Step Brothers (2008)
83%RT Audience Score: 69%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Step Brothers, the 2008 comedy from Adam McKay, is a film that revels in its own stupidity, and that’s exactly what makes it so hilarious. While some critics may criticize the film’s juvenile humor and one-note premise, it’s hard to deny the comedic chemistry between Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as two middle-aged stepbrothers who refuse to grow up. The film’s bizarre personality dissonance and irreverent cynicism add an extra layer of hilarity to the proceedings, making it a must-watch for fans of shouty manchild comedies. Sure, it may not be the most sophisticated comedy out there, but sometimes you just need a good laugh, and Step Brothers delivers that in spades.
Step Brothers is a movie that will make you laugh until you cry, and then laugh some more. It’s not the most complex screenplay, but it doesn’t need to be. The chemistry between Ferrell and Reilly is undeniable, and the bizarre personality dissonance of their characters is pure comedic gold. Sure, it’s unremittingly juvenile, but who cares when it’s this funny? And let’s not forget the hilarious sleepwalking scene that will have you in stitches. If you’re looking for a movie that will make you forget your troubles and just laugh, Step Brothers is the perfect choice.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2008
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 35m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 25, 2008 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 2, 2008
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Will Ferrell, John C Reilly, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, directed by Adam McKay, written by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, comedy, R rating, box office gross $100.5M, produced by Jimmy Miller and Judd Apatow, reviewed by Film.com, Financial Times, Time Out, CNN.com, St Louis Post-Dispatch, Irish Times, Washington City Paper, TheIndependentCritic.com, Bowling Green Daily News, Toledo Blade, unrated extended edition, lazy, unemployed, parents, rivalry, narcissism, crude humor, pervasive language, Apatow Productions, Mosaic Media Group
Worldwide gross: $128,107,642
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $100,468,793
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
John C. Reilly – Dale Doback
Richard Jenkins – Robert
Mary Steenburgen – Nancy
Adam Scott – Derek Huff
Kathryn Hahn – Alice Huff
Director – Adam McKay
Producers – Jimmy Miller, Judd Apatow
Writers – Will Ferrell, Adam McKay
Director(s)
Adam McKay
Writer(s)
Will Ferrell, Adam McKay
Producer(s)
Jimmy Miller, Judd Apatow
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (204) | Top Critics (62) | Fresh (112) | Rotten (92)
It isn’t even the funniest movie I’ve seen this year. But it sure made me laugh.
March 30, 2019 | Rating: B-
Dre Rivas
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
The potentially gooey conclusion is leavened with cynical irreverence.
March 30, 2019
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
The shouty variety of manchild comedy that Ferrell has cribbed from Jerry Lewis divides movie fans intensely. Here’s the one we should put in the time capsule.
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Unremittingly juvenile and irredeemably funny.
October 18, 2008
Tom Charity
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
On its own terms, Step Brothers is hilarious. But it’s a shame that the filmmakers didn’t have more faith in the audience. Why resort to gross-out tactics when your premise is strong enough to allow for a more sophisticated approach?
October 18, 2008 | Rating: B
Calvin Wilson
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
Step Brothers is the latest movie from Adam McKay, the director of Anchorman and Talladega Nights, and, like those two fine entertainments, it rejoices in making a virtue of its own rampant stupidity.
October 18, 2008
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
I still don’t know if this is quite the Dadaist masterpiece people make it out to be, whereas a movie like Hot Rod accomplishes the purposeful absurdism with a lot more consistency. But y’know, it’s still pretty darn funny.
January 15, 2023
Cory Woodroof
615 Film
The genius of Step Brothers isn’t merely the reunion of Ferrell and Reilly… Better is the bizarre personality dissonance of the perpetually fighting characters.
October 17, 2022
Tricia Olszewski
Washington City Paper
One of those films that is impossible to rate highly, but impossible to not recommend.
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Step Brothers obviously isn’t the most complex screenplay ever written, but Ferrell, McKay and Reilly (who all co-wrote the film) manage to milk plenty of comedy out of essentially a one-joke movie.
June 26, 2019 | Rating: B-
Micheal Compton
Bowling Green Daily News
We’ve been down this path before with Ferrell, and at this point it feels like we’re just walking in circles.
June 6, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Mattie Lucas
The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)
The film doesn’t aspire to much. It’s happy to milk laughs from creative swearing, goofy, childish behavior, and a hilarious digression that explains exactly why you should never wake a sleepwalker. It does all of this well.
March 30, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Ryan E. Smith
Toledo Blade…
Plot
Step Brothers is a comedy about two lazy, unemployed stepbrothers who must work together to reunite their parents after their insane rivalry and narcissism pull the new family apart.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Step Brothers features a hilarious onscreen chemistry between Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly.
Adam-McKay.jpg
83%
Frozen River (2008)
83%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
32 wins & 39 nominations total
Veteran character actress Melissa Leo delivers a stunning performance in this powerful — if grim — indie film
Frozen River is a movie that will have you on the edge of your seat, biting your nails, and wondering what will happen next. Melissa Leo’s performance is so good that you’ll forget she’s acting and think she’s a real person. The movie is a mix of suspense, drama, and a little bit of hope. It’s a great reminder that independent cinema can still deliver amazing stories that will stay with you long after the credits roll. So grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and get ready for a wild ride on the frozen river.
