Iron Monkey (2001)
90%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 2 nominations
Iron Monkey may not have the poetic lyricism of Crouching Tiger, it makes up for it in fun and energy.
Iron Monkey is the perfect movie for anyone who loves action, comedy, and a good old-fashioned hero story. The fight scenes are so intense and creative that you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole time. And the humor is just the cherry on top – it’s not often you get to see a martial arts movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Robin Hood-esque plot? Iron Monkey is a must-watch for any fan of the genre.
Production Company(ies)
Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica, Les Films, Marceau
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for martial arts action/violence and brief sexuality
Year of Release
2001
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono (original release)
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 25m
-
Language(s):Cantonese
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 12, 2001 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 26, 2002
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Yu Rong-Guang, Donnie Yen, Sze-Man Tsang, Jean Wang, Fai Lee, James Wong, directed by Woo-Ping Yuen, written by Hark Tsui, Elsa Tang, Lau Tai Mok, action, PG-13, Miramax Films, box office, budget, reviewed by Steven D Greydanus, Rita Kempley, Lisa Schwarzbaum, James Berardinelli, Peter Howell, David Edelstein, Mike Massie, Panos Kotzathanasis, Rob Aldam, J.R Southall, Ryan Cracknell, Yu Rong-Guang as Iron Monkey, Donnie Yen as Wong Kei-Ying, Sze-Man Tsang as Young Wong Fei-Hung, Jean Wang as Miss Orchid, Fai Lee as Witch, James Wong as Governor, produced by Hark Tsui
Worldwide gross: $14,694,904
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $24,765,152
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,627
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,700,671
US/Canada gross: $14,694,904
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $24,765,152
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,339
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,014,653
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $10,136,425
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 954
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $11,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $18,538,173
Production budget ranking: 1,404
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,982,806
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$3,755,827
ROI to date (est.): -13%
ROI ranking: 1,465
Donnie Yen – Wong Kei-Ying
Sze-Man Tsang – Young Wong Fei-Hung
Jean Wang – Miss Orchid
Fai Lee – Witch
James Wong – Governor
Director(s)
Woo-Ping Yuen
Writer(s)
Hark Tsui, Elsa Tang, Lau Tai Mok
Producer(s)
Hark Tsui
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (96) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (87) | Rotten (9)
The joy of watching this kind of stuff lies in the choreographical invention and creativity [and] the speed and dexterity of the combatants.
May 8, 2002 | Rating: B+
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films
TOP CRITIC
A crackling Cantonese action caper in the tradition of Robin Hood, Zorro, Batman et al.
January 6, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/5
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Yuen tosses off nimble, elegantly witty solutions to life’s most vexing problems regarding rooms full of bad guys who won’t take thwak for an answer.
October 18, 2001 | Rating: B+
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
[Yuen’s] fights are innovative and intense, whether they’re a whirlwind one-on-one duel or one of many struggles featuring multiple combatants.
October 16, 2001 | Rating: 3/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
Think of Iron Monkey as the potboiling cousin of Crouching Tiger, rather than its most honoured forefather, and you’ll be on the right wavelength.
October 12, 2001
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
A rollicking, comic-book Robin Hood plot and more furiously entertaining fight scenes than the ones in Ang Lee’s solemn martial-arts art movie.
October 12, 2001
David Edelstein
Slate
TOP CRITIC
As a perfect complement to the adventure, a generous portion of comedy is blended in – sometimes just with witty bits of dialogue and frequently with physical slapstick.
September 30, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
“Iron Monkey” is a masterpiece of the genre (to say the least) and a film all fans of wuxia and martial arts in general should have in their collection.
October 27, 2019
Panos Kotzathanasis
Asian Movie Pulse
Some of the fighting is on par with, or better than, anything you’re likely to see in a Hong Kong action film.
October 31, 2018
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia
Where Iron Monkey really comes alive is with the action, and here’s where the audiences who enjoyed Crouching Tiger are repaid ten-fold.
June 20, 2018 | Rating: 9/10
J.R. Southall
Starburst
Despite its seemingly constant action, the focus was way too light for my liking, resulting in a film that’s often more corny than it is enthralling.
September 27, 2009
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views
some of the finest martial arts displays imaginable, and it doesn’t take itself seriously
September 25, 2009 | Rating: B
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews…
Plot
A Hong Kong variation on Robin Hood. The corrupt officials of a Chinese village are continually robbed by a masked bandit know as “Iron Monkey” named after a benevolent deity. When all else fails, the Govenor forces a traveling physician (Donnie Yen) into finding the bandit. The arrival of an evil Shaolin monk, brings the Physician and Iron Monkey together to battle the corrupt government.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Iron Monkey stars Donnie Yen, a renowned martial artist and actor known for his roles in Ip Man and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Woo-Ping-Yuen.jpg
90%
Funny Girl (1968)
90%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
8 wins & 16 nominations total
Barbara Streisand elevates this otherwise rote melodramatic musical with her ultra-memorable star turn as Fanny Brice.
Funny Girl is a movie that’s all about Barbra Streisand, and boy does she deliver! She’s got the power to knock all the props and sets on their ear, and she’s stunning in her Hollywood debut. Sure, the film might have some leaden melodrama and forgettable supporting characters, but who cares when you’ve got Babs belting out showstoppers and making you laugh and cry all at once? It’s a transformative experience that’ll have you embracing your own chutzpah and insecurities, just like Fanny Brice. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and let Funny Girl work its magic on you.
