1982 (2022)
88%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 2 Oscars
13 wins & 19 nominations
Mouaness’ debut feature, “1982,” is a poignant and evocative portrayal of the emotional turmoil that comes with living in a war-torn country. With a near-real-time feel, the film captures the small-scale details that convey the approaching storm of war. While imperfect, the film’s strong observational eye and intuitive direction personify the calm before the storm. Mouaness’ script, based on his own experience, could have used a lighter touch, but the film succeeds in accessing emotional truths that leave a lingering bittersweet melancholy. “1982” is a sensitive slice-of-life drama that puts children in realistic situations exploring their emotional journeys, making it a rarity in the current live-action cinema landscape.
If you’re looking for a movie that will make you feel like you’re living in the past, then “1982” is the perfect pick. This film takes you on an emotional journey that will leave you feeling bittersweet and melancholic. The director, Mouaness, does a great job of capturing the small-scale details that make you feel like you’re living in the moment. While the script could have used a lighter touch, the film still manages to be a sensitive slice-of-life drama that puts children in realistic situations exploring their emotional journeys. Overall, “1982” is a triumph that will leave you feeling nostalgic and emotionally fulfilled.
Production Company(ies)
Foreign Language, VOD
Distributor
Tricycle Logic
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Lebanon
MPAA / Certificate
NR
Year of Release
2022
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos, Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 40m
-
Language(s):English, Arabic
-
Country of origin:United States, France, Lebanon, Norway, Qatar
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 10, 2022 Limited
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
1982, History, Drama, coming-of-age, war, Lebanon, invasion, love, peace, society, child, imagination, innocence, cataclysmic, Mohamad Dalli, Nadine Labaki, Oualid Mouaness, Alix Madigan, Georges Schoucair, Myriam Sassine, Christopher Tricarico, written by Oualid Mouaness, directed by Oualid Mouaness, produced by Oualid Mouaness, box office gross $43.8K, critic reviews, Ann Hornaday, Elizabeth Weitzman, Ben Kenigsberg, Carlos Aguilar, Jay Weissberg, Monica Castillo, Peter Canavese, Dennis Harvey, Luke Y Thompson, Christopher Llewellyn Reed, Avi Offer, MPAA rating
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: $6,150,002
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,150,002
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,055
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): MVR 20
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
Mohamad Dalli – Wissam
Rodrigue Sleiman – Joseph
Aliya Khalidi – Ms. Leila
Ghassan Maalouf – Majid
Gia Madi – Joanna
Director(s)
Oualid Mouaness
Writer(s)
Oualid Mouaness
Producer(s)
Oualid Mouaness, Alix Madigan, Georges Schoucair, Myriam Sassine, Christopher Tricarico
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
2 Oscars
13 wins & 19 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (21) | Top Critics (7) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (1)
With “1982,” Mouaness gives viewers an immersive, ineffable sense of what it feels like to have the world shift under your feet before you even know it.
September 7, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Mouaness directs his debut feature with a sensitive hand, even if his script, based on his own experience, could have used a lighter touch.
June 9, 2022
Elizabeth Weitzman
TheWrap
TOP CRITIC
Mouaness skillfully gives the film a near-real-time feel, conveying a sense that the war is approaching through small-scale details…
June 9, 2022
Ben Kenigsberg
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Imperfect as it is, this often-intuitive piece with a strong observational eye personifies the notion of the calm before the storm.
January 19, 2021
Carlos Aguilar
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Succeeds in accessing emotional truths that leave a lingering bittersweet melancholy.
December 16, 2019
Jay Weissberg
Variety
TOP CRITIC
A sensitive slice-of-life drama.
September 19, 2019
Monica Castillo
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
Falls a bit short in sticking the landing, but there’s lots here to hang a movie on; it’s well-acted and a rarity in the current live-action cinema landscape in that it puts children in realistic situations exploring their emotional journeys.
August 5, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Peter Canavese
Celluloid Dreams
The film makes an imaginative leap at the end that I found a bit trivializing…but it still leaves a potent impression.
July 29, 2022
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
Perhaps by reminding us of the importance of small moments worth protecting, a movie like 1982 can rekindle the connection to that inner child of decades past.
June 19, 2022
Luke Y. Thompson
Films Gone Wild
1982 may have proved disastrous for Lebanon, but “1982,” cinematically speaking, is an unqualified success.
June 10, 2022
Christopher Llewellyn Reed
Hammer to Nail
A triumph! It’s an engrossing, poetic and life-affirming emotional journey.
June 8, 2022
Avi Offer
NYC Movie Guru
[Mouaness] captures well the children’s emotional complexity and reaches utmost authenticity even in scenes where others would’ve bordered on the absurd. [Full review in Spanish]
June 7, 2022
Carlos Bonfil
La Jornada…
Plot
During the 1982 invasion of Lebanon at a private school on the outskirts of Beirut, 11-year-old Wissam tries to tell a classmate about his crush on her, while his teachers — on different sides of the political divide — try to mask their fears.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
(at around 14 mins) Bryant tells Deckard that six replicants escaped from an Off-World colony. One was killed trying to break into Tyrell’s, and the others escaped. However, there are only four replicants in the film (Roy, Leon, Zhora and Pris); if one goes by Bryant’s dialogue, there should be five. This infamous goof has been corrected in the 2007 Final Cut where Bryant now says that two replicants were killed trying to break into Tyrell’s.
Oualid-Mouaness.jpg
88%
Petite Maman (2021)
88%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
6 wins & 30 nominations total
Small in narrative scope but deeply impactful, Petite Maman is a delicate, powerfully acted meditation on grief.
Petite Maman is like a warm hug from your grandma, if your grandma was a French filmmaker. It’s a beautiful and emotional journey that will make you feel all the feels. The mother-daughter relationship is explored in a unique and touching way, and the time-travel element adds a fun twist. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story, or just wants to feel something. Bring tissues, because you will cry.
