Cold War (Zimna wojna) (2018)
88%RT Audience Score: 81%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 3 Oscars
50 wins & 126 nominations total
With a brilliantly stark visual aesthetic to match its lean narrative, Cold War doesn’t waste a moment of its brief running time — and doesn’t skimp on its bittersweet emotional impact
Cold War” is a movie that will make you feel all sorts of emotions, from passion to heartbreak. The changing soundtrack and stunning visuals will transport you to a different time and place, and you’ll find yourself rooting for the couple despite the obstacles they face. Plus, who doesn’t love a good love story that transcends language and culture? Just be prepared to feel all the feels.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, The Steve Tisch Company, Wendy Finerman Productions,
Distributor
Amazon Studios
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Croatia
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some sexual content, nudity and language
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 28m
-
Language(s):Polish, French, Croatian, German, Russian, Serbian, Italian
-
Country of origin:United States, United Kingdom, France, Poland
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 21, 2018 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 31, 2019
Genre(s)
Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Agata Kulesza, Adam Woronowicz, Cédric Kahn, directed by Pawel Pawlikowski, written by Pawel Pawlikowski, Janusz Glowacki, romance, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Amy Nicholson, Udita Jhunjhunwala, Adam Graham, Matthew Lickona, Peter Rainer, Max Weiss, Eddie Harrison, Taylor Baker, Giles Harvey, Milana Vujkov, Jason Adams, MPAA rating R, nudity, language, some sexual content, producer Ewa Puszczynska, Tanya Seghatchian, original language Polish, limited release date Dec 21, 2018, streaming release date Mar 31, 2019, Amazon Studios
Worldwide gross: $20,346,993
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $23,943,807
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,640
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,611,102
US/Canada gross: $4,580,048
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $5,389,680
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,780
US/Canada opening weekend: $54,353
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $63,961
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,117
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): 4300000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $5,060,127
Production budget ranking: 1,876
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,724,878
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $16,158,802
ROI to date (est.): 208%
ROI ranking: 617
Tomasz Kot – Wiktor
Borys Szyc – Kaczmarek
Agata Kulesza – Irena
Adam Woronowicz – Consul
Cédric Kahn – Michel
Director(s)
Pawel Pawlikowski
Writer(s)
Pawel Pawlikowski, Janusz Glowacki
Producer(s)
Ewa Puszczynska, Tanya Seghatchian
Film Festivals
Berlin, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 3 Oscars
50 wins & 126 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (253) | Top Critics (64) | Fresh (232) | Rotten (21)
Incredibly sexy. It’s nice to see a movie that’s actually about passion.
September 13, 2019
Amy Nicholson
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
With changing geography and passage of time, the soundtrack shifts from Polish folk to French jazz to rock ‘n’ roll. This is one of the highlights of Pawlikowski’s homage.
March 14, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Udita Jhunjhunwala
Firstpost
TOP CRITIC
“Cold War” captivates and transcends barriers of language and culture. It’s a gorgeous tale as rocky as it is romantic.
February 1, 2019 | Rating: A-
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Heart-thumping: the passion on display is of all sorts, a steady flame against the cold.
January 25, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Matthew Lickona
San Diego Reader
TOP CRITIC
What struck home the most forcefully for me in “Cold War” is its depiction, insidious and unrelenting, of how artists under communism suffered for their art. At its best, the film is like a bulletin from a benighted world.
January 25, 2019 | Rating: B+
Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor
TOP CRITIC
It’s gorgeous to look at and, honestly, quite compelling from beginning to end. I just wish I felt more of the love.
January 25, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Max Weiss
Baltimore Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Cold War marks a huge personal statement by the director, with photography that makes it a scintillating film to watch in HD
March 7, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Episode 16: The Age of Innocence
September 1, 2021 | Rating: 98/100
Taylor Baker
Drink in the Movies
Cold War recalls the visual aesthetic of the Polish Film School, the cinematic movement, inspired in part by Italian neorealism, that flourished in the period of mild liberalization that began in 1956, three years after Stalin’s death.
August 26, 2021
Giles Harvey
Harper’s Magazine
An entirely visceral, poetic and unapologetic ode to the essential mystery of love (…) a diamond and a dagger, in one.
July 30, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Milana Vujkov
Lola On Film
Pawel Pawlikowski’s magnificently romantic and visually bewitching new film Cold War deals in the secret languages and strange understandings between true lovers
July 6, 2021
Jason Adams
The Film Experience
I understand Pawlikowski’s driving idea of ‘love has no ideology or borders’, but the absence of the couple’s political allegiance/aversion as ‘artists’ bothered me, especially no background for either of them were ever fully explored.
February 13, 2021
Dustin Chang
Floating World…
Plot
A passionate love story between two people of different backgrounds and temperaments, who are fatefully mismatched and yet condemned to each other. Set against the background of the Cold War in the 1950s in Poland, Berlin, Yugoslavia and Paris, the film depicts an impossible love story in impossible times.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Joanna Kulig’s performance in Cold War is described as “stunning” and “mesmerizing,” with a resemblance to Jennifer Lawrence.
Pawel-Pawlikowski.jpg
88%
Tea With the Dames (Nothing Like a Dame) (2018)
88%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: 1 nomination
Tea with the Dames proves there’s plenty of entertainment value to be found in rounding up a quartet of screen legends for a chat — and is likely to leave audiences wishing these stars would keep brewing up pots for an ongoing series
If you’re in need of a good laugh and some heartwarming stories, Tea with the Dames is the perfect pick-me-up. Watching these four legendary dames – Eileen Atkins, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, and Maggie Smith – chat and reminisce is like being invited to a cozy afternoon tea with your favorite grandmothers. Sure, there’s no real structure to the film, but who needs structure when you have these witty and charming ladies? So grab a cuppa and settle in for a delightful and deliciously crustless-finger-sandwich of a movie.