Production Company(ies)
Shinchosha Company, Studio Ghibli,
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Jersey Central Railway Station, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
MPAA / Certificate
G
Year of Release
1968
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTSS DDS Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 12.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 31m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 1968 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 21, 2003
Genre(s)
Musical
Keyword(s)
starring Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Walter Pidgeon, Kay Medford, Anne Francis, Lee Allen, directed by William Wyler, written by Isobel Lennart, Bob Merrill, Isobel Lennart, musical, G rating, box office gross $223.3K, reviewed by Margaret Hinxman, Renata Adler, Dave Kehr, Variety Staff, David Parkinson, Roger Ebert, KC Star Staff, Penelope Houston, Brandon Judell, David Keyes, Renee Schonfeld, MaryAnn Johanson, Barbra Streisand elevates, Fanny Brice, vaudeville, Broadway, Florenz Ziegfeld, vocal talents, comedic talents, suave, imprisoned businessman husband, Nick Arnstein
Worldwide gross: $52,224,636
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $503,041,893
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 285
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 54,857,349
US/Canada gross: $52,223,306
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $503,029,082
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 75
US/Canada opening weekend: $65,560
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $631,492
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,350
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $14,100,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $135,815,033
Production budget ranking: 260
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $73,136,396
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $294,090,464
ROI to date (est.): 141%
ROI ranking: 794
Omar Sharif – Nick Arnstein
Walter Pidgeon – Florenz Ziegfeld
Kay Medford – Rose Brice
Anne Francis – Georgia James
Lee Allen – Eddie Ryan
Director(s)
William Wyler
Writer(s)
Isobel Lennart, Bob Merrill, Isobel Lennart
Producer(s)
Ray Stark
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
8 wins & 16 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (3)
It’s hard to think of Funny Girl, in fact, apart from Barbra Streisand. She is the life force. Director William Wyler simply drapes the opulent show around her.
January 23, 2018
Margaret Hinxman
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
When she is singing–in a marvelous scene on roller skates–when she throws a line away, or shrugs, or looks funny or sad, she has a power, gentleness and intensity that rather knocks all the props and sets and camera angles on their ear.
January 9, 2018
Renata Adler
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Streisand is stunning, but the film is a trial, particularly when the music disappears somewhere around the 90-minute mark and all that’s left is leaden melodrama.
August 12, 2008
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Barbra Streisand in her Hollywood debut makes a marked impact.
August 12, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
You will have made your mind up about Babs one way or the other, but for the rare uninitiated, this is a fine introduction to her talents.
December 30, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
David Parkinson
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It is impossible to praise Miss Streisand too highly; hard to find much to praise about the rest of the film.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 4/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
[Barbra Streisand] is the best of all possible reasons to see the movie version of the musical. In short, she is sublime — which saves the film as a whole from suffocating under its own glossy, ill-conceived hugeness.
March 2, 2022
KC Star Staff
Kansas City Star
In Barbra Streisand Funny Girl thumps down an ace.
July 16, 2018
Penelope Houston
The Spectator
William Wyler’s adaption of the stage musical is transformative for many millennials. Whether wearing a hijab, sporting a yarmulke, or bareheaded, my students embrace Streisand’s Brice and the star/character’s professional chutzpah & insecurities.
January 9, 2018 | Rating: 9/10
Brandon Judell
Huffington Post
In lesser hands this would fall flat because nothing is written to comfort the supporting players. They are extras with names and blurred faces.
February 3, 2017 | Rating: 3/4
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org
Dazzling musical romance is long but entertaining.
February 15, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Renee Schonfeld
Common Sense Media
Legendary diva Streisand won an Oscar for her performance as legendary Ziegfeld girl Fanny Brice… who else but Babs could have portrayed her so well?… Great film it isn’t, but it sure is a helluva lot of fun.
November 19, 2008
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher…
Plot
Early twentieth century New York. Fanny Brice knows that she is a talented comedienne and singer. She also knows that she is not the beauty typical of the stage performers of the day, she with skinny legs and a crooked nose among other physical issues. So she knows she has to use whatever other means to get her break in show business, that break so that she can at least display her talents. With the help of Eddie Ryan who would become her friend, Fanny is able to get a part in a novelty act in a vaudeville show, the renown from which eventually comes to the attention of famed impresario Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. Fanny does become one of the Ziegfeld Follies most popular acts, despite she almost getting fired after her first performance by defying Flo’s artistic vision for her closing number. Beyond stage success, Fanny also wants a happy personal life, most specifically with the suave Nicky Arnstein, a gambler in every respect of the word. Fanny loves him and loves that he loves her despite her lack of traditional beauty, but she does not love that he comes in and goes out of her life based on his financial standing at any given time and his need to earn that quick buck by the next poker game or high stakes business deal as he feels he needs to play the traditional role of money maker in their relationship on his own terms.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Barbra Streisand won an Oscar for her performance as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl.
William-Wyler.jpg
90%
Dinner Rush (2001)
90%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins
With the aid of a witty script and a well-acted ensemble, Dinner Rush is a tasty dish.
Dinner Rush” is a movie that’s as delicious as a plate of pasta, according to Marrit Ingman from Austin Chronicle. With a cast that includes Danny Aiello, this quintessentially New York film is a character-driven drama that takes place in a downtown restaurant. It’s a well-paced movie that shares the heady, dizzying atmosphere that turns great meals into memorable events. While it’s not “Big Night,” there’s much worth tasting here. So, grab some popcorn and get ready to be entertained by this ensemble filmmaking masterpiece that’s perfect for foodies and movie lovers alike!
Production Company(ies)
Lurker
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Gigino Trattoria – 323 Greenwich Street, Tribeca, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, some violence and sexuality
Year of Release
2002
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English, Italian, French
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 28, 2000 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 21, 2003
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Danny Aiello, Edoardo Ballerini, Vivian Wu, Mike McGlone, Sandra Bernhard, John Corbett, Kirk Acevedo, Summer Phoenix, Polly Draper, Jamie Harris, Mark Margolis, directed by Bob Giraldi, written by Brian Kalata, Rick Shaughnessy, Comedy, Drama, R, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Marrit Ingman, Jamie Russell, Roger Ebert, Mick LaSalle, Moira MacDonald, Chris Vognar, Betsy Bozdech, Emanuel Levy, Mark R Leeper, Gabriel Shanks, Joshua Tanzer, Tom Grealis, MPAA rating, Louis Cropa, Chef Udo Cropa, Nicole Chan, Carmen, Duncan, Jennifer Freely, produced by Louis DiGiaimo, Patti Greaney
Worldwide gross: $933,740
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,548,666
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,488
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 168,884
US/Canada gross: $634,566
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,052,467
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,180
US/Canada opening weekend: $110,000
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $182,442
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,701
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
Edoardo Ballerini – Chef Udo Cropa
Vivian Wu – Nicole Chan
Michael McGlone – Carmen
Kirk Acevedo – Duncan
Sandra Bernhard – Jennifer Freely
Director – Bob Giraldi
Producers – Louis DiGiaimo, Patti Greaney
Writers – Brian Kalata, Rick Shaughnessy
Director(s)
Bob Giraldi
Writer(s)
Brian Kalata, Rick Shaughnessy
Producer(s)
Louis DiGiaimo, Patti Greaney
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (4)
March 10, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Marrit Ingman
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
It’s as insubstantial as a plate of linguini, but very, very tasty.
