The Eagle Huntress (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
9 wins & 22 nominations total
Effectively stirring and bolstered by thrilling visuals, The Eagle Huntress uses its heartwarming message to fill up a feature that might have made for an even more powerful short film.
The Eagle Huntress is a documentary that will make you want to pack your bags and head to Mongolia to become an eagle hunter yourself. Okay, maybe not that extreme, but it will definitely leave you in awe of Aisholpan’s bravery and determination. The stunning cinematography captures the beauty of the Mongolian landscape and the bond between Aisholpan and her eagle is heartwarming. Sure, some scenes may seem a bit staged, but who cares when you’re watching a young girl break gender barriers and become a champion in a male-dominated sport? This film is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good underdog story and wants to learn more about a fascinating culture.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Relativity Media,
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Mongolia
MPAA / Certificate
G
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 27m
-
Language(s):Kazakh, English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 2, 2016 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 7, 2017
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, Kazakh, eagle hunter, female empowerment, tradition, father-daughter relationship, inspiring, heartwarming, Aishol-pan, Nurgaiv, Otto Bell, Stacey Reiss, Sharon Chang, G rating, English, Sony Pictures Classics, Daisy Ridley, narrator, box office, $3.2M, critic reviews, Stephen Romei, Paul Byrnes, Kate Erbland, Steve Davis, Tara Brady, Nigel Andrews, David Bax, Joanne Laurier, David Lamble, Leslie Combemale, Tish Wells, audience reviews, Antonius B, Daniel P, cinematography, Simon Niblett, feminist message, staged, true events, magical, funny, moving, uplifting, images, horror movies, MCU, Netflix series, TV premiere dates, Fandango
Worldwide gross: $4,400,140
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $5,423,166
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,148
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 591,403
US/Canada gross: $3,169,351
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,906,221
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,876
US/Canada opening weekend: $52,574
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $64,797
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,111
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Aisholpan Nurgaiv – Self
Rys Nurgaiv – Self
Otto Bell – Director
Stacey Reiss – Producer
Sharon Chang – Producer
Director(s)
Otto Bell
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Stacey Reiss, Sharon Chang, Otto Bell
Film Festivals
Sundance, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
9 wins & 22 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (128) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (119) | Rotten (9)
Perhaps the director has fudged it a bit, but his intention was to make a beautiful film about one girl from a place and a culture we know little about. That he has done.
March 17, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Stephen Romei
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Can we call this documentary, or is it some kind of hybrid, when so much of it is constructed for the camera?
March 15, 2017 | Rating: 2.5/5
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
A soaring, sweet documentary that welcomes its audience into an unexpected new arena.
January 2, 2017 | Rating: B+
Kate Erbland
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
There’s no doubt about the veracity of Aisholpan’s inspirational story. She exists, and she’s a champion in every sense. But many sequences in the film appear planned out, even staged.
December 31, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Steve Davis
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
DOP Simon Niblett’s camera seems to fly over the steppe as dozens of eagle hunters gather for the national championship where this well-loved daughter and classic sports underdog must prove herself in a stirring contest.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
It’s spectacular at best; watchable even at worst.
December 23, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
The Eagle Huntress provides meaning. Sadly, it does so via mostly forgettable platitudes.
January 4, 2021
David Bax
Battleship Pretension
The Eagle Huntress is a lively and unusual encounter with a remote population and their customs…
August 13, 2020
Joanne Laurier
World Socialist Web Site
A hypnotically lensed coming-of-age tale.
June 9, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
I doubt many audiences going to see this movie are would-be eagle trainers, but that certainly doesn’t take away from the film’s inspirational tone. This is a breathtaking and inspiring work from start to finish.
April 28, 2020
Steven Prokopy
Third Coast Review
The inspiring nature of both Aisholpan’s hard work and her unflagging determination are authentic enough.
October 21, 2019 | Rating: B
Leslie Combemale
Cinema Siren
It is a beautifully filmed movie with crystal clear images of stunning beauty.
October 9, 2019
Tish Wells
Cultured Vultures…
Plot
This spellbinding documentary follows Aisholpan, a 13-year-old nomadic Mongolian girl who is fighting to become the first female eagle hunter in twelve generations of her Kazakh family. Through breathtaking aerial cinematography and intimate verite footage, the film captures her personal journey while also addressing universal themes like female empowerment, the natural world, coming of age and the onset of modernity.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Daisy Ridley narrates The Eagle Huntress.
Otto-Bell.jpg
91%
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Oscars
56 wins & 115 nominations total
Hacksaw Ridge uses a real-life pacifist’s legacy to lay the groundwork for a gripping wartime tribute to faith, valor, and the courage of remaining true to one’s convictions.
Hacksaw Ridge is like a rollercoaster ride that starts off slow and steady, but once it picks up speed, it’s a wild and intense ride. Mel Gibson’s direction may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s hard to deny the power of the combat scenes. Andrew Garfield’s performance as Desmond Doss is impressive, and the film’s message about faith and courage is inspiring. Sure, it’s a bit formulaic and jingoistic, but sometimes you just want to watch a good old-fashioned war movie. Just be prepared for some gruesome moments that might make you want to cover your eyes.
