Production Company(ies)
Blumhouse Productions, Crooked Highway Productions, Peacock, Supernatural, Universal Pictures
 
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
 
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Peacock), Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
 
MPAA / Certificate
R
 
Year of Release
2022
 

 
Genre(s)
Horror
 
Keyword(s)
The Black Phone, Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone, E Roger Mitchell, Scott Derrickson, Jason Blum, C Robert Cargill, horror, R rating, box office, Paramount Pictures, soundproof basement, disconnected phone, sadistic killer, previous victims, suspenseful horror, well-acted, source material, critic reviews, audience reviews, villain, twisty story, edge-of-your-seat thrills, suspenseful, horror-drama, Spielbergian tropes, jump scares, world-building, grimy, bad-old-days, limited location, restricted number of characters, finesse, feature-length cinema, unique horror film, well-oiled thrill machine, dying breed, independent thriller, black balloons, underground cellar, tense scenes, dialogue, engaging, edge of your seat, simple, quaint, effective, must-watch, fans of suspenseful horror
 

Cast & Crew

Ethan Hawke

Mason Thames

Madeleine McGraw

Jeremy Davies

James Ransone

The Grabber

Finney

Gwen

Terrence

Max

Ethan Hawke – The Grabber
Mason Thames – Finney
Madeleine McGraw – Gwen
Jeremy Davies – Terrence
James Ransone – Max
E. Roger Mitchell – Detective

 

Scott Derrickson

Scott Derrickson

Jason Blum

Scott Derrickson

C. Robert Cargill

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Scott Derrickson
 
Writer(s)
Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill, C. Robert Cargill
 
Producer(s)
Jason Blum, Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill

 

Film Festivals
Tribeca
 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Tara Brady

Noah Berlatsky

Charles Bramesco

Robert Daniels

Wendy Ide

Irish Times

Chicago Reader

Inside Hook

Fox 10 Phoenix

Observer (UK)

THE BLACK PHONE All Critics (224) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (185) | Rotten (39) Derrickson is restrained with his jump scares and succinct with world-building. The Black Phone subverts any number of Spielbergian tropes — not to mention voguish nostalgia — with a grimy, bad-old-days version of the past.  July 16, 2022 | Rating: 4/5  Tara Brady Irish Times TOP CRITIC The effort is appreciated as far as it goes. But it doesn’t matter how enthusiastically you dial if you end up with a bore on the other end of the line.  July 1, 2022  Noah Berlatsky Chicago Reader TOP CRITIC A limited location, a restricted number of characters and a narrative model rooted in sparseness all demand finesse in order to be spun into feature-length cinema, and The Black Phone shows why, for worse more often than for better.  June 30, 2022  Charles Bramesco Inside Hook TOP CRITIC This is a movie meant for kids to encounter, enjoy, and hail as a cult classic in 20 years.  June 29, 2022 | Rating: B  Robert Daniels Fox 10 Phoenix TOP CRITIC Director Scott Derrickson returns to his horror-drama roots with The Black Phone, a solid, spooky period chiller.  June 28, 2022 | Rating: 3/5  Wendy Ide Observer (UK) TOP CRITIC The Black Phone feels like it’s trying to reconcile typical horror elements with the more expressive and tender story Derrickson clearly wants to tell. The reconciliation never really comes, but the cast gets us there anyway.  June 27, 2022  Bilge Ebiri New York Magazine/Vulture TOP CRITIC The Black Phone proves to be much more complex than I expected, a pleasant surprise that works hard for its audience — justly rewarding them with a unique horror film.  July 15, 2022 | Rating: B  Micheal Compton Bowling Green Daily News It is efficiently made, occasionally jump-worthy and mostly gets across the screen like it has somewhere to be — and knows how to get there.  July 15, 2022 | Rating: 4/5  Graeme Tuckett Stuff.co.nz The Black Phone might have seemed more revolutionary a few years ago, before complex horror came back into vogue. Nevertheless, it’s a polished, spooky story told by a filmmaker back in his comfort zone.  July 15, 2022 | Rating: 3/5  James Luxford City AM …a focused, tense and utterly engaging horror yarn…  July 14, 2022 | Rating: 16.5/20  Anthony O’Connor FILMINK (Australia) Overly tame yet also too nasty to want to watch again.  July 13, 2022 | Rating: C  Edwin Arnaudin Asheville Movies A well oiled thrill machine that feels like part of a dying breed.  July 12, 2022 | Rating: 3/4  Mattie Lucas From the Front Row…

 

Plot
Thirteen-year-old Finney is in trouble. A kidnapper locked him in a basement, a place stained with the blood of half a dozen murdered children. With him in his subterranean cell is an antique phone, long since disconnected… but it rings at night with calls from the dead. Based on the short story by Joe Hill.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Finney uses what appears to be an LED flashlight during his captivity. These would not have been available in the late 70s and were not common until the 21st century.
 

 
Scott-Derrickson.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Illumination,Universal Pictures,Warner Bros.
 
