Production Company(ies)
Animal Kingdom, Traction Media,
 
Distributor
SHOUT! STUDIOS
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Mark Duplass, Natalie Morales, Desean Terry, Christine Quesada, directed by Natalie Morales, written by Mark Duplass, Natalie Morales, comedy, drama, $73.3K box office, reviewed by Callie Petch, Allison Shoemaker, Roxana Hadadi, Christy Lemire, Peter Rainer, Yolanda Machado, Calum Baker, Javier Ocaña, Brenda Medel, Dan Bayer, Patrick McDonald, produced by Mel Eslyn, MPAA rating, platonic love, Spanish lessons, tragedy, emotional bond, friendship, Zoom meeting, technology, human relationships, connection
 

Cast & Crew

Mark Duplass

Natalie Morales

Desean Terry

Christine Quesada

Mark Duplass

Adam

Cariño

Will

Cariño’s Cousin

Screenwriter

Mark Duplass – Adam
Natalie Morales – Cariño (also Director)
Desean Terry – Will
Christine Quesada – Cariño’s Cousin
Mark Duplass – Screenwriter
Mel Eslyn – Producer

 

Natalie Morales

Mark Duplass

Mel Eslyn

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Natalie Morales
 
Writer(s)
Mark Duplass, Natalie Morales
 
Producer(s)
Mel Eslyn

 

Film Festivals
Berlin, South by Southwest
 
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 5 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Callie Petch

Allison Shoemaker

Roxana Hadadi

Christy Lemire

Peter Rainer

Little White Lies

Fox 10 Phoenix

RogerEbert.com

FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)

TheWrap

LANGUAGE LESSONS
  All Critics (96) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (92) | Rotten (4)
  Morales’ assured direction, and the Zoom meeting conceit, really enhances the material.
 
  October 19, 2021
 
  Callie Petch
  Little White Lies
  TOP CRITIC
  The odd contrivance here and there can’t diminish the potency of this deeply empathetic, entirely platonic rom-com.
 
  September 16, 2021
 
  Allison Shoemaker
  Fox 10 Phoenix
  TOP CRITIC
  Language Lessons is an alternately comforting and challenging watch … making plain the winsome appeal of films about platonic love.
 
  September 11, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Roxana Hadadi
  RogerEbert.com
  TOP CRITIC
  It’s charming, they have incredible chemistry with each other… It’s [also] a really inventive way to use the technology to get to the heart of what can be good and what can be bad about [the technology].
 
  September 10, 2021
 
  Christy Lemire
  FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
  TOP CRITIC
  It’s really terrific.
 
  September 10, 2021
 
  Peter Rainer
  FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
  TOP CRITIC
  A warm, lovely film about platonic affection and the human need for connection.
 
  September 10, 2021
 
  Yolanda Machado
  TheWrap
  TOP CRITIC
  Rather than getting bogged down in grim realities, Morales and Duplass have crafted a sweet ode to the benefits of connectivity and the joy of friendship.
 
  June 23, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Calum Baker
  Radio Times
  A modest story of a personal connection through technology, armed with simplicity and charisma… [Full review in Spanish}
 
  June 14, 2022
 
  Javier Ocaña
  El Pais (Spain)
  A moving story about friendship and human relationships in the age of screens.
  [Full review in Spanish]
 
  May 13, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Brenda Medel
  Cine Premiere
  Essential viewing, a miniature masterpiece of humanism that beautifully distills a whole year’s worth of love, loss, introspection, and empathy into an hour and a half. It’s impossible not to fall in love with it.
 
  May 10, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
 
  Dan Bayer
  Next Best Picture
  A short 90 minutes, and some gaps in the narrative arent properly explored, and the principal actors don’t generate chemistry. Duplass not gay in real life felt like a hetero dude trying to interpret a gay man … the tone and emotion wasn’t there.
 
  March 14, 2022 | Rating: 2/5
 
  Patrick McDonald
  HollywoodChicago.com
  If the world of Zoom, and virtual interactions we’ve been forced into, have us tired, this film will show what can be achieved when we let creativity flow. Full review in Spanish
 
  March 9, 2022
 
  Gisela Savdie
  Letra Urbana…

 

Plot
A Spanish teacher and her student develop an unexpected friendship.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Mark Duplass, who plays Adam in Language Lessons, also co-wrote the screenplay with director Natalie Morales.
 

 
Natalie-Morales.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
BBC Film, Foreign Language
 
Distributor
Vertigo Releasing, Ahoy Associates Entertainment
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Kent, England, United Kingdom
 
MPAA / Certificate
NR
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Joanna Scanlan, Nathalie Richard, Talid Ariss, Nasser Memarzia, Sudha Bhuchar, Nisha Chadha, directed by Aleem Khan, written by Aleem Khan, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Leslie Felperin, Nell Minow, Kyle Smith, Christian Zilko, Beatrice Loayza, Thomas Floyd, Francisca Tinoco, Sumner Forbes, Soham Gadre, Joel Fisher, Dennis Harvey, producer Matthieu de Braconier, MPAA rating, widow, secret, port town, Dover, English Channel, Calais, limited release, Vertigo Releasing, Ahoy Associates Entertainment, 2020, 1h 29m, Joanna Scanlan as Mary Hussain, Nathalie Richard as Geneviève, Talid Ariss as Solomon, Nasser Memarzia as Ahmed, Sudha Bhuchar as Farzanna, Nisha Chadha as Mina
 

Cast & Crew

Joanna Scanlan

Mary Hussain

Nathalie Richard

Geneviève

Talid Ariss

Mary Hussain

Geneviève

Solomon

Ahmed

Farzanna

Joanna Scanlan – Mary Hussain
Nathalie Richard – Geneviève
Talid Ariss – Solomon
Nasser Memarzia – Ahmed
Sudha Bhuchar – Farzanna
Nisha Chadha – Mina
Aleem Khan – Writer and Director
Matthieu de Braconier – Producer
Vertigo Releasing / Ahoy Associates Entertainment – Distributor

 

Aleem Khan

Aleem Khan

Matthieu de Braconier

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Aleem Khan
 
Writer(s)
Aleem Khan
 
Producer(s)
Matthieu de Braconier

 

Film Festivals
Cannes
 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Leslie Felperin

Nell Minow

Kyle Smith

Christian Zilko

Beatrice Loayza

Hollywood Reporter

RogerEbert.com

Wall Street Journal

indieWire

New York Times

AFTER LOVE
 All Critics (46) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (3)
 A miraculous study of grief, jealousy and ultimately compassion, all executed with very little dialogue.
 