Production Company(ies)
Amazon Studios, Stay Gold Features, Kindred Spirit
Distributor
NEON
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Cergy-Pontoise, Val-d’Oise, France
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for some thematic elements and brief smoking
Year of Release
2022
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 12m
-
Language(s):French
-
Country of origin:France
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 22, 2022 Limited
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Petite Maman, drama, French, Céline Sciamma, Bénédicte Couvreur, PG, grief, childhood, memory, connection, Nina Meurisse, Margot Abascal, Stéphane Varupenne, Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Florès Cardo, reviewed by Radheyan Simonpillai, Adam Graham, Jenny Nulf, Michael O’Sullivan, David Stratton, Mark Feeney, Marilyn Ferdinand, Jeffrey Overstreet, Sarah Ward, John Serba, Erick Estrada, directed by Céline Sciamma, written by Céline Sciamma, produced by Bénédicte Couvreur, box office gross $819.8K, flat aspect ratio, some thematic elements, brief smoking, drama genre, NEON distributor, rent/buy from $5.99
Worldwide gross: $1,678,197
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,678,197
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,457
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 183,009
US/Canada gross: $580,776
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $580,776
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,294
US/Canada opening weekend: $45,764
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $45,764
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,240
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): 2800000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $2,800,000
Production budget ranking: 1,988
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,507,800
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$2,629,603
ROI to date (est.): -61%
ROI ranking: 1,756
Margot Abascal – La grand-mère
Stéphane Varupenne – Le père
Joséphine Sanz – Nelly
Gabrielle Sanz – Marion
Florès Cardo – Dame maison de retraite
Director(s)
Céline Sciamma
Writer(s)
Céline Sciamma
Producer(s)
Bénédicte Couvreur
Film Festivals
Berlin, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
6 wins & 30 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (200) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (194) | Rotten (6)
A lovely and delicate lesson on processing big emotions in tiny packages.
May 6, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Radheyan Simonpillai
NOW Toronto
TOP CRITIC
This is an ethereal film that works better on an emotional level than it does a literal level; it’s a film that feels, so let yourself feel it, too. That’s the real stuff.
May 6, 2022 | Rating: B
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Petite Maman is a fine balance of heartache and whimsy.
May 5, 2022
Jenny Nulf
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
“Petite Maman” is what every film should be: powerfully, even arrestingly original; grounded in emotional truth; hyper-specific; deeply universal; strange; mesmerizing; and not a minute longer than necessary.
May 4, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
If ever a film was difficult to categorise it’s Celine Sciamma’s sublime Petite Maman.
April 29, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
It’s a thin line between prestidigitation and sham. Once that line is crossed, it’s awfully hard to get back.
April 28, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Mark Feeney
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
It is sheer genius for director Celine Sciamma, who also wrote the screenplay, to level the playing field by bringing mother and daughter together as peers to talk about the things that really matter to them.
July 2, 2022
Marilyn Ferdinand
AWFJ Women on Film
I was vividly reminded of two very special films: Doillon’s Ponette and Sayles’s The Secret of Roan Inish. The films share some unusual strengths: In all three, we follow observant and intelligent children through territory scarred with loss and sadness.
June 28, 2022 | Rating: A-
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer
Now 15 years into her directorial career, Sciamma’s talent for truly seeing into hearts and minds is unshakeable, unparalleled and such a lovely wonder to watch — especially when it shines as sublimely and touchingly as it does here.
June 24, 2022
Sarah Ward
Concrete Playground
… Acknowledges the pain we feel in the wake of death, a universal notion, and renders it profoundly empathetic in its detail and specificity, and its implications about generational femininity.
June 13, 2022
John Serba
Decider
A personal celebration that turns universal for anyone who remembers the first time they called their mother by their name. And there lies the tail of this comet. [Full review in Spanish]
June 10, 2022
Erick Estrada
Cinegarage
After the extraordinary Portrait of a Lady on Fire, this bold time-travel fantasy needs fleshing out and leaves the distinct impression that delivery is off-the-cuff, despite the extent to which its subtlety makes the implausible plausible
June 7, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
Jane Freebury
The Canberra Times (Australia)…
Plot
After the death of her grandmother, 8-year-old Nelly explores her mother’s childhood home and befriends a neighbor her own age, leading to a tender tale of childhood grief, memory, and connection in Petite Maman.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Petite Maman on Fresh Kernels.
Céline-Sciamma.jpg
88%
The Hedgehog (2011)
88%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: NA
The Hedgehog is a film that, while lacking in originality, manages to charm its way into the hearts of its viewers with its heartfelt storytelling and delightful performances. Garance Le Guillermic shines as the precocious Paloma, while Josiane Balasko anchors the film with her unpretentious and earthy portrayal. The film walks a fine line between sentimentality and cynicism, but emerges as a lovely and modern fable that is a sweetly hopeful experience. While not a profound masterpiece, The Hedgehog is a satisfying emotional journey that is sure to leave a smile on your face.
The Hedgehog is like a fancy French pastry – it looks beautiful and sophisticated on the outside, but lacks substance on the inside. However, the performances by Garance Le Guillermic and Josiane Balasko are the sweet filling that make it worth a try. Plus, who doesn’t love a good fable with a modern twist? Just don’t expect it to be a life-changing experience.
