Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, Penthouse Video Long Road Productions,
 
Distributor
Universal Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for sequences of intense action and some scary images, and brief mild language
 
Year of Release
2019
 

 
Genre(s)
Fantasy/Adventure
 
Keyword(s)
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, PG, Fantasy/Adventure, 1h 44m, directed by Dean DeBlois, written by Dean DeBlois, produced by Brad Lewis and Bonnie Arnold, starring Jay Baruchel as Hiccup, America Ferrera as Astrid, F Murray Abraham as Grimmel, Cate Blanchett as Valka, Gerard Butler as Stoick, Craig Ferguson as Gobber, box office gross of $160.8M, reviewed by David Sims, Joe Morgenstern, Johnny Oleksinski, Sara Michelle Fetters, Chris Stuckmann, David Edelstein, Brian Eggert, Britany Murphy, Lonita Cook, Nicholas Oon, Kip Mooney, Michael J Casey, 90% Tomatometer, 86% Audience Score, trilogy capper, visually dazzling, emotionally affecting, rare, dragon, rider, friendship, adventure action, some mild rude humor, myth, destiny, protect, treasure, fantasy, comedy, English, Universal Pictures, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS, scope (2.35:1), Kubo and the Two Strings, Coco, The Book of Life, Moana, How to Train Your Dragon 2
 

Cast & Crew

Jay Baruchel

America Ferrera

F. Murray Abraham

Cate Blanchett

Gerard Butler

Hiccup

Astrid

Grimmel

Valka

Stoick

Jay Baruchel – Hiccup – Voice
America Ferrera – Astrid – Voice
F. Murray Abraham – Grimmel – Voice
Cate Blanchett – Valka – Voice
Gerard Butler – Stoick – Voice
Craig Ferguson – Gobber – Voice

 

Dean DeBlois

Dean DeBlois

Brad Lewis

Bonnie Arnold

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Dean DeBlois
 
Writer(s)
Dean DeBlois
 
Producer(s)
Brad Lewis, Bonnie Arnold

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
25 wins & 63 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

David Sims

Joe Morgenstern

Johnny Oleksinski

Sara Michelle Fetters

Chris Stuckmann

The Atlantic

Wall Street Journal

New York Post

MovieFreak.com

ChrisStuckmann.com

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD
  All Critics (274) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (246) | Rotten (28)
  So much of The Hidden World is stuffed with filler material. But in certain wordless moments, this grand final entry really sings.
 
  March 1, 2019
 
  David Sims
  The Atlantic
  TOP CRITIC
  The film feels like it’s flying on empty… This is clearly the end of the franchise, one that gave great pleasure and stayed on too long.
 
  February 26, 2019
 
  Joe Morgenstern
  Wall Street Journal
  TOP CRITIC
  The movie could easily be called “How To End Your Trilogy.”
 
  February 24, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Johnny Oleksinski
  New York Post
  TOP CRITIC
  How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is a fiery marvel I didn’t want to see end.
 
  February 23, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Sara Michelle Fetters
  MovieFreak.com
  TOP CRITIC
  If you love this series, it will really please you, where these characters end up. Not as interesting as the first two, but still a damn good movie.
 
  February 23, 2019 | Rating: B
 
  Chris Stuckmann
  ChrisStuckmann.com
  TOP CRITIC
  For some, it’ll be a moving conclusion to an epic series. For others, it’ll be one less kids’ franchise to worry about.
 
  February 22, 2019
 
  David Edelstein
  New York Magazine/Vulture
  TOP CRITIC
  The Hidden World is easily the best-looking entry on visual terms, and the familiar plot and themes aren’t so repetitive that the basic appeal of its boy-and-a-dog setup has lost its charm.
 
  March 3, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  And although it’s sad to know that this will be the final act in this journey, the ending is one that will certainly leave audiences with smiles on their faces.
 
  February 26, 2022 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
  Britany Murphy
  The Reel Roundup
  It is a thrill ride… [The Hidden World] is beautifully done.
 
  October 1, 2021
 
  Lonita Cook
  KCTV5 News at 9
  You have all these photorealistic details in the background. If you like, you can see every grain of sand or every hair on the cheek of a character. It’s just that realistic!
 
  August 31, 2021 | Rating: 8/10
 
  Nicholas Oon
  Maximum Hype (YouTube)
  This is a spectacular finale for a special franchise.
 
  August 17, 2021 | Rating: A-
 
  Kip Mooney
  College Movie Review
  A satisfying conclusion to a delightful trilogy of films-not because the message at the heart of ‘The Hidden World’ rings true, but because DeBlois and company don’t bludgeon the audience to death with it.
 
  March 14, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Michael J. Casey
  Michael J. Cinema…

 

Plot
Long ago up North on the Island of Berk, the young Viking, Hiccup, wants to join his town’s fight against the dragons that continually raid their town. However, his macho father and village leader, Stoik the Vast, will not allow his small, clumsy, but inventive son to do so. Regardless, Hiccup ventures out into battle and downs a mysterious Night Fury dragon with his invention, but can’t bring himself to kill it. Instead, Hiccup and the dragon, whom he dubs Toothless, begin a friendship that would open up both their worlds as the observant boy learns that his people have misjudged the species. But even as the two each take flight in their own way, they find that they must fight the destructive ignorance plaguing their world.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World includes Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, F. Murray Abraham, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, and Craig Ferguson.
 