 January 31, 2023
 
 Leslie Felperin
 Hollywood Reporter
 TOP CRITIC
 Writer/director Aleem Khan has a gift for telling visual details.
 
 January 25, 2023 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
 Nell Minow
 RogerEbert.com
 TOP CRITIC
 I tend to chafe at films that would fall apart if only a single person uttered a single sentence. Yet Mr. Khan’s delicate, low-key humanism makes After Love affecting, if not quite spellbinding.
 
 January 19, 2023
 
 Kyle Smith
 Wall Street Journal
 TOP CRITIC
 Anchored by a nuanced turn from Scanlan that can hang with some of the best Italian Neorealist performances, the film ends up a beautiful, jagged exploration of the messy nature of being human.
 
 January 19, 2023 | Rating: B+
 
 Christian Zilko
 indieWire
 TOP CRITIC
 Consider “After Love” a rarity; these days, a good adult drama — the kind whose power is premised on the intricacies and deceptions that shape our everyday relationships — is hard to come by.
 
 January 19, 2023
 
 Beatrice Loayza
 New York Times
 TOP CRITIC
 Only a truly affecting film about grief would leave a viewer wishing it weren’t over so soon.
 
 January 18, 2023 | Rating: 3/4
 
 Thomas Floyd
 Washington Post
 TOP CRITIC
 From BAFTA-nominated director Aleem Khan, and BAFTA-winning actress Joanna Scanlan, this visceral exploration of grief offers one of the most honest and generous representations of middle-aged womanhood in recent memory.
 
 February 23, 2023 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Francisca Tinoco
 We Got This Covered
 It’s a mature story, and with maturity comes a subtlety that goes beyond exposition.
 
 February 14, 2023 | Rating: 6/10
 
 Sumner Forbes
 Film Threat
 After Love, serviceably directed but only marginally engrossing, feels too much like a long wait for a heavy hammer to fall.
 
 January 28, 2023
 
 Soham Gadre
 Film Inquiry
 After Love is a universal story of what we would do after a loved one leaves us, and it may leave you feeling grateful for the ones that are still here.
 
 January 27, 2023
 
 Joel Fisher
 Battle Royale With Cheese
 While much more somber in tone, After Love shares When You Finish’s ability to pull a satisfying, conciliatory close out of discordant character dynamics.
 
 January 23, 2023
 
 Dennis Harvey
 48 Hills
 A Quietly Devastating Slow Burn On What It Really Means To Belong.
 
 January 21, 2023 | Rating: 8/10
 
 Jeremy Mathai
 Slashfilm…

 

Plot
After the unexpected death of her husband, Mary Hussain discovers a secret he kept in Calais, just 21 miles across the English Channel, in the drama film After Love.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Joanna Scanlan won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress for her performance in After Love.
 

 
Aleem-Khan.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
M K2 Productions, C E D Productions, France 3 Cinéma
 
Distributor
Amazon Studios
 
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Prime Video), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and some domestic violence
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill, Cathy Belton, Rebecca O’Mara, Sean Duggan, Ciaran Crowley, Ian Lloyd Anderson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, written by Malcolm Campbell, Clare Dunne, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Mark Kermode, Donald Clarke, Simran Hans, Clarisse Loughrey, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Deborah Ross, Leigh Paatsch, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, DarkSkyLady, Sarah Cullen, Kate Muir, Aine O’Connor, produced by Rory Gilmartin, Ed Guiney, Sharon Horgan, MPAA rating R, single mother, abusive partner, temporary accommodation, self-building, affordable home, architect, land, building contractor, possessive ex, bureaucrats, independent spirit, domestic violence, language, English (United Kingdom), Dec 30 2020 Limited release, Jan 8 2021 streaming release, 1h 37m runtime, Amazon Studios, Scope (2.35:1) aspect ratio
 

Cast & Crew

Clare Dunne

Harriet Walter

Conleth Hill

Cathy Belton

Rebecca O’Mara

Sandra

Peggy

Aido

Jo

Grainne

Clare Dunne – Sandra
Harriet Walter – Peggy
Conleth Hill – Aido
Cathy Belton – Jo
Rebecca O’Mara – Grainne
Sean Duggan – Ciaran Crowley

 

Phyllida Lloyd

Malcolm Campbell

Rory Gilmartin

Ed Guiney

Sharon Horgan

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Phyllida Lloyd
 
Writer(s)
Malcolm Campbell, Clare Dunne
 
Producer(s)
Rory Gilmartin, Ed Guiney, Sharon Horgan

 

Film Festivals
Sundance
 
Awards & Nominations
4 wins & 10 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Mark Kermode

Donald Clarke

Simran Hans

Clarisse Loughrey

Charlotte O’Sullivan

Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review

Irish Times

Observer (UK)

Independent (UK)

London Evening Standard

HERSELF
  All Critics (138) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (129) | Rotten (9)
  It’s got foundations rooted in reality. The body off the house is in-between the dream and the fulfillment, and it’s roof has its head in the air…I enjoyed it very much.
 