Distributor
Universal Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
PG
 
Year of Release
2022
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Adventure
 
Keyword(s)
starring Steve Carell, Taraji P Henson, Michelle Yeoh, RZA, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, directed by Kyle Balda, written by Matthew Fogel, comedy, adventure, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, David Stratton, Kathleen Sachs, Shubhra Gupta, Stephanie Zacharek, Bilge Ebiri, John Urbancich, Patrick McDonald, Daniel M Kimmel, Eddie Harrison, Tim Brayton, PG rating, produced by Christopher Meledandri, Janet Healy, Chris Renaud, Despicable Me franchise
 

Cast & Crew

Steve Carell

Taraji P. Henson

Michelle Yeoh

RZA

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Gru

Belle Bottom

Master Chow

Jean Clawed

Nunchuk

Steve Carell – Gru (Voice)
Taraji P. Henson – Belle Bottom (Voice)
Michelle Yeoh – Master Chow (Voice)
RZA – (Voice)
Jean-Claude Van Damme – Jean Clawed (Voice)
Lucy Lawless – Nunchuk (Voice)

 

Kyle Balda

Matthew Fogel

Christopher Meledandri

Janet Healy

Chris Renaud

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Kyle Balda
 
Writer(s)
Matthew Fogel
 
Producer(s)
Christopher Meledandri, Janet Healy, Chris Renaud

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Sara Michelle Fetters

David Stratton

Kathleen Sachs

Shubhra Gupta

Stephanie Zacharek

MovieFreak.com

The Australian

Chicago Reader

The Indian Express

TIME Magazine

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU All Critics (122) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (87) | Rotten (35) [Kids] are going to love this sequel, and while that’s not surprising, that their parents might find themselves giggling right along with their youngsters somewhat is.  July 2, 2022 | Rating: 3/4  Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com TOP CRITIC A frequently funny, handsomely animated and generally enjoyable movie.  July 1, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5  David Stratton The Australian TOP CRITIC Is this in any way, shape, or form defensible as meaningful art? Certainly not. Is it really cute? Yup. Aggressively so? Sure, but in our current political hellscape, there are certainly worse things to be affronted by.  July 1, 2022  Kathleen Sachs Chicago Reader TOP CRITIC Every character in this film feels alive, which is quite a win for a franchise whose characters are amongst the fastest-selling toys on the planet.  July 1, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5  Shubhra Gupta The Indian Express TOP CRITIC Minions: The Rise of Gru is hardly the best of the Despicable Me movies or spinoffs. But the ridiculousness quotient of The Rise of Gru is still high enough to spark at least mild rejuvenation.  July 1, 2022  Stephanie Zacharek TIME Magazine TOP CRITIC For all its efforts at wild humor, The Rise of Gru never quite builds up a comic head of steam. It’s filled with laugh lines, but they feel like placeholders — a lot of middling bits about the time period plus a tired assortment of anachronisms.  July 1, 2022  Bilge Ebiri New York Magazine/Vulture TOP CRITIC Certainly the charming title characters remain cuter than the average bear, but their latest pushy adventure remains a movie that only small fry up through the grammar school set might really enjoy.  July 2, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/5  John Urbancich JMuvies The jokes come fast and furious, not caring if they land or don’t land, it’s just amazingly fun. This made me laugh, and when the Minions co-star, the films in this series are much better. For the holiday weekend, MINIONS set off fireworks of hilarity.  July 2, 2022 | Rating: 4/5  Patrick McDonald WBGR-FM (93.7 FM – Monroe, WI) MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU lives up to the previous films in the “Despicable Me” series in mixing silliness and cleverness in equal doses, resulting in an animated concoction that should delight all ages.  July 2, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5  Daniel M. Kimmel North Shore Movies …does a pretty decent job of keeping the little rascals at the top of the animated heap…  July 2, 2022 | Rating: 3/5  Eddie Harrison film-authority.com Easily the best one of these since the first Despicable Me back in 2010.  July 2, 2022 | Rating: 3/5  Tim Brayton Alternate Ending I love the Minions… but I’m not sure that I love them for 90 minutes at a stretch.  July 1, 2022 | Rating: 2/4  Kevin Carr Fat Guys at the Movies…

 

Plot
In the heart of the 1970s, amid a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru is growing up in the suburbs. A fanboy of a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Luckily, he gets some mayhem-making backup from his loyal followers, the Minions. Together, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto—a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please—deploy their skills as they and Gru build their first lair, experiment with their first weapons and pull off their first missions. When the Vicious 6 oust their leader, legendary fighter Wild Knuckles, Gru interviews to become their newest member. It doesn’t go well (to say the least), and only gets worse after Gru outsmarts them and suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. On the run, Gru will turn to an unlikely source for guidance, Wild Knuckles himself, and discover that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
In the scene at the Bank of Evil, Vector’s father shows us the same photo that we see on his desk in the first movie. This would put Vector’s age at least the same as Gru’s. In the first film, we see a young Gru watching the moon landing. In this film he’s supposed to be 11 years old. Set in 1976, that would make young Gru 4 years old in 1969.
 

 
Kyle-Balda.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios,
 
Distributor
A24
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)
Wilshire Grand Center – 900 Wilshire Boulevard, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Joaquin Phoenix, Woody Norman, Gaby Hoffmann, Scoot McNairy, Jaboukie Young-White, Elaine Kagan, Sarah Klein, directed by Mike Mills, written by Mike Mills, drama, R rating, box office gross $1.5M, reviewed by Guy Lodge, Jake Wilson, Jo Livingstone, Jason Bailey, Clarisse Loughrey, Wendy Ide, Jeffrey Overstreet, Sarah Ward, Erick Estrada, Andrea G Bermejo, Alfonso Flores-Durón y Martínez, Milagros Amondaray, Andrea Longacre-White, Lila Yacoub, Chelsea Barnard, produced by Andrea Longacre-White, Lila Yacoub, Chelsea Barnard, Dolby Digital, A24
 

Cast & Crew

Joaquin Phoenix

Gaby Hoffmann

Woody Norman

Scoot McNairy

Jaboukie Young-White

Johnny

Viv

Jesse

Paul

Fernando

Joaquin Phoenix – Johnny
Gaby Hoffmann – Viv
Woody Norman – Jesse
Scoot McNairy – Paul
Jaboukie Young-White – Fernando
Elaine Kagan – Sarah Klein
Mike Mills – Director/Writer
Andrea Longacre-White – Producer
Lila Yacoub – Producer
Chelsea Barnard – Producer

 

Mike Mills

Mike Mills

Andrea Longacre-White

Lila Yacoub

Chelsea Barnard

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Mike Mills
 
Writer(s)
Mike Mills
 
Producer(s)
Andrea Longacre-White, Lila Yacoub, Chelsea Barnard

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
13 wins & 50 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Guy Lodge

Jake Wilson

Jo Livingstone

Jason Bailey

Clarisse Loughrey

Guy Lodge

The Age

The New Republic

Crooked Marquee

Independent

C’MON C’MON
 All Critics (202) | Top Critics (48) | Fresh (189) | Rotten (13)
 Quietly, shamblingly human after the spectacular derangement of Joker, [Phoenix] plays Johnny with an inconsistent complicated history of care and affection woven into his slouchy body language and muted line readings.
 
