Batman Begins (2005)
92%RT Audience Score: 94%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
13 wins & 79 nominations total
Brooding and dark, but also exciting and smart, Batman Begins is a film that understands the essence of one of the definitive superheroes.
Batman Begins is the perfect movie for anyone who loves a good superhero flick with a side of darkness. Nolan takes the classic story and gives it a fresh, edgy twist that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Sure, the finale might be a bit over-the-top, but who doesn’t love a good explosion? Plus, the cast is top-notch and the characters are fully realized, making this a superhero movie with heart. So grab some popcorn, settle in, and get ready to witness the birth of the Dark Knight.
Production Company(ies)
O2 Filmes, Video Filmes, Globo Filmes,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Skaftafell, Iceland
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements
Year of Release
2005
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 20m
-
Language(s):English, Mandarin
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 15, 2005 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 18, 2005
Genre(s)
Action/Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, directed by Christopher Nolan, written by David S Goyer, Christopher Nolan, Bob Kane, action, fantasy, adventure, PG-13, box office, budget, reviewed by Namrata Joshi, Christy Lemire, Joe Morgenstern, Nell Minow, Owen Gleiberman, David Ansen, Brian Eggert, Robin Holabird, Jim Rohner, Richard Crouse, Mike Massie, Siddhant Adlakha, Batman, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Henri Ducard, Rachel Dawes, Lt James Gordon, Dr Jonathan Crane, The Scarecrow
Worldwide gross: $373,672,993
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $569,471,413
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 244
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 62,101,572
US/Canada gross: $206,863,479
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $315,256,494
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 175
US/Canada opening weekend: $48,745,440
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $74,287,238
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 123
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $150,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $228,597,500
Production budget ranking: 54
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $123,099,754
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $217,774,160
ROI to date (est.): 62%
ROI ranking: 1,091
Michael Caine – Alfred Pennyworth
Liam Neeson – Henri Ducard
Katie Holmes – Rachel Dawes
Gary Oldman – Lt. James Gordon
Cillian Murphy – Dr. Jonathan Crane, The Scarecrow
Director(s)
Christopher Nolan
Writer(s)
David S. Goyer, Christopher Nolan, Bob Kane
Producer(s)
Larry J. Franco, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
13 wins & 79 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (288) | Top Critics (63) | Fresh (243) | Rotten (45)
Batman has been all about darkness, Nolan just makes it a shade darker. Go see it.
January 8, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Namrata Joshi
Outlook
TOP CRITIC
Nolan takes an admirable stab at developing a character-driven drama, only to give in to generic action-movie conventions with a blinding, deafening, explosion-laden finale that could have capped off any number of interchangeable Jerry Bruckheimer flicks.
April 14, 2013
Christy Lemire
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Batman Begins summons up moments of great eloquence and power. If only its cast of characters was as fully inhabited as its turbulent city.
April 14, 2013
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
TOP CRITIC
Every so often, it’s time to re-boot Batman.
February 18, 2012 | Rating: B+
Nell Minow
Movie Mom
TOP CRITIC
It’s not just the birth of Batman we’re seeing in this triumphant interpretation, it’s also the dawning of Gotham City’s age of greed.
September 7, 2011 | Rating: A
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
The psychological realism and the science-fiction villainy don’t always mesh seamlessly. But unlike so many superheroic summer spectacles, this one actually has a soul behind the special effects.
July 7, 2010
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Batman Begins tansforms the superhero genre and transcends its limitations with a film that is a moving, emotionally involving, and exciting experience.
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Played straight and with edge, Nolan’s reboot put humanity into characters, often bypassing computer-generated effects for a more intense sense of reality.
November 30, 2021
Robin Holabird
Robin Holabird
Nolan and Batman Begins [are] the progenitors of the gritty, realistic cinematic superhero movement…
April 15, 2021
Jim Rohner
Battleship Pretension
Admirable in its emphasis on character over gadgetry, and is ambitious for a summer blockbuster, but for me, unfortunately it never quite takes flight.
January 31, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
All in all, it definitely changes the course – for the better – of this formerly failing franchise.
September 25, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Batman is shackled by one of the most potent recurring themes in Nolan’s work: a fear of the past, in all its pain, guilt and trauma – a fear that the forward march of time may not be enough to heal.
August 28, 2020
Siddhant Adlakha
IGN Movies…
Plot
When his parents are killed, billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne relocates to Asia, where he is mentored by Henri Ducard and Ra’s Al Ghul in how to fight evil. When learning about the plan to wipe out evil in Gotham City by Ducard, Bruce prevents this plan from getting any further and heads back to his home. Back in his original surroundings, Bruce adopts the image of a bat to strike fear into the criminals and the corrupt as the icon known as “Batman”. But it doesn’t stay quiet for long.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Batman Begins includes Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, and Cillian Murphy.
Christopher-Nolan.jpg
92%
Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001)
92%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 7 nominations
Dogtown and Z-Boys is a colorful, exhilarating look at the skateboarding subculture.
Dogtown and Z-Boys is a documentary that will make you want to grab a skateboard and hit the pavement. Stacy Peralta, a former member of the Zephyr Competition Skate Team, directs this film with authority and a deep understanding of the sport. The documentary follows the Z-Boys, a group of skateboarders from Santa Monica who revolutionized the sport in the 70s. The film is raw, wild, and exuberant, just like the Z-Boys themselves. While some critics may find the film heavy-handed, it’s hard not to get caught up in the adrenaline rush of the subject. Whether you’re a skateboarding pro or a newbie, Dogtown and Z-Boys is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good underdog story.
