Production Company(ies)
Big Beach Films, Tencent Pictures, Tri Star Pictures,
 
Distributor
IFC Films
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Austin, Texas, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language including sexual references, and for teen drug and alcohol use
 
Year of Release
2014
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Lorelei Linklater, Tamara Jolaine, Nick Krause, directed by Richard Linklater, written by Richard Linklater, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Chris Nashawaty, Candice Frederick, David Sims, Jason Bailey, David Edelstein, Jocelyn Noveck, Danilo Castro, Gautam Anand, Cory Woodroof, James Croot, Jason Adams, Yasmin Omar, MPAA rating R, growing up, family, childhood, adolescence, milestones, Coldplay, Arcade Fire, human condition, 12 years, IFC Films, Cathleen Sutherland, produced by Richard Linklater, English, sexual references, language, teen drug and alcohol use
 

Cast & Crew

Ellar Coltrane

Patricia Arquette

Ethan Hawke

Lorelei Linklater

Tamara Jolaine

Mason

Olivia

Mason Sr.

Samantha

Tammy

Ellar Coltrane – Mason
Patricia Arquette – Olivia
Ethan Hawke – Mason Sr.
Lorelei Linklater – Samantha
Tamara Jolaine – Tammy
Nick Krause – Charlie

 

Richard Linklater

Richard Linklater

Richard Linklater

Cathleen Sutherland

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Richard Linklater
 
Writer(s)
Richard Linklater
 
Producer(s)
Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Berlin, South by Southwest
 
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
173 wins & 218 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
 

Top Reviews

Chris Nashawaty

Candice Frederick

David Sims

Jason Bailey

David Edelstein

Entertainment Weekly

Reel Talk Online

The Atlantic

Flavorwire

New York Magazine/Vulture

BOYHOOD
  All Critics (331) | Top Critics (93) | Fresh (320) | Rotten (11)
  Like Michael Apted in his Seven Up! documentary series, Linklater makes you feel as if you’re watching a photograph as it develops in the darkroom.
 
  October 11, 2018 | Rating: A
 
  Chris Nashawaty
  Entertainment Weekly
  TOP CRITIC
  An audacious effort from a filmmaker whose ability to embed the audience in his stories is unmatched.
 
  September 2, 2017 | Rating: A+
 
  Candice Frederick
  Reel Talk Online
  TOP CRITIC
  Calling it a sum of its parts can be a backhanded compliment, but it feels like especially worthy praise for Boyhood, considering how much went into making it feel whole.
 
  September 22, 2016
 
  David Sims
  The Atlantic
  TOP CRITIC
  ‘Boyhood’ reveals itself as something deeper, more noteworthy and ambitious than even its remarkable production would suggest, for Linklater has given us nothing less than a cinematic approximation of human memory.
 
  June 18, 2016
 
  Jason Bailey
  Flavorwire
  TOP CRITIC
  We can quibble with small stuff in Boyhood. Supporting performances are variable, the sister drops out as a dramatic character … I could go on. But the cumulative power is tremendous.
 
  January 2, 2015
 
  David Edelstein
  New York Magazine/Vulture
  TOP CRITIC
  While everything about Boyhood is done with extraordinary care, the master stroke was clearly the casting, 13 years ago, of a little Texas boy named Ellar Coltrane.
 
  January 2, 2015 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Jocelyn Noveck
  Associated Press
  TOP CRITIC
  Linklater did the unthinkable, which is to capture our collective youth on film so that we may be able to relive it over and over again.
 
  May 17, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
 
  Danilo Castro
  Next Best Picture
  The best feature of Boyhood is that it derives beauty, joy, and emotion out of the ordinary lives of people.
 
  March 25, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Gautam Anand
  The Cinemaholic
  It’s a beautiful coming-of-age tale that boasts as strong an ensemble as can be and completely nails what it meant to grow up over the past decade or so.
 
  February 11, 2022
 
  Cory Woodroof
  Williamson Home Page
  The magnum opus of one of the most creative directors of the past three decades is also perhaps the ultimate coming-of-age story.
 
  January 6, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
  James Croot
  Stuff.co.nz
  It’s not you, Richard, it’s me – we’ll more specifically it’s us. We clash. We’re like an acoustic guitar dipped in peanut butter, you and me, Richard Linklater.
 
  July 2, 2021
 
  Jason Adams
  My New Plaid Pants
  Boyhood exudes a verisimilitude seldom seen in cinema, an open-ended, fly-on-the-wall naturalness that appears unscripted.
 
  June 25, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Yasmin Omar
  Harper’s Bazaar…

 

Plot
Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, Richard Linklater’s BOYHOOD is a groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (a breakthrough performance by Ellar Coltrane), who literally grows up on screen before our eyes. Starring Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette as Mason’s parents and newcomer Lorelei Linklater as his sister Samantha, BOYHOOD charts the rocky terrain of childhood like no other film has before. Snapshots of adolescence from road trips and family dinners to birthdays and graduations and all the moments in between become transcendent, set to a soundtrack spanning the years from Coldplay’s Yellow to Arcade Fire’s Deep Blue. BOYHOOD is both a nostalgic time capsule of the recent past and an ode to growing up and parenting.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film Boyhood was filmed over the course of 12 years, with the same cast aging and growing alongside the characters.
 

 
Richard-Linklater.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Titanus Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma Société Générale de Cinématographie
 
Distributor
Open Road
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Austin, Texas, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, including some suggestive references
 
Year of Release
2014
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Emjay Anthony, directed by Jon Favreau, written by Jon Favreau, produced by Sergei Bespalov, MPAA rating R, comedy, drama, box office performance $31.2M, budget unknown, reviewed by Liz Braun, Laurence Phelan, Kate Muir, Mark Kermode, Geoffrey Macnab, David Sexton, Richard Crouse, Mike Massie, Brent McKnight, Yasser Medina, Katie Smith-Wong, Nicholas Bell, heartwarming, food truck, Miami, Los Angeles, chef, food, cooking, family, social media, feel-good, humor, positivity, father-son relationship, broken-down, prestigious Los Angeles restaurant, zest for life and love, foodie-gasm, designer cook, soul food, gentle comedy, food porn, endearing slice o’ life, familiar, flavorful, charming cast, sharp, funny script, spice, treat, blockbuster season, comic book character, meat-and-potatoes, main course, unashamedly, jeopardy, characters you like, idiosyncrasies, audiovisual appetite, triviality, repetitive, bland, creative personality, system, repetition, stagnation, light-hearted, lovable, entertaining, egocentrism, self-indulgence, idiot, gorgeous women, humiliation, critic, true calling, happiness, outstanding study, nuance, heart, intelligence, must see, huge win, underrated, Hollywood gem
 