 June 1, 2022
 
 Guy Lodge
 Film of the Week
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s as if the film’s real purpose were to reassure an educated, progressive audience, full of worries about themselves and the world, that their lives are in some basic sense OK.
 
 February 23, 2022 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Jake Wilson
 The Age (Australia)
 TOP CRITIC
 C’mon C’mon is awash with regret-over badly tended sibling relationships, undealt-with mommy issues, but also the satisfaction of everyday caretaking, the hope implicit in all those lunches made and dishes done.
 
 January 8, 2022
 
 Jo Livingstone
 The New Republic
 TOP CRITIC
 What we have here is basically a 2020s riff on ‘Kramer vs. Kramer,’ the modern man, unexpectedly pressed into child-rearing, and finding something of himself in the process.
 
 December 28, 2021
 
 Jason Bailey
 Crooked Marquee
 TOP CRITIC
 C’mon C’mon is a great big bear hug wrapped in celluloid.
 
 December 6, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Clarisse Loughrey
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 This is a movie about listening – really listening – to what other people have to say.
 
 December 4, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Wendy Ide
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 What kind of art do I believe can make a significant difference? … Art that loves the world. I want to see art that invites us to see human beings through eyes of love. … In 2021, C’mon C’mon was the film that best fulfilled this description for me.
 
 June 30, 2022 | Rating: A
 
 Jeffrey Overstreet
 Looking Closer
 Phoenix is all gentle care, quiet understanding and rippling melancholy as Johnny. All naturalism and attentiveness as well, he’s also firmly at his best, no matter what’s inscribed on his Academy Award.
 
 June 25, 2022
 
 Sarah Ward
 Concrete Playground
 In lesser hands, the movie would be a string of vapid aspirational phrases that sound nice but lack any kind of substance. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 June 7, 2022
 
 Erick Estrada
 Cinegarage
 In brilliant black and white and with careful sound design, the director makes very subtle use of flashback to compose this exciting story of family reconciliation.
 [Full review in Spanish]
 
 June 6, 2022
 
 Andrea G. Bermejo
 Cinemanía (Spain)
 A discreetly reflective film, taciturn, varnished with charm, and sprinkled with tender humor. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 May 20, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 Alfonso Flores-Durón y Martínez
 En Filme
 The beauty of C’Mon C’Mon stems from that want to keep moving, and how everything that fits into that kind of suspended time is absorbed. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 May 19, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Milagros Amondaray
 La Nación (Argentina)…

 

Plot
Johnny and his young nephew Jesse form a transformative bond when they are unexpectedly brought together in C’mon C’mon, a touching drama about the connections between adults and children.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Joaquin Phoenix’s “inconsistent complicated history of care and affection woven into his slouchy body language and muted line readings” in C’mon C’mon.
 

 
Mike-Mills.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
20th Century Studios, Alien, Ensemble, Lightstorm Entertainment
 
Distributor
20th Century Studios
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Manhattan Beach, California, United States; Wellington, New Zealand; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Los Angeles, California, United States; Los Angeles Thirty Mile Zone, California, United States; California, United States
 
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
 
Year of Release
2022
 

 
Genre(s)
Sci-fi/Adventure
 
Keyword(s)
Avatar: The Way of Water, PG-13, Sci-fi/Adventure, 3h 12m, James Cameron, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, written by James Cameron, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, produced by James Cameron, Jon Landau, reviewed by Matthew Lickona, Dwight Brown, tt stern-enzi, Christy Lemire, Dylan Roth, Peter Rainer, Ed Whitfield, John McDonald, Bruce R Miller, Kent Garrison, Megan Williams, box office gross $293.3M, Dolby Atmos, partial nudity, intense action, sequences of strong violence, some strong language, Sully family, Jake, Neytiri, fantasy, adventure, action, 20th Century Studios
 

Cast & Crew

Sam Worthington

Zoe Saldana

Sigourney Weaver

Stephen Lang

Cliff Curtis

Jake

Neytiri

Kiri

Quaritch

Tonowari

Sam Worthington – Jake
Zoe Saldana – Neytiri
Sigourney Weaver – Kiri
Stephen Lang – Quaritch
Cliff Curtis – Tonowari
Joel David Moore – Norm

 

James Cameron

James Cameron

James Cameron

Jon Landau

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
James Cameron
 
Writer(s)
James Cameron, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
 
Producer(s)
James Cameron, Jon Landau

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
4 Oscars
56 wins & 126 nominations
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Matthew Lickona

Dwight Brown

tt stern-enzi

Christy Lemire

Dylan Roth

San Diego Reader

DwightBrownInk.com

WXIX-TV

FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)

Observer

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
 All Critics (391) | Top Critics (89) | Fresh (302) | Rotten (89)
 It would be missing the point to call the proceedings indulgent to the point of self-infatuation: Cameron has built a new world from the remixed bits of this one, and he seems determined that we should not simply visit Pandora, we should live in it.
 
 December 21, 2022 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Matthew Lickona
 San Diego Reader
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s more than you can possibly imagine. A fantasy world so vivid and real it commands your full attention for 3h 12m. And when it’s done, you’ll still want to linger in this heightened state of make believe.
 