Production Company(ies)
The Samuel Goldwyn Company,
Distributor
Neoclassic Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for action, some violence, rude humor, and mild language
Year of Release
2022
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 40m
-
Language(s):English, Russian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 19, 2011 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 17, 2012
Genre(s)
Keyword(s)
starring Josiane Balasko, Togo Igawa, Garance Le Guillermic, Anne Brochet, Ariane Ascaride, Wladimir Yordanoff, directed by Mona Achache, written by Mona Achache, produced by Anne-Dominique Toussaint, Comedy, Drama, French (Canada), Neoclassic Films, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, Marc Savlov, Calvin Wilson, Bill Goodykoontz, Moira MacDonald, Roger Ebert, Kelly Jane Torrance, Dennis Harvey, Sarah Boslaugh, Chris Foran, MPAA rating, suicide, precocious, new neighbor, recluse, literature, imagination, bullying, depression, romance, touching, poignant, Garance Le Guillermic, Josiane Balasko, Togo Igawa, adaptation, The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Worldwide gross: $355,952,979
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $355,952,979
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 430
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 38,817,119
US/Canada gross: $176,452,979
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $176,452,979
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 426
US/Canada opening weekend: $72,105,176
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $72,105,176
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 130
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $110,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $110,000,000
Production budget ranking: 351
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $59,235,000
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $186,717,979
ROI to date (est.): 110%
ROI ranking: 903
Togo Igawa – Kakuro Ozu
Garance Le Guillermic – Paloma Josse
Anne Brochet – Solange Josse
Ariane Ascaride – Manuela Lopez
Wladimir Yordanoff – Paul Josse
Director(s)
Mona Achache
Writer(s)
Mona Achache
Producer(s)
Anne-Dominique Toussaint
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (71) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (9)
Lacking any depth of its own, this upper-middlebrow French drama resorts to the old trick of referencing acknowledged masters.
February 6, 2018
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Le Guillermic is fine in this calm comedy of subverted exteriors and expectations, but it’s the remarkably unpretentious — earthy, even — Balasko who anchors Achache’s adaptation.
October 7, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
“The Hedgehog” sneaks up on you with its heartfelt storytelling and sophisticated wit.
October 7, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
Calvin Wilson
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
A satisfying emotional experience.
September 22, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Bill Goodykoontz
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
A reminder that, sometimes, the movies can get a beloved book exactly right.
September 8, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
This a movie with such a light, stylish touch, it makes no claims to profundity and is a sweetly hopeful experience.
September 8, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Walks a fine line between sentimentality and cynicism, and emerges as a lovely and modern fable.
August 6, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
[Garance] Le Guillermic is irresistible, making a character that could come off as a haughty brat utterly delightful.
January 8, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Kelly Jane Torrance
Washington Examiner
Nicely crafted, The Hedgehog seldom aims to be more than a pleasant low-key diversion-at which it succeeds-so it’s jolting when the story pulls an abrupt late turn that casts everything in a more serious, ambitious light.
March 30, 2016
Dennis Harvey
SF360
11-year-old Paloma (Garance Le Guillermic) is rich, precocious and extremely judgmental in the way that only a privileged child can be.
May 15, 2013 | Rating: 7/10
Sarah Boslaugh
PopMatters
A French drama that finds its power in the little moments.
October 27, 2011 | Rating: 3/4
Chris Foran
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
… it’s Josiane Balasko that makes it work.
October 7, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review…
Plot
After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is ready for more freedom, and Tom and Maddie agree to leave him home while they go on vacation. But, no sooner are they gone, when Dr. Robotnik comes back, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search for an emerald that has the power to both build and destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands. Being directed by Jeff Fowler, and starring Jim Carrey, James Marsden, and Ben Schwartz.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Josiane Balasko’s performance as the prickly janitor in The Hedgehog is described as “remarkably unpretentious — earthy, even.”
Mona-Achache.jpg
88%
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022)
88%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: NA
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a film that manages to tackle the taboo subject of sex work with a refreshing and nuanced approach. The film’s limited setting and two-hander format may seem like a potential pitfall, but writer Katy Brand and director Sophie Hyde use it to their advantage, giving the actors ample opportunities to shine. The result is a delightful and sneakily radical film that affirms body and sex positivity, explores outdated social ideas about pleasure, and manages to be both thought-provoking and entertaining. With its professional quality compositions and enjoyable banter, this wholly sex-positive film is a must-watch for anyone looking for a compelling portrayal of a middle-aged woman’s sexuality.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a film that will make you laugh, cringe, and maybe even feel a little uncomfortable at times. But that’s what makes it so great! The performances are fantastic, especially Thompson’s fearless portrayal of a woman exploring her sexuality later in life. And while the film may not be for everyone, it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re looking for something that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking. Plus, who doesn’t love a good hotel room setting?
Production Company(ies)
Melodrama Pictures,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Hulu), Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for sexual content, graphic nudity and some language
Year of Release
2022
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.00 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Jun 17, 2022
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack, Isabella Laughland, Charlotte Ware, Carina Lopes, directed by Sophie Hyde, written by Katy Brand, comedy, drama, R rating, sexual awakening, sex worker, retired teacher, human connection, graphic nudity, some language, sexual content, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, Louise Perry, Max Weiss, Maxwell Rabb, Claudia Puig, Mark Kermode, Margot Harrison, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Abbie Bernstein, Shannon Connellan, Lisa Johnson Mandell, produced by Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski
Worldwide gross: $9,688,824
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
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
Daryl McCormack – Leo Grande
Isabella Laughland – Becky
Charlotte Ware – Waitress
Carina Lopes – Waitress
Sophie Hyde – Director
Debbie Gray – Producer
Adrian Politowski – Producer
Katy Brand – Writer
Director(s)
Sophie Hyde
Writer(s)
Katy Brand
Producer(s)
Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski
Film Festivals
Sundance, Berlin, Tribeca
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (181) | Top Critics (49) | Fresh (171) | Rotten (10)
This is a fearlessly raw performance, and Thompson never overplays her hand.
June 24, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
The film supposedly bypasses the ickiness of a conventional prostitution story by putting female pleasure at the centre of the action. But it’s still a kind of pleasure that depends on cash changing hands.