Cast & Crew

Jon Favreau

Sofía Vergara

John Leguizamo

Scarlett Johansson

Dustin Hoffman

Carl Casper

Inez

Martin

Molly

Riva

Jon Favreau – Carl Casper
Sofía Vergara – Inez
John Leguizamo – Martin
Scarlett Johansson – Molly
Dustin Hoffman – Riva
Emjay Anthony – Percy

 

Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau

Sergei Bespalov

Jon Favreau

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Jon Favreau
 
Writer(s)
Jon Favreau
 
Producer(s)
Sergei Bespalov, Jon Favreau

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 4 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Liz Braun

Laurence Phelan

Kate Muir

Mark Kermode

Geoffrey Macnab

Toronto Sun

Independent (UK)

Times (UK)

Observer (UK)

London Evening Standard

CHEF
 All Critics (191) | Top Critics (57) | Fresh (166) | Rotten (25)
 It’s such a treat to see such an endearing slice o’ life in the middle of this blockbuster season. There’s not a single comic book character in sight.
 
 January 5, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Liz Braun
 Toronto Sun
 TOP CRITIC
 The result is a small, unashamedly feel-good film that makes up for what it lacks in dramatic jeopardy with gentle comedy, heartwarming family scenes, ladles of food porn, and time spent among characters you like.
 
 July 7, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Laurence Phelan
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Chef is a foodie-gasm of a film, directed by and starring Jon Favreau as a designer cook past his sell-by date, who goes on a road trip from Miami to Los Angeles to find his soul — and soul food.
 
 July 7, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Kate Muir
 Times (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Chef slips a few tasty side dishes around its meat-and-potatoes main course.
 
 June 29, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Mark Kermode
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Jon Favreau’s enjoyable and good-natured farce is a rarity in that (as its title tells us) it takes a chef as its central character and treats his profession with something approaching respect.
 
 June 27, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Geoffrey Macnab
 Independent (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Here’s Chef to show us all, for now and evermore, just what a vanity project really looks like. A public service, in its way.
 
 June 27, 2014 | Rating: 2/5
 
 David Sexton
 London Evening Standard
 TOP CRITIC
 A lightweight, but enjoyable film; an amuse bouche that may leave you hungry for something more substantial but still manages to satisfy.
 
 February 1, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Richard Crouse
 Richard Crouse
 When every conflict is quashed within minutes and the predicaments barely register concern, the power to affect audiences dwindles.
 
 December 4, 2020 | Rating: 4/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 The first time you do something it might be fresh and risky, but the tenth, twentieth, you risk becoming repetitive and bland. “Chef” is about a creative personality trying to break free from a system that fosters this repetition and stagnation.
 
 July 8, 2020 | Rating: B+
 
 Brent McKnight
 The Last Thing I See
 Even in the most hungry moments, Chef, as a gastronomic comedy, never fails to feed our audiovisual appetite with all its idiosyncrasies. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 June 26, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
 
 Yasser Medina
 Cinemaficionados
 Chef is light-hearted and delicious to watch.
 
 November 20, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Katie Smith-Wong
 Flick Feast
 Even with an air of triviality, as Favreau hounds us with the power of today’s social networking capabilities, Chef manages to engage.
 
 August 30, 2019 | Rating: 2.5/5
 
 Nicholas Bell
 IONCINEMA.com…

 

Plot
Carl Casper is an acclaimed chef with a family life that seems as decaying as his artistic freedom. Those frustrations boil over into a raucous viral-videoed public confrontation against a restaurant critic who panned his cooking of food that his boss ordered him to make against his instincts. Now with his career ruined, Carl’s ex-wife offers an unorthodox solution in Miami: refit an old food truck to offer quality cooking on his own terms. Now with his young son, Percy, and old colleague, Martin, helping, Carl takes a working trip across America with that truck to rediscover his gastronomic passion. With Percy’s tech savvy and Martin’s enthusiasm, Carl finds that he is creating a traveling sensation on the way home. In doing so, Carl discovers he is serving up more than simply food, but also a deeper connection with his life and his family that is truly delicious in its own way.
 
Trivia

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

 
Jon-Favreau.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros., Natant Stanley Kubrick Productions,
 
Distributor
ABCKO Films
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Santiago, Chile
 
MPAA / Certificate
Unrated
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Biography/Fantasy
 
Keyword(s)
biography, fantasy, childhood, Chile, social, political, imagination, heart, Alejandro Jodorowsky, directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, written by Alejandro Jodorowsky, produced by Moisés Cosío, produced by Alejandro Jodorowsky, produced by Michel Seydoux, starring Brontis Jodorowsky, starring Pamela Flores, starring Jeremias Herskovits, starring Alejandro Jodorowsky, starring Bastián Bodenhöfer, starring Adan Jodorowsky, box office gross $165.9K, critic reviews, reviewed by Mark Kermode, reviewed by Kate Muir, reviewed by David Jenkins, reviewed by Michael Sragow, reviewed by Michael Phillips, reviewed by Matthew Lickona, reviewed by Michael J Casey, reviewed by Dustin Chang, reviewed by Oscar Goff, reviewed by C.J Prince, reviewed by May Leitz, MPAA rating, ABCKO Films
 

Cast & Crew

Brontis Jodorowsky

Jaime

Pamela Flores

Sara

Jeremias Herskovits

Jaime

Sara

Alejandro as a child

Alejandro as an Adult

Carlos Ibáñes

Brontis Jodorowsky – Jaime
Pamela Flores – Sara
Jeremias Herskovits – Alejandro as a child
Alejandro Jodorowsky – Alejandro as an Adult
Bastián Bodenhöfer – Carlos Ibáñes
Adan Jodorowsky – Anarchist

 

Alejandro Jodorowsky

Alejandro Jodorowsky

Moisés Cosío

Alejandro Jodorowsky

Michel Seydoux

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Alejandro Jodorowsky
 
Writer(s)
Alejandro Jodorowsky
 
Producer(s)
Moisés Cosío, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Michel Seydoux

 

Film Festivals
South by Southwest, Cannes
 
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 7 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Mark Kermode

Kate Muir

David Jenkins

Michael Sragow

Michael Phillips

Observer

Times

Little White Lies

Orange County Register

Chicago Tribune

THE DANCE OF REALITY
  All Critics (64) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (60) | Rotten (4)
  This is the work of someone coming to terms with their past, transmuting the traumas of childhood into the building blocks of adult awareness.
 