March 18, 2002 | Rating: 4/5
Jamie Russell
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
There are enough plots here to challenge a Robert Altman, specialist in interlocking stories, but the director, Bob Giraldi, masters the complexities as if he knows the territory.
January 18, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Benefits enormously from Aiello’s down-to-earth magnificence.
December 28, 2001
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
It’s not Big Night, but there’s much worth tasting here.
December 21, 2001
Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
Dinner Rush has the attention to frantic detail and hustling spirit that adds necessary sizzle to restaurant films.
December 20, 2001
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
Bob Giraldi’s tight, well-paced movie is an example of what ensemble filmmaking can be when it’s done correctly.
November 6, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Betsy Bozdech
DVDJournal.com
Set in a downtown restaurant, this is a small, well-acted (particularly by Danny Aiello) quintessentially New York film that recalls indie movies of the 1980s.
June 20, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
March 31, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Mark R. Leeper
rec.arts.movies.reviews
Shares the heady, dizzying atmosphere that turns great meals into memorable events.
October 29, 2003 | Rating: B-
Gabriel Shanks
Mixed Reviews
A genre film, but it tries to tell a story from a different angle – not through tough guys and excessive violence but through a character-driven drama with several different perspectives.
March 11, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
Joshua Tanzer
Offoffoff
This is an unusually patient and composed feature – it’s solidly scripted, it knows where it’s going and arrives there with a minimum of fuss.
February 13, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
Tom Grealis
RTÉ (Ireland)…
Plot
Is it just another evening at the hugely popular Italian restaurant of proprietor and bookmaker Louis Cropa in New York? Anything but as tonight’s guests include; a local police detective and his wife specially invited by the owner; on the balcony rival bookmaker gangsters from Queens who want to become partners in the restaurant; in the corner renowned food critic ‘the food nymph’ is her usual demanding self; and at the bar, seemingly unnoticed, is Ken. As the evening continues enter Duncan, inveterate gambler and sous-chef on-the-line in the frenetic kitchen downstairs, who acts as the catalyst that causes the evening to draw to its inevitable, explosive, deadly conclusion.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Sandra Bernhard plays a whiny food critic in Dinner Rush.
Bob-Giraldi.jpg
90%
Best in Show (2000)
90%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: 11 wins & 14 nominations
A fine example of writer-director-star Christopher Guest’s gift for improv comedy, Best in Show boasts an appealingly quirky premise and a brilliantly talented cast.
Best in Show” is a doggone hilarious mockumentary that will have you howling with laughter. With a talented ensemble cast, including the unforgettable Fred Willard as the off-color commentator Buck Laughlin, this film is a true pedigree. While some critics may bark about the use of sex as a source of comedy, the film still manages to be spontaneous, funny, and surprising. It’s a bit grownup, but even cat lovers might adore this comedy. So sit, stay, and enjoy the show!
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Aldergrove, British Columbia, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for language and sex-related material
Year of Release
2000
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 30m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 29, 2000 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 23, 2003
Genre(s)
Comedy/Lgbtq+
Keyword(s)
starring Michael Hitchcock, Parker Posey, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Fred Willard, Jim Piddock, Jane Lynch, Karen Murphy, directed by Christopher Guest, written by Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, comedy, LGBTQ+, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Ansen, Nell Minow, Mark Bourne, Bruce Newman, Steven D Greydanus, Marc Savlov, David Nusair, A.S Hamrah, Tom Meek, Mark Steyn, PG-13, Mayflower Dog Show, canine contestants, owners, diverse, Warner Bros Pictures, SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Dolby SR, Flat (1.85:1)
Worldwide gross: $20,789,556
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $36,057,734
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,487
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 3,932,141
US/Canada gross: $18,715,392
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $32,460,271
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,250
US/Canada opening weekend: $413,436
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $717,070
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,320
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $10,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $17,344,158
Production budget ranking: 1,440
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,339,829
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,373,747
ROI to date (est.): 35%
ROI ranking: 1,217
Parker Posey – Meg Swan
Eugene Levy – Gerry Fleck
Catherine O’Hara – Cookie Fleck
Christopher Guest – Harlan Pepper
John Michael Higgins – Scott
Director(s)
Christopher Guest
Writer(s)
Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy
Producer(s)
Karen Murphy
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
11 wins & 14 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (116) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (108) | Rotten (8)
Guest seems to know just how far he can stretch reality without losing the crucial texture of verisimilitude. This is a comedy even cat lovers might adore.
March 7, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Hilarious and offbeat, but humor is pretty grownup.
October 14, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
Nell Minow
Common Sense Media
TOP CRITIC
…it’s always a pleasure to watch this ensemble of gifted talents do what they do best — be spontaneous and funny and surprising. What we get is a master-class demonstration of the distinction between comic actors and comedians who try to act.
February 8, 2008
Mark Bourne
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
July 9, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Bruce Newman
San Jose Mercury News
TOP CRITIC
What a pity that with such funny material, Guest and company found it necessary to rely so heavily on sex as a supplementary source of comedy.
May 8, 2002 | Rating: C-
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films
TOP CRITIC
February 9, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/5
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
…often feels much, much longer than its 90 minutes…
June 17, 2021 | Rating: 1.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Parker Posey’s high-strung yuppie sums up decades of American culture: “We are so lucky to have been raised amongst catalogs.”
September 16, 2020
A.S. Hamrah
The Baffler
Willard plays a color commentator at a Philadelphia dog show, whose observations are off-color and belly-grabbing hilarious – the whole film’s one big, shaggy guffaw.
May 29, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
The film-makers have hung their satire on a slender and oh so familiar conceit – that dog-show types project their ambitions and their vanities onto their mutts.
January 25, 2018
Mark Steyn
The Spectator
The first 45 minutes are amusing enough, but the movie ascends to another level with the second-half introduction of Fred Willard as commentator Buck Laughlin.