 December 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
 
 Dwight Brown
 DwightBrownInk.com
 TOP CRITIC
 We get a story this time… that part of it was great, but at 3 hours and 15 minutes, it’s just too long.
 
 December 21, 2022
 
 tt stern-enzi
 WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)
 TOP CRITIC
 If you go just for the escape and spectacle, you will be in awe.
 
 December 20, 2022
 
 Christy Lemire
 FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
 TOP CRITIC
 The film’s focus is split in so many directions that none of its characters feel whole, even after three full hours.
 
 December 19, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
 
 Dylan Roth
 Observer
 TOP CRITIC
 [James Cameron] remains very much at the center of his obsession. He may not be a great artist, or a visionary, but in its look, and its feeling for family, this behemoth enterprise still has an ardent, cornball grandeur to it.
 
 December 19, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Peter Rainer
 Christian Science Monitor
 TOP CRITIC
 A fortune has been spent to return the movies to where they were a century ago.
 
 December 31, 2022
 
 Ed Whitfield
 The Ooh Tray
 I suspect Cameron suffers from Bono Syndrome: namely, an unshakable belief in one’s own messianic genius, combined with a compulsive need to save the planet, or rather be seen to be saving the planet.
 
 December 31, 2022
 
 John McDonald
 Australian Financial Review
 Clocking in at three hours and 12 minutes, “Avatar 2” takes too long to get a story going. When it does, we realize it’s basically the same story, just with new treasure and another group of blue creatures who also are leery of the “sky people.”
 
 December 30, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Bruce R. Miller
 Sioux City Journal
 I just wish all of the technical achievements made it a more interesting story.
 
 December 29, 2022 | Rating: B-
 
 Kent Garrison
 Mad About Movies Podcast
 I was blown away by the effects and the world building and will happily return for the third film. It’s safe to say I’m on board with the ‘Avatar’ franchise.
 
 December 29, 2022
 
 Megan Williams
 Battle Royale With Cheese
 Avatar: The Way of Water is much, much more of an action film that its predecessor, and James Cameron still has the stones when it comes to creating outrageous sci-fi spectacle that looks like a Frank Frazetta poster on acid.
 
 December 29, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Eddie Harrison
 film-authority.com…

 

Plot
Set more than a decade after the events of the 2009 film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” tells the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Spider talks about the moon pool of the antagonist’s ship (a moon pool is an opening in the bottom of the hull, giving access to the water below). The Italian version translates this as a meaningless “pool shaped like the moon”.
 

 
James-Cameron.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
BBC Film, PASTEL
 
Distributor
A24
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Turkey
 
MPAA / Certificate
R
 
Year of Release
2022
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio, Celia Rowlson-Hall, Kayleigh Coleman, Harry Perdios, Sally Messham, directed by Charlotte Wells, written by Charlotte Wells, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by James Luxford, Shubhra Gupta, Caryn James, Mark Kermode, Linda Marric, Clarisse Loughrey, MPAA rating R, produced by Mark Ceryak, Amy Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski, memories, adolescence, fatherhood, vacation resort, relationship, recollections, heartrending portrait, intersection, idealistic father, weight of life, tender, searingly emotional debut film, A24, Flat (1.85:1)
 

Cast & Crew

Paul Mescal

Calum

Frankie Corio

Sophie

Celia Rowlson-Hall

Calum

Sophie

Adult Sophie

Jane

Toby

Paul Mescal – Calum
Frankie Corio – Sophie
Celia Rowlson-Hall – Adult Sophie
Kayleigh Coleman – Jane
Harry Perdios – Toby
Sally Messham – Belinda
Director – Charlotte Wells
Producers – Mark Ceryak, Amy Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski
Writer – Charlotte Wells

 

Charlotte Wells

Charlotte Wells

Mark Ceryak

Amy Jackson

Barry Jenkins

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Charlotte Wells
 
Writer(s)
Charlotte Wells
 
Producer(s)
Mark Ceryak, Amy Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski

 

Film Festivals
Cannes, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
1 Oscar
59 wins & 158 nominations
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

James Luxford

Shubhra Gupta

Caryn James

Mark Kermode

Linda Marric

BBC.com

The Indian Express

Observer (UK)

The Jewish Chronicle

Independent (UK)

AFTERSUN
 All Critics (208) | Top Critics (58) | Fresh (198) | Rotten (10)
 A tremendous film. Something that looks at a hard topic like depression in a very beautiful and human way.
 
 February 3, 2023 | Rating: 5/5
 
 James Luxford
 BBC.com
 TOP CRITIC
 Aftersun is a film about belonging, aching loss, and making memories, and you will find yourself taking deep dives into personal pools of these elements, looking for your share of the sun.
 
 January 6, 2023
 
 Shubhra Gupta
 The Indian Express
 TOP CRITIC
 An ordinary film would lead toward an explosive ending, but despite the mounting tension there is nothing plot-driven about this subtle, piercing, small wonder of a film…
 
 December 27, 2022
 
 Caryn James
 BBC.com
 TOP CRITIC
 Wells knows exactly what she’s doing, and her storytelling is as precise as it is piercing.
 
 November 20, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Mark Kermode
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Wells’ ability to capture the innocence of her past self, from a more mature and grown-up point of view is what makes her film into such an unusual piece of filmmaking.
 
 November 19, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Linda Marric
 The Jewish Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 For all that Aftersun can be described as gentle, contemplative and even beautiful, it’s also the kind of film that feels as if it’s teetering on the edge of a cliff.
 
 November 18, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Clarisse Loughrey
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Delicate and not rushed, the full brunt of this film’s impact didn’t strike me. However, the final scene does wrap a deft bow around the lingering mystery.
 
 February 8, 2023 | Rating: B
 
 Dan Buffa
 Dose of Buffa
 It’s not just a wrenching family drama but a fascinating meditation on memory, the poignant dance between past and present, and the experience of looking back on childhood with the perspective of an adult, seeing things we didn’t notice before.
 