 
Dean-DeBlois.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Produzioni Europee Associate, Arturo González Producciones Cinematográficas, Constantin Film
 
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
 
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Macon, Georgia, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic material, racial epithets, some violence and a suggestive reference
 
Year of Release
2019
 

 
Genre(s)
Documentary/Biography
 
Keyword(s)
documentary, biography, William F Buckley Jr., Gore Vidal, directed by Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon, written by Robert Gordon, Tom Graves, Morgan Neville, produced by Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville, genre, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Alissa Wilkinson, Max Weiss, Jason Bailey, Alison Willmore, Philippa Hawker, Matthew Lickona, Michael J Casey, David Bax, Rocco T Thompson, Debbie Lynn Elias, C.J Prince, Morgan Rojas, MPAA rating, Magnolia Pictures, Brooke Gladstone, Frank Rich, Matt Tyrnauer, Dick Cavett, Christopher Hitchens, James Wolcott
 

Cast & Crew

Brooke Gladstone

Frank Rich

Matt Tyrnauer

Dick Cavett

Christopher Hitchens

Brooke Gladstone

Frank Rich

Matt Tyrnauer

Dick Cavett

Christopher Hitchens

Brooke Gladstone – Host
Frank Rich – Self
Matt Tyrnauer – Self
Dick Cavett – Host
Christopher Hitchens – Self
James Wolcott – Self

 

Morgan Neville

Robert Gordon

Robert Gordon

Morgan Neville

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon
 
Writer(s)
Robert Gordon, Tom Graves, Morgan Neville
 
Producer(s)
Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, South by Southwest
 
Awards & Nominations
5 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Alissa Wilkinson

Max Weiss

Jason Bailey

Alison Willmore

Philippa Hawker

Vox

Baltimore Magazine

Flavorwire

BuzzFeed News

The Age (Australia)

BEST OF ENEMIES
  All Critics (122) | Top Critics (46) | Fresh (114) | Rotten (8)
  The result is exciting but also chilling – an origin story for a long national nightmare.
 
  August 20, 2020
 
  Alissa Wilkinson
  Vox
  TOP CRITIC
  Almost obscenely entertaining.
 
  June 12, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Max Weiss
  Baltimore Magazine
  TOP CRITIC
  If even these two witty, well-educated, well-mannered men of letters couldn’t keep their on-air interactions from degenerating into cheap shots and name-calling, who could?
 
  May 27, 2016
 
  Jason Bailey
  Flavorwire
  TOP CRITIC
  This doc about the 10-night series, directed by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville (who won an Oscar last year for Twenty Feet From Stardom), provides an entertaining and, ultimately, depressing peek into TV at a pivotal moment.
 
  December 4, 2015
 
  Alison Willmore
  BuzzFeed News
  TOP CRITIC
  A smart, engrossing documentary about a political and media moment in the United States in the 1960s; a moment whose resonance is topical and whose reverberations have been enduring.
 
  August 27, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Philippa Hawker
  The Age (Australia)
  TOP CRITIC
  What followed [in the debates] was not so much a clash of well-articulated ideas as a clash of highly articulate persons who regarded ideas as ammunition.
 
  August 21, 2015 | Rating: 2/5
 
  Matthew Lickona
  San Diego Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  It is how the success of these debates that makes ‘Best of Enemies’ all the more relevant.
 
  August 29, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Michael J. Casey
  Michael J. Cinema
  As fun as Best of Enemies is – and it is a lot of fun – it leaves us with a bittersweet feeling about those ten nights…
 
  January 14, 2021
 
  David Bax
  Battleship Pretension
  As entertaining as it is essential, Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville’s film depicts the birth of punditry in real-time and shows how its all but drowning out non-biased, exhaustively sourced, good ole fashioned news media.
 
  June 22, 2020
 
  Rocco T. Thompson
  Screen Rant
  [A] fascinating look not only into this chapter of history but into the driving forces behind Buckley and Vidal and their disdain for each other.
 
  December 8, 2019
 
  Debbie Lynn Elias
  Behind The Lens
  There can’t be a clearer sign of bad documentary filmmaking than reducing the most substantive part of your film to nothing more than an afterthought.
 
  June 5, 2019
 
  C.J. Prince
  Way Too Indie
  [Director Morgan] Neville and [Robert] Gordon have managed to make politics funny and interesting for the audience at large.
 
  November 9, 2018
 
  Morgan Rojas
  Cinemacy…

 

Plot
Civil rights activist Ann Atwater faces off against C.P. Ellis, Exalted Cyclops of the Ku Klux Klan, in 1971 Durham, North Carolina over the issue of school integration.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary features intellectual heavyweights William F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vidal engaging in a heated and memorable exchange.
 

 
Morgan-Neville.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Aurum Film Canal+ Polska W F S Walter Film Studio,
 
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Julius’s, West 10th Street, New York City, New York, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language including some sexual references, and brief drug use
 
Year of Release
2018
 

 
Genre(s)
Biography/Lgbtq+
 
Keyword(s)
starring Melissa McCarthy, Richard E Grant, Dolly Wells, Ben Falcone, Gregory Korostishevsky, Jane Curtin, Anne Carey, Amy Nauiokas, David Yarnell, directed by Marielle Heller, written by Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty, biography, LGBTQ+, box office, budget, reviewed by Charlotte O’Sullivan, Mark Kermode, Cath Clarke, Kevin Maher, Deborah Ross, Merryn Johns, Brian Eggert, Lonita Cook, Ben Turner, MPAA rating R, Lee Israel, Jack Hock, Anna, Alan Schmidt, Andrei, Marjorie, Fox Searchlight
 

Cast & Crew

Melissa McCarthy

Richard E. Grant

Dolly Wells

Ben Falcone

Gregory Korostishevsky

Lee Israel

Jack Hock

Anna

Alan Schmidt

Andrei

Melissa McCarthy – Lee Israel
Richard E. Grant – Jack Hock
Dolly Wells – Anna
Ben Falcone – Alan Schmidt
Gregory Korostishevsky – Andrei
Jane Curtin – Marjorie

 

Marielle Heller

Nicole Holofcener

Anne Carey

Amy Nauiokas

David Yarnell

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Marielle Heller
 
Writer(s)
Nicole Holofcener, Jeff Whitty
 
Producer(s)
Anne Carey, Amy Nauiokas, David Yarnell

 

Film Festivals
Telluride, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 3 Oscars
53 wins & 101 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Charlotte O’Sullivan

Mark Kermode

Cath Clarke

Kevin Maher

Deborah Ross

London Evening Standard

Observer (UK)

Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review

The Big Issue

Times (UK)

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?
  All Critics (321) | Top Critics (76) | Fresh (315) | Rotten (6)
  This film takes an altogether different view of the imitation game. By embracing frauds and failures, it achieves greatness on the sly.
 
  February 4, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Charlotte O’Sullivan
  London Evening Standard
  TOP CRITIC
  As for McCarthy, her performance is less of a revelation than a confirmation of her talents.
 