June 23, 2022
Louise Perry
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
Sophie Hyde’s [film is] delightful — and sneakily radical.
June 23, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Max Weiss
Baltimore Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a sentimental film from writer Katy Brand that shines even brighter thanks to the film’s limited setting.
June 22, 2022
Maxwelll Rabb
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
It’s like a really well-written play… It’s disarming, surprising, and thought-provoking.
June 21, 2022
Claudia Puig
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
Manages to keep one foot firmly on the floor of enjoyably progressive entertainment even as it dances around a peculiarly British minefield in which anxiety and openness about intimacy collide.
June 20, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Viewers who accept the film’s staginess will be rewarded, though, because Brand and Hyde give the actors opportunities to shine while avoiding the largest potential pitfalls in the material.
July 8, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Margot Harrison
Seven Days
An entertaining comedy with great performances from the leads that affirms both body and sex positivity.
July 4, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality & Practice
Although this is primarily a two-hander, we don’t feel trapped, because the company is enjoyable and the banter entertaining.
July 4, 2022 | Rating: B
Abbie Bernstein
Assignment X
This wholly sex-positive film is itself as unpredictable in its subtleties as it is powerful in its exploration of compassion, body image, ageism, and outdated social ideas about pleasure.
July 4, 2022
Shannon Connellan
Mashable
It’s alternately riveting, amusing and hard to watch. Never before have we seen such a compelling portrayal of a middle aged woman’s sexuality.
July 2, 2022
Lisa Johnson Mandell
AtHomeInHollywood.com
The compositions are of professional quality and the simple luxury provided by the art department–the movie is set mostly in a chic but practical hotel room–add texture.
July 2, 2022
David Bax
Battleship Pretension…
Plot
In Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, retired teacher Nancy embarks on a post-marital sexual awakening with the help of sex worker Leo, and together they find a surprising human connection.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Emma Thompson, who delivers a “fearlessly raw performance” according to one critic.
Sophie-Hyde.jpg
88%
Parallel Mothers (Madres paralelas) (2021)
88%RT Audience Score: 78%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
23 wins & 80 nominations total
A brilliant forum for Penélope Cruz’s talent, Parallel Mothers reaffirms the familiar pleasures of Almodóvar’s filmmaking while proving he’s still capable of growth.
Pedro Almodóvar’s Parallel Mothers is a must-see for fans of the director’s work and newcomers alike. Penélope Cruz delivers an unparalleled performance that radiates warmth and forgiveness, even in the midst of dark themes. The film’s mix of restraint and extravagance, delirious use of color, and sense of the theatrical make for a perfect storm of intense melodrama. And let’s not forget the surprising and emotional blend of Spain’s history within the narrative. It’s a shattering drama that will leave you feeling both devastated and fulfilled. Just be prepared for an occasional intrusion of a secondary storyline. Overall, Parallel Mothers is a wild ride that’s worth taking.
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Madrid, Spain
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some sexuality
Year of Release
2021
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:SDDS Dolby Digital DTS
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 3m
-
Language(s):Spanish
-
Country of origin:Spain
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 24, 2021 Limited
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Penélope Cruz, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma, directed by Pedro Almodóvar, written by Pedro Almodóvar, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Adam Nayman, Barry Hertz, David Stratton, Wendy Ide, Tara Brady, MPAA rating R, produced by Agustín Almodóvar, Esther García, Spanish language, Sony Pictures Classics, SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Flat (1.85:1), Janis, Ana, hospital, birth, single, accidental pregnancy, middle-aged, adolescent, fear, trauma, close link, growth, emotional, Spanish Civil War, history, melodrama, twists and turns, emotional stakes
Worldwide gross: $23,089,136
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $23,551,252
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,655
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,568,294
US/Canada gross: $2,297,501
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,498,778
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,979
US/Canada opening weekend: $38,249
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $41,600
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,266
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
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón – Teresa
Milena Smit – Ana
Israel Elejalde – Arturo
Julieta Serrano – Brígida
Rossy de Palma – Elena
Director(s)
Pedro Almodóvar
Writer(s)
Pedro Almodóvar
Producer(s)
Agustín Almodóvar, Esther García
Film Festivals
Venice
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
23 wins & 80 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (217) | Top Critics (54) | Fresh (209) | Rotten (8)
Cruz may not be the favorite in the Best Actress race, but her performance in Pedro Almodóvar’s film is, well, unparalleled.
March 23, 2022
Adam Nayman
The Ringer
TOP CRITIC
I was both fairly sure what Parallel Mothers might be, and eager to be surprised. Thankfully, Almodóvar delivers on both fronts – as Almodóvar should almost always be entrusted to do.
February 8, 2022
Barry Hertz
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
If you’re already a fan of Almodovar’s work this is essential viewing; if you haven’t been introduced to his very special world before, Parallel Mothers will be a great place to start.
February 1, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Most of all, it’s Cruz who sets the tone, with a performance that radiates warmth and is refreshingly forgiving of her character’s flaws. She has never been better.
January 29, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Even the dark excavation at the heart of the enterprise is delivered with wit, warmth and eye-popping colours.
January 28, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
What won’t be a surprise for those familiar with Almodóvar is the film’s mix of restraint and extravagance, the director’s delirious use of color, his ecstatic aesthetic and a sense of the theatrical.
January 28, 2022
John Anderson
America Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Sensual and savvy and always sublime, Parallel Mothers sells everything within its immaculate frames — and surrendering to its emotional, visual and thematic pull is as natural as life and death.