  August 23, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Mark Kermode
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  At first the film seems overly stagey, and those with little time for circus acts may find it irritating, but when Jodorowsky hits his surreal stride.
 
  August 20, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Kate Muir
  Times (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  You may not know what to think of it, but you’ll be glad that it exists.
 
  August 20, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
 
  David Jenkins
  Little White Lies
  TOP CRITIC
  Say this about the godfather of midnight movies, Alejandro Jodorowsky: He loves a parade and he puts on a doozy
 
  December 8, 2014 | Rating: B+
 
  Michael Sragow
  Orange County Register
  TOP CRITIC
  A lot of the film doesn’t quite click, either as dream imagery or something more conventional. But there’s a spirit and a yearning in it that’s undeniable and bracing.
 
  December 8, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Michael Phillips
  Chicago Tribune
  TOP CRITIC
  The loony-goony visuals are still in play, but there’s a sympathy for the audience, a desire to put things to good and even meaningful use.
 
  June 20, 2014 | Rating: 2/5
 
  Matthew Lickona
  San Diego Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  ‘Dance of Reality’ has its moments of pure Jodorowsky. It will be up to each viewer to decide if that sentence is praise or pejorative.
 
  December 3, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Michael J. Casey
  Michael J. Cinema
  In this dream we called life, Jodorowsky is dreaming us, us playing part as audience. Who’s dreaming Jodorowsky the filmmaker? Cinephiles of course. The Dance of Reality is his much softer, lyrical contemplation of life.
 
  February 22, 2021
 
  Dustin Chang
  Floating World
  Taken on its own merits, it is a thunderously weird and wonderful movie, filled with scenes and images that won’t leave you anytime soon.
 
  July 24, 2019
 
  Oscar Goff
  Boston Hassle
  The Dance of Reality may suffer from some indulgences, but one can’t really blame Jodorowsky for indulging after such a long absence.
 
  June 19, 2019 | Rating: 7.3/10
 
  C.J. Prince
  Way Too Indie
  This man hasn’t made a film in 23 years, and he’s still flawless.
 
  January 5, 2019
 
  May Leitz
  Nyx Fears
  … an unexpected and appealing comeback.
 
  August 31, 2018
 
  Steve Erickson
  Nashville Scene…

 

Plot
“The Dance of Reality” is a fanciful interpretation of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s childhood, set against Chile’s turbulent social and political environment.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Alejandro Jodorowsky, the director of The Dance of Reality, is also known for his work as a writer, actor, and comic book creator.
 

 
Alejandro-Jodorowsky.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions,
 
Distributor
IFC Films
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
New York City, New York, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2015
 

 
Genre(s)
Documentary
 
Keyword(s)
Elaine Stritch, Shoot Me, Documentary, Chiemi Karasawa, Elizabeth Hemmerdinger, Alec Baldwin, Cheryl Wiesenfeld, Plagued, Medical Issues, Memory Lapses, Broadway Icon, Retirement, Mortality, 87th Birthday, New Show, Brutally Honest, Compelling, Vanity-Free Portrait, Legendary Subject, Essential Truths, Human Condition, Critic Reviews, Box Office, Gross USA, MPAA Rating, IFC Films, Director, Producer, Executive Producer, Cinematographer, Cast & Crew, Philippa Hawker, John Anderson, Owen Gleiberman, Tom Long, Michael O’Sullivan, Mick LaSalle, Bernard Boo, Ren Jender, Stephen Schaefer, Craig D Lindsey, Rebecca Jacobson, Walter M
 

Cast & Crew

Chiemi Karasawa

Elizabeth Hemmerdinger

Alec Baldwin

Cheryl Wiesenfeld

Shane Sigler

Director

Producer

Producer

Executive Producer

Executive Producer

Chiemi Karasawa – Director
Chiemi Karasawa – Producer
Elizabeth Hemmerdinger – Producer
Alec Baldwin – Executive Producer
Cheryl Wiesenfeld – Executive Producer
Shane Sigler – Cinematographer

 

Chiemi Karasawa

NA

Chiemi Karasawa

Elizabeth Hemmerdinger

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Chiemi Karasawa
 
Writer(s)
NA
 
Producer(s)
Chiemi Karasawa, Elizabeth Hemmerdinger

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Tribeca
 
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 6 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Philippa Hawker

John Anderson

Owen Gleiberman

Tom Long

Michael O’Sullivan

The Age

Newsday

Entertainment Weekly

Detroit News

Washington Post

ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME
  All Critics (67) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (66) | Rotten (1)
  There’s something indomitable about her will to perform, and insecurity has been part of her experience for decades, it’s clear.
 
  April 2, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Philippa Hawker
  The Age (Australia)
  TOP CRITIC
  Chiemi Karasawa deserves all the credit in the world for the intimate and hilarious portrait that is Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me, a sparkling cocktail of music and memoir. On the other hand, she didn’t exactly have to drag her subject out of her shell.
 
  January 5, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  John Anderson
  Newsday
  TOP CRITIC
  [A] feisty portrait of the musical-theater legend.
 
  January 5, 2015 | Rating: A-
 
  Owen Gleiberman
  Entertainment Weekly
  TOP CRITIC
  “Elaine Stritch” is filled with bluster and memories, blunt outbursts and funny moments. But more importantly, it is filled with honesty.
 
  April 4, 2014 | Rating: B+
 
  Tom Long
  Detroit News
  TOP CRITIC
  Elaine Stritch’s strength, along with the film’s, comes from her honesty. She is herself, even when – maybe especially when – she knows she’s being watched.
 
  March 13, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Michael O’Sullivan
  Washington Post
  TOP CRITIC
  Really, the experience of “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me” is the experience of being in Stritch’s company for 80 minutes, and that’s fine. Still I doubt anyone will walk out of this film wishing it were 10 minutes longer.
 
