcasm and fiery personality stealing the show.
Ron-Clements.jpg
83%
Scream (1996)
83%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: 3 nominations
Horror icon Wes Craven’s subversive deconstruction of the genre is sly, witty, and surprisingly effective as a slasher film itself, even if it’s a little too cheeky for some
Scream may not be the most serious horror movie out there, but it’s definitely a scream! Wes Craven’s self-aware take on the slasher genre is both funny and scary, with plenty of nods to horror classics. And now, with the 4K UHD release, you can see every drop of blood in stunning detail. So grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and get ready to scream your head off!
Production Company(ies)
X-Filme Creative Pool Westdeutscher Rundfunk ARTE
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
3871 Tomales Road, Tomales, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout and some sexual references
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital IMAX 6-Track Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 51m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 20, 1996 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 8, 1998
Genre(s)
Horror/Comedy
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $140,041,405
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $140,041,405
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 868
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 15,271,691
US/Canada gross: $81,641,405
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,641,405
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 849
US/Canada opening weekend: $30,018,805
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $30,018,805
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 463
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $24,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $24,000,000
Production budget ranking: 1,266
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $12,924,000
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $103,117,405
ROI to date (est.): 279%
ROI ranking: 485
Ingrid Bergman – Ilsa Lund Laszlo
Paul Henreid – Victor Laszlo
Claude Rains – Captain Louis Renault
Conrad Veidt – Major Heinrich Strasser
Peter Lorre – Ugarte
Director(s)
Wes Craven
Writer(s)
Kevin Williamson
Producer(s)
Cathy Konrad, Cary Woods
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (82) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (65) | Rotten (17)
No one will ever consider Wes Craven’s Scream Oscar fodder, but this funny and scary little experiment in terror from the man who invented “Nightmare on Elm Street” puts some fun back into a very tired genre.
December 7, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
By the time Scream arrives at its final twist, Craven has done too many contortions of his own to give the finale much shock value.
October 6, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
The picture is so full of cross-references, self-mockery and movies within movies (including a stalking that’s recorded on video) that it can’t help turning into a precious two-hour in-joke.
October 6, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
John Hartl
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
Scream builds to a splattering finale that should leave genre fans highly satisfied. Here’s one of the year’s better thrillers.
October 6, 2013
Dave Kehr
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Scream may be a cut above the gore fests that line the dimly lit back wall at your video store, but it is a far cry from genre classics like Halloween or Craven’s own Nightmare On Elm Street.
October 6, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
John Petrakis
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Remains a highly polished piece of meta-slasher mayhem.
May 20, 2011 | Rating: B+
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
From the iconic opening scene to the twist ending that still works, it is a perfectly calibrated machine that serves up horror, comedy, and suspense in equally successful amounts.
June 30, 2022 | Rating: 10/10
Cody Dericks
Next Best Picture
Watching this old favourite again for its 25th anniversary re-release, I was struck less by the multiple references to other horror movies – although they are still a lot of fun – and more by what a neatly constructed whodunnit it is.
November 12, 2021
Catherine Bray
Film of the Week
Through reinvention and self-awareness, Scream brought the slasher genre to new, fun, and bloody heights.
November 12, 2021
Kristy Strouse
Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying
Both a monument to the film that started it all and a tease for what’s to come, Paramount Home Entertainment offers this game-changing horror classic in 4K UHD for the first time.
November 8, 2021
Douglas Davidson
Elements of Madness
While Scream is far from Wes Craven’s worst movie (there are far too many contenders for that title), it’s certainly his most overrated.
November 7, 2021 | Rating: 2/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
When Scream first made its way to theaters it seemed as if it was going to be “just another horror movie” but it proved everyone wrong and has become a beloved franchise.
November 1, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect…
Plot
Like the original movie 25 years ago, a cute teenage girl is at home alone when the phone rings. A man wants to play a game with her. With the threat of killing her best friend, Tara’s forced to play along. She barely survives the ghost face masked intruder’s stabbing. Her 5 year older sister, Sam(antha), who left home at 18 due to mental problems, Sam’s boyfriend and Tara’s high school friends visit her at the hospital. Later on in a bar, a guy provokes the friends and is later attacked outside in the parking lot by Ghostface. Sam receives a call from him at the hospital and then he unsuccessfully attacks her. She later reveals family secrets to her sister. Sam contacts one of the original victims, Dewey, for help. He warns two other original victims, Sidney Prescott and Gale Weathers, about Ghostface being back. Who is Ghostface? How many more must die?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
Wes-Craven.jpg
83%
Bottle Rocket (1996)
83%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 1 nomination
Bottle Rocket is Reservoir Dogs meets Breathless with a West Texas sensibility
Bottle Rocket is a hilarious and quirky film that follows the misadventures of a group of friends who are trying to make it big in the world of crime. The performances are top-notch, and the deadpan humor is spot-on. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the usual Hollywood fare, and it’s easy to see why it has become a cult classic. If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining movie that will keep you laughing from start to finish, then Bottle Rocket is definitely worth checking out.
