The Salt of the Earth (2015)
94%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
13 wins & 15 nominations total
While the work it honors may pose thorny ethical questions that Salt of the Earth neglects to answer, it remains a shattering, thought-provoking testament to Sebastião Salgado’s career.
The Salt of the Earth is a documentary that will leave you feeling inspired and in awe of Sebastião Salgado’s incredible work. Wim Wenders does a fantastic job of showcasing Salgado’s photographs and giving him a platform to share his views on the world. The film is full of jaw-dropping moments that will stay with you long after it’s over. And let’s be real, who doesn’t want to get up close and personal with a whale? Overall, The Salt of the Earth is a must-see for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the world we live in and the beauty and suffering that coexist within it.
Production Company(ies)
Decia Films, Amazonas Images Solares Fondazione delle arti
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Yalimo, Papua, Indonesia
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving disturbing images of violence and human suffering, and for nudity
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 49m
-
Language(s):French, English, Portuguese
-
Country of origin:Brazil, France, Italy
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 27, 2015 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 14, 2015
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
directed by Wim Wenders, directed by Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, written by Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, written by Wim Wenders, written by David Rosier, written by Wim Wenders, documentary, PG-13, Sebastião Salgado, Wim Wenders, David Rosier, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Hugo Barbier, Jacques Barthélémy, Lélia Wanick Salgado, box office, gross USA, $1.1M, critic reviews, reviewed by Geoffrey Macnab, reviewed by Mark Kermode, reviewed by Donald Clarke, reviewed by Wendy Ide, reviewed by Rupert Hawksley, reviewed by Nick Newman, reviewed by Chris McCoy, reviewed by Brian D Johnson, reviewed by Mattie Lucas, reviewed by Calum Baker, reviewed by John Bleasdale, reviewed by Pat Padua, producer, produced by David Rosier, genre, documentary, MPAA rating, PG-13, audience score, 90%, runtime, 1h 49m, distributor, Sony Pictures Classics, images of violence, suffering, disturbing images, nudity, thematic material, French (France), narrator, starring Wim Wenders, starring Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, self, self, self, co-directs, photographer, Sebastião Salgado, career, life, work, humanitarian crises, South American gold mine, Arctic Circle, polar bear, social consciousness, eye-opening, tremendous, uncooperative
Worldwide gross: $5,412,466
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $6,756,210
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,085
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 736,773
US/Canada gross: $1,343,349
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,676,860
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,082
US/Canada opening weekend: $44,900
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $56,047
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,161
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
Wim Wenders – Narrator
Juliano Ribeiro Salgado – Narrator
Hugo Barbier – Self
Jacques Barthélémy – Self
Lélia Wanick Salgado – Self
Director(s)
Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
Writer(s)
Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders, David Rosier, Wim Wenders
Producer(s)
David Rosier
Film Festivals
South by Southwest, Cannes, Telluride
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
13 wins & 15 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (94) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (89) | Rotten (5)
Wenders showcases his work while giving him a platform to express his philosophical and political views. The doc benefits from a subtly affecting use of music.
July 23, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Salgado proves an adept and compassionate storyteller, his training as an economist providing sociopolitical insight into the suffering (manmade rather than natural) that threatens to engulf his work.
July 19, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Wenders introduces us to an intelligent, rigorous man who thinks hard about the structures that impose hardship on the powerless.
July 19, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Wim Wenders’ master stroke in The Salt of the Earth is to let the photographs of Sebastião Salgado speak for themselves.
July 16, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Wendy Ide
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Sebastião Salgado has spent his career documenting human suffering. And yet this quiet, dignified film about the 71-year-old will leave you twitching with envy. His, truly, has been a life well-lived.
July 16, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
Rupert Hawksley
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The standout images should stay with viewers for the foreseeable future.
July 16, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Nick Newman
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Co-directors Win Wenders’ and Salgado’s son Juliano’s documentary chronicling the life of the photographer is so full of jaw-dropping moments that getting up close and personal with a whale merits only a passing mention.
January 9, 2020
Chris McCoy
Memphis Flyer
This documentary memoir of legendary Brazilian photographer Juliano Ribeiro Salgado offers extreme visions of beauty and horror in unlikely co-existence, though both are more graphic.
August 7, 2019
Brian D. Johnson
Maclean’s Magazine
Salgado documents human existence with remarkable sensitivity and profound insight into the mysteries of life, and so too does Wenders.
August 7, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
A genuine must-see for anyone who wants a studious, moving, sometimes horrifying and ultimately inspirational insight into what makes the world tick. Unmissable.
May 7, 2019
Calum Baker
One Room With A View
The Salt of the Earth is a glowing tribute to a committed and admirable artist. Wenders makes no attempt to critique or challenge his subject, and is content to let Salgado and his camera speak for themselves. And speak they do.
April 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
John Bleasdale
CineVue
What is this, an inspirational poster?
August 31, 2018
Pat Padua
DCist…
Plot
“The Salt of the Earth” is a documentary co-directed by Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and Wim Wenders that explores the career of photographer Sebastião Salgado.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Salt of the Earth features Sebastião Salgado, a renowned photographer, as the main subject of the documentary.
Wim-Wenders.jpg
94%
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (2015)
94%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Won 3 Primetime Emmys
7 wins & 32 nominations total
Thoroughly disquieting but impossible to ignore, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is a searing investigative work from a master documentarian.
Going Clear: Scientology & The Prison of Belief is like watching a train wreck – you can’t look away even though it’s horrifying. The documentary does an excellent job of exposing the inner workings of Scientology and the damage it has caused to its members. It’s a chilling reminder of the power of manipulation and the importance of critical thinking. Plus, it’s always fun to watch Tom Cruise get roasted. Overall, a must-watch for anyone interested in cults, religion, or just a good old-fashioned exposé.
Production Company(ies)
HBO Documentary Films, Jigsaw Productions, Sky Atlantic
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Oct 6, 2015
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, Scientology, Alex Gibney, Kristen Vaurio, Lawrence Wright, abuse, strange practices, former members, organization, critic reviews, Tomatometer, audience score, box office performance, budget, produced by, directed by, written by, reviewed by, MPAA rating, narrator, voice, Paul Haggis, Jason Beghe, Marina Zenovich, Sherry Stringfield, genre, cult, religion, investigation, social commentary, controversial, disquieting, searing, investigative, master documentarian, emperor without clothes, fear, weakness, urgent social priority, chains that bind, mystifying, horrifying, gossipy, accumulated evidence, cabal, rich wackos, taxpayer’s dime, horror, MCU, Netflix, TV shows, streaming movies, actors, news, showtimes
Worldwide gross: $230,194
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $287,344
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,862
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 31,335
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
Marina Zenovich – Voice
Sherry Stringfield – Voice
Paul Haggis – Self
Jason Beghe – Self
Lawrence Wright – Self
Director(s)
Alex Gibney
Writer(s)
Alex Gibney
Producer(s)
Alex Gibney, Kristen Vaurio, Lawrence Wright
Film Festivals
Sundance, Berlin
Awards & Nominations
Won 3 Primetime Emmys
7 wins & 32 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (94) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (89) | Rotten (5)
Gibney makes another attempt to hole and sink [Scientology]. Hooray for him.
May 2, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
Gibney boils it down with skill, his cutting, construction, graphics, and score smoothly and seductively encapsulating Scientology’s appeal.
May 30, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
[Going Clear] doesn’t merely peek under the church’s zealously maintained guise. It disrobes this controversial religion to reveal an emperor without clothes, an organization that runs on fear and weakness.
September 24, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
Steve Davis
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
It’s not a sense of outrage that viewers are left with. It’s sadness.
September 4, 2015
John Doyle
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Chilling, damning stuff.
June 28, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Alex Gibney’s film, like Wright’s book, is a useful contribution to what looks more and more like an urgent social priority: the push to discourage people from praising the chains that bind them.
June 26, 2015
Tony Rayns
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Gibney’s documentary outlines that bad things are happening around Scientology. But since the dawn of humankind, people have done horrible things in the name of all religions.
June 21, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
It’s at turns shocking, mystifying, and curious – but predominantly horrifying.
December 4, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Going Clear offers gossipy elements… but its power is in the accumulated evidence of so many voices.
April 5, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
John Bleasdale
CineVue
A compelling documentary which doesn’t need to work too hard to out the sheer absurdity and ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ air that hangs over the whole Scientology movement.
November 11, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
The picture it manages to assemble packs such a punch that it gives new meaning to “going clear.” Jaw-dropping, indeed.
August 2, 2017
Lisa Rosman
Signature
Amongst a field of analysis which examines Scientology as a cabal of rich wackos gone wild on the taxpayer’s dime, Going Clear thrives.
March 27, 2017 | Rating: Recommended
James Hennessy
4:3…
Plot
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief is a documentary that exposes the abuses and strange practices within the controversial organization of Scientology through interviews with former members.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary is directed by Alex Gibney and features interviews with former members of the Church of Scientology.
Alex-Gibney.jpg
94%
Wild Tales (2015)
94%RT Audience Score: 92%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
49 wins & 58 nominations total
Wickedly hilarious and delightfully deranged, Wild Tales is a subversive satire that doubles as a uniformly entertaining anthology film.
Wild Tales is a wild ride of six stories that will have you laughing, cringing, and questioning humanity all at once. The casting director deserves a standing ovation for bringing together such a talented and diverse cast that perfectly embodies the absurdity of each tale. From revenge plots to wedding disasters, this film has it all. It’s like a rollercoaster that you can’t wait to ride again and again. So buckle up and get ready for a hilarious and thrilling journey through the human psyche.
Production Company(ies)
K&SFilms, El Deseo Televisión Federal
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Cafayate, Salta, Argentina
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for violence, language and brief sexuality
Year of Release
2014
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Surround 7.1
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 2m
-
Language(s):Spanish
-
Country of origin:Argentina, Spain
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 20, 2015 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 16, 2015
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
Wild Tales, Ricardo Darín, Oscar Martínez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Érica Rivas, Rita Cortese, Julieta Zylberberg, Damián David Szifron, Hugo Sigman, Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar, Esther García, Matías Mosteirín, Comedy, Drama, R, Spanish, Sony Pictures Classics, $3.1M, reviewed by Dwight Brown, Paul Byrnes, Sandra Hall, Mark Kermode, John Anderson, Mar Diestro-Dópido, Brian Eggert, Film Companion Staff, Yasser Medina, Chris McCoy, Karl Delossantos, 94% Tomatometer, 92% Audience Score, anthology film, satire, extremes of human behavior, special ingredient, loan shark, wickedly hilarious, delightfully deranged, uniformly entertaining, explosive, crafty pacing, masterly editing, political anger, inequality, abuse, emotional, physical, economic, revenge, dark comedy, wedding from hell, road rage, blackmail, poisoning, government injustice, box office success, limited release, streaming, buy, rent, critic reviews, audience reviews
Worldwide gross: $31,478,893
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $38,295,634
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,453
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,176,187
US/Canada gross: $3,106,530
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,882,377
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,879
US/Canada opening weekend: $85,100
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $106,353
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,910
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,300,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $4,124,166
Production budget ranking: 1,942
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,220,863
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $31,950,605
ROI to date (est.): 504%
ROI ranking: 257
Oscar Martínez – Mauricio
Leonardo Sbaraglia – Diego
Érica Rivas – Romina
Rita Cortese – Cocinera
Julieta Zylberberg – Moza
Director(s)
Damián David Szifron
Writer(s)
Damián David Szifron
Producer(s)
Hugo Sigman, Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar, Esther García, Matías Mosteirín
Film Festivals
Sundance, Cannes, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
49 wins & 58 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (157) | Top Critics (54) | Fresh (148) | Rotten (9)
It’s rare that a casting director’s genius is so obvious, but Javier Braier pulls together a huge, disparate cast that is dopey, baiting, mean or gloriously evil at the right times.
March 7, 2017
Dwight Brown
National Newspaper Publishers Association
TOP CRITIC
It’s an explosively funny film, made with great energy.
May 21, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Paul Byrnes
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
While the stories themselves are about the joys of losing control, their creator knows exactly what can be achieved with crafty pacing, masterly editing and a precisely controlled balance between the matter-of-fact and the shamelessly hysterical.
May 20, 2015 | Rating: 4.5/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
A splendidly anarchic portrait of a world on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
March 29, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
There are plot twists, to be sure, and some very polished filmmaking.
March 27, 2015
John Anderson
America Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Each morsel of well-rounded, perfectly structured storytelling becomes part of a coherent, exuberant whole, linked as much as anything by a potent political anger directed against inequality and abuse, be it emotional, physical or economic.
March 27, 2015
Mar Diestro-Dópido
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Not every story will resonate, and the overall theme doesn’t leave one with a sense of their combined profundity, but three or four stories are bound to feel familiar and thus deliciously watchable.
February 21, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Six uncomfortably hilarious fables of revenge…
October 27, 2020
Film Companion Staff
Film Companion
The thing is, the movie is entertaining, and it’s contagious when it mocks the idiosyncrasies of a cynical civilization. [Full review in Spanish]
June 26, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Yasser Medina
Cinemaficionados
Revealing more than the barest plot information about the individual segments would spoil the wicked pleasure of watching things quickly escalate into the realm of the absurd.
January 9, 2020
Chris McCoy
Memphis Flyer
Damián Szifron tells each story with a specific visual flair that helps make “Wild Tales” the best anthology movie I’ve ever seen.
August 8, 2019 | Rating: 8.5/10
Karl Delossantos
Smash Cut Reviews
Wild Tales is a mixed bag, not especially surprising considering its genre, but when it works it’s undeniably great entertainment.
June 15, 2019
C.J. Prince
Way Too Indie…
Plot
The film is divided into six segments. (1) “Pasternak”: While being on a plane, a model and a music critic realise they have a common acquaintance called Pasternak. Soon they discover that every passenger and crew member on board know Pasternak. Is this coincidence? (2) “The Rats”: A waitress recognizes her client – it’s the loan shark who caused a tragedy in her family. The cook suggests mixing rat poison with his food, but the waitress refuses. The stubborn cook, however, decides to proceed with her plan. (3) “The Strongest”: Two drivers on a lone highway have an argument with tragic consequences. (4) “Little Bomb”: A demolition engineer has his car towed by a truck for parking in a wrong place and he has an argument with the employee of the towing company. This event destroys his private and professional life, and he plots revenge against the corrupt towing company and the city hall. (5) “The Proposal”: A reckless son of a wealthy family has an overnight hit-and-run accident, in which a pregnant woman gets killed. He wakes his parents up and his father calls the lawyer. The parents propose to pay the groundkeeper to take the blame for the boy. Soon the father discovers that he is a victim of extortion of his lawyer and the public prosecutor in charge of the investigation. What will be his decision? (6) “Until Death Do Us Apart”: During the wedding party, the bride discovers that her newlywed husband has been cheating on her with one of the guests, and she decides to pay him back.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Wild Tales is described as “huge, disparate” and “dopey, baiting, mean or gloriously evil at the right times” by critic Dwight Brown.
Damián-David-Szifron.jpg
94%
3 And 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets (2015)
94%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 7 nominations
3 And 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets tells a gut-wrenching story in overall gripping fashion — and wisely underplays its outrage, letting the details speak for themselves.
3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets” is a documentary that will leave you feeling a mix of emotions. From the heart-wrenching grief of Davis’s parents to the frustration of a justice system that fails to hold people accountable for their actions, this film packs a punch. But don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom. Director Marc Silver manages to balance the heavy subject matter with moments of hope and resilience. Overall, this documentary is a must-watch for anyone who wants to better understand the ongoing fight for racial justice in America.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-MA
Year of Release
2015
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Jan 3, 2017
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
3 1/2 Minutes, Ten Bullets, documentary, Marc Silver, Carolyn Hepburn, Minette Nelson, Jordan Davis, Stand Your Ground, Florida, shooting death, black teenager, justice, grief, courtroom, Dunn, Davis’ parents, inequality, change, education, emotional, galvanizing, real-life, race, injustice, restraint, deadly threat perception, HBO, highly emotional, gut-wrenching, gripping, outrage, details, critic reviews, Nijla Mu’min, Anisha Jhaveri, Candice Frederick, Simran Hans, Aramide Tinubu, Dwight Brown, Michael J Casey, Liam Lacey, Bernard Boo, Ren Jender, Kristal Brent Zook, audience score, box office, gross USA, MPAA rating, producer, directed by, written by, reviewed by, starring
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
Ron Davis – Jordan Davis’ father
Michael Dunn
Russell Healey – Circuit Court Judge
John Guy – Asst. State Attorney
Cory Strolla – Defense Attorney
Director(s)
Marc Silver
Writer(s)
Marc Silver
Producer(s)
Carolyn Hepburn, Minette Nelson
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (50) | Top Critics (26) | Fresh (50)
The film finds its biggest strengths in the quiet moments with Davis’s parents as they attempt to move through the grief of losing their only child.
January 28, 2021
Nijla Mu’min
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
While “Justice for Jordan” may have been served, the words – and Davis’ story – are yet another reminder of a nation that remains fractured by inequality, desperately in need of change.
October 28, 2017 | Rating: A-
Anisha Jhaveri
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
While the documentary itself merely gives the audience a bird’s eye view of the courtroom narrative, it punctuates the point that is too often forgotten in these cases: It is Dunn who is on trial here, not Davis.
September 1, 2017 | Rating: B+
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
Cleanly presented and crisply framed, each image is shot with a respectfully detached gaze, from the talking heads to the twisting Floridian highways shot at golden hour. Sadly, this means that Silver’s treatment of the case feels overly forensic.
August 1, 2017 | Rating: 3/5
Simran Hans
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
We must not just simply remember, we must stand up and demand our humanity. If we don’t, we’ve let Jordan Davis down and after seeing, 3 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets that is the last thing that you will want to do.
April 12, 2017
Aramide Tinubu
Shadow and Act
TOP CRITIC
What the documentary the filmmakers have assembled is educational, eye opening, often emotional, sad and galvanizing.
March 7, 2017
Dwight Brown
National Newspaper Publishers Association
TOP CRITIC
There are no winners here, only losers, and by the end, everyone has lost far too much.
September 12, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Michael J. Casey
Michael J. Cinema
Marc Silver’s tautly edited film, as well as being a compelling real-life courtroom drama, offers some clarity about race and injustice in the pre-Trump era.
April 13, 2021 | Rating: B-plus
Liam Lacey
Original Cin
The nature of the injustice and the psychologies of his subjects are more than interesting enough to carry us through a full-length feature, and in recognizing that, he shows restraint.
March 13, 2019 | Rating: 7.5/10
Bernard Boo
Way Too Indie
The courtroom drama of 3 1/2 Minutes is as compelling as that of any narrative film.
March 7, 2019
Ren Jender
Bitch Flicks
HBO’s new documentary reminds us how deadly threat perception is for black people.
April 16, 2018
Kristal Brent Zook
The Nation
3 And 1/2 Minutes, 10 Bullets is a highly emotional documentary, one that clearly needed to be made.
December 7, 2016
Becky Kukla
Film Inquiry…
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 features Jordan Davis’ parents, Lucia McBath and Ron Davis, as well as Michael Dunn, the man who shot and killed their son.
Marc-Silver.jpg
94%
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
94%RT Audience Score: 92%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
52 wins & 102 nominations total
Guardians of the Galaxy is just as irreverent as fans of the frequently zany Marvel comic would expect — as well as funny, thrilling, full of heart, and packed with visual splendor.
Guardians of the Galaxy is the perfect blend of action, humor, and ’70s nostalgia. It’s like if Star Wars and The Beatles had a baby and that baby was raised by a bunch of misfits in space. The characters are all lovable in their own weird ways, and the soundtrack will have you dancing in your seat. It’s a refreshing break from the typical superhero movie formula and a must-see for anyone who wants to have a good time at the movies.
Production Company(ies)
Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, Moving Pictures, Company,
Distributor
Walt Disney
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Longcross Studios, Chobham Lane, Longcross, Surrey, England, UK
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language
Year of Release
2014
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Datasat Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos Dolby Surround 7.1 Auro 11.1
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 1m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 1, 2014 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 9, 2014
Genre(s)
Adventure/Action
Keyword(s)
starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, directed by James Gunn, written by James Gunn, Nicole Perlman, Marvel Cinematic Universe, PG-13 rating, adventure, action, fantasy, comedy, box office gross of $333.7M, reviewed by Jason Bailey, Katie Kilkenny, Kate Muir, Richard Lawson, Kenneth Turan, Richard Corