Fireworks Wednesday (Chaharshanbe-soori) (2016)
92%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 8 nominations
Well-written and powerfully acted, Fireworks Wednesday gives audiences an early, assured glimpse of writer-director Asghar Farhadi’s emerging talent.
Fireworks Wednesday is a movie that will light up your night like a firework show! This Iranian drama about a marriage in crisis is so engrossing that you’ll feel like you’re right there in Tehran on the eve of the Muslim New Year. The characters are so well-developed that you’ll feel like you know them personally, and the revelations hit harder than a firework exploding in the sky. Plus, the radiant bride-to-be trying on her dress at the beginning is just the cherry on top of this explosive film. Don’t miss out on this masterpiece from director Asghar Farhadi!
Production Company(ies)
Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions, Rollins-Joffe Productions,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Tehran, Iran
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):Persian
-
Country of origin:Iran
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Apr 22, 2008
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Fireworks Wednesday, Drama, Persian, Asghar Farhadi, Mani Haghighi, Taraneh Alidoosti, Hedye Tehrani, Hamid Farokhnezhad, Pantea Bahram, directed by Asghar Farhadi, written by Asghar Farhadi and Mani Haghighi, reviewed by Roxana Hadadi, Tom Long, Andrea Gronvall, Peter Keough, Ann Hornaday, Matthew Lickona, Michael J Casey, Daniel Barnes, Glenn Heath Jr., Mae Abdulbaki, Kathy Fennessy, box office performance, budget, producer, MPAA rating, marriage, salon, affair, meddling, drama, character-driven, engrossing, human emotion, deception, frailty, social manners, jump cut, perspective, distrustful, time, space, talent, expressive, all-seeing eyes
Worldwide gross: $119,881
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $147,753
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,982
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 16,113
US/Canada gross: $90,519
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $111,565
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,653
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,132
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $7,558
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,758
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
Hedye Tehrani – Mozhde Samiei
Hamid Farokhnezhad – Morteza
Pantea Bahram – Simin
Asghar Farhadi – Director
Asghar Farhadi – Screenwriter
Director(s)
Asghar Farhadi
Writer(s)
Asghar Farhadi, Mani Haghighi
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (45)
It would be easy to write Fireworks Wednesday off as a melodrama, but Farhadi builds it so methodically and so intentionally, that you get a sense for every character, and every revelation hits harder than the last.
January 9, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/5
Roxana Hadadi
Punch Drunk Critics
TOP CRITIC
Farhadi manages to skirt the political and focus on human emotion, deception and frailty with such force that his setting and artistic restraints are rendered near irrelevant.
June 10, 2016 | Rating: A
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Tehran on the eve of the Muslim New Year provides the backdrop for this engrossing Iranian drama about a marriage in crisis.
April 28, 2016
Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
[A] complex and magnificently acted melodrama …
April 28, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Keough
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Mournful, enigmatic and compulsively engrossing, “Fireworks Wednesday” gives viewers a chance to watch a master at work – before he was acknowledged as a master.
April 28, 2016 | Rating: 3/4
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Any time you get to see a radiant bride-to-be (Taraneh Alidoosti) try on her dress and admire her reflection at the outset, you know that bliss is in the crosshairs.
April 21, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Matthew Lickona
San Diego Reader
TOP CRITIC
Farhadi paints a pained but balanced picture, one where social manners are the confining aspect.
August 4, 2021 | Rating: 3/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
The maturity of the mise-en-scene and the quiet confidence of the storytelling indicate a major talent, one that would flower in later and better films.
April 12, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Daniel Barnes
Dare Daniel
Fireworks Wednesday,.. stands out from Farhadi’s work in this sense, using the occasional jump cut and shift in perspective to create a distrustful sense of time and space.
August 23, 2018
Glenn Heath Jr.
San Diego CityBeat
“Fireworks Wednesday” brings an organic, sympathetic, and humanistic take on themes that have long been explored.
August 23, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/5
Mae Abdulbaki
Movies with Mae
Though surrounded by actors of talent, especially the women, [Taraneh ] Alidousti carries the film by way of her expressive, all-seeing eyes.
August 18, 2017
Kathy Fennessy
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
Here’s a film directed by a relative newcomer, Asghar Farhadi, that feels just as fresh as films by his predecessors, yet it also turns slightly inward, getting a little closer to the more turbulent human emotions.
March 26, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid…
Plot
A housewife sends her housekeeper to spy on her husband at a local salon, but when the housekeeper ignores her instructions, her meddling may throw the couple even deeper into turmoil in Fireworks Wednesday.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Taraneh Alidoosti’s performance in Fireworks Wednesday is praised for carrying the film with her expressive, all-seeing eyes.
Asghar-Farhadi.jpg
92%
The Innocents (Les innocentes) (2016)
92%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 8 nominations
The Innocents isn’t always easy to watch, but its nuanced exploration of complex themes — and its refreshing perspective — are well worth the effort.
The Innocents is a powerful film that explores the complex relationships between a group of nuns in post-World War II Poland. While the story is at times difficult to watch, the film’s message of hope and perseverance in the face of unimaginable challenges is truly inspiring. Anne Fontaine’s direction is masterful, and the performances from the primarily female cast are outstanding. Overall, The Innocents is a must-see for anyone who appreciates thought-provoking cinema that tackles important themes with sensitivity and grace. Plus, who doesn’t love a good nun drama?