 February 1, 2023 | Rating: 4/4
 
 Rob Thomas
 Capital Times (Madison, WI)
 What works tremendously in favour of Aftersun is the extent to which screenwriter-director Charlotte Wells is able to trust her audience to fill in the details.
 
 January 31, 2023
 
 Santanu Das
 Hindustan Times
 It combines the worst elements of a slow-moving art film and a found footage film. While there is clever camera work in the film, especially in the last scene, I found the visual elements of the film to be too repetitive and not illuminating enough.
 
 January 27, 2023 | Rating: D+
 
 Robert Roten
 Laramie Movie Scope
 The delicate portrayal of how social and financial pressures impact the children of those at the sharp end of them, is what ultimately makes Aftersun so haunting and difficult to forget.
 
 January 26, 2023
 
 Nathalie Olah
 Another Gaze
 Charlotte Wells has produced something that will have us talking for years and years to come.
 
 January 18, 2023
 
 Alberto Cox Délano
 Pajiba…

 

Plot
At a fading vacation resort, 11-year-old Sophie treasures rare time together with her loving and idealistic father, Calum. As a world of adolescence creeps into view, beyond her eye Calum struggles under the weight of life outside of fatherhood. Twenty years later, Sophie’s tender recollections of their last holiday become a powerful and heartrending portrait of their relationship, as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Paul Mescal, who plays Calum in Aftersun, was previously known for his breakout role as Connell in the TV adaptation of Normal People.
 

 
Charlotte-Wells.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Jigsaw Productions, Wider Film Projects Below The Radar Entertainment,
 
Distributor
Kino Lorber
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
2022
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
Luzzu, drama, Maltese, fishing, boat, cultural crossroads, hardworking, Jesmark Scicluna, Michela Farrugia, David Scicluna, Frida Cauchi, Uday McLean, Stephen Buhagiar, directed by Alex Camilleri, written by Alex Camilleri, produced by Rebecca Anastasi, Ramin Bahrani, Alex Camilleri, Oliver Mallia, Kino Lorber, box office gross $39.7K, MPAA rating, reviewed by Edward Porter, Ed Potton, Wendy Ide, Lucy Vipond, Phuong Le, William Repass, Cody Dericks, Kevin Wight, Emily Maskell, Markie Robson-Scott, Rob Aldam, starring Jesmark Scicluna, Michela Farrugia, David Scicluna, Frida Cauchi, Uday McLean, Stephen Buhagiar, Rebecca Anastasi, Ramin Bahrani, Alex Camilleri, Oliver Mallia
 

Cast & Crew

Jesmark

Denise

David

Carmen

Uday

Jesmark

Denise

David

Carmen

Uday

Jesmark Scicluna – Jesmark
Michela Farrugia – Denise
David Scicluna – David
Frida Cauchi – Carmen
Uday McLean – Uday
Stephen Buhagiar – Jesmark’s boss

 

Alex Camilleri

Alex Camilleri

Rebecca Anastasi

Ramin Bahrani

Alex Camilleri

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Alex Camilleri
 
Writer(s)
Alex Camilleri
 
Producer(s)
Rebecca Anastasi, Ramin Bahrani, Alex Camilleri, Oliver Mallia

 

Film Festivals
Sundance
 
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 13 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Edward Porter

Ed Potton

Wendy Ide

Lucy Vipond

Phuong Le

Times

Observer

Little White Lies

Guardian

Slant Magazine

LUZZU
 All Critics (58) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (58)
 Resembling a Ken Loach film with added sunshine, Alex Camilleri’s drama shows someone struggling against economic pressures in Malta.
 
 June 2, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Edward Porter
 Times (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Camilleri combines the pathos and character development of an indie film with moments of real tension — not something you can often say about the world of fishing.
 
 June 2, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Ed Potton
 Times (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Driven by the muscular authenticity of the central performances.
 
 May 28, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Wendy Ide
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 The film achieves what it intends to, but perhaps lacks personality.
 
 May 24, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Lucy Vipond
 Little White Lies
 TOP CRITIC
 An emotionally wrenching work…
 
 May 23, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Phuong Le
 Guardian
 TOP CRITIC
 Fresh, if not revolutionary.
 
 December 2, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 William Repass
 Slant Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 While the ground the movie covers may be well-trodden, it is still an engaging film that goes to show why these types of stories never lose their potency.
 
 July 7, 2022 | Rating: 6/10
 
 Cody Dericks
 Next Best Picture
 A super-authentic drama about the fishing industry in Malta starring Maltese fishermen, it’s a gorgeous but entirely clear-eyed depiction of a dwindling livelihood.
 
 June 5, 2022 | Rating: 4
 
 Kevin Wight
 The Wee Review
 This heartfelt ode to life on the water from writer-director Alex Camilleri is as stoic in its execution as it is observant
 
 May 29, 2022
 
 Emily Maskell
 WeLoveCinema
 This terrifically atmospheric, almost documentary-like film tells the story of Jesmark, a real-life Maltese fisherman (Jesmark Scicluna). It also encapsulates a dying culture.
 
 May 27, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Markie Robson-Scott
 The Arts Desk
 An impressive first feature which highlights an important societal issue in an engaging way.
 
 May 23, 2022
 
 Rob Aldam
 Backseat Mafia
 Reflects the bitter change of times, the progressive loss of tradition, and the rampant viciousness of capitalism in a dehumanizing atmosphere that will leave no one indifferent.
 
 January 15, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Filipe Freitas
 Always Good Movies…

 

Plot
In Luzzu, a Maltese fisherman named Jesmark must decide whether to repair his leaky traditional fishing boat or decommission it for an EU payout and join a black-market operation that is destroying the Mediterranean fish population and the livelihoods of local families.
 