Production Company(ies)
HBO Documentary Hit The Ground Running Films, Notorious Pictures,
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Fox Studios, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for intense prolonged realistically graphic sequences of war violence including grisly bloody images
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 19m
-
Language(s):English, Japanese
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 4, 2016 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 21, 2017
Genre(s)
War/Biography
Keyword(s)
Hacksaw Ridge, War, Biography, Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Mel Gibson, Bill Mechanic, David Permut, Terry Benedict, Paul Currie, Bruce Davey, William D Johnson, Tyler Thompson, Brian Oliver, Andrew Knight, Robert Schenkkan, R, Grisly Bloody Images, Graphic War Violence, Lionsgate Films, SDDS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos, Scope (2.35:1), $67.0M, reviewed by Wendy Ide, Donald Clarke, Kevin Maher, Nigel Andrews, Peter Bradshaw, Geoffrey Macnab, Brian Eggert, Matt Brunson, Leo Brady, Rudie Obias, Mike Massie, Richard Propes, directed by Mel Gibson, written by Andrew Knight and Robert Schenkkan, produced by Bill Mechanic, David Permut, Terry Benedict, Paul Currie, Bruce Davey, William D Johnson, Tyler Thompson, Brian Oliver, MPAA rating R, valor, faith, courage, pacifist, WWII, Congressional Medal of Honor, Battle of Okinawa, box office success, gritty, realistic, powerful, gripping, controversial, inspiring
Worldwide gross: $180,563,636
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $222,544,422
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 641
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 24,268,748
US/Canada gross: $67,209,615
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $82,835,754
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 842
US/Canada opening weekend: $15,190,758
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $18,722,587
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 693
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $40,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $49,299,943
Production budget ranking: 806
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $26,548,019
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $146,696,460
ROI to date (est.): 193%
ROI ranking: 644
Sam Worthington – Captain Glover
Luke Bracey – Smitty
Teresa Palmer – Dorothy Shutte
Hugo Weaving – William Thomas Doss
Rachel Griffiths – Bertha Doss
Director(s)
Mel Gibson
Writer(s)
Andrew Knight, Robert Schenkkan
Producer(s)
Bill Mechanic, David Permut, Terry Benedict, Paul Currie, Bruce Davey, William D. Johnson, Tyler Thompson, Brian Oliver
Film Festivals
Venice
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Oscars
56 wins & 115 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Editing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (281) | Top Critics (70) | Fresh (236) | Rotten (45)
Gibson’s robust directorial technique brings an undeniable punch to the combat scenes … Elsewhere in the film, however, there’s a sledgehammer lack of subtlety that is only partially mitigated by Andrew Garfield’s impressive performance.
January 29, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
If they gave out awards for “most movie in a movie”, then no other movie need turn up.
January 27, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
A rousing tale of Pacific War heroism that has more in common with jingoistic Wayne staples such as Sands of Iwo Jima or The Green Berets than anything in the 21st century, this is wearily formulaic film-making.
January 26, 2017 | Rating: 2/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Vintage Mel-odrama.
January 26, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Hacksaw Ridge is an old-fashioned war film, melded with a kind of new-fashioned explicitly violent drama.
January 26, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge is one of the best Second World War movies since Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line. It is also a wildly contradictory affair, combining folksiness with a pathological quality.
January 25, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Hacksaw Ridge seems at odds with itself, particularly during the chaotic and gruesome second half, as it tells a story about a brave pacifist while also satiating the filmmaker’s long-demonstrated bloodlust.
April 9, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Mel Gibson’s direction can hardly be deemed inspired, but because he’s less ham-fisted in his jingoistic zeal than Peter Berg, his workmanlike efficiency at least rarely gets in the way of a worthy storyline.
November 13, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Hacksaw Ridge sends us into the trenches, displays what one can achieve with faith, and honors the courageous character of Desmond Doss.
February 3, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Leo Brady
AMovieGuy.com
Overall, the movie doesn’t add up to much.
December 23, 2020
Rudie Obias
Battleship Pretension
It’s as if Gibson wants to impart a message of peaceful religious convictions while also reenacting grisly, high-octane war moments.
December 4, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Is Gibson glorifying the violence that Doss nearly gave his life to shun? Perhaps.
September 10, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com…
Plot
The true story of Desmond T. Doss, the conscientious objector who, at the Battle of Okinawa, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his incredible bravery and regard for his fellow soldiers. We see his upbringing and how this shaped his views, especially his religious view and anti-killing stance. We see Doss’s trials and tribulations after enlisting in the US Army and trying to become a medic. Finally, we see the hell on Earth that was Hacksaw Ridge.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Hugo Weaving, who plays Desmond Doss’s father in Hacksaw Ridge, is known for his roles in The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Mel-Gibson.jpg
91%
The Salesman (Forushande) (2017)
91%RT Audience Score: 84%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
13 wins & 27 nominations total
The Salesman takes an ambitiously complex look at thought-provoking themes, and the well-acted results prove another consistently absorbing entry in writer-director Asghar Farhadi’s distinguished filmography.
The Salesman is like a game of Jenga, where each piece represents a character’s actions and decisions, and the tower threatens to collapse at any moment. But instead of pulling out pieces, the film adds more weight and tension until the inevitable crash. It’s a slow burn that rewards patience with a powerful examination of morality, relationships, and the consequences of our choices. Plus, it’s a great reminder that dysfunctional families are universal, no matter where you are in the world.
Production Company(ies)
El Deseo Antena 3 Televisión Good Machine
Distributor
Cohen Media Group, Amazon Studios
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Tehran, Iran
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements and a brief bloody image
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:D-Cinema 48kHz 5.1 Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 5m
-
Language(s):Persian, English
-
Country of origin:France, Iran, Qatar
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jan 27, 2017 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 2, 2017
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi, Farid Sajjadi Hosseini, Mina Sadati, Maral Bani Adam, directed by Asghar Farhadi, written by Asghar Farhadi, drama, PG-13, box office gross $3.4M, reviewed by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Namrata Joshi, Wendy Ide, Tara Brady, Ed Potton, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Brian Eggert, Leigh Monson, Dustin Chang, David Lamble, Steven Prokopy, Jorge Ignacio Castillo, Iranian cinema, complex themes, marriage, violence, tension, trauma, revenge, crime, morality, culture, tradition, class, patriarchy, censorship, Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman, Iranian society, dysfunctional families, nuanced, suspenseful, visual storytelling, haunting
Worldwide gross: $6,953,604
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $8,570,307
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,019
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 934,603
US/Canada gross: $2,402,067
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,960,544
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,941
US/Canada opening weekend: $71,078
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $87,604
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,984
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Taraneh Alidoosti – Rana
Babak Karimi – Babak
Farid Sajjadi Hosseini – The Man
Mina Sadati – Sanam
Maral Bani Adam – Kati
Director(s)
Asghar Farhadi
Writer(s)
Asghar Farhadi
Producer(s)
Alexandre Mallet-Guy, Asghar Farhadi
Film Festivals
Cannes, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
13 wins & 27 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Foreign Language Film of the Year Winners, Oscar Best International Feature Film Of The Year Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (197) | Top Critics (59) | Fresh (190) | Rotten (7)
The opening moments of The Salesman underscore Farhadi’s status as one of the great unsung visual stylists of contemporary cinema.
August 25, 2018
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
The Blue Lenses
TOP CRITIC
Despite the specificity of modern-day Iran, The Salesman can transpire anywhere, any time. After all dysfunctional families, messy relationships and marriages on the verge of breakdown can’t be confined either by national boundaries or time zones.
July 12, 2018
Namrata Joshi
The Hindu
TOP CRITIC
There is perhaps no director more adept at capturing the unfolding stories of ordinary people when the drama of their lives runs away with them.