Production Company(ies)
Chartoff-Winkler Productions,
Distributor
Music Box Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 55m
-
Language(s):Norwegian
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Sweden
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 1, 2016 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 11, 2016
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
PG-13, History/Drama, French (France), directed by Anne Fontaine, written by Sabrina B Karine, Alice Vial, starring Lou de Laâge, Agata Buzek, Agata Kulesza, Vincent Macaigne, Joanna Kulig, Eliza Rycembel, produced by Éric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer, reviewed by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Jake Wilson, Stephen Romei, Nigel Andrews, Tara Brady, Wendy Ide, Curve Staff, Michael J Casey, Allison Rose, Cate Marquis, Calum Baker, Joel Mayward, box office performance, budget, MPAA rating, Red Cross doctor, pregnant Benedictine nuns, convent in Warsaw, Poland, disturbing thematic material, brief suggestive content, sexual assault, some bloody images, nuanced exploration, complex themes, refreshing perspective
Worldwide gross: $350,733
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $381,460
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,803
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 41,599
US/Canada gross: $12,330
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $13,410
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,811
US/Canada opening weekend: $12,330
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $13,410
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,631
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
Agata Buzek – Sister Maria
Agata Kulesza – Mother Abess
Vincent Macaigne – Samuel
Joanna Kulig – Irena
Eliza Rycembel – Teresa
Director(s)
Anne Fontaine
Writer(s)
Sabrina B. Karine, Alice Vial, Sabrina B. Karine, Alice Vial
Producer(s)
Éric Altmayer, Nicolas Altmayer
Film Festivals
Berlin, Cannes
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (114) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (108) | Rotten (6)
The Innocents [is] a strong instance of a movie that – if made by a male director – may have lost some of its thematic punch, particularly in regards to the nuanced and often subtle relationships between the film’s primarily female cast.
September 5, 2018
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
The Blue Lenses
TOP CRITIC
[Fontaine] retains her knack for keeping the viewer guessing about what she might be up to
April 28, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/5
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
It builds to something quite remarkable.
April 28, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/5
Stephen Romei
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
It’s a striking story. But art, character and dramatic enhancement are absent from its telling here.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 2/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Every drama and conflict is quickly, near magically, resolved.
December 27, 2016 | Rating: 3/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
It’s a striking, sober film – the restrained use of music contrasts the exquisite devotional song of the sisters with the ugliness of their situation; the black and white of the habits is echoed in the stark winter landscape outside the convent walls.
November 13, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The Innocents is recommended, if confronting viewing, and it’s a film that should remain with its audience for a considerable time.
May 20, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Curve Staff
Curve
The world may be ugly, but there are ways to live in it that give us hope.
July 4, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
The Innocents (Les Innocentes) is a masterful look at how our experiences shape and change us. The messages of perseverance and hope in a time of despair are powerful.
October 2, 2019 | Rating: 4.5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
The Innocents is a worthwhile, moving drama about outrages of wartime, survival, and the power of the spiritual in the face of unspeakable challenge.
May 3, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Cate Marquis
We Are Movie Geeks
An accomplished and moving drama about ignored narratives, womanhood and religion, The Innocents would perhaps be better served focusing less on the latter.
March 14, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Calum Baker
One Room With A View
Anne Fontaine has crafted a wonderfully humane film…
December 30, 2018 | Rating: 4.5/5
Joel Mayward
Cinemayward…
Plot
In December 1945, a Red Cross doctor tries to help a group of pregnant Benedictine nuns at a convent in Warsaw, Poland in the historical drama, The Innocents.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Lou de Laâge as a Red Cross doctor trying to help pregnant nuns in a convent in Warsaw, Poland.
Anne-Fontaine.jpg
92%
Himalaya (L’Enfance d’un Chef) (Caravan) (1999)
92%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Unlike the overproduced and overbudgeted Hollywood blockbusters, Himalaya is a stunningly photographed movie that offers an intimate look into the lives of a Dolpo tribe.
Himalaya is a visually stunning film that takes you on a journey through the breathtaking scenery of the Himalayan mountains. Filled with memorable characters and a universal human drama, this film is a must-see for anyone who loves yaks (yes, you read that right). The special effects are minimal, but the blinking star and the yak steal the show. While some critics may find the film lacking in dramatic depth, we think it’s a collection of pretty pictures that will leave you feeling inspired and in awe of the natural world. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the ride!
Production Company(ies)
Studio Ghibli, Dentsu Hakuhodo D Y Media, Partners
Distributor
Kino Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Seoul, South Korea
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 50m
-
Language(s):Korean, English, Mandarin
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 30, 2001 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 5, 2002
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Himalaya, drama, German, Eric Valli, Christophe Barratier, Jacques Perrin, Nathalie Azoulai, Olivier Dazat, Louis Gardel, Jean-Claude Guillebaud, Thilen Lhondup, Gurgon Kyap, Lhakpa Tsamchoe, Karma Wangel, Karma Tensing, Labrang Tundup, Dolpo tribe, yaks, rivalry, North-Western Himalayas, stunningly photographed, intimate look, overproduced, overbudgeted, box office, $2.5M, critic reviews, Kimberley Jones, Rene Rodriguez, Jennie Punter, Jane Sumner, Chris Fujiwara, Desson Thomson, Emanuel Levy, Vadim Rizov, Jeanne Aufmuth, Andrea Chase, William Arnold, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, MPAA rating, Kino Pictures, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, DTS, Dolby SR
Worldwide gross: $50,544,493
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $62,296,015
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,235
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 6,793,459
US/Canada gross: $696,717
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $858,703
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,224
US/Canada opening weekend: $13,387
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $16,499
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,576
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
Gurgon Kyap – Karma
Lhakpa Tsamchoe – Pema
Karma Wangel – Pasang
Karma Tensing – Norbou, Urgien
Labrang Tundup – Labrang
Director(s)
Eric Valli
Writer(s)
Nathalie Azoulai, Olivier Dazat, Louis Gardel, Jean-Claude Guillebaud
Producer(s)
Christophe Barratier, Jacques Perrin
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (54) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (7)
March 10, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Kimberley Jones
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Valli’s cameras capture one breathtaking image after another.
September 27, 2001
Rene Rodriguez
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
Himalaya is a film about choices, pride and forgiveness, filled with memorable characters and stunning scenery. And if you like yaks, this is the film for you.
August 10, 2001
Jennie Punter
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
High above the tree line, Tinle, Karma and Norbu act out a universal human drama with only two special effects — a blinking star and a yak.
August 9, 2001
Jane Sumner
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
Valli’s touch as an artist is too light, and his dramatic sense too timid, to make the film much more than a collection of pretty pictures.
July 30, 2001 | Rating: 2.5/4
Chris Fujiwara
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
A visually poetic, moving story.
July 27, 2001 | Rating: 4.5/5
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
July 26, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
June 19, 2003 | Rating: 5/10
Vadim Rizov
Movie-Vault.com
June 13, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly
April 5, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
Andrea Chase
Killer Movie Reviews
April 3, 2002 | Rating: B+
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
An astonishingly beautiful and thematically rich Nepalese film that presents many vanishing elements of a faraway Tibetan culture.
February 13, 2002
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality & Practice…
Plot
Following a grueling climb up Kanchenjunga, Hong-gil and Mu-taek become fast friends and partners in climb. The peak of their professional careers comes when they become the 14th team to scale the Himalayas. But the climb came at a price: both sustained injuries and Hong-gil was compelled to retire. Years later, Hong-gil is a renowned lecturer and Mu-taek takes up an assignment to go up Everest. When Hong-gil learns that Mu-taek has gone missing, he blames himself for encouraging the younger man’s plans. Looking at a photo of Mu-taek’s frozen corpse still trapped on the mountain, he decides to put together a rescue team to retrieve the body. Despite warnings, concerns over his injured leg and treacherous storms, Hong-gil leads the expedition.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about the film Himalaya, but it does mention that the cast includes real-life village elders, guides, and yak herders from the Dolpo region of Nepal.
Eric-Valli.jpg
92%
Straight Outta Compton (2015)
92%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
28 wins & 40 nominations total
Straight Outta Compton is a biopic that’s built to last, thanks to F. Gary Gray’s confident direction and engaging performances from a solid cast.
Straight Outta Compton is the perfect movie for anyone who loves hip-hop, drama, and a good story. It’s got everything you could want in a biopic – great performances, amazing music, and a real sense of history. Sure, it’s not perfect, but what movie is? If you’re looking for a fun, entertaining, and informative movie about one of the most important groups in hip-hop history, then you can’t go wrong with Straight Outta Compton. So put on your headphones, turn up the volume, and get ready to be transported back to the birthplace of gangsta rap.
Production Company(ies)
First Thought Films,
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language throughout, strong sexuality/nudity, violence, and drug use
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 27m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 14, 2015 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 19, 2016
Genre(s)
Biography/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr., Aldis Hodge, Marlon Yates Jr., directed by F Gary Gray, written by Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff, biography, drama, music, R rating, Ice Cube, Tomica Woods-Wright, Matt Alvarez, Scott Bernstein, Dr Dre, box office performance, $161.0M, reviewed by Nijla Mu’min, Aramide Tinubu, Dwight Brown, Max Weiss, Jason Bailey, Danny Leigh, Brian Eggert, Phil Hebblethwaite, MPAA rating, Universal Pictures, SDDS, Datasat, Dolby Digital, Scope (2.35:1), N.W.A, hip-hop, Southern Los Angeles, Jerry Heller, Ice Cube, Dr Dre, Eazy-E, DJ Yella, MC Ren, controversy, brutal honesty, fame, fortune, history, cinematographer Matthew Libatique, vibrancy, pain, contradictions, hip-hop culture, gangsta rap, life in the ‘hood, FCC, Rodney King-era L.A, The Sex Pistols, Rolling Stones, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Death Row Productions, Shug Knight, Marc Rose, Keith Stanfield, R.Marcos Taylor, Paul Giamatti, freedom of speech, influence, aspirations, re-watchability
Worldwide gross: $201,634,991
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $251,694,578
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 579
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 27,447,609
US/Canada gross: $161,197,785
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $201,218,094
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 346
US/Canada opening weekend: $60,200,180
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $75,145,980
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 122
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $28,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $34,951,514
Production budget ranking: 1,058
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $18,821,390
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $197,921,674
ROI to date (est.): 368%
ROI ranking: 371
Corey Hawkins – Dr. Dre
Jason Mitchell – Eazy-E
Neil Brown Jr. – DJ Yella
Aldis Hodge – MC Ren
Marlon Yates Jr. – The D.O.C.
Director(s)
F. Gary Gray
Writer(s)
Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff
Producer(s)
Ice Cube, Tomica Woods-Wright, Matt Alvarez, F. Gary Gray, Scott Bernstein, Dr. Dre
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
28 wins & 40 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (248) | Top Critics (71) | Fresh (220) | Rotten (28)
Through the evocative lens of cinematographer Matthew Libatique, Gray illustrates the vibrancy and pain of this moment and, for the most part, does not leave out the contradictions.
February 3, 2021
Nijla Mu’min
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
The film is remarkable because of how deeply it will resonate with today’s audience.
April 12, 2017
Aramide Tinubu
Shadow and Act
TOP CRITIC
This is a monster film. You will walk out feeling like you have been entertained, educated and emotionally fulfilled. Eight months into the year 2015, and this is the only perfect film that has hit the theaters. This is it.
March 15, 2017
Dwight Brown
National Newspaper Publishers Association
TOP CRITIC
The backdrop of Rodney King-era L.A and the realness and rawness of N.W.A.’s music, not to mention the passionate and heartfelt performances of the film’s three young leads gives the film an undeniable power.
June 12, 2016 | Rating: 3.5/4
Max Weiss
Baltimore Magazine
TOP CRITIC
In spite of its many formal and structural flaws, ‘Straight Outta Compton’ works, because it captures a moment, and positions its music at the center of that moment.
May 27, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
The movie has inescapable verve, capturing why its subjects mean every bit as much as The Sex Pistols or Rolling Stones.
January 1, 2016 | Rating: 4/5
Danny Leigh
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
The story is epic enough that audiences will experience the significant musical and social influence N.W.A. had on the larger community of hip-hop, and how that influence continues to shape contemporary artists.
