Production Company(ies)
Final Cut for Real Sun Creature Studio Vivement Lundi
 
Distributor
GKIDS
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión, San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2010
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama/Romance
 
Keyword(s)
Chico & Rita, Drama, Romance, Musical, Spanish, Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, Tono Errando, Cristina Huete, Santi Errando, Martin Pope, Fernando Trueba, Ignacio Martinez de Pison, GKIDS, Eman Xor Oña, Limara Meneses, Mario Guerra, Jon Adams, Renny Arozarena, Blanca Rosa Blanco, box office, budget, reviewed by Candice Frederick, Joe Williams, John Anderson, Michael O’Sullivan, Betsy Sharkey, Ty Burr, Allen Almachar, Kelly Jane Torrance, Matthew Migliorini, Laura Hiros, Emanuel Levy, Mike Scott, MPAA rating, Cuban pianist, sultry singer, passionate romance, star-crossed, six decades, cultural detail, zest, romantic delight, Oscar nominee, animated, adults, love, fate, night, jazz, showbiz, fame, politics, late ’40s, early ’50s, catchy tunes, missed opportunity, originality, eroticism, Spanish feature, foreign animated film, hand-drawn animation, lost world, great music, artists, racism, revolution, nostalgia, anti-nostalgia, tempestuous love affair, inflames, inspires, computer animation, straight lines, top horror movies, RT Podcasts, MCU movies, renewed, cancelled TV shows, Netflix series, TV premiere dates, worst horror movies, freshest reviews, news
 

Cast & Crew

Eman Xor Oña

Limara Meneses

Mario Guerra

Jon Adams

Renny Arozarena

Chico

Rita

Ramon

Voice

Voice

Eman Xor Oña – Chico (Voice)
Limara Meneses – Rita (Voice)
Mario Guerra – Ramon (Voice)
Jon Adams – Voice
Renny Arozarena – Voice
Blanca Rosa Blanco – Voice

 

Fernando Trueba

Fernando Trueba

Cristina Huete

Santi Errando

Martin Pope

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Fernando Trueba, Javier Mariscal, Tono Errando
 
Writer(s)
Fernando Trueba, Ignacio Martinez de Pison
 
Producer(s)
Cristina Huete, Santi Errando, Martin Pope

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
9 wins & 12 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Candice Frederick

Joe Williams

John Anderson

Michael O’Sullivan

Betsy Sharkey

Reel Talk Online

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Newsday

Washington Post

Los Angeles Times

CHICO & RITA
 All Critics (71) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (9)
 It’s been too long since we’ve seen a film so luscious that it practically whisks you away to another time, another place. The animated film (and Oscar nominee for best animated feature), Chico & Rita does just that.
 
 September 8, 2017
 
 Candice Frederick
 Reel Talk Online
 TOP CRITIC
 When a place and its people are this stylish, we can’t help but be drawn to them.
 
 April 6, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Joe Williams
 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 TOP CRITIC
 “Chico & Rita” is that rare thing, a cartoon for adults, with a bittersweet take on love and fate and a romantic’s view of the night.
 
 March 16, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 John Anderson
 Newsday
 TOP CRITIC
 A pure delight, a keenly affecting, visually ravishing tale.
 
 March 16, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Michael O’Sullivan
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 A buttery rich animated tale of love, jazz, showbiz, fame and politics in the late ’40s and early ’50s that is as catchy as its tunes.
 
 March 8, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Betsy Sharkey
 Los Angeles Times
 TOP CRITIC
 When a soundtrack this fluidly elegant is married to trite dialogue, thin characterizations, and chockablock animation, it has to go down as a missed opportunity.
 
 March 1, 2012 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Ty Burr
 Boston Globe
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s refreshing to see an animated film that isn’t striving to appease only children or for a merchandising deal.
 
 August 3, 2020 | Rating: A
 
 Allen Almachar
 The MacGuffin
 The lost world it conjures is so winning that many viewers will find it easy to forget the film’s flaws.
 
 January 4, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Kelly Jane Torrance
 Washington Examiner
 Despite being largely at odds with itself, when set against recent animation trends that typically centre around celebrity voice acting and cute animals, Chico and Rita is a breath of fresh air striving for originality.
 
 November 6, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Matthew Migliorini
 CineVue
 A powerful love story… [Full review in Spanish]
 
 March 17, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Laura Hiros
 Rincón de cine
 January 16, 2013 | Rating: B+
 
 Emanuel Levy
 EmanuelLevy.Com
 A vivid and musical illustration of the transportive powers of cinema.
 
 April 13, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Mike Scott
 Times-Picayune…

 

Plot
Cuba, 1948. Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Music and romantic desire unites them, but their journey – in the tradition of the Latin ballad, the bolero – brings heartache and torment. From Havana to New York, Paris, Hollywood and Las Vegas, two passionate individuals battle impossible odds to unite in music and love.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about Chico & Rita.
 

 
Fernando-Trueba.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Bill, Phillips
 
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Heygate Estate, Southwark, London, England, UK
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for creature violence, drug content and pervasive language
 
Year of Release
2011
 

 
Genre(s)
Action/Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring John Boyega, Alex Esmail, Leeon Jones, Jodie Whittaker, Simon Howard, Luke Treadaway, directed by Joe Cornish, written by Joe Cornish, produced by Nira Park, James Wilson, Action, Comedy, R, English, Drug Content, Creature Violence, Pervasive Language, critic reviews, box office, budget, Sony Pictures Entertainment, extraterrestrials, South London, social commentary, sci-fi, British flavor, scares, laughs, John Anderson, Deborah Ross, Candice Frederick, Sara Michelle Fetters, Rene Rodriguez, Damian Levy, Matt Brunson, Charlotte Harrison, Jack Fleischer, Mike Massie, Stuart Klawans, Wu C, Morris N, Joey S, Phil H, horror, Netflix, TV shows, MCU, renewed, cancelled, premiere dates, worst horror movies, accessibility
 

Cast & Crew

John Boyega

Jodie Whittaker

Alex Esmail

Leeon Jones

Simon Howard

Moses

Sam

Pest

Jerome

Biggz

John Boyega – Moses
Jodie Whittaker – Sam
Alex Esmail – Pest
Leeon Jones – Jerome
Simon Howard – Biggz
Luke Treadaway – Brewis
Nira Park – Producer
James Wilson – Producer
Joe Cornish – Director, Writer

 

Joe Cornish

Joe Cornish

Nira Park

James Wilson

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Joe Cornish
 
Writer(s)
Joe Cornish
 
Producer(s)
Nira Park, James Wilson

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
19 wins & 39 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Damian Levy

Deborah Ross

Candice Frederick

John Anderson

Sara Michelle Fetters

DamianMichaelMovies.com

The Spectator

Reel Talk Online

Newsday

MovieFreak.com

ATTACK THE BLOCK
 All Critics (183) | Top Critics (56) | Fresh (165) | Rotten (18)
 ‘Attack The Block’ was the little film from 2011 that could’ve but didn’t.
 
 May 27, 2021 | Rating: Big Screen Watch
 
 Damian Levy
 DamianMichaelMovies.com
 TOP CRITIC
 Look, this is a nicely performed film which is kept quick and tight, but for a comic horror it’s just not funny or horrifying enough.
 
 August 30, 2018
 
 Deborah Ross
 The Spectator
 TOP CRITIC
 Not only is Attack the Block wickedly entertaining, but it’s also well-written, suspenseful, whip-smart and moves rocket fast.
 
 September 8, 2017 | Rating: A
 
 Candice Frederick
 Reel Talk Online
 TOP CRITIC
 Attack the Block is essentially an action thriller and as such is effective.
 
 October 7, 2013
 
 John Anderson
 Newsday
 TOP CRITIC
 Attack the Block is the best popcorn flick of the entire summer, and I mean that as one heck of a gigantic compliment.
 
 January 27, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Sara Michelle Fetters
 MovieFreak.com
 TOP CRITIC
 Here is a shaggy monster movie that pulls double-duty as a satire of class and ethnic barriers, and how those barriers quickly disappear when we are forced to fight for our simple survival.
 
 September 2, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Rene Rodriguez
 Miami Herald
 TOP CRITIC
 A low-budget firecracker that’s as adept at tackling social issues as it is at providing sci-fi thrills.
 
 October 26, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Matt Brunson
 Film Frenzy
 With talk about a sequel, it’s the perfect time to return to this action-comedy…
 
 June 1, 2021
 
 Charlotte Harrison
 Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies
 The entirety of the under 20 cast are fun to watch…
 
 March 24, 2021
 
 Jack Fleischer
 Battleship Pretension
 A unique and innovative take on the alien invasion scenario, this film mixes humor and horror to relate it’s tale of misfit kids and malevolent monsters.
 
 November 30, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 Attack the Block makes the most of its budget while creating a near-exemplary study in pace, humor, and spurts of gore.
 
 September 19, 2020
 
 Stuart Klawans
 The Nation
 tightly executed in almost every capacity. The pacing is spot on, it is tense as hell, you can feel the energy on screen, and though it isn’t an overtly political story, there is an underlying social commentary found in the best science fiction.
 
 July 11, 2020 | Rating: A
 
 Brent McKnight
 The Last Thing I See…

 

Plot
Attack the Block follows an unlucky young woman and a gang of tough inner city kids who make an unlikely alliance to try to defend their turf against an invasion of savage alien creatures, turning a South London apartment complex into an intergalactic war-zone.
 
Trivia

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

 
Joe-Cornish.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
New Line Cinema, Partizan Films, Partizan
 
Distributor
Summit Entertainment
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Wattles Mansion – 1824 N. Curson Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some violence, language and brief drug use
 
Year of Release
2011
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Demián Bichir, José Julián, Dolores Heredia, Joaquín Cosio, Carlos Linares, Tim Griffin, directed by Chris Weitz, written by Eric Eason, Roger L Simon, drama, immigrant story, heartwarming, father-son relationship, gang-affiliated girlfriend, truck, self-employed, stolen, quest, police, box office, budget, reviewed by Derek Malcolm, Anthony Quinn, Cath Clarke, Nigel Andrews, Jason Goodyer, Trevor Johnston, Jack Fleischer, Richard Propes, Sarah Knight Adamson, Kiko Martinez, Katherine Monk, PG-13, Jami Gertz, Christian McLaughlin, Stacey Lubliner, Summit Entertainment, Dolby Digital, DTS
 

Cast & Crew

Demián Bichir

Carlos Riquelme

José Julián

Luis Riquelme

Dolores Heredia

Carlos Riquelme

Luis Riquelme

Anita

Blasco

Santiago

Demián Bichir – Carlos Riquelme
José Julián – Luis Riquelme
Dolores Heredia – Anita
Joaquín Cosio – Blasco
Carlos Linares – Santiago
Tim Griffin – Charlie

 

Chris Weitz

Eric Eason

Jami Gertz

Christian McLaughlin

Stacey Lubliner

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Chris Weitz
 
Writer(s)
Eric Eason, Roger L. Simon
 
Producer(s)
Jami Gertz, Christian McLaughlin, Stacey Lubliner

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
5 wins & 10 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Derek Malcolm

Anthony Quinn

Cath Clarke

Nigel Andrews

Jason Goodyer

London Evening Standard

Independent (UK)

Guardian

Financial Times

Little White Lies

A BETTER LIFE
 All Critics (108) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (92) | Rotten (16)
 It speaks well enough about the fate of immigrants everywhere, especially those who want to work hard but end up being exploited.
 
 July 29, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Derek Malcolm
 London Evening Standard
 TOP CRITIC
 July 29, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Anthony Quinn
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Bichir carries it all with a measured performance of considerable emotion as the dad, clenched by so many years holding his breath, waiting for the knock at the door.
 
 July 28, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Cath Clarke
 Guardian
 TOP CRITIC
 Fresh, human, insightful, moving.
 
 July 28, 2011
 
 Nigel Andrews
 Financial Times
 TOP CRITIC
 Not as insightful as it could’ve been but something to chew on for those who like their social commentary a touch on the light and fluffy side.
 
 July 28, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Jason Goodyer
 Little White Lies
 TOP CRITIC
 The didacticism takes the shine off Weitz’s accomplishment, even if the film builds up enough empathy to generate slow-burning emotional impact.
 
 July 27, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Trevor Johnston
 Time Out
 TOP CRITIC
 The film takes a great turn in a very simple scene that manages to wrench out both high hope and deep tension all within the context of yard work.
 
 March 24, 2021
 
 Jack Fleischer
 Battleship Pretension
 Demian Bichir gives one of the year’s finest leading performances.
 
 September 2, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
 
 Richard Propes
 TheIndependentCritic.com
 A week and a half later, I still haven’t stopped thinking about it. It is the summer, anti-blockbuster movie I am recommending to everyone.
 
 January 14, 2020 | Rating: 4/4
 
 Sarah Knight Adamson
 Sarah’s Backstage Pass
 The stakes are high in A Better Life and Bichir matches the film’s tormented tone with a portrayal of a man overcome by both fear and faith.
 
 January 26, 2018 | Rating: B+
 
 Kiko Martinez
 San Antonio Current
 …Weitz finds a third character in the form of the L.A. landscape. Appearing entirely Eden-like when we’re in the gardens with Carlos, but rundown and seedy when he’s in his own element, the city assumes all the dimensions of the American dream itself.
 
 July 10, 2017 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Katherine Monk
 National Post
 The film’s beautiful simplicity is carried massively on the work of Demin Bichir, instantly and surely one of the best performances seen in 2011.
 
 September 14, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Clayton Davis
 AwardsCircuit.com…

 

Plot
Carlos Galindo is a decent man, a Mexican single parent working as a gardener in California to raise Luis, his fourteen-year-old son, whom Carlos is frightened will drift into local gang culture. Carlos buys a truck for his work with money loaned by his sister but a shifty new employee steals it from him and, though Carlos and Luis track the thief down, he has sold the truck. Father and son bond as they reclaim the vehicle from the pound but Carlos attracts police attention, making his future in America uncertain when it is discovered that he is an undocumented immigrant.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Demián Bichir’s “terrific performance” in A Better Life.
 

 
Chris-Weitz.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Cranium Entertainment, Idiot Savant Pictures, Particular Crowd
 
Distributor
Universal Pictures
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
2501 South Kinnickinnic Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some strong sexuality, and language throughout
 
Year of Release
2011
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)

Cast & Crew

Kristen Wiig

Maya Rudolph

Rose Byrne

Ellie Kemper

Wendi McLendon-Covey

Annie

Lillian

Helen

Becca

Rita

Kristen Wiig – Annie
Maya Rudolph – Lillian
Rose Byrne – Helen
Ellie Kemper – Becca
Wendi McLendon-Covey – Rita
Melissa McCarthy – Megan

 

Paul Feig

Annie Mumolo

Judd Apatow

Clayton Townsend

Barry Mendel

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Paul Feig
 
Writer(s)
Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig
 
Producer(s)
Judd Apatow, Clayton Townsend, Barry Mendel

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
25 wins & 72 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Candice Frederick

Anthony Quinn

Kate Muir

Ryan Gilbey

Jonathan Romney

Reel Talk Online

Independent (UK)

Times (UK)

New Statesman

Independent on Sunday

BRIDESMAIDS
 All Critics (293) | Top Critics (71) | Fresh (263) | Rotten (30)
 Sure, it neatly avoids a lot of the fluff found in many chick flicks and replaces it with crass shenanigans, but it adds touching moments when they’re needed most, providing for a smart, less clichéd comedy.
 
 September 8, 2017 | Rating: B
 
 Candice Frederick
 Reel Talk Online
 TOP CRITIC
 Through a combination of smart performances and scurrilous gags Bridesmaids yanks the buddy comedy from the hands of its traditional owners.
 
 June 30, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Anthony Quinn
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 The big, brash laughs are coupled with a smart insight into women’s friendships.
 
 June 30, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Kate Muir
 Times (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 [Wiig’s] is the comedy of panic, paranoia, madness and self-loathing, but her trick in the new film Bridesmaids is to remain composed even as her heart is shredded to confetti.
 
 June 30, 2015
 
 Ryan Gilbey
 New Statesman
 TOP CRITIC
 Unashamedly smart… Bridesmaids has been hailed as a groundbreaking blow for American female cinema. That says a lot about the extent of Hollywood’s current conservatism, but for now, Bridesmaids does nicely as a tonic corrective.
 
 June 30, 2015
 
 Jonathan Romney
 Independent on Sunday
 TOP CRITIC
 The star and co-writer of Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig, puts herself and her female co-stars through the comedy wringer.
 
 August 2, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Rafer Guzman
 Newsday
 TOP CRITIC
 The number of jokes, visual gags, clever line readings, and insane set pieces crammed into just 2 hours is astonishing.
 
 June 29, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
 
 Cody Dericks
 Next Best Picture
 With laugh-out-loud displays of pettiness, pride and passive-aggression, the movie incisively examines the delicate dynamics of a female friendship group.
 
 June 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Yasmin Omar
 Harper’s Bazaar
 Ten years later, Bridesmaids remains a cinematic classic and one of the best comedy movies of all time.
 
 May 13, 2021
 
 Danielle Solzman
 Solzy at the Movies
 BRIDESMAIDS told a more complex story of female friendship, one that centered…well, female friendship, with men taking a secondary role.
 
 April 28, 2021
 
 Andrea Thompson
 The Spool
 Bridesmaids is a film for everyone and one that features some of the finest comedy set-pieces since Mary put spunk in her hair.
 
 April 23, 2021
 
 Owen Nicholls
 NME
 Wiig’s work as the neurotic but mostly well meaning Annie is a breakthrough, proving that being funny and having feelings are not mutually exclusive.
 
 January 31, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Richard Crouse
 Richard Crouse…

 

Plot
Annie (Kristen Wiig), is a maid of honor whose life unravels as she leads her best friend Lillian (Maya Rudolph) and a group of colorful bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the path to matrimony. Annie’s life is a mess, but when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian’s maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she’ll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far a true friend will go for a friend.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a talented cast including Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, and Melissa McCarthy.
 

 
Paul-Feig.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
John Ford Productions,
 
Distributor
Walt Disney
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Walt Disney Studios, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
G
 
Year of Release
2011
 

 
Genre(s)
Adventure
 
Keyword(s)
starring Jim Cummings, Bud Luckey, Craig Ferguson, Jack Boulter, Travis Oates, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, directed by Stephen J Anderson, Don Hall, written by Stephen J Anderson, Clio Chiang, Don Dougherty, Don Hall, Kendelle Hoyer, Brian Kesinger, Nicole Mitchell, Jeremy Spears, Adventure, G, Walt Disney, Peter Del Vecho, reviewed by Nell Minow, Sara Michelle Fetters, Leonard Maltin, Kimberley Jones, Peter Travers, John Cleese, box office, budget, MPAA rating, Winnie the Pooh, A.A Milne, Hundred Acre Wood, Eeyore, Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, Christopher Robin, honey, hand-drawn animation, musical numbers, LSD-driven animators, traditional family treat, sweetly traditional, gentle whimsical, short, nostalgic, episodic story, good-natured, verbal humor, sweet delights, pot of honey, melancholy donkey, missing Christopher Robin, land of sweet delights
 

Cast & Crew

Jim Cummings

Bud Luckey

Craig Ferguson

Jack Boulter

Travis Oates

Winnie the Pooh

Tigger

Eeyore

Owl

Christopher Robin

Jim Cummings – Winnie the Pooh, Tigger (Voice)
Bud Luckey – Eeyore (Voice)
Craig Ferguson – Owl (Voice)
Jack Boulter – Christopher Robin (Voice)
Travis Oates – Piglet (Voice)
Kristen Anderson-Lopez – Kanga (Voice)

 

Stephen J. Anderson

Stephen J. Anderson

Peter Del Vecho

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Stephen J. Anderson, Don Hall
 
Writer(s)
Stephen J. Anderson, Clio Chiang, Don Dougherty, Don Hall, Kendelle Hoyer, Brian Kesinger, Nicole Mitchell, Jeremy Spears
 
Producer(s)
Peter Del Vecho

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 25 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Nell Minow

Sara Michelle Fetters

Leonard Maltin

Kimberley Jones

Peter Travers

Movie Mom

MovieFreak.com

indieWire

Austin Chronicle

Rolling Stone

WINNIE THE POOH
 All Critics (131) | Top Critics (48) | Fresh (118) | Rotten (13)
 February 18, 2012 | Rating: B+
 
 Nell Minow
 Movie Mom
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s beautifully handled by directors Stephen J. Anderson and Don Hall, everything working on the perfect childlike level that speaks directly to the youngest of children without ever once talking down to them.
 
 July 23, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Sara Michelle Fetters
 MovieFreak.com
 TOP CRITIC
 Winnie the Pooh generates smiles and chuckles from start to finish with its good-natured, episodic story of Pooh and friends going on a wild-goose chase to find a supposedly missing Christopher Robin…
 
 July 22, 2011
 
 Leonard Maltin
 indieWire
 TOP CRITIC
 Winnie the Pooh doesn’t reinvent the wheel, just gives it an affectionate spin, and that is no more and no less than what one would hope from a family reunion.
 
 July 22, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Kimberley Jones
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s a pleasure to sink into an animated family movie from Disney that radiates charm with a gentleness that seems damn near revolutionary.
 
 July 17, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Peter Travers
 Rolling Stone
 TOP CRITIC
 In an era of hyperactive, overly verbal 3-D animated entertainment, I hope there is still room for a film as sweet and gentle as Winnie the Pooh. At the screening I attended it seemed like the young adults in the audience were enjoying it even…
 
 July 15, 2011
 
 Leonard Maltin
 leonardmaltin.com
 TOP CRITIC
 The tale of the yellow silly bear and his teddy friends is as hollow as an empty honey pot. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 September 3, 2021 | Rating: 5/10
 
 Yasser Medina
 Cinemaficionados
 The film is narrated beautifully by John Cleese.
 
 September 27, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
 
 Richard Propes
 TheIndependentCritic.com
 A calm, slower paced, fun film that should charm the socks off families while entertaining them in a unique way, without all the bells and whistles of CGI and 3D.
 
 January 14, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Sarah Knight Adamson
 Sarah’s Backstage Pass
 I admit Winnie the Pooh wasn’t really made for me but I can appreciate a film made with TLC outside of my target demographic.
 
 February 6, 2019 | Rating: 7/10
 
 Rachel Wagner
 Rotoscopers
 [“Winnie the Pooh”] is rebelliously pleasant, seditiously low-key and blessedly loyal to the spirit, look and tone of Milne’s stories, Ernest H. Shepard’s book illustrations and its beloved ’60s short films.
 
 August 8, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Brandy McDonnell
 The Oklahoman
 The charm from the original short films of the 60s, 70s and 80s are back
 
 August 24, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Kevin Carr
 7M Pictures…

 

Plot
During an ordinary day in Hundred Acre Wood, Winnie the Pooh sets out to find some honey. Misinterpreting a note from Christopher Robin, Owl convinces Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Pooh, Kanga, Roo, and Eeyore that their young friend has been captured by a creature named the Backson, and they set out to save him.
 
Trivia

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

 
Stephen-J.-Anderson.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Fine Line Features, Capitol Films, Channel Four Films,
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)
Caulonia, Reggio Calabria, Calabria, Italy
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2010
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Giuseppe Fuda, Bruno Timpano, Nazareno Timpano, Artemio Vellone, directed by Michelangelo Frammartino, written by Michelangelo Frammartino, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nicole Armour, Marjorie Baumgarten, Joe Williams, Roger Ebert, Walter V Addiego, Rick Groen, Mattie Lucas, Sean Axmaker, Dennis Schwartz, Michael Nordine, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Beth Accomando, producer Philippe Bober, Elda Guidinetti, Marta Donzelli, Gabriella Manfré, MPAA rating, birth, death, transformation, cycles of life, Italian, church dust, shepherd, carbonai, Serra San Bruno, directorial debut, profound, funny, meditation, human soul, transmigration, ritual, magic, unexpected, accidental, change, routine
 

Cast & Crew

Giuseppe Fuda

Bruno Timpano

Nazareno Timpano

Artemio Vellone

Michelangelo Frammartino

Giuseppe Fuda

Bruno Timpano

Nazareno Timpano

Artemio Vellone

Giuseppe Fuda – Il vecchio pastore
Bruno Timpano – I carbonai di Serra San Bruno
Nazareno Timpano – I carbonai di Serra San Bruno
Artemio Vellone – Carbonaio
Michelangelo Frammartino – Director, Writer

 

Michelangelo Frammartino

Michelangelo Frammartino

Philippe Bober

Elda Guidinetti

Marta Donzelli

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Michelangelo Frammartino
 
Writer(s)
Michelangelo Frammartino
 
Producer(s)
Philippe Bober, Elda Guidinetti, Marta Donzelli, Gabriella Manfré

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
14 wins & 14 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Nicole Armour

Marjorie Baumgarten

Joe Williams

Roger Ebert

Walter V. Addiego

Film Comment Magazine

Austin Chronicle

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Chicago Sun-Times

San Francisco Chronicle

THE FOUR TIMES
 All Critics (54) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (4)
 The director emphasizes the fragile and invisible, the small specks of matter that make up the whole.
 
 November 7, 2013
 
 Nicole Armour
 Film Comment Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 The film’s apparent simplicity is, in large measure, its charm and its universal appeal.
 
 July 22, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Marjorie Baumgarten
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 The God’s-eye view becomes mesmerizing when we stop insisting that the film flatter us and just enjoy a quiet ride on the cycle.
 
 July 15, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Joe Williams
 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 TOP CRITIC
 I drifted pleasantly in its depths.
 
 June 16, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Roger Ebert
 Chicago Sun-Times
 TOP CRITIC
 Le Quattro Volte may sound like art-house tedium, but in fact it’s a movie of grave beauty, serene pace and surprising humor.
 
 June 9, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Walter V. Addiego
 San Francisco Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 Give Le Quattro Volte the patience it deserves, and you will be captivated by its stately rhythms, transfixed by its strange imagery, and moved by its sudden dramas. Don’t, and you’ll be bored to tears.
 
 June 3, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Rick Groen
 Globe and Mail
 TOP CRITIC
 This is powerful and confident filmmaking, a kind of cinematic poem that stares deep into the human soul and emerges with a quietly moving and deeply meaningful experience.
 
 August 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
 
 Mattie Lucas
 From the Front Row
 It’s both an embrace of the comfort of ritual and certainly and acknowledgement of the magic of the unexpected and the accidental bringing change to routine.
 
 December 17, 2011
 
 Sean Axmaker
 Turner Classic Movies Online
 Whose images of everyday life in the sticks makes for hypnotic viewing.
 
 November 7, 2011 | Rating: A-
 
 Dennis Schwartz
 Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
 Such descriptors as contemplative, deliberate, and meditative fall short of the mark in conveying exactly what’s at work here.
 
 October 25, 2011
 
 Michael Nordine
 Not Coming to a Theater Near You
 A quiet, meditative, and spiritual Italian film about the transmigration of the soul.
 
 September 14, 2011 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
 Spirituality & Practice
 Le Quattro Volte is cinematic slow food. It takes its time, is meticulous in its presentation, carefully considers the experience it provides, and then serves up a satisfying and nourishing feast.
 
 July 2, 2011
 
 Beth Accomando
 KPBS.org…

 

Plot
In “The Four Times,” birth, death, and transformation are explored through the story of an old shepherd who drinks church dust to stave off death.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about the film, but it does describe it as a “profound and often funny mediation on the cycles of life on earth.”
 

 
Michelangelo-Frammartino.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Charles Chaplin Productions,
 
Distributor
IFC Films
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc, Ardèche, France
 
MPAA / Certificate
G
 
Year of Release
2011
 

 
Genre(s)
Documentary
 
Keyword(s)
documentary, Werner Herzog, Chauvet Cave, oldest surviving paintings, art preservation, 30,000-year-old drawings, humanity’s earliest dreams, scientists, art scholars, G rating, English language, directed by Werner Herzog, written by Werner Herzog, produced by IFC Films, cinematography by Peter Zeitlinger, reviewed by David Stratton, Paul Byrnes, Stephen Cole, Peter Howell, Marjorie Baumgarten, Ann Hornaday, Werner Herzog as narrator and director and screenwriter, box office gross of $5.2M, IFP Films as distributor, 3D film, Herzog’s infectious enthusiasm, Hauntingly filmed, fascinating triumph, Herzog’s glimpses of the future, Herzog’s philosophizing, Herzog’s admiration, Herzog’s silence, Herzog’s lyricism, Herzog’s existentialism, Herzog’s parallels to cinema, Herzog’s historical realities, Herzog’s engagement, Herzog’s creativity, Herzog’s consistency, Herzog’s body of work, Herzog’s living legend, Herzog’s sublime time machine, Herzog’s one of a kind film, Herzog’s breathtaking beauty, Herzog’s respect for art preservation
 

Cast & Crew

Werner Herzog

Peter Zeitlinger

Narrator

Director

Screenwriter

Cinematographer

Werner Herzog – Narrator, Director, Screenwriter
Peter Zeitlinger – Cinematographer

 

Werner Herzog

Werner Herzog

NA

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Werner Herzog
 
Writer(s)
Werner Herzog
 
Producer(s)
NA

 

Film Festivals
South by Southwest
 
Awards & Nominations
12 wins & 21 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

David Stratton

Paul Byrnes

Stephen Cole

Peter Howell

Marjorie Baumgarten

At the Movies

Sydney Morning Herald

Globe and Mail

Toronto Star

Austin Chronicle

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS
 All Critics (137) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (132) | Rotten (5)
 Herzog has used the 3D process with tremendous creativity to make this very beautiful film.
 
 September 21, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
 
 David Stratton
 At the Movies (Australia)
 TOP CRITIC
 This is what 3-D was made for, puncturing the proscenium and taking us somewhere ”not yet offended”.
 
 September 21, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Paul Byrnes
 Sydney Morning Herald
 TOP CRITIC
 It is our tour guide that makes Cave of Forgotten Dreams an often thrilling experience.
 
 July 8, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Stephen Cole
 Globe and Mail
 TOP CRITIC
 The overall effect, aided by Ernst Reijseger’s score of rising choral harmonies and lush strings, is rapturous.
 
 July 7, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Peter Howell
 Toronto Star
 TOP CRITIC
 Herzog’s glimpses of the future can be as otherworldly and singular as his perspective on the past.
 
 May 20, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Marjorie Baumgarten
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 To call “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” a great movie isn’t just an understatement, it’s a wildly inaccurate way to describe an experience that, in its immersive sensory pleasures and climactic journey of discovery, more closely resembles an ecstatic trance.
 
 May 6, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Ann Hornaday
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 Cave of Forgotten Dreams: 3D is an interesting story, told by that quirky friend…
 
 March 24, 2021
 
 Jack Fleischer
 Battleship Pretension
 This little experiment (said to be the first and the last 3D film by him) confirms that Herzog does whatever he feels like, never following trend, but with astounding consistency. It fits within his body of work very smoothly.
 
 March 21, 2021
 
 Dustin Chang
 Floating World
 Cave of Forgotten Dreams is a sublime time machine crafted by one of the living legends.
 
 November 19, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Jordan M. Smith
 IONCINEMA.com
 Cave of Forgotten Dreams transports its audience into another world, on an intimate visit to France’s Chauvet Cave, where only a handful of modern humans have ever been. It’s one of the most significant 3-D films to ever hit the screen.
 
 November 22, 2019
 
 Catherine Capellaro
 Isthmus (Madison, WI)
 Herzog tells us, in his inimitable way, why we care about a bunch of old pictures of horses and lions.
 
 January 8, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Kelly Jane Torrance
 Washington Examiner
 While Herzog’s philosophizing may not be as valid or necessary here as it perhaps has been in a number of prior works such as Grizzly Man, Cave of Forgotten Dreams is unmatched in its enchantment.
 
 December 14, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Matthew Migliorini
 CineVue…

 

Plot
In this documentary, filmmaker Werner Herzog explores the Chauvet Cave in France, where the world’s oldest surviving paintings are preserved and examines how the artwork represents humanity’s earliest dreams with scientists and art scholars conducting research at Chauvet.
 
Trivia

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

 
Werner-Herzog.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Vendôme Pictures, Pathé Films, Picture Perfect Federation
 
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
The Concert Hall, Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, State University Of New York at Purchase, Purchase, New York, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong sexual content, disturbing violent images, language and some drug use
 
Year of Release
2010
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder, Benjamin Millepied, directed by Darren Aronofsky, written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, produced by Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin, drama, R-rated, box office gross $107.0M, SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, reviewed by Julie and Brandy, Phoenix Danger, Deborah Ross, Caryn James, Candice Frederick, Sean Axmaker, Jason Adams, Aviva Dove-Viebahn, James McMahon, Dustin Chang, Mark Jackson, Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers, Mila Kunis as Lily, Vincent Cassel as Thomas Leroy, Barbara Hershey as Erica Sayers, Winona Ryder as Beth MacIntyre, Benjamin Millepied as David, the Prince
 

Cast & Crew

Natalie Portman

Mila Kunis

Vincent Cassel

Barbara Hershey

Winona Ryder

Nina Sayers

The Swan Queen

Lily

The Black Swan

Thomas Leroy

Natalie Portman – Nina Sayers, The Swan Queen
Mila Kunis – Lily, The Black Swan
Vincent Cassel – Thomas Leroy, The Gentleman
Barbara Hershey – Erica Sayers, The Queen
Winona Ryder – Beth MacIntyre, The Dying Swan
Benjamin Millepied – David, The Prince

 

Darren Aronofsky

Mark Heyman

Mike Medavoy

Arnold Messer

Brian Oliver

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Darren Aronofsky
 
Writer(s)
Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz
 
Producer(s)
Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Brian Oliver, Scott Franklin

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
97 wins & 279 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
 

Top Reviews

Julie and Brandy

Phoenix Danger

Deborah Ross

Caryn James (Newsday and Marie Claire)

Candice Frederick

Autostraddle

The Spectator

Newsday

Marie Claire

Reel Talk Online

BLACK SWAN
 All Critics (317) | Top Critics (79) | Fresh (269) | Rotten (48)
 What were they trying to say? What happened?… You’re all pretending you know what it means.
 
 August 31, 2021
 
 Julie and Brandy
 Autostraddle
 TOP CRITIC
 The impeccable casting adds an elevated element of reality to a film that already hits so close to home.
 
 June 8, 2021
 
 Phoenix Danger
 Autostraddle
 TOP CRITIC
 This is part horror, part thriller, part Freudian nightmare and not a pretty film, as I said, nor an easy watch, but it’s so unexpected and out there and passionate it keeps you with it and involved all the way.
 
 August 30, 2018
 
 Deborah Ross
 The Spectator
 TOP CRITIC
 Director Darren Aronofsky’s darkly enthralling entertainment makes the perfect antidote to too many sugary holiday Nutcrackers.
 
 February 7, 2018
 
 Caryn James
 Newsday
 TOP CRITIC
 By the end, Nina’s quest for perfection-and Portman’s blazing performance-will leave you breathless.
 
 October 4, 2017
 
 Caryn James
 Marie Claire
 TOP CRITIC
 Audiences won’t know who to trust and what is real in this terrifyingly great film that will grab hold of you until the final act.
 
 September 9, 2017 | Rating: A
 
 Candice Frederick
 Reel Talk Online
 TOP CRITIC
 ‘Red Shoes’ meets ‘Repulsion’ in Darren Aronofsky’s… jittery psychological portrait of neurosis and obsession in a meek, repressed young woman who still has little girl prima ballerina dreams.
 
 July 5, 2022
 
 Sean Axmaker
 Stream on Demand
 Aronofsky wants you to feel that heroin oozing into your vein, he wants you to feel that barbed wire and glass burrowing under your tights, and here he wants you go right off the deep end with a girl in a tutu
 
 July 2, 2021 | Rating: A
 
 Jason Adams
 My New Plaid Pants
 Black Swan is a top-form thriller-visceral, moving, and stunningly beautiful-but it’s also a film about the darkness our own minds conjure up when we’re overwhelmed by ambition.
 
 June 24, 2021
 
 Aviva Dove-Viebahn
 Ms. Magazine
 While there are few films that with look and sound as good as this as 2011 plays out, there’ll will be even less that will be so misunderstood. Black Swan is a hoot. A silly, melodramatic hoot.
 
 May 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 James McMahon
 NME
 Black Swan is way over the top (not that his films were ever subtle) in saint/whore dichotomy with bombastic Swan Lake score. But it fits with visceral visuals creating internal chaos in the character.
 
 March 21, 2021
 
 Dustin Chang
 Floating World
 Director Darren Aronofsky has done an excellent service by showing how art has reached the extreme of a downward demonic trend. Now that we’ve reached that extreme, perhaps, like the yin-yang symbol, things will turn around.
 
 February 20, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Mark Jackson
 Epoch Times…

 

Plot
Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side – a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a bravura performance from Natalie Portman.
 

 
Darren-Aronofsky.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
American Zoetrope Zoetrope Studios,
 
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
 
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Netflix)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
 
Year of Release
2011
 

 
Genre(s)
Action
 
Keyword(s)
starring Gilles Lellouche, Roschdy Zem, Gérard Lanvin, Elena Anaya, Mireille Perrier, Claire Perot, directed by Fred Cavayé, written by Fred Cavayé, Guillaume Lemans, produced by Cyril Colbeau-Justin, Jean-Baptiste Dupont, action, French, R rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Laura Kern, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Marjorie Baumgarten, Bill Goodykoontz, James Rocchi, Calvin Wilson, Kelly Jane Torrance, Martin Tsai, Roger Moore, Jay Antani, Eric Melin, thriller, gangsters, police, kidnapping, race against time, unborn child, wife, rival gangsters, trigger-happy police, Magnolia Pictures
 

Cast & Crew

Gilles Lellouche

Samuel Pierret

Roschdy Zem

Hugo Sartet

Gérard Lanvin

Gilles Lellouche

Roschdy Zem

Gérard Lanvin

Elena Anaya

Mireille Perrier

Gilles Lellouche – Samuel Pierret
Roschdy Zem – Hugo Sartet
Gérard Lanvin – Commandant Patrick Werner
Elena Anaya – Nadia
Mireille Perrier – Commandant Fabre
Claire Perot – Capt. Anais Susini
Director – Fred Cavayé
Producers – Cyril Colbeau-Justin, Jean-Baptiste Dupont
Writers – Fred Cavayé, Guillaume Lemans, Fred Cavayé

 

Fred Cavayé

Fred Cavayé

Cyril Colbeau-Justin

Jean-Baptiste Dupont

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Fred Cavayé
 
Writer(s)
Fred Cavayé, Guillaume Lemans, Fred Cavayé
 
Producer(s)
Cyril Colbeau-Justin, Jean-Baptiste Dupont

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
1 nomination
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Laura Kern

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Marjorie Baumgarten

Bill Goodykoontz

James Rocchi

Film Comment Magazine

Entertainment Weekly

Austin Chronicle

Arizona Republic

MSN Movies

POINT BLANK
 All Critics (79) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (72) | Rotten (7)
 Point Blank is saddled with the same title as John Boorman’s 1967 masterpiece, but the only thing the two films really have in common is coolness.
 
 June 28, 2013
 
 Laura Kern
 Film Comment Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
 
 Lisa Schwarzbaum
 Entertainment Weekly
 TOP CRITIC
 Point Blank passes enjoyably, relentlessly, and determinedly to the moment of its final gasp.
 
 September 2, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Marjorie Baumgarten
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 A swirl of action and information punctuated by chase scene after glorious chase scene.
 
 September 1, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Bill Goodykoontz
 Arizona Republic
 TOP CRITIC
 You’re going to have to track “Point Blank” down, but if you’re looking for a real slice of what the thriller cinema perpetually promises and so rarely delivers — pure force from up close — it’s one of the standout secrets of the year.
 
 August 19, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
 
 James Rocchi
 MSN Movies
 TOP CRITIC
 Put aside any hang-ups you may have about subtitles. As action flicks go, “Point Blank” is right on target.
 
 August 19, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Calvin Wilson
 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 TOP CRITIC
 The American action flick is a genre that will never die. But it’s hard to make one that seems fresh, as filmmakers seem to stick to a winning formula. Point Blank is an invigorating exception.
 