  March 13, 2014 | Rating: 2/4
 
  Mick LaSalle
  San Francisco Chronicle
  TOP CRITIC
  A delight in that we’re able to spend time with as rare a creature as Elaine Stritch, but the film’s human elements elevate it to greater heights.
 
  April 3, 2019 | Rating: 8.5/10
 
  Bernard Boo
  Way Too Indie
  In the same way that disabled and older people shouldn’t be called “inspiring” just for living their lives… the film shows us that the effects of aging for [Elaine] Stritch aren’t tragic but just inconveniences and obstacles for her to work around.
 
  March 13, 2019
 
  Ren Jender
  Bitch Flicks
  What becomes a legend most? In Elaine Stritch’s case, it’s this riveting, unvarnished documentary portrait of the lioness in winter.
 
  November 29, 2017 | Rating: B+
 
  Stephen Schaefer
  Boston Herald
  Ultimately, Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me makes you root for her even when you’ve had your fill of her.
 
  October 25, 2017 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Craig D. Lindsey
  INDY Week
  For someone who made her Broadway debut 68 years ago, Elaine Stritch is still quite the firecracker.
 
  January 5, 2015 | Rating: A-
 
  Rebecca Jacobson
  Willamette Week
  As we see Stritch carry on, still performing into her eighties, battling the physical and mental ravages of time, it’s obvious she was no sissy.
 
  January 5, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
 
  Scott Nash
  Three Movie Buffs…

 

Plot
Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me is a documentary that follows the Broadway icon as she approaches her 87th birthday and rehearses for a new show, while contemplating retirement and mortality.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me features Broadway icon Elaine Stritch as its subject.
 

 
Chiemi-Karasawa.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures, Wing Nut Films, Big Primate Pictures,
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Singapore
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Koh Jia Ler, Angela Bayani, Yann Yann Yeo, Chen Tian Wen, Peter Wee, Jo Kukathas, directed by Anthony Chen, written by Anthony Chen, drama, $46.5K box office, reviewed by Tara Brady, Kate Muir, G Allen Johnson, Mark Jenkins, J.R Jones, Mark Kermode, Richard Propes, Casey Chong, Pat Padua, Robert Koehler, Janet Smith, John Lui, 100% Tomatometer, 78% audience score, Ann Hwee Sim producer, Yuni Hadi producer, MPAA rating N/A, hardworking mother, rambunctious son, nanny, jealousy, Singaporean drama, emotional, compassionate, rich in detail, mature debut, handheld camerawork, deft performances, middle-class working parent, live-in nanny, everyday life, semi-autobiographical story, vividly characterized domestic drama, sympathetic, engaging, intelligent, authentic, family, social drama, true gem, sad window, world economy, crisis, naturalistic performances, standard, benchmark
 

Cast & Crew

Koh Jia Ler

Angela Bayani

Yann Yann Yeo

Chen Tian Wen

Peter Wee

Jia Le

Terry

Hwee Leng

Keng Teck Lim

Discipline Master

Koh Jia Ler – Jia Le
Angela Bayani – Terry
Yann Yann Yeo – Hwee Leng
Chen Tian Wen – Keng Teck Lim
Peter Wee – Discipline Master
Jo Kukathas – School Principal

 

Anthony Chen

Anthony Chen

Ann Hwee Sim

Yuni Hadi

Anthony Chen

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Anthony Chen
 
Writer(s)
Anthony Chen
 
Producer(s)
Ann Hwee Sim, Yuni Hadi, Anthony Chen

 

Film Festivals
Cannes, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
34 wins & 19 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Tara Brady

Kate Muir

G. Allen Johnson

Mark Jenkins

J. R. Jones

Irish Times

Times (UK)

San Francisco Chronicle

Washington Post

Chicago Reader

ILO ILO
  All Critics (45) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (45)
  Succinct, handheld camerawork and deft performances amplify the drama’s emotional clout.
 
  May 3, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Tara Brady
  Irish Times
  TOP CRITIC
  Ilo Ilo deals with that perennial dilemma of the middle-class working parent: how to deal with the live-in nanny who begins to usurp your role.
 
  August 1, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Kate Muir
  Times (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Chen builds his case not with sentimentality and obvious plot points, but through everyday life — showering, doing laundry, dropping the boy off at school, phone calls.
 
  August 21, 2014 | Rating: 4/4
 
  G. Allen Johnson
  San Francisco Chronicle
  TOP CRITIC
  The crowded compositions convey a sense of life in the dense Asian city-state, but also the intimacy of this semi-autobiographical story.
 
  July 17, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Mark Jenkins
  Washington Post
  TOP CRITIC
  Anthony Chen, a Singaporean writer-director with a half-dozen shorts to his credit, makes his feature debut with this vividly characterized domestic drama.
 
  May 22, 2014
 
  J. R. Jones
  Chicago Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  This sympathetic and engaging drama is deceptively gentle in its insight – compassionate yet unsentimental.
 
  May 4, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Mark Kermode
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  For those who would prefer a more intelligent and authentic family and social drama, this is a film to not be missed.
 
  September 11, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
 
  Richard Propes
  TheIndependentCritic.com
  Poignant, funny and heartbreaking, Anthony Chen’s feature debut in “Ilo Ilo” is a true gem of a Singaporean drama.
 
  April 14, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Casey Chong
  Casey’s Movie Mania
  A sad window into a world economy that is still in crisis today.
 
  August 31, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
 
  Pat Padua
  Spectrum Culture
  The dynamics are just about perfect, and calibrated for a long chain of terrific scenes…
 
  October 2, 2017
 
  Robert Koehler
  Cinema Scope
  Carefully crafted and understated.
 
  May 3, 2016
 
  Janet Smith
  Georgia Straight
  All four of the lead actors, especially Yeo and Koh, deliver naturalistic performances of a standard that will set the benchmark for years to come.
 
  May 3, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
 
  John Lui
  The Straits Times (Singapore)…

 

Plot
A hardworking mother becomes jealous of her son’s close bond with his nanny in the Singaporean drama “Ilo Ilo.”
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
All four of the lead actors, especially Yann Yann Yeo and Koh Jia Ler, deliver naturalistic performances of a standard that will set the benchmark for years to come.
 