Production Company(ies)
R. P. Productions, Heritage Films, Studio Babelsberg
Distributor
Sundance Selects
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Unrated
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 23m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 2018 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 27, 2018
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
starring Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Eileen Atkins, Joan Plowright, directed by Roger Michell, written by N/A, documentary, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Andrea Gronvall, Roxana Hadadi, Kenneth Turan, Glen Weldon, Steve Davis, Anne T Donahue, Richard Crouse, Dennis Harvey, Matthew St Clair, Steven Prokopy, Pat Mullen, produced by Sally Angel, Karen Steyn, MPAA rating, British cinema, British stage, tea, conversation, legends, life, love, art, entertainment, quartet, chat, candid, insightful, unpredictable, acting legends, great friends, reminisce, ruminate, hour and a half, tableside seat, memories, feelings, people, careers, prestigious, talents, overlooked, underestimated
Worldwide gross: $3,188,434
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,752,065
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,255
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 409,167
US/Canada gross: $889,343
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,046,556
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,182
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,777
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,389
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,561
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
Maggie Smith – Self
Eileen Atkins – Self
Joan Plowright – Self
Roger Michell – Director
Sally Angel – Producer
Director(s)
Roger Michell
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Sally Angel, Karen Steyn
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (88) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (86) | Rotten (2)
[A] cozy nonfiction film.
March 5, 2020
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Do you need a life pick-me-up? The dames are here for you.
December 26, 2018
Roxana Hadadi
Pajiba
TOP CRITIC
Candid, insightful and unpredictable, Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright and Dame Maggie Smith are not only acting legends but also great friends. And a treat to hang out with.
December 26, 2018
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
A delightful, delicate, delicious crustless-finger-sandwich of a film…
December 26, 2018
Glen Weldon
NPR
TOP CRITIC
Tea With the Dames peters out as a conversation, given there’s no real beginning, middle or end to the film. It’s a privilege, however, to have been given a tableside seat to listen to this foursome reminisce and ruminate for an hour and a half.
December 13, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Steve Davis
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
We’re offered the precious illusion that we’re close enough with four pillars of English theatre that they’re chatting to us about their memories and feelings; that we get to see them as people and as friends.
November 30, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
Anne T. Donahue
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
The conversation sparkles but don’t come looking for a timeline of their careers. Look instead for insight into lives lived on stage.
February 3, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
Tea is strictly lightweight, an opportunity to hang out with a few grande dames rather than any serious appreciation of their remarkable talents. It’s a PBS Pledge Week kinda tribute, pleasing but weightless.
October 21, 2020
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
It’s enjoyable watching them engage in witty banter but it’s also fascinating seeing them talk about their prestigious careers. Have a sip of tea and enjoy!
October 5, 2020
Matthew St. Clair
Cinema Sentries
I’m sure I will see better, more elaborately structured and edited documentaries this year than director Roger Michell’s Tea with the Dames, but I doubt any will fill me with as much pure, elated joy.
June 23, 2020
Steven Prokopy
Third Coast Review
As splendid as whisky in a teacup.
May 24, 2019
Pat Mullen
POV Magazine
The film also makes points – sometimes subtle, sometimes very frank – about the ways in which women, especially older women, are overlooked and underestimated.
May 11, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Alison Gillmor
Winnipeg Free Press…
Plot
“Nothing Like a Dame” is a documentary featuring British acting legends Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, and Joan Plowright as they chat about their lives, loves, and art.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features screen legends Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, and Joan Plowright spilling the tea on life, love, and art.
Roger-Michell.jpg
88%
Deadpool 2 (2018)
88%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 52 nominations
Though it threatens to buckle under the weight of its meta gags, Deadpool 2 is a gory, gleeful lampoon of the superhero genre buoyed by Ryan Reynolds’ undeniable charm
Deadpool 2 is like a spicy taco – it’s not for everyone, but for those who can handle the heat, it’s a delicious treat. The movie amps up everything that made the first one great, from the humor to the action to the fourth-wall breaking. Sure, it may not be as fresh as the original, but it’s still a wild ride that’s worth taking. Plus, it’s got some real representation for queer ladies, which is always a plus. So grab some popcorn and get ready for some swearing, dirty jokes, and limb-cutting action – it’s Deadpool time.
Production Company(ies)
Fantasy Films, Bryna Productions N.V., Zvaluw
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Centre Lawn Building, Riverview Hospital, Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence and language throughout, sexual references and brief drug material
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:12-Track Digital Sound Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 0m
-
Language(s):English, Cantonese, Spanish, Russian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 18, 2018 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 21, 2018
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $785,896,609
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $924,822,506
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 109
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 100,853,054
US/Canada gross: $324,591,735
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $381,971,036
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 126
US/Canada opening weekend: $125,507,153
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $147,693,524
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 42
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $110,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $129,445,113
Production budget ranking: 275
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $69,706,194
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $725,671,199
ROI to date (est.): 364%
ROI ranking: 376
Josh Brolin – Cable
Morena Baccarin – Vanessa
Zazie Beetz – Domino
Brianna Hildebrand – Negasonic Teenage Warhead
Julian Dennison – Firefist
Director(s)
David Leitch
Writer(s)
Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Producer(s)
Ryan Reynolds, Simon Kinberg, Lauren Shuler Donner
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 52 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (422) | Top Critics (80) | Fresh (354) | Rotten (68)
Everything that you got in the first film, you get times three.
March 21, 2019
tt stern-enzi
WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)
TOP CRITIC
If you like your cinema understated and refined, then this is not for you. But for the rest of us, there’s enough to enjoy here.