February 23, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
The real pedigree doesn’t even arrive until halfway through. Fred Willard’s unforgettable dim-bulb commentator takes aim at TV’s injection of “sports drama” into competitions where, quite simply, there is none. (Here’s looking at you, Joe Garagiola.)
September 25, 2010 | Rating: 4/4
Nick Rogers
The Film Yap…
Plot
At the prestigious Mayflower Dog Show, a “documentary film crew” captures the excitement and tension displayed by the eccentric participants in the outrageously hilarious satire Best In Show. This biting send-up exposes the wondrously diverse dog owners who travel from all over America to showcase their four-legged contenders. Mild-mannered salesman Gerry Fleck (Eugene Levy) and his vivacious wife, Cookie (Catherine O’Hara), happily prepare their Norwich Terrier, while shop owner Harlan Pepper (Christopher Guest) hopes his Bloodhound wins top prize. As two upwardly mobile attorneys (Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock) anxiously ready their neurotic Weimaraner and an ecstatically happy gay couple (Michael McKean and John Michael Higgins) dote on their tiny Shih Tzu, inept commentator Buck Laughlin (Fred Willard) vainly attempts to provide colorful tidbits about each breed.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fred Willard’s performance as the brash and clueless commentator is a highlight of the film.
Christopher-Guest.jpg
90%
Blood Simple (1984)
90%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 8 nominations
Brutally violent and shockingly funny in equal measure, Blood Simple offers early evidence of the Coen Brothers’ twisted sensibilities and filmmaking ingenuity.
Blood Simple is a film that will have you on the edge of your seat, but not because of the suspenseful plot. No, it’s because you’ll be so mesmerized by the Coen brothers’ stunning visuals and the wickedly charming performance by M. Emmet Walsh as the slimy private eye Visser. This movie is a masterclass in black comedy and a must-watch for any fan of the genre. Just be prepared to feel a little sweaty and paranoid by the end.
Production Company(ies)
Eisei Gekijo Hakuhodo Nippon Shuppan Hanbai K. K.
Distributor
USA Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Pflugerville, Texas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1985
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Ultra Stereo (original version)
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 37m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 7, 1984 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2007
Genre(s)
Drama/Crime
Keyword(s)
starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, M Emmet Walsh, Dan Hedaya, Samm-Art Williams, Deborah Neumann, directed by Joel Coen, written by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, drama, crime, mystery, thriller, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Adam Nayman, Simran Hans, Peter Bradshaw, David Jenkins, Kenneth Turan, Andrew O’Hehir, David Nusair, Josh Larsen, Nicholas Bell, Mike Massie, Tim Brayton, Molly Haskell, R rating, Mortimer Young, restored, re-edited, Texas, saloon owner, divorce detective, murder, jealousy, black comedy, Coen Brothers, filmmaking ingenuity, vice-tight plotting, formalist filmmakers, composition, taut, structured storytelling, masters of black comedy, neo-noir, revenge, misunderstandings, absurdities, Frances McDormand’s debut, violent, gritty, twists
Worldwide gross: $4,228,292
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $11,942,789
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,902
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,302,376
US/Canada gross: $3,851,855
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $10,879,545
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,595
US/Canada opening weekend: $42,971
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $121,371
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,861
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $4,236,742
Production budget ranking: 1,937
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,281,486
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,424,561
ROI to date (est.): 83%
ROI ranking: 1,001
Frances McDormand – Abby
M. Emmet Walsh – Private Detective
Dan Hedaya – Julian Marty
Samm-Art Williams – Meurice
Deborah Neumann – Debra
Director(s)
Joel Coen
Writer(s)
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Producer(s)
Ethan Coen
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (105) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (98) | Rotten (7)
What holds up best about Blood Simple, besides its vice-tight plotting and the rotten charisma of M. Emmet Walsh’s evil, manipulative private eye Visser, is the sheer exuberance of the Coens’s visual style.
April 15, 2019
Adam Nayman
The Ringer
TOP CRITIC
Blood Simple is a reminder that the Coens are formalist film-makers first, with keen noses for composition and taut, structured storytelling, as well as masters of black comedy.
October 8, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Simran Hans
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A gripping, drum-tight noir masterpiece to compare with Touch of Evil.
October 5, 2017 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
One of the great debut features of modern times.
October 2, 2017 | Rating: 5/5
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
“Blood Simple” becomes a dazzling comedie noire, a dynamic, virtuoso display by a couple of talented fledgling filmmakers who give the conventions of the genre such a thorough workout that the result is a movie that’s fresh and exhilarating.
July 28, 2016
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Watching this beautiful restoration of “Blood Simple” I was actually struck by how non-bleak it is, how much the strength of the film lies in images of beauty, defiance and survival.
June 30, 2016
Andrew O’Hehir
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
…stylish yet distressingly uninvolving…
February 10, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
…good Old Testament stuff.
March 19, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
Moody, tenacious, and sweaty, it is the earliest, and one of the best films from the distinctive duo.
September 30, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
Distrust and deviance run rampant, toying with expectations and shattering any trust in consistent behavior from the actors, who are all remarkably effective.
August 31, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
One of the boldest debuts and most watchable indie movies of the 1980s.
May 3, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Tim Brayton
Alternate Ending
Blood Simple is less than a masterpiece, but it’s more than a successful audition for the Coen brothers’ talents.
February 27, 2020
Molly Haskell
Vogue…
Plot
Texas bar owner Julian Marty, who is generally regarded as not a nice person, hires shady private detective Loren Visser, who is able to obtain what Marty requests evidence – in this instance, photographic – that his wife, Abby, and one of his bartenders, Ray, are having an affair. As Ray and Abby realize that Marty has found out about them, it allows them to plan for their future away from Marty, while being up front with Marty about the situation. Marty, in turn, decides to hire Visser once again, this time to kill Abby and Ray, and dispose of their bodies so that they won’t be found. The out-in-the-open affair and the contract hit lead to some actions based on self-interest and a standoff of sorts between the four players, which is compounded in complexity by some wrong assumptions of what has happened, with an innocent bystander, another of the Marty’s bartenders, Meurice, potentially, and unwittingly, adding to the scenario.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Frances McDormand, who plays Abby in Blood Simple, would later become a frequent collaborator with the Coen Brothers, appearing in several of their films including Fargo, Burn After Reading, and Hail, Caesar!