  September 21, 2021
 
  Mark Kermode
  Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
  TOP CRITIC
  Lloyd makes something genuinely nightmarish of the worst attacks, but Dunne’s creased vulnerability … keeps us tethered to waking reality.
 
  September 17, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Donald Clarke
  Irish Times
  TOP CRITIC
  Dunne, who also co-wrote the script, brings admirable grit and pathos to her character without allowing her to become a victim. Still, the film’s abrupt tonal shifts are jarring.
 
  September 11, 2021 | Rating: 2/5
 
  Simran Hans
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Herself is smart in the way it balances the importance of individual charity and the need for wider reform – one provides the hope, the other provides the answers.
 
  September 10, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Clarisse Loughrey
  Independent (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Lloyd’s radical fairytale is enchanting.
 
  September 10, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Charlotte O’Sullivan
  London Evening Standard
  TOP CRITIC
  This is never maudlin and never tips into sentimentality. Lloyd’s direction is so sure and restrained that she somehow manages to balance the raw, hard-hitting, viscerally impactful scenes with the lighter, hopeful ones.
 
  September 9, 2021
 
  Deborah Ross
  The Spectator
  TOP CRITIC
  A quietly eloquent little film about the hurt of ending an abusive relationship, the hardship of asking others for help, and the healing power of starting a new life on your own terms.
 
  May 5, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Leigh Paatsch
  Herald Sun (Australia)
  An inspiring story filled with moments of grace about a mother determined to build a safe home for her children.
 
  January 2, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
  Spirituality & Practice
  The movie is a well-crafted, soulfully acted glimpse at what victims of abuse suffer.
 
  September 25, 2021
 
  DarkSkyLady
  DarkSkyLady Reviews
  Director Phyllidia Lloyd (Mamma Mia!) does a masterful job of bringing Sandra’s experiences together into an immensely watchable and frequently touching narrative.
 
  September 23, 2021
 
  Sarah Cullen
  Film Ireland Magazine
  Ultimately uplifting in every sense…
 
  September 17, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
 
  Kate Muir
  Daily Mail (UK)
  Two parts reality, one part wishful thinking, Herself is heartfelt, female-driven, people-positive and mostly feelgood. But bring tissues.
 
  September 16, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Aine O’Connor
  Sunday Independent (Ireland)…

 

Plot
A young mother escapes her abusive husband and fights back against a broken housing system. She sets out to build her own home and in the process rebuilds her life and re-discovers herself.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film Herself stars Clare Dunne, who also co-wrote the script and delivers an admirable performance.
 

 
Phyllida-Lloyd.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
Walt Disney
 
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Disney+), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Italian Riviera, Liguria, Italy
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for rude humor, language, some thematic elements and brief violence
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Fantasy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph, Giacomo Gianniotti, Jim Gaffigan, directed by Enrico Casarosa, written by Jesse Andrews, Mike Jones, comedy, fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by tt stern-enzi, Sandra Hall, Max Weiss, Mark Kermode, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Tim Grierson, Daniel Howat, Jimmy Cage, James Luxford, Carson Timar, Mat Brunet, PG rating, sea monsters, Italian Riviera, gelato, pasta, scooter rides, coming-of-age story, friendship, secret, undersea environs, triathlon competition, LGBTQIA+ representation, disability representation, Pixar, Walt Disney, Andrea Warren, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, flat aspect ratio, Neptune Frost, 18 1/2, H.P Lovecraft’s Witch House, 11th Hour Cleaning, Sh*t Saves the World, Stay Prayed Up, Final Caller, Girl in the Picture, Hello, Goodbye, Everything in Between, Confessions from the Hart, The Prey: Legend of Karnoctus, Moon, 66 Questions, Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, The Road to Galena, Incantation, Dangerous Liaisons, Jewel, Warriors on the Field, Fair Play
 

Cast & Crew

Jacob Tremblay

Jack Dylan Grazer

Emma Berman

Maya Rudolph

Giacomo Gianniotti

Luca Paguro

Alberto Scorfano

Giulia

Daniela

Giacomo

Jacob Tremblay – Luca Paguro (Voice)
Jack Dylan Grazer – Alberto Scorfano (Voice)
Emma Berman – Giulia (Voice)
Maya Rudolph – Daniela (Voice)
Giacomo Gianniotti – Giacomo (Voice)
Jim Gaffigan – Lorenzo (Voice)
Enrico Casarosa – Director
Andrea Warren – Producer
Jesse Andrews – Writer
Mike Jones – Writer

 

Enrico Casarosa

Jesse Andrews

Andrea Warren

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Enrico Casarosa
 
Writer(s)
Jesse Andrews, Mike Jones
 
Producer(s)
Andrea Warren

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
3 wins & 73 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

tt stern-enzi

Sandra Hall

Max Weiss

Mark Kermode

Charlotte O’Sullivan

WXIX-TV

Sydney Morning Herald

Baltimore Magazine

Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review

London Evening Standard

LUCA
  All Critics (293) | Top Critics (61) | Fresh (267) | Rotten (26)
  Families will be wrapped around their TV sets, having a good time together with this…
 
  July 9, 2021 | Rating: B
 
  tt stern-enzi
  WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)
  TOP CRITIC
  It’s full of energy and the diligence of those researchers has paid off in its settings which are seductive — and even more important — believable.
 
  June 30, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Sandra Hall
  Sydney Morning Herald
  TOP CRITIC
  Luca is a sweet, gentle, sun-kissed film, with gentle rhythms and a generous spirit.
 
  June 25, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Max Weiss
  Baltimore Magazine
  TOP CRITIC
  This movie takes joy in the everyday things…wonderful moments.
 
  June 23, 2021
 
  Mark Kermode
  Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
  TOP CRITIC
  Luca, basically, is great news for film nerds and wonder-starved kids.
 