August 28, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Anupama Chopra
Film Companion
TOP CRITIC
I don’t think the second film is terrible, I did find it quite dull.
August 28, 2018
Mark Kermode
Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
TOP CRITIC
You know when you first see a meme that’s fresh, still funny? Now, think about when you see that same meme after 4 months worth of riffing….that’s Deadpool 2.
August 27, 2018 | Rating: 2/4
Robert Daniels
812filmreviews
TOP CRITIC
…no grand satire here, just self-awareness – and enough surprises, solid jokes and well-crafted action sequences to be entertaining.
August 24, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Adam Kempenaar
Filmspotting
TOP CRITIC
I enjoyed Deadpool 2. For its humor, for its action sequences, for its relentless breaking of the fourth wall, and for giving us real, undeniable queer ladies.
May 29, 2018
Valerie Anne Liston
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
Although less cohesive and more meandering than the first, it’s an entertaining sequel that pushes the franchise forward.
March 14, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Deadpool 2 is somehow more exhausting, and somehow, still works pretty well.
February 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
The Falcoholic
There’s a lot of swearing, a lot of dirty jokes, a lot of violence with limbs and body parts getting cut off left and right. Basically, the first Deadpool, just with double the fun.
August 14, 2021 | Rating: 8/10
Nicholas Oon
Maximum Hype (YouTube)
Isn’t as great as its predecessor was, but it sticks to its guns with enough panache to keep it afloat.
June 24, 2021 | Rating: 3 / 5
Nicolás Delgadillo
Discussing Film
A third installment, you sense, makes perfect sense.
April 29, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Nick Reilly
NME
The movie’s progressivism is a touch paradoxical but inviting: a boys’ club that wants everyone to join.
February 5, 2021 | Rating: B
Jesse Hassenger
Nylon…
Plot
After losing Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), the love of his life, 4th-wall breaking mercenary Wade Wilson aka Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) must assemble a team and protect a young, fat mutant Russell Collins aka Firefist (Julian Dennison) from Cable (Josh Brolin), a no-nonsense, dangerous cyborg from the future, and must also learn the most important lesson of all: to be part of a family again.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
David-Leitch.jpg
88%
The Death of Stalin (2018)
88%RT Audience Score: 78%
Awards & Nominations: 18 wins & 40 nominations total
The Death of Stalin finds director/co-writer Arnando Iannucci in riotous form, bringing his scabrous political humor to bear on a chapter in history with painfully timely parallels
The Death of Stalin” is a hilarious and absurdly smart film that will have you laughing out loud. The politicians’ attempts to feign grief about Stalin’s death while secretly delighted is a running gag that highlights the absurdity of communism. The film is both frightening and funny at the same time, and the strong comic performances make it an audacious reimagining of history. It’s mind-bendingly clever and completely silly, making it a must-watch for anyone who loves a good political satire. Plus, with Python emeritus Michael Palin in the cast, it’s got a Python-ian flavor that will have you quoting lines for days.
Production Company(ies)
Backup Media, Big Farm Broadcasting Authority of Ireland
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Olesya Honchara 45b, Kyiv, Ukraine
MPAA / Certificate
rated R for language throughout, violence and some sexual references
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 47m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 9, 2018 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 11, 2018
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
The Death of Stalin, Comedy, 1h 47m, directed by Armando Iannucci, written by Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Ian Martin, produced by Nicolas Duval-Adassovsky, Kevin Loader, Laurent Zeitoun, Yann Zenou, starring Steve Buscemi, Andrea Riseborough, Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, Jeffrey Tambor, R-rated, box office gross $8.0M, reviewed by Robert Daniels, Sandra Hall, Wenlei Ma, Adam Graham, David Stratton, Chris Vognar, Daniel Howat, Brian Eggert, Mark Jackson, Olly Richards, Richard Crouse,
Worldwide gross: $24,646,055
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $29,002,831
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,556
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,162,795
US/Canada gross: $8,047,856
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $9,470,506
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,628
US/Canada opening weekend: $184,805
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $217,474
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,639
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $13,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $15,298,059
Production budget ranking: 1,503
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $8,238,005
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,466,767
ROI to date (est.): 23%
ROI ranking: 1,276
Andrea Riseborough – Svetlana Stalin
Simon Russell Beale – Lavrentiy Beria
Rupert Friend – Vasily Stalin
Jason Isaacs – Georgy Zhukov
Jeffrey Tambor – Georgy Malenkov
Director(s)
Armando Iannucci
Writer(s)
Armando Iannucci, David Schneider, Ian Martin
Producer(s)
Nicolas Duval-Adassovsky, Kevin Loader, Laurent Zeitoun, Yann Zenou
Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
18 wins & 40 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (251) | Top Critics (64) | Fresh (238) | Rotten (13)
The Death of Stalin is not only unexpected, but sharp, witty, and effectively spurious.
August 27, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Robert Daniels
812filmreviews
TOP CRITIC
A devastatingly funny dissection of power politics, stripping the mystique from it and those who worship it. Iannucci has done it again.
March 30, 2018 | Rating: 4.5/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
The Death of Stalin is signature Iannucci – absurd set-ups leading to even more outrageous ends via the spitefully delicious cadence of his dialogue.
March 30, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Wenlei Ma
News.com.au
TOP CRITIC
“The Death of Stalin” is a deep farce, but it is rooted in enough political reality that it hardly feels sensationalized. And given the current state of politics, it’s as on-point as a breaking news alert.
March 23, 2018 | Rating: A-
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
While much of this is certainly hilarious, there are also scenes that drag.
March 23, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
The Death of Stalin is actually a lot like Veep, except with gulags and executions.