March 19, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It is drier than either of these predecessors… But this remains the work of a singular storyteller who conducts actors and coaxes narrative arcs as well as any living director.
March 17, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
[A] quietly provocative drama.
March 17, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Ed Potton
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It’s wellacted and full of low-key pain and humour (you would expect nothing less from the man behind A Separation, one of the most excruciatingly humane and nuanced films of the decade).
March 17, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Charlotte O’Sullivan
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Farhadi’s moral puzzles do not end by passing judgment from a moralist perspective; they prompt us to search inward to assess the choices and behavior on display.
May 2, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
…a film to be celebrated everywhere, particularly as an artifact of universal humanity in a time when American policy with regards to Iran is strained at best…
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Leigh Monson
Substream Magazine
Deeply philosophical with human entanglements, culture, tradition, class and morality, The Salesman is a complex drama with a great narrative pull that is a richly rewarding experience.
July 17, 2020
Dustin Chang
ScreenAnarchy
While The Salesman mostly unfolds in the pressure cooker of Emad and Rana’s workspace home, there is a deft subplot in which we see Emad in his other role as a high school drama teacher.
June 8, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
As an unfiltered drama, the film works to perfection; as a crime story, the pacing and flow are so unlike what Western audiences are used to, it might seems strange and oddly constructed.
May 1, 2020
Steven Prokopy
Third Coast Review
The Salesman may challenge some preconceptions, without losing sight of the problems that still affect the country.
January 28, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Jorge Ignacio Castillo
The Canadian Crew…
Plot
After their apartment is damaged, a young couple in Tehran must move into a new home, but a sudden eruption of violence linked to the previous tenant creates tension between them in The Salesman.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Shahab Hosseini’s performance in The Salesman earned him the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Asghar-Farhadi.jpg
91%
Mudbound (2017)
91%RT Audience Score: 84%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 4 Oscars
36 wins & 118 nominations total
Mudbound offers a well-acted, finely detailed snapshot of American history whose scenes of rural class struggle resonate far beyond their period setting.
Mudbound is a film that will make you feel all the emotions. From anger to sadness to hope, this movie has it all. The performances are top-notch, and the way the story is told through multiple narrators is a stroke of genius. Sure, there are some parts that don’t quite mesh together, but overall, it’s a powerful and important film that everyone should see. Plus, it’s a great reminder that we should all be angry about injustices and strive for shared humanity, even when life throws us curveballs.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Netflix
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Netflix), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Vacherie, Louisiana, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some disturbing violence, brief language and nudity
Year of Release
2017
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 14m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 2017 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 17, 2017
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J Blige, Rob Morgan, Garrett Hedlund, directed by Dee Rees, written by Dee Rees, Virgil Williams, history, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by J R Jones, Anne Thompson, Robert Daniels, Roxana Hadadi, Rex Reed, Max Weiss, Brian Eggert, Cory Woodroof, Kip Mooney, Jim Rohner, David Bax, Mike Massie, producer Carl Effenson, Sally Jo Effenson, Cassian Elwes, Christopher Lemole, Kim Roth, Tim Zajaros, Charles D King, MPAA rating R, World War II, rural American South, social hierarchy, sharecroppers, Jim Crow South, institutionalized bondage, familial racism, friendship, Mississippi Delta, Memphis, farming, class struggle, Netflix, Dee Rees’ Mudbound, epic story, two families, pitted against one another, ruthless social hierarchy, shared farmland, McAllan family, Hap and Florence Jackson, Jamie McAllan, Ronsel Jackson, Laura McAllan, Henry McAllan, Florence Jackson, Hap Jackson
Worldwide gross: $85,955
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $103,682
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,021
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 11,307
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jason Clarke – Henry McAllan
Jason Mitchell – Ronsel Jackson
Mary J. Blige – Florence Jackson
Rob Morgan – Hap Jackson
Garrett Hedlund – Jamie McAllan
Director(s)
Dee Rees
Writer(s)
Dee Rees, Virgil Williams
Producer(s)
Carl Effenson, Sally Jo Effenson, Cassian Elwes, Christopher Lemole, Kim Roth, Tim Zajaros, Charles D. King
Film Festivals
Sundance, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
36 wins & 118 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (202) | Top Critics (65) | Fresh (196) | Rotten (6)
The players are uniformly excellent.
April 16, 2020
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Rees embraced the book’s multiple narrators, lacing the two families into a complex tapestry.
March 31, 2020
Anne Thompson
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
Screenwriter and Director, Dee Rees makes a brilliant decision to focus on sharecropping. It’s a profession that’s rarely represented on film.
September 5, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
Robert Daniels
812filmreviews
TOP CRITIC
New American classic Mudbound is a reminder of the brutality of American history, of the weight of generations of institutionalized bondage and familial racism, and of the possibility of love as survival.
May 21, 2018
Roxana Hadadi
Pajiba
TOP CRITIC
Rees has a firm hand and a clear vision that gives Mudbound a balanced coherence that keeps you involved.
November 28, 2017 | Rating: 3/4
Rex Reed
Observer
TOP CRITIC
Exploring the resilient spirit and dark underbelly of the Jim Crow South, Dee Rees has created a new American classic.
November 27, 2017 | Rating: 4/4
Max Weiss
Baltimore Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The film moves among these families with an effortlessness that demonstrates their sameness, while also providing an achingly relevant commentary on how notions of racial inequality prove false and inhuman.
March 17, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Mudbound is about the shared anger we should all have in wake of injustices, and the shared humanity thats already a given when dealing with whatever life throws our way.
February 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
615 Film
The film doesn’t always mesh gracefully … But each character is fully realized, with lived-in performances to match.
August 24, 2021 | Rating: A-
Kip Mooney
College Movie Review
A film with so much voiceover narration shouldn’t work as well as this one does but rather than distract or splinter the narrative, it…decentraliz[es] the drama to create a spectrum of perspectives.
April 15, 2021
Jim Rohner
Battleship Pretension
Mudbound is by no means a light or airy film, though. The sick-making realities of war and of racial turmoil are not overlooked.
December 10, 2020
David Bax
Battleship Pretension
Perhaps it’s fitting that if the frames of reference are going to be a mess, the timeline should be jumbled as well.