  February 3, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Mark Kermode
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Perfectly cast.
 
  February 2, 2019
 
  Mark Kermode
  Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
  TOP CRITIC
  Israel is anti-social and aggressive but you do find yourself rooting for her.
 
  February 1, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Cath Clarke
  The Big Issue
  TOP CRITIC
  The revelation of McCarthy’s turn is that she’s just allowed to be, without apology, without schmaltz.
 
  February 1, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Kevin Maher
  Times (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  It doesn’t hammer anything home. There is no heavy-handed exposition, no back stories. The characters arrive as is.
 
  January 31, 2019
 
  Deborah Ross
  The Spectator
  TOP CRITIC
  This film is a bittersweet delight and McCarthy shines in a role that should be thoroughly unappealing but isn’t. In fact, she delivers a kind of queer, feminist anti-hero that I have not seen before.
 
  May 20, 2022
 
  Merryn Johns
  Curve
  Makes for an unlikely story of redemption, one that leaves its audience oddly appreciative of the artistry it took to carry out a fraud.
 
  March 4, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  If you love Melissa McCarthy as a comedienne, you’re still going to love her here.
 
  October 5, 2021
 
  Lonita Cook
  KCTV5 News at 9
  The plotting is a little woolly at times, but is entirely made up for by McCarthy, Grant and a pithy script the brings a sparkle of joy to this dowdy brown New York palette.
 
  September 1, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Ben Turner
  The Pink Lens
  I’d pay to watch Melissa McCarthy stare at a wall. She’d make that a performance. Her ability to create emotional momentum out of thin air is second to none.
 
  July 30, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Milana Vujkov
  Lola On Film
  You’ve never seen two characters like this just get to hang out on a movie screen, and two hours is barely enough… I’m already desperately hoping there are hours of cut footage for the blu-ray to savor
 
  July 6, 2021 | Rating: A
 
  Jason Adams
  My New Plaid Pants…

 

Plot
In the early 1990s, Lee Israel, a biographer with a modicum of writing success, has fallen on hard times largely of her own doing. Her choice of subjects is in general not of interest to today’s book buying public, and she, in her only true friends being her aged cat Jersey and a scotch and soda in not really liking people and people in turn not really liking her, has burned bridges with everyone her agent Marjorie has built for her. She will have to start from the ground up again if she wants a writing career, as, hiding behind her subjects, the book buying public will not buy a “Lee Israel” on the strength of her name in not knowing who she is as a writer or person. This situation has led to her being months behind in rent as she spends whatever little money she has on alcohol and Jersey’s medical needs. In doing research for her latest book on Fanny Brice – with no advance from Marjorie – and selling a cherished personal memento of a handwritten letter from Katharine Hepburn in needing the money, Lee discovers there is a market for such celebrity memorabilia, and in the process decides, with her writing talent, to go into the fraudulent business of creating and selling fake personal documents purportedly by dead celebrities, especially of writers with strong public personas, such as Dorothy Parker and Noël Coward. She ends up befriending a gay past acquaintance from her literary circles, Jack Hock, also having fallen on hard times, Jack, not only becoming her drinking buddy, but her partner in crime. As they are able to get out of their financial holes in this business, Lee may begin to have second thoughts in also befriending Anna, one of the rare bookstore owners who likes Lee for Lee, an unusual position for her. But as the fraud looks like it may catch up specifically to Lee, she, feeling like these fakes are at least stretching her writing muscles, only becomes more resolute in at least the creative pursuit of what she’s doing.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Richard E. Grant’s performance in Can You Ever Forgive Me? is described as “deeply affecting” by critics.
 

 
Marielle-Heller.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
New Line Cinema, Wing Nut Films, The Saul Zaentz Company,
 
Distributor
Focus Features
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Ossining, New York, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language throughout, including racial epithets, and for disturbing/violent material and some sexual references
 
Year of Release
2018
 

 
Genre(s)
Crime/Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
starring John David Washington, Adam Driver, Laura Harrier, Topher Grace, Jasper Pääkkönen, Corey Hawkins, directed by Spike Lee, written by Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee, Crime, Comedy, Drama, $48.6M box office, R MPAA rating, reviewed by tt stern-enzi, Lawrence Ware, Jake Wilson, Chris Stuckmann, Oliver Jones, Emily St James, Brian Eggert, Cory Woodroof, Taylor Baker, Milana Vujkov, Robin Holabird, Sophie Charara, African-American detective, Colorado Springs Police Department, Ku Klux Klan, undercover investigation, racial epithets, Dolby Atmos, Focus Features, 2h 14m runtime
 

Cast & Crew

John David Washington

Adam Driver

Laura Harrier

Topher Grace

Jasper Pääkkönen

Detective Stallworth

Flip Zimmerman

Patrice Dumas

David Duke

Felix Kendrickson

John David Washington – Detective Stallworth
Adam Driver – Flip Zimmerman
Laura Harrier – Patrice Dumas
Topher Grace – David Duke
Jasper Pääkkönen – Felix Kendrickson
Corey Hawkins – Kwame Ture
Director – Spike Lee
Producers – Sean McKittrick, Raymond Mansfield, Jason Blum, Jordan Peele, Spike Lee, Shaun Redick
Writers – Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee

 

Spike Lee

Charlie Wachtel

Sean McKittrick

Raymond Mansfield

Jason Blum

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Spike Lee
 
Writer(s)
Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee
 
Producer(s)
Sean McKittrick, Raymond Mansfield, Jason Blum, Jordan Peele, Spike Lee, Shaun Redick

 

Film Festivals
Cannes
 
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
45 wins & 214 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Writing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published Winners, Oscar Winners
 

Top Reviews

tt stern-enzi

Lawrence Ware

Jake Wilson

Chris Stuckmann

Oliver Jones

WXIX-TV

Slate

The Age

ChrisStuckmann.com

Observer

BLACKKKLANSMAN
  All Critics (449) | Top Critics (91) | Fresh (429) | Rotten (20)
  The contemporary elements don’t necessarily trip you up too much, because you’re in the middle of a period piece, and its a great balance that he strikes because we have been waiting for a return of Spike.
 