March 22, 2018 | Rating: A-
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
This is what great satires do: make us laugh while giving us glimpses of our own reality. The Death Of Stalin is a truly funny and absurdly smart film.
May 19, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
Daniel Howat
Next Best Picture
The brilliance of Iannucci’s limber tonal shifts is that he can switch between them in an instant, keeping a sharp audience on edge, while never losing our investment in the film.
March 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Politicians bumbling attempts to feign grief about Stalin’s death while secretly delighted, functions as a running gag with a Python-ian flavor (heightened by Python emeritus Michael Palin in the cast) and thereby highlighting the absurdity of communism.
August 5, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Mark Jackson
Epoch Times
It’s as mind-bendingly clever as it is completely silly.
April 23, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Olly Richards
NME
An audacious reimagining of history. Strong comic performances are highlighted in a film that is both frightening and funny at the same time.
March 4, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
The Death of Stalin is a fatally ill-conceived “black comedy” … The film is not so much maliciously anticommunist as it is, above all, historically clueless.
February 11, 2021
David Walsh
World Socialist Web Site…
Plot
In early-1953 Moscow, under the Great Terror’s heavy cloak of state paranoia, the ever-watchful Soviet leader, Iosif Stalin, collapses unexpectedly of a brain haemorrhage. As a result, when someone discovers his body the following morning, a frenetic surge of raw panic starts spreading like a virus among the senior members of the Council of Ministers, as they scramble to maintain order, weed out the competition, and ultimately take power. But in the middle of a gut-wrenching rollercoaster of incessant plotting, tireless machinations, and frail allegiances, absolutely no one is safe; not even the feared chief of the secret police, Lavrenti Beria. In the end, who will prevail after the death of Stalin?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of The Death of Stalin delivers “excellent performances” according to an audience review on Fresh Kernels.
Armando-Iannucci.jpg
88%
Upgrade (2018)
88%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Upgrade is a film that is both a love letter to the 80s and a warning about the dangers of technology. With a score that could easily fit into any classic action movie and a plot that explores the consequences of playing God with machines, Upgrade is a fun and thought-provoking ride. The film takes just enough liberties with reality to keep the audience engaged without feeling too far-fetched. It’s a pulpy, low-pretense thriller that manages to stand out in a sea of franchise films. Upgrade is the kind of movie that Black Mirror fans will love, but it’s also a great choice for anyone who enjoys a good revenge story.
Upgrade is like if Black Mirror and John Wick had a baby, and that baby was really good at fighting. It’s a fun, violent ride that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but still manages to have some interesting ideas about the dangers of technology. Plus, the 80s-inspired score is worth the price of admission alone. If you’re looking for a pulpy, non-franchise thriller that’s a little bit silly and a lot of fun, Upgrade is definitely worth checking out.
Production Company(ies)
Automatik, Blumhouse Productions, Universal Pictures
Distributor
BH Tilt
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 35m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 1, 2018 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 14, 2018
Genre(s)
Sci-fi/Action
Keyword(s)
starring Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Christopher Kirby, Simon Maiden, Benedict Hardie, directed by Leigh Whannell, written by Leigh Whannell, sci-fi, action, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Karl Quinn, Tara Brady, Mark Kermode, Geoffrey Macnab, Ed Potton, Olly Richards, Brian Eggert, Emma Wolfe, Jesse Hassenger, Matt Brunson, Jordy Sirkin, R rating, artificial intelligence, revenge, paralyzed, implant, STEM, superhuman strength, agility, billionaire inventor, Cortez, Tolan, Fisk, produced by Jason Blum, Kylie Du Fresne, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Blumhouse Productions, Goalpost Pictures, MPAA rating, grisly images, strong violence, original language English, runtime 1h 35m, distributor BH Tilt
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.): $5,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $6,248,077
Production budget ranking: 1,813
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,364,590
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Betty Gabriel – Cortez
Harrison Gilbertson – Eron
Christopher Kirby – Tolan
Simon Maiden – Stem Voice
Benedict Hardie – Fisk
Director – Leigh Whannell
Producers – Jason Blum, Kylie Du Fresne, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones
Writer – Leigh Whannell
Director(s)
Leigh Whannell
Writer(s)
Leigh Whannell
Producer(s)
Jason Blum, Kylie Du Fresne, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones
Film Festivals
South by Southwest
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (195) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (172) | Rotten (23)
It’s funny, violent and full of ideas.
January 5, 2019
Karl Quinn
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Jed Palmer’s excellent 1980s-alike score would alone justify the admission price. Good, clean, gory fun.
September 10, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
It takes just the right number of liberties with what you can actually believe in.
September 7, 2018
Mark Kermode
Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
TOP CRITIC
It’s still a small, silly movie and there’s nothing particularly novel or even of the moment about its technosceptic stance on machines, but as a genre exercise, it’s a fun ride.
September 1, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Simran Hans
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Whatever the case, Upgrade has enough extra features and add-ons to seem like much more than just another pre-programmed revenge thriller.
August 31, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Apart from a few flimsy special effects…this is a satire that cleaves dangerously close to reality at times.
August 30, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Ed Potton
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Leigh Whannell’s utopian-future horror is daft but entirely in on the joke.
September 13, 2022
Olly Richards
Sunday Times (UK)
Even though it plays like a 90-minute episode of Black Mirror, it would be a pretty good episode.
March 14, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
A really fun but also really compelling ride.
April 9, 2021 | Rating: 8/10
Emma Wolfe
SpookyAstronauts
The kind of pulpy, low-pretense, non-franchise thriller that bigger studios have done their best to usher toward extinction.
February 5, 2021 | Rating: B
Jesse Hassenger
Nylon
With its emphasis on technology, slightly futuristic setting, and fondness for disturbing developments, Upgrade feels like an episode of Black Mirror that somehow managed to break free from its Netflix surroundings and emerge unscathed on the big screen.