December 5, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
Set in the rural American South during World War II, Mudbound follows two families, the McAllans and the Jacksons, as they navigate the harsh demands of farming and the brutal realities of the Jim Crow South, while their returning loved ones forge an uneasy friendship that challenges the social hierarchy.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Mary J. Blige received critical acclaim for her performance in Mudbound, earning nominations for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
Dee-Rees.jpg
91%
A Man Called Ove (En man som heter Ove) (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
16 wins & 29 nominations total
A Man Called Ove’s winsome sincerity — and Rolf Lassgård’s affectingly flinty performance in the title role — keep it from succumbing to excess sentimentality.
A Man Called Ove is the perfect movie to watch when you’re feeling grumpy and need a good laugh. It’s a heartwarming story about a curmudgeonly old man who learns to love again thanks to his quirky neighbors. The film strikes a perfect balance between dark humor and touching drama, and the performances are top-notch. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll come away feeling a little bit better about the world. So grab some popcorn and settle in for a delightful evening with Ove and his gang.
Production Company(ies)
Hollywood Pictures,
Distributor
Music Box Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Trollhättan, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some disturbing images, and language
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 56m
-
Language(s):Swedish, Persian
-
Country of origin:Denmark, Norway, Sweden
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 30, 2016 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 16, 2017
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Rolf Lassgård, Bahar Pars, Zozan Akgün, Tobias Almborg, Filip Berg, Ida Engvoll, directed by Hannes Holm, written by Hannes Holm, comedy, drama, PG-13, Music Box Films, box office gross $3.4M, reviewed by Simran Hans, Donald Clarke, David Jenkins, Kevin Maher, Peter Bradshaw, Linda Marric, Jim Rohner, Charlotte Harrison, Richard Propes, Andrew Gaudion, Steven Prokopy, Jorge Ignacio Castillo, Fredrik Backman’s novel adaptation, grumpy old man, unlikely friendship, community, blue-collar anxieties, Swedish, retired, strict principles, short fuse, block association rules, wife’s grave, angry, isolated, boisterous young family, excess sentimentality, winsome sincerity, affectingly flinty performance, title role, manipulative, wholesome, lovely, endearing, love, life, death, connections, diversity, black humor, touching, introspective, dark comedy, character study, Oscar nomination, best foreign film
Worldwide gross: $30,692,889
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $37,828,942
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,463
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,125,294
US/Canada gross: $3,479,315
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,288,251
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,846
US/Canada opening weekend: $54,608
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $67,304
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,097
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Bahar Pars – Parvaneh
Zozan Akgün – Nasanin
Tobias Almborg – Patrick
Filip Berg – unga Ove
Ida Engvoll – Sonja
Director(s)
Hannes Holm
Writer(s)
Hannes Holm
Producer(s)
Annica Bellander, Nicklas Wikström Nicastro
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
16 wins & 29 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (119) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (108) | Rotten (11)
By giving voice to blue-collar anxieties before working to resolve them, the film suggests that community can cure almost all ailments.
July 2, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Simran Hans
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The main problem with A Man Called Ove – a faithful, nice looking adaption of Fredrik Backman’s popular novel – is that it’s not manipulative enough.
June 30, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Not a film to change your view of the world or anything like that, but certainly a pleasant enough sit.
June 30, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
David Jenkins
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
The mellowing of a grumpy widower isn’t exactly a new idea in filmed drama, but thanks to a bleak yet morbidly funny tone and some clever narrative shenanigans, the Swedish box-office hit A Man Called Ove wholly reinvigorates the concept.
June 29, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Not very funny, not very sad, not very believable, and not very interesting.
June 29, 2017 | Rating: 2/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
A genuinely enjoyable two hours which will have you howling with laughter one minute, and sobbing the next.
June 29, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Linda Marric
HeyUGuys
TOP CRITIC
At times a difficult dark comedy and other times a touching, introspective drama, do yourself a favor and get to know Ove…
April 15, 2021
Jim Rohner
Battleship Pretension
Darkly funny and uplifting, this is a real gem of a film.
October 8, 2020
Charlotte Harrison
Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies
A Man Called Ove is the kind of film you start off resisting yet ultimately surrender to its charms.
August 30, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
It is a wholesome, lovely and endearing film about love, life, death and the connections we make along the way.
August 30, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Andrew Gaudion
THN
The funny is well earned, and the filmmaker parcels them out carefully so as not to ruin the overall mood of A Man Called Ove, a film that captures the spirit of the book and translates it beautifully to the big screen.
April 28, 2020
Steven Prokopy
Third Coast Review
Besides lots of black humor, A Man Called Ove is a fun character study that shows the power of community and the benefits of diversity.
February 5, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Jorge Ignacio Castillo
Planet S Magazine…
Plot
59 year old Ove is the block’s grumpy man who several years earlier was deposed as president of the condominium association, but he could not give a damn about being deposed and therefore keeps looking over the neighborhood with an iron fist. When pregnant Parvaneh and her family moves into the terraced house opposite and accidentally backs into Ove’s mailbox it turns out to be an unexpected friendship. A drama comedy about unexpected friendship, love and the importance of surrounding yourself with the proper tools.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Rolf Lassgård’s affectingly flinty performance in the title role keeps A Man Called Ove from succumbing to excess sentimentality.
Hannes-Holm.jpg
91%
Queen of Katwe (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 26 nominations
Queen of Katwe is a feel-good movie of uncommon smarts and passion, and outstanding performances by Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo help to elevate the film past its cliches.
Queen of Katwe is a heartwarming and inspiring film that will leave you feeling uplifted and motivated. The performances by David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o are truly touching, and Mira Nair’s direction captures the vibrant colors and rhythms of life in the slums of Uganda. While the film may have some cliches, it still manages to subvert others and earn every ounce of its feel-good finish. It’s a crowd-pleasing tear-jerker that will have you rooting for Phiona and all those who have found themselves in similar situations. Plus, who doesn’t love a good underdog chess movie?