  March 21, 2019
 
  tt stern-enzi
  WXIX-TV (Cincinnati, OH)
  TOP CRITIC
  The filmmaker rips from the headlines, but the struggles remain the same.
 
  January 9, 2019
 
  Lawrence Ware
  Slate
  TOP CRITIC
  There’s nobody left in Hollywood making broad, sweeping, lively political melodramas like Spike Lee.
 
  September 14, 2018
 
  Jake Wilson
  The Age (Australia)
  TOP CRITIC
  It’s just about perfect in balance of tone, and it’s easily Spike Lee’s best film in years.
 
  August 31, 2018 | Rating: A
 
  Chris Stuckmann
  ChrisStuckmann.com
  TOP CRITIC
  A kitchen sink and kaleidoscopic study of cultural and institutional racism in America.
 
  August 29, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Oliver Jones
  Observer
  TOP CRITIC
  What I especially love is how the movie refuses to offer up any pat or easy answers.
 
  August 27, 2018
 
  Emily St. James
  Vox
  TOP CRITIC
  Lee’s most purely entertaining film since Inside Man in 2006, BlacKkKlansman has a timeliness that taps into an imperative national conversation.
 
  March 11, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  Spike Lee will always be one of America’s foremost filmmakers; an explosive auteur with a jarring left hook who sizes up society and social issues with Billy Wilder’s wit and Old Testament fury.
 
  February 11, 2022
 
  Cory Woodroof
  Williamson Home Page
  Perhaps Spike’s broadest and most well layered joint.
 
  August 27, 2021 | Rating: 80/100
 
  Taylor Baker
  Drink in the Movies
  If it had been more artistically rigorous with the slapstick, it could have arrived at Arendt’s ‘banality of evil’, and taken that point home with guns blazing.
 
  July 30, 2021 | Rating: 2/5
 
  Milana Vujkov
  Lola On Film
  Blackkklansman helps Spike Lee finally land in the Best Director field where he deserved a place years ago.
 
  July 22, 2021
 
  Robin Holabird
  KUNR (Reno, NV)
  Spike Lee has much more than a roomful of people for his audience and this is his fiery speech.
 
  April 28, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Sophie Charara
  NME…

 

Plot
In the early 1970s, Ron Stallworth is hired as the first black officer in the Colorado Springs, Colorado police department. Stallworth is initially assigned to work in the records room, where he faces racial slurs from his coworkers. Stallworth requests a transfer to go undercover, and is assigned to infiltrate a local rally at which national civil rights leader Kwame Ture (birth name Stokely Carmichael) is to give a speech. At the rally, Stallworth meets Patrice Dumas, the president of the black student union at Colorado College. While taking Ture to his hotel, Patrice is stopped by patrolman Andy Landers, a corrupt, racist officer in Stallworth’s precinct, who threatens Ture and sexually assaults Patrice..
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Topher Grace plays David Duke in the film.
 

 
Spike-Lee.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Stanley Kubrick Productions,
 
Distributor
Kino Lorber
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Chalon-sur-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, France
 
MPAA / Certificate

 
Year of Release
2018
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
Custody, drama, French, divorce, custody battle, violent father, protective mother, joint custody, searing performances, hard-hitting, parents and children, judge, escalating conflict, hostage, Xavier Legrand, directed by, Alexandre Gavras, produced by, written by, Denis Ménochet, starring, Léa Drucker, Thomas Gioria, Mathilde Auneveux, Mathieu Saikaly, Florence Janas, reviewed by, critic reviews, Tomatometer, audience score, box office, gross USA, Kino Lorber, Dolby Digital, Scope, 2.35:1, Miriam Besson, Antoine Besson, Julien Besson, Joséphine Besson, Samuel, Sylvia
 

Cast & Crew

Denis Ménochet

Antoine Besson

Léa Drucker

Miriam Besson

Thomas Gioria

Antoine Besson

Miriam Besson

Julien Besson

Joséphine Besson

Samuel

Denis Ménochet – Antoine Besson
Léa Drucker – Miriam Besson
Thomas Gioria – Julien Besson
Mathilde Auneveux – Joséphine Besson
Mathieu Saikaly – Samuel
Florence Janas – Sylvia

 

Xavier Legrand

Xavier Legrand

Alexandre Gavras

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Xavier Legrand
 
Writer(s)
Xavier Legrand
 
Producer(s)
Alexandre Gavras

 

Film Festivals
Venice, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
23 wins & 32 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Ben Sachs

A.O. Scott

Paul Byrnes

David Stratton

Richard Whittaker

Chicago Reader

New York Times

Sydney Morning Herald

The Australian

Austin Chronicle

CUSTODY
  All Critics (121) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (116) | Rotten (5)
  This is taut, engrossing filmmaking on a crucial subject.
 
  March 9, 2020
 
  Ben Sachs
  Chicago Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  Mr. Legrand is skilled in the techniques of dread and suspense, and without sensationalizing or cheapening the story, he gives this closely observed drama the tension and urgency of a thriller.
 
  April 17, 2019
 
  A.O. Scott
  New York Times
  TOP CRITIC
  Custody makes gripping drama from a difficult subject.
 
  September 27, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Paul Byrnes
  Sydney Morning Herald
  TOP CRITIC
  The events that unfold in this brilliant and troubling movie are all too real.
 
  September 21, 2018 | Rating: 4.5/5
 
  David Stratton
  The Australian
  TOP CRITIC
  A peerless fusing of dumbshow performance and background sound editing, there’s a rising panic that allows the final, violent closing act to seem shockingly organic.
 
  August 2, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5
 
  Richard Whittaker
  Austin Chronicle
  TOP CRITIC
  Legrand in his feature debut shows laudable technical ability and discipline.
 
  July 26, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
 
  Peter Keough
  Boston Globe
  TOP CRITIC
  Shatter[ing] the audience with the actual intensity of a violence done by the closest of people, and the inner distance to reality it creates.
 
  July 29, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Milana Vujkov
  Lola On Film
  Legrand’s film tore through me like a tornado through a trailer park.
 