January 24, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Upgrade is the best of revenge thrillers mixed with a masterfully creative futuristic world.
January 2, 2021
Jordy Sirkin
Jordy Reviews It…
Plot
After a brutal mugging leaves him paralyzed and his wife dead, Grey Trace seeks revenge against the thugs who destroyed his life with the help of an artificial intelligence implant called STEM that enhances his body in the sci-fi action film, Upgrade.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t have anything goofy or funny or odd to say about the film Upgrade.
Leigh-Whannell.jpg
88%
The Wolf House (La casa lobo) (2018)
88%RT Audience Score:
Awards & Nominations: 8 wins & 20 nominations
Surreal, unsettling, and finally haunting, The Wolf House is a stunning outpouring of creativity whose striking visuals queasily complement its disturbing story
The Wolf House is a stop-motion film that will make you feel like you’re in a nightmare, but in a good way. It’s like if Disney’s Snow White met Wes Craven and they had a twisted love child. The visuals are so impressive that every frame is like a work of art. It’s definitely not a feel-good movie, but it’s worth watching for the sheer creativity and beauty of it all. Just make sure you’re mentally prepared for the dark and gloomy ride.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
KimStim
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.50 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 15m
-
Language(s):Spanish, German
-
Country of origin:Chile, Germany
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 15, 2020 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 15, 2020
Genre(s)
Fantasy/Horror
Keyword(s)
The Wolf House, Fantasy, Horror, Drama, Spanish, Joaquín Cociña, Cristóbal León, Niles Atallah, Catalina Vergara, Joaquín Cociña, Cristóbal León, Alejandra Moffat, Amalia Kassai, Rainer Krause, directed by Joaquín Cociña, directed by Cristóbal León, written by Joaquín Cociña, written by Cristóbal León, written by Alejandra Moffat, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nick Schager, reviewed by Carlos Aguilar, reviewed by Richard Whittaker, reviewed by Jo Livingstone, reviewed by David Ehrlich, reviewed by Matt Fagerholm, reviewed by Diego Batlle, reviewed by Ayeen Forootan, reviewed by Robert Roten, reviewed by Dustin Chang, reviewed by Tim Brayton, MPAA rating, surreal, unsettling, haunting, stunning visuals, disturbing story, young woman, German colony, southern Chile
Worldwide gross: $1,970
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,248
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,156
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 245
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
Rainer Krause – Wolf (Voice)
Joaquín Cociña – Director, Screenwriter
Cristóbal León – Director, Screenwriter
Niles Atallah – Producer
Catalina Vergara – Producer
Alejandra Moffat – Screenwriter
Director(s)
Joaquín Cociña, Cristóbal León
Writer(s)
Joaquín Cociña, Cristóbal León, Alejandra Moffat
Producer(s)
Niles Atallah, Catalina Vergara
Film Festivals
Berlin, Cannes
Awards & Nominations
8 wins & 20 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (2)
There’s gnarly, unnerving texture to everything in this unhinged film, which fragments and reforms like a nightmare born from the darkest recesses of the mind.
January 27, 2021
Nick Schager
The Daily Beast
TOP CRITIC
It’s the Disney’s Golden Age enchantment by way of horror master Wes Craven, done with resourceful virtuosity…
June 18, 2020
Carlos Aguilar
TheWrap
TOP CRITIC
The Wolf House undoubtedly has sharp and fascinating pints to make… But those messages get lost in a slow-moving avalanche of undeniably impressive images that never quite touch the emotions in the way they are meant.
May 29, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/5
Richard Whittaker
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
The Wolf House is stop-motion unlike anything you’ve seen before, in which every single frame is an individual monument…
May 22, 2020
Jo Livingstone
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
“The Wolf House” reminds us that fairy tales are powerful because, once upon a time, we were all young enough to believe them.
May 18, 2020 | Rating: B+
David Ehrlich
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
Its visual landscape is unlike any I’ve experienced, and though everything about it is aggressively repellant, it still managed to hold me in a constant state of gobsmacked awe.
May 15, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Fagerholm
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
An artisanal animation with a strange and fascinating beauty in its twisted visual and oral narration. [Full review in Spanish]
June 29, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Diego Batlle
Otroscines.com
It is a film in the vein of visionaries or even illusionists, part of a lineage that can be traced back to the Mélièsian origins of cinematographic art.
June 5, 2021
Ayeen Forootan
In Review Online
Had I gone into this film mentally prepared for this nightmarish depiction of a doomed existence of betrayal and abuse, it would not have been so bad, but I think it would still be a downer.
February 22, 2021 | Rating: C+
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope
Endlessly inventive, La Casa Lobo is one of those animations for adults- dark and gloomy, pointy in its politics and mesmerizing in its craft. One of the year’s best.
February 12, 2021
Dustin Chang
Floating World
A psychological thriller of the most harrowing kind.
January 22, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Tim Brayton
Alternate Ending
An astonishingly detailed, lovingly assembled piece of work which confronts one of the darkest episodes in Chile’s troubled history, this is a film you will never forget.
January 16, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Jennie Kermode
Eye for Film…
Plot
A young woman seeks refuge in a mysterious house in the woods after escaping from a German colony in southern Chile in the surreal and haunting film, The Wolf House.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels review for The Wolf House.
Joaquín-Cociña.jpg
88%
Step (2017)
88%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: 5 nominations
Step tells an irresistibly crowd-pleasing story in a thoroughly absorbing way — and while smartly incorporating a variety of timely themes
Step is the ultimate underdog story that will have you cheering for these young girls from the very beginning. It’s a documentary that will make you laugh, cry, and feel inspired all at once. Who knew that step dancing could be so powerful? The film beautifully captures the struggles and triumphs of these girls as they navigate their way through high school and life. It’s a must-watch for anyone who needs a little motivation to chase their dreams.