May 29, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Take Straight Outta Compton for what it is – a sanitised and over-dramatised take on one of hip-hop’s most significant groups…for the two and a half hours it rolls, however, Hollywood and Compton are just different names for exactly the same place.
April 23, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Phil Hebblethwaite
NME
Straight Outta Compton is an eminently watchable movie with a point of view. Or, one could say, with an attitude.
January 14, 2021
David Bax
Battleship Pretension
One of 2015’s best adult-oriented dramas and one of the best musical biopics of recent years.
September 24, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
If the film’s aim was to show us how much of N.W.A’s core essence still remain in the music industry and society today, then it achieves that.
July 17, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Kelechi Ehenulo
Confessions From A Geek Mind
There’s enough here to satisfy the biggest fans and stir the interest of newcomers alike.
July 15, 2020 | Rating: B
Allen Almachar
The MacGuffin…
Plot
In 1987, five young men, using brutally honest rhymes and hardcore beats, put their frustration and anger about life in the most dangerous place in America into the most powerful weapon they had: their music. Taking us back to where it all began, Straight Outta Compton tells the true story of how these cultural rebels-armed only with their lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent-stood up to the authorities that meant to keep them down and formed the world’s most dangerous group, N.W.A. And as they spoke the truth that no one had before and exposed life in the hood, their voice ignited a social revolution that is still reverberating today.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features Ice Cube’s real-life son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., in his acting debut, playing the role of his father.
F.-Gary-Gray.jpg
92%
Amy (2015)
92%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 27 nominations
As riveting as it is sad, Amy is a powerfully honest look at the twisted relationship between art and celebrity — and the lethal spiral of addiction.
If you’re looking for a documentary that will make you feel all the feels, Amy is the one for you. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, from the highs of Amy Winehouse’s incredible talent to the lows of her tragic downfall. But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom – there are plenty of moments that will make you smile and nod your head along to her iconic tunes. Just make sure you have some tissues on hand, because this one is a tearjerker.
Production Company(ies)
Otto Preminger Films,
Distributor
A24
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Plattduetsche Home – 1150 Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Square, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS Datasat
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 8m
-
Language(s):English, Mandarin
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 3, 2015 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 10, 2015
Genre(s)
Documentary/Biography
Keyword(s)
starring Amy Winehouse, directed by Asif Kapadia, written by Asif Kapadia, genre: documentary, biography, music, box office performance: $8.4M, budget: unknown, reviewed by Liza Dadoly, Candice Frederick, Max Weiss, Wesley Morris, Namrata Joshi, Peter Rainer, Don Shanahan, Matt Brunson, Michael J Casey, Leonie Cooper, Joanne Laurier, Leo Brady, MPAA rating: R, produced by James Gay-Rees, featuring Tony Bennett, Pete Doherty, Salaam Remi, Nick Shymansky, Blake Fielder-Civil, Mitch Winehouse
Worldwide gross: $140,795,793
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $175,750,933
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 768
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 19,165,860
US/Canada gross: $110,212,700
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $137,575,026
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 555
US/Canada opening weekend: $30,097,040
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $37,569,183
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 345
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $35,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $43,689,392
Production budget ranking: 884
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $23,526,738
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $108,534,803
ROI to date (est.): 161%
ROI ranking: 732
Pete Doherty – Self
Salaam Remi – Self
Nick Shymansky – Self
Blake Fielder-Civil – Self
Mitch Winehouse – Self
Director(s)
Asif Kapadia
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
James Gay-Rees
Film Festivals
Cannes
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 27 nominations
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Documentary Feature Winners, Oscar Winners
All Critics (226) | Top Critics (64) | Fresh (215) | Rotten (11)
Overall, Amy is a stunning, beautiful, and deeply personal, if somewhat voyeuristic, portrait of one of the greatest artists of a generation.
February 3, 2021
Liza Dadoly
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
Guys, after watching the 128-minute film, I can honestly say that I have never seen a documentary that has turned me off so much as this one has.
September 1, 2017 | Rating: D
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
Kapadia’s documentary — which uses home video, archival footage, and clips of concerts and old and new interviews — feels a bit like a horror film, except the inescapable monster is fame.
June 10, 2016 | Rating: 4/4
Max Weiss
Baltimore Magazine
TOP CRITIC
There are a couple of scenes in Asif Kapadia’s new Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy, that make the fame-industrial complex seem rock-bottom awful.
July 17, 2015
Wesley Morris
Grantland
TOP CRITIC
[Kapadia] leaves you with is an incredible feeling of sadness, irrespective of whether you knew and liked her music or not.
July 17, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
Namrata Joshi
Outlook
TOP CRITIC
A powerful, and powerfully sad, experience.
July 10, 2015 | Rating: B+
Peter Rainer
Christian Science Monitor
TOP CRITIC
Accessing an enormous wealth of old videos from friends and family, self-read letters of lyrics and songwriting, archived phone calls, backstage footage, media appearances, and unreleased performances, “Amy” weaves a masterful and compelling narrative.
June 26, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Don Shanahan
Every Movie Has a Lesson
One of the central tragedies dissected in Amy is that Winehouse loved two vile, reprehensible men — her father and her husband — to such a degree that she allowed them to continually use her and abuse her.
September 18, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Kapadia refuses to glamorize Winehouse’s addiction as a casualty of rock ‘n’ roll or just another entry into the “27 Club.”
September 11, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
Amy Winehouse’s rapid rise and tragic fall is exquisitely told by her peers and with rare footage.
April 23, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Leonie Cooper
NME
The film effectively captures some of the ghastliness of the modern celebrity racket.
February 26, 2021
Joanne Laurier
World Socialist Web Site
Amy is done with respectful and informal excellence. If it succeeds at anything, and it succeeds at many things, it’s that it shows that Winehouse deserved better treatment from everyone.