  July 6, 2021
 
  Jason Adams
  My New Plaid Pants
  We feel completely absorbed by this story even though we’ve heard it before [Full Review in Spanish]
 
  September 19, 2020
 
  Gisela Savdie
  El Heraldo
  Taking us inside the harrowing reality of a woman’s struggle to be believed, freeing herself and her kids from her abusive ex-husband, this razor-sharp revelation of a movie cuts to the bone.
 
  August 19, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Stephen A. Russell
  The New Daily (Australia)
  Legrand smartly and organically builds on cinematic expectations of conflicted characters, demonstrating wonderful control and sense of pace.
 
  August 13, 2020
 
  Luke Gorham
  In Review Online
  This is not an easy journey, but it is a truly satisfying one.
 
  June 23, 2020
 
  Steven Prokopy
  Third Coast Review…

 

Plot
After a bitter divorce, Miriam seeks sole custody of their son Julien to protect him from his violent father Antoine, but the appointed judge rules in favor of joint custody, leaving Julien caught in the escalating conflict between his parents in Custody.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Denis Ménochet, who plays Antoine Besson in Custody, is also known for his roles in Inglourious Basterds and The Program.
 

 
Xavier-Legrand.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Road Movies Filmproduktion, Argos Films, Westdeutscher Rundfunk
 
Distributor
Walt Disney
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Walt Disney Animation Studios – 2100 Riverside Drive, Burbank, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for action sequences and some brief mild language
 
Year of Release
2018
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Adventure
 
Keyword(s)
starring Craig T Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Samuel L Jackson, Bob Odenkirk, directed by Brad Bird, written by Brad Bird, produced by John Walker, Nicole Paradis Grindle, comedy, adventure, action, PG rating, box office gross of $608.6M, reviewed by Udita Jhunjhunwala, Robert Daniels, Adam Kempenaar, Donald Clarke, Matthew Norman, Mark Kermode, Brian Eggert, Cory Woodroof, Nicholas Oon, Laura Potier, Hosea Rupprecht, family, superheroes, Pixar, animation, sequel, Elastigirl, Mr Incredible, Violet Parr, Dashiell Parr, Frozone, Winston Deavor, Screenslaver, cybercriminal, computer screens, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS, Scope (2.35:1), Walt Disney
 

Cast & Crew

Craig T. Nelson

Holly Hunter

Sarah Vowell

Huck Milner

Samuel L. Jackson

Bob Parr

Mr. Incredible

Helen Parr

Elastigirl

Violet Parr

Craig T. Nelson – Bob Parr, Mr. Incredible – Voice
Holly Hunter – Helen Parr, Elastigirl – Voice
Sarah Vowell – Violet Parr – Voice
Huck Milner – Dashiell Parr (Dash) – Voice
Samuel L. Jackson – Lucius Best, Frozone – Voice
Bob Odenkirk – Winston Deavor – Voice

 

Brad Bird

Brad Bird

John Walker

Nicole Paradis Grindle

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Brad Bird
 
Writer(s)
Brad Bird
 
Producer(s)
John Walker, Nicole Paradis Grindle

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
12 wins & 80 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
 

Top Reviews

Udita Jhunjhunwala

Robert Daniels

Adam Kempenaar

Donald Clarke

Matthew Norman

Livemint

812filmreviews

Filmspotting

Irish Times

London Evening Standard

INCREDIBLES 2
  All Critics (389) | Top Critics (89) | Fresh (363) | Rotten (26)
  Bird laces in subliminal messages, but the main attraction of Incredibles 2 is the focussed storytelling, the clear and uncluttered animation and unadulterated fun.
 
  July 29, 2019
 
  Udita Jhunjhunwala
  Livemint
  TOP CRITIC
  Brad Bird’s Incredibles 2, while a solid follow up, lacks a clear vision of where to take the story next.
 
  August 27, 2018 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
  Robert Daniels
  812filmreviews
  TOP CRITIC
  What thrilled me the most … watching these characters do the thing they were born to do [and] fully be themselves instead of repressing something fundamental about themselves.
 
  August 24, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Adam Kempenaar
  Filmspotting
  TOP CRITIC
  You’ll gawp. You’ll ponder. You’ll laugh. A Pixar flick would be nothing without the last.
 
  July 23, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Donald Clarke
  Irish Times
  TOP CRITIC
  Brad Bird not only directs with the same assured inventiveness he brought to The Incredibles (and Ratatouille, and The Iron Giant), but has written a script every bit as smart, witty and touching as the first.
 
  July 23, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Matthew Norman
  London Evening Standard
  TOP CRITIC
  There’s a serious movie lurking at the heart of all this hi-tech adventure that takes timely swipes at gender inequality, family stress and the modern triumph of salesmanship over substance.
 
  July 15, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Mark Kermode
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  It’s everything we’ve waited for and wanted in a follow-up to Bird’s 2004 original, instantly making the fourteen-year interim seem like a blip in animation history.
 
  March 11, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  It’s a master at work with the family that put him on the map.
 
  February 11, 2022
 
  Cory Woodroof
  615 Film
  The voiceover work is fantastic. The animation is top-notch, and all the action scenes feel so much more gritty and intense than the first movie.
 
  August 17, 2021 | Rating: 9/10
 
  Nicholas Oon
  Maximum Hype (YouTube)
  Incredibles 2 delivers on as much adventure, joy, hilarity, and empathy as its prequel, and all while keeping it centred on its examination of contemporary family life.
 
  August 16, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Laura Potier
  Outtake Mag
  A visually stunning film, especially when director Brad Bird uses old-style cartoon animation for a fight sequence…
 
  August 13, 2021
 
  Hosea Rupprecht
  Pauline Center for Media Studies
  Miraculously manages to be worth the fourteen year wait, and even if you end up still preferring the original, this sequel stands quite tall on its own.
 