Production Company(ies)
Les Films, du Poisson Arte France Cinéma Entre Chien et Loup
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MMC Studios, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements/disturbing images
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 23m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 4, 2017 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 17, 2017
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, Step, high school, step team, Baltimore, college, social unrest, girls, dancing, inner-city, PG, Amanda Lipitz, Steven Cantor, Thematic Elements, Some Language, Fox Searchlight, Blessin Giraldo, directed by Amanda Lipitz, produced by Steven Cantor, produced by Amanda Lipitz, $973.7K, box office, gross USA, English, critic reviews, reviewed by Soraya Nadia McDonald, reviewed by Valerie Complex, reviewed by Wendy Ide, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, reviewed by Demetrios Matheou, reviewed by Gayle MacDonald, reviewed by Steven Prokopy, reviewed by Dan Scully, reviewed by Charlotte Harrison, reviewed by Leslie Combemale, reviewed by Matt Brunson, directed by Amanda Lipitz, produced by Steven Cantor, produced by Amanda Lipitz, Thematic Elements, Some Language, PG, documentary, Step, high school, step team, Baltimore, college, social unrest, girls, dancing, inner-city, Blessin Giraldo, Amanda Lipitz, Steven Cantor
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
Amanda Lipitz – Director
Barbara Dobkin – Executive Producer
Dan Cogan – Executive Producer
Steven Cantor – Producer
Amanda Lipitz – Producer
Director(s)
Amanda Lipitz
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Steven Cantor, Amanda Lipitz
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
5 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (103) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (99) | Rotten (4)
Step is the story of young girls who are beating the odds. After seeing it, I hope audiences remember these girls never should have had to face such odds in the first place.
September 26, 2017
Soraya Nadia McDonald
Andscape
TOP CRITIC
Rest assured audience members will be thinking about Step long after it’s over.
September 16, 2017
Valerie Complex
Birth.Movies.Death.
TOP CRITIC
There’s a slickness to this storytelling that makes everything feel slightly fraudulent, even if it isn’t. And yet I kind of loved it.
August 13, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
No movie has lifted up my soul this year as much as this one has. No movie has had me crying tears of pure joy in quite the volume this one has.
August 11, 2017 | Rating: 4/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
The portrait of the girls, their hard-up but loving parents (two are single mums, men being conspicuous by their absence) and the school staff egging them on is in turns saddening and lovely, the drama of their collective effort intensely moving.
August 11, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Demetrios Matheou
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Step is a story about relationships. And how even the most challenging family ties shape us into the people we are destined to become.
August 11, 2017 | Rating: 3/4
Gayle MacDonald
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
The reason Step works so well is that you can actually see life paths shifting before you eyes. They put in the work on and off the team, and the results happen.
May 12, 2020
Steven Prokopy
Third Coast Review
There’s plenty of goodness in this world and Step is a potent reminder of what it looks like and what it can accomplish.
March 24, 2020
Dan Scully
Cinema76
Step isn’t just a documentary, it’s an empowering and rapturous celebration.
January 27, 2020
Charlotte Harrison
VultureHound
Step is one of those documentaries that both fascinates and uplifts.
October 18, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Leslie Combemale
Cinema Siren
It’s not unreasonable to assume that the title doesn’t refer to this chosen form of dancing as much as it refers to the steps each girl must take if she wants to break free from her surroundings and escape into the world at large.
July 21, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
This summer’s mega-budget blockbusters can’t pack the cathartic punch provided by the most satisfying moments in Step’s triumphant third act. And this is real life.
July 16, 2019 | Rating: 8/10
Dominic Griffin
DCist…
Plot
When patients’ rights lawyer Colette Hughes goes to meet her new client, Eleanor Riese, a patient in the psychiatric unit of a San Francisco hospital, she has no idea that besides taking on an uphill legal battle to improve treatment for mental patients in hospitals, she is meeting a woman who will make it her mission to transform Colette’s workaholic life.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Step on Fresh Kernels.
Amanda-Lipitz.jpg
88%
Zama (2018)
88%RT Audience Score: 78%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Zama offers a series of scathingly insightful observations about colonialism and class dynamics — and satisfyingly ends a long wait between projects from writer-director Lucrecia Martel
Zama is a movie that will leave you feeling like you just woke up from a fever dream. It’s slow, cryptic, and at times, downright bizarre. But that’s what makes it so fascinating. You’ll find yourself completely immersed in the world of colonial South America, even if you’re not entirely sure what’s going on. And when it’s all over, you’ll be left with a sense of unease that will stay with you long after the credits roll. So if you’re in the mood for something a little weird and a lot thought-provoking, give Zama a watch. Just don’t expect to fully understand it.