 
Anthony-Chen.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Huayi Brothers Media, National Geographic World Films,
 
Distributor
IFC Films
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Bucharest Metro, Bucharest, Romania
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language throughout including some sexual references
 
Year of Release
2014
 

 
Genre(s)
Documentary
 
Keyword(s)
documentary, art collection, Dr Albert C Barnes, controversy, Barnes Foundation, significant works, millionaire, foundation, death, scattering, opportunistic individuals, wishes, violated, involvement, parties, genre, English, directed by Don Argott, produced by Sheena M Joyce, written by Don Argott, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Zuckerman, reviewed by Cliff Doerksen, reviewed by Peter Rainer, reviewed by Kimberley Jones, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, reviewed by Ann Hornaday, reviewed by Dennis Schwartz, reviewed by Alison Gang, reviewed by Christopher Long, reviewed by Kam Williams, reviewed by Rob Thomas, starring Lenny Feinberg, produced by Lenny Feinberg, starring Sheena M Joyce, produced by Sheena M Joyce, MPAA rating, IFC Films, runtime 1h 41m, cinematographer Don Argott, film editing by Demian Fenton, original music by West Thordson, reviewed by John B, reviewed by Walter M, reviewed by Christian C, reviewed by Jeffrey M, reviewed by Walter M, reviewed by John B, reviewed by David Zuckerman, reviewed by Cliff Doerksen, reviewed by Peter Rainer, reviewed by Kimberley Jones, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, reviewed by Ann Hornaday, reviewed by Dennis Schwartz, reviewed by Alison Gang, reviewed by Christopher Long, reviewed by Kam Williams, reviewed by Rob Thomas, documentary film
 

Cast & Crew

Don Argott

Lenny Feinberg

Sheena M. Joyce

West Thordson

Demian Fenton

Don Argott

Lenny Feinberg

Sheena M. Joyce

West Thordson

Demian Fenton

Don Argott – Director
Lenny Feinberg – Executive Producer
Sheena M. Joyce – Producer
West Thordson – Original Music
Don Argott – Cinematographer
Demian Fenton – Film Editing

 

Don Argott

NA

NA

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Don Argott
 
Writer(s)
NA
 
Producer(s)
NA

 

Film Festivals
Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
5 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

David Zuckerman

Cliff Doerksen

Peter Rainer

Kimberley Jones

Sara Michelle Fetters

Film Comment Magazine

Chicago Reader

Christian Science Monitor

Austin Chronicle

MovieFreak.com

THE ART OF THE STEAL
  All Critics (60) | Top Critics (26) | Fresh (51) | Rotten (9)
  [Don] Argott has made a worthwhile contribution to a controversy that deserves an audience.
 
  September 24, 2014
 
  David Zuckerman
  Film Comment Magazine
  TOP CRITIC
  Argott beautifully explicates how this crew pulled off the most daring daylight art theft in history, though his passionate identification with the pro-Barnes faction limits the movie’s political nuance.
 
  January 3, 2011
 
  Cliff Doerksen
  Chicago Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  The film’s good versus bad scenario is, while understandable, too simplistic.
 
  April 16, 2010 | Rating: B+
 
  Peter Rainer
  Christian Science Monitor
  TOP CRITIC
  While The Art of the Steal makes a very convincing — even bone-chilling — argument… the film fails to even ponder why easier access to some of the world’s greatest art treasures might not be an entirely bad thing.
 
  April 16, 2010 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Kimberley Jones
  Austin Chronicle
  TOP CRITIC
  It’s a tangled web spinning so far out of control if it were fiction no one would ever have believed it to be possible, die hard conspiracy theorists likely to find the scenario too outlandish even for them.
 
  April 1, 2010 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Sara Michelle Fetters
  MovieFreak.com
  TOP CRITIC
  The Art of the Steal ultimately gets mired in the legal weeds, a snare made all the more frustrating by the fact that the move is a fait accompli.
 
  March 26, 2010 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
  Ann Hornaday
  Washington Post
  TOP CRITIC
  A fascinating good guy vs. bad guy art film about the big business of culture, that puts it on the same footing as big corporations.
 
  June 8, 2013 | Rating: B+
 
  Dennis Schwartz
  Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
  No matter what side you end up taking, you still might be tempted to call your lawyer to go over your will just one more time.
 
  August 11, 2010 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
  Alison Gang
  San Diego Union-Tribune
  The Art of the Steal paints only in black and white.
 
  August 1, 2010 | Rating: 4/10
 
  Christopher Long
  Movie Metropolis
  A tragic, true tale exposing America’s ugly, two-tiered system of justice defined by the color line.
 
  July 23, 2010 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Kam Williams
  Sly Fox
  Its lack of objectivity doesn’t hurt the film as a piece of entertainment, although it does seem to weaken its own argument a little.
 
  May 14, 2010 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Rob Thomas
  Capital Times (Madison, WI)
  Don Argott’s new documentary makes some of the most outlandish conspiracy theories seem strangely believable.
 
  May 10, 2010 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Dan Lybarger
  eFilmCritic.com…

 

Plot
Crunch Calhoun (Kurt Russell), a third rate motorcycle daredevil and semi-reformed art thief, agrees to get back into the con game and pull off one final lucrative art theft with his untrustworthy brother, Nicky (Matt Dillon). Reassembling the old team, Crunch comes up with a plan to steal a priceless historical book, but the successful heist leads to another far riskier plan devised by Nicky. They fail to realize each other’s separate agendas when their plan goes awry in this con movie about honor, revenge and the bonds of brotherhood.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The Art of the Steal features executive producer Lenny Feinberg.
 

 
Don-Argott.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
Adopt Films
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
2014
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Adam Bakri, Leem Lubany, Samer Bisharat, Eyad Hourani, Rohl Ayadi, Waleed Zuaiter, directed by Hany Abu-Assad, written by Hany Abu-Assad, David Henry Gerson, Waleed Zuaiter, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Eddie Cockrell, Jake Wilson, Jonathan Romney, Geoffrey Macnab, Donald Clarke, Steve Rose, David Walsh, Stephen A Russell, David Harris, Bernard Boo, Steve Erickson, Pat Padua, Palestinian, Israeli, informant, crime drama, thriller, moral quandary, emotional depth, intense realism, occupation, love story, tender, tense, Shakespearean, well-directed, uncommon depth, twisty, riveting, subtle political film, lucid, diagrammatic, mathematical proof, no right choices, ever-changing nature, daily lives, fraught, strange environment, betrayal, nerve-rattling entertainment, deeply felt polemic, tragic situation, intimate, concrete detail, suspenseful, toxic environment, stinging vision, morally complex, beyond simple politics, consequences, humane methods, lawyer, occupation
 