  June 24, 2021 | Rating: 4.5 / 5
 
  Nicolás Delgadillo
  Discussing Film…

 

Plot
While the Parr family has accepted its collective calling as superheroes, the fact remains that their special heroism is still illegal. After they are arrested after unsuccessfully trying to stop the Underminer, their future seems bleak. However, the wealthy Deavor siblings of Devtech offer new hope with a bold project to rehabilitate the public image and legal status of Supers, with Elastigirl being assigned on point to be the shining example. Having agreed for now to stay home to look after the kids, Mr. Incredible finds domestic life a daunting challenge, especially when baby Jack-Jack’s newly-emerged powers make him almost impossible to manage. However, Elastigirl has her own concerns dealing with the menace of a new supervillain, Screenslaver, who is wreaking havoc with his mind-control abilities. Elastigirl must solve the mystery of this enemy who has malevolent designs on the world, with the Parr family and friends key targets of this evil.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
 

 
Brad-Bird.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
MSNBC Films,
 
Distributor
Bleecker Street Media
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Squaw Mountain Ranch – 48176 SE Tumala Mountain Rd, Estacada, Oregon, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic material throughout
 
Year of Release
2018
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
Leave No Trace, Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie, Debra Granik, Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini, Drama, PG, Thematic Material Throughout, English, Bleecker Street Media, $6.0M, reviewed by Claudia Puig, Sandra Hall, Mark Kermode, Robert Daniels, Adam Kempenaar, David Stratton, Brian Eggert, Raquel Stecher, MaryAnn Johanson, Jennifer Merin, Sandie Angulo Chen, Nikki Baughan, Hidden Figures, Free Solo, Wonder, Hail, Caesar!, The Other Side of Hope, Forest Park, Portland, Oregon, father-daughter relationship, survival, PTSD, wilderness, authorities, journey, box office, limited release, streaming, produced by Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini, directed by Debra Granik, written by Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini, starring Ben Foster, Thomasin McKenzie, Jeff Kober, Dale Dickey, Isaiah Stone, Michael Draper
 

Cast & Crew

Ben Foster

Will

Thomasin McKenzie

Tom

Jeff Kober

Will

Tom

Mr. Walters

Dale

Isaiah

Ben Foster – Will
Thomasin McKenzie – Tom
Jeff Kober – Mr. Walters
Dale Dickey – Dale
Isaiah Stone – Isaiah
Michael Draper – Runner

 

Debra Granik

Debra Granik

Anne Harrison

Linda Reisman

Anne Rosellini

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Debra Granik
 
Writer(s)
Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini
 
Producer(s)
Anne Harrison, Linda Reisman, Anne Rosellini

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, Tribeca, Cannes
 
Awards & Nominations
18 wins & 94 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Claudia Puig

Sandra Hall

Mark Kermode

Robert Daniels

Adam Kempenaar

FilmWeek

Sydney Morning Herald

Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review

812filmreviews

Filmspotting

LEAVE NO TRACE
  All Critics (249) | Top Critics (68) | Fresh (249)
  [Director Debra Granik] focuses on the humanity of the characters without ever judging them.
 
  December 14, 2019
 
  Claudia Puig
  FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
  TOP CRITIC
  Granik’s star-making instincts are as sharp as ever.
 
  September 14, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Sandra Hall
  Sydney Morning Herald
  TOP CRITIC
  I loved this film.
 
  August 28, 2018
 
  Mark Kermode
  Kermode & Mayo’s Film Review
  TOP CRITIC
  Leave No Trace, in the biggest of ironies, leaves the greatest of traces upon us.
 
  August 27, 2018 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Robert Daniels
  812filmreviews
  TOP CRITIC
  The subtle ways we witness [Tom’s] epiphany, her little flickers of rebellion, are striking.
 
  August 24, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Adam Kempenaar
  Filmspotting
  TOP CRITIC
  Leave No Trace is a small film, but a quietly memorable one.
 
  August 17, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  David Stratton
  The Australian
  TOP CRITIC
  Granik brilliantly delivers the viewer into the characters’ spatially and socially secluded world, making otherwise normal, crowded living environments seem oppressive and even dangerous by comparison.
 
  March 11, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  a truly superb drama that offers no answers and just takes viewers along for the ride.
 
  January 11, 2022
 
  Raquel Stecher
  Quelle Movies
  Writer-director Debra Granik’s take on PTSD in military veterans is of course compassionate but perhaps slightly less tolerant of the isolation that her male protagonist…
 
  November 23, 2021
 
  MaryAnn Johanson
  AWFJ Women on Film
  Debra Granik’s Leave No Trace is a gripping drama…
 
  November 23, 2021
 
  Jennifer Merin
  AWFJ Women on Film
  Despite the heartbreaking stories she tells, she gives them (particularly the young women in her films) a flicker of hope in the darkness.
 
  November 23, 2021
 
  Sandie Angulo Chen
  AWFJ Women on Film
  [It] concerns itself with individuals attempting to exist outside societal norms and, in doing so, proves to be a moving study of love, loss and what it means to truly belong.
 
  November 23, 2021
 
  Nikki Baughan
  AWFJ Women on Film…

 

Plot
A father and daughter living off the grid in a nature reserve near Portland are forced to leave and embark on a journey to find a new home after a small mistake tips off authorities in “Leave No Trace.”
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Ben Foster delivers brilliant work in Leave No Trace according to critics.
 

 
Debra-Granik.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Studio Chizu Book Walker Dentsu
 
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)
Pine Ridge, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and drug use
 
Year of Release
2018
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama/Western
 
Keyword(s)
starring Brady Jandreau, directed by Chloé Zhao, written by Chloé Zhao, drama, western, box office performance, budget, reviewed by J R Jones, Linda Marric, Nikki Baughan, Donald Clarke, Simran Hans, Kevin Maher, Betsy Bozdech, Susan Wloszczyna, Jennifer Merin, Fletcher Powell, John Serba, R rating, riding accident, cowboy, rodeo circuit, untrained actors, fact-based tale, Brittany Runs a Marathon, Life Itself, The Two Popes, Let Him Go, Jodorowsky’s Dune, Sony Pictures Classics, Mollye Asher, Sacha Ben Harroche, Bert Hamelinck
 

Cast & Crew

Brady Jandreau

Tim Jandreau

Lilly Jandreau

Lane Scott

Cat Clifford

Brady Blackburn

Wayne Blackburn

Lilly Blackburn

Self

Self

Brady Jandreau – Brady Blackburn
Tim Jandreau – Wayne Blackburn
Lilly Jandreau – Lilly Blackburn
Lane Scott – Self
Cat Clifford – Self
Derrick Janis – Victor Chasinghawk

 

Chloé Zhao

Chloé Zhao

Mollye Asher

Sacha Ben Harroche

Bert Hamelinck

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Chloé Zhao
 
Writer(s)
Chloé Zhao
 
Producer(s)
Mollye Asher, Sacha Ben Harroche, Bert Hamelinck, Chloé Zhao

 

Film Festivals
Sundance, South by Southwest, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto
 
Awards & Nominations
25 wins & 55 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

J. R. Jones

Linda Marric

Nikki Baughan

Donald Clarke

Simran Hans

Chicago Reader

HeyUGuys

Sight & Sound

Irish Times

Observer (UK)

THE RIDER
  All Critics (189) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (184) | Rotten (5)
  An extraordinary translation of life into art.
 