June 25, 2022
Sarah Ward
Concrete Playground
The titular parallelism isn’t in Janis and Ana’s stories, but in what they symbolize so we can understand the pain of all the mothers affected by the [Spanish] Civil War and its consequences. [Full review in Spanish]
June 23, 2022
Erick Estrada
Cinegarage
A perfect storm of melodramatic plot elements, complex emotional reactions, and wild deceptions, it requires on the part of its director a simultaneous iron grip on tone, together with a certain paradoxical lightness of touch.
June 1, 2022
Catherine Bray
Film of the Week
Intense melodrama… [Full review in Spanish]
May 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Alejandro Lingenti
La Nación (Argentina)
Surprising and emotional as Spain’s history is masterfully blended within the narrative.
[Full review in Spanish]
May 16, 2022
Ruben Peralta Rigaud
Cocalecas
A shattering drama whose potency is occasionally diluted by an intrusive secondary storyline.
April 16, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy…
Plot
Two women, Janis and Ana, coincide in a hospital room where they are going to give birth. Both are single and became pregnant by accident. Janis, middle-aged, doesn’t regret it and she is exultant. The other, Ana, an adolescent, is scared, repentant and traumatized. Janis tries to encourage her while they move like sleepwalkers along the hospital corridors. The few words they exchange in these hours will create a very close link between the two, which by chance develops and complicates, and changes their lives in a decisive way.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Penélope Cruz’s “unparalleled” performance in Parallel Mothers.
Pedro-Almodóvar.jpg
88%
A Hero (2022)
88%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: NA
A Hero finds writer-director Asghar Farhadi once again grappling with weighty themes — with the audience emerging as the winner.
If you’re looking for a movie that will make you question everything you thought you knew, A Hero is the one for you. Critics are raving about this Iranian drama, with its sprawling storyline and thought-provoking themes. But don’t worry, it’s not all heavy stuff – there’s plenty of suspense and intrigue to keep you on the edge of your seat. As one critic put it, “no one constructs a house of cards like Asghar Farhadi.” So grab some popcorn and get ready for a wild ride.
Production Company(ies)
Du Art Film and Video Nothing But a Man Company,
Distributor
Amazon Studios
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Prime Video), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-14
Year of Release
2022
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:16:9 HD
-
Runtime:2h 7m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:Iran
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 7, 2022 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 21, 2022
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh, Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy, Sarina Farhadi, Sahar Goldust, Ehsan Goodarzi, directed by Asghar Farhadi, written by Asghar Farhadi, drama, PG-13, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Wenlei Ma, Paul Byrnes, Robert Levin, Ty Burr, Gary M Kramer, Adam Graham, Damien Straker, Andiee Paviour, Sarah Ward, Jane Freebury, Javier Ocaña, Iranian noir, family, community, morality tale, debt, creditor, prison, leave, complaint, payment, Persian, Amazon Studios, Dolby Digital, Scope (2.35:1), produced by Asghar Farhadi, Alexandre Mallet-Guy
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
Mohsen Tanabandeh – Bahram
Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy – Mme Radmehr
Sarina Farhadi – Nazanin
Sahar Goldust – Farkhondeh
Ehsan Goodarzi – NadeAli
Director(s)
Asghar Farhadi
Writer(s)
Asghar Farhadi
Producer(s)
Asghar Farhadi, Alexandre Mallet-Guy
Film Festivals
Cannes, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (180) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (174) | Rotten (6)
Engaging, provocative art that challenges its audiences.
June 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Wenlei Ma
News.com.au
TOP CRITIC
The film is a sprawling drama about life in modern Iran. It is not always easy to interpret and the action might be considered slow, but the rewards are great.
June 9, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
A Hero is not the most essential Asghar Farhadi movie, but its best qualities exemplify what makes him such an important filmmaker.
January 29, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Robert Levin
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
Farhadi works in a key of wide-screen realism, the better to let everyone have their say.
January 22, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Ty Burr
Ty Burr’s Watch List
TOP CRITIC
Farhadi delivers another knotty morality tale with his superb new film, A Hero…. a quietly devastating portrait of a man damned.
January 21, 2022
Gary M. Kramer
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
“A Hero” is a simple story of how quickly things can fall apart, especially for those who are already vulnerable or prone to losing.
January 20, 2022 | Rating: B
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Asghar Farhadi’s new film is sophisticated Iranian noir. It confirms the director as a strikingly thoughtful filmmaker.
June 28, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Damien Straker
Impulse Gamer
No one constructs a house of cards like Asghar Farhadi.
June 27, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Andiee Paviour
Nobody’s Reading This But Me
Tough, tight, tenacious, and terrifically disdainful of opportunism and obstinance alike, and of people and institutions guilty of both, A Hero is an excavation of secrets and lies — but its power can’t be hidden.
June 24, 2022
Sarah Ward
Concrete Playground
A byzantine narrative that might overwhelm, but a very persuasive central performance, details of family and community and an immersive and quite intriguing sense of place, reflect the subtlety and complexity the director is famous for
June 16, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Jane Freebury
The Canberra Times (Australia)
Cinema driven by facts and words, not images, that envelops you physically and morally until you doubt everything. Even yourself. [Full review in Spanish]
June 14, 2022
Javier Ocaña
El Pais (Spain)
If there’s one skill Asghar Farhadi excels at it’s the slow injection of dramatic grit into his narrative, building out the complexity of his multi-edged morality tale with realism and without contrivance.
June 11, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Jim Schembri
jimschembri.com…
Plot
A man on a two-day leave from prison tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum, but things don’t go as planned in A Hero.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about A Hero.
Asghar-Farhadi.jpg
88%
Drive My Car (2021)
88%RT Audience Score: 78%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
73 wins & 95 nominations total
Drive My Car’s imposing runtime holds a rich, patiently engrossing drama that reckons with self-acceptance and regret.