  June 22, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Charlotte O’Sullivan
  London Evening Standard
  TOP CRITIC
  Less ambitious than most of the studio’s films, “Luca” instead projects plenty of warmth, specifically in its study of identity, bigotry and the challenges young people face when navigating their anxiety-inducing entry into adulthood.
 
  June 22, 2021
 
  Tim Grierson
  Screen International
  TOP CRITIC
  “Luca” is pure joy. It’s lighter than most Pixar movies, but it’s bursting with energy and life. “Luca” will have you smiling from ear to ear.
 
  May 20, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
 
  Daniel Howat
  Next Best Picture
  LUCA may not have the wow factor of other Pixar films, but in its smaller, lighthearted story it is still so pure and loving that the emotions are really big again in the end.
 
  April 8, 2022 | Rating: 8/10
 
  Jimmy Cage
  Jimmy Cage Movie Reviews (YouTube)
  A light, enjoyable movie that would look much better coming from any other studio. However, with the weight of history that comes with the Pixar name, many will be expecting more.
 
  March 2, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
 
  James Luxford
  City AM
  It is a film that is both incredibly charming yet venomous in its emotions that can sneak up on the audience with their power and presence.
 
  February 22, 2022
 
  Carson Timar
  Clapper
  Luca is an absolutely charming animated feature that takes audiences to an unforgettably touching trip to Italy.
 
  February 16, 2022 | Rating: 9/10
 
  Mat Brunet
  AniMat’s Review (YouTube)
  Read on surfaces alone, Luca presents a familiar coming-of-age fable about friendship, albeit impeccably animated and confidently told.
 
  February 12, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review…

 

Plot
In the seaside town of the Italian Riviera, two sea monsters, Luca and Alberto, experience an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta, and endless scooter rides, but their fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret in the Pixar film “Luca.”
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Sorry, there is no goofy, funny, or odd statement about the film Luca on Fresh Kernels.
 

 
Enrico-Casarosa.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
13 Productions, ARTE Fondazione Montecinemaverita
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Documentary
 
Keyword(s)
documentary, Sabaya, Middle East, ISIS, sex slaves, rescue mission, human rights, Kurdish, Hogir Hirori, directed by Hogir Hirori, written by Hogir Hirori, produced by Hogir Hirori, produced by Antonio Russo Merenda, cinematographer Hogir Hirori, film editing by Hogir Hirori, reviewed by Becca Voelcker, reviewed by Christian Blauvelt, reviewed by Wendy Ide, reviewed by Simran Hans, reviewed by Marina Ashioti, reviewed by Phuong Le, reviewed by Cody Dericks, reviewed by Phil Guie, reviewed by Marlow Stern, reviewed by Dennis Schwartz, reviewed by Pat Mullen, starring Mahmud, Al-Hol, Syria, box office performance, budget, MPAA rating, human suffering, sex trafficking, women’s rights, rescue mission, Yazidi women, girls, danger, courage, survival, justice, crisis, raw, unvarnished, on-the-ground storytelling, heroes, mammoth odds, anxiety-inducing, powerful, intimate, challenging, visceral, tense, revealing, harrowing, sobering, scary
 

Cast & Crew

Hogir Hirori

Antonio Russo Merenda

Hogir Hirori

Hogir Hirori

Hogir Hirori

Antonio Russo Merenda

Hogir Hirori

Hogir Hirori – Director
Hogir Hirori – Writer
Hogir Hirori – Producer
Antonio Russo Merenda – Producer
Hogir Hirori – Cinematographer
Hogir Hirori – Film Editing

 

Hogir Hirori

Hogir Hirori

Hogir Hirori

Antonio Russo Merenda

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Hogir Hirori
 
Writer(s)
Hogir Hirori
 
Producer(s)
Hogir Hirori, Antonio Russo Merenda

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes
 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Becca Voelcker

Christian Blauvelt

Wendy Ide

Simran Hans

Marina Ashioti

Sight & Sound

indieWire

Screen International

Observer (UK)

Little White Lies

SABAYA
 All Critics (47) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (47)
 Hirori is careful to underplay neither Mahmud and his male colleagues’ tireless compassion nor the complicity of Daesh women who we witness concealingsabayafromrescuers.
 
 December 3, 2021
 
 Becca Voelcker
 Sight & Sound
 TOP CRITIC
 A documentary by way of a “Bourne” movie, but so much more an act of daring.
 
 August 22, 2021 | Rating: A
 
 Christian Blauvelt
 indieWire
 TOP CRITIC
 A riveting documentary which is as tense as it is revealing.
 
 August 22, 2021
 
 Wendy Ide
 Screen International
 TOP CRITIC
 [A] sensitive, frequently harrowing observational documentary…
 
 August 22, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Simran Hans
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 A challenging watch, but visceral and powerful nonetheless.
 
 August 19, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Marina Ashioti
 Little White Lies
 TOP CRITIC
 The first 20 minutes of Hogir Hirori’s extraordinary documentary has the beat of a gripping thriller, full of hushed voices, car chases, and the terrifying sounds of gunfight.
 
 August 18, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Phuong Le
 Guardian
 TOP CRITIC
 Beyond being informative, it is a harrowing and surprisingly exhilarating portrait of survival, retrieval, and justice.
 
 July 8, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
 
 Cody Dericks
 Next Best Picture
 It’s alternately raw, angry, and bitter, but never anything less than powerful and intimate.
 
 February 27, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 Phil Guie
 Film-Forward.com
 It’s an anxiety-inducing portrait of courage and suffering.
 
 January 4, 2022
 
 Marlow Stern
 The Daily Beast
 It takes us into a primitive world that we can’t seem to escape from without feeling guilty.
 
 November 14, 2021 | Rating: A-
 
 Dennis Schwartz
 Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
 Sabaya is tough viewing and a potent snapshot of a major human rights crisis.
 