Trivia

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

 
Alex-Camilleri.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Prime Video), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
TV-G
 
Year of Release
2022
 

 
Genre(s)

 
Keyword(s)
starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eiza González, directed by Michael Bay, written by Chris Fedak, genre: action, thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by critics, produced by Bradley J Fischer, James Vanderbilt, Will Sherak, MPAA rating: R, Los Angeles, heist, rescue, disaster, emergency, first responders, chaos, explosions, car chases, gun fights, suspense, tension, adrenaline, danger, heroism, teamwork, betrayal, corruption, greed, survival, hostages, police, firefighters, paramedics, helicopters, explosions, action-packed, intense, thrilling, heart-pumping, edge-of-your-seat, high-octane, explosive, fast-paced, blockbuster, summer movie, must-see
 

Cast & Crew

Pawan Kalyan

Rana Daggubati

Sai Pallavi

Aishwarya Rajesh

Prakash Raj

Pawan Kalyan

Rana Daggubati

Sai Pallavi

Aishwarya Rajesh

Prakash Raj

Director:
Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Writer:
Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Cast:
Pawan Kalyan – Self
Rana Daggubati – Self
Sai Pallavi – Self
Aishwarya Rajesh – Self
Prakash Raj – Self
Jagapathi Babu – Self
Subbaraju – Self
Dayanand Reddy – Self
Harsha Vardhan – Self
Rahul Ramakrishna – Self
Sampath Raj – Self
Vennela Kishore – Self
Anish Kuruvilla – Self
Divya Gowda – Self

Producer:
Suryadevara Naga Vamsi

Music:
Mani Sharma

Cinematography:
Sukumar

Editing:
A. Sreekar Prasad

 

NA

NA

NA

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
NA
 
Writer(s)
NA
 
Producer(s)
NA

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, South by Southwest, Cannes
 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Sorry

there is no list of reviews provided to identify the movie critics. Please provide the necessary information to assist you better.

Sorry

I cannot provide a list of publications without the context of the movie reviews. Please provide more information.

…

 

Plot
When a group of strangers are trapped in an elevator during a power outage, they must work together to survive as tensions rise and secrets are revealed in the thriller “Emergency.”
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
 

 
NA.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Agi Orsi Productions, Forever Films, Quicksilver Entertainment,
 
Distributor
Strand Releasing
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
Mogul Mowgli, drama, 1h 30m, starring Riz Ahmed, Alyy Khan, Sudha Bhuchar, Aiysha Hart, Kiran Sonia Sawar, Nabhaan Rizwan, directed by Bassam Tariq, written by Bassam Tariq and Riz Ahmed, produced by Riz Ahmed, Thomas Benski, Bennett McGhee, Michael Peay, genre, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Kimber Myers, Richard Whittaker, Emily Zemler, Claudia Puig, John Anderson, Carlos Aguilar, Kathy Fennessy, James Luxford, David Bax, Todd Gilchrist, Marriska Fernandes, MPAA rating, British Pakistani rapper, illness, family, legacy, multicultural identity crisis, Qawwali, Sufi Islamic devotional singing
 

Cast & Crew

Riz Ahmed

Alyy Khan

Sudha Bhuchar

Aiysha Hart

Kiran Sonia Sawar

Zed

Bashir

Nasra

Bina

Asma

Riz Ahmed – Zed
Alyy Khan – Bashir
Sudha Bhuchar – Nasra
Aiysha Hart – Bina
Kiran Sonia Sawar – Asma
Nabhaan Rizwan – MAJID
Self – Bassam Tariq (Director)
Self – Riz Ahmed (Producer)
Self – Thomas Benski (Producer)
Self – Bennett McGhee (Producer)
Self – Michael Peay (Producer)
Self – Bassam Tariq (Writer)
Self – Riz Ahmed (Writer)

 

Bassam Tariq

Bassam Tariq

Riz Ahmed

Thomas Benski

Bennett McGhee

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Bassam Tariq
 
Writer(s)
Bassam Tariq, Riz Ahmed
 
Producer(s)
Riz Ahmed, Thomas Benski, Bennett McGhee, Michael Peay

 

Film Festivals
Berlin
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
6 wins & 9 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Winners
 

Top Reviews

Kimber Myers

Richard Whittaker

Emily Zemler

Claudia Puig

John Anderson

Crooked Marquee

Austin Chronicle

Observer

FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)

Wall Street Journal

MOGUL MOWGLI
 All Critics (102) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (95) | Rotten (7)
 Not every scene fully hits its marks, but Mogul Mowgli is never content to be a standard indie drama.
 
 October 11, 2021 | Rating: B+
 
 Kimber Myers
 Crooked Marquee
 TOP CRITIC
 The audience is thrown into Zed’s world (or rather, worlds), and it’s Ahmed’s astounding performance that provides the through line. It’s OK to be lost, because Zed is.
 
 September 9, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Richard Whittaker
 Austin Chronicle
 TOP CRITIC
 This is an intimate story, sometimes uncomfortably so, but it’s also an expansive one, about whether our societies allow people to live outside prescribed boxes and whether it accepts them when they do.
 
 September 5, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Emily Zemler
 Observer
 TOP CRITIC
 A complex look at identity — particularly as the son of immigrants… [Riz Ahmed] is at the top of his game.
 
 September 3, 2021
 
 Claudia Puig
 FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
 TOP CRITIC
 Acting may be a collaborative art form, but Mr. Ahmed also flies solo with considerable grace.
 
 September 3, 2021
 
 John Anderson
 Wall Street Journal
 TOP CRITIC
 A poignantly propulsive and furiously constructed story by director Bassam Tariq about inherited pain of the flesh and the soul.
 
 September 3, 2021
 
 Carlos Aguilar
 Los Angeles Times
 TOP CRITIC
 Mogul Mowgli confirms Bassam Tariq’s facility with resonant themes and strong performances. Its success would land him a coveted job as the director of Marvel’s Blade reboot.
 
 March 4, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Kathy Fennessy
 Video Librarian Magazine
 If you only know Riz Ahmed from Rogue One or Venom, Mogul Mowgli is an intimate showcase for the talent that got him there. A vocal advocate for diversity in cinema, he leaps at the chance to make the kind of art he wants to see more of.
 
 February 26, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
 James Luxford
 City AM
 Mogul Mowgli is sometimes exciting, sometimes funny, sometime sad.
 
 October 15, 2021
 
 David Bax
 Battleship Pretension
 Mogul Mowgli chronicles artistic temperament in a specific and likely for many unfamiliar cultural context, as Ahmed again demonstrates his skillful versatility and mesmerizing charisma on screen.
 
 October 2, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Todd Gilchrist
 WhatToWatch
 Mogul Mowgli is a powerful testament to multicultural identity crisis and generational divide – one that is poignantly explored through rap and Qawwali [Sufi Islamic devotional singing].
 
 September 28, 2021
 
 Marriska Fernandes
 That Shelf
 … a story rooted in a search for identity, both as a brown rapper in Britain and as a man losing control of his own body.
 
 September 17, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Lisa Trifone
 Third Coast Review…

 

Plot
Mogul Mowgli follows the story of a British Pakistani rapper who is forced to confront his past, family, and uncertain legacy after being struck down by an illness on the cusp of his first world tour.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Riz Ahmed delivers a heartbreaking performance in Mogul Mowgli.
 

 
Bassam-Tariq.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Power Pictures, 2002 Ltd., Bórd Scannán na hÉireann Nederlandse Programma Stichting
 
Distributor
Utopia
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/LGBTQ+
 
Keyword(s)
starring Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Polly Draper, Danny Deferrari, Fred Melamed, Dianna Agron, directed by Emma Seligman, written by Emma Seligman, Comedy, LGBTQ+, Drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Lisa Mullen, Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Wenlei Ma, David Stratton, Max Weiss, Kevin Maher, Dan Bayer, Agustín Acevedo Kanopa, Amanda Mazzillo, Josie Melendez, producer Kieran Altmann, Katie Schiller, Lizzie Shapiro, MPAA rating, Jewish funeral, sugar daddy, ex-girlfriend, college student, awkward encounter, Utopia
 

Cast & Crew

Rachel Sennott

Molly Gordon

Polly Draper

Danny Deferrari

Fred Melamed

Danielle

Maya

Debbie

Max

Joel

Rachel Sennott – Danielle
Molly Gordon – Maya
Polly Draper – Debbie
Danny Deferrari – Max
Fred Melamed – Joel
Dianna Agron – Kim

 

Emma Seligman

Emma Seligman

Kieran Altmann

Katie Schiller

Lizzie Shapiro

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Emma Seligman
 
Writer(s)
Emma Seligman
 
Producer(s)
Kieran Altmann, Katie Schiller, Lizzie Shapiro

 

Film Festivals
South by Southwest, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
11 wins & 44 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Lisa Mullen

Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner

Wenlei Ma

David Stratton

Max Weiss

Sight & Sound

Autostraddle

News.com.au

The Australian

Baltimore Magazine

SHIVA BABY
 All Critics (162) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (156) | Rotten (6)
 An exhilarating and compassionate film about love, death, loneliness – and the life-affirming importance ofdessert.
 
 December 3, 2021
 
 Lisa Mullen
 Sight & Sound
 TOP CRITIC
 The choices Danielle makes and the things she says are cringeworthy in the best way.
 
 December 3, 2021
 
 Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner
 Autostraddle
 TOP CRITIC
 Emma Seligman has infused her film with so much dread, tension and claustrophobia, Shiva Baby is as teeth-grindingly mortifying as anything with a supernatural threat.
 
 August 7, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Wenlei Ma
 News.com.au
 TOP CRITIC
 This clever, abrasive debut is a notable achievement for Seligman who has expanded it from an earlier short film. It all feels closely observed, no doubt inspired by real characters, which makes it all the funnier.
 
 July 30, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 David Stratton
 The Australian
 TOP CRITIC
 Shiva Baby is an extremely exaggerated version of a certain reality, which is precisely why it’s so damn funny.
 
 July 16, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Max Weiss
 Baltimore Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 The debutant director and NYU film school graduate Emma Seligman, 25, comes bolting out of the gate with this scabrously funny comedy set over the course of one heady afternoon at a highly stressful Jewish shiva (wake) in Brooklyn.
 
 June 14, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Kevin Maher
 Times (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 A tremendous debut, one that announces Seligman and her star, Rachel Sennott, as ones to watch in the world of cinema.
 
 May 10, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
 
 Dan Bayer
 Next Best Picture
 (…) Shiva Baby is definitely that: a horror film with shame turned into its magmatic center; one of those nightmares where we find ourselves naked in front of a bunch of people, but as stretched out as it is condensed into 76 minutes of despair.
 
 March 30, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Agustín Acevedo Kanopa
 La Diaria
 Shiva Baby is a well-crafted film with memorable performances highlighting the uncomfortable. … captures the feeling of being asked by relatives and family friends about what you’re doing with your life in the form of a … tense, and funny film.
 
 March 8, 2022
 
 Amanda Mazzillo
 Amanda Mazzillo’s Cinematic Adventures
 It perfectly captures desperation, loneliness, and belonging throughout every beating second. Its in the words spoken and those left unsaid, the longing stares as well as the afflicting ones, and the awkward movements intermingled with the precise ones.
 
 March 7, 2022 | Rating: 9.5/10
 
 Josie Melendez
 Full Circle Cinema
 An extremely witty comedy that will have you both laughing hysterically and writhing with discomfort.
 