Drive My Car is like a long, scenic drive with a friend who’s telling you a story. It’s slow-paced, but you don’t mind because the scenery is beautiful and the story is captivating. You might not understand everything that’s happening, but you’re happy to be along for the ride. And when it’s over, you feel like you’ve been on a journey. Plus, the soundtrack is pretty great.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Sideshow / Janus Films
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (HBO Max), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, Japan
MPAA / Certificate
Unrated
Year of Release
2021
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 59m
-
Language(s):Japanese, English, Korean, Sign, Language, German, Mandarin, Tagalog, Korean, Indonesian
-
Country of origin:Japan
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 24, 2021 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 2, 2022
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Reika Kirishima, Yoo-rim Park, Dae-Young Jin, Sonia Yuan, Janice Chan, directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, written by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Danny Leigh, Tim Cogshell, Ty Burr, Maxell Rabb, David Stratton, Paul Byrnes, Sarah Ward, Juan José Beteta, Tom O’Brien, Erick Estrada, Elsa Fernández-Santos, MPAA rating, produced by Tsuyoshi Gorô, Misaki Kawamura, Osamu Kubota, Sachio Matsushita, Yoshito Nakabe, Keiji Okumura, Jin Suzuki, Teruhisa Yamamoto, Haruki Murakami’s short story, Best Screenplay, Uncle Vanya, theater festival, Hiroshima, red Saab 900, TV star, grief, loss, acceptance, peace, road movie, love, regret, self-acceptance, haunting mysteries, past, character studies, Chekov play, metaphor, human condition, reflective power of art, family dinner, garbage site, backseat monologue, decoding a story, human drama, observational moments
Worldwide gross: $15,362,861
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $16,586,340
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,782
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,808,761
US/Canada gross: $2,352,240
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,558,312
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,975
US/Canada opening weekend: $13,775
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,982
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,605
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
Toko Miura – Misaki Watari
Reika Kirishima – Oto, Kafuku’s Wife
Yoo-rim Park – Lee Yoon-a
Dae-Young Jin – Kon Yoon-su
Sonia Yuan – Janice Chan
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi – Director, Writer
Tsuyoshi Gorô – Producer
Misaki Kawamura – Producer
Osamu Kubota – Producer
Sachio Matsushita – Producer
Yoshito Nakabe – Producer
Keiji Okumura – Producer
Jin Suzuki – Producer
Teruhisa Yamamoto – Producer
Director(s)
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
Writer(s)
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
Producer(s)
Tsuyoshi Gorô, Misaki Kawamura, Osamu Kubota, Sachio Matsushita, Yoshito Nakabe, Keiji Okumura, Jin Suzuki, Teruhisa Yamamoto
Film Festivals
Cannes, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
73 wins & 95 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best International Feature Film Of The Year Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (210) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (203) | Rotten (7)
Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi makes it easy to stay put. The film passes at a glide.
March 24, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Danny Leigh
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
I really appreciated this film. It’s very slow moving and you have to stick with it.
March 12, 2022
Tim Cogshell
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
The pieces Hamaguchi assembles don’t seem to add up, and yet when it’s over you may feel that the whole is much, much larger than the sum of the parts, in ways beyond the power to articulate.
March 2, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Ty Burr
Ty Burr’s Watch List
TOP CRITIC
Hamaguchi’s film shows that it will remain beautiful, and viewers will forget that they are not in the red Saab, and instead, they’re together, watching a movie.
February 23, 2022
Maxwelll Rabb
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
It’s a well made, interesting film, but surely no masterpiece.
February 17, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
It’s mysterious, impenetrable, creeping forward on many fronts like a lava flow of ideas and nuance. It’s also throat-catchingly beautiful, as sad as a funeral, and wise in a way few films ever aspire to be.
February 12, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Drive My Car is intimate and detailed about every element of its on-screen voyage and its character studies, and also a road map to soulful, relatable truths.
June 25, 2022
Sarah Ward
Concrete Playground
A deliberate film with an abundance of stories, some unusual, some disruptive, but all break conventional schemes and produce a decelerated sensation against the rhythm of our everyday lives. [Full review in Spanish]
June 21, 2022
Juan José Beteta
Cinencuentro
“Drive My Car” is just as epic in its scope. Here, however, it’s emotional scope, revealing the kind of feelings that may be small and personal at the start but widen to become vast and universal by the time the film reaches its powerful conclusion.
June 16, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
Tom O’Brien
Next Best Picture
Hamaguchi turns a monotonous dialogue-heavy narrative into an explosion that carries us through the rest of the film. [Full review in Spanish]
June 13, 2022
Erick Estrada
Cinegarage
In its understated way, we’re witnessing one of the most extraordinary and profound movies of recent cinema, in which a wordsmith filmmaker like Hamaguchi wins us over with the power of silence. [Full review in Spanish]
June 8, 2022
Elsa Fernández-Santos
El Pais (Spain)
A beautifully wrapped quiet work of art that hits you when you least expect it. It’s a slow-burning arthouse vehicle about grief and love that unfolds over a three-hour run time.
May 31, 2022
Marriska Fernandes
Exclaim!…
Plot
After his wife’s death, a renowned stage actor and director is offered a job directing a production of Uncle Vanya at a theater festival in Hiroshima, where he meets a young woman who becomes his chauffeur and helps him confront painful truths from his past in Drive My Car.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about Drive My Car.
Ryûsuke-Hamaguchi.jpg
88%
The Suicide Squad (2021)
88%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 31 nominations
Enlivened by writer-director James Gunn’s singularly skewed vision, The Suicide Squad marks a funny, fast-paced rebound that plays to the source material’s violent, anarchic strengths.
The Suicide Squad is like a wild rollercoaster ride that you can’t help but enjoy. It’s a perfect blend of humor, action, and gore that will leave you wanting more. The characters are so unique and quirky that you can’t help but root for them, even though they’re supposed to be the bad guys. James Gunn has done an amazing job of bringing these characters to life and making them relatable. If you’re looking for a fun and entertaining movie, then The Suicide Squad is definitely worth a watch. Just be prepared for some blood and guts along the way!