Joel-Coen.jpg
90%
Aimée & Jaguar (2000)
90%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: 8 wins & 4 nominations
Aimee & Jaguar is a film that delicately balances the complexities of love and war, all while exploring the taboo nature of a lesbian romance in Nazi Germany. Director Max Frberbck’s feature debut is a breathtakingly beautiful and evocative portrayal of a narrative milieu rarely seen on screen. The film’s solid supporting cast and stunning visuals make for an engaging and moving drama that is both powerful and touching. While occasionally overwrought, Aimee & Jaguar is a rewarding viewing experience that is not to be missed.
Aimée & Jaguar is a movie that will make you feel all the feels. It’s a love story set in Nazi Germany, which sounds like a recipe for disaster, but somehow it works. The two main characters, Aimée and Jaguar, are both strong and complex women who you can’t help but root for. The movie is beautifully shot and the acting is top-notch. It’s definitely a tear-jerker, so make sure you have some tissues handy. But don’t worry, it’s not all sadness and despair. There are moments of joy and hope that will leave you feeling uplifted. Overall, Aimée & Jaguar is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good love story, especially one that’s a little unconventional.
Production Company(ies)
Romaine Film Corporation,
Distributor
Zeitgeist Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Hansaviertel, Tiergarten, Berlin, Germany
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1999
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby SR
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 7m
-
Language(s):German
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 10, 1999 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 20, 2001
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Maria Schrader, Juliane Köhler, Johanna Wokalek, Heike Makatsch, Elisabeth Degen, Detlev Buck, directed by Max Färberböck, written by Erica Fischer, Max Färberböck, Rona Munro, drama, Nazi Germany, LGBTQ+, World War II, love affair, sexual taboos, Jewish underground, Felice Schragenheim, Lilly Wust, Hanno Huth, Günter Rohrbach, Zeitgeist Films, Dolby EX, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby Stereo, Flat (1.85:1), $927.1K, 90% Tomatometer, 89% audience score, reviewed by Melissa Anderson, Ella Taylor, Jane Sumner, Charles Taylor, David Wood, Patrick Peters, Emanuel Levy, Andrew L Urban, Louise Keller, Cole Smithey, Boyd van Hoeij, Philip Martin, LGBTQ+ romance, historical drama, wartime romance, forbidden love, powerful, touching, poignant, engrossing, subtle, nuanced, beautiful, sensual, vibrantly real, affecting, rewarding viewing, rarely seen on screen, gripping examination, subtly shaded script, strong cast
Worldwide gross: $927,107
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,664,183
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,461
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 181,481
US/Canada gross: $927,107
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,664,183
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,083
US/Canada opening weekend: $42,919
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $77,041
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,043
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): DEM 15,000,000
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
Juliane Köhler – Lilly Wust (Aimée)
Johanna Wokalek – Ilse
Heike Makatsch – Klärchen
Elisabeth Degen – Lotte
Detlev Buck – Günther Wust
Director(s)
Max Färberböck
Writer(s)
Erica Fischer, Max Färberböck, Rona Munro
Producer(s)
Hanno Huth, Günter Rohrbach
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
8 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (49) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (5)
Impassioned — if occasionally overwrought.
May 24, 2022
Melissa Anderson
Out Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A sophisticated and beautiful feature debut from German television director Max Frberbck.
October 2, 2002
Ella Taylor
L.A. Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A vivid slice of life — and love — during the 1944 Allied bombardment of Berlin.
February 14, 2002 | Rating: B-
Jane Sumner
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
The film … isn’t up to the complexities the story raises, but it’s a consistently engrossing piece of work.
August 9, 2001
Charles Taylor
Salon.com
TOP CRITIC
Rewarding viewing, evocatively re-creating a narrative milieu and war-time Berlin rarely seen on screen.
July 3, 2001 | Rating: 3/5
David Wood
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
With a solid support cast, this is always an engaging and moving drama.
May 3, 2001
Patrick Peters
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A well acted, sensual tale of lesbian romance set against the tumultuous setting of WWII and the Holocaust.
August 2, 2011 | Rating: B
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
It’s a breathtakingly beautiful film, never mawkish, never less than vibrantly real and never more affecting than when it explores the nature of a love that ‘dare not speak its name’, not in Nazi Germany
April 10, 2010
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile
Startlingly poignant, Aime and Jaguar is a story about dreams. If you have ever dreamed, don’t miss it.
April 10, 2010
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile
Powerful and touching. Good touching.
August 14, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
June 10, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Boyd van Hoeij
european-films.net
September 7, 2004 | Rating: 2/5
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette…
Plot
Berlin 1943/44 (“The Battle of Berlin”). Felice, an intelligent and courageous Jewish woman who lives under a false name, belongs to an underground organization. Lilly, a devoted mother of four, though an occasional unfaithful wife, is desperate for love. An unusual and passionate love between them blossoms despite the danger of persecution and nightly bombing raids.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Maria Schrader, who played Felice Schragenheim (Jaguar) in the film, also directed and co-wrote the popular German TV series “Unorthodox” on Netflix.
Max-Färberböck.jpg
90%
High Fidelity (2000)
90%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
3 wins & 22 nominations total
The deft hand of director Stephen Frears and strong performances by the ensemble cast combine to tell an entertaining story with a rock-solid soundtrack.
High Fidelity is like a mixtape of all the best rom-coms and indie music rolled into one. John Cusack’s charm is on full display as he navigates the ups and downs of love and heartbreak. The film’s witty dialogue and clever visual gags make it a joy to watch, and the soundtrack is a must-listen for any music lover. It’s a movie that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even inspire you to make your own top five lists.