  March 5, 2020
 
  J. R. Jones
  Chicago Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  Bold, heartfelt and, most importantly, unafraid, this is a remarkable film.
 
  June 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Linda Marric
  HeyUGuys
  TOP CRITIC
  The Rider reshapes the traditional cowboy narrative in a way that both embraces and challenges western tropes.
 
  December 7, 2018
 
  Nikki Baughan
  Sight & Sound
  TOP CRITIC
  A hugely impressive slice of prairie naturalism.
 
  September 18, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Donald Clarke
  Irish Times
  TOP CRITIC
  Working with non-professional actors from the Pine Ridge community, Zhao tells the fictionalised true story of bareback bronc rider Brady Blackburn.
 
  September 16, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Simran Hans
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Jandreau proves a charismatic draw, even if some of the supporting non-actors struggle with naturalistic performances.
 
  September 14, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Kevin Maher
  Times (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  The Rider is a compelling drama about what it means to be a man in a world that doesn’t offer men all that many options…
 
  December 17, 2021
 
  Betsy Bozdech
  AWFJ Women on Film
  When it comes to horse whispering, Robert Redford has nothing on Brady Jandreau.
 
  December 17, 2021
 
  Susan Wloszczyna
  AWFJ Women on Film
  Boasting terrific performances and evocative cinematography, The Rider is a triumph of human endeavour and tenacity of spirit.
 
  December 17, 2021
 
  Nikki Baughan
  AWFJ Women on Film
  The Rider is a contemporary cowboy drama written, directed and co-produced by Chloe Zhao, whose innovative approach to filmmaking creates the aura of authenticity and whose sensitive handling of its theme included casting a family of non-actors…
 
  December 17, 2021
 
  Jennifer Merin
  AWFJ Women on Film
  The Rider could very well end up being the best movie of the year.
 
  July 16, 2021
 
  Fletcher Powell
  KMUW – Wichita Public Radio
  The Rider is a modern classic.
 
  May 28, 2021
 
  John Serba
  Decider…

 

Plot
After a rodeo accident leaves him unable to compete, a young cowboy searches for a new purpose in life in the hard-hitting drama, The Rider.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The Rider features non-professional actors, including Brady Jandreau who plays a version of himself.
 

 
Chloé-Zhao.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Chernin Entertainment, TSG Entertainment, Turnpike Films,
 
Distributor
Wolfe
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
2018
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama/Lgbtq+
 
Keyword(s)
1985, drama, LGBTQ+, Texas, AIDS, conservative parents, hometown, return, powerfully made, lost lives, social attitudes, homosexuality, one man’s choices, Yen Tan, directed by Yen Tan, written by Yen Tan, starring Cory Michael Smith, Jamie Chung, Virginia Madsen, Michael Chiklis, Ryan Piers Williams, Bryan Massey, produced by Ash Christian, Hutch, reviewed by David Stratton, Paul Byrnes, Tara Brady, Simran Hans, Kevin Maher, Rory Marsh, Ben Turner, Jason Adams, Matthew St Clair, Richard Propes, José Martín, Elsa Fernández-Santos, box office performance, budget, MPAA rating, drama movie, LGBTQ+ movie, Wolfe, black and white, 16mm, poignant, authentic, delicate, moving, performances, audience score, critic score, Swim Little Fish Swim, Who You Think I Am, Butley, Of Mind and Music, Hichki, Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel Movies, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Sea Beast, Black Bird, TV shows, RT podcast, news, showtimes, streaming movies, most popular, trending on RT, critics consensus, Tomatometer, audience reviews, verified purchase, Fresh Kernels
 

Cast & Crew

Jamie Chung

Virginia Madsen

Michael Chiklis

Cory Michael Smith

Ryan Piers Williams

Carly

Eileen

Dale

Adrian

Marc

Jamie Chung – Carly
Virginia Madsen – Eileen
Michael Chiklis – Dale
Cory Michael Smith – Adrian
Ryan Piers Williams – Marc
Bryan Massey – Pastor Jon

 

Yen Tan

Yen Tan

Ash Christian

Hutch

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Yen Tan
 
Writer(s)
Yen Tan
 
Producer(s)
Ash Christian, Hutch

 

Film Festivals
South by Southwest
 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

David Stratton

Paul Byrnes

Tara Brady

Simran Hans

Kevin Maher

The Australian

Sydney Morning Herald

Irish Times

Observer (UK)

Times (UK)

1985
  All Critics (51) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (49) | Rotten (2)
  All of the acting is very good, although some American commentators have remarked on the fact no one has a Texas accent. This won’t matter much to an Australian audience.
 
  April 25, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  David Stratton
  The Australian
  TOP CRITIC
  What really distinguishes the film is that it gets deep inside this broken family without becoming histrionic or accusatory. Tan avoids any hint of sentimentality, concentrating on the pain instead.
 
  April 25, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Paul Byrnes
  Sydney Morning Herald
  TOP CRITIC
  The writer-director offers no easy solutions, relying instead on a stellar cast and nuanced responses.
 
  February 14, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Tara Brady
  Irish Times
  TOP CRITIC
  Tan shoots stylishly in black and white 16mm, each frame a tasteful photograph. What’s most skilful, though, is the way he succeeds in complicating archetypes.
 
  December 23, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Simran Hans
  Observer (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  The dark inky frames are full of shadows and dread. Yet the narrative, and Adrian’s journey, is always leavened with quiet compassion.
 
  December 21, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Kevin Maher
  Times (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  A poignant footnote to a monumental crisis.
 