Production Company(ies)
Brooksfilms
Distributor
Walt Disney
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Kampala, Uganda
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic elements, an accident scene and some suggestive material
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 4m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 30, 2016 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 31, 2017
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
Queen of Katwe, starring Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o, directed by Mira Nair, written by William Wheeler, produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher and John B Carls, biography, drama, PG rating, box office gross of $8.9M, reviewed by Stephanie Abraham, Candice Frederick, Aramide Tinubu, Danny Leigh, Sandra Hall, Sandy Cohen, Brian Eggert, Jennifer Merin, Kip Mooney, Michael J Casey, Richard Crouse, many others, Walt Disney distributor, Dolby Atmos sound mix, Scope (2.35:1) aspect ratio, chess, poverty, Uganda, Katwe, Robert Katende, missionary, slum, competition, tournaments, school, family, thematic elements, inspiring, heart-wrenching, feel-good, passion, uncommon smarts, outstanding performances, cliches, minorities, true story, riskiest project, tear-jerker, Disney production, Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo’s performances, Madina Nalwanga’s breakout performance, Mira Nair’s first English-speaking film, beautiful landscapes, hardships of life, documentary-like, inspiring, engrossing, family-friendly, predictable, bad audio, continuity errors, hammy dialogue, bizarre cinematography, poor acting, chess tournaments, poverty, escape from poverty
Worldwide gross: $10,367,161
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $12,777,511
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,889
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,393,404
US/Canada gross: $8,874,389
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $10,937,672
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,592
US/Canada opening weekend: $304,933
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $375,829
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,472
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $15,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $18,487,478
Production budget ranking: 1,405
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,955,507
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$15,665,475
ROI to date (est.): -55%
ROI ranking: 1,718
David Oyelowo – Robert Katende
Lupita Nyong’o – Harriet Mutesi
Martin Kabanza – Mugabi Brian
Taryn Kyaze – Night
Ronald Ssemaganda – Ivan
Director(s)
Mira Nair
Writer(s)
William Wheeler
Producer(s)
Lydia Dean Pilcher, John B. Carls
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 26 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (191) | Top Critics (67) | Fresh (179) | Rotten (12)
Queen of Katwe is still a bright addition to Disney’s roster. As audiences and actors demand more complex roles for people of color, let’s hope we see more groundbreaking projects like this one.
March 1, 2021
Stephanie Abraham
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
Oyelowo and Nyong’o’s performances temper the film with heart-wrenching emotion. And Mira Nair’s touching portrait of Katwe’s inspiring young queen with a dream is one to remember.
March 22, 2017 | Rating: A
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
Overall, the film is not without its flaws. However, in the end, you aren’t just rooting for Phiona, but also for all of those who have found themselves in similar situations.
January 23, 2017
Aramide Tinubu
Shadow and Act
TOP CRITIC
For every clich the film indulges, another is skirted, and another subverted. By the end, every ounce of feelgood is deserved.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Danny Leigh
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
When the feel good finish rolls round, you feel it’s been fully earned.
December 9, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
The colors and rhythms of life in the slums of Uganda are what set Queen of Katwe apart from other underdog chess movies.
October 24, 2016
Sandy Cohen
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
The film plucks our heartstrings and, despite our awareness of its manipulative formula and inherent melodrama, it nonetheless accomplishes everything the story sets out to do with impressive precision.
April 11, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
With great truth-based story in the hands of a brilliant woman director, this film brings women into their rightful place in moviemaking.
November 4, 2021
Jennifer Merin
AWFJ Women on Film
While there’s no points for originality, Queen of Katwe still scores a win.
August 28, 2021 | Rating: B+
Kip Mooney
College Movie Review
A crowd-pleasing tear-jerker of the highest accord.
June 21, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
Director Mira Nair rings every ounce of emotion from the inspirational story.
March 1, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
Even at its most exhilarating, it never loses its restraint. It works wonderfully well both as a human drama and a sports film.
July 24, 2020
Saibal Chatterjee
NDTV…
Plot
Living in Katwe, a slum in Kampala, Uganda, is a constant struggle for 10-year-old Phiona, her mother Nakku Harriet, and her younger family members. She and her younger brother help their mother sell maize in the market. She also helps care for her baby brother. Her world changes the day she meets Robert Katende at a missionary program. Katende coaches soccer and teaches children to play chess at a local center. Curious, Phiona visits the center, learns the game, and becomes fascinated with it. She becomes a top player in the group under Katende’s guidance.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o are both “touching” and bring an air of maturity to the film, according to critic reviews on Fresh Kernels.
Mira-Nair.jpg
91%
Tickled (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 16 nominations
Tickled uses an investigation into a silly-seeming subculture as the launching point for thought-provoking insights into online bullying and the destructive abilities of the internet.
Tickled is a wild ride that will have you laughing, cringing, and questioning everything you thought you knew about tickling. This documentary delves into the bizarre world of competitive endurance tickling, but what starts as a lighthearted look at a quirky subculture quickly turns into a dark and twisted tale of harassment, conspiracy, and malice. With inventive camera work and a shocking story, Tickled is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good mystery. Just be prepared to never look at tickling the same way again.
Production Company(ies)
Poly Gram Filmed Entertainment, Spelling Films, International, Blue Parrot
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Muskegon, Michigan, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 32m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 17, 2016 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 17, 2017
Genre(s)
Documentary/Lgbtq+
Keyword(s)
documentary, LGBTQ+, investigative journalism, online bullying, internet, tickling competition, bizarre, threatening, bully, journalist, New Zealand, David Farrier, Dylan Reeve, Carthew Neal, Magnolia Pictures, R, language, English, 2016, box office, gross USA, $612.8K, runtime, 1h 32m, directed by David Farrier, Dylan Reeve, written by David Farrier, produced by Carthew Neal, reviewed by Darian Lusk, Christopher Orr, Nigel Andrews, Kevin Maher, Jake Wilson, Tara Brady, Dennis Harvey, Michael J Casey, Olly Richards, Jim Rohner, Heidy Morales, starring David Farrier, Dylan Reeve, Marko Realmonte, narrator, documentary, LGBTQ+, online coercion, identity theft, blackmail, Abercrombie & Fitch, models, clothed, homoeroticism, sexual, tickling fetish, investigation, journalism, documentary filmmaking, hidden cameras, secret voice recordings, ambush tactics, self-hatred, revenge, bullying, innocence, guilt, legal action, allegations, releases, veracity, storytelling, filmmaking, filler, exposition, padding, methodology, traumatized, unwilling, horror movies, MCU, Netflix series, TV shows, news, reviews
Worldwide gross: $790,519
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $974,314
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,603
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 106,250
US/Canada gross: $613,956
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $756,700
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,245
US/Canada opening weekend: $21,898
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $26,989
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,402
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Dylan Reeve – Director
Marko Realmonte – Self
Justin Pemberton – Executive Producer
Carthew Neal – Producer
Director(s)
David Farrier, Dylan Reeve
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Carthew Neal
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 16 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (118) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (111) | Rotten (7)
The shocking truth is uncomfortably pursued to its fullest, and the result is a riveting piece of investigative journalism.