 November 7, 2021
 
 Pat Mullen
 POV Magazine
 Brilliant, unvarnished, on-the-ground storytelling of real-life heroes facing mammoth odds.
 
 September 11, 2021
 
 Hanna Flint
 The New Arab…

 

Plot
Sabaya follows a group’s dangerous mission to save Yazidi women and girls who are being held as sex slaves in the most dangerous ISIS camp in the Middle East.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about Sabaya, but it does mention that the documentary is in Kurdish language.
 

 
Hogir-Hirori.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment,
 
Distributor
Showtime Documentary Films
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Documentary/History
 
Keyword(s)
Attica, documentary, history, prison riot, inmates, guards, institutional racism, human rights abuses, American penal system, Stanley Nelson, Traci Curry, directed by, produced by, written by, reviewed by, critic reviews, audience score, box office performance, budget, Showtime Documentary Films, MPAA rating, Clarence Jones, self, cast and crew, archival footage, prison reform, justice, tragedy, wake-up call, politics, emotions, Oscar-nominated, streaming platforms, horror, MCU movies, TV shows, Netflix series, news, reviews
 

Cast & Crew

Clarence Jones

Stanley Nelson

Traci Curry

Stanley Nelson

Stanley Nelson

Clarence Jones

Stanley Nelson

Traci Curry

Stanley Nelson

Stanley Nelson

Clarence Jones – Self
Stanley Nelson – Director
Traci Curry – Director
Stanley Nelson – Writer
Stanley Nelson – Producer
Traci Curry – Producer

 

Stanley Nelson

Stanley Nelson

Stanley Nelson

Traci Curry

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Stanley Nelson, Traci Curry
 
Writer(s)
Stanley Nelson
 
Producer(s)
Stanley Nelson, Traci Curry

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
2 wins & 8 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Wendy Ide

Dmitry Samarov

Verne Gay

Inkoo Kang

Tim Cogshell

Screen International

Chicago Reader

Newsday

Washington Post

FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)

ATTICA
  All Critics (53) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (52) | Rotten (1)
  A forthright indictment of the institutional racism and human rights abuses in the American penal system at the time.
 
  March 14, 2022
 
  Wendy Ide
  Screen International
  TOP CRITIC
  Traci A. Curry and Stanley Nelson’s Attica utterly devastated me.
 
  November 24, 2021
 
  Dmitry Samarov
  Chicago Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  Nelson has made a career of fixing our gaze, however strong the impulse is to avert it.
 
  November 5, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Verne Gay
  Newsday
  TOP CRITIC
  It’s a worthy – and sadly timely – remembrance of a singular event whose ghosts continue to haunt us.
 
  November 5, 2021
 
  Inkoo Kang
  Washington Post
  TOP CRITIC
  Extraordinary archival footage… You can’t just dismissive it as hyperbole.
 
  November 5, 2021
 
  Tim Cogshell
  FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
  TOP CRITIC
  Nelson’s film cries out anew for prison reform while exposing America’s deep roots of racism entrenched in the corridors of politicians, police and prisons.
 
  November 4, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Randy Myers
  San Jose Mercury News
  TOP CRITIC
  Attica brings us back to a moment in time that continues to resonate by capturing the people, politics, emotions and tragedy serving as a wake-up call for prison reform and a reminder of the responsibilities of justice.
 
  May 9, 2022
 
  Carla Renata
  The Curvy Film Critic
  Authorities rewriting history as it’s being made is nothing new.
  What do you know?
 
  March 20, 2022 | Rating: A+
 
  Cole Smithey
  ColeSmithey.com
  The Oscar-nominated documentary, which is currently available to view free on many streaming platforms, is a searing look at a dark moment in our penal system.
 
  February 27, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
  Christopher Lloyd
  The Film Yap
  The breadth of interviewees allows director Stanley Nelson to expand the story of the riot beyond the prison walls.
 
  February 27, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Phil Guie
  Film-Forward.com
  I don’t think Attica glorifies the prisoners, but it does humanize them. That is, it presents them as human beings.
 
  January 5, 2022
 
  Kenneth R. Morefield
  1More Film Blog
  This is how you indict a system.
 
  December 29, 2021
 
  Noah Gittell
  Washington City Paper…

 

Plot
Attica is a documentary that explores the 1971 prison riot at Attica Correctional Facility, highlighting the tensions between inmates and guards and the institutional racism and human rights abuses in the American penal system at the time.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
 

 
Stanley-Nelson.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Red Envelope Entertainment, Representational Pictures,
 
Distributor
Apple TV+
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, sexual content, nudity and some drug material
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Documentary/Music
 
Keyword(s)
documentary, music, The Velvet Underground, Todd Haynes, Christopher Clements, Julie Goldman, David Blackman, Carolyn Hepburn, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon, John Cale, Lou Reed, Maureen Ann Tucker, Sterling Morrison, Mary Woronov, Jonathan Richman, R rating, English, Apple TV+, box office, budget, reviewed by J Hoberman, Peter Howell, Chris Waywell, Pat Brown, Andrew Dansby, Mark Feeney, Daniel Howat, John Paul King, David Reddish, James Luxford, John Beifuss, genre, MPAA rating, critic reviews, producer names, director names, writer names, actor names, interviews, performances, recordings, Warhol films, experimental art, cultural touchstone, rock ‘n’ roll, literary, realistic, high art, street culture, creative ethos, elegant, brutal, drug material, language, sexual content, nudity, subscription, streaming, theaters, runtime, distributor, photos, videos, audience score, critic consensus, top critics, fresh, rotten, horror movies, MCU movies, Netflix series, TV premiere dates, worst horror movies, careers, newsletter, Fandango
 

Cast & Crew

Mary Woronov

Jonathan Richman

John Cale

Maureen Ann Tucker

Sterling Morrison

Self

Self

Self

Self

Mary Woronov – Self
Jonathan Richman – Self
John Cale – Self
Maureen Ann Tucker –
Sterling Morrison –
Lou Reed –

 

Todd Haynes

Todd Haynes

Christopher Clements

Julie Goldman

David Blackman

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Todd Haynes
 
Writer(s)
Todd Haynes
 
Producer(s)
Christopher Clements, Julie Goldman, David Blackman, Carolyn Hepburn, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon

 

Film Festivals
Cannes, Telluride
 
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 36 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

J. Hoberman

Peter Howell

Chris Waywell

Pat Brown

Andrew Dansby

Tablet

Toronto Star

Time Out

Slant Magazine

Houston Chronicle

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
  All Critics (132) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (129) | Rotten (3)
  Without belaboring the point, The Velvet Underground also makes the case for Warhol’s enduring significance.
 