Production Company(ies)
Horizon Pictures,
Distributor
Touchstone Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Double Door – 1572 N. Milwaukee Avenue, West Town, Chicago, Illinois, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and some sexuality
Year of Release
2000
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 53m
-
Language(s):English, Danish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 31, 2000 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 8, 2003
Genre(s)
Comedy/Romance
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $47,126,295
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,736,589
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,116
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,913,478
US/Canada gross: $27,287,137
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $47,327,241
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,101
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,429,107
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $11,150,745
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 927
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $30,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $52,032,473
Production budget ranking: 762
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $28,019,487
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,684,629
ROI to date (est.): 2%
ROI ranking: 1,387
Iben Hjejle – Laura
Todd Louiso – Dick
Jack Black – Barry
Lisa Bonet – Marie DeSalle
Catherine Zeta-Jones – Charlie Nicholson
Director(s)
Stephen Frears
Writer(s)
Nick Hornby, D.V. DeVincentis, Steve Pink, John Cusack, Scott Rosenberg
Producer(s)
Tim Bevan, Rudd Simmons
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
3 wins & 22 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (165) | Top Critics (54) | Fresh (150) | Rotten (15)
High Fidelity, with its knowing take on men, messed-up romance and music, is like one long, hook-filled pop song for the eyes.
February 10, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
It is still a bit wimpy and sugary, but it’s definitely entertaining, and the translation to American accelerates the tempo refreshingly.
February 10, 2014
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
A film pragmatic enough to concede that almost every relationship is doomed, but romantic enough to realize that it’s worth it to carry on in spite of that fact, High Fidelity is one of the smartest and funniest romantic comedies of the past few years.
February 10, 2014
Nathan Rabin
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
When happiness does arrive in this movie, it has the air not of something that you reach, like your top speed, but of something that you give in to, like baldness or old age.
February 10, 2014
Anthony Lane
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Cusack has ineffable charm, but he keeps it tuned at the lowest possible frequency.
February 10, 2014
Manohla Dargis
L.A. Weekly
TOP CRITIC
As for Mr. Cusack, there’s nothing potential about his stardom any more. He’s the self-doubting, self-flagellating, self-ironic soul of “High Fidelity,” and he’s great.
February 10, 2014
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
TOP CRITIC
Few films capture the healing power of music or the harsh reality of love & break-ups.
August 24, 2021
Charlotte Harrison
Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies
Like a male version of ‘Bridget Jones’ – with the lead reduced to a nauseating cipher who espouses mediocre, gender politics jargon.
January 27, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
It’s not perfect, but boy, is it ever accurate and insightful.
April 7, 2015 | Rating: 7/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy
High Fidelity is an extraordinarily funny film, full of verbal and visual wit. And it is assembled with immense skill.
February 10, 2014
Philip French
Observer (UK)
As a film about males it`s amazingly insightful for women. The soundtrack`s another great plus. I just adored this film.
February 10, 2014 | Rating: 5/5
Margaret Pomeranz
sbs.com.au
This slickly scripted, knowingly played and cameo-strewn comedy stands on its merits as an Alfie for the millennial generation.
February 10, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
David Parkinson
Radio Times…
Plot
Thirty-something Rob Gordon, a former club DJ, owns a not-so-lucrative used record store in Chicago. He not so much employs Barry and Dick, but rather keeps them around as they showed up at the store one day and never left. All three are vinyl and music snobs, but in different ways. Rob has a penchant for compiling top-five lists. The latest of these lists is his top-five break-ups, it spurred by the fact that his latest girlfriend, Laura, a lawyer, has just broken up with him. He believed that Laura would be the one who would last, partly as an expectation of where he would be at this stage in his life. Rob admits that there have been a few incidents in their relationship which in and of themselves could be grounds for her to want to break up. To his satisfaction, Laura is not on this top-five list. Rob feels a need not only to review the five relationships, which go back as far as middle school when he was 12, and try to come to terms with why the woman, or girl as the case may be, left him, but also, in the words of Charlie Nicholson, number four on the list, “what it all means” for why he has ended up where he is, which is nowhere, personally or professionally, close to what he envisioned. He also has to come to terms with what it means that Laura has moved on to Ian Raymond, a man for whom neither had any respect when they were together.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Jack Black gives a breakout performance in High Fidelity.
Stephen-Frears.jpg
90%
The Taste of Others (Le goût des autres) (2000)
90%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
16 wins & 12 nominations total
The Taste of Others is a fresh, witty comedy about the attraction of opposites. The characters are well-drawn and engaging and their social interactions believable.
The Taste of Others” is a French romantic comedy that’s perfect for a date night with some fancy cheese and wine. The characters are believable and the situations are relatable, making it easy to get lost in the dialogue-heavy plot. It’s a movie that you watch for the acting and character development, both of which are outstanding. Plus, it’s a great reminder that the French really do know how to make a good small movie. So, grab your significant other, some Roquefort and Chablis, and settle in for a charmingly acted Gallic comedy.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, The Coppola Company, American Zoetrope
Distributor
Offline Releasing, Artistic License, Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Rue Louis Ricard, Rouen, Seine- Maritime, France
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and drug content
Year of Release
2000
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTS
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 52m
-
Language(s):French, English
-
Country of origin:France
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 1, 2000 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 26, 2002
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Jean-Pierre Bacri, Anne Alvaro, Agnès Jaoui, Gérard Lanvin, Alain Chabat, Brigitte Catillon, Christiane Millet, directed by Agnès Jaoui, written by Jean-Pierre Bacri, Agnès Jaoui, comedy, R rating, box office gross $635.3K, reviewed by Peter Howell, Rick Groen, Susan Stark, Jane Sumner, Eve Zibart, Rita Kempley, Yasser Medina, Jeffrey M Anderson, Vadim Rizov, Brandon Judell, Marty Mapes, William Arnold, French language, Charles Gassot producer, Dolby Stereo sound mix, Dolby Digital sound mix, Dolby A sound mix, DTS sound mix, Dolby SR sound mix, Scope aspect ratio, attraction of opposites, businessman, actress, English teacher, Racine’s “Bérénice”, social interactions, believable characters, emerging hero, French romantic comedy
Worldwide gross: $1,021,938
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,772,465
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,447
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 193,290
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
Anne Alvaro – Clara
Agnès Jaoui – Manie
Gérard Lanvin – Franck Moreno
Alain Chabat – Bruno Deschamps
Brigitte Catillon – Beatrice
Director(s)
Agnès Jaoui
Writer(s)
Jean-Pierre Bacri, Agnès Jaoui
Producer(s)
Charles Gassot
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
16 wins & 12 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (60) | Top Critics (26) | Fresh (59) | Rotten (1)
Succeeds with believable characters and situations born of lives well studied.
November 30, 2001
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
The movie’s unique appeal lies less in the style than the substance — particularly, in the emerging hero at the centre of the tale.