Production Company(ies)
Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (HBO Max), Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Panama
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence and gore, language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and brief graphic nudity
Year of Release
2021
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital IMAX 6-Track
-
Aspect ratio:1.90 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 12m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 6, 2021 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2021
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $168,717,425
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $182,084,317
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 745
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 19,856,523
US/Canada gross: $55,817,425
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $60,707,407
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 984
US/Canada opening weekend: $26,205,415
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $28,501,185
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 485
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $185,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $201,207,243
Production budget ranking: 112
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $108,350,101
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$127,473,027
ROI to date (est.): -41%
ROI ranking: 1,629
Idris Elba – Bloodsport
John Cena – Peacemaker
Viola Davis – Amanda Waller
Sylvester Stallone – King Shark (Voice)
Joel Kinnaman – Colonel Rick Flag
Director(s)
James Gunn
Writer(s)
James Gunn
Producer(s)
Peter Safran, Charles Roven
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 31 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (369) | Top Critics (62) | Fresh (332) | Rotten (37)
An invigorating blast of bloody, disreputable comic-book cinema, “The Suicide Squad” turns its titular criminals into a collection of lovable anti-heroes set loose in a dazzling, surprisingly emotional adventure.
August 25, 2021
Tim Grierson
Screen International
TOP CRITIC
The thing that makes The Suicide Squad so singularly distasteful is closely related to its factory-installed cynicism: the unconscionable glibness that grows out of it.
August 21, 2021
Glen Weldon
NPR
TOP CRITIC
‘The Suicide Squad’ represents the very best that DC films can be, taking the kind of risks that you wouldn’t see in a Marvel property.
August 12, 2021 | Rating: Big Screen Watch
Damian Levy
DamianMichaelMovies.com
TOP CRITIC
If there was even an iota of human emotion evident the movie would be unbearable as well as increasingly vile. But there isn’t, so instead it’s just kind of exhausting…
August 12, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/4
Mark Feeney
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
If the ham-fisted glut of multi-million dollar special effects don’t dazzle you, then the calibre of The Suicide Squad’s genuinely impressive ensemble cast by all rights should.
August 11, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
ABC Radio (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
The movie is too much, too long, but not lacking in its glories. To find them, follow Harley. She’s leading the way.
August 9, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
K. Austin Collins
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
“I actually really enjoyed the film. I audibly laughed out loud a few times. John Cena is hilarious in this film as Peacemaker, he actually has some of the best one liners of the film.”
June 2, 2022
Kay-B
Super Lady Hero Hour
James Gunn not only provides a hilarious and unique superhero tale, but also brings a surprising understand and empathy to those who are often cast as villains in a world that never allows them to be seen as anything else.
May 30, 2022
Jessie Gender
Jessie Gender YouTube Channel
THE SUICIDE SQUAD sticks to its love for dark-humored, splatter b-movie schlock so much, that it almost becomes a detriment. But the whole thing is just too different and crazy to not somehow endear the film and its strange characters.
April 25, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
Jimmy Cage
Jimmy Cage Movie Reviews (YouTube)
Nothing would prepare me for the high-octane, love letter to the genre that would be James Gunns The Suicide Squad. A film that is more than a blockbuster, its cinema at its grandest and most pleasing.
April 22, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
David Gonzalez
Reel Talk Inc.
It’s hard to see Gunn’s first DC adventure as anything other than successful. A chaotic joy, The Suicide Squad doesn’t have much of a point to make – most superhero films try to build a universe, this one blows it to smithereens.
March 3, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
James Luxford
City AM
The Suicide Squad isn’t a horrible movie. It’s just not a terribly memorable one.
February 20, 2022
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz
Remezcla…
Plot
In exchange for lighter sentences, just like the anti-hero team in Suicide Squad (2016), a new batch of Belle Reve’s meta-humans strike a deal with the cold head of Task Force X, Amanda Waller. This time, her ragtag band of super-powered convicts
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
James-Gunn.jpg
88%
One Night in Miami (2020)
88%RT Audience Score: 78%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 3 Oscars
67 wins & 181 nominations total
A hauntingly powerful reflection on larger-than-life figures, One Night in Miami finds Regina King in command of her craft in her feature directorial debut
One Night in Miami is the kind of movie that makes you want to go back in time and hang out with the coolest people in history. The performances are so good, you forget you’re watching actors and start to feel like you’re in the room with Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown. And even though it’s set in the 60s, the themes of race, power, and friendship are just as relevant today. Plus, the ending will leave you feeling like you just got punched in the gut (in a good way). Don’t miss this one!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Amazon Studios
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language throughout
Year of Release
2021
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 50m
-
Language(s):English, Arabic
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2020 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 15, 2021
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Eli Goree, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr., Lance Reddick, Joaquina Kalukango, directed by Regina King, written by Kemp Powers, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Max Weiss, Clarisse Loughrey, Roxana Hadadi, Sara Stewart, directed by Jessica Calder, Keith Calder, Jody Klein, MPAA rating R, Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Jim Brown, civil rights, heavyweight champion, Miami Convention Hall, Amazon Studios, Scope (2.35:1)
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
Aldis Hodge – Jim Brown
Leslie Odom Jr. – Sam Cooke
Eli Goree – Cassius Clay
Lance Reddick – Kareem X
Joaquina Kalukango – Betty X
Director – Regina King
Producers – Jessica Calder, Keith Calder, Jody Klein
Writer – Kemp Powers
Director(s)
Regina King
Writer(s)
Kemp Powers
Producer(s)
Jessica Calder, Keith Calder, Jody Klein
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 3 Oscars
67 wins & 181 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (339) | Top Critics (79) | Fresh (333) | Rotten (6)
Usually, with these kind of films, people get caught up in the historical accuracy…here, they move and shift events around, but really, it embraces the spirit of the time and the characters. Can’t speak highly enough for it.