Production Company(ies)
Discovery Channel, Jigsaw Productions, Tall Woods
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Marina del Rey, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for drug and alcohol content, sexuality, violence, language and reckless behavior – all involving teens
Year of Release
2005
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 29m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 26, 2002 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 3, 2005
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, skateboarding, Dogtown, Z-Boys, Stacy Peralta, Craig Stecyk, Agi Orsi, PG-13, English, Sony Pictures Classics, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby SR, Flat, 1.85:1, Sean Penn, Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Bob Biniak, Paul Constantineau, Shogo Kubo, reviewed by Joshua Rothkopf, David Ansen, Dennis Harvey, Meredith Brody, Adam Smith, Michael Wilmington, PJ Nabarro, Patrick Nabarro, James Plath, Kelly Kessler, Cole Smithey, Film4 Staff, Jeffrey M Anderson, starring Sean Penn, directed by Stacy Peralta, written by Stacy Peralta, Craig Stecyk, produced by Agi Orsi, box office gross $1.3M, budget unknown, Fresh Kernels, Tomatometer, audience score, documentary film, skateboarding subculture, accidental revolutionaries, gifted kids, American pop culture phenomenon, birth of an organic American pop culture phenomenon
Worldwide gross: $13,411,957
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $20,439,599
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,704
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,228,964
US/Canada gross: $11,273,517
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $17,180,652
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,460
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,623,373
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $8,569,927
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 997
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $25,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $38,099,583
Production budget ranking: 994
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $20,516,626
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$38,176,610
ROI to date (est.): -65%
ROI ranking: 1,778
Jay Adams – Self
Tony Alva – Self
Bob Biniak – Self
Paul Constantineau – Self
Shogo Kubo – Self
Director(s)
Stacy Peralta
Writer(s)
Stacy Peralta, Craig Stecyk
Producer(s)
Agi Orsi
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (97) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (89) | Rotten (8)
It’s made with great authority; director Stacy Peralta, in his younger years, rode ramps with the best of them and was the movement’s shrewdest self-promoter.
March 16, 2020
Joshua Rothkopf
In These Times
TOP CRITIC
You want to know more about their private lives than you get. But most viewers may be too stoked by the sheer adrenaline rush of the subject to care.
November 1, 2007
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Package is lively, if loosely structured.
April 2, 2007
Dennis Harvey
Variety
TOP CRITIC
This propulsive, highly satisfying 2002 documentary concerns a group of daredevil skateboarders from an economically depressed and dangerous area of Santa Monica known as Dogtown who reinvented the sport in the 70s.
April 2, 2007
Meredith Brody
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Quite possibly the best documentary about youth and sport since Hoop Dreams.
December 23, 2002 | Rating: 5/5
Adam Smith
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Few sports films catch their time, place and sport so well.
July 20, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
The film’s buoyancy is permissible in approximating the gusto that was the hallmark of the Z-Boys as they took their guerrilla surfing skills to the arena of skateboarding.
February 22, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
Raw, baby, raw. That’s what this documentary is, and that’s why it’s not meant for Blu-ray.
February 26, 2012 | Rating: 7/10
James Plath
Movie Metropolis
Before Tony Hawk, skateboarding had the Z-Boys.
January 2, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Kelly Kessler
Common Sense Media
Skateboard-legend-turned-filmmaker Stacy Peralta rips open the paradigm of the documentary form in much the same way that he and his young Santa Monica Zephyr Competition Skate Team revolutionized skateboarding in the mid-’70s.
July 1, 2010 | Rating: A+
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
Marred by a self-importance and heavy-handed assertion of mythic status that some may well find misplaced or just downright ridiculous.
August 1, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
Film4 Staff
Film4
I know exactly nothing about skateboarding, but this wild, exuberant documentary puts it all in perspective, outlining a crew of 12 surfers-turned-skaters who pioneered the sport — and, some say, the art form.
May 26, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid…
Plot
A fictionalized take on the group of brilliant young skateboarders raised in the mean streets of Dogtown in Santa Monica, California. The Z-Boys, as they come to be known, perfect their craft in the empty swimming pools of unsuspecting suburban homeowners, pioneering a thrilling new sport and eventually moving into legend.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Sean Penn narrates the documentary.
Stacy-Peralta.jpg
92%
Masculin Feminin (1966)
92%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 4 nominations
A ’60s time capsule stuffed with ideas about politics, pop culture, and the battle of the sexes, Masculine-Feminine is one of Godard’s classic black-and-white films.
Masculin Féminin” is a wild ride through the streets of Paris, with Godard’s signature style of mixing genres and breaking the rules. It’s a film that captures the spirit of the 60s, with its revolutionary ideas and youthful energy. The characters are quirky and charming, and the cinematography is stunning. It’s not a film for everyone, but if you’re looking for something different and daring, “Masculin Féminin” is definitely worth a watch. Plus, who doesn’t love a good Godard quote like “the children of Marx and Coca-Cola”?
Production Company(ies)
Beimo Films, Persistence of Vision Films,
Distributor
Rialto Pictures, Royal Films International
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Scandic Hotel Continental, Norrmalm, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1966
-
Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 43m
-
Language(s):French, Swedish, English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 22, 1966 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2005
Genre(s)
Romance
Keyword(s)
starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Chantal Goya, Marlène Jobert, Michel Debord, Catherine-Isabelle Duport, Evabritt Strandberg, directed by Jean-Luc Godard, written by Guy de Maupassant, Jean-Luc Godard, romance, French (Canada), box office gross $199.9K, reviewed by Pauline Kael, Terry Lawson, Mary Brennan, Chris Vognar, Roger Ebert, Michael Wilmington, David Harris, Michael J Casey, Matt Brunson, MPAA rating, produced by Anatole Dauman
Worldwide gross: $200,380
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,073,717
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,404
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 226,141
US/Canada gross: $200,380
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,073,717
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,023
US/Canada opening weekend: $26,855
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $277,920
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,562
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
Jean-Pierre Léaud – Paul
Marlène Jobert – Elisabeth
Michel Debord
Catherine-Isabelle Duport
Evabritt Strandberg
Director(s)
Jean-Luc Godard
Writer(s)
Guy de Maupassant, Jean-Luc Godard
Producer(s)
Anatole Dauman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (2)
Using neither crime nor the romance of crime but a simple romance for a kind of interwoven story line, Godard has, at last, created the form he needed. It is a combination of essay, journalistic sketches, news and portraiture, love lyric and satire.