Production Company(ies)
C J Entertainment, Moho Film Yong Film
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Hinckley Cold Storage – 4008 Commerce Street, Dallas, Texas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby SR SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 31m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 21, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2008
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
Bottle Rocket, Comedy, Wes Anderson, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Robert Musgrave, James Caan, Polly Platt, Cynthia Hargrave, R, Crime, West Texas, Mental Hospital, Outrageous Crime Spree, Road Trip, Mr Henry, Columbia Pictures, $488.6K, Surround, Dolby SR, Reviewed by David Hunter, Kenneth Turan, Bruce Diones, David Hinckley, Steven Rea, Michael Wilmington, Michael Atkinson, D Patrick Rodgers, Brian Gibson, David Sterritt, Peter Keough, Reservoir Dogs, Breathless, Deadpan Sensibility, Box Office Performance, Budget, MPAA Rating, Comedy, Crime, Friendship, Adrenaline, Male Self-Delusion, Cult-Intensive Pockets of Fandom
Worldwide gross: $560,069
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,069,029
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,589
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 116,579
US/Canada gross: $560,069
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,069,029
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,171
US/Canada opening weekend: $124,118
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $236,910
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,606
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $7,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $13,361,219
Production budget ranking: 1,550
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $7,195,016
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$19,487,206
ROI to date (est.): -95%
ROI ranking: 1,993
Luke Wilson – Anthony Adams
Robert Musgrave – Bob Mapplethorpe
Andrew Wilson – John Mapplethorpe (Future Man)
Lumi Cavazos – Inez
James Caan – Abe Henry (Mr. Henry)
Director(s)
Wes Anderson
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Polly Platt, Cynthia Hargrave
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (67) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (57) | Rotten (10)
The performers look like they’re having a lot of fun, but there is a great deal of skill on display.
February 21, 2018
David Hunter
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
A confident, eccentric debut about a trio of shambling and guileless friends who become the Candides of crime, Rocket feels particularly refreshing because it never compromises on its delicate deadpan sensibility.
March 4, 2014
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
[Bottle Rocket] meanders pleasantly, like a road movie, with a seventies-style, anything-goes offhandedness that whisks the audience through the rough spots.
March 4, 2014
Bruce Diones
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Bottle Rocket was conceived as a low-budget family affair — it has more Wilsons than the Beach Boys — and outside of a few cult-intensive pockets of fandom, that’s where it’s likely to end up.
March 4, 2014 | Rating: 1.5/4
David Hinckley
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
This is a movie about friendship, about foolhardy endeavors that get your adrenaline going and make you feel life buzzing in your toes. Written with wit and concision and remarkable confidence, Bottle Rocket is a joyride worth taking.
March 4, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Bottle Rocket is a beguiling surprise, a terrific little movie comedy about a slightly addled gang of young criminal wannabes.
March 4, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Owen Wilson, with his buzz-blond do, smiling mug, and self-realizing spiel, is truly one of a kind.
April 19, 2022
Michael Atkinson
Spin
Though 1996’s Bottle Rocket was a commercial flop, it was a remarkably special feature-length debut that introduced the world to the writer-director’s idiosyncratic style.
September 13, 2021
D. Patrick Rodgers
Nashville Scene
It’s only in the finale of Bottle Rocket, brimming over with poignant male self-delusion, that the flair and sizzle of Anderson’s future promise returns.
July 2, 2014
Brian Gibson
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)
This deliciously offbeat comedy gets much of its oomph from a loopy screenplay and lead performances that can only be called hilariously bland, or is it blandly hilarious?
March 4, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor
Like the cheap pyrotechnic of the title, Bottle Rocket neither goes very far nor ends with a bang, and that’s part of its charm, originality and delight.
March 4, 2014
Peter Keough
Boston Phoenix
Anderson’s debut film is a small-scale delight.
March 4, 2014
Jon Fortgang
Film4…
Plot
Upon his release from a mental hospital following a nervous breakdown, the directionless Anthony joins his friend Dignan, who seems far less sane than the former. Dignan has hatched a hare-brained scheme for an as-yet-unspecified crime spree that somehow involves his former boss, the (supposedly) legendary Mr. Henry. With the help of their pathetic neighbor and pal Bob, Anthony and Dignan pull a job and hit the road, where Anthony finds love with motel maid Inez. When our boys finally hook up with Mr. Henry, the ensuing escapade turns out to be far from what anyone expected.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features the Wilson brothers, Owen and Luke, in their first major roles.