Production Company(ies)
Greenwich Film Productions,
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Plattsburgh, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some language
Year of Release
2008
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 36m
-
Language(s):English, French, Chinese, Urdu, Mohawk
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 1, 2008 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 10, 2009
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Michael O’Keefe, Mark Boone Junior, Charlie McDermott, James Reilly, directed by Courtney Hunt, written by Courtney Hunt, drama, R-rated, box office gross $2.5M, reviewed by Alyx Vesey, Ryan Gilbey, Candice Frederick, Hank Sartin, Emma Paterson, Angie Errigo, Jason Best, Nikki Baughan, Brandy McDonnell, Dan DiNicola, Stuart Klawans, Simon Miraudo, working-class, single mother, smuggling, immigrants, Mohawk, St Lawrence River, New York, gritty, suspenseful, thriller, character study, Oscar-nominated performance, female-driven, indie film, poverty, desperation, survival, crime, family, relationships, bleak, uncompromising, reality, tough, empathy, compassion, white trash, gambling, double-wide trailer, jacuzzi tub, dead-end job, means to an end, silver lining, dangerous, local sheriff, mystery, thriller, North Country, Upstate New York, Akwesasne, St Regis Mohawk Reservation, Canadian border, Christmas, discount store clerk, bingo-parlor employee, uneasy alliance, cinematography, music
Worldwide gross: $5,457,664
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $7,517,724
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,049
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 819,817
US/Canada gross: $2,511,476
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,459,462
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,912
US/Canada opening weekend: $70,234
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $96,745
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,944
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $1,377,462
Production budget ranking: 2,063
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $741,763
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,398,499
ROI to date (est.): 255%
ROI ranking: 526
Misty Upham – Lila
Michael O’Keefe – Trooper Finnerty
Mark Boone Junior – Jacques Bruno
Charlie McDermott – T.J.
James Reilly – Ricky
Director(s)
Courtney Hunt
Writer(s)
Courtney Hunt
Producer(s)
Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
32 wins & 39 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (138) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (122) | Rotten (16)
A gripping story.
January 5, 2021
Alyx Vesey
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
Melissa Leo must take at least as much credit for the film’s successes as her director. She isn’t merely tough as old boots – she makes old boots look like ballet shoes.
July 6, 2018
Ryan Gilbey
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
… I thought the performances were good, but I just thought it could have done more.
September 12, 2017 | Rating: B+
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Hank Sartin
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Frozen River is a taut, suspenseful thriller; a troubling of borders both cultural and national; and testament to the virtues of communion, empathy and compassion.
July 17, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Emma Paterson
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Original, sad, suspenseful and involving: the kind of work that helps independent American cinema retain its good name.
July 17, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Angie Errigo
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Leo’s gritty authenticity ensures that Frozen River never loosens its icy, unbearably tense grip.
November 23, 2020
Jason Best
Movie Talk
Focused, poignant and expertly-crafted, Frozen River asks a great deal of an audience used to tales of triumph against all the odds and happy endings but it’s about as rewarding a viewing experience as you’re likely to find.
October 30, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Nikki Baughan
Roll Credits
Frozen River delivers a harrowing journey with just enough hope under the surface to make it a memorable ride.
August 15, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Brandy McDonnell
The Oklahoman
Courtney Hunt’s work is a dramatic thriller, but it is also a rich character study of a woman we have all met.
February 5, 2018
Dan DiNicola
The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)
This fine drama delivers a reality tougher than realism.
March 6, 2015
Stuart Klawans
The Nation
Frozen River is bleak and uncompromising – and that’s just how the Academy likes it.
October 21, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/5
Simon Miraudo
Quickflix…
Plot
Takes place in the days before Christmas near a little-known border crossing on the Mohawk reservation between New York State and Quebec. Here, the lure of fast money from smuggling presents a daily challenge to single moms who would otherwise be earning minimum wage. Two women – one white, one Mohawk, both single mothers faced with desperate circumstances – are drawn into the world of border smuggling across the frozen water of the St. Lawrence River. Ray and Lila – and a New York State Trooper as opponent in an evolving cat-and-mouse game.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Melissa Leo’s performance in Frozen River earned her an Oscar nomination and marked a revival in her career.
Courtney-Hunt.jpg
83%
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008)
83%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Primetime Emmys
5 wins & 13 nominations total
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired is a fascinating exploration of the intersection between celebrity, media, and the legal system. While some may argue that the film lacks new insight into the heinous crime committed by Polanski, it is a judiciously argued account that puts his actions in the context of a turbulent life. Director Marina Zenovich skillfully chronicles the case and raises important questions about the fairness of justice in the United States. The film’s verdict may be controversial, but it is a must-see for anyone interested in Hollywood’s cultural chronicle. Plus, who doesn’t love a good scandal?
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired is a documentary that explores the infamous case of the film director who pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old. While the film doesn’t offer any new insight into the heinous crime, it does shed light on the California legal system and how it can be influenced by celebrity and media pressure. But let’s be real, we’re all just here to see if Snow White or Peter Pan had a bigger impact on Polanski’s life.
Production Company(ies)
Walter Shenson Films, Proscenium Films,
Distributor
ThinkFilm
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Unrated
Year of Release
2008
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 40m
-
Language(s):English, French, German
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 11, 2008 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 27, 2009
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, Roman Polanski, sexual misconduct, Marina Zenovich, Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte, Lila Yacoub, P.G Morgan, Joe Bini, box office, ThinkFilm, MPAA rating, critic reviews, producer, director, writer, celebrity, responsibility, Hollywood, France, Sharon Tate, Holocaust, court case, corruption, judge, media, victim, prosecutor, interviews, archival footage, movie scenes, Andrew Braunsberg, Samantha Geimer, Mia Farrow, Gene Gutowski, Hawk Koch, Hanna Landy
Worldwide gross: $100,458
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $138,377
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,987
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 15,090
US/Canada gross: $59,192
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,535
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,686
US/Canada opening weekend: $4,613
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,354
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,782
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
Samantha Geimer – self
Mia Farrow – self
Gene Gutowski – self
Hawk Koch – self
Hanna Landy – self
Marina Zenovich – director, writer, producer
Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte – producer
Lila Yacoub – producer
P.G. Morgan – writer, producer
Joe Bini – writer
Director(s)
Marina Zenovich
Writer(s)
Joe Bini, P.G. Morgan, Marina Zenovich
Producer(s)
Jeffrey Kusama-Hinte, Lila Yacoub, Marina Zenovich, P.G. Morgan
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Primetime Emmys
5 wins & 13 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (7)
He claims here to have been influenced early on by Snow White. I should have thought Peter Pan instead.