August 30, 2012
Pauline Kael
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
May not have aged any better than Godard’s other films of the period, but that doesn’t mean Paul and company don’t continue to ask questions and spout the opinions of the newly enlightened.
October 14, 2005 | Rating: 4/4
Terry Lawson
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
An odd, scattered, free-form, but thoroughly engaging film.
June 17, 2005
Mary Brennan
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
This is the Godard that fans would like to take to the grave: jaundiced, naughty, immediate, very much alive.
May 5, 2005 | Rating: A-
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
You can appreciate Godard’s vigorous early visual style.
April 14, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
One of the quintessential ’60s foreign art films, a bizarre melange of pop music, revolution, sex, movie allusions and poetry.
April 14, 2005 | Rating: 4/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Though Léaud is a significant figure as an actor, he also represents something even more important: the portraits of two of the most important cinematic artists as young men.
November 16, 2021
David Harris
Spectrum Culture
‘Masculin féminin’ finds the iconoclastic filmmaker in transitions.
June 4, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Michael J. Casey
Boulder Weekly
Best known for birthing the phrase “the children of Marx and Coca-Cola,” but similar wit is found in abundance throughout.
May 14, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Indeed, the French capital is almost a character in itself thanks to Willy Kurant’s animated cinematography which captures a generation in a state of flux.
May 13, 2021
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia
Godard’s same on a film automatically means that the viewer has in store something “different” not much plot but a lot of style. If at times it confuses or even annoys, it certainly never bores.
April 20, 2021
Sandra Saunders
Philadelphia Daily News
A film both of aesthetic and historic importance.
January 17, 2020
Richard Whitehall
Los Angeles Free Press…
Plot
Paul is young, just demobbed from national service in the French Army, and disillusioned with civilian life. As his girlfriend builds herself a career as a pop singer, Paul becomes more isolated from his friends and peers (‘the children of Marx and Coca Cola’, as the credits announce) and their social and emotional politics.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars French New Wave regular Jean-Pierre Léaud and pop singer Chantal Goya.
Jean-Luc-Godard.jpg
92%
Kung Fu Hustle (2005)
92%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
25 wins & 47 nominations total
Kung Fu Hustle blends special effects, martial arts, and the Looney Toons to hilarious effect.
Kung Fu Hustle is a wild ride that will leave you laughing and gasping for air. It’s like Looney Tunes meets martial arts, with over-the-top special effects and fight scenes that defy the laws of physics. Stephen Chow is a genius at blending different genres and moods, creating a movie that’s both hilarious and intoxicating. Sure, it’s extremely violent, but it’s also extremely fun. If you’re looking for a feel-good movie that will leave you smiling, Kung Fu Hustle is the perfect choice. Just don’t take it too seriously, or you might miss the point.
Production Company(ies)
Rossen Films,
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Shanghai, China
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for sequences of strong stylized action and violence
Year of Release
2005
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 12.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 39m
-
Language(s):Cantonese, Mandarin
-
Country of origin:United States, China, Hong Kong
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 22, 2005 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 9, 2005
Genre(s)
Action/Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Siu-Lung Leung, Dong Zhihua, Chiu Chi-ling, Danny Chan, directed by Stephen Chow, written by Tsang Kan Cheong, Stephen Chow, Chan Man Keung, action, comedy, fantasy, R rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Sam Ho, David Ansen, Ken Tucker, Simon Crook, Tasha Robinson, Paul Arendt, Kanishk Devgan, Leigh Paatsch, Sebastian Zavala Kahn, Miles Fielder, Sean Axmaker, Dorothy Woodend, produced by Stephen Chow, Po Chu Chui, Jeffrey Lau, MPAA rating, Sony Pictures Classics, SDDS, Dolby SRD, Scope (2.35:1), martial arts, Looney Toons, Shanghai, Pig Sty Alley, Axe Gang, kung fu masters, retired, anonymous, interlopers
Worldwide gross: $104,882,445
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $159,839,098
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 816
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 17,430,654
US/Canada gross: $17,108,591
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,073,208
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,323
US/Canada opening weekend: $269,225
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $410,294
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,448
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $20,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $30,479,667
Production budget ranking: 1,149
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $16,413,300
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $112,946,131
ROI to date (est.): 241%
ROI ranking: 547
Yuen Wah – Landlord
Yuen Qiu – Landlady
Siu-Lung Leung – The Beast
Dong Zhihua – Donut
Chiu Chi-ling – Tailor
Director(s)
Stephen Chow
Writer(s)
Tsang Kan Cheong, Stephen Chow, Chan Man Keung
Producer(s)
Stephen Chow, Po Chu Chui, Jeffrey Lau
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
25 wins & 47 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (189) | Top Critics (49) | Fresh (171) | Rotten (18)
Chow is a genius in generating extraordinary drama from the familiar.
November 19, 2013
Sam Ho
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
So disarmingly eager to please that only a stone-faced kung fu purist could object.
November 1, 2007
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
Chow’s movie may seem nutty on the surface, but its slyness, its dreamy unfolding of so many moods and genres, becomes intoxicating.
May 12, 2006
Ken Tucker
New York Magazine/Vulture
TOP CRITIC
Invigorating, bombastic, out-there and very funny.