March 24, 2017
Darian Lusk
Observer
TOP CRITIC
It’s not a film you’ll soon forget.
March 16, 2017
Christopher Orr
The Atlantic
TOP CRITIC
David Farrier and Dylan Reeve’s Tickled defies belief and almost description.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Tickled is an unexpectedly engrossing documentary that’s built around the hitherto unexplored (on film anyway) world of “competitive endurance tickling”.
October 10, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
It would be unfair to spoil the surprises in David Farrier and Dylan Reeve’s investigative documentary Tickled, but the premise should be enough to draw you in.
August 25, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/5
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
More meaningfully, Tickled offers an anatomy of intimidation that feels particularly relevant for our post-Gamergate times.
August 22, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Tickled starts out as a very amusing look at a fetish subculture, then takes a rather startling turn down a rabbit’s hole of obsession, harassment, conspiracy, and deep-pocketed malice.
April 1, 2022
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
‘Tickled’ is not an aesthetically adventurous project, but Farrier and Dylan manage to situate their cameras in inventive places and capture moments that others may have overlooked.
July 9, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
A hilarious and horrifying true story about the world of competitive tickling, to watch with your mouth agape.
May 5, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Olly Richards
NME
Suffice it to say, Tickled is only ostensibly about “competitive endurance tickling,” which may or may not actually exist depending on who you ask…
April 14, 2021
Jim Rohner
Battleship Pretension
Farrier, with the help of his co-director Dylan Reeve, take us on a trip that goes beyond the world of ‘competitive tickling’. This topsy turvy journey will surprise you, confuse you, anger your, and leave you wanting to hear more…
February 21, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Heidy Morales
Hye’s Musings
The insane levels of aggression levelled at anyone who walks away tips this fascinating story from one of awkwardly uncomfortable comedy to something much more unsettling, a disturbing thriller of unimaginable psychological abuse and cyber-bullying.
August 26, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Stephen A. Russell
The New Daily (Australia)…
Plot
David Farrier, a New Zealand pop cultural reporter whose story subjects often verge into the bizarre, believes he’s found his next story when he stumbles across an online video on the world of competitive endurance tickling, a sport where the participants, with hands and feet tied down, are tickled for as long as they can endure. Participants are flown to Los Angeles first class, paid $1,500, and put up for four nights in a luxury hotel. Suitable participants are deemed to be younger, muscular males. The event is held on a monthly basis. In contacting the organizers, US-based Jane O’Brien Media, via their popular Facebook page to arrange for an interview, David receives a return message from one of their representatives, Debbie J. Kuhn, declining the offer, the message a homophobic rant largely against David. In that message, Debbie asserts that the competition is wholly a heterosexual athletic activity, she who does not appreciate what will be David’s assumed gay bent on the story as a homosexual himself (which David does not state he is or isn’t in his request). David finds the message all the more odd as the activity as it appears in the videos has an undeniable gay vibe. What is even more odd is that Debbie on behalf of Jane O’Brien, continually emails David over the following weeks expounding on the themes in the original message. At this time, David’s friend, Dylan Reeve, enters the fray, acting initially as a researcher for David, and then eventually as co-filmmaker for a documentary on the subject. However, the documentary eventually morphs from the sport of competitive endurance tickling into the mysterious world of Jane O’Brien and Debbie Kuhn, especially: as they seem to have unlimited resources both to hold the events and to conduct their online harassment they learn not only of David, but of former associates who now seem to want to distance themselves from the “sport” and Jane O’Brien Media; as Jane and Debbie initiate legal action and threaten even more legal action, and issue general threats time and time against David and Dylan not only for this unauthorized documentary but for their activities toward Jane O’Brien Media as a whole; and as no one seems to know who Debbie or Jane are, even the people that work for them, or what their end goal is, namely what will be done with the resulting videos of the competitions, which populate the Internet. The story takes a further twist when David and Dylan learn there truly is a tickling sexual fetish subculture, one within that community, Richard Ivey, who willingly talks to David and who remembers someone else online decades ago within the community with a similar M.O. to Debbie and Jane.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary Tickled features journalist David Farrier as the narrator and co-director.
David-Farrier.jpg
91%
The Wailing (Goksung) (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 82%
Awards & Nominations: 34 wins & 57 nominations
The Wailing delivers an atmospheric, cleverly constructed mystery whose supernatural thrills more than justify its imposing length.
The Wailing is a wild ride that will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about horror movies. With murder, diabolism, exorcism, and a whole lot of things that go bump in the night, this Korean film is not for the faint of heart. But if you’re up for a challenge, buckle up and get ready for a 156-minute parade of every horror trope imaginable. Na Hong-jin creates the ultimate supernatural whodunnit, throwing everything except the kitchen sink at us to keep us guessing until the very end. It’s hideous and exquisite, heart-breaking and horrifying, and definitely worth a watch if you’re in the mood for something truly unsettling.
Production Company(ies)
Shangri-La Entertainment, Tuff Gong Pictures, Cowboy Films,
Distributor
Well Go USA
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
South Korea
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 36m
-
Language(s):Korean, Japanese
-
Country of origin:Korea (South)
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 20, 2016 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 4, 2016
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Kwak Do-won, Jun Kunimura, Hwang Jung-min, Chun Woo-hee, Jang So-yeon, Heo Jin, directed by Na Hong-jin, written by Na Hong-jin, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Elissa Suh, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Nigel Andrews, Kate Muir, Phil Hoad, Anton Bitel, Brian Eggert, Toussaint Egan, Howard Gorman, Brent McKnight, VyceVictus, Panos Kotzathanasis, MPAA rating, Well Go USA,
Worldwide gross: $49,851,770
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $61,442,235
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,247
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,700,353
US/Canada gross: $786,633
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $969,524
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,195
US/Canada opening weekend: $77,892
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $96,002
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,949
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $6,420,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $7,912,641
Production budget ranking: 1,754
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $4,260,957
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $49,268,637
ROI to date (est.): 405%
ROI ranking: 342
Jun Kunimura – The Stranger
Hwang Jung-min – Il-Gwang
Chun Woo-hee – Moo-myeong
Jang So-yeon
Heo Jin
Director(s)
Na Hong-jin
Writer(s)
Na Hong-jin
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Cannes
Awards & Nominations
34 wins & 57 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (85) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (84) | Rotten (1)
The Wailing is worth every second of its 156 minute run time.