January 31, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Leo Brady
AMovieGuy.com…
Plot
Despite having a love/hate relationship with her scoundrel of a father Gordon Townsend, the one thing Amy Townsend has grown up believing from him is that monogamy isn’t realistic, he and Amy’s mom who broke up due to infidelity when Amy was young. As such, she gets drunk and stoned frequently in her pursuit of indiscriminate sex, with an unstated rule that there is no sleeping over once the sex is over. Her current “boyfriend”, Steven, believes they are exclusive, not knowing that she sleeps with other men. Working at sensationalistic magazine S’nuff under head sensationalist Dianna, Amy is in line for a promotion, she certain to get it if her next story meets Dianna’s scrutiny. That story is a profile of sports doctor to the stars, Dr. Aaron Conners, it despite Amy knowing nothing about sports. To Amy’s amazement, Aaron wants to date her following their first sexual encounter, his sexual history in terms of quantity which is in extreme contrast to her own. Also to her amazement, she kind of wants to date him, the entire ritual of being the one person in another person’s life a foreign concept to her. The road to a happy ending for the two is not guaranteed as their very different sexual histories and very different perspectives on sexual life may make them incompatible despite truly liking each other as people. Ensuring that his man Aaron is happy and doesn’t get hurt in the process is someone who seems to take Aaron’s personal life even more to heart than he does: LeBron James.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary features personal testimonials from friends and family of Amy Winehouse, including Tony Bennett, Pete Doherty, and Salaam Remi.
Asif-Kapadia.jpg
92%
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
92%RT Audience Score: 86%
Awards & Nominations: Won 6 Oscars
247 wins & 233 nominations total
With exhilarating action and a surprising amount of narrative heft, Mad Max: Fury Road brings George Miller’s post-apocalyptic franchise roaring vigorously back to life.
Mad Max: Fury Road is the kind of movie that makes you want to jump out of your seat and join the action. Charlize Theron’s Furiosa is a total badass, and the stunts and effects are mind-blowing. Plus, who doesn’t love a movie with a strong female lead? The only downside is that the supporting characters are forgettable, and the lack of diversity in the cast is a bit disappointing. But overall, this movie is a wild ride that you won’t want to miss. Just make sure you have plenty of snacks and a big screen to fully appreciate the slobbernocking achievement that is Mad Max: Fury Road.
Production Company(ies)
Zanuck Brown Productions, Universal Pictures,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Namib Desert, Namibia
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for intense sequences of violence throughout, and for disturbing images
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital Datasat SDDS Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 0m
-
Language(s):English, Russian
-
Country of origin:United States, Australia
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 15, 2015 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2015
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
Mad Max: Fury Road, R, Action/Adventure, Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy, directed by George Miller, written by George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris, produced by Doug Mitchell, George Miller, P.J Voeten, box office gross $153.6M, reviewed by Brian Eggert, Cory Woodroof, Kip Mooney, Therese Lacson, Hannah Hodson, Audrey, Brittani Nichols, Mey Rude, Gabrielle Rivera, Sarah Marshall, MPAA rating R, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, car chase, escape, survival, wasteland, tyranny, enslavement, rebellion, alliance, armored truck, high-speed chase, violence, disturbing images, Dolby Digital, Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Atmos, Scope (2.35:1), Warner Bros Pictures
Worldwide gross: $375,709,470
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $468,986,242
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 307
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 51,143,538
US/Canada gross: $154,109,060
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $192,369,463
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 371
US/Canada opening weekend: $45,428,128
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $56,706,495
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 195
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $150,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $187,240,253
Production budget ranking: 136
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $100,828,876
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $180,917,112
ROI to date (est.): 63%
ROI ranking: 1,085
Charlize Theron – Imperator Furiosa
Nicholas Hoult – Nux
Hugh Keays-Byrne – Immortan Joe
Josh Helman – Slit
Nathan Jones – Rictus Erectus
Director(s)
George Miller
Writer(s)
George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris
Producer(s)
Doug Mitchell, George Miller, P.J. Voeten
Film Festivals
Cannes
Awards & Nominations
Won 6 Oscars
247 wins & 233 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Costume Design Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Editing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Makeup Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Production Design Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Set Decoration Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Editing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (437) | Top Critics (94) | Fresh (422) | Rotten (15)
In a film with such a strong female lead, how could George Miller write such thoroughly forgettable supporting characters?… [Also] how in the hell is Zoë Kravitz the sole black person in this future earth?!
August 12, 2021
Hannah Hodson
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
Charlize Theron delivers a captivating, challenging performance as Furiosa, arguably her best since Monster.
August 12, 2021
Audrey
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
Other favorite moments include finding which men could not keep a beat in any scene with drums.
August 12, 2021
Brittani Nichols
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
Holy cow I loved this movie.
August 12, 2021
Mey Rude
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
I had my palm raised to the universe the second [Charlize Theron’s Furiosa] took control of that big rig and led the charge across the desert.
August 12, 2021
Gabrielle Rivera
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
Mad Max: Fury Road is a movie with the kind of reach most people – and even most movies – can only aspire to.
January 27, 2021
Sarah Marshall
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
The viewer becomes swept up in the forward-moving narrative impetus, thrilled to audible gasps by Miller’s wonderfully excessive parade of stunts and effects, each more impressive and more fantastically outlandish than the last.
June 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
It is the rare, beautiful film that can take even the most staunch of cinephiles and reduce them to a giddy child, flush with excitement and rooting for the heroes to win.
May 17, 2022 | Rating: 10/10
Danilo Castro
Next Best Picture
Mad Max: Fury Road is a slobbernocking achievement that also happens to be a singular experience, best seen on the most gargantuan screen possible with friends, soda, candy and a jaw that can be dropped at will.
February 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
Williamson Home Page
The definition of a wholly unapologetically action-packed film, Mad Max: Fury Road breathes new life into an old series…
October 9, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Therese Lacson
Nerdophiles
It’s hard to see another movie equalling this one’s grand ambition, deep ideas and awe-inspiring action.
August 29, 2021 | Rating: A-
Kip Mooney
College Movie Review
The film offers extremely satisfying set pieces and action, plus ultimately some reveals that change how we previously understood our main character.
July 28, 2021
Nathan Mattise
Ars Technica…
Plot
An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There’s Max, a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa, a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Charlize Theron delivers a captivating, challenging performance as Furiosa, arguably her best since Monster.
George-Miller.jpg
92%
Land of Mine (Under Sandet) (2017)
92%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
32 wins & 27 nominations total
Land of Mine uses an oft-forgotten chapter from the aftermath of World War II to tell a hard-hitting story whose period setting belies its timeless observations about bloodshed and forgiveness.
Land of Mine is a bomb of a movie, in the best way possible. It’s a tense and explosive drama that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The performances are top-notch and the defusing sequences are nail-bitingly suspenseful. It’s a tough watch, but it’s also a masterclass in examining the effects of war on the human spirit. Essential viewing for anyone who loves a good war movie with heart.
Production Company(ies)
RKO Radio Pictures,
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Vejers and Blåvand in the Danish North Sea Nature Park, Municipality of Varde, Denmark
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for violence, some grisly images, and language
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 40m
-
Language(s):German, Danish, English
-
Country of origin:Denmark, Germany
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 17, 2017 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 6, 2017
Genre(s)
War
Keyword(s)
starring Roland Møller, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Laura Bro, Louis Hofmann, Joel Basman, Oskar Bökelmann, directed by Martin Zandvliet, written by Martin Zandvliet, war, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Nigel Andrews, Donald Clarke, Wendy Ide, Kevin Maher, Peter Bradshaw, David Parkinson, Matt Brunson, Tori Brazier, David Lamble, Steven Prokopy, Nicholas Bell, Jorge Loser, producer Malte Grunert, Mikael Rieks, MPAA rating R, German POWs, land mines, forgiveness, bloodshed, aftermath of World War II, Denmark, Sony Pictures Classics, original language German
Worldwide gross: $3,169,553
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,956,453
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,237
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 431,456
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.): DKK 35,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Mikkel Boe Følsgaard – Lt. Ebbe
Laura Bro – Karin
Louis Hofmann – Sebastian Schumann
Joel Basman – Helmut Morbach
Oskar Bökelmann – Ludwig Haffke
Director(s)
Martin Zandvliet
Writer(s)
Martin Zandvliet
Producer(s)
Malte Grunert, Mikael Rieks
Film Festivals
Sundance, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
32 wins & 27 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (107) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (98) | Rotten (9)
Land of Mine is small but powerfully formed.
August 7, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Despite its grim substance, a crowd-pleaser of the traditional school.
August 7, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Silence, but for the oblivious buzz of insects, is a vacuum, and tension floods in.
August 7, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Denmark’s so-called biggest war crime forms the historical backdrop of this nerve-jangling bomb-disposal drama
August 4, 2017 | Rating: 5/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A tough, well-made war movie – sometimes shockingly violent – about a little known and very grim moment at the end of the second world war.
August 4, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
The sense of place is as assured as the vigilant performances, while the defusing sequences are genuinely suspenseful.
August 3, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
David Parkinson
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
An explosive watch.
August 17, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
For an examination of the affect that war can have on the human spirit, Land of Mine is a masterclass. It is essential viewing.
March 25, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Tori Brazier
Flickering Myth
Land of Mine delivers an epic story.
June 8, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
A positively terrifying post-World War II suspense work… You’ll spend most of Land of Mine on the edge of your seat.
May 4, 2020
Steven Prokopy
Third Coast Review
As a character study set during unique yet harrowing times, Land of Mine continues in the vein of difficult yet important cinematic subject matter, reflecting the cruel effects war has on human behavior, no matter the side.
October 5, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
A beautiful study on the contradictory nature of resentment and the importance of forgiveness. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 16, 2019
Jorge Loser
Espinof…
Plot
In post-World War II Denmark, the Danish government puts their hated German prisoners of war to work clearing the 1.5 million landmines from the western beaches of the country. At one such beach, Sgt. Carl Leopold Rasmussen finds himself in charge of one such labor unit and finds they are largely all inexperienced boys. As the boys struggle to complete and survive their dangerous work, Sgt. Rasmussen’s hate for Germans gradually cools as he grows to understand the horrific situation these child soldiers are in even as the mines claim more and more victims. Eventually, the boys and the Sergeant must decide what can be done in a situation that would be later be denounced by later generations as the worst war crime committed by the Danish government in its history.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film Land of Mine on Fresh Kernels.
Martin-Zandvliet.jpg
92%
What We Do In The Shadows (2015)
92%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Smarter, fresher, and funnier than a modern vampire movie has any right to be, What We Do in the Shadows is bloody good fun.
What We Do in the Shadows is the perfect blend of horror and comedy, with a mockumentary style that will have you laughing out loud. The cast is absolutely hilarious, and the way they play off each other is pure comedic gold. It’s like The Real World meets Dracula, and it works so well. Even if you’re sick of vampires, this movie will make you fall in love with them all over again (or at least the funny ones). Don’t miss out on this genre-bending gem!
Production Company(ies)
Wildwood Enterprises Artemis Rising Foundation Foothill Productions,
Distributor
Tribeca Film
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:16:9 HD
-
Runtime:1h 26m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 13, 2015 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 26, 2015
Genre(s)
Comedy/Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stuart Rutherford, Ben Fransham, directed by Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, written by Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, comedy, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Claudia Puig, J R Jones, Patrick Z McGavin, Michael Phillips, Tom Long, vampire, modern life, undead, R rating, Emanuel Michael, Taika Waititi, Pamela Harvey-White, Chelsea Winstanley, Tribeca Film, Vladislav, Viago, Deacon, Nick, Stu, Petyr
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
Taika Waititi – Viago
Jonny Brugh – Deacon
Cori Gonzalez-Macuer – Nick
Stuart Rutherford – Stu
Ben Fransham – Petyr
Director(s)
Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi
Writer(s)
Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi
Producer(s)
Emanuel Michael, Taika Waititi, Pamela Harvey-White, Chelsea Winstanley
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (191) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (184) | Rotten (7)
If Twilight made you queasy and Dark Shadows felt like a missed opportunity, this pitch-perfect genre spoof is worth relishing.
March 13, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Claudia Puig
USA Today
TOP CRITIC
I’m so sick of vampires I’d have pounded a stake into my own heart not to have to watch this, but it turns out to be a pitch-perfect spoof of MTV’s The Real World and a sly satire on millennial slackerdom.
March 6, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
The New Zealand-made art comedy What We Do in the Shadows is a bracing reminder of how the right burst of energy and style breathes fresh ideas into a genre threatened with creative exhaustion.
March 6, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
Patrick Z. McGavin
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
If we see two or three more comedies this year that know what they’re doing the way this one does, it’ll be a very good year indeed.
March 6, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Maybe it’s something in the water Down Under, but these fellows have managed to concoct a whole new perspective on fangsters.
March 6, 2015 | Rating: B+
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
Darkly, edgily funny, the mockumentary about four nocturnal, bloodsucking flat-mates in Wellington, New Zealand reduced me to a quivering laugh zombie. It’s MTV’s Real World meets Hammer Horror with a nod to Christopher Guest.
February 27, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Thelma Adams
ZEALnyc
TOP CRITIC
What We Do in the Shadows walks—or hovers over—a darker edge, and that makes it funnier and aimed less toward mainstream audiences and more toward cult crowds.
June 21, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
It may not be the absolute best of what this mashup of genres can provide, but it is still a worthy entry that will leave you smiling all the way to the end.
May 27, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
Josh Parham
Next Best Picture
It’s all too rare that vampires get to be funny. Thankfully, we have What We Do In The Shadows to fill that void.
October 20, 2021
Austen Goslin
Polygon
What We Do in the Shadows is comedy brilliance from start to finish, thanks to its superb performances – the entire cast are experts in comic timing and delivery…
October 8, 2021
Nikki Baughan
AWFJ Women on Film
A Christopher Guest-styled mockumentary about vampires sounds only a little less obvious and opportunistic than a “found-footage” feature about vampires, yet Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi have managed to create a savvy satire that works beautifully.
September 18, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Just when you thought mockumentary and vampire movies had played themselves out along comes What We Do in the Shadows, a vampire mockumentary that feels fresh and funny.
February 2, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse…
Plot
A group of vampire housemates try to navigate modern life and teach a newly turned hipster the perks of being undead in the horror-comedy film What We Do in the Shadows.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, and Jonathan Brugh as vampire housemates.
Jemaine-Clement.jpg
92%
The Imitation Game (2014)
92%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
49 wins & 165 nominations total
With an outstanding starring performance from Benedict Cumberbatch illuminating its fact-based story, The Imitation Game serves as an eminently well-made entry in the “prestige biopic” genre.
The Imitation Game” is like a crossword puzzle come to life, with Benedict Cumberbatch as the ultimate solver. It’s a biopic that manages to be both thrilling and emotional, with a cast that brings the story of Alan Turing to vivid life. Sure, there are some simplifications and omissions, but overall it’s a fascinating look at a brilliant mind and the struggles he faced. Plus, who doesn’t love a good code-breaking montage?
Production Company(ies)
Brandywine Productions,
Distributor
Weinstein Co.
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Sherborne School, Sherborne, Dorset, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some sexual references, mature thematic material and historical smoking
Year of Release
2014
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 53m
-
Language(s):English, German
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2014 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 31, 2015
Genre(s)
Biography/Lgbtq+
Keyword(s)
starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Allen Leech, Matthew Beard, directed by Morten Tyldum, written by Graham Moore, biography, LGBTQ+, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jason Bailey, Mara Reinstein, David Stratton, Richard Corliss, Elaine Teng, Philippa Hawker, Ben Turner, David Walsh, Richard Crouse, Nicole Ackman, Mike Massie, Nicholas Bell, PG-13, Alan Turing, Joan Clarke, Hugh Alexander, Det Robert Nock, John Cairncross, Peter Hilton, Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky, Teddy Schwarzman, Weinstein Co
Worldwide gross: $233,555,708
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $291,885,597
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 515
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 31,830,490
US/Canada gross: $91,125,683
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $113,884,069
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 659
US/Canada opening weekend: $479,352
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $599,069
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,363
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $14,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $17,496,461
Production budget ranking: 1,434
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,421,844
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $264,967,292
ROI to date (est.): 984%
ROI ranking: 127
Keira Knightley – Joan Clarke
Matthew Goode – Hugh Alexander
Rory Kinnear – Det. Robert Nock
Allen Leech – John Cairncross
Matthew Beard – Peter Hilton
Director(s)
Morten Tyldum
Writer(s)
Graham Moore
Producer(s)
Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky, Teddy Schwarzman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
49 wins & 165 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (285) | Top Critics (80) | Fresh (255) | Rotten (30)
Cumberbatch helps elevate what could’ve been a rote boilerplate biopic into a film with the spark of a live wire.
June 7, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
A moving tribute to an extraordinary man.
January 19, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mara Reinstein
Us Weekly
TOP CRITIC
What could have been a very dry and earnest film emerges, under the intelligent direction of Norwegian Morten Tyldum working from a screenplay by Graham Moore, as a gripping and still rather extraordinary story.
January 5, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
The “action” here is Turing tinkering with his machine. Or simply thinking — which, as Cumberbatch portrays it, is adventure of the highest order.
January 4, 2015
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
We go into a movie knowing that the subject was as genius or a hero, a martyr or titan. We should leave with a more nuanced understanding of who he was, his complexities and flaws.