January 5, 2018
John Leonard
New York Magazine/Vulture
TOP CRITIC
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Some might confuse Zenovich’s indictment on the judge as a cop-out in judging Polanski. But the facts remain. There’s no further insight into the heinous crime. Nor is there a new judgment to be passed on the man who committed it. Anyone looking for new r
October 1, 2009 | Rating: 78/100
Radheyan Simonpillai
AskMen.com
TOP CRITIC
Though Marina Zenovich’s film deals with the notorious case of the film director who pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old, the film’s real subject is the California legal system turned upside down by celebrity and media pressure.
July 25, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
With a subject like Roman Polanski, you don’t really need to do much to capture audience interest. But maybe that’s the reason Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired doesn’t live up to its promise.
July 25, 2008 | Rating: 2/4
David Wiegand
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
If you’re not a diehard fan of Polanski I can’t see the pic holding your attention, as it lacks intrigue.
November 17, 2013 | Rating: C+
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
“Zenovich’s film is a fair and skillful chronicling of the Roman Polanski case, and a study of how the circumstances of celebrity influence the carrying out of justice in the U.S. It’s not an in-depth study of the filmmaker’s psychology nor of how his lif
September 30, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Jennifer Merin
About.com
The film’s verdict is that Polanski is too distinguished to persecute by placing him in a prison among, well, criminals. Wanted And Desired: A premeditated act of propaganda in the service of exoneration with a creative genius defense, instead of remorse.
September 27, 2009
Prairie Miller
NewsBlaze
A judiciously argued account with intriguing asides
August 26, 2009
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion
While not apologising for his disgusting behaviour, the film puts Polanski’s actions in the context of a turbulent life.
June 19, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Nick Dent
Time Out Sydney
an essential entry in Hollywood’s cultural chronicle
May 8, 2009 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jay Antani
Cinema Writer…
Plot
In 1977, Roman Polanski was arrested in Los Angeles on charges he gave drugs and had sex with a 13-year-old girl he was photographing for Vogue. Eleven months later, having pled guilty to one count, he fled to Europe before sentencing. This film examines that year-long period, using archival footage of the media frenzy and of Polanski’s life before the charges, clips from his films, and contemporary interviews with many of the principles – attorneys, the victim, and Polanski’s friends and associates. Polanski remains enigmatic, but portraits emerge of the machinations of justice and of a judge more interested in his image than his word or the law.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary features interviews with Roman Polanski’s friends, including Mia Farrow and Andrew Braunsberg.
Marina-Zenovich.jpg
83%
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
83%RT Audience Score: 76%
Awards & Nominations: 4 wins & 19 nominations
With ample laughs and sharp performances, Forgetting Sarah Marshall finds just the right mix of romantic and raunchy comedy
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the perfect movie to watch when you’re feeling down and need a good laugh. With a cast of hilarious characters, including the adorably hapless Jason Segel, and a mix of romance and raunchiness, this film is sure to put a smile on your face. Plus, Russell Brand is surprisingly well cast as the vain singer Aldous, and the supporting players elevate the movie to delightful heights. Sure, the plot may be predictable at times, but the funny set pieces more than make up for it. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!
Production Company(ies)
Scion Films, Canana Films, Creando Films,
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Turtle Bay Resort – 57-091 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, O’ahu, Hawaii, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for sexual content, language and some graphic nudity
Year of Release
2008
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTSS DDS
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 52m
-
Language(s):English, Hawaiian, German, Japanese
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 18, 2008 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 30, 2008
Genre(s)
Comedy/Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Liz Cackowski, directed by Nicholas Stoller, written by Jason Segel, comedy, romance, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Anna Smith, Ben Kenigsberg, Peter Bradshaw, Joe Williams, Bob Mondello, Alonso Duralde, Danielle Solzman, Richard Propes, Micheal Compton, Kaleem Aftab, Megan Basham, Marcianne Miller, R MPAA rating, produced by Judd Apatow, Shauna Robertson, struggling musician, TV star, breakup, Hawaii, new boyfriend, waiter, aspiring musician, raunchy comedy, romantic comedy, nudity, SDDS, DTS, Dolby SRD, Universal Pictures, Flat (1.85:1)
Worldwide gross: $105,833,257
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $145,781,268
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 846
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 15,897,630
US/Canada gross: $63,172,463
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $87,017,654
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 818
US/Canada opening weekend: $17,725,330
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $24,415,965
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 554
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $30,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $41,323,854
Production budget ranking: 935
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $22,252,895
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $82,204,519
ROI to date (est.): 129%
ROI ranking: 828
Kristen Bell – Sarah Marshall
Mila Kunis – Rachael
Russell Brand – Aldous
Bill Hader – Brian
Liz Cackowski – Liz
Director(s)
Nicholas Stoller
Writer(s)
Jason Segel
Producer(s)
Judd Apatow, Shauna Robertson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 19 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (185) | Top Critics (53) | Fresh (154) | Rotten (31)
Russell Brand is, for once, well cast in the role of vague, vain singer Aldous, who’s also the object of obsession for a waiter and aspiring musician in the Hawaiian resort.
January 24, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Anna Smith
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Judd Apatow’s comedies are always watchable and sometimes hilarious, but with the latest to emerge under his aegis, I have to admit it is getting harder to defend them against the charge of misogyny.
October 18, 2008 | Rating: 2/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
It’s got an engaging cast and enough laughs to compensate for some shortcomings.
October 18, 2008 | Rating: B-
Joe Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
With pratfalls, yucks, a crying jag, and what is starting to seem like the requisite flash of nudity, Jason Segel becomes this year’s adorably hapless movie schlub.