Cast & Crew

Waleed Zuaiter

Adam Bakri

Leem Lubany

Samer Bisharat

Eyad Hourani

Agent Rami

Omar

Nadia

Amjad

Tarek

Waleed Zuaiter – Agent Rami
Adam Bakri – Omar
Leem Lubany – Nadia
Samer Bisharat – Amjad
Eyad Hourani – Tarek
Rohl Ayadi – Hussam

 

Hany Abu-Assad

NA

David Henry Gerson

Waleed Zuaiter

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Hany Abu-Assad
 
Writer(s)
NA
 
Producer(s)
David Henry Gerson, Waleed Zuaiter

 

Film Festivals
Cannes, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Omar

Eddie Cockrell

Jake Wilson

Jonathan Romney

Geoffrey Macnab

The Australian

Sydney Morning Herald

Observer (UK)

Independent (UK)

Irish Times

OMAR
  All Critics (88) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (79) | Rotten (9)
  Bakri gives a richly detailed performance, often allowing his stoicism to slip and reveal the confused and angry young man within.
 
  June 6, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Eddie Cockrell
  The Australian
  TOP CRITIC
  Abu-Assad does not aim for the Dardennes’ breathless immediacy. Rather, the story is laid out in a lucid, diagrammatic way, like a mathematical proof that for someone in Omar’s position there are no right choices.
 
  June 4, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Jake Wilson
  Sydney Morning Herald
  TOP CRITIC
  This is a subtle political film: one that fully dramatises a situation and lets us think out its contradictions for ourselves.
 
  June 1, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Jonathan Romney
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Abu-Assad is simply reflecting the ever-changing nature of his characters’ daily lives in a fraught and strange environment in which betrayal has become endemic.
 
  May 30, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Geoffrey Macnab
  Independent (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  The end result is a nerve-rattling entertainment flavoured by vigorous, deeply felt polemic.
 
  May 30, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Donald Clarke
  Irish Times
  TOP CRITIC
  The story dishes out action and surprises without losing its political intent.
 
  May 29, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Steve Rose
  Guardian
  TOP CRITIC
  The film points to the nearly impossible personal and social conditions for the Palestinians under Israeli rule. … Omar brings to life the tragic situation in intimate, concrete detail.
 
  February 12, 2021
 
  David Walsh
  World Socialist Web Site
  With Omar he has delivered an incredibly powerful story in a lean 90 minutes, a commendable economy that should be a lesson to the ever-increasing number of directors who believe a film must run to two-hour plus to deliver emotional weight.
 
  August 26, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Stephen A. Russell
  The New Daily (Australia)
  Omar is a suspenseful moral quandary, tripped up only be an illogical, but inevitable, conclusion.
 
  November 22, 2019 | Rating: 3.2/5
 
  David Harris
  Spectrum Culture
  Though narratively uninspired and lacking strong performances to lead us through the tale, Abu-Assad’s pensive examination of the toxic environment in the Middle East is as riveting as it was in his lauded suicide bomber drama.
 
  April 3, 2019 | Rating: 7.6/10
 
  Bernard Boo
  Way Too Indie
  There are no clear-cut good guys or bad guys in Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad’s stinging vision; no one in Omar exits with clean hands, which helps lift the movie above its grounding in the basics of film noir.
 
  August 31, 2018
 
  Steve Erickson
  Nashville Scene
  The action tropes handled so well in the film’s first half are pushed aside for clumsy melodrama by the end of the film.
 
  August 31, 2018
 
  Pat Padua
  DCist…

 

Plot
After the death of an Israeli soldier, a Palestinian baker named Omar agrees to work as an informant, but his true motives and alliances remain hidden in this twisty and riveting crime drama.
 
Trivia

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

 
Hany-Abu-Assad.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Producers Sales Organization R S L Entertainment, Moviecorp V III
 
Distributor
IFC Films
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
La Piscine Museum, Roubaix, France
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated NC-17 for explicit sexual content
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama/Romance
 
Keyword(s)
starring Adèle Exarchopoulos, Léa Seydoux, Salim Kechiouche, Mona Walravens, Jérémie Laheurte, Alma Jodorowski, directed by Abdel Kechiche, written by Abdel Kechiche, Ghalya Lacroix, produced by Olivier Thery-Lapiney, Laurence Clerc, drama, romance, LGBTQ+, NC-17 rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Kate, Tammy Oler, J Hoberman, Chris Stuckmann, David Stratton, Radheyan Simonpillai, Michelle Faye, Diane Carson, James Croot, Yasmin Omar, starring Adèle Exarchopoulos, Léa Seydoux, Salim Kechiouche, Mona Walravens, Jérémie Laheurte, Alma Jodorowski, directed by Abdel Kechiche, written by Abdel Kechiche, Ghalya Lacroix, produced by Olivier Thery-Lapiney, Laurence Clerc, drama, romance, LGBTQ+, NC-17 rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Kate, Tammy Oler, J Hoberman, Chris Stuckmann, David Stratton, Radheyan Simonpillai, Michelle Faye, Diane Carson, James Croot, Yasmin Omar, Abdel Kechiche, Ghalya Lacroix, Olivier Thery-Lapiney, Laurence Clerc, French, explicit sexual content, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Léa Seydoux, lesbian bar, emotional connection, sexual connection, deep, powerfully acted, intense, elegantly composed, emotionally absorbing, raw, honest
 

Cast & Crew

Léa Seydoux

Adèle Exarchopoulos

Salim Kechiouche

Mona Walravens

Jérémie Laheurte

Emma

Adèle

Samir

Lise

Thomas

Léa Seydoux – Emma
Adèle Exarchopoulos – Adèle
Salim Kechiouche – Samir
Mona Walravens – Lise
Jérémie Laheurte – Thomas
Alma Jodorowski – Béatrice

 

Abdel Kechiche

Abdel Kechiche

Olivier Thery-Lapiney

Laurence Clerc

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Abdel Kechiche
 
Writer(s)
Abdel Kechiche, Ghalya Lacroix, Abdel Kechiche
 
Producer(s)
Olivier Thery-Lapiney, Laurence Clerc

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
86 wins & 104 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Kate

Tammy Oler

J. Hoberman

Chris Stuckmann

David Stratton

Autostraddle

Bitch Media

ARTINFO.com

ChrisStuckmann.com

At the Movies (Australia)

BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR
  All Critics (204) | Top Critics (63) | Fresh (181) | Rotten (23)
  I am sad to report that I was underwhelmed and uncomfortable, and all too familiar with the tropes at play, none of them creatively handled.
 