March 13, 2020
Elissa Suh
StageBuddy.com
TOP CRITIC
The Wailing’s is a world where histories, identities, cultures, realities and generic codes and conventions collapse in spectacular, unforgettable style.
August 25, 2018
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
The Blue Lenses
TOP CRITIC
Very crazy, very Korean, very long: 156 minutes of murder, diabolism, exorcism and things that go bump by day and night.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
A complex Korean horror with the surreal village feel of Twin Peaks.
November 29, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Kate Muir
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The layers of dissembling and self-dissembling pile up so thickly that not only does Na evidently touch on something integral about the nature of evil, but actually seems to be in the process of summoning it before your eyes.
November 24, 2016 | Rating: 5/5
Phil Hoad
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
By turns funny and despairing, this village noir brings the horror of uncertainty.
November 21, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Anton Bitel
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Na’s film belongs on a shortlist of horror titles that question everything, forcing the realization that most people know nothing for certain and yet still behave with conviction. What could be more frightening?
February 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
It’s a masterpiece of mood, and a 156 minutes, a parade of every horror trope imaginable.
October 20, 2021
Toussaint Egan
Polygon
Na Hong-jin creates the ultimate supernatural whodunnit, chucking everything except the kitchen sink at us to throw us off the scent of the whoever, or whatever is to blame.
June 10, 2021
Howard Gorman
NME
Na Hong-jin takes elements of zombies, black magic, ghosts, and possession stories, synthesizes these staid tropes in unique ways, and creates a visceral, moving film that is simultaneously hideous and exquisite, heart-breaking and horrifying.
July 3, 2020 | Rating: A
Brent McKnight
The Last Thing I See
I can say enthusiastically that The Wailing is an astonishing film that manages to truly unnerve and entertain in equal measure.
February 6, 2020
VyceVictus
Birth.Movies.Death.
Na Hong-jin directs and pens an agonizing thriller, building the tension gradually as the story progresses, until the utterly shocking finale, which is, probably, the film’s greatest sequence.
April 6, 2019
Panos Kotzathanasis
Asian Film Vault…
Plot
In the small village Goksung in South Korea, police officer Jong-Goo investigates bizarre murders caused by a mysterious disease. His partner relays gossip that a Japanese stranger, who lives in a secluded house in the mountains, would be an evil spirit responsible for the illness. Jong-Goo decides to visit the stranger along with his partner and a young priest who speaks Japanese. They find an altar with a goat head, pictures on the walls of the infected people that died, and an attacking guard dog that prevents their departure until the stranger arrives. Jong-Goo finds one shoe of his beloved daughter, Hyo-jin, in the house of the stranger, and soon she becomes sick. His mother-in-law summons the shaman Il-gwang to save her granddaughter while a mysterious woman tells Jong-Goo that the stranger is responsible. Who might be the demon that is bringing sickness to Goksung?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Wailing features an excellent cast, including Kwak Do-won, Jun Kunimura, Hwang Jung-min, Chun Woo-hee, and more.
Na-Hong-jin.jpg
91%
Weiner (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
8 wins & 54 nominations total
Weiner uses sharp insight and untrammeled access to offer a portrait of a political and personal collapse that’s as queasy as it is undeniably compelling.
Weiner is like watching a train wreck in slow motion, but instead of a train, it’s a political campaign and instead of a wreck, it’s a scandal. The access that the filmmakers got is impressive, but it’s also uncomfortable to watch the downfall of a man who was once a rising star in politics. It’s a cautionary tale of what can happen when ego and ambition get in the way of good judgment. Overall, it’s a fascinating and thought-provoking documentary that will leave you questioning the nature of politics and the people who pursue it.
Production Company(ies)
Why Not Productions, Chic Films, Page 114
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and some sexual material
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 36m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 20, 2016 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 23, 2016
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
starring Anthony Weiner, Huma Abedin, directed by Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, written by Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, Eli B Despres, documentary, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Soraya Nadia McDonald, Brian Lowry, Sara Michelle Fetters, Sandra Hall, Wendy Ide, Leigh Singer, Kip Mooney, Dan Buffa, Vadim Rizov, MPAA rating R, political scandal, New York City, mayoral campaign, sexting scandal, personal collapse, political comeback, untrammeled access, collateral damage, blind egotism, suicidal optimism, unprecedented access, fiery oration, passion for issues, connection to people, poor judgment, humiliation, lack of understanding, crash and burn, politician
Worldwide gross: $1,715,955
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,114,912
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,397
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 230,634
US/Canada gross: $1,676,108
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,065,801
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,025
US/Canada opening weekend: $84,173
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $103,743
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,918
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Huma Abedin – Self
Josh Kriegman – Director, Writer
Elyse Steinberg – Director, Writer, Producer
Director(s)
Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg
Writer(s)
Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, Eli B. Despres
Producer(s)
Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
8 wins & 54 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (177) | Top Critics (65) | Fresh (171) | Rotten (6)
It’s a fabulously entertaining view from inside a political campaign, giving us a firsthand experience of all the weird, Good Wife-style maneuvering that takes place.
September 26, 2017
Soraya Nadia McDonald
Andscape
TOP CRITIC
What Weiner makes painfully clear is the collateral damage of Weiner’s actions… To that extent, it’s possible to share his politics and still see him as a fatally flawed vessel for them.
October 25, 2016
Brian Lowry
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
Weiner shows, without embellishment, without cinematic sleight of hand, that a person’s worst enemy remains themselves.
August 9, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
In the end, it’s hard to tell if his downfall is due to blind egotism or suicidal optimism.
July 29, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Edited to perfection, this is like watching the slow-motion footage of a building collapsing.
July 10, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The facts of the case are outlandish enough, but what’s even more eye-opening is that so much of it has been documented in real time by directors Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg.
July 8, 2016
Leigh Singer
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
One of the most fascinating, thought-provoking movies of the year.
August 29, 2021 | Rating: A-
Kip Mooney
College Movie Review
A brutally honest look at politics…
November 10, 2020
Dan Buffa
KSDK News (St. Louis)
A fantastically/ghoulishly entertaining portrait of a candidate imploding over and over that’s fundamentally unrepeatable.
September 15, 2020
Vadim Rizov
Filmmaker Magazine
Where Weiner shines is in the unprecedented access to this meteoric rise and fall.
April 1, 2020
Dan Scully
Cinema76
The access filmmakers Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg got is remarkable. There are plenty of profoundly uncomfortable moments on display.