January 7, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Simon Crook
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A film where special effects erase physics and the constraints of the human body, there’s absolutely no telling what will come next.
September 26, 2005
Tasha Robinson
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
Kung Fu Hustle is essentially one long computer-enhanced Looney Tunes punch-up – – and probably the most fun you’ll have at the movies all year.
May 25, 2005 | Rating: 5/5
Paul Arendt
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
A hilarious, loving homage to cartoons, wuxia films and much more, Kung Fu Hustle, written, directed, and starring Stephen Chow, pops, sizzles and enjoys every minute as much as we do.
March 30, 2021
Kanishk Devgan
Film Companion
Extremely violent, but extremely in a league of its own.
November 17, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
The film works thanks to its expertly choreographed martial arts sequences, ridiculous but hilarious comedy moments, and surreal visual effects. [Full review in Spanish]
April 7, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Sebastian Zavala Kahn
Me gusta el cine
There’s nothing subtle about Kung Fu Hustle, and plenty that’s downright ‘stoopid,’ but it’s without doubt a labor of love for Chow, and the feel-good fun is utterly infectious.
April 24, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Miles Fielder
The List
… a go-for-broke goof on classic Chinese warrior dramas and revenge thrillers that packs a lot of action, a crazed cascade of comedy, a parade of characters, and a non-stop barrage of loving jabs at classic martial arts adventures into 99 minutes.
January 5, 2018
Sean Axmaker
Stream on Demand
You might think you’re in for some simple happy-slappy, punchy-kicky type fun — and indeed you are — but Mr. Chow has more tricks up his sleeve.
August 24, 2017
Dorothy Woodend
The Tyee (British Columbia)…
Plot
Set in Canton, China in the 1940s, the story revolves in a town ruled by the Axe Gang, Sing who desperately wants to become a member. He stumbles into a slum ruled by eccentric landlords who turns out to be the greatest kung-fu masters in disguise. Sing’s actions eventually cause the Axe Gang and the slumlords to engage in an explosive kung-fu battle. Only one side will win and only one hero will emerge as the greatest kung-fu master of all.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Stephen Chow, who directed, produced, and starred in Kung Fu Hustle, is known for his unique blend of comedy and martial arts in his films.
Stephen-Chow.jpg
92%
Moolaadé (2004)
92%RT Audience Score: 84%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 10 nominations
Mooladé, the second film in Ousmane Sembene’s trilogy celebrating African women, is a cinematic triumph of the highest order. Sembene’s masterful work eloquently conveys the central conflict between tradition and modernity in our global economy. The film’s rich cultural texture and profound emotions make it a tale of impassioned defiance and a celebration of female solidarity. While Mooladé doesn’t shy away from the task of educating its viewers about the brutality of ‘purification,’ it works equally well as a tribute to righteous defiance wherever it surfaces. Sembene’s anger and indignation are invariably tempered by his warmth, humor, and generosity of spirit, making Mooladé a poetic, provocative, and unstoppably powerful film that will leave you both entertained and enlightened.
Mooladé is a film that celebrates female empowerment and solidarity in the face of tradition and modernity. It’s a powerful and provocative work that doesn’t shy away from the brutality of ‘purification,’ but also manages to be warm, humorous, and generous of spirit. Ousmane Sembene, the father of African cinema, delivers a masterful work that is both a tribute to righteous defiance and a complex exploration of globalization and tradition. It’s a cinematic triumph of the highest order that is thrilling, alive, and far more entertaining than any message movie you’ve ever seen. Plus, it’s got some seriously strong flavors of village life and its peoples.
Production Company(ies)
Réalisation d’art cinématographique
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Senegal
MPAA / Certificate
Unrated
Year of Release
2005
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):Bambara, French
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 15, 2004 Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Fatoumata Coulibaly, Maimouna Hélène Diarra, Salimata Traoré, Aminata Dao, directed by Ousmane Sembene, written by Ousmane Sembene, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jonathan Rosenbaum, Kirk Honeycutt, David Parkinson, Keith Phipps, Richard Nilsen, Philip Kemp, Brian Eggert, Tom Dawson, Emanuel Levy, Tim Brayton, genre, producer Ousmane Sembene, MPAA rating, female genital mutilation, African women, village life, globalization, tradition, modernity, female solidarity, Burkina Faso, circumcision, culture, tradition, male leaders, women’s rights, empowerment, female oppression, female resistance, African cinema, female director, female writer, female protagonist, African culture, African traditions, African values, African feminism, African identity, African heritage, African history, African storytelling, African folklore, African mythology, African spirituality, African rituals, African customs, African beliefs, African community, African society, African politics, African economics, African geography, African environment, African wildlife, African music, African dance, African art, African literature, African languages
Worldwide gross: $495,270
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $754,783
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,654
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 82,310
US/Canada gross: $215,646
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $328,641
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,431
US/Canada opening weekend: $11,982
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $18,260
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,541
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
Maimouna Hélène Diarra – Hadjatou
Salimata Traoré – Amasatou
Aminata Dao – Alima Bâ
Ousmane Sembene – Director
Ousmane Sembene – Writer
Director(s)
Ousmane Sembene
Writer(s)
Ousmane Sembene
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 10 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (75) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (74) | Rotten (1)
This masterwork by Ousmane Sembene, the 81-year-old father of African cinema and one of Senegal’s greatest novelists, is the second film in a trilogy celebrating African women.
October 22, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Ousmane, who wrote and directs, gives strong flavors to his characterization of village life and its peoples. But as drama the film mostly serves to illustrate the two sides of this crucial social debate in Africa.
October 30, 2006
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
Poetic, provocative and unstoppably powerful. But, depressingly, it probably won’t change a thing.
April 1, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
David Parkinson
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Though Moolaadé doesn’t shy away from the task of educating its viewers about the brutality of ‘purification,’ it works equally well as a tribute to righteous defiance wherever it surfaces.