  March 25, 2022
 
  J. Hoberman
  Tablet
  TOP CRITIC
  This bracing collage is pure rock bliss and a poke in the eye to old-style storytelling.
 
  December 22, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Peter Howell
  Toronto Star
  TOP CRITIC
  If you already love the Velvet Underground, this is two hours of visual and aural bliss. If you don’t, same.
 
  December 3, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Chris Waywell
  Time Out
  TOP CRITIC
  Claims for the eternal qualities of any music are dubious at best, but what Haynes exhibits through his own complex, textured documentary is that the Velvet Underground’s music remains fertile ground for inspiration.
 
  December 3, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Pat Brown
  Slant Magazine
  TOP CRITIC
  Haynes jettisons the traditional role of talking heads; he dispatches incidental music; he regards emotional arcs and sentimentality the way he might a toothache. He made a film that feels of a kind with the subject.
 
  December 3, 2021
 
  Andrew Dansby
  Houston Chronicle
  TOP CRITIC
  What makes a rock band worth attending to a half century after its breakup isn’t its personalities or backstory or context, interesting as those can be, and here they’re all highly interesting. It’s the music.
 
  December 3, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Mark Feeney
  Boston Globe
  TOP CRITIC
  Haynes’ use of the documentary medium is as remarkable as one might expect from the acclaimed director. The use of sound and image revolts against the traditions of the music documentaries genre, opting instead for an appropriately creative journey.
 
  May 20, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
 
  Daniel Howat
  Next Best Picture
  A piece of pure cinema that exemplifies its genre while transcending it.
 
  May 19, 2022
 
  John Paul King
  Washington Blade
  The resulting pastiche feels tailor-made for The Velvet Underground, a group that took influence from different genders, sexualities, artistic scenes, disciplines, mediums and cultures.
 
  March 13, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  David Reddish
  Queerty
  The Velvet Underground offers an interesting look at the band and its era that will, for the fans, at least, be essential viewing.
 
  March 3, 2022 | Rating: 3/5
 
  James Luxford
  City AM
  Todd Haynes documentary, sculpted largely from vintage materials, persuasively presents the Warhol-abetted, New York-incubated band as avatars of an enviable rock-and-roll authenticity.
 
  February 3, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
 
  John Beifuss
  Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)
  This documentary film focuses on the band, and its members, to a fault. What the film does well is to describe the band, the environment in which it was formed, and the cultural milieu of that time and place.
 
  January 22, 2022 | Rating: B
 
  Robert Roten
  Laramie Movie Scope…

 

Plot
“The Velvet Underground” is a documentary that explores the rise of the iconic rock band and their impact on music and culture, featuring in-depth interviews, never-before-seen performances, and experimental art.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of The Velvet Underground includes Mary Woronov, Jonathan Richman, John Cale, Maureen Ann Tucker, Sterling Morrison, and Lou Reed.
 

 
Todd-Haynes.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
Film Movement
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
3 Chome-14-5 Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama/Romance
 
Keyword(s)
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Drama, Romance, 2h 1m, Japanese, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Satoshi Takada, Satoshi Takata, written by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, starring Kotone Furukawa, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Katsuki Mori, Fusako Urabe, Aoba Kawai, Ayumu Nakajima, Film Movement, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Guy Lodge, Jake Wilson, David Stratton, Drew Gregory, Alissa Wilkinson, Wendy Ide, Sarah Ward, Graeme Tuckett, Erick Estrada, Jane Freebury, Pieter-Jan Van Haecke, producer Satoshi Takada, Satoshi Takata, MPAA rating, love triangle, seduction trap, encounter, misunderstanding, relationships, coincidences, women in love, human condition, multiple facets, affecting effect, approachable introduction, destiny, fate, romance, forces, female-led, deft, empathetic, camerawork, intricate, character sketches, minor masterpiece, playing parts, adopting a role, quest, fantasize, infinite
 

Cast & Crew

Kotone Furukawa

Kiyohiko Shibukawa

Katsuki Mori

Fusako Urabe

Aoba Kawai

Kotone Furukawa

Kiyohiko Shibukawa

Katsuki Mori

Fusako Urabe

Aoba Kawai

Kotone Furukawa – self
Kiyohiko Shibukawa – self
Katsuki Mori – self
Fusako Urabe – self
Aoba Kawai – self
Ayumu Nakajima – self
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi – Director/Writer
Satoshi Takada – Producer
Satoshi Takata – Producer

 

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

Satoshi Takada

Satoshi Takata

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
 
Writer(s)
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
 
Producer(s)
Satoshi Takada, Satoshi Takata

 

Film Festivals
Berlin
 
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 23 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Guy Lodge

Jake Wilson

David Stratton

Drew Gregory

Alissa Wilkinson

Guy Lodge

Jake Wilson

David Stratton

Drew Gregory

Alissa Wilkinson

WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY
 All Critics (106) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (105) | Rotten (1)
 If you’re a relative newcomer to Hamaguchi’s work, this triptych of gently humane, wistful short stories is an ideal, approachable introduction.
 