  December 21, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
 
  Rory Marsh
  Little White Lies
  TOP CRITIC
  Its performances are strikingly authentic and it does well in depicting the personal pain of an international crisis through the lens of domestic normalcy.
 
  September 1, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Ben Turner
  The Pink Lens
  Gorgeous grainy black-and-white sheen – the feeling of sparse quiet, the unspeakable made manifest…
 
  July 2, 2021
 
  Jason Adams
  My New Plaid Pants
  1985 ends up hitting you in a powerful yet understated manner.
 
  October 2, 2020
 
  Matthew St. Clair
  Cinema Sentries
  A remarkable film featuring an absolutely stunning performance by lead Cory Michael Smith.
 
  September 17, 2020 | Rating: 4.0/4.0
 
  Richard Propes
  TheIndependentCritic.com
  One of those little masterpieces that… are very much worth discovering. [Full review in Spanish]
 
  July 21, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
 
  José Martín
  El antepenúltimo mohicano
  Everything is treated with the delicacy that is required to share this painful story. [Full Review in Spanish]
 
  June 11, 2020
 
  Elsa Fernández-Santos
  El Pais (Spain)…

 

Plot
A man returns to his conservative hometown in Texas to tell his parents that he has AIDS in the drama film “1985.”
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Lead actor Cory Michael Smith delivers a stunning performance in 1985.
 

 
Yen-Tan.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
R
 
Year of Release
2018
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
 
Keyword(s)
I Wish, PG, Comedy/Drama, 2h 8m, Japanese, forced separation, family reunion, childhood, well-rounded characters, attention to detail, Hirokazu Koreeda, Kentaro Koike, Hijiri Taguchi, written by Hirokazu Koreeda, starring Koki Maeda, Ohshiro Maeda, Ryôga Hayashi, Kyara Uchida, Kanna Hashimoto, Rento Isobe, reviewed by Derek Malcolm, Tim Robey, David Jenkins, Nigel Andrews, Peter Bradshaw, Tom Huddleston, Dustin Chang, Grant Watson, Nicholas Bell, Rachel Wagner, Daniel Green, Kelly Jane Torrance, box office gross $146.7K, PG rating, smoking, mild thematic elements, language, comedy, drama, family, separation, childhood, family reunion, Japanese director, Japanese language, well-rounded characters, attention to detail, family drama, sibling relationship, childhood memories, family separation, family reunion plan, childhood adventure, childhood fantasy, childhood dream, childhood friendship, childhood innocence, childhood nostalgia, childhood mischief, childhood imagination, childhood journey, childhood longing, childhood hope, childhood optimism, childhood resilience, childhood determination, childhood creativity, childhood curiosity, childhood wonder, childhood magic, childhood joy, childhood happiness, childhood sadness
 

Cast & Crew

Koki Maeda

Koichi

Ohshiro Maeda

Ryunosuke

Ryôga Hayashi

Koichi

Ryunosuke

Tasuku

Megumi

Kanna

Koki Maeda – Koichi
Ohshiro Maeda – Ryunosuke
Ryôga Hayashi – Tasuku
Kyara Uchida – Megumi
Kanna Hashimoto – Kanna
Rento Isobe – Rento
Hirokazu Koreeda – Director/Writer
Kentaro Koike – Producer
Hijiri Taguchi – Producer

 

Hirokazu Koreeda

Hirokazu Koreeda

Kentaro Koike

Hijiri Taguchi

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Hirokazu Koreeda
 
Writer(s)
Hirokazu Koreeda
 
Producer(s)
Kentaro Koike, Hijiri Taguchi

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
1 win
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Derek Malcolm

Tim Robey

David Jenkins

Nigel Andrews

Peter Bradshaw

London Evening Standard

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Little White Lies

Financial Times

Guardian

I WISH
  All Critics (77) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (72) | Rotten (5)
  The film is long and slow but repays close watching because Kore-eda is one of Japan’s best contemporary directors and he avoids sentimentality throughout.
 
  February 8, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Derek Malcolm
  London Evening Standard
  TOP CRITIC
  Undeniably beguiling, but more manufactured-feeling than Kore-eda’s top-drawer work.
 
  February 7, 2013 | Rating: 3/5
 
  Tim Robey
  Daily Telegraph (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  The spirit of Spielberg, transplanted to the east. Bliss.
 
  February 7, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
 
  David Jenkins
  Little White Lies
  TOP CRITIC
  Everything is fresh in this stations-of-childhood story lit up by stroboscopic flashes of wit, beauty and perception.
 
  February 7, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Nigel Andrews
  Financial Times
  TOP CRITIC
  The moving and deeply satisfying work of a director who just keeps on getting better.
 
  February 7, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Peter Bradshaw
  Guardian
  TOP CRITIC
  Every performance works, every character fits, every observation rings true.
 
  February 5, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Tom Huddleston
  Time Out
  TOP CRITIC
  My favorite part of the film is the static shots of inanimate objects near the end: mementos from their journey. The shots are held just long enough for us to appreciate those shared eternal moments.
 
  February 28, 2021
 
  Dustin Chang
  Floating World
  This is such a perfectly formed gem of a film.
 
  October 4, 2019 | Rating: 10/10
 
  Grant Watson
  Fiction Machine
  Kore-eda’s film hits all the right notes, but his secret weapons are his two child leads, Koki and Ohshiro Maeda.
 
  July 24, 2019
 
  Nicholas Bell
  IONCINEMA.com
  This is an adorable movie.
 
  May 9, 2019 | Rating: B+
 
  Rachel Wagner
  Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
  Kore-eda has once again cemented his status as one of contemporary Japanese cinema’s finest exponents.
 
  February 9, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Daniel Green
  CineVue
  It’s that innocence, which sooner or later must meet its match, that makes I Wish such a delightfully entertaining film.
 
  January 3, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
 
  Kelly Jane Torrance
  Washington Examiner…

 

Plot
An aspiring fashion designer struggles to find success and love. The story cuts into her life once a year, always on the same date: her birthday.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The child leads, Koki and Ohshiro Maeda, are described as “secret weapons” by critic Nicholas Bell.
 

 
Hirokazu-Koreeda.jpg