 January 8, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Kelly Jane Torrance
 Washington Examiner
 “Point Blank” is loads of fun, if not exceptionally clever or original.
 
 October 7, 2015
 
 Martin Tsai
 Critic’s Notebook
 A leaner and meaner 84 minutes you are not likely to catch on a screen this year.
 
 January 10, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Roger Moore
 Tribune News Service
 [Writers] Cavay and Lemans…dump all manner of double-dealing and good cop-bad cop intrigue into what could have been a wonderfully streamlined, character-driven thriller about an innocent man forced to do the bidding of criminals to save his family.
 
 January 19, 2012 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Jay Antani
 Cinema Writer
 It moves so fast and furiously that you will forget you are reading subtitles altogether. This is one fantastic mainstream action movie that is so manic it may leave you gasping for air.
 
 January 1, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Eric Melin
 Scene-Stealers.com
 A riveting, frequently electrifying thriller…
 
 December 6, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 David Nusair
 Reel Film Reviews…

 

Plot
When his pregnant wife is kidnapped and held as collateral, Paul, an ER nurse, must team with the badly injured career criminal and murder suspect under his charge in order to save the lives of his wife and unborn child. Pitted against rival gangs and a deadly ring of corrupt cops, the unlikely duo find a way to survive together in the fight of their lives.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels review for Point Blank.
 

 
Fred-Cavayé.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
M K2 Productions, France 3 Cinéma C AB Productions,
 
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
2011
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
Of Gods and Men, PG-13, Drama, 2h 2m, starring Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin, Philippe Laudenbach, Jacques Herlin, Loïc Pichon, directed by Xavier Beauvois, written by Xavier Beauvois and Etienne Comar, produced by Pascal Caucheteux and Etienne Comar, reviewed by J.R Jones, Ann Hornaday, Leonard Maltin, Tom Long, Marc Savlov, Joe Williams, Richard Propes, Felicia Feaster, David Harris, Kelly Jane Torrance, genre, box office performance, budget, MPAA rating, Trappist monks, Algeria, civil war, Muslim population, fundamentalist terrorists, actual events, tragic consequences, Dolby Digital
 

Cast & Crew

Lambert Wilson

Michaël Lonsdale

Olivier Rabourdin

Philippe Laudenbach

Jacques Herlin

Christian

Luc

Christophe

Célestin

Amédée

Lambert Wilson – Christian
Michaël Lonsdale – Luc
Olivier Rabourdin – Christophe
Philippe Laudenbach – Célestin
Jacques Herlin – Amédée
Loïc Pichon – Jean-Pierre

 

Xavier Beauvois

Xavier Beauvois

Pascal Caucheteux

Etienne Comar

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Xavier Beauvois
 
Writer(s)
Xavier Beauvois, Etienne Comar
 
Producer(s)
Pascal Caucheteux, Etienne Comar

 

Film Festivals
Cannes, Telluride
 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

J. R. Jones

Ann Hornaday

Leonard Maltin

Tom Long

Marc Savlov

Chicago Reader

Washington Post

indieWire

Detroit News

Austin Chronicle

OF GODS AND MEN
 All Critics (119) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (110) | Rotten (9)
 Alternately harrowing and humbling, this is a story of ordinary men whose compassion is tested in the cruelest, most profound fashion.
 
 August 10, 2011
 
 J. R. Jones
 Chicago Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 Beauvois takes his time limning the daily rhythms of the monastery, lingering on its most lyrical and sensuous moments, so that when violence finally reaches its gates the effect is all the more chilling.
 
 July 28, 2011 | Rating: 4/4
 
 Ann Hornaday
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 I was stirred by the emotions expressed in this film-and the wonderful performances of its cast. Filmmaker Beauvois chose great faces, as well as great actors, to bring these characters to life, and they manage to convey an enormous amount with very…
 
 June 29, 2011
 
 Leonard Maltin
 indieWire
 TOP CRITIC
 The film, directed by Xavier Beauvois, moves back and forth between the monks doing their daily chores and the decisions they must face as a group.
 
 April 8, 2011 | Rating: B
 
 Tom Long
 Detroit News
 TOP CRITIC
 There are numerous sequences of tremendous emotional power here, none more so than one in which the monks gather together to sing an ancient Gregorian chant as an Algerian Army helicopter gunship hovers threateningly overhead.
 
 April 1, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Marc Savlov
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 Forgive me, Father, for I was bored.
 
 March 25, 2011 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Joe Williams
 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 TOP CRITIC
 Examines the fragile yet luminous weaving together of God within the lives of humanity in a way that is at times painful, heartbreaking, inspiring, and awesome.
 
 September 18, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
 
 Richard Propes
 TheIndependentCritic.com
 [A] meditative, serene film about faith and bravery.
 
 January 17, 2020
 
 Felicia Feaster
 Charleston City Paper
 Unlike most films where religion is portrayed as a dehumanizing or negative force, Beauvois makes it clear that he sees this band of monks in clearly humanistic terms.
 
 November 6, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
 David Harris
 Spectrum Culture
 Beauvois directs with a simple austerity, but one so rich with emotional and spiritual undertones that much of what the film is trying to say is conveyed without words.
 
 August 5, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Mattie Lucas
 From the Front Row
 The latest film by the French actor-turned-director Xavier Beauvois, Of Gods and Men won the Grand Prix at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, and may be Beauvois’ most accomplished work to date.
 
 March 18, 2019
 
 Duncan Gray
 MUBI
 The film is a masterful exploration of belief in God and, perhaps more importantly, love.
 
 January 8, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Kelly Jane Torrance
 Washington Examiner…

 

Plot
During the Algerian Civil War, a group of Trappist monks must decide whether to stay with their Muslim neighbors or flee from fundamentalist terrorists in Of Gods and Men, a patient and profound drama that asks difficult questions about faith and sacrifice.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale as Trappist monks living among the Muslim population in Algeria.
 

 
Xavier-Beauvois.jpg