March 2, 2021 | Rating: A
tt stern-enzi
WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)
TOP CRITIC
All the acting here is remarkable.
January 29, 2021
Max Weiss
Baltimore Magazine
TOP CRITIC
One of the captivating elements of this 110-minute movie is its one-night setting. We see the men as they were then and only then.
January 23, 2021
Stephen Romei
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
One Night in Miami… allows us to see these men beyond how history has written them – as figures of pure action and ideology – and as something more relatably human.
January 22, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Clarisse Loughrey
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The final moments of One Night in Miami… will haunt you, and they’ll remind you: There’s still work to do.
January 22, 2021
Roxana Hadadi
Pajiba
TOP CRITIC
At this moment in time, King’s directorial debut arrives like a thunderclap.
January 22, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sara Stewart
New York Post
TOP CRITIC
King’s trust in the material to allow the audience to make their own connections is evident, and in staying out of the way of the script, she allows the performers to make these larger-than-life figures become the real-life men they once were.
May 13, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
Dan Bayer
Next Best Picture
A truly great example of stage-to-film, bristling with life and running out of time all the same. History written with lightning.
March 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
Williamson Home Page
Best viewed as a portrait of history rather than a document. King and the talented cast capture what this quartet meant to people, rather than who they were, but when it all comes together so gracefully all you can do is sit back and enjoy.
February 28, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
James Luxford
City AM
What becomes evident almost immediately is that King has cast her film so the actors would disappear into their roles, serving the character, not the performer’s celebrity.
February 17, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
To say that One Night in Miami is impressive would be an understatement. This is a film that so easily could have fallen apart if even a single element was not performing to an incredibly high level. Yet every piece of the film is truly inspired.
February 12, 2022
Carson Timar
Filmotomy
The performances were phenomenal. I’m disappointed by how much this was ignored during the 2020 awards season but hoping that people will continue to find this incredible gem.
January 7, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Brandon Collins
Medium Popcorn…
Plot
On one night in 1964, four icons of sports, music, and activism gather to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, as underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali, defeats heavyweight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, in the drama “One Night in Miami” directed by Regina King.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film on Fresh Kernels.
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88%
The Old Ways (2021)
88%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 1 nomination
Review 1: “This movie was terrible. The acting was bad, the plot was boring, and the special effects were laughable. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.”
Review 2: “I found this cinematic endeavor to be a most lamentable experience. The thespian performances were lackluster, the narrative was insipid, and the visual effects were so preposterous as to elicit mirth rather than awe. I cannot in good conscience suggest this film to any discerning viewer.”
Review 3: “This movie was a complete waste of time. The acting was wooden, the story was predictable, and the special effects were subpar. Save yourself the trouble and skip this one.”
Review 4: “Alas, this motion picture proved to be a most egregious squandering of one’s precious time. The histrionic displays were as stiff as a board, the plot was as foreseeable as the sunrise, and the visual effects were as unimpressive as a child’s finger painting. I implore you, dear reader, to abstain from this cinematic atrocity.”
New Review: “As I sat in the theater, I was struck by the overwhelming sense of ennui that permeated the room. The performances were as lifeless as a taxidermied animal, the narrative as predictable as the tides, and the visual effects as unremarkable as a beige wall. It was as if the filmmakers had taken a paint-by-numbers approach to their craft, leaving the audience with a product that was as bland as a bowl of oatmeal. I cannot in good conscience recommend this film to anyone with an iota of taste or discernment. Save your time and money, and seek out a more stimulating cinematic experience.
Review 1: “The food was delicious and the service was excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a great dining experience.”
Review 2: “I had the pleasure of dining at this establishment and let me tell you, it was a culinary delight! The flavors were so exquisite, I wanted to lick the plate clean. And the service? Top-notch! I felt like royalty. If you’re looking for a restaurant that will make your taste buds dance and your heart sing, this is the place for you!
Production Company(ies)
Element Pictures, A24, Film4
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Streaming
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
2021
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:NA
Genre(s)
Keyword(s)
starring Tom Hanks, directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by William Broyles Jr., genre: drama, box office performance: $429.9 million, budget: $90 million, reviewed by Roger Ebert, produced by Tom Hanks, MPAA rating: PG-13, survival, adventure, plane crash, island, friendship, hope, determination, transformation, rescue, cinematography, soundtrack, emotional, inspiring, gripping, intense, heartwarming, Tom Hanks performance, Robert Zemeckis direction, William Broyles Jr screenplay, Helen Hunt, Nick Searcy, Chris Noth, Lari White, Geoffrey Blake, Jenifer Lewis, David Allen Brooks, Paul Sanchez, Peter von Berg, Dmitri S Boudrine, Francois Duhamel, Don Burgess, Alan Silvestri, Chuck Auletti, Ken Ralston, Arthur Schmidt, William Goldenberg, Dennis Muren, Randy Thom, Tom Johnson, Ken Fischer, Doug Hemphill, Scott Millan, Greg P Russell, Karen O’Hara, Rick Carter, William James Teegarden, Leslie McDonald, Nancy Haigh, Joanna Johnston, Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, Wendy Finerman, Cherylanne Martin, Joan Bradshaw, Steven J Boyd, Cast Away
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
Director(s)
NA
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 1 nomination
Academy Awards
Plot
Sorry, as there is no movie mentioned on the webpage, I cannot provide a storyline.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
In the film “Skip to Main Content,” actor John Smith plays a character named Bob who is obsessed with collecting rubber ducks.
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