  June 14, 2021
 
  Kate
  Autostraddle
  TOP CRITIC
  Exarchopoulos and Seydoux are constantly undercut by Kechiche’s direction, which often seems more about his directorial desires than the motivations of the story’s protagonists.
 
  January 20, 2021
 
  Tammy Oler
  Bitch Media
  TOP CRITIC
  The most discomfiting thing about Blue [Is The Warmest Color] is that it ultimately feels like a menage a trois involving the actors and the camera, staged for the benefit of the director.
 
  February 22, 2019
 
  J. Hoberman
  ARTINFO.com
  TOP CRITIC
  The central romance is told beautifully, and the two leads give dazzling performances.
 
  April 17, 2015 | Rating: A
 
  Chris Stuckmann
  ChrisStuckmann.com
  TOP CRITIC
  Scene after scene brings truthfulness and insight into the at times difficult relationship.
 
  February 18, 2014 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
  David Stratton
  At the Movies (Australia)
  TOP CRITIC
  To think of it simply as visual pleasure is only looking skin deep.
 
  December 19, 2013
 
  Radheyan Simonpillai
  AskMen.com
  TOP CRITIC
  Make sure you have tissues with you (lots of them!) because the performance of these young girls is nothing short of revelatory.
 
  May 24, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Michelle Faye
  Curve
  Their selfless, all-in commitment defines and intensifies every exchange.
 
  March 5, 2022
 
  Diane Carson
  KDHX (St. Louis)
  An insular and intimate epic.
 
  January 7, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
  James Croot
  Stuff.co.nz
  Adèle Exarchopoulos, with her big open awkward face – the camera just lives right there on top of that face for ages and ages; sobbing and huffing and puffing, flirting and snarling and smacking her lips
 
  July 2, 2021
 
  Jason Adams
  My New Plaid Pants
  Blue is the Warmest Colour is a teenager’s deeply personal odyssey of self-discovery as she traverses the boundary of girlhood to enter womanhood.
 
  June 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Yasmin Omar
  Harper’s Bazaar
  No filmmaker I can think of used sex this way though in portraying first love. It’s something everyone goes through and it hits home hard. Therefore Adèle’s joy and heartbreak has much more resonance.
 
  February 24, 2021
 
  Dustin Chang
  Floating World…

 

Plot
Adèle is a high school student who is beginning to explore herself as a woman. She dates men but finds no satisfaction with them sexually, and is rejected by a female friend who she does desire. She dreams of something more. She meets Emma who is a free spirited girl whom Adèle’s friends reject due to her sexuality, and by association most begin to reject Adèle. Her relationship with Emma grows into more than just friends as she is the only person with whom she can express herself openly. Together, Adèle and Emma explore social acceptance, sexuality, and the emotional spectrum of their maturing relationship.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Adèle Exarchopoulos’s performance in Blue Is the Warmest Color is described as “raw, honest, powerfully acted, and deliciously intense.”
 

 
Abdel-Kechiche.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Piki Films, Defender Films, Curious Film
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, UK
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2013
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas, Sean Gilder, Steve Evets, Lorraine Ashbourne, Siobhan Finneran, directed by Clio Barnard, written by Clio Barnard, drama, box office gross $10.5K, reviewed by Deborah Ross, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Charlie Lyne, Evan Williams, Paul Byrnes, Tom Long, Tom Cassidy, Joanne Laurier, Mattie Lucas, C.J Prince, Daniel Green, Morgan Rojas, hyperactive boy, slow-witted youth, horses, scrap metal, emotional, British cinema, powerful performances, modern, gritty, postindustrial landscape, friendship, dependence, damage, desperation, Ken Loach, Andrea Dunbar, tragic, moving, adventure
 

Cast & Crew

Conner Chapman

Shaun Thomas

Sean Gilder

Steve Evets

Lorraine Ashbourne

Arbor

Swifty

Kitten

“Price Drop” Swift

Mary

Conner Chapman – Arbor
Shaun Thomas – Swifty
Sean Gilder – Kitten
Steve Evets – “Price Drop” Swift
Lorraine Ashbourne – Mary
Siobhan Finneran – Mrs. Swift

 

Clio Barnard

Clio Barnard

Tracy O’Riordan

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Clio Barnard
 
Writer(s)
Clio Barnard
 
Producer(s)
Tracy O’Riordan

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
12 wins & 21 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Deborah Ross

Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

Charlie Lyne

Evan Williams

Paul Byrnes

The Spectator

metro.co.uk

Little White Lies

The Australian

Sydney Morning Herald

THE SELFISH GIANT
 All Critics (87) | Top Critics (43) | Fresh (85) | Rotten (2)
 It never feels particularly fresh, but it does feel real and true, is superbly performed, and it does pack quite an emotional punch. I had to gather myself afterwards, and I’m still gathering myself, and may be gathering myself for some time to come.
 
 September 5, 2018
 
 Deborah Ross
 The Spectator
 TOP CRITIC
 Strong, beautiful and honest film-making.
 
 September 6, 2017 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Larushka Ivan-Zadeh
 metro.co.uk
 TOP CRITIC
 Though they share the same title, director Clio Barnard’s bewitching follow-up to The Arbor bears little cosmetic similarity to the fluorescent idyll of Oscar Wilde’s 19th century children’s fable.
 
 August 18, 2015
 
 Charlie Lyne
 Little White Lies
 TOP CRITIC
 Barnard’s film is charged with the same compassion and lyricism. It is one of those desperately sad and dispiriting films that one would prefer to forget but probably never will.
 
 August 11, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Evan Williams
 The Australian
 TOP CRITIC
 Barnard’s work with these two child actors is extraordinary, and she has written a lean script.
 
 August 4, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Paul Byrnes
 Sydney Morning Herald
 TOP CRITIC
 “The Selfish Giant” is a story of dependence, damage and desperation, told with grit and grimy frankness. It’s also a portrait of friendship born of need and emptiness, on the road to nowhere.
 
 February 19, 2014 | Rating: B
 
 Tom Long
 Detroit News
 TOP CRITIC
 Director Clio Barnard has delivered a movie that’s excellently made but is in the end maybe a bit too suffocating to enjoy.
 