January 4, 2015
Elaine Teng
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
For the filmmakers, there are simplifications that must have been inevitable, for dramatic and narrative purposes, when it comes to depicting the years of wartime work. But what of the other choices that have been made?
January 4, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
Philippa Hawker
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
With its focus on the internal struggle as significant as the code-breaking itself, it sets it apart from its Bletchley Park predecessor, the decidedly wet Enigma.
September 2, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Ben Turner
The Pink Lens
The film deserves credit for pointing viewers in the direction of such a compelling individual and historical drama.
February 12, 2021
David Walsh
World Socialist Web Site
Supporting cast and period production values are top notch, but it’s Cumberbatch who excels, peeling back the layers of Turing’s enigmatic life.
February 2, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
Unfortunately, the film suffers from a weak script that fails to properly educate the audience about Turing…and it also downplays Turing’s homosexuality.
January 30, 2021 | Rating: 5/10
Nicole Ackman
Next Best Picture
Manages a surmounting level of intrigue from both its deft performances and its shuffling narrative of past, present, and post-war events.
December 4, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The accolades bestowed on this otherwise well mounted but incredibly milquetoast production is the political statement that the film simply does not have the courage to muster on its own.
October 28, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com…
Plot
It is based on the real life story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing. The film portrays the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team of code-breakers at Britain’s top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Alan Turing is described as a “live wire” and helps elevate the film from being a “rote boilerplate biopic.”
Morten-Tyldum.jpg
92%
Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation (2015)
92%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation continues the franchise’s thrilling resurgence — and proves that Tom Cruise remains an action star without equal.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is the perfect movie for anyone who loves action, adventure, and Tom Cruise running. Seriously, the man runs so much in this movie, it’s like he’s training for a marathon. But it’s not just about the running, the stunts are incredible and the storyline keeps you on the edge of your seat. Plus, the humor is on point and the camaraderie between the characters is infectious. It’s the kind of movie that reminds you why summer blockbusters can be so much fun.
Production Company(ies)
Lionsgate Media Rights Capital, T-Street
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 11m
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 31, 2015 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 15, 2015
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation, Tom Cruise, Ethan Hunt, Jeremy Renner, William Brandt, Simon Pegg, Benji Dunn, Rebecca Ferguson, Ilsa Faust, Ving Rhames, Luther Stickell, Sean Harris, Lane, Christopher McQuarrie, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, written by Christopher McQuarrie, produced by Tom Cruise, J.J Abrams, Bryan Burk, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, action, adventure, PG-13, box office, budget, reviewed by Dwight Brown, Max Weiss, Jason Bailey, Richard Roeper, Emily St James, Udita Jhunjhunwala, Brian Eggert, Hosea Rupprecht, Nick Levine, Richard Crouse, Mike Massie, Tomatometer, audience score, IMF, Syndicate, terrorist attacks, British agent, disavowed, new world order, Dolby Atmos, Paramount Pictures
Worldwide gross: $682,714,267
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: $195,042,377
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
Jeremy Renner – William Brandt
Simon Pegg – Benji Dunn
Rebecca Ferguson – Ilsa Faust
Ving Rhames – Luther Stickell
Sean Harris – Lane
Director(s)
Christopher McQuarrie
Writer(s)
Christopher McQuarrie
Producer(s)
Tom Cruise, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (326) | Top Critics (73) | Fresh (305) | Rotten (21)
In the beginning you’ll think something is missing from Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation. Excitement. Audacity. Edge. Visual splendor. Be patient. In it’s own way, this action/thriller eventually gets the job done.
March 15, 2017
Dwight Brown
National Newspaper Publishers Association
TOP CRITIC
If Jason Bourne is our most brooding spy and James Bond is our suavest, then IMF agent Ethan Hunt is our most intense, the one most willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Sound like anyone we know?
June 12, 2016 | Rating: 3/4
Max Weiss
Baltimore Magazine
TOP CRITIC
First-rate popcorn, a meticulously devised and elegantly executed spy movie that manages to thrill with its stunts, jangle with its set pieces, land a laugh or two, and not insult our intelligence
May 27, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
With Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, we’re getting the best Bond movie since Casino Royale in 2006.
December 14, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Richard Roeper
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Rogue Nation is terrific fun, the best action movie of the summer without Mad Max in the title. It’s also, arguably, the best Mission: Impossible movie, impressive for the fifth installment in any movie series.
December 14, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Emily St. James
Vox
TOP CRITIC
Rogue Nation is a 131-minute roller-coaster ride that slows down long enough for you to catch your breath before jettisoning you into another gasping round of action and adventure.
August 11, 2015
Udita Jhunjhunwala
Scroll.in
TOP CRITIC
Boasts a screenplay with several genuine surprises, virtuoso sequences, and thrills to spare. Even better, it’s easily the smartest entry since De Palma’s original.
June 8, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
I’m quite the sap for action films. I like the fast paced, heart-stopping sequences. Rogue Nation does not disappoint.
September 13, 2021
Hosea Rupprecht
Pauline Center for Media Studies
Tom Cruise returns for more tense set-pieces, breathless daredevil exploits and infectious camaraderie.
June 8, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Nick Levine
NME
Funnier and with a more linear storyline than previous entries, the movie’s mission is to entertain, and in that it succeeds.
February 3, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
It reminds us that “summer blockbuster” doesn’t have to be a dirty word, but can be an extremely satisfying and engaging time at the movies.
January 14, 2021
Tyler Smith
Battleship Pretension
Triumphant at times in appearing more globetrotting, jet-setting, high-stakes, and action-packed than James Bond.
December 4, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins…
Plot
With the IMF disbanded, Ethan Hunt and his team must stop the Syndicate, a network of highly skilled operatives dedicated to establishing a new world order via terrorist attacks, in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Rebecca Ferguson’s performance as Ilsa Faust is praised as a standout in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation.
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