September 26, 2005
Keith Phipps
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
It’s certainly clear where the director stands on the issue, but underneath is a far richer film about the complex issues of globalization and the values of tradition.
July 21, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Richard Nilsen
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
Solemnity rarely taints Sembéne’s films; his anger and indignation are invariably tempered by his warmth, humour and generosity of spirit.
June 7, 2005
Philip Kemp
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
With rich cultural texture and profound emotions, Moolaade is a tale of impassioned defiance and a celebration of female solidarity.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Mooladé is a masterful work, which eloquently conveys the central conflict between tradition and modernity in our global economy.
April 26, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Tom Dawson
The List
January 21, 2013 | Rating: A-
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Thrilling and alive and far more entertaining and exciting and easy to watch than just about any message movie you have ever seen… a cinematic triumph of the highest order.
February 15, 2010 | Rating: 10/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy
The eightysomething Sembene delivers a powerfully acted and colourfully shot polemic. A perceptive observation of daily life in an African village that celebrates female bravery and solidarity.
October 22, 2007
Tom Dawson
Film4
Every character is a symbol for Sembene to realize his humanistic visions in a folklore type of cinema.
March 6, 2006 | Rating: B
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews…
Plot
In an African village this is the day when six 4-9-year-old girls are to be ‘cut’ (the act of female genital mutilation) All children know that the operation is horrible torture and sometimes lethal, and all adults know that some cut women can only give birth by Caesarean section. Two of the girls have drowned themselves in the well to escape the operation. The four other girls seek “magical protection” (moolaadé) by a woman (Colle) who seven years before refused to have her daughter circumcised. Moolaadé is indicated by a coloured rope. But no one would dare step over and fetch the children. Moolaadé can only be revoked by Colle herself. Her husband’s relatives persuade him to whip her in public into revoking. Opposite groups of women shout to her to revoke or to be steadfast, but no woman interferes. When Colle is at the wedge of fainting, the merchant takes action and stops the maltreatment. Therefore he is hunted out of the village and, when out of sight, murdered.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Fatoumata Coulibaly as Collé Gallo Ardo.
Ousmane-Sembene.jpg
92%
Food, Inc. (2009)
92%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Oscars
53 wins & 54 nominations total
An eye-opening expose of the modern food industry, Food, Inc. is both fascinating and terrifying, and essential viewing for any health-conscious citizen.
Food, Inc. is a documentary that will make you think twice about what you’re putting in your mouth. It’s like a horror movie, but instead of a masked killer, it’s the food industry that’s the villain. The film is a well-constructed indictment of the food industry, and it’s not afraid to show you the ugly truth. After watching it, you might never look at a burger the same way again. But hey, at least you’ll be informed!
Production Company(ies)
Lost Boys of Sudan National Geographic Films, Silver Nitrate Pictures,
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for depiction of drug addiction, sexuality and some thematic elements
Year of Release
2004
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTSS DDS
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 34m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 12, 2009 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 3, 2009
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Food, Inc., documentary, Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein, PG, box office $4.4M, Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, Joel Salatin, Gary Hirshberg, Richard Lobb, Carole Morison, reviewed by Ben Kenigsberg, Tom Huddleston, Wendy Ide, Philip Wilding, Cliff Doerksen, Roger Moore, Felicia Feaster, Kate Rodger, Mattie Lucas, Laura Hiros, Dan DiNicola, Dorothy Woodend, starring Eric Schlosser, Michael Pollan, Joel Salatin, Gary Hirshberg, Richard Lobb, Carole Morison, produced by Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein, written by Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein, documentary filmmaker, modern food industry, farms, chain restaurants, supermarkets, dietary habits, food experts, unsettling footage, animal processing plants, some thematic material, disturbing images, eye-opening, fascinating, terrifying, essential viewing, health-conscious citizen
Worldwide gross: $123,971,376
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $195,563,161
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 703
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 21,326,408
US/Canada gross: $75,331,600
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $118,834,575
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 639
US/Canada opening weekend: $20,039,730
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $31,612,402
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 424
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $40,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $63,099,457
Production budget ranking: 652
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $33,979,057
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $98,484,647
ROI to date (est.): 101%
ROI ranking: 933
Michael Pollan – Self
Joel Salatin – Self
Gary Hirshberg – Self
Richard Lobb – Self
Carole Morison – Self
Director(s)
Robert Kenner
Writer(s)
Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein
Producer(s)
Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Oscars
53 wins & 54 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (114) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (108) | Rotten (6)
This is the kind of muckraking we should see more often.
November 18, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Ben Kenigsberg
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
This solidly constructed documentary aims to do for food production what An Inconvenient Truth did for global warming.
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 3/5
Tom Huddleston
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Overused narration treats the audience like the cattle being abused on screen; a continuous score rams the message home, just in case we missed the point…
February 12, 2010 | Rating: 2/5
Wendy Ide
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Compelling, entertaining and illuminating documentary which makes you think twice, and then a few more times, about eating anything at all in U.S.
February 12, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
Philip Wilding
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Smart, gripping, and untainted by the influence of Michael Moore.
August 20, 2009
Cliff Doerksen
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
After you see what IBP is doing to cattle, what Tyson is doing to chickens, what farmers are doing to us and what Monsanto is doing to farmers in the new documentary Food, Inc., you may never eat again.
July 8, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Food, Inc. is a comprehensive indictment of what’s wrong with the modern food industry.
January 27, 2020
Felicia Feaster
Charleston City Paper
A thought-provoking watch.
September 7, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5
Kate Rodger
Newshub (NZ)
A compelling and eye-opening documentary made with clear-eyed passion and a deep-seated sense of justice.