October 18, 2008
Bob Mondello
NPR.org
TOP CRITIC
[D]eftly mixes raunchy, R-rated comedy with an intelligent, humane look at the foibles of the heart that’s almost like something out of an Eric Rohmer movie.
May 1, 2008 | Rating: 5/5
Alonso Duralde
MSNBC
TOP CRITIC
…Forgetting Sarah Marshall has just the right mix between romance and raunchiness.
April 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
One could easily put forth the argument that it’s actually the supporting players who elevate Forgetting Sarah Marshall to such delightful heights.
September 8, 2020 | Rating: 3.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
A film that manages to balance raunch and sweetness just enough to make it a worthy date movie.
October 29, 2019 | Rating: B
Micheal Compton
Bowling Green Daily News
Despite a handful of excellent, funny set pieces, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is sub Apatow and for the most part predictable and grating plot in that way that only romantic comedies can be.
November 4, 2018 | Rating: 2/5
Kaleem Aftab
The List
It would be dishonest to say that the story… doesn’t generate a few laughs. But anyone who isn’t numb to every kind of offensive content will cringe at what comes between them.
October 11, 2018
Megan Basham
WORLD
A good last scene does not a good movie make.
August 26, 2018
Marcianne Miller
Bold Life (Hendersonville, NC)…
Plot
Peter is a composer and a likable sad sack who’s devastated when his girlfriend of five years, Sarah Marshall, the star of a cheesy CSI-style crime show, dumps him. He weeps, he rails, he mopes. Finally, his step-brother Brian suggests a vacation, so Peter heads for a resort on Oahu where, as he’s checking in, he sees Sarah and her new beau, Aldous, a perverse English rocker. The weeping and moping start again, until Peter is rescued by Rachel, a thoughtful hotel clerk who invites him to a luau and to hang out. Although he constantly runs into Sarah and Aldous, Peter starts to come alive again. Will Sarah realize what she’s lost, and what about Rachel?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Russell Brand is “well cast” in his role as the vain singer Aldous.
Nicholas-Stoller.jpg
83%
Flow: For Love of Water (2008)
83%RT Audience Score: 78%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 2 nominations
Flow is an informative, disturbing and enthralling film that highlights a criminally underreported problem
Flow: For Love of Water” is a documentary that will make you want to hug your water bottle and never let go. With interviews and data that expose the corporate water piracy and the complicity of governments, this film will leave you feeling both horrified and empowered. While it may meander at times and try to cover too many water-related issues, the power of the message cannot be denied. Plus, Canadian writer/activist Maude Barlow provides a voice of sanity and tenacity in a world seemingly gone mad with greed. So, grab your water bottle and get ready to learn about the terrifying threats to our freshwater supply and the perilous consequences that inevitably follow.
Production Company(ies)
Dreamworks Pictures, Pacific Data Images Dream Works Animation,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Bolivia
MPAA / Certificate
TV-Y7
Year of Release
2011
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 12, 2008 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 9, 2008
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Flow, For Love of Water, documentary, 2008, 1h 33m, directed by Irena Salina, produced by Steven Starr, executive produced by Caroleen Feeney, Augusta Brown Holland, Lee Jaffe, Brent Meikle, reviewed by Joshua Land, Ben Kenigsberg, Ted Fry, John Anderson, Kenneth Turan, Patricia Hluchy, Dorothy Woodend, Jennifer Merin, Robert Roten, Robert W Butler, Frank Ochieng, genre, water crisis, privatization, fresh water supply, scientists, activists, corporate water piracy, government complicity, bottled water scam, Maude Barlow, MPAA rating, box office performance, budget, starring none
Worldwide gross: $142,569
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $187,692
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,942
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 20,468
US/Canada gross: $142,569
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $187,692
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,556
US/Canada opening weekend: $3,644
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $4,797
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,802
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $350,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $460,774
Production budget ranking: 2,118
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $248,127
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$521,209
ROI to date (est.): -74%
ROI ranking: 1,825
Steven Starr – Producer
Caroleen Feeney – Executive Producer
Augusta Brown Holland – Executive Producer
Lee Jaffe – Executive Producer
Brent Meikle – Executive Producer
Director(s)
Irena Salina
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Steven Starr
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 2 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (9)
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 2/5
Joshua Land
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Problems are addressed in a narrative progression that gets more horrendous and builds into utter despair, except for the final few words of activism and optimism.
November 7, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Ted Fry
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
All of Salina’s interviews and data tell a graphic story about corporate water piracy, the complicity of governments, the burden put on the poor and the scam of bottled water. But she can’t quite jam it all in and still have a film that, well, flows.
October 18, 2008
John Anderson
Variety
TOP CRITIC
As if we didn’t have enough to worry about.
October 18, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Salina’s film might have been stronger had it not tried to cover so many water-related issues. But there’s no denying its power.
October 17, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Patricia Hluchy
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
. . .[Canadian writer/activist ] Maude Barlow does provide a voice of sanity and tenacity in a world seemingly gone mad with greed.
August 22, 2017
Dorothy Woodend
The Tyee (British Columbia)
The documentary shows in no uncertain terms that if we continue to abuse our water supply, Earth will become uninhabitable and humankind will become extinct.
June 27, 2009 | Rating: 4/4
Jennifer Merin
About.com
The film makes a convincing case for better oversight of public water systems, water conservation, better water treatment systems and better control of industrial pollution which contaminates water supplies.
February 5, 2009 | Rating: C+
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope
Before ending on a somewhat hopeful note of defiant activism, Irena Salina’s globe-hopping documentary is a terrifying downer.
December 5, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Robert W. Butler
Kansas City Star
Although meandering at times, Flow is still a serviceable documentary spouting daunting informational facts and figures about the freshwater supply threats and the perilous consequences that inevitably follow.
December 2, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4
Frank Ochieng
Movie Eye
Educational polemical documentary.