Production Company(ies)
Greenwich Film Productions, Herald Ace Nippon Herald Films,
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 55m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States, Argentina, Brazil, France, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 13, 2018 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 8, 2018
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
Zama, History, Drama, Spanish, Lucrecia Martel, Vânia Catani, Benjamín Doménech, Santiago Gallelli, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lola Dueñas, Matheus Nachtergaele, Juan Gervasio Minujín, Nahuel Cano, Daniel Veronese, Box Office, $200.2K, MPAA rating, Dolby Digital, reviewed by Ben Croll, reviewed by Ben Sachs, reviewed by Adam Nayman, reviewed by Jake Wilson, reviewed by Sandra Hall, reviewed by Ty Burr, reviewed by Rosa Parra, reviewed by Brian Eggert, reviewed by Andrew Murray, reviewed by Dustin Chang, reviewed by Manuel Betancourt, colonialism, class dynamics, transfer, Governors, officer, South America, existential, physical space, Antonio di Benedetto, literary adaptation, sociopolitical commentary, filmmaking
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
Lola Dueñas – Luciana Piñares de Luenga
Matheus Nachtergaele – Vicuña Porto
Juan Gervasio Minujín – Ventura Prieto
Nahuel Cano – Manuel Fernández
Daniel Veronese – Gobernador
Director(s)
Lucrecia Martel
Writer(s)
Lucrecia Martel
Producer(s)
Vânia Catani, Benjamín Doménech, Santiago Gallelli
Film Festivals
Venice, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (112) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (108) | Rotten (4)
As an existential objet d’art Zama stands as a serious achievement. But that won’t prevent even the most sophisticated of cinephiles from staggering out of the theater, wondering “What in the world did I just see?”
February 12, 2020 | Rating: B
Ben Croll
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
This blackly funny-and ultimately haunting-examination of colonial history is thoroughly characteristic in its brilliant manipulation of physical space.
January 17, 2019
Ben Sachs
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
If cinema is about being transported to another place, Martel is unrivaled as a guide…
December 7, 2018
Adam Nayman
The Ringer
TOP CRITIC
Told in the typically oblique style of Argentinian director Lucrecia Martel, this adaptation of Antonio di Benedetto’s novel is nonetheless a pointed fable about the futility of colonialism.
September 27, 2018
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
You have to find your own way through Zama, slowed down by the tropical torpor that hangs over the whole film. The pace is languid, the style is cryptic and the mood is downbeat, to say the least.
September 26, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Some movies unfold as dreams; “Zama” dances us playfully toward the edge of nightmare and then asks us to open our eyes.
July 5, 2018 | Rating: 4/4
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
A well done period piece
July 3, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
Rosa Parra
Latinx Lens
Sensuous and formally audacious – a tremendous synthesis of textual adaptation, directorial authorship, sociopolitical commentary, and sophisticated filmmaking.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Zama manages to balance the line between being completely fascinating and utterly tedious
February 6, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Andrew Murray
The Upcoming
Zama is an utterly brilliant film. See it on the big screen if you can.
July 17, 2020
Dustin Chang
ScreenAnarchy
Zama is that rarest of creative feats: a perfect coupling of literary source material and cinematic sensibility.
March 9, 2020
Manuel Betancourt
Remezcla
Languishing in a godforsaken, 18th-century South American colony, pining for his family and desperate beyond measure to be gone, magistrate Don Diego de Zama is in fact going precisely nowhere.
July 7, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Andiee Paviour
Nobody’s Reading This But Me…
Plot
Zama, an officer of the Spanish Crown in South America, waits for a transfer while accepting every task from successive Governors in this scathingly insightful observation of colonialism and class dynamics.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about Zama.
Lucrecia-Martel.jpg
88%
Black Panther (2018)
88%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU’s most absorbing stories — and introducing some of its most fully realized characters
Black Panther” is the superhero movie we didn’t know we needed. It’s got everything: action, adventure, and a killer soundtrack. Plus, the costumes are on point. But what really sets it apart is the way it tackles important issues like racism and oppression. It’s not just a movie, it’s a cultural movement. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to see Michael B. Jordan shirtless?
Production Company(ies)
Mad As Birds G-B A S E Head Gear Films,
Distributor
Walt Disney
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2018
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:IMAX 6-Track Dolby Digital DTS Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 14m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 16, 2018 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2018
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, directed by Ryan Coogler, written by Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, action, adventure, fantasy, PG-13, Kevin Feige, Walt Disney, DTS, Dolby Atmos, Scope (2.35:1), Marvel Cinematic Universe, box office, gross USA, $700.2M, critic reviews, reviewed by Jenna Marotta, Lawrence Ware, Mark Kermode, Robert Daniels, Carmen Phillips, Michael Sragow, Tony Black, Brian Eggert, Cory Woodroof, Nathan Mattise, Fletcher Powell, Nicolás Delgadillo, audience score, 79%, 50,000+ ratings, T’Challa, Black Panther, Erik Killmonger, Nakia, Okoye, Everett K Ross, W’Kabi, Ruth Carter, traditional costumes, indigenous dialects, superhero cinema, MCU, absorbing stories, fully realized characters, African nation, Wakanda, powerful enemy, conflict, treachery, danger, young king, allies, full power, defeat, safety, people, sequences of action violence, brief rude gesture
Worldwide gross: $1,346,913,161
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $700,059,566
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
Michael B. Jordan – Erik Killmonger
Lupita Nyong’o – Nakia
Danai Gurira – Okoye
Martin Freeman – Everett K. Ross
Daniel Kaluuya – W’Kabi
Director(s)
Ryan Coogler
Writer(s)
Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole
Producer(s)
Kevin Feige
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Costume Design Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Production Design Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Original Score Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (528) | Top Critics (98) | Fresh (509) | Rotten (19)
Each man and woman…is resplendent in Ruth Carter’s traditional costumes. Indigenous dialects are spoken amid the space flights, museum heists, and car chases.
March 31, 2020
Jenna Marotta
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
“Black Panther” lived up to the hype.
January 9, 2019
Lawrence Ware
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
You could feel like everybody felt like they were making something that they were really proud of.
August 28, 2018
Mark Kermode
Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
TOP CRITIC
But Black Panther was a moment, not just for Marvel fans and Disney stans, but it was the rare instance of a film purporting itself to be a cultural movement, and succeeding.
August 27, 2018 | Rating: 4/4
Robert Daniels
812filmreviews
TOP CRITIC
I want us to love on Black Panther, bravely and openly. But, we cannot forget the asterisk. We cannot forget that a significant achievement for black representation once again came on the back of forced black queer silence.