August 5, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
The result is a very unappetizing dish, served in the form of a valuable documentary. [Full review in Spanish]
March 19, 2018 | Rating: 5/5
Laura Hiros
Rincón de cine
Want a nice juicy burger? Maybe not, maybe never if you catch Food, Inc., a calm but powerful indictment of the food industry.
February 3, 2018
Dan DiNicola
The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)
As a film, it functions almost to snow you under with bits of little-examined, often unconnected ideas. The narrative is segmented into extremely short intervals, all helpfully introduced by inter-titles with cute plays on words.
August 22, 2017
Dorothy Woodend
The Tyee (British Columbia)…
Plot
The story of Ray Charles (played by Jamie Foxx), music legend. Told in his adult life with flashbacks to his youth we see his humble origins in Florida, his turbulent childhood, which included losing his brother and then his sight, his rise as pianist in a touring band, him writing his own songs and running his own band, and then stardom. Also includes his addiction to drugs and its affect on his working life and family life.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary features interviews with food experts like Michael Pollan and activist Eric Schlosser.
Robert-Kenner.jpg
92%
New York Doll (2005)
92%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Arthur Kane is a fascinating subject in what ultimately proves to be a touching, bittersweet documentary.
New York Doll is a heartwarming documentary that follows the life of Arthur “Killer” Kane, the bassist of the New York Dolls. It’s a touching story of redemption and faith that will make you laugh and cry. The film does an excellent job of capturing the essence of Kane’s life and the impact that the New York Dolls had on the music industry. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves music and wants to learn more about the history of rock and roll. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!
Production Company(ies)
Alexander Nanau Production, Samsa Film, HBO Europe,
Distributor
First Independent Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-14
Year of Release
2005
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 17m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 27, 2005 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 4, 2006
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, New York Dolls, Arthur Kane, bassist, Mormon, rock bottom, PG-13, Greg Whiteley, directed by, Ed Cunningham, produced by, Seth Gordon, written by, English, box office, $217.7K, reviewed by, Terry Lawson, Roger Moore, Ty Burr, Chris Vognar, Tom Keogh, Michael Senft, Christopher Campbell, Doris Toumarkine, Christopher Null, Michelle Thomas, Bruce Bennett, Roderick A Santiano, cinematographer, First Independent Pictures, genre, drug content, runtime, 1h 17m, MPAA rating, audience score, Tomatometer, critic reviews, audience reviews, verified purchase, horror movies, MCU movies, Netflix series, TV shows, streaming, news, careers, Fandango
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
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
Greg Whiteley
Producers:
Ed Cunningham
Seth Gordon
Film Editing:
Seth Gordon
Graphic Design:
Seth Gordon
Cinematographer:
Roderick A. Santiano
Director(s)
Greg Whiteley
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (5)
The Doll in the title of the fine, touching documentary New York Doll is far from a supermodel.
December 8, 2006 | Rating: 3/4
Terry Lawson
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
New York Doll is still a revelation, and a fine companion piece to End of the Century, the edgier and uglier history of another post-Dolls band, The Ramones.
January 6, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
The late Johnny Thunders didn’t write You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory until after the Dolls had broken up, but this lovely little heartbreaker of a movie takes the sentiment as its own.
January 6, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/4
Ty Burr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
[A] respectful and subtle look at the difference faith can make in one’s life.
November 23, 2005 | Rating: B+
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
Becomes a lovely portrait of a man coming back to himself, without forgetting what else he’s become.
November 18, 2005 | Rating: 4/4
Tom Keogh
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
As the credits roll, New York Doll transforms from a puff piece about an aging rock star into a moving rumination on a man’s final grasp for redemption.
November 3, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Michael Senft
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
A tribute to and stroking of its subject … And by canonizing Kane, displaying this hulking angel with such innocence, the film is soulless.
September 18, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/5
Christopher Campbell
Cinematical
Excels at telling the extraordinary story of a bizarrely ordinary man.
March 1, 2007
Doris Toumarkine
Film Journal International
May 6, 2006 | Rating: 3/5
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
April 1, 2006 | Rating: 7/10
Michelle Thomas
Future Movies UK
Touching and funny, with an unforgettable ending that could not have been better if it were fiction. One of the best films of the year.
March 19, 2006 | Rating: A
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)
The details, the personalities and the final twist grab you until you’re left truly shaken and inspired.
March 3, 2006 | Rating: B+
Shawn Levy
Oregonian…
Plot
Former New York Dolls bassist Arthur Kane becomes a Mormon after hitting rock bottom in this touching documentary.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary follows former New York Dolls bassist Arthur “Killer” Kane as he becomes a Mormon after hitting rock bottom.
Greg-Whiteley.jpg
92%
Ushpizin (2005)
92%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 7 nominations
Ushpizin offers a rare and warmly intimate look into ultra-Orthodox Jewish culture.
Ushpizin is like a modern-day fairy tale, but with ultra-Orthodox Jews instead of princesses and dragons. It’s a heartwarming story about faith, devotion, and the power of blessings. Even if you’re not religious, you’ll appreciate the humor and humanity of this film. Plus, it’s always fun to learn about different cultures and traditions, especially when they involve unexpected delights like this movie. So grab some popcorn and settle in for a charming and uplifting cinematic experience.