November 30, 2001 | Rating: 3/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
October 30, 2001 | Rating: 3/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Slyly written, the intelligent social satire is surely acted and … confidently, ably directed.
September 13, 2001
Jane Sumner
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
There are some things the French do better than we do, and the small movie is one.
June 29, 2001 | Rating: 4.5/5
Eve Zibart
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
A worldly-wise, compassionate and charmingly acted Gallic comedy.
June 29, 2001 | Rating: 4/5
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Agnès Jaoui’s debut feature is a rather pathetic French romantic comedy. [Full review in Spanish]
December 15, 2021 | Rating: 3/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
Talky, but [its] casual wandering feel swirls the viewer in before we even realize how much dialogue there is.
May 26, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
June 19, 2003 | Rating: 8/10
Vadim Rizov
Movie-Vault.com
the perfect date film for those with a fondness for Rohmer, Roquefort, and Chablis.
June 3, 2003
Brandon Judell
Detour Magazine
The type of movie you watch for the acting and the character development, which are both outstanding
May 22, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/4
Marty Mapes
Movie Habit
April 3, 2002 | Rating: B
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer…
Plot
Three men, three women, opposites, possibilities, and tastes. Castella owns a industrial steel barrel plant in Rouen; Bruno is his flute-playing driver, Franck is his temporary bodyguard while he negotiates a contract with Iranians, his wife Angélique does frou-frou interior decorating and loves her dog. The conventional Castella hires a forty-year-old actress, Clara, to tutor him in English, and he finds her and her Bohemian lifestyle fascinating. Is this love? What would she say if he declared himself? Through Bruno, Franck meets Manie, a barmaid who deals hash. They begin an affair. Are they in love? They joke about marriage. As the women hold back, the men must make decisions.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Jean-Pierre Bacri, who plays the lead character Castella, also co-wrote the screenplay with director Agnès Jaoui.
Agnès-Jaoui.jpg
90%
Being John Malkovich (1999)
90%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 3 Oscars
48 wins & 79 nominations total
Smart, funny, and highly original, Being John Malkovich supports its wild premise with skillful direction and a stellar ensemble cast.
Being John Malkovich” is like a wild ride through a twisted carnival of the mind. It’s like a funhouse mirror that distorts reality and makes you question everything you thought you knew. John Cusack and Cameron Diaz are hilarious as a couple who stumble upon a portal into John Malkovich’s brain, and Malkovich himself gives a surprisingly nuanced performance as a version of himself. The film is weird, wacky, and wonderful, and it’s definitely not for everyone, but if you’re in the mood for something truly unique and mind-bending, give it a try. Just don’t be surprised if you come out feeling a little bit like you’ve been through the wringer.
Production Company(ies)
AMLF The Saul Zaentz Company,
Distributor
USA Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
RMS Queen Mary – 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and sexuality
Year of Release
1999
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 52m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 29, 1999 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 27, 2009
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean, Mary Kay Place, John Malkovich, directed by Spike Jonze, written by Charlie Kaufman, comedy, R rating, box office gross $22.9M, reviewed by Adam Kempenaar, David Germain, Chris Chang, Candice Frederick, Keith Staskiewicz, David Rooney, Tom Meek, Leigh Paatsch, Rob Aldam, Armond White, Kaleem Aftab, original language English, producer Steve Golin, Vincent Landay, Sandy Stern, Michael Stipe, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR, aspect ratio Flat (1.85:1), Craig Schwartz, Lotte Schwartz, Maxine Lund, Dr Lester, Floris, John Horatio Malkovich
Worldwide gross: $23,106,667
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $41,477,112
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,424
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,523,131
US/Canada gross: $22,863,596
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $41,040,792
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,155
US/Canada opening weekend: $637,721
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $1,144,727
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,262
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $13,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $23,335,362
Production budget ranking: 1,284
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $12,566,093
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $5,575,656
ROI to date (est.): 16%
ROI ranking: 1,318
Cameron Diaz – Lotte Schwartz
Catherine Keener – Maxine Lund
Orson Bean – Dr. Lester
Mary Kay Place – Floris
John Malkovich – John Horatio Malkovich
Director(s)
Spike Jonze
Writer(s)
Charlie Kaufman
Producer(s)
Steve Golin, Vincent Landay, Sandy Stern, Michael Stipe
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 3 Oscars
48 wins & 79 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (134) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (126) | Rotten (8)
Kaufman and Jonze steer us through a truly twisted psychological and existential swamp.
August 30, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5
Adam Kempenaar
Filmspotting
TOP CRITIC
Fabulously funny and delightfully disturbed, “Being John Malkovich” is the ultimate voyeur movie, a dark and at times malevolent take on what it’s like to be in someone else’s skull, looking out.
June 12, 2018
David Germain
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
The beauty of the film is the way it elevates John Malkovich from an actor to an axiom.
March 22, 2018
Chris Chang
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Though Being John Malkovich was deliciously original and delivers an underrated performance by John Cusack, the ending was a bit disappointing.
September 11, 2017 | Rating: B+
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
May 12, 2012 | Rating: A
Keith Staskiewicz
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
Devilishly inventive and so far out there it’s almost off the scale.
June 17, 2008
David Rooney
Variety
TOP CRITIC
The very meta tale stars and is about thespian and sometime Cambridge resident John Malkovich and the puppeteer (John Cusack) who discovers a portal into his brain.
September 10, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
The intense invention and creativity at work in this extraordinary movie is overwhelming.
June 9, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
Outlandish, hilarious and exceedingly clever.
August 9, 2019
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia
For two hours, it works like the best music videos: making high-concept philosophies graspable, marvelous and fun.
April 30, 2019
Armond White
New York Press
What could have developed into a one-gag film becomes a gender-bending extravaganza with a crazy network of love triangles… The real magic of Being John Malkovich is that it never fails to surprise.
April 13, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Kaleem Aftab
The List
Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman’s hallucinatory meditation on human embodiment, celebrity, and, uh, John Malkovich remains the ultimate marriage of ’90s music-video aesthetics and absurdist narrative storytelling.