April 20, 2018
Carmen Phillips
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
Black Panther gives off a contemporary crackle while staying true to its roots, both African and Marvel.
March 2, 2018
Michael Sragow
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Black Panther feels as much like a moment as it does a movie.
April 2, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
Tony Black
Cultural Conversation
The film has an unabashed and defiant political viewpoint, supplementing its superhero genre mechanics with a relevant commentary on history, racism, and human injustice
March 14, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
It’s also a breath of fresh air for the cinematic universe its set in, one that has developed a few bad habits over the years, one that also needed a fresh perspective, and a divergence from the grander threads a play in the narrative.
February 11, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Cory Woodroof
615 Film
[It] showed not only was there audience appetite for a big-budget black superhero flick, but there was appetite for one that grappled with modern societal challenges like isolationism, oppression, and technological disparity.
July 28, 2021
Nathan Mattise
Ars Technica
There’s so much to celebrate about Black Panther.
July 20, 2021
Fletcher Powell
KMUW – Wichita Public Radio
It’s a cultural phenomenon.
June 24, 2021
Nicolás Delgadillo
Discussing Film…
Plot
After the death of his father, T’Challa returns to Wakanda to take his rightful place as king and as Black Panther, but when a powerful enemy reappears, he must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Black Panther on Fresh Kernels.
Ryan-Coogler.jpg
88%
Beats (2020)
88%RT Audience Score: 77%
Awards & Nominations: 50 wins & 57 nominations
Well-acted and enlivened by an evocative soundtrack and period detail, Beats draws timeless themes out of its specific story and setting
Beats is like a time machine that takes you back to the 90s rave scene, complete with the neon lights, thumping beats, and questionable fashion choices. But it’s not just about the party – it’s about the friendship between two boys on the cusp of adulthood, and the emotional journey they go on together. It’s a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and dance in your seat. So put on your glow sticks and get ready to be transported to a simpler time, where all you needed was good music and good company.
Production Company(ies)
Apple Original Films, Cartoon Saloon Mélusine Productions,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Paris, France
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2017
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):French
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Country of origin:United Kingdom
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Sep 2, 2020
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Martin Donaghy, Brian Ferguson, Ryan Fletcher, Laura Fraser, Rachel Jackson, Neil Leiper, directed by Brian Welsh, written by Kieran Hurley, Brian Welsh, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Tara Brady, Richard Whittaker, David Ehrlich, Collin Souter, Sara Michelle Fetters, Ben Kenigsberg, Cameron Frew, Ryan Suckling, Leonardo Goi, Tom Meek, Aaron Neuwirth, genre, producer Camilla Bray, MPAA rating, 1990s rave culture, Scottish friends, partying, friendship, soundtrack, period detail, adulthood, cultural kerfuffle, Cool Britannia, poignant relationship, unbridled energy, character interactions, well-written indie, raw power, warm sentiment
Worldwide gross: $7,704,369
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $9,293,288
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,986
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,013,445
US/Canada gross: $125,189
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $151,007
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,593
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,566
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $10,333
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,697
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): 5383899
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $6,494,253
Production budget ranking: 1,826
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,497,155
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$698,121
ROI to date (est.): -7%
ROI ranking: 1,431
Brian Ferguson – Robert
Ryan Fletcher – PC Billy Moncrief
Laura Fraser – Alison
Rachel Jackson – Wendy
Neil Leiper – Fido
Director(s)
Brian Welsh
Writer(s)
Kieran Hurley, Brian Welsh
Producer(s)
Camilla Bray
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
50 wins & 57 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (62) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (61) | Rotten (1)
The film does a terrific job of replicating the rave scene adjacent to the cultural kerfuffle of Cool Britannia.
February 14, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
The script may be a bleaker take on a tale we’ve seen so many times before, but their trembling steps toward adulthood hit the right rhythm.
June 26, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/5
Richard Whittaker
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
If “Beats” slows down on its way to the rave, it makes up for that and then some when it finally gets there.
June 26, 2020 | Rating: B
David Ehrlich
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
Welsh’s frequently funny and moving Beats accomplishes a lot in its seemingly simple story of a fragile friendship.
June 26, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Collin Souter
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
I was a little shocked by just how much Beats ended up affecting me.
June 26, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
This tender, detail-filled movie lives for the moment.
June 25, 2020
Ben Kenigsberg
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
A soulful film that combines poignant, observational drama and colloquial comedy with aplomb.
February 14, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Cameron Frew
Flickering Myth
Welsh goes beyond the social realism so prevalent in British film, to capture the immediacy and euphoria of 1990s rave culture.
February 14, 2021 | Rating: 15/20
Ryan Suckling
FILMINK (Australia)
Beats thrums with an unbridled energy that owes less to the massive party it culminates with than to the poignant relationship between the two characters who head into it.
February 14, 2021 | Rating: B+
Leonardo Goi
The Film Stage
Macdonald and Ortega strike gold in their characters’ bond, which is the true heart of the film.
December 9, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
There’s an authenticity to the work and the character interactions, but the film doesn’t just settle at being a well-written indie.
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Aaron Neuwirth
We Live Entertainment
In a true manifestation of the film’s simple, raw power, it evoked warm sentiment in me for a cultural moment I never experienced.
August 15, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Tom Beasley
VultureHound…
Plot
In the early 1990s, with AIDS having already claimed countless lives for nearly 10 years, ACT UP Paris activists multiply actions to fight general indifference. Nathan, a newcomer to the group, has his world shaken up by Sean, a radical militant, who throws his last bits of strength into the struggle.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Laura Fraser, who plays Alison in the film, is also known for her roles in popular TV shows like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
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