Blow the Man Down (2020)
86%RT Audience Score: 73%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 13 nominations
Clever, funny, and original, Blow the Man Down is a cinematic journey that’s not to be missed
Blow the Man Down is a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but also make you want to sing sea shanties with a group of fishermen. The all-star cast of women, including June Squibb, Margo Martindale, and Annette O’Toole, bring a refreshing twist to the thriller genre. While some critics wished for a tighter plot, the film’s exploration of village mythology and feminine conspiracy adds to the intrigue. Overall, Blow the Man Down is a clever and entertaining modern noir that will leave you humming sea shanties long after the credits roll.
Production Company(ies)
HBO Documentary Films, Jigsaw Productions, Sky Atlantic
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Prime Video)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, some violence, sexual material and brief drug use
Year of Release
2020
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Mar 17, 2020
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
Blow the Man Down, Sophie Lowe, Morgan Saylor, June Squibb, Marceline Hugot, Annette O’Toole, Will Brittain, Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy, Drew P Houpt, Alex Scharfman, Lucas Joaquin, Comedy, Drama, R, Box Office, Budget, Reviewed by Nell Minow, David Fear, Scott Tobias, Becca James, Adam Kempenaar, Cody Corrall, Dan Bayer, Cory Woodroof, Zofia Wijaszka, Cate Marquis, Sandie Angulo Chen, Women-Centric, Mystery, Thriller, Maine, Fishing Village, Matriarchs, Secrets, Cover-Up, Crime, Underbelly, Grieving, Loss, Uncertain Future, Language, Brief Drug Use, Sexual Material, Priscilla Connolly, Mary Beth Connolly, Susie Gallagher, Doreen Burke, Gail Maguire, Officer Justin Brennan, Original Language: English, Release Date: Mar 17, 2020, 1h 30m
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Morgan Saylor – Mary Beth Connolly
June Squibb – Susie Gallagher
Marceline Hugot – Doreen Burke
Annette O’Toole – Gail Maguire
Will Brittain – Officer Justin Brennan
Bridget Savage Cole – Director, Writer
Danielle Krudy – Director, Writer
Drew P. Houpt – Producer
Alex Scharfman – Producer
Lucas Joaquin – Producer
Director(s)
Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy
Writer(s)
Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy
Producer(s)
Drew P. Houpt, Alex Scharfman, Lucas Joaquin
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 13 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (126) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (124) | Rotten (2)
What a pleasure to see actors like June Squibb, Margo Martindale, and Annette O’Toole in roles that usually go to men, complex, wily, and tough.
November 30, 2021
Nell Minow
AWFJ Women on Film
TOP CRITIC
A tightening of the screws would have helped this thriller immensely. But Cole and Krudy are after something a little different here than just two sister and one downward spiral.
February 7, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
David Fear
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
It’s normally not a great sign when the lead characters are less compelling than anything around them, but the Connollys’ predicament opens up the weird bits of village mythology and feminine conspiracy that secretly drives the film forward.
February 7, 2021
Scott Tobias
NPR
TOP CRITIC
[A] murder movie with momentum…
December 30, 2020
Becca James
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
I was in from the opening prelude, a quasi-Greek chorus of fishermen singing an old sea shanty, their great voices mixed with the musicality and rhythms of their tools and work.
April 24, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Adam Kempenaar
Filmspotting
TOP CRITIC
It’s an incredibly cunning mystery with a charming cast of characters who ultimately crack under the pressure of keeping up with their appearances.
April 17, 2020
Cody Corrall
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
it’s impossible to shake the feeling that with more time to explore this place and these characters, this could have been something quite special. Instead, it’s merely well-done.
May 13, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
Dan Bayer
Next Best Picture
Cole and Krudy make the best Coens riff I’ve seen in years.
March 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
Williamson Home Page
Blow the Man Down is not necessarily a life-altering story. Still, it is a pleasing, incredibly entertaining modern noir.
February 11, 2022 | Rating: A
Zofia Wijaszka
FirstShowing.net
Aided by a great cast that includes Margot Martindale and June Squibb, and atmospheric sea shanties, co-writers/directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy spin a twisty, clever women-centric mystery thriller.
November 30, 2021
Cate Marquis
AWFJ Women on Film
Writer-directors Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy’s debut film Blow the Man Down is a riveting, suspenseful, and beautifully acted women-centered drama.
November 30, 2021
Sandie Angulo Chen
AWFJ Women on Film
Their roughly 90-minute-film feels both personal – they say the characters ‘were inspired by our moms, aunts, grandmothers and matriarchs’ in their lives – and a bit unpolished.
February 28, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
Mark Meszoros
The News-Herald (Willoughby, OH)…
Plot
After covering up a gruesome run-in with a dangerous man, sisters Mary Beth and Priscilla Connolly must go deeper into their small fishing village’s underbelly to uncover the town matriarchs’ darkest secrets in Blow the Man Down.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a talented cast including June Squibb, Margo Martindale, and Annette O’Toole in roles that are usually reserved for men.
Bridget-Savage-Cole.jpg
86%
Another Round (Druk) (2020)
86%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
52 wins & 73 nominations total
Take one part deftly directed tragicomedy, add a dash of Mads Mikkelsen in vintage form, and you’ve got Another Round — an intoxicating look at midlife crises
Another Round is a film that will make you want to grab a drink with your friends, but also make you question your relationship with alcohol. Mads Mikkelsen’s performance is captivating, and the film’s exploration of midlife crisis is both tragic and comedic. It’s a thought-provoking movie that will leave you with a lot to ponder, but also make you want to dance like no one’s watching (just like Mikkelsen). Cheers to Another Round!
Production Company(ies)
Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, Hessischer Rundfunk
Distributor
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Nordre Toldbod, Copenhagen, Denmark
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2020
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.00 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 55m
-
Language(s):Danish, Swedish
-
Country of origin:Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 4, 2020 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 18, 2020
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
Loading…
Worldwide gross: $12,742,455
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $14,531,351
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,836
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,584,662
US/Canada gross: –
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
Thomas Bo Larsen – Tommy
Lars Ranthe – Peter
Magnus Millang – Nikolaj
Maria Bonnevie – Anika
Susse Wold – Rektor
Director(s)
Thomas Vinterberg
Writer(s)
Thomas Vinterberg, Tobias Lindholm
Producer(s)
Kasper Dissing, Sisse Graum Jørgensen
Film Festivals
Cannes, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
52 wins & 73 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best International Feature Film Of The Year Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (220) | Top Critics (47) | Fresh (203) | Rotten (17)
The last shot of this film [is] as indelible as any you’ll find…
September 21, 2021
Charles Bramesco
Inside Hook
TOP CRITIC
The film is well directed. It is well acted. Mikkelsen is always as compelling as his cheekbones. But it’s so muddled in its thinking — alcohol is good; no, it’s bad… but good — that it ends up with nothing of value to say.
July 29, 2021
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
It’s about a lack of you-ness, forgetting who you are. There’s emotional charge to that ending…
July 9, 2021
Robbie Collin
Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
TOP CRITIC
Alcohol is a dangerous pal, the film seems to be saying, but that does not mean it can’t still be a pal. For some. Under certain conditions.
July 4, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
A heady, vibrant, funny film about Danish drinking culture and middle-aged angst. But it also speaks to the great personal pain that lies hidden within its frames.
July 2, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Clarisse Loughrey
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Another Round is made irresistible by Mikkelsen: such a noble face, such a wonderful presence even when most withdrawn, battered and saddened.
June 30, 2021
David Sexton
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
Even if the plot of Another Round feels a bit unsurprising, it is consistently engaging thanks to the performances of the four leads.
May 11, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
Dan Bayer
Next Best Picture
(…) Thus, beyond the authenticity in Mikkelsen’s performance, one always feels the thin and malevolent threads of Vintenberg, that sly smile of an old testament’s God who subjects his children to various challenges.
March 30, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Agustín Acevedo Kanopa
La Diaria
Director Thomas Vinterberg digs much deeper than the initial premise. In some ways, drinking is a very small part of this story, as we follow men in the tragicomic throes of midlife crisis.
March 2, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
James Luxford
City AM
Another Round works best as an experience to feel rather than an experience to analyse or really think about under a critical lens.
February 22, 2022
Carson Timar
Clapper
Another Round invites us to criticize and self-criticism. Which is no small thing in a world of irresponsible critics. [Full review in Spanish]
December 14, 2021
Hugo Hernández Valdivia
Cinexcepción
A provocative take on Danish drinking culture that asks a bold question and offers a mixed and surprising response, topped off with Mikkelsen’s exuberant dance of freedom
October 5, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Jane Freebury
The Canberra Times (Australia)…
Plot
Four high school teachers experiment with daily alcohol consumption to see how it affects their lives in Another Round, a tragicomedy directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Mads Mikkelsen.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Mads Mikkelsen delivers a “sturdy but unremarkable” performance in Another Round, according to one critic.
Thomas-Vinterberg.jpg
86%
Slay the Dragon (2020)
86%RT Audience Score: 71%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 3 nominations
Slay the Dragon takes a suitably outraged — but ultimately optimistic — look at modern-day gerrymandering that doubles as a heartfelt call to action
If you’re looking for a documentary that’s both informative and entertaining, then “Slay the Dragon” is the perfect pick. Sure, it’s wonky and political, but it’s also well-edited and even-handed. Plus, it’s got a David-vs.-Goliath storyline that’s moderately rousing. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love rooting for the underdog? So, grab some popcorn and get ready to slay some dragons (or at least learn how to fight gerrymandering).
Production Company(ies)
Bi Bi Film, Rai Fiction, Film Commission Torino-Piemonte
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.
Year of Release
2020
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Apr 3, 2020
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, politics, gerrymandering, activism, Chris Durrance, Barak Goodman, Barak Goodman, Jeff Skoll, William Von Mueffling, Diane Weyermann, PG-13, reviewed by Richard Whittaker, Adam Graham, Eric Kohn, Alissa Wilkinson, Peter Rainer, Christy Lemire, Jennie Kermode, Alex Bentley, Stephen Silver, John Serba, Carla Hay, directed by Chris Durrance, Barak Goodman, produced by Barak Goodman, executive produced by Jeff Skoll, William Von Mueffling, Diane Weyermann, Slay the Dragon, documentary film, American politics, election process, activism, voting, democracy, modern-day gerrymandering, heartfelt call to action, suitably outraged, optimistic, wonky, informative, well-edited, even-handed, infuriating, must-see viewing, important primer, David-vs.-Goliath doc, history lesson, wake-up call, U.S voters, central injustice of our time, classrooms, treatise, not just anyone, secure access, Auth0, Neptune Frost, Big River Man, Democrats, The Social Dilemma, Untouchable, Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel Movies in Order, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Sea Beast, Black Bird, Hello, Goodbye, Everything in Between, The Prey: Legend of Karnoctus, Moon, 66 Questions, Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, Dangerous Liaisons, Jewel, Warriors on the Field, Fair Play, box office performance, budget
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Barak Goodman – Director
Barak Goodman – Producer
Jeff Skoll – Executive Producer
William Von Mueffling – Executive Producer
Diane Weyermann – Executive Producer
Director(s)
Chris Durrance, Barak Goodman
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Barak Goodman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (49) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (49)
This is the best primer on political gerrymandering imaginable and should be mandatory viewing in grad school public policy symposiums and high school civics classes alike.
April 30, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Richard Whittaker
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Gerrymandering is purposely confusing. Even its name is wonky. But the compelling, impassioned documentary “Slay the Dragon” does an effective job of explaining it…
April 4, 2020 | Rating: B
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
While it doesn’t exactly bring new information to the table, the movie provides a welcome breakdown of the dramatic impact that gerrymandering has across American society whenever election season comes around.
April 4, 2020 | Rating: B
Eric Kohn
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
Slay the Dragon isn’t a glorified PowerPoint presentation about the history of voting. It’s an unabashed activist documentary aimed at convincing viewers they can fight gerrymandering in their home states.
April 4, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Alissa Wilkinson
Vox
TOP CRITIC
It’s a terrific film. I was a little wary that it going to be really wonky, which it sort of is, but it is also extremely well-edited… and it’s even-handed.
April 4, 2020
Peter Rainer
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
This film is absolutely infuriating and it is must-see viewing.
April 4, 2020
Christy Lemire
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
If you’ve ever felt mistreated by the system and wanted to do something about it but not known where to start, this is an excellent primer.
April 8, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Jennie Kermode
Eye for Film
Slay the Dragon shines the light on something that, while not as sexy and well-known as candidate campaigns, is just as important in our democracy as anything else.
February 17, 2021
Alex Bentley
CultureMap
A dry, earnest liberal documentary about the evils of gerrymandering
August 21, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Stephen Silver
Splice Today
A moderately rousing David-vs.-Goliath doc addressing something that’s one of the far, far, far too many absolutely relevant issues of the day.
August 7, 2020
John Serba
Decider
The political documentary Slay the Dragon is part history lesson, part wake-up call to U.S. voters.
July 12, 2020
Carla Hay
Culture Mix
A film that needs to be shown in classrooms. An important treatise on gerrymandering, which may be the central injustice of our time.
April 21, 2020
Witney Seibold
Critically Acclaimed Podcast…
Plot
It influences elections and sways outcomes-gerrymandering has become a hot-button political topic and symbol for everything broken about the American electoral process. But there are those on the front lines fighting to change the system.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about the film “Slay the Dragon.”
Chris-Durrance.jpg
86%
Host (2020)
86%RT Audience Score: 72%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 8 nominations
Lean, suspenseful, and scary, Host uses its timely premise to deliver a nastily effective treat for horror enthusiasts
If you’re looking for a movie that will make you jump out of your seat and scream, “Why did I watch this alone?!” then Host is the perfect choice. This movie takes place entirely on Zoom, which is both genius and terrifying. The characters are relatable and the scares are well-timed. Just make sure you have all the lights on and a friend to watch it with, because you won’t want to be alone after this one.
Production Company(ies)
micro_scope T S Productions, Phi Group
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2020
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Jul 30, 2020
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
horror, online séance, demonic presence, suspenseful, scary, quarantine times, lean, effective, timely premise, nastily effective treat, Rob Savage, Gemma Hurley, Jed Shepherd, Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Edward Linard, directed by Rob Savage, written by Rob Savage, Gemma Hurley, Jed Shepherd, reviewed by Randy Myers, Adam Nayman, Philip De Semlyen, David Jenkins, Kevin Maher, Stephen Romei, Brian Eggert, Jorge Loser, Jorge Ignacio Castillo, Jenna Stoeber, Jason Shawhan, starring Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Edward Linard, produced by Douglas Cox, MPAA rating R, box office performance, budget
Worldwide gross: $443,807
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $506,457
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,738
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 55,230
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
Jemma Moore – Jemma
Emma Louise Webb – Emma
Radina Drandova – Radina
Caroline Ward – Caroline
Edward Linard – Teddy
Director(s)
Rob Savage
Writer(s)
Rob Savage, Gemma Hurley, Jed Shepherd
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (94) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (94)
An effective shocker for our quarantine times.
February 7, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Randy Myers
San Jose Mercury News
TOP CRITIC
For what it is, it works.
February 7, 2021
Adam Nayman
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Until someone makes a film about a haunted sourdough starter, this ingenious horror movie will remain the zeitgeistiest thing to emerge from lockdown.
December 5, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Philip De Semlyen
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Good directors embrace limitations, and Rob Savage has more than proven his worth on this front.
December 4, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
It’s still rubbish – you’ll be constantly yelling, “Just turn on the bloody lights!” – but a good kind of rubbish.
December 4, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
There are well-placed jump scares, ones made all the more impressive by the fact we are seeing them via webcam.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Stephen Romei
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Host may go down as a rare anthropological document of what life was like for a relatively brief (and also excruciatingly long) period of time.
February 17, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Cinema made by fans for fans… devastatingly identifiable. [Full review in Spanish]
November 15, 2021
Jorge Loser
Espinof
Host has no fat and makes great use of personal screens’ negative space and the social dynamics that unfold on Zoom.
October 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Jorge Ignacio Castillo
Planet S Magazine
It’s deeply clever, playing off familiar aspects of video call technology and not at all skimping on the stunts.
October 22, 2021
Jenna Stoeber
Polygon
There will be a lot of people saying they could have done it better, and if so, I’ll happily watch their movie too if it’s this effective.
September 10, 2021
Jason Shawhan
Nashville Scene
Sinisterly unsettling, expertly playing with where we are looking when
July 8, 2021
Jason Adams
My New Plaid Pants…
Plot
Six friends hire a medium to hold a seance via Zoom during lockdown, but they get far more than they bargained for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realize they might not survive the night.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about the film Host, but it does mention the cast members, including Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, and Edward Linard.
Rob-Savage.jpg
86%
By the Grace of God (Grâce à Dieu) (2019)
86%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 4 wins & 20 nominations
Patient in its approach yet stirring in its conviction, By the Grace of God draws soberly gripping cinema from real-life horror
By the Grace of God is a movie that will make you feel all the emotions. It’s beautifully acted and the story is both compassionate and honest. Plus, it’s directed by Francois Ozon, so you know it’s going to be good. The film tackles a tough subject matter, but it does so with grace and sensitivity. If you’re looking for a movie that will make you think and feel, this is the one for you. Just make sure you have some tissues handy.
Production Company(ies)
Scion Films, Canana Films, Creando Films,
Distributor
Music Box Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Paris, France
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2019
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 17m
-
Language(s):French
-
Country of origin:Belgium, France
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 18, 2019 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 18, 2020
Genre(s)
Keyword(s)
By the Grace of God, drama, French (France), directed by François Ozon, written by François Ozon, produced by Éric Altmayer and Nicolas Altmayer, starring Melvil Poupaud, Denis Ménochet, Swann Arlaud, Éric Caravaca, François Marthouret, Bernard Verley, Cardinal Barbarin, Bernard Preynat, real-life horror, box office gross $66.3K, Music Box Films, Flat (1.85:1) aspect ratio, MPAA rating N/A, reviewed by David Stratton, Sandra Hall, Scott Marks, Michael Phillips, Linda Marric, Mick LaSalle, Matthew St Clair, Gisela Savdie, Dan Scully, Filipe Freitas, Steven Sheehan, patient, stirring, sober, gripping, childhood friends, question, lives
Worldwide gross: $7,755,652
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $8,961,303
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,000
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 977,241
US/Canada gross: $67,059
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $77,484
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,694
US/Canada opening weekend: $7,765
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $8,972
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,724
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): 6000000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $6,932,727
Production budget ranking: 1,807
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,733,274
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$1,704,698
ROI to date (est.): -16%
ROI ranking: 1,481
Denis Ménochet – François
Swann Arlaud – Gilles
Éric Caravaca – Gilles Perret
François Marthouret – Cardinal Barbarin
Bernard Verley – Bernard Preynat
Director(s)
François Ozon
Writer(s)
François Ozon
Producer(s)
Éric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer
Film Festivals
Berlin
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 20 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (96) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (92) | Rotten (4)
Beautifully acted and deeply impressive, By the Grace of God is suffused with a simmering anger.
December 3, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Ozon was wise to translate the story into fiction. In their rawness and their sense of intimacy, the family scenes ferret out the emotional truths behind the bald and bitter facts.
November 26, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
One is prone to expect excess in a film by François Ozon, [but he] wisely opts to frame the fact-based events as a straightforward crime drama.
November 19, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Scott Marks
San Diego Reader
TOP CRITIC
The film gathers momentum and shading as it goes.
November 7, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Overall, Francois Ozon has given us a story that is both compassionate and honest. He has also managed to pepper it thought with moments of disarming tenderness. A truly heartening and devastating account.
November 1, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Linda Marric
HeyUGuys
TOP CRITIC
“By the Grace of God” begins to spin its wheels, with unnecessary scenes that give color to the events, when we’re more interested in the grand movements.
October 30, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
It works quite effectively even if it spells out its various conflicts in an expositional manner.
September 23, 2020
Matthew St. Clair
Cinema Sentries
The first thing we ask ourselves is how can Alexander still believe in the Catholic Church [Full Review in Spanish]
September 1, 2020
Gisela Savdie
El Heraldo
Populate these environments with a group of terrific performances, and it makes for a welcoming-yet-unforgiving look into an issue that should be understood by as many people as possible.
March 17, 2020
Dan Scully
Cinema76
Mutating into a documentary-style approach, Ozon has a talented cast helping him stabilize the narrative disproportion whenever the film goes up and down in tone.
February 17, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Filipe Freitas
Always Good Movies
Ozon never plays the sentimental card and while the abuse suffered by the men is no doubt horrific, the details of their inner lives remain elusive.
February 6, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Steven Sheehan
The Digital Fix
There’s a power to By the Grace of God that could have been less overt — I’m looking at you, Spotlight poster in the background of one scene — but it by and large sticks the landing.
January 17, 2020
Matt Cipolla
The Spool…
Plot
Three childhood friends question their lives in By the Grace of God, a drama that draws soberly gripping cinema from real-life horror.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Melvil Poupaud, Denis Ménochet, and Swann Arlaud.
François-Ozon.jpg
86%
An Elephant Sitting Still (Da xiang xi di er zuo) (2019)
86%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: 21 wins & 44 nominations
A remarkable debut that sadly serves as its creator’s epitaph, An Elephant Sitting Still offers an uncompromisingly grim yet poignant portrait of life in modern China
An Elephant Sitting Still is like a marathon, but instead of running, you’re sitting and watching a four-hour movie. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re up for the challenge, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful and emotional journey. The film is a testament to Hu Bo’s talent and vision, and it’s a shame that he’s no longer with us to create more masterpieces. Plus, who doesn’t love a metaphorical circus elephant as a wise Buddha?
Production Company(ies)
The Weinstein Company, UK Film Council Momentum Pictures,
Distributor
KimStim
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2019
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:3h 50m
-
Language(s):Mandarin
-
Country of origin:China
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 8, 2019 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2019
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
An Elephant Sitting Still, Drama, Chinese, 3h 50m, Hu Bo, Yu Zhang, Yuchang Peng, Uvin Wang, Congxi Li, directed by Hu Bo, written by Hu Bo, box office gross $22.0K, KimStim, reviewed by Ben Sachs, Amy Nicholson, Justin Chang, Jonathan Romney, David Ehrlich, Justine Smith, Taylor Baker, Dustin Chang, Luke Gorham, Tim Brayton, Mattie Lucas, movie, film, cinema, tragedy, modern China, school bully, teenager, sociopolitical critique, human portraiture, beauty, invention, grace, surreal, emotional, psychological, melancholia, tonal rigor, elegance, frame precision, ingenuity, debut feature, directorial debut, poignant, uncompromisingly grim, box office performance, budget, producer, MPAA rating, drama genre
Worldwide gross: $39,599
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $45,755
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,086
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,990
US/Canada gross: $32,556
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $37,617
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,772
US/Canada opening weekend: $10,854
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $12,541
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,659
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
Yuchang Peng – self
Uvin Wang – self
Congxi Li – self
Hu Bo – Director
Director(s)
Hu Bo
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Berlin, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
21 wins & 44 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (49) | Rotten (2)
The most audacious debut feature from mainland China since Wang Bing’s nine-hour documentary West of the Tracks (2002).
March 10, 2020
Ben Sachs
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
I wanted to connect with it, but I am the monster who could not get into the four-hour tragic movie.
September 24, 2019
Amy Nicholson
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
[Hu] has given us a triumph of bold sociopolitical critique and intimate human portraiture, and a reminder that you rarely encounter the one without the other.
March 21, 2019
Justin Chang
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
One thing that you shouldn’t expect from An Elephant Sitting Still is some artless, ragged cry of rage: despite its bleakness and its visual and tonal austerity, this is a film of extraordinary beauty, invention, and grace.
March 21, 2019
Jonathan Romney
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
This is not the feel-good film of the year. And yet, the story builds towards a climactic trip to see the mythical elephant in Manzhouli, and old Wang Jin is eager to go along for the ride.
March 8, 2019 | Rating: A-
David Ehrlich
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
While circumstances are claustrophobic and stifling, Bo’s movie seems to balance that with strange and surreal impulses of the heart.
March 8, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Justine Smith
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
Episode 44: Ash Is Purest White / Long Day’s Journey into Night / An Elephant Sitting Still
October 4, 2021 | Rating: 84/100
Taylor Baker
Drink in the Movies
The idea of using an immobile circus elephant (never seen) as a wised out Buddha who silently observes human follies play out around him as some sort of metaphor for happiness/salvation has a direct lineage link to Werkmeister Harmonies.
February 13, 2021
Dustin Chang
Floating World
While the film toes the line of miserabilism, Hu’s commitment to intimacy makes it feel more like an emotional and psychological audit than a cudgel
July 30, 2020
Luke Gorham
In Review Online
If you do not, at least once across the running time, think to yourself, “why is it so LONG?”, the film is not doing its job properly.
January 30, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Tim Brayton
Alternate Ending
It’s as if the film was conjured from thin air, gorgeous, elemental, and tortured; Hu’s consciousness made manifest and brought into being by sheer force of will.
December 10, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Despite its melancholia and tonal rigor, An Elephant Sitting Still exudes so much elegance, frame precision and ingenuity. Hu Bo’s first and last feature is destined to have a place in cinema.
November 21, 2019
Andrew Stover
Film Inquiry…
Plot
An Elephant Sitting Still follows the interconnected stories of four individuals in modern China, all struggling with their own personal demons and societal pressures, as they embark on a journey to see a mythical elephant that represents hope and freedom.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film An Elephant Sitting Still on Fresh Kernels.
Hu-Bo.jpg
86%
The Mustang (2019)
86%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 10 nominations
The Mustang finds fresh perspectives in a familiar redemption tale brought brilliantly to life by powerful performances from Bruce Dern and Matthias Schoenaerts
The Mustang is a wild ride that will have you feeling all the emotions. From the superb acting to the tight directing, this film is a must-see. It’s like The Horse Whisperer, but with a dude Western twist. And let’s be real, who doesn’t love a meathead engaging with a warmer world? The connection between the inmate and the mustang is wondrous and quietly powerful, making this movie a poetic and apolitical character study that will cut into your emotional foundation and leave you seeing the world in a different light. So saddle up and get ready for a ride that’s both humane and real.
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Stanley Kubrick Productions,
Distributor
Focus Features
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Carson City, Nevada, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, some violence and drug content
Year of Release
2019
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 36m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:Belgium, France
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 15, 2019 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2019
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Bruce Dern, Matthias Schoenaerts, Gideon Adlon, Connie Britton, Jason Mitchell, Josh Stewart, directed by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, written by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, Mona Fastvold, Brock Norman Brock, drama, R rating, box office gross $5.0M, Focus Features, reviewed by Bilge Ebiri, Christy Lemire, Nigel Andrews, Wendy Ide, Ed Potton, Demetrios Matheou, Robin Holabird, Fletcher Powell, Charles Koplinski, Matthew St Clair, Jason Fraley, violent convict, rehabilitation therapy program, wild mustangs, redemption tale, powerful performances, fresh perspectives
Worldwide gross: $6,405,816
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $7,401,629
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,056
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 807,157
US/Canada gross: $5,043,620
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $5,827,674
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,761
US/Canada opening weekend: $71,657
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $82,796
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,011
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
Gideon Adlon – Martha
Bruce Dern – Myles
Connie Britton – Psychologist
Jason Mitchell – Henry
Josh Stewart – Dan
Director(s)
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre
Writer(s)
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, Mona Fastvold, Brock Norman Brock
Producer(s)
Alain Goldman
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 10 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (134) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (127) | Rotten (7)
Superb acting and tight directing elevate this film about an inmate training a wild mustang.
March 20, 2020
Bilge Ebiri
Spirituality & Health
TOP CRITIC
[Their] connection is so wondrous and quietly powerful… This is lovely.
September 23, 2019
Christy Lemire
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
Terse and elegiac at best, The Mustang is a dude Western from the Horse Whisperer school.
September 4, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
As Schoenaerts demonstrated with his pin-eyed rage in Bullhead, he’s a physically gifted actor who can convey as much with stillness and silence as he can with pages full of dialogue.
September 1, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Animals have been coaxing the soft side out of tough guys since Clint Eastwood co-starred with an orangutan, yet there’s still something poignant about this meathead engaging with a warmer world.
August 31, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Ed Potton
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
While more modest in scale, this might be the most humane addition to the genre since The Shawshank Redemption.
August 30, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Demetrios Matheou
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Man and horse soften each other, but not with expected cliches, making The Mustang ride well as a movie and for Nevada.
July 23, 2021
Robin Holabird
KUNR (Reno, NV)
The Mustang may or may not reflect the way the world is, but it absolutely feels real.
February 8, 2021
Fletcher Powell
KMUW – Wichita Public Radio
It’s an extraordinarily gripping film as it delves into social issues and humanity, cutting into your emotional foundation to see the world in a different light.
November 14, 2020 | Rating: 4.0/4.0
Charles Koplinski
Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam
A poetic and apolitical character study that thrives thanks to its leading performance.
October 1, 2020
Matthew St. Clair
Cinema Sentries
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre makes her directorial debut in this French/Belgian flick about a convict who joins Bruce Dern’s prison rehab program training wild mustangs.
September 3, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Jason Fraley
WTOP (Washington, D.C.)
Clermont-Tonnerre [pays] close attention to cultural influences and [toys] with — but [refuses] to commit to — symbols of American masculinity.
July 27, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Matt Cipolla
Film Monthly…
Plot
While participating in a rehabilitation program training wild mustangs, a convict at first struggles to connect with the horses and his fellow inmates, but he learns to confront his violent past as he soothes an especially feisty horse.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises the “powerful performances” of Bruce Dern and Matthias Schoenaerts in The Mustang.
Laure-de-Clermont-Tonnerre.jpg
86%
Suspiria (1977)
86%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 24 wins & 74 nominations
Suspiria is a cinematic masterpiece that transcends the horror genre with its stunning visual and auditory elements. Argento’s use of lighting and music creates an otherworldly atmosphere that immerses the viewer in a surreal and dreamlike experience. While the plot may be convoluted and the dialogue stilted, the sheer exuberance of the film’s baroque expressionism is a feast for the senses. Suspiria’s impact on the horror genre cannot be overstated, and its influence can be seen in every death dream that pits bloody madness over surreal macabre imagery. It’s a film that demands to be seen on the big screen, where its technical and aesthetic composure can overwhelm, astound, and shock its way into the annals of all horror, giallo or otherwise.
Suspiria is like a wild ride through a haunted house, but instead of ghosts, you’re confronted with stunning visuals and a killer soundtrack. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re looking for a horror movie that’s more art than jump scares, this is the one for you. Just don’t expect to understand everything that’s going on – sometimes it’s better to just let the madness wash over you.
Production Company(ies)
Warner Independent Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment, Detour Filmproduction
Distributor
Anchor Bay Entertainment, Joseph Brenner Associates Inc. [us], Fox Lorber
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited), Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Grand Hotel Campo dei Fiori, Varese, Lombardia, Italy
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for disturbing content involving ritualistic violence, bloody images and graphic nudity, and for some language including sexual references
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital Dolby Surround 7.1
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 32m
-
Language(s):English, German, French
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 1, 1977 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 25, 2007
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Joan Bennett, Eva Axén, Flavio Bucci, Udo Kier, directed by Dario Argento, written by Thomas De Quincey, Dario Argento, Daria Nicolodi, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Alyx Vesey, Adam Nayman, Christy Lemire, Anton Bitel, J Hoberman, Adam Smith, Dennis Harvey, Brian Eggert, Ernesto Diezmartinez, Shikhar Verma, MPAA rating R, ballet school, murder, secret history, giallo horror, grandiose, glossy, gory, lighting, music, gender hegemony, educational institutions, femininity, surreal, macabre imagery, candy-colored dreamscape, violence, extreme, astoundingly creepy, beautifully filmed, Goblins’ score, low production value, dubbed audio
Worldwide gross: $7,942,093
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $9,346,047
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,981
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,019,198
US/Canada gross: $2,483,472
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,922,485
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,944
US/Canada opening weekend: $184,037
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $216,570
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,641
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $20,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $23,535,475
Production budget ranking: 1,279
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $12,673,853
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$26,863,282
ROI to date (est.): -74%
ROI ranking: 1,838
Stefania Casini – Sara
Joan Bennett – Madame Blanc
Eva Axén – Pat Hingle
Flavio Bucci – Daniel
Udo Kier – Dr. Frank Mandel
Director(s)
Dario Argento
Writer(s)
Thomas De Quincey, Dario Argento, Daria Nicolodi
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Berlin, Venice
Awards & Nominations
24 wins & 74 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (61) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (57) | Rotten (4)
What makes [Suspiria] especially effective is how they use horror to make a point about educational institutions’ enforcement of gender hegemony to interrogate conventional femininity.
January 7, 2021
Alyx Vesey
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
What lingers is not a sense of evil but exhilaration in how far Argento and his fellow filmmakers were willing to go to shock and delight; the movie’s sheer exuberance is the cinematic equivalent of a blood transfusion.
October 5, 2018
Adam Nayman
The Ringer
TOP CRITIC
Argento accomplishes so much simply through lighting and music – which goes a long way to compensate for the stilted dialogue and awkward character interactions.
April 16, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Christy Lemire
ChristyLemire.com
TOP CRITIC
Suspiria is a baroque piece of esoteric expressionism that you enter – and exit – without understanding so much as feeling.
December 4, 2017
Anton Bitel
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
A movie that makes sense only to the eye (and even then . . .).
September 1, 2009
J. Hoberman
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
As an appetizer to the thoroughly bizarre world of Italian horror, Suspiria is the perfect antipasto.
September 26, 2007 | Rating: 5/5
Adam Smith
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
…a genre classic, as well as its still-active director’s best film—the one in which his baroque style was most beautifully overripe, and in which the “whatever”-ness of the plot mattered least…
April 1, 2022
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
Whatever its downfalls of narrative and dramatically achieved emotion may be, Suspiria’s technical and aesthetic composure overwhelms, astounds, and shocks its place into the annuls of all horror, giallo or otherwise.
March 8, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
“His sixth feature film and perhaps his masterpiece, strategically moves away from the typical stories of the giallo without separating a millimeter from his visual and stylistic drives”. [Full review in Spanish]
December 31, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Ernesto Diezmartinez
Letras Libres
Suspiria has had a huge impact on every death dream that pits bloody madness over surreal macabre imagery. While we can no more call it a singular vision, it’s essential to note that it wasn’t supposed to be one in the first place.
September 26, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Shikhar Verma
High on Films
A beautiful bright fantasy that lives off its aesthetic.
January 19, 2019
Evan Dossey
Midwest Film Journal
Even if it feels a little outdated, Suspiria still stands as a horror classic whose aesthetic power shadows its light story [Full review in Spanish].
January 15, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Federico Furzan
Cinelipsis…
Plot
Susie Bannion is a young American ballerina who travels to Berlin to study dancing at Madame Blanc’s Markos Tanz Company, one of the world’s most renowned schools. On her first day, one of the students who had been recently expelled from the school is murdered. As this appalling happening does not seem to be an isolated occurrence, the brilliant new student soon begins to suspect that the school might be involved in the homicide. Her mistrust heightens when Sarah, one of the girls at the school, tells her that before she was killed, Pat confided to her that she knew and guarded a terrifying secret.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t say anything goofy or funny about Suspiria, but it does mention that the film features Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Joan Bennett, Eva Axén, Flavio Bucci, and Udo Kier in its cast.
Dario-Argento.jpg
86%
Darkest Hour (2017)
86%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Oscars
54 wins & 82 nominations total
Darkest Hour is held together by Gary Oldman’s electrifying performance, which brings Winston Churchill to life even when the movie’s narrative falters
Darkest Hour is like a history lesson, but with Gary Oldman as the teacher. He’s so good, you’ll forget you’re learning something. The film itself may have some flaws, but it’s worth watching just to see Oldman transform into Churchill. Plus, Joe Wright’s camera work is so wild, it’s like it’s on a sugar high. Overall, it’s a solid movie that will make you appreciate the immense courage Churchill had, even if it does spiral off into the further realms of fantasy at times.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Focus Features
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Wentworth Woodhouse, Wentworth, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some thematic material
Year of Release
2017
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 5m
-
Language(s):English, French, German, Italian
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 22, 2017 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 27, 2018
Genre(s)
Biography/War
Keyword(s)
starring Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Ronald Pickup, Stephen Dillane, directed by Joe Wright, written by Anthony McCarten, biography, war, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Robert Daniels, Mark Kermode, Michael Sragow, Philip Kemp, Udita Jhunjhunwala, Ryan Gilbey, Brian Eggert, Milana Vujkov, Jason Adams, Leo Brady, Tony Black, PG-13, Winston Churchill, Clementine Churchill, King George VI, Neville Chamberlain, Viscount Halifax, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten, Douglas Urbanski, Dolby Atmos, Flat (1.85:1)
Worldwide gross: $150,847,274
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $181,957,423
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 747
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 19,842,685
US/Canada gross: $56,468,410
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $68,114,233
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 935
US/Canada opening weekend: $175,006
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $211,099
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,647
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $30,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36,187,082
Production budget ranking: 1,034
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,486,744
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $126,283,598
ROI to date (est.): 227%
ROI ranking: 582
Kristin Scott Thomas – Clementine Churchill
Ben Mendelsohn – King George VI
Lily James – Elizabeth Layton
Ronald Pickup – Neville Chamberlain
Stephen Dillane – Viscount Halifax
Director(s)
Joe Wright
Writer(s)
Anthony McCarten
Producer(s)
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten, Douglas Urbanski
Film Festivals
Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Oscars
54 wins & 82 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Makeup Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (318) | Top Critics (77) | Fresh (266) | Rotten (52)
Darkest Hour demonstrates the immense courage Churchill had. It doesn’t fully absolve and deify him, rather humanizes.
September 5, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Robert Daniels
812filmreviews
TOP CRITIC
I don’t want to undermine my admiration for Gary Oldman’s performance, but I think the film itself is flawed.
August 28, 2018
Mark Kermode
Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
TOP CRITIC
In Darkest Hour, Wright’s charged, blustery framework pulls the audience into a distant political landscape. But his approach here is also limiting and nearly wearying.
March 8, 2018
Michael Sragow
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s when Churchill is at his most beleaguered that Darkest Hour spirals off into the further realms of fantasy.
March 6, 2018 | Rating: 5
Philip Kemp
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Oldman has already bagged the Golden Globe for his performance, and it is he who elevates Darkest Hour beyond Wright’s stuffy, sluggish and stagy filmmaking into a reflective and passable drama.
January 19, 2018
Udita Jhunjhunwala
Scroll.in
TOP CRITIC
The script has been written with the caps lock on and Joe Wright directs accordingly.
January 18, 2018
Ryan Gilbey
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
Stirring though the proceedings may sometimes be, Darkest Hour resists absolute immersion so that its audience will notice how much effort went into its making.
March 16, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Saying no to the devil after walking through the valley of the shadow of death for two hours should get a bit more love.
July 29, 2021 | Rating: 2/5
Milana Vujkov
Lola On Film
Joe Wright’s tireless camera seems incapable of plunking itself down where ever you expect it to – oh no he’s over there, to the side, or swooping in god like, bomb like, from above. The movie’s all the better for it
July 14, 2021
Jason Adams
My New Plaid Pants
From the 4-star lead performance from Oldman to the expert direction from Joe Wright, Darkest Hour is a rousing success.
June 8, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Leo Brady
AMovieGuy.com
It’s a film that delivers you everything you’d expect from it, handsomely produced, confidently crafted and risk-free.
April 29, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Olly Richards
NME
Darkest Hour marries the mythological Churchill alongside the romantic fantasy of a righteous war.
January 31, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Tony Black
Cultural Conversation…
Plot
During World War II, as Adolf Hitler’s powerful Wehrmacht rampages across Europe, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Neville Chamberlain, is forced to resign, recommending Winston Churchill as his replacement. But even in his early days as the country’s leader, Churchill is under pressure to commence peace negotiations with Hitler or to fight head-on the seemingly invincible Nazi regime, whatever the cost. However difficult and dangerous his decision may be, Churchill has no choice but to shine in the country’s darkest hour.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Gary Oldman’s performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour won him an Oscar for Best Actor.
Joe-Wright.jpg
86%
The Other Side of Hope (Toivon tuolla puolen) (2017)
86%RT Audience Score: 76%
Awards & Nominations: 8 wins & 24 nominations
Writer-director Aki Kaurismäki further sharpens his craft with The Other Side of Hope, offering a timely drama whose melancholy air is leavened by its empathy
The Other Side of Hope” is a heartwarming film that proves that kindness can come in small gestures. Aki Kaurismaki’s deadpan humor and minimalist style make for a charmingly quirky movie that will leave you feeling good. Plus, who knew there were blues musicians in Finland? This film has it all – dogs, unexpected friendships, and a message of hope. It’s like Jim Jarmusch, but with a Finnish twist. Don’t miss out on this gem.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, The Steve Tisch Company, Wendy Finerman Productions,
Distributor
Janus Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Helsinki, Finland
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2017
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 38m
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Language(s):Finnish, English, Arabic, Swedish, Japanese
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Country of origin:Finland, Germany
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 1, 2017 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 15, 2018
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Sherwan Haji, Sakari Kuosmanen, Janne Hyytiäinen, Ilkka Koivula, Nuppu Koivu, Simon Al-Bazoon, directed by Aki Kaurismäki, written by Aki Kaurismäki, comedy, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jordan Hoffman, Paul Byrnes, David Stratton, Cary Darling, Marjorie Baumgarten, Tom Long, Michael J Casey, Dennis Harvey, Gisela Savdie, Dustin Chang, Yasser Medina, David Lamble, The Other Side of Hope, poker-playing restaurateur, former traveling salesman, refugees, Finland, Finnish, Dolby Digital, Flat (1.85:1), Janus Films, empathy, melancholy, kindness, humanistic lessons, Syrian refugee crisis, racism, Finnish society
Worldwide gross: $4,282,973
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $5,166,277
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,168
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 563,389
US/Canada gross: $183,943
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $221,879
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,528
US/Canada opening weekend: $15,495
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $18,691
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,534
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): 1600000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $1,929,978
Production budget ranking: 2,030
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,039,293
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,197,006
ROI to date (est.): 74%
ROI ranking: 1,044
Sakari Kuosmanen – Wikström
Janne Hyytiäinen – Nyrhinen
Ilkka Koivula – Calamnius
Nuppu Koivu – Mirja
Simon Al-Bazoon – Mazdak
Aki Kaurismäki – Producer, Writer
Aki Kaurismäki – Director
Director(s)
Aki Kaurismäki
Writer(s)
Aki Kaurismäki
Producer(s)
Aki Kaurismäki
Film Festivals
Berlin, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
8 wins & 24 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (109) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (100) | Rotten (9)
The humor in The Other side of Hope doesn’t necessarily emerge from jokes – sometimes it’s just a well-placed shot of a dog – but it shows how human kindness rarely takes the form of grandiose Hallmark-ready overtures.
January 10, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Jordan Hoffman
amNewYork
TOP CRITIC
Most of the characters face a daily question: to be kind or unkind. Kaurismaki builds a heroic narrative around that idea.
March 28, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Admirers of the director’s work will embrace his famously deadpan style, minimalist sense of humour, static camera and grimy production design…a (relatively) minor Kaurismaki film is still head and shoulders over much of today’s cinema.
March 23, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Finnish films have been generating buzz lately. “Tom of Finland” and “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki” have found a small, if enthusiastic, audience…Aki Kaurismki’s charmingly deadpan “The Other Side of Hope” should follow a similar path.
January 11, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Cary Darling
Houston Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
The film’s sharp-contrast lighting (another recurring [Aki] Kaurismki touch) renders everything a little unreal and made-up, ironically softening the harsher edges of Kaurismki’s humanistic lessons in kindness.
January 4, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Blues musicians in Finland. Who know there was such a thing?
December 15, 2017 | Rating: B-
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Lovely and humane film, but it is Kaurismaki’s idiosyncratic framing and structure that make it hilarious at the same time.
April 14, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
This latest by Finland’s leading filmmaker Aki Kaurismaki is his best in years, a potentially precious little fable whose inner warmth is well-cloaked in a healthy dose of his characteristic deadpan humor.
October 19, 2020
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
Different people in desperate situations get together in unexpected, and sometimes marvelous ways [Full Review in Spanish]
September 19, 2020
Gisela Savdie
El Heraldo
Aki Kaurismaki takes on the Syrian refugee crisis in an affecting, optimistic film.
July 17, 2020
Dustin Chang
ScreenAnarchy
The Finnish director, who reiterated at the Berlin International Film Festival that this will be his last film, has infected us with a critical fable that at no time ceases to be honest. [Full review in Spanish]
June 27, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
Can be likened to the bleak but worthy resume of Jim Jarmusch.
June 3, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter…
Plot
A poker-playing restaurateur and former traveling salesman befriends a group of refugees that has recently arrived in Finland in Aki Kaurismäki’s The Other Side of Hope.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Sherwan Haji as Khaled, a refugee who befriends a poker-playing restaurateur.
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