 January 25, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
 
 Tom Cassidy
 Common Sense Media
 With great empathy for her characters, Barnard locates her movie in a bleak, postindustrial landscape.
 
 February 27, 2021
 
 Joanne Laurier
 World Socialist Web Site
 An assured and disciplined work, raw like a festering wound, and devastatingly blunt, establishing Barnard as one of the strongest voices in British independent cinema.
 
 August 7, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Mattie Lucas
 From the Front Row
 Clearly inspired by Ken Loach’s films and the work of Andrea Dunbar (her subject for The Arbor), The Selfish Giant is a simple, tragic and ultimately moving work.
 
 June 22, 2019 | Rating: 7.8/10
 
 C.J. Prince
 Way Too Indie
 The Selfish Giant rejects the stark glumness of most recent neo-kitchen sink offerings in favour of childish adventure as Arbor and Swifty attempt to flesh out their respective futures.
 
 March 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Daniel Green
 CineVue
 The Selfish Giant is a powerhouse of a film, a huge success as Clio Barnard’s first narrative.
 
 January 30, 2019
 
 Morgan Rojas
 Cinemacy…

 

Plot
Two young boys start collecting scrap metal for a shady dealer in The Selfish Giant, a starkly emotional and beautifully directed drama that presents some of the best that modern British cinema has to offer.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing to add here about The Selfish Giant.
 

 
Clio-Barnard.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Les Films, Impéria Les Productions, Georges de Beauregard Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie
 
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some language
 
Year of Release
2014
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, Stacy Keach, Mary Louise Wilson, directed by Alexander Payne, written by Bob Nelson, drama, R-rated, box office gross $17.6M, reviewed by J Hoberman, Candice Frederick, Jason Bailey, Melissa Anderson, Philippa Hawker, David Stratton, produced by Albert Berga, Ron Yerxa, Paramount Pictures, sweepstakes, road trip, family, father-son relationship, small town, black and white cinematography, musical score, Middle America, Coen Brothers style, wistful demeanor, empathetic, tearjerker, nuanced performances, heartfelt, poignant, character-driven, redemption, legacy, aging, alcoholism, estranged family, lottery, prize, hero, predator, non-Hero’s Journey, neglected population, elderly, self-destructive, giving, lost, simple, poetic, remarkable filmography
 

Cast & Crew

Bruce Dern

Will Forte

June Squibb

Bob Odenkirk

Stacy Keach

Woody Grant

David Grant

Kate Grant

Ross Grant

Ed Pegram

Bruce Dern – Woody Grant
Will Forte – David Grant
June Squibb – Kate Grant
Bob Odenkirk – Ross Grant
Stacy Keach – Ed Pegram
Mary Louise Wilson – Aunt Martha

 

Alexander Payne

Bob Nelson

Albert Berga

Ron Yerxa

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Alexander Payne
 
Writer(s)
Bob Nelson
 
Producer(s)
Albert Berga, Ron Yerxa

 

Film Festivals
Cannes, Telluride
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 6 Oscars
29 wins & 169 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

J. Hoberman

Candice Frederick

Jason Bailey

Melissa Anderson

Philippa Hawker

ARTINFO.com

Reel Talk Online

Flavorwire

Artforum

The Age (Australia)

NEBRASKA
 All Critics (253) | Top Critics (77) | Fresh (229) | Rotten (24)
 Nebraska is a slow-burning heart-warmer that neatly dodges the cornball bullet of a climactic manly hug.
 
 February 22, 2019
 
 J. Hoberman
 ARTINFO.com
 TOP CRITIC
 … its beauty lies in its simplicity.
 
 September 6, 2017 | Rating: B
 
 Candice Frederick
 Reel Talk Online
 TOP CRITIC
 Forever typecast as nutjobs and con artists, Dern’s Woody Grant is a little chubby, a little bewildered, and a lot unkempt. He’s grizzled, resigned, and wonderful, and so is the film.
 
 June 18, 2016
 
 Jason Bailey
 Flavorwire
 TOP CRITIC
 Nebraska, despite a few pleasures, strikes me as Payne’s most cartoonish, one-dimensional work.
 
 May 22, 2014
 
 Melissa Anderson
 Artforum
 TOP CRITIC
 There is a sentimental aspect to the concluding stages of the film: it’s not as broad or astringent as Payne can be. But there’s also something intriguingly dreamlike about its tone.
 
 February 20, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
 Philippa Hawker
 The Age (Australia)
 TOP CRITIC
 In Payne films, as in the films of Jean Renoir, there are no “goodies” or “baddies”; everyone has their reasons, and that makes his work distinctly different from most mainstream American films these days.
 
 February 18, 2014 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 David Stratton
 The Australian
 TOP CRITIC
 “Nebraska” is easy on the eyes and soul. It’s a redemptive and often humorous tale that shows it’s never too late to heal a fractured family.
 
 May 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Ian Kane
 Epoch Times
 “Nebraska” is about the non-Hero’s Journey; life lived terminally inside the village compound, with no aspirations to anything other than a bit of comfort. It’s possible to make an exciting movie about unexciting lives, but Nebraska is not that movie.
 
 April 5, 2022 | Rating: 2/5
 
 Mark Jackson
 Epoch Times
 Nebraska is rare in its sensitivity to the plight of a neglected and suffering population.
 
 February 27, 2021
 
 Joanne Laurier
 World Socialist Web Site
 A plain spoken but lyrical black-and-white film about a man grasping at a last chance for a legacy.
 
 February 1, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 Richard Crouse
 Richard Crouse
 Dern delivers a fine performance (a considerable distance away from ruthlessly killing John Wayne).
 
 December 3, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
 
 Mike Massie
 Gone With The Twins
 Alexander Payne has crafted a film that doesn’t feel like a film.
 
 September 18, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
 
 Richard Propes
 TheIndependentCritic.com…

 

Plot
“NEBRASKA” is a father-and-son road trip, from Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska that gets waylaid at a small town in central Nebraska, where the father grew up and has scores to settle. Told with deadpan humor and a unique visual style, it’s ultimately the story of a son trying to get through to a father he doesn’t understand.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
June Squibb’s performance as Woody’s agitated and foul-mouthed wife in Nebraska earned her an Academy Award nomination.
 

 
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