Wes-Anderson.jpg
83%
Irma Vep (1996)
83%RT Audience Score: 71%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Starring a bewitching Maggie Cheung, Irma Vep is an evocative and reflexive satire of the filmmaking process that is bursting at the seams with an affection for cinema
Irma Vep” is like a love letter to the movie industry, but with a twist. It’s a hilarious and frenzied look at the chaos behind the scenes of a film production, with a touch of post-modernism that keeps you on your toes. The film-within-a-film concept may not be for everyone, but if you’re a fan of movies about movies, this is a must-watch. Plus, Maggie Cheung’s performance as herself is both transparent and opaque, which is a fancy way of saying she’s really good. So grab some popcorn and get ready for a wild ride through the world of filmmaking!
Production Company(ies)
Pakula-Mulligan Brentwood Productions,
Distributor
Fox Lorber, Zeitgeist Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 39m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 28, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 9, 2008
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Maggie Cheung, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Nathalie Richard, Antoine Basler, Nathalie Boutefeu, Bulle Ogier, directed by Olivier Assayas, written by Olivier Assayas, comedy, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Alyx Vesey, Melissa Anderson, Keith Phipps, Paul Tatara, Fernando F Croce, David Edelstein, Jas Keimig, MPAA rating, produced by Georges Benayoun, filmmaking process, Les Vampires, silent-era masterpiece, crafty female crook, Chinese star, unexpected roadblocks, obsessive lesbian crew member, criminal ways, satire, affection for cinema, washed-up French director, update, press interviews, gossip, hurry-up-and-wait production schedule, film footage, streaming, Dolby Digital, Surround, 35mm, 1.66:1, Fox Lorber, Zeitgeist Films
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.): 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
Jean-Pierre Léaud – René Vidal
Nathalie Richard – Zoé
Antoine Basler – Journalist
Nathalie Boutefeu – Laure
Bulle Ogier – Mireille
Director(s)
Olivier Assayas
Writer(s)
Olivier Assayas
Producer(s)
Georges Benayoun
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (3)
Irma Vep is a magnificently varied film, integrating film footage, press interviews, gossip, and film’s hurry-up-and-wait production schedule. Cheung in particular does a masterful job playing herself, at once transparent and opaque.
January 11, 2021
Alyx Vesey
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
An exhilarating film that happens to be about moviemaking itself, Olivier Assayas’s sinuous, kinetic, waggish Irma Vep is an oblique, supremely enjoyable course in movie history.
October 9, 2020
Melissa Anderson
4Columns
TOP CRITIC
A funny and fascinatingly open-ended look at the state of the art, Irma Vep is well worth a look.
June 16, 2020
Keith Phipps
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
I really enjoyed “Irma Vep.” I will, however, be the first to admit that it’s not for everybody.
June 16, 2020
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
The post-modern compulsions on display here may bring movies together, but they also keep people apart.
January 7, 2009 | Rating: 3.5/4
Fernando F. Croce
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Irma Vep’s director, Olivier Assayas, evinces a love of the process that’s nearly as palpable as Truffaut’s.
March 3, 2008
David Edelstein
Slate
TOP CRITIC
While films-within-films can be a worn-out trope, Irma Vep is a delightfully frenetic movie that takes its cues from jumpy, behind-the-scenes documentaries.
February 2, 2022
Jas Keimig
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
However messy, conflicted, and cracked Irma Vep may be, it stands as a sometimes profound and always engaging portrait of film production on the edge.
June 19, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
A must for fans of films about films.
May 14, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
… Irma Vep appears to lambast those who favor safety, refusing to reimagine and reinvigorate, while also poking at those who apprise film in a binary perspective: either solely for the inteligencia or solely for the general public.
April 26, 2021
Douglas Davidson
Elements of Madness
If you’re going to poke fun at the film industry, you might as well go for broke.
June 16, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Jared Mobarak
Jaredmobarak.com
Though Irma Vep may be best appreciated by movieheads, it’s hardly just an homage. By its shrieking avant-garde climax, it’s more like a statement on how history, even filmed history, can fragment and dissolve into oblivion.
October 25, 2019
Michael Atkinson
Spin…
Plot
A washed-up French director attempts to revive his career by updating a silent-era masterpiece about a notorious ring of thieves, but unexpected roadblocks arise on the set, including language barriers and the criminal ways of the lead actress rubbing off on her. Starring Maggie Cheung, Irma Vep is a satirical and reflexive look at the filmmaking process with an affection for cinema.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Maggie Cheung plays herself in the film.
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