March 26, 2019
Lindsay Zoladz
The Ringer…
Plot
Puppeteer Craig Schwartz and animal lover and pet store clerk Lotte Schwartz are just going through the motions of their marriage. Despite not being able to earn a living solely through puppeteering, Craig loves his profession as it allows him to inhabit the skin of others. He begins to take the ability to inhabit the skin of others to the next level when he is forced to take a job as a file clerk for the off-kilter LesterCorp, located on the five-foot tall 7½ floor of a Manhattan office building. Behind one of the filing cabinets in his work area, Craig finds a hidden door which he learns is a portal into the mind of John Malkovich, the visit through the portal which lasts fifteen minutes after which the person is spit into a ditch next to the New Jersey Turnpike. Craig is fascinated by the meaning of life associated with this finding. Lotte’s trips through the portal make her evaluate her own self. And the confident Maxine Lund, one of Craig’s co-workers who he tells about the portal if only because he is attracted to her, thinks that it is a money making opportunity in selling trips into Malkovich’s mind after office hours for $200 a visit. Craig, Lotte and Maxine begin to understand that anyone entering the portal has the ability to control Malkovich’s mind, which also alters his entire being. This experience makes Maxine fall in love with a composite. This ability to control Malkovich’s mind begs the question of the ultimate psychedelic trip for Malkovich himself, who begins to feel that something is not right in the world as he knows it.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
John Malkovich plays an imaginary version of himself in Being John Malkovich.
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90%
Show Me Love (Fucking Åmål) (1999)
90%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 19 wins & 8 nominations
Show Me Love is a film that captures the essence of first love with honesty, charm, and an uncanny sympathy for all its characters. Moodysson’s debut feature has a grainy, immediate feel that nicely enhances the story’s emotional honesty, a quality that our own popular teen movies have only just begun to embrace. The central performances create a touching relationship, despite the suspicion that the male writer/director’s interest in the subject is slightly dubious, or at least tokenistic. The tentative nature of these couplings and the social environments that could threaten to undermine them suggest that these stories are only beginning, but I’m rooting for both couples anyway. Call me a romantic.
Show Me Love” is a heartwarming and hilarious romantic comedy that will make you feel all the feels. Moodysson’s direction and the performances from the cast are top-notch, especially Dahlstrm and Liljeberg who have amazing chemistry. The film captures the awkwardness and excitement of first love in a way that is both relatable and refreshing. Even though the storyline may not be groundbreaking, the film’s emotional honesty and sincerity make it a must-watch. Plus, the graininess of the film gives it a cool retro vibe that will transport you back to the pre-millennium era. Don’t miss out on this charming teen comedy from Sweden!
Production Company(ies)
Bavaria Film Twin Bros., Productions, Radiant Film GmbH,
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Trollhättan, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby SR
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 29m
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Language(s):Swedish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 3, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 3, 2000
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Alexandra Dahlström, Rebecca Liljeberg, Erica Carlson, Mathias Rust, Stefan Hörberg, Josefin Nyberg, Lars Jönsson, directed by Lukas Moodysson, written by Lukas Moodysson, drama, Swedish, box office gross $220.0K, reviewed by Alyx Vesey, David Ansen, Lisa Alspector, Trevor Johnston, Jeff Millar, Liese Spencer, Michele James, Jas Keimig, Dennis Schwartz, Ken Fox, Jeffrey M Anderson, MPAA rating not mentioned, produced by Lars Jönsson, teenage life, first love, lesbian, small town, coming of age, relationships, alienation, contemporary civilization, Thirteen, Robyn, Cannes Film Festival, Variety, Titanic
Worldwide gross: $219,331
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $402,503
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,795
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 43,893
US/Canada gross: $169,331
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $310,746
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,452
US/Canada opening weekend: $17,110
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $31,399
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,358
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): SEK 9,000,000
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
Rebecca Liljeberg – Agnes Ahlberg
Erica Carlson – Jessica
Mathias Rust – Johan Hulth
Stefan Hörberg – Markus
Josefin Nyberg – Viktoria
Director(s)
Lukas Moodysson
Writer(s)
Lukas Moodysson
Producer(s)
Lars Jönsson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
19 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (4)
The tentative nature of these couplings and the social environments that could threaten to undermine them suggest that these stories are only beginning. But I’m rooting for both couples anyway. Call me a romantic.
January 11, 2021
Alyx Vesey
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
With honesty, charm and an uncanny sympathy for all its characters, it takes us deep inside the awkward and exhilarating experience of first love.
March 6, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
This powerful, funny romantic drama neatly integrates the dilemmas of a girl in love, the girl she loves, a boy who also loves that girl, and that girl’s sister.
July 18, 2007
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
While the storyline has few surprises, the central performances create a touching relationship, despite the suspicion that the male writer/director’s interest in the subject is slightly dubious, or at least tokenistic.
February 9, 2006
Trevor Johnston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Dahlstrm and especially Liljeberg are first-rate.
July 21, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Jeff Millar
Houston Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Moodysson’s story may be an old one — the taboo romance between lovers from different ends of the school spectrum — but his sharp script refreshes old themes.
December 2, 2002
Liese Spencer
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
This bittersweet tale will leave you sentimentally reminiscing about past loves and the passion of that first awkward kiss.
May 27, 2022
Michele James
Out Magazine
Even the graininess of the film itself captures a kind of pre-millennium feeling. All to be savored!
February 1, 2022
Jas Keimig
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
A charming teen comedy from Sweden.
February 2, 2012 | Rating: B-
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
Lukas Moodyson’s debut feature has a grainy, immediate feel that nicely enhances the story’s emotional honesty — a quality that our own popular teen movies have only just begun to embrace.
July 18, 2007 | Rating: 3.5/4
Ken Fox
TV Guide
A simple, charming, and slightly edgy romance between two teenage girls.
May 26, 2006
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
Nobody can deny the honesty or the outright sincerity this film has.
December 6, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Morgan Miller
Film Threat…
Plot
Åmål is a small insignificant town where nothing ever happens, where the latest trends are out of date when they get there. Young Elin has a bit of a bad reputation when it comes to guys, but the fact is that she is inexperienced in that matter. Another girl in her school, Agnes, is in love with her but is too shy to do anything about it. For a number of reasons, Elin ends up at Agnes’ birthday party as the only guest. They have a girl’s night out together but after that Elin desperately avoids Agnes, refusing to even consider her own feelings toward Agnes.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about the film or its cast.
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