 June 1, 2022
 
 Guy Lodge
 Film of the Week
 TOP CRITIC
 All three stories could be loosely described as tales of seduction, which is also the game Hamaguchi is playing with the audience: toying with us, persuading us to jump from one speculative train of thought to another, keeping us alert and intrigued.
 
 April 28, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
 Jake Wilson
 The Age (Australia)
 TOP CRITIC
 This is an intriguing, involving work from a major filmmaker.
 
 April 22, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 David Stratton
 The Australian
 TOP CRITIC
 It’s destiny. It’s fate. It’s better than any romance under the stars.
 
 April 8, 2022
 
 Drew Gregory
 Autostraddle
 TOP CRITIC
 Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy is a brilliant, beautiful, deceptive meditation on the forces that move us all.
 
 March 24, 2022
 
 Alissa Wilkinson
 Vox
 TOP CRITIC
 This female-led triptych of stories, with its deft, empathetic camerawork and intimate, intricately crafted character sketches, is a minor masterpiece in its own right.
 
 February 13, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Wendy Ide
 Observer (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 In a beguiling piece about playing parts, and that makes the process of adopting a role its very reason for flickering, peering at its actors feels like peering at reality at its most soulful, insightful and also playful.
 
 June 24, 2022
 
 Sarah Ward
 Concrete Playground
 You will not see many better written, better performed or more affecting films this year. Or any year. Hugely recommended.
 
 June 9, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
 Graeme Tuckett
 Stuff.co.nz
 And maybe, underneath the whispers, we glean the point of the entire movie: That love, whether brief or eternal, is impossible. But that our quest to find it and fantasize about it are infinite. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 June 8, 2022
 
 Erick Estrada
 Cinegarage
 A spare and elegant anthology of random stories about young Japanese, women in the main, searching for meaning in their relationships, that combines as a meditation on chance and coincidence in modern life
 
 June 7, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Jane Freebury
 Jane Freebury
 With Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Hamaguchi proves, once more, that he is an eloquent master of conversation naturalism and a virtuoso…
 
 June 2, 2022
 
 Pieter-Jan Van Haecke
 Psychocinematography
 Resilient, elegant, and delicate in the staging and in the direction of performers, Hamaguchi works within the risky confines of political (in)correctness. [Full review in Spanish]
 
 June 1, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Diego Batlle
 Otroscines.com…

 

Plot
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy is a collection of three interconnected stories about love, seduction, and misunderstandings, all told through the lives of women in love.
 
Trivia

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

 
Ryûsuke-Hamaguchi.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros., 5000 Broadway Productions, Likely Story
 
Distributor
Netflix
 
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Netflix), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some racial slurs and smoking
 
Year of Release
2021
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland, Alexander Skarsgård, Bill Camp, Gbenga Akinnagbe, directed by Rebecca Hall, written by Rebecca Hall, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Michael Blackmon, Mark Feeney, Melanie McFarland, Soraya Nadia McDonald, Sara Michelle Fetters, Guy Lodge, Cody Dericks, Kathi Wolfe, Gisela Savdie, Armond White, Marya E Gates, Brian Eggert, produced by Nina Yang Bongiovi, Rebecca Hall, Margot Hand, Forest Whitaker, PG-13, passing as white, 1920s New York City, Black woman, childhood friend, thematic material, racial slurs, smoking, Netflix, Dolby Digital
 

Cast & Crew

Tessa Thompson

Ruth Negga

André Holland

Alexander Skarsgård

Bill Camp

Irene

Clare

Brian

John

Hugh

Tessa Thompson – Irene
Ruth Negga – Clare
André Holland – Brian
Alexander Skarsgård – John
Bill Camp – Hugh
Gbenga Akinnagbe – Dave
Rebecca Hall – Director/Writer
Nina Yang Bongiovi – Producer
Margot Hand – Producer
Forest Whitaker – Producer

 

Rebecca Hall

Rebecca Hall

Nina Yang Bongiovi

Rebecca Hall

Margot Hand

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Rebecca Hall
 
Writer(s)
Rebecca Hall
 
Producer(s)
Nina Yang Bongiovi, Rebecca Hall, Margot Hand, Forest Whitaker

 

Film Festivals
Sundance
 
Awards & Nominations
31 wins & 122 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Michael Blackmon

Mark Feeney

Melanie McFarland

Soraya Nadia McDonald

Sara Michelle Fetters

BuzzFeed News

Boston Globe

Salon.com

Andscape

MovieFreak.com

PASSING
  All Critics (241) | Top Critics (68) | Fresh (217) | Rotten (24)
  Passing is one of the must-see films of 2021, one that will stay in your mind well after the credits have begun to roll.
 
  January 6, 2022
 
  Michael Blackmon
  BuzzFeed News
  TOP CRITIC
  Much of “Passing” could be a stage play: people talking in confined spaces, the confinement figurative as well as literal. It’s a chamber drama bearing the weight of several centuries.
 
  November 18, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Mark Feeney
  Boston Globe
  TOP CRITIC
  Hall breathes life and light into it in a way that lends a weight of beauty and honesty to its immersion into a world of purposeful pretense.
 
  November 12, 2021
 
  Melanie McFarland
  Salon.com
  TOP CRITIC
  Ruth Negga shines in Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of the Nella Larsen novel.
 
  November 12, 2021
 
  Soraya Nadia McDonald
  Andscape
  TOP CRITIC
  This film is nothing short of masterful.
 
  November 12, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Sara Michelle Fetters
  MovieFreak.com
  TOP CRITIC
  Negga is altogether extraordinary, a sort of human mirage of aspirational perfection and psychological delusion, shimmering with warmth and mischief and sex.
 
  November 12, 2021
 
  Guy Lodge
  Film of the Week
  TOP CRITIC
  Aided by a pair of phenomenal performances from Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga, “Passing” is an assured look into the ways that society shapes identity.
 