January 28, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Jorge Ignacio Castillo
The Canadian Crew
Filming him, Huma and his staff throughout the scandal is creatively smart, and watching the drama enfold as election day draws closer is as exciting as political documentaries get.
November 15, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Katie Smith-Wong
Flick Feast…
Plot
Serving seven consecutive terms, Anthony Weiner, good friends with and political allies to the Clintons, was once a highly respected member of Congress from New York City, he seen as a man sticking up for the every day person. That all changed in June, 2011 when he was forced to resign in disgrace after admitting that he did tweet lewd “headless” photos of himself from his public Twitter account to women he met online, and that it was not the work of a hacker or that the photos were of someone else. At the time, his wife Huma Abedin, herself a key aide to Hillary Clinton, was pregnant with their first child, she who decided to stand by her man. Two years later with Abedin still by his side, Weiner tries to resurrect his political career in a run for New York City mayor. He realizes that he has an uphill battle not only because of the known previously tweeted photos, but that there are other lewd photos from that era that may also come to light during the campaign. Regardless of the 2011 resignation, Weiner may not want to admit that any wrongdoing in his personal life should affect his ability to do his job as a politician, congressman, mayor or otherwise. He is probably well aware that the behavior associated with the tweeted photos will dog him during the entire election campaign – with some voters not caring what he does in his personal life, some never willing to forgive or forget such behavior, and some in the middle, those who he has to convince to vote for him. But will the collective “they” – including his campaign staff and Abedin – care and forgive a second time around if the behavior has continued, especially if he did or does not own up to it?
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Former Rep. Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin are featured in the documentary Weiner, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at his failed 2013 mayoral campaign in New York City and the subsequent scandal that derailed it.
Josh-Kriegman.jpg
91%
Embrace Of The Serpent (El Abrazo De La Serpiente) (2016)
91%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
46 wins & 33 nominations total
As rich visually as it is thematically, Embrace of the Serpent offers a feast of the senses for film fans seeking a dose of bracing originality.
Embrace of the Serpent” is like a wild trip to the Amazon that you never knew you needed. With stunning visuals and a powerful message about the effects of colonialism, this movie will leave you both mesmerized and horrified. The performances by Nilbio Torres and Antonio Bolíva are truly remarkable and will stay with you long after the credits roll. It’s a mystical movie missile that hits all the right notes and is definitely worth a watch. Just be prepared for a journey that’s both beautiful and haunting.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures, New Regency Productions, Pascal Pictures,
Distributor
Oscilloscope Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Vaupés, Colombia
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 3m
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Language(s):Spanish, Portuguese, Aboriginal, German, Catalan, Latin, English
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Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 17, 2016 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 21, 2016
Genre(s)
Adventure
Keyword(s)
Embrace of the Serpent, Adventure, Spanish, Ciro Guerra, Cristina Gallego, Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde Vidal, Jan Bijvoet, Brionne Davis, Nilbio Torres, Nicolás Cancino, Luigi Sciamanna, Antonio Bolivar, reviewed by Mallika Khanna, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Nigel Andrews, Demetrios Matheou, Kevin Maher, Sandra Hall, Michael J Casey, Toussaint Egan, Dennis Harvey, Yasser Medina, Andiee Paviour, Matthew Eng, 96%, $1.3M, Oscilloscope Pictures, MPAA rating, Colombian Amazon, healing plant, shaman, German explorer, local guide, visually rich, thematically rich, originality
Worldwide gross: $3,217,176
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,015,899
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,234
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 437,939
US/Canada gross: $1,329,249
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,659,259
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,084
US/Canada opening weekend: $50,955
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $63,606
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,121
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,400,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $1,747,576
Production budget ranking: 2,042
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $941,070
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,327,254
ROI to date (est.): 49%
ROI ranking: 1,157
Brionne Davis – Evan
Nilbio Torres – Young Karamakate
Nicolás Cancino – Anizetto
Luigi Sciamanna – Priest Gaspar
Antonio Bolivar – Old Karamakate
Ciro Guerra – Director, Writer
Jacques Toulemonde Vidal – Writer
Cristina Gallego – Producer
Director(s)
Ciro Guerra
Writer(s)
Ciro Guerra, Jacques Toulemonde Vidal
Producer(s)
Cristina Gallego
Film Festivals
Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
46 wins & 33 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (149) | Top Critics (60) | Fresh (143) | Rotten (6)
Crucial for global audiences to see.
March 15, 2021
Mallika Khanna
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
While difficult to identify a single factor that renders the film such a remarkable achievement, at the top of any list would certainly be the central performances by Nilbio Torres and Antonio Bolíva.
August 25, 2018
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
The Blue Lenses
TOP CRITIC
Embrace of the Serpent is a mystical movie missile from Colombia. It’s ballistic, balletic, sometimes brilliant.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
A film that honours the mysteries and majesty of a lost world.
December 9, 2016
Demetrios Matheou
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Embrace of the Serpent is a breathtakingly gorgeous Oscar-nominated drama that caresses your eyes with its visuals as it bangs you over the head with its message.
October 10, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Shot in luminous black-and-white in the Colombian Amazon, Embrace of the Serpent looks like a series of animated photographs torn from the colonial explorers’ journals that inspired it.
July 29, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
An adventure into the heart of darkness that is as prophetic as it is hallucinatory.
August 9, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
A powerful and poetic portrait of the effects of European colonialism and environmental despoilment.
February 25, 2021
Toussaint Egan
Polygon
…a hallucinogenic Amazonian odyssey…
October 28, 2020
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
The truth is that it is an amazing drama that offers an almost hypnotic vision of the effects of colonialism in the Amazon region of Colombia. [Full review in Spanish]
June 26, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
The journeys of two explorers, four generations apart, into the Colombian Amazon are beautiful, frightful, and at their wildest, half-crazed.
July 29, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Andiee Paviour
Nobody’s Reading This But Me
It’s hard to argue with an artistic vision as utterly distinctive as Guerra’s. Even when his story stutters, it’s hard not to be seduced by the sheer immersion of his filmmaking.
May 1, 2019
Matthew Eng
Tribeca Film…
Plot
In early 1900s Colombia, a young shaman helps a sick German explorer and his local guide search for a rare healing plant in the visually stunning and thematically rich adventure film, Embrace of the Serpent.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Jan Bijvoet, Brionne Davis, and Nilbio Torres.
Ciro-Guerra.jpg