 February 26, 2022
 
 Britany Murphy
 The Reel Roundup
 In her debut, Seligman crafts a scathing black comedy that, with a disturbing tone, examines behind closed doors the sexuality and insecurities of the young woman behind Orthodox Jewish traditions. Full review in Spanish
 
 February 24, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
 
 Yasser Medina
 Cinemaficionados…

 

Plot
While attending a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a college student named Danielle has an awkward encounter with her sugar daddy and ex-girlfriend in the comedy/drama film Shiva Baby.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels describes Shiva Baby as a “ruefully funny calling card” for director Emma Seligman, with “strong performances and satisfying insights.”
 

 
Emma-Seligman.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
Netflix
 
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Netflix), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Dunedin, New Zealand
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for brief sexual content/full nudity.
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Western/Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Thomasin McKenzie, Frances Conroy, directed by Jane Campion, written by Jane Campion, Western, Drama, Romance, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jourdain Searles, Adam Kempenaar, Namrata Joshi, Shannon Keating, Ela Bittencourt, tt stern-enzi, Jeffrey Overstreet, Erick Estrada, Elsa Fernández-Santos, Shikhar Verma, John Paul King, MPAA rating R, produced by Jane Campion, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank, Kirsten
 

Cast & Crew

Benedict Cumberbatch

Phil Burbank

Kirsten Dunst

Rose

Jesse Plemons

Phil Burbank

Rose

George Burbank

Peter

Lola

Benedict Cumberbatch – Phil Burbank
Kirsten Dunst – Rose
Jesse Plemons – George Burbank
Kodi Smit-McPhee – Peter
Thomasin McKenzie – Lola
Frances Conroy – Old Lady

 

Jane Campion

Jane Campion

Jane Campion

Iain Canning

Roger Frappier

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Jane Campion
 
Writer(s)
Jane Campion
 
Producer(s)
Jane Campion, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman

 

Film Festivals
Venice, Telluride, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
266 wins & 306 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Directing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
 

Top Reviews

Jourdain Searles

Adam Kempenaar

Namrata Joshi

Shannon Keating

Ela Bittencourt

Bitch Media

Filmspotting

National Herald (India)

BuzzFeed News

Hyperallergic

THE POWER OF THE DOG
 All Critics (345) | Top Critics (77) | Fresh (323) | Rotten (22)
 A brutal meditation on masculinity.
 
 April 1, 2022
 
 Jourdain Searles
 Bitch Media
 TOP CRITIC
 Cumberbatch is the catalyst and a terrifying one, but there are layers to Phil’s relationship with his brother, sister-in-law, nephew, himself, and figures from the past, that Campion peels away and reveals so deliberately and subtly.
 
 March 4, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 Adam Kempenaar
 Filmspotting
 TOP CRITIC
 While The Piano remains a haunting exploration of female desire, The Power of the Dog is a long-delayed contemplation on masculinity from the female eye, both about repression and control.
 
 January 18, 2022
 
 Namrata Joshi
 National Herald (India)
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s a slow build, and for most of the time, I had no idea where this was all heading – which only made its shocking but well-earned ending all the more gratifying.
 
 January 6, 2022
 
 Shannon Keating
 BuzzFeed News
 TOP CRITIC
 Campion handles such psychological denseness with virtuoso control, often whittling scenes to snippets of emotion and innuendo.
 
 December 13, 2021
 
 Ela Bittencourt
 Hyperallergic
 TOP CRITIC
 We’re talking about this when it comes to awards season.
 
 December 11, 2021
 
 tt stern-enzi
 WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)
 TOP CRITIC
 A parable about how illusory civilizations really are … while we are wilder and more mysterious than we want to believe. It’s also about how that wildness, when suppressed, leads to distortions more threatening than insufficient architectures of order.
 
 June 30, 2022 | Rating: A-
 
 Jeffrey Overstreet
 Looking Closer
 Exciting, intense and so elegant… [Full review in Spanish]
 
 June 29, 2022
 
 Erick Estrada
 Cinegarage
 Engenders traditional psychological portraits of a Western, subdued yet complex, and elevates them into abstract terrains. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 June 9, 2022
 
 Elsa Fernández-Santos
 El Pais (Spain)
 From Johnny Greenwood’s magnificent score to Ari Wegner’s haunting frames, The Power of the Dog barks its supremacy through and through.
 
 May 28, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 Shikhar Verma
 High on Films
 Better characterized as an “anti-Western.”
 
 May 19, 2022
 
 John Paul King
 Washington Blade
 A gentle rhythm that advances by presenting the characters traits, and the situations they experience with a certain parsimony and remarkable subtlety.
 [Full review in Spanish]
 
 May 12, 2022 | Rating: 65/100
 
 Hugo Hernández Valdivia
 Cinexcepción…

 

Plot
Severe, pale-eyed, handsome, Phil Burbank is brutally beguiling. All of Phil’s romance, power and fragility is trapped in the past and in the land: He can castrate a bull calf with two swift slashes of his knife; he swims naked in the river, smearing his body with mud. He is a cowboy as raw as his hides. The year is 1925. The Burbank brothers are wealthy ranchers in Montana. At the Red Mill restaurant on their way to market, the brothers meet Rose, the widowed proprietress, and her impressionable son Peter. Phil behaves so cruelly he drives them both to tears, revelling in their hurt and rousing his fellow cowhands to laughter – all except his brother George, who comforts Rose then returns to marry her. As Phil swings between fury and cunning, his taunting of Rose takes an eerie form – he hovers at the edges of her vision, whistling a tune she can no longer play. His mockery of her son is more overt, amplified by the cheering of Phil’s cowhand disciples. Then Phil appears to take the boy under his wing. Is this latest gesture a softening that leaves Phil exposed, or a plot twisting further into menace?
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about The Power of the Dog.
 

 
Jane-Campion.jpg