  July 8, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
 
  Cody Dericks
  Next Best Picture
  Luminous.
 
  May 19, 2022
 
  Kathi Wolfe
  Washington Blade
  The use of black and white helps to emphasize the duality of the characters, leaving open ends and subtle insinuations that we will have to elaborate conscientiously. Full review in Spanish
 
  March 9, 2022
 
  Gisela Savdie
  El Heraldo
  Irish-Ethiopian actress Negga crafts the year’s most original characterization…. Negga’s genuine emotion transcends Passing and its almost total inauthenticity.
 
  March 5, 2022
 
  Armond White
  National Review
  There is not a single composition, camera angle, or cut that doesn’t feel intentional to evoke a feeling or heighten tension, a classical approach to filmmaking that feels rarer and rarer these days.
 
  February 23, 2022 | Rating: A
 
  Marya E. Gates
  Crooked Marquee
  Passing is among the most impressive directorial debuts in recent memory, by an actor or otherwise.
 
  February 12, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review…

 

Plot
Mixed-race childhood friends reunite in middle class adulthood and become increasingly involved in each other’s lives and insecurities. While Irene identifies as African-American and is married to a Black doctor, Clare “passes” as white and has married a prejudiced, wealthy white man.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Ruth Negga shines in Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of the Nella Larsen novel.
 

 
Rebecca-Hall.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
RKO Radio Pictures, Mercury Productions,
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
 
MPAA / Certificate
MA-17
 
Year of Release
2020
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace, Essie Davis, Ben Mendelsohn, Emily Barclay, Eugene Gilfedder, directed by Shannon Murphy, written by Rita Kalnejais, comedy, drama, coming-of-age, messy, rewarding, powerful acting, sensitive direction, box office gross, $4.3K, MPAA rating, 93% Tomatometer, 85% audience score, reviewed by Tim Robey, Kimber Myers, Wendy Ide, Clarisse Loughrey, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Hannah Strong, Brian Eggert, James Luxford, Jane Freebury, Alex Behan, Zachary Goldkind, producer Alex White, Dolby Digital sound mix, Australian English, runtime 1h 57m, Eliza Scanlen as Milla, Toby Wallace as Moses, Essie Davis as Anna, Ben Mendelsohn as Henry, Emily Barclay as Toby, Eugene Gilfedder as Gidon
 

Cast & Crew

Eliza Scanlen

Toby Wallace

Essie Davis

Ben Mendelsohn

Emily Barclay

Milla

Moses

Anna

Henry

Toby

Eliza Scanlen – Milla
Toby Wallace – Moses
Essie Davis – Anna
Ben Mendelsohn – Henry
Emily Barclay – Toby
Eugene Gilfedder – Gidon

 

Shannon Murphy

Rita Kalnejais

Alex White

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Shannon Murphy
 
Writer(s)
Rita Kalnejais
 
Producer(s)
Alex White

 

Film Festivals
Venice
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
30 wins & 34 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Tim Robey

Kimber Myers

Wendy Ide

Clarisse Loughrey

Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

Daily Telegraph

Crooked Marquee

Observer

Independent

Metro Newspaper

BABYTEETH
  All Critics (152) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (142) | Rotten (10)
  Mendelsohn and Davis are old pros, but he hasn’t been anything like this good since Mississippi Grind five years ago, and it’s hard not to credit this partly to her, a scene partner who’s one of the best in the business.
 
  November 22, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Tim Robey
  Daily Telegraph (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Babyteeth is authentic and unexpected, thanks to both [director Shannon] Murphy’s confident style and the nuanced script from Rita Kalnejais …
 
  November 16, 2020 | Rating: B+
 
  Kimber Myers
  Crooked Marquee
  TOP CRITIC
  The kind of skittish, reckless film-making that makes you want to rush headlong into bad decisions and savour every last messy moment of the fallout.
 
  August 16, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Wendy Ide
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth … makes for a thrillingly subversive work.
 
  August 14, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Clarisse Loughrey
  Independent (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  An inspired, un-schmaltzy antidote to the ‘cancer weepie’.
 
  August 13, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Larushka Ivan-Zadeh
  Metro Newspaper (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  The best kind of surprise – a debut feature with bite.
 
  August 13, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Hannah Strong
  Little White Lies
  TOP CRITIC
  Murphy’s confident direction ensures that her films deviations and imperfections prove endearing, anchored by four excellent performances.
 
  February 18, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  So much of what this film has to say is reflected in terrified looks in the mirror, or trailed off, clumsy sentences. It feels human, and beds you in before hitting you in the gut with a devastating final half hour.
 
  February 17, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
 
  James Luxford
  Dirty Movies
  While it takes a special talent to tell a delicate story like this, the ensemble of actors deliver superb performances and the beautiful, poignant visuals linger on
 
  September 13, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Jane Freebury
  Jane Freebury
  Eloquent, emotive and excellently crafted.
 
  July 26, 2021
 
  Alex Behan
  Stuff.co.nz
  Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth struggles to create any sense of cohesiveness in either theme or narrative through-line.
 
  June 5, 2021
 
  Zachary Goldkind
  In Review Online
  A coming-of-age comedy drama that has a somewhat honest commentary on self-acceptance, maturity and terminal illness, but fails to escape the conventional formulas of family melodrama. [Full review in Spanish]
 
  March 28, 2021 | Rating: 6/10
 
  Yasser Medina
  Cinemaficionados…

 

Plot
Babyteeth is a coming-of-age story about a teenage girl named Milla who falls in love with a drug dealer named Moses, much to the chagrin of her parents who are dealing with their own issues.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Ben Mendelsohn, who plays Henry in Babyteeth, hasn’t been praised for a performance like this since his role in Mississippi Grind five years ago.
 

 
Shannon-Murphy.jpg