Production Company(ies)
Sidus C J Entertainment, Muhan Investment
Distributor
Picturehouse
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
Year of Release
2005
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 31m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:Israel
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Oct 19, 2005 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 4, 2006
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Shuli Rand, Michal Bat-Sheva Rand, Shaul Mizrahi, Ilan Ganani, Rabbi Daniel Dayan, directed by Giddi Dar, written by Shuli Rand, comedy, drama, box office gross $1.4M, reviewed by Marc Savlov, Peter Howell, Rick Groen, Eleanor Ringel Cater, Amy Biancolli, Walter V Addiego, Yasser Medina, Jordan Hiller, Anton Bitel, Chelsea Bain, Jim Lane, PG rating, produced by Giddi Dar, Rafi Bukai, Gadi Levy, Shlomit Smadja
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
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
Michal Bat-Sheva Rand – Malli Bellanga
Shaul Mizrahi – Eliyahu Scorpio
Ilan Ganani – Yossef
Rabbi Daniel Dayan – The Rabbi
Giddi Dar – Director
Director(s)
Giddi Dar
Writer(s)
Shuli Rand
Producer(s)
Giddi Dar, Rafi Bukai, Gadi Levy, Shlomit Smadja
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (63) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (59) | Rotten (4)
The film rests squarely on the backs of Rand and his wife, who snatches the spotlight from her professionally trained husband in her acting debut.
December 31, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/5
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
[The film] places a captivating life study in the context of a modern fairy tale.
December 2, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Peter Howell
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
Very light, even saccharine at times, but blessed with enough pure charm to make the syrup go down a treat.
December 2, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
An unexpected delight from an unlikely source, Ushpizin is the first feature film set inside the closed community of Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox Jews.
December 1, 2005 | Rating: B
Eleanor Ringel Cater
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
It had me, this film with blessings on its mind.
November 28, 2005 | Rating: 3.5/4
Amy Biancolli
Houston Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Ushpizin will certainly be manna to people of religious sensibility, but you need not be a believer to appreciate its humor and humanity.
November 23, 2005 | Rating: 3/4
Walter V. Addiego
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
It is a film with a very interesting cultural observation of the Jewish people. [Full review in Spanish]
August 5, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
An orthodox Jew will identify and thereby raise the level of the movie to something beyond the temporal film experience
October 2, 2007 | Rating: 3/4
Jordan Hiller
Bangitout.com
Dryly funny and richly humane, Ushpizin marries biblical simplicity to secular banality to depict an everyday miracle of devotion rewarded.
June 15, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
Anton Bitel
Film4
October 21, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/4
Chelsea Bain
Boston Herald
May 12, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review
Ushpizin is engaging, entertaining and has something to say about us humans, through the prism of discovering %u2013 or re-discovering %u2013 the importance of faith, and the strength it can impart. Especially under duress.
February 18, 2006
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile…
Plot
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving November 2012, four boys in a red SUV pull into a gas station after spending time at the mall buying sneakers and talking to girls. With music blaring, one boy exits the car and enters the store, a quick stop for a soda and a pack of gum. A man and a woman pull up next to the boys in the station, making a stop for a bottle of wine. The woman enters the store and an argument breaks out when the driver of the second car asks the boys to turn the music down. 3 1/2 minutes and ten bullets later, one of the boys is dead. 3 1/2 MINUTES dissects the aftermath of this fatal encounter.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars real-life married couple Shuli Rand and Michal Bat-Sheva Rand.
Giddi-Dar.jpg
92%
Water (2005)
92%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: NA
This compassionate work of social criticism is also luminous, due to both its lyrical imagery and cast.
Water is like a Bollywood movie, but without all the singing and dancing. It’s a tragic love story that will make you cry, but it’s also an important film that sheds light on the oppression of Indian widows. The performances are incredible, especially from the female leads, and the production design is absolutely stunning. Just make sure you have some tissues handy.
Production Company(ies)
Complete Fiction Media Rights Capital,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2005
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Auro 11.1 Dolby Atmos IMAX 6-Track
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 11.85 : 12.39 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:Canada, India
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Aug 29, 2006
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, John Abraham, Sarala Kariyawasam, Manorama, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, directed by Deepa Mehta, written by Deepa Mehta, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Alyx Vesey, Shubhra Gupta, Deborah Ross, Andrew Sarris, Roger Moore, Marjorie Baumgarten, Jimmy Cage, Richard Propes, Kaleem Aftab, Thomas Caldwell, Jonathan Kiefer, PG-13, Mahatma Gandhi, India, widows, ashram, social criticism, lyrical imagery, cast, Sumant Jayakrishnan, A.R Rahman, producer David Hamilton
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
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
Lisa Ray – Kalyani
John Abraham – Narayana
Sarala Kariyawasam – Chuyia
Manorama – Madhumati
Kulbhushan Kharbanda – Sadananda
Director(s)
Deepa Mehta
Writer(s)
Deepa Mehta
Producer(s)
David Hamilton
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (96) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (87) | Rotten (9)
Overall, Mehta’s maturing ear for dialogue benefits the cast’s talents. In addition, art director Sumant Jayakrishnan sumptuous production design and A.R. Rahman’s score deepen reception of the film.
January 7, 2021
Alyx Vesey
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
Water is stunning because it is so quiet. The devastating unfairness of the lives of women interred in darkness, intertwined with the tragic love story of Narayan and Kalyani is played out without a hint of melodrama.
June 21, 2019
Shubhra Gupta
The Indian Express
TOP CRITIC
In the end, Water is too much of a compromise. A compromise between, perhaps, shocking the West with the subject matter – a eight-year-old widow! – and going for a popular Indian audience who will demand Bollywood romance.
August 22, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
Quite possibly the best picture of the year thus far, with no fewer than three of the most luminous female performances I have ever seen onscreen.
July 19, 2006
Andrew Sarris
Observer
TOP CRITIC
Mehta prevailed, and this scandalous, beautiful and very moving tale of repression, hope and a tragedy is her triumph, and Hindu India’s shame.
July 7, 2006 | Rating: 5/5
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Beautiful yet sad, a tale drenched in centuries of stagnant, holy water that cleanses the body but putrefies the soul.
May 20, 2006 | Rating: 3.5/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
WATER is a moving and important film that presents a horrific true story in beautiful images. The only downers are the somewhat too constructed dramaturgy and the sometimes missing closeness to the characters.
April 25, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
Jimmy Cage
Jimmy Cage Movie Reviews (YouTube)
The crown jewel of Deepah Mehta’s career.
September 26, 2020 | Rating: 4.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Feels slightly compromised, but a riveting tearjerker that’s stunning to look at.
November 3, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Kaleem Aftab
The List
Mehta explores the politics of religion to highlight how religious hypocrisy is used to ensure women are undermined and made subservient for economic purposes.
February 11, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Thomas Caldwell
Cinema Autopsy
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
Jonathan Kiefer
Sacramento News & Review
Powerful tale that unfortunately fails to provide any kind of real historical context for the oppression of Indian widows.
April 3, 2007
Louis Proyect
rec.arts.movies.reviews…
Plot
In 1938 India, a young widow named Chuyia is sent to live with other outcast widows on an ashram, where her presence transforms the lives of her fellow residents in Deepa Mehta’s compassionate and lyrical drama, Water.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Lisa Ray, who plays Kalyani in Water, is a former model and has also acted in Bollywood and Canadian films.
Deepa-Mehta.jpg
92%
Hearts and Minds (1975)
92%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
5 wins & 1 nomination total
A powerful, unflinching exploration of the Vietnam War, with first-person stories from both sides of the conflict, Hearts and Minds still hits the mark decades after its release.
Hearts and Minds is a documentary that packs a punch, and not just because it’s about the Vietnam War. Critics have called it heavy-handed, lacking in mind, and seething with hate, but let’s be real, it’s a movie about war. What did they expect, a musical number? Despite the mixed reviews, Hearts and Minds remains a powerful and eye-opening piece that challenges our understanding of patriotism and the necessity of war. Plus, it’s got violence and racial slurs, so you know it’s gonna be a wild ride. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking documentary that will leave you feeling a little bit angry and a little bit sad, Hearts and Minds is the one for you.
Production Company(ies)
Excelsa Film
Distributor
Rialto Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Linden, New Jersey, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1975
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 52m
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Language(s):English, French, Vietnamese
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 17, 1975 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 2, 2002
Genre(s)
Documentary/War
Keyword(s)
hearts and minds, documentary, war, powerful, anti-war, Vietnam War, Lyndon B Johnson, military, violence, brutality, first-person stories, conflict, critic reviews, Peter Davis, Bert Schneider, Rialto Pictures, Tin Chan, Chau Diem, Kay Dvorshock, David Emerson, Mui Duc Giang, Charles Hoey, reviewed by Matthew Leyland, Stefan Kanfer, Mike D’Angelo, Scott Tobias, Jeremiah Kipp, Jim Ridley, Jordan M Smith, John Simon, Robert Hatch, directed by Peter Davis, produced by Peter Davis, Bert Schneider, written by Peter Davis, genre: documentary, box office performance: $28.3K, budget, MPAA rating: R, producer names: Peter Davis, Bert Schneider, actor names: Tin Chan, Chau Diem, Kay Dvorshock, David Emerson, Mui Duc Giang, Charles Hoey
Worldwide gross: $28,754
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $173,016
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,954
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 18,868
US/Canada gross: $28,754
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $173,016
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,570
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,556
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $51,482
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,198
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
Chau Diem – self
Kay Dvorshock – self
David Emerson – self
Mui Duc Giang – self
Charles Hoey – self
Peter Davis – director/producer
Bert Schneider – producer
Director(s)
Peter Davis
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Peter Davis, Bert Schneider
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
5 wins & 1 nomination total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Documentary Feature Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (41) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (37) | Rotten (4)
Though you could accuse the film of being heavy-handed… it’s impossible not to feel its punch to the gut.
June 11, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Matthew Leyland
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
Throughout, Hearts and Minds displays more than enough heart. It is mind that is missing.
February 8, 2018
Stefan Kanfer
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A cry of despair made by a person whose viewpoint hadn’t yet been soundly vindicated.
July 2, 2014 | Rating: B+
Mike D’Angelo
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
It’s a cinematic essay of constant movement and provocation, a record of one man finding his way through the fog of war.
June 23, 2014 | Rating: 5/5
Scott Tobias
The Dissolve
TOP CRITIC
Hearts and Minds is an essay told in a voice of thinly controlled moral outrage, which sometimes dribbles over into seething hate.
March 19, 2009 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jeremiah Kipp
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Not only the definitive American documentary about the war in Vietnam but a landmark political action.
March 17, 2009
Jim Ridley
Village Voice
TOP CRITIC
Hearts and Minds remains a brutal, eye opening piece that mixes 60s style direct cinema with honest and balanced interviews columnating in a work of activist non-fiction that falls unapologetically in the anti-war camp.
November 4, 2020
Jordan M. Smith
IONCINEMA.com
The faces, intonations, backgrounds of Hearts and Minds — even its small gestures and sometimes very long pauses — speak as eloquently as its words.
February 10, 2019
John Simon
Esquire Magazine
It operates to arouse hatred against hatred, to induce a gut reaction against gut reactions, and by so doing serves to sustain a morbid emotionalism of the very sort it claims to abominate.
February 6, 2018
Robert Hatch
The Nation
has not lost its power to provoke and challenge our conventional understanding of patriotism and the necessity of war
July 29, 2014 | Rating: 4/4
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
Provocative Vietnam War docu with violence, racial slurs.
August 24, 2012 | Rating: 5/5
Brian Costello
Common Sense Media
Peter Davis’ Oscar-winning feature is a must-see documentary about Vietnam.
April 22, 2012 | Rating: A-
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com…
Plot
Hearts and Minds is an anti-war documentary that explores the Vietnam War through interviews with military figures and shocking scenes of violence and brutality.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Sorry, there is no information about the cast in this section.
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