December 1, 2008 | Rating: B-
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews…
Plot
Water is the very essence of life. It sustains every living being on this planet and without it, there would be nothing. Literally. In her film FLOW: For Love Of Water, director Irena Salina sounds the alarm: our life- giving water is a resource in peril across the planet. The film highlights the local intimacies of a global crisis: African struggle plumbers reconnecting shanty town water pipes under cover of darkness to ensure a community
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about the film Flow: For Love of Water.
Irena-Salina.jpg
83%
Shine a Light (2008)
83%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: 4 nominations
It may offer little new for fans, but Martin Scorsese’s document of the Rolling Stones’ electrifying live show should provide satisfaction to audiences
Shine a Light is like a time machine that takes you back to the days when the Rolling Stones were still young and wild. Martin Scorsese did a great job capturing the energy and passion of the band, and even though it’s not groundbreaking, it’s still a fun ride. Watching Mick Jagger dance around like a maniac and Keith Richards shredding on his guitar is worth the price of admission alone. So, if you’re a fan of classic rock and want to relive the glory days of the Stones, Shine a Light is the perfect movie for you.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language, drug references and smoking
Year of Release
2008
-
Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:DTSS DDS Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 2m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 2008 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 29, 2008
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Shine a Light, Martin Scorsese, Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Charlie Watts, Christina Aguilera, Jack White III, documentary, PG-13, Victoria Pearman, Michael Cohl, Zane Weiner, Steve Bing, Paramount Pictures, box office, budget, reviewed by Hank Sartin, Dave Calhoun, Jeremiah Kipp, Paul Byrnes, Evan Williams, Richard Roeper, Nando Salvá, Felicia Feaster, Micheal Compton, Kaleem Aftab, Michael Joshua Rowin, Hannah Brown, directed by Martin Scorsese, produced by Victoria Pearman, Michael Cohl, Zane Weiner, Steve Bing, written by N/A, music, concert, live performance, guest appearances, Buddy Guy, MPAA rating, drug references, brief strong language, smoking, sound mix, SDDS, DTS, Dolby SRD, aspect ratio, flat (1.85:1), Mick Jagger as himself, Keith Richards as himself, Ron Wood as himself, Charlie Watts as himself, Christina Aguilera as herself, Jack White as himself
Worldwide gross: $15,773,351
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $21,727,188
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,687
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,369,377
US/Canada gross: $5,505,267
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $7,583,295
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,690
US/Canada opening weekend: $1,488,081
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $2,049,775
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,202
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
Keith Richards – Self
Ron Wood – Self
Charlie Watts – Self
Christina Aguilera – Self
Jack White – Self
Director(s)
Martin Scorsese
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Victoria Pearman, Michael Cohl, Zane Weiner, Steve Bing
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (126) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (108) | Rotten (18)
November 16, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Hank Sartin
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
November 16, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Dave Calhoun
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Even an average performance by the Rolling Stones isn’t boring.
July 28, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Jeremiah Kipp
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s hard to imagine, I know, but Shine A Light gives us the Rolling Stones in a fresh way.
June 8, 2008
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
As a concert film it’s among the best: intimately shot, smoothly edited, endlessly involving.
May 30, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/5
Evan Williams
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
The effect was intense and overwhelming, but I mean that in a good way.
April 7, 2008
Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper
TOP CRITIC
Beautifully shot… However, Shine a Light is not The Last Waltz. [Full review in Spanish]
November 6, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Nando Salvá
Cinemanía (Spain)
And what better man to memorialize the still-kicking Rolling Stones than Martin Scorsese, a spark plug of infernal energy himself, whose creative fire still burns white hot.
January 28, 2020
Felicia Feaster
Charleston City Paper
I wish the Stones had given Scorsese a little more access, but this is clearly meant to be a concert film and from that standpoint Shine a Light certainly delivers.
October 29, 2019 | Rating: B
Micheal Compton
Bowling Green Daily News
The Stones have been the subject of some great documentaries, but Scorsese makes no new discoveries here.
November 4, 2018 | Rating: 2/5
Kaleem Aftab
The List
In many ways [Shine a Light is] an unintentional funeral dance commemorating the vanished vitality and subversive potential of mainstream rock ‘n’ roll and celebrating its current utility as a nostalgic anodyne.
August 24, 2017
Michael Joshua Rowin
Stop Smiling
Shine A Light is a masterful concert film, one that will appeal to movie lovers and hardcore Stones admirers alike.
March 1, 2016 | Rating: 4/4
Hannah Brown
Jerusalem Post…
Plot
Filmmaker Martin Scorsese captures the Rolling Stones’ energetic performance at New York’s Beacon Theatre, featuring guest appearances by Buddy Guy, Christina Aguilera, and Jack White III, along with music clips and interviews from previous decades.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary features guest appearances by Buddy Guy, Christina Aguilera, and Jack White III.
Martin-Scorsese.jpg
83%
Two Lovers (2008)
83%RT Audience Score: 76%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 12 nominations
Two Lovers is a complex, intriguing, richly-acted romantic dram
Two Lovers is a movie that will make you feel all the emotions. From the heartache to the swooning romance, this film has it all. Joaquin Phoenix delivers a performance that will leave you feeling like you need a hug. The plot is tightly constructed and the emotions are accurately conceived, making it an engaging ensemble piece. It’s a throwback to a time when movies were understated and beautiful, and it’s definitely worth a watch. Just make sure you have some tissues handy!
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros.,
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Kanosh, Utah, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
2008
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 49m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 13, 2009 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 30, 2009
Genre(s)
Drama/Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw, Isabella Rossellini, Elias Koteas, Moni Monoshov, directed by James Gray, written by James Gray and Ric Menello, drama, romance, R rating, box office gross $3.1M, reviewed by Simran Hans, Richard Brody, Hank Sartin, Christine Champ, Evan Williams, Philippa Hawker, Taylor Baker, Jason Best, Yasser Medina, Felicia Feaster, complex, intriguing, richly-acted, broken engagement, photographer, Brighton Beach, honest, sensible, perfect match, manipulative, rich, married boyfriend, emotional, melancholy, nuanced, relationships, heartbreak, toxic relationships, predictable, forgettable, hauntingly emotional, well-intentioned, charming, bi-polar, suicidal, eccentric, shroud of mystery, soberingly provocative, unforgettable
Worldwide gross: $113,649
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $123,605
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,003
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 13,479
US/Canada gross: $71,162
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $77,396
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,695
US/Canada opening weekend: $25,378
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,601
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,392
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
Gwyneth Paltrow – Michelle Rausch
Vinessa Shaw – Sandra Cohen
Isabella Rossellini – Ruth Kraditor
Elias Koteas – Ronald Blatt
Moni Monoshov – Reuben Kraditor
James Gray – Director/Writer
Donna Gigliotti – Producer
Anthony Katagas – Producer
Ric Menello – Writer
Director(s)
James Gray
Writer(s)
James Gray, Ric Menello
Producer(s)
Donna Gigliotti, James Gray, Anthony Katagas
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 12 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (168) | Top Critics (65) | Fresh (138) | Rotten (30)
What’s striking about this particular entry in the Phoenix-as-isolated-eccentric canon is its flavour of defeated animal loneliness.
February 3, 2021
Simran Hans
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
Joaquin Phoenix stars-and delivers his most self-scourging performance-in James Gray’s taut and melancholy Brighton Beach romance.
April 14, 2020
Richard Brody
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Hank Sartin
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
May 6, 2011 | Rating: A
Christine Champ
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
The film never feels dark or gloom-laden. The performances are so sensitive, so convincing, that we are drawn inescapably into a real world of pain and solace.
June 12, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Evan Williams
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Despair and confusion are explored in Two Lovers with a rigorous, unsentimental directness that is also full of feeling.
June 5, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Philippa Hawker
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Episode 49: Hustlers / Ad Astra / Two Lovers / ALTIPLANO
October 18, 2021 | Rating: 78/100
Taylor Baker
Drink in the Movies
Gray has made a thoughtful and sensitive chamber piece, and he gets a fine performance from Phoenix, who conveys his character’s anguish and heartache with deep feeling.
November 24, 2020
Jason Best
Movie Talk
It features a solid performance by Joaquin Phoenix, but the truth is that its story about the stages of heartbreak and toxic relationships is predictable and somewhat conventional. [Full review in Spanish]
August 8, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
But the true beauty of Two Lovers is the tightly constructed plot and accurately conceived emotions of this engaging ensemble piece.
January 27, 2020
Felicia Feaster
Charleston City Paper
The whole film feels like a throwback, at once swooningly romantic and achingly sad.
July 7, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Everything about this quietly beautiful film is understated – the performances, the score and, most of all, the inner turmoil that easily can mean life or death for the most sensitive among us.
December 11, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Kelly Jane Torrance
Washington Times…
Plot
After a broken engagement, Leonard Kraditor moves in with his parents and becomes involved with two women, Sandra and Michelle. As he navigates his feelings for both women, he must confront his own inner turmoil and make a decision about his future.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Joaquin Phoenix delivers a “self-scourging” performance in this “taut and melancholy” romantic drama, according to a top critic on Fresh Kernels.
James-Gray.jpg
83%
The Lookout (2007)
83%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 11 nominations
The Lookout is a genuinely suspenseful and affecting noir due to the great ensemble cast and their complex, realistic characters
If you’re looking for a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, The Lookout is definitely worth checking out. Sure, there are some plot holes and unanswered questions, but the gripping storyline and intense performances more than make up for it. Plus, who doesn’t love a good heist film with a side of moral dilemma? Just be prepared for a bit of white-trash thrown in for good measure. Overall, I’d say it’s a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
Production Company(ies)
Nouvelles Éditions de Films,
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Hartney, Manitoba, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, some violence and sexual content
Year of Release
2007
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTSS DDS Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 39m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 30, 2007 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 14, 2007
Genre(s)
Drama/Crime
Keyword(s)
starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels, Carla Gugino, Matthew Goode, Isla Fisher, Alex Borstein, directed by Scott Frank, written by Scott Frank, drama, crime, mystery, thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Roger Moore, Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Laurence Mark, Walter F Parkes, MPAA rating R, brain damage, bank janitor, heist, ensemble cast, suspenseful, affecting, noir, realistic characters, psychological thriller, moral dilemma, white-trash heist film, character study, nuanced performances, chilling performance, taut thriller, great script, decent film, familiar, unoriginal
Worldwide gross: $5,371,181
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $7,694,581
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,044
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 839,104
US/Canada gross: $4,600,585
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $6,590,650
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,729
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,007,000
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $2,875,164
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,165
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $16,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $22,921,086
Production budget ranking: 1,292
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $12,343,005
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$27,569,510
ROI to date (est.): -78%
ROI ranking: 1,865
Jeff Daniels – Lewis Canfield
Carla Gugino – Janet
Matthew Goode – Gary
Isla Fisher – Luvlee
Alex Borstein – Miss Lange
Scott Frank – Director/Writer
Gary Barber – Producer
Roger Birnbaum – Producer
Laurence Mark – Producer
Walter F. Parkes – Producer
Director(s)
Scott Frank
Writer(s)
Scott Frank
Producer(s)
Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Laurence Mark, Walter F. Parkes
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 11 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (169) | Top Critics (49) | Fresh (147) | Rotten (22)
Frank has cooked up an interesting moral dilemma for a character ill-equipped to deal with one. Chris has made one big mistake. Is he up for another?
May 13, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
The Lookout is a well made psychological thriller which only disappoints with its ending.
November 2, 2007 | Rating: 3/5
Derek Malcolm
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
It’s a pity Frank is too busy laying on the wintry atmospherics to make the story grip as it should.
November 2, 2007
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A cracking armed-robbery thriller.
November 2, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
The film describes emotional and moral rehabilitation in the face of extreme danger.
November 2, 2007 | Rating: 3/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Forgettable fun.
November 1, 2007 | Rating: 3/6
Amy Simmons
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
…unexpectedly menacing and with a palpable tension throughout…
February 24, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
There are too many loopholes in the storyline and an undefined set of rules regarding the main character’s brain damage, which generate more aggravation than satisfaction.
November 26, 2020 | Rating: 5/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Gripping, intense and involved with a sympathetic permeating dichotomy, despite a few slips, The Lookout is the film to be on the lookout for this weekend.
November 14, 2019
Debbie Lynn Elias
Behind The Lens
It uses its strengths to keep you guessing, but it also ensures emotive heft. The movie could have easily been unbalanced, but instead it’s uniquely engaging.
June 15, 2018
Kristy Strouse
Film Inquiry
Strip away the head-trauma hero, and you’re left with a white-trash heist film.
February 9, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures
A professional script professionally shot, rather than a personal story burning to be told
August 27, 2009
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion…
Plot
An admired high school hockey player with a bright future foolishly takes a drive in the night with his girlfriend and two other friends with his headlights off with devastating results. The former athlete is left with a brain injury that prevents him from remembering many things for extended periods of time. To compensate, he keeps notes in a small notebook to aid him in remembering what he is to do. He also lives with a blind friend who aids him. Obviously, with the mental incapacitation, he is unable to have meaningful work. Thus he works as a night cleaning man in a bank. It is there he comes under the scrutiny of a gang planning to rob the bank. The leader befriends him and gets him involved with a young woman who further reels him in. After they get close and after reeling him in with his own failures, the bank plan unfolds. Confused but wanting to escape his current existence, he initially goes along with the scheme. After realizing he is being used, he attempts to stop the robbery, which of course immediately goes awry.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film in the Fresh Kernels review.
Scott-Frank.jpg
83%
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone (2007)
83%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 6 nominations
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone is a film that will leave you in a state of dreamy bliss, much like the swamp-moss-pherics of Andrei Tarkovsky. Tsai’s use of a sombre palette and lack of dialogue creates a dazed fantasy about the power of companionship to revivify. While not as erotic as other films by this director, there is a languid sensuality to the story that is both beautiful and memorable. The glacial pace of the film may test the patience of some, but for those who can take it, this film is highly recommended. Tsai’s visually adept style is written in stone at this point, and this film hardly challenges it, but the peaceful final shot is a reward in itself. In short, I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone is a gorgeous film that won’t disappoint, unless you’re looking for a fast-paced action flick, in which case, you may want to look elsewhere.
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone” is a movie that will make you feel like you’re in a dream, but not the good kind where you’re flying or eating ice cream. It’s more like the kind where you’re lost in a fog and can’t find your way out. The lack of dialogue and slow pace might make you want to take a nap, but if you stick with it, you’ll be rewarded with some beautiful images. Just don’t watch it if you’re already feeling sleepy, or you might not make it to the end.
Production Company(ies)
Titanus Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma Société Générale de Cinématographie
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2007
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):Min, Nan, Malay, Mandarin, Bengali
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2007
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone, 2006, Comedy/Drama, 1h 55m, starring Norman Atun, Lee Kang-sheng, directed by Ming-liang Tsai, written by Ming-liang Tsai, produced by Bruno Pèsery and Vincent Wang, reviewed by Chuck Stephens, Wally Hammond, Anthony Quinn, Tim Robey, Nigel Andrews, Wendy Ide, Ard Vijn, Dennis Schwartz, Jeremy Heilman, Michele Kenner, genre: Comedy, Drama, MPAA rating: N/A, box office performance: $19.1K, budget: N/A, loneliness, longing, injured people, Rawang, Hsiao-Kang, Chinese
Worldwide gross: $226,026
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $323,798
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,833
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 35,311
US/Canada gross: $19,292
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $27,637
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,786
US/Canada opening weekend: $4,377
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,270
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,784
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
Lee Kang-sheng – Hsiao-Kang
Shiang-chyi Chen –
Pearlly Chua –
Lee-Lin Liew –
Leonard Tee –
Director(s)
Ming-liang Tsai
Writer(s)
Ming-liang Tsai
Producer(s)
Bruno Pèsery, Vincent Wang
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (5)
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone-which ends with a vision of fragile and drifting bliss as oneiric as anything in the swamp-moss-pherics of Andrei Tarkovsky-is nothing short of a dream
November 14, 2013
Chuck Stephens
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 5/5
Wally Hammond
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Music interlaces the action, which proceeds mostly without words, expression or, regrettably, interest.
November 16, 2007 | Rating: 2/5
Anthony Quinn
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Working from a sombre palette and with little to no dialogue, Tsai crafts a dazed fantasy about companionship and its power to revivify.
November 16, 2007
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Spare an evening, if you feel adventurous.
November 15, 2007
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
While not as erotic as other films by this director, there’s a languid sensuality to the story.
November 15, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
Wendy Ide
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A beautiful movie with a glacial pace, this is definitely NOT one for the impatient. If you can take the pace (in which case this film is VERY much recommended) you will be rewarded with lots of memorable images.
January 23, 2020
Ard Vijn
ScreenAnarchy
A gorgeous film that won’t disappoint.
February 8, 2008 | Rating: B+
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Tsai’s style is essentially written in stone at this point, and [this] hardly challenges it. [He] is as visually adept here as ever, right up to the film’s peaceful final shot.
January 8, 2008 | Rating: 53/100
Jeremy Heilman
MovieMartyr.com
A subtle, slow-moving presentation of hope and responsibility that will test your patience if you are not a fan of elliptical, dreamlike narratives like those in Tsai’s films.
November 29, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4
Michele Kenner
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Directors who come up with films with “sleep” in the title shouldn’t be this dull if they don’t want glib comments made about them. Yes, I Don’t Want To Sleep Alone is a snooze-fest.
November 15, 2007 | Rating: 1.5/5
Sam Jordison
Film4
Tsai’s long, static, near-wordless takes may try the patience of some, but fans will be enchanted by his new-found warmth.
November 14, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
Philip Kemp
Total Film…
Plot
In “I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone,” Rawang brings injured people to his home and navigates a journey of loneliness and longing with little dialogue, creating a dreamlike exploration of companionship and its power to revivify.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film on Fresh Kernels.
Ming-liang-Tsai.jpg
83%
Talk to Me (2007)
83%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: NA
A riveting look at the life of legendary DJ “Petey” Greene, Talk to Me goes beyond the typical biopic with explosive performances from Don Cheadle and Chiwetal Ejiofor
Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor bring the funk and the fury in Talk to Me, a biopic about the legendary Washington, D.C. DJ Petey Greene. While some critics found the film lacking in secondary characters and a strong screenplay, Cheadle’s performance as Greene is worth rooting for, even when his actions offend. The film’s soundtrack is also a standout, cranking up the funk alongside Greene’s flamboyance and finesse. Overall, Talk to Me is a human and lively portrait of a provocative figure, and a must-watch for fans of radio dramas and historical biopics.
Production Company(ies)
Zazen Produções
Distributor
Focus Features
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Calabria, Italy
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2007
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:2.39:1
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Runtime:1h 58m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 13, 2007 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 30, 2007
Genre(s)
Biography
Keyword(s)
starring Don Cheadle, Chiwetal Ejiofor, Taraji P Henson, Martin Sheen, Cedric the Entertainer, Peter MacNeill, directed by Kasi Lemmons, written by Michael Genet, Rick Famuyiwa, biography, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Richard Brody, Cliff Doerksen, Bob Mondello, George Palathingal, Derek Malcolm, Peter Bradshaw, Toni Vall, Kaleem Aftab, Brandy McDonnell, Nick Rogers, Tom Meek, Tony Macklin, R MPAA rating, DJ, radio station, civil rights movement, Washington D.C., Petey Greene, controversy, black movement, Don Cheadle performance, Chiwetal Ejiofor performance, sound track, Dolby SRD, DTS, Focus Features, Sidney Kimmel, Joe Fries, Mark Gordon, Josh McLaughlin
Worldwide gross: $12,901
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $12,901
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,134
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,407
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
Chiwetel Ejiofor – Dewey Hughes
Taraji P. Henson – Vernell
Martin Sheen – E.G. Sonderling
Cedric the Entertainer – Waylon
Peter MacNeill – Warden Cecil Smithers
Director – Kasi Lemmons
Producers – Joe Fries, Mark Gordon, Sidney Kimmel, Josh McLaughlin
Writers – Michael Genet, Rick Famuyiwa
Director(s)
Kasi Lemmons
Writer(s)
Michael Genet, Rick Famuyiwa
Producer(s)
Joe Fries, Mark Gordon, Sidney Kimmel, Josh McLaughlin
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (132) | Top Critics (47) | Fresh (109) | Rotten (23)
Don Cheadle brings sharp humor and deep passion to his portrayal of the Washington, D.C., disk jockey and talk-show host Petey Greene in this historically vital and acute bio-pic…
April 27, 2020
Richard Brody
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Cliff Doerksen
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
In its wrenching shift from farce to tragedy, and its evocation of the bridge offered by friendship, Talk to Me tells it, and keeps on tellin’ it, much as ‘Petey’ Greene would have.
October 18, 2008
Bob Mondello
NPR.org
TOP CRITIC
It’s a visually and aurally riveting trip to an important time from a perspective few here will know, about a person worth meeting.
February 22, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
George Palathingal
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
A stronger screenplay and more sensitive direction would have made this movie into something far more genuinely uplifting than it is.
November 23, 2007 | Rating: 2/5
Derek Malcolm
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
The movie is decent enough, but contains Greene’s story in a sentimentalised career arc.
November 23, 2007 | Rating: 2/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
A proposal full of self-confidence and expressive force. [Full review in Spanish]
November 5, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Toni Vall
Cinemanía (Spain)
Though funny in places, the film lacks any decent secondary characters… but it’s easy to see why Lemmons would decide to keep the camera as much as possible on the two excellent central performances.
November 3, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Kaleem Aftab
The List
Cheadle’s skillful performance makes Petey a flawed hero worth rooting for, even when his actions offend. Ejiofor also impresses with his subtle turn as the conflicted, success-hungry Dewey. In addition, the film boasts an excellent sound track.
August 15, 2018 | Rating: 4/4
Brandy McDonnell
The Oklahoman
Kasi Lemmons’ radio drama of flamboyance, fury and finesse cranks the funk on a sister station to “Talk Radio” and “Good Morning Vietnam,” powered by two performances of impeccable clarity and cut from Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor.
October 20, 2010 | Rating: 3.5/4
Nick Rogers
The Film Yap
Although the director succumbs to the genre(TM)s temptation to wrap up a messy life with a neat, platitudinous resolution, she lets her cast give Greene and his era its due.
April 23, 2009 | Rating: 3/4
Tom Meek
Boston Phoenix
Talk to Me is an incisive portrait of a provocative figure. It comes very close to caricature, but remains human and lively.
February 2, 2009 | Rating: 2.5/5
Tony Macklin
Fayetteville Free Weekly…
Plot
Talk to Me is a biographical drama about ex-convict Ralph “Petey” Greene, who becomes a controversial radio host in 1960s Washington, D.C. and becomes the voice of the black movement.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Don Cheadle delivers a “sharp humor and deep passion” performance as Ralph “Petey” Greene in Talk to Me, according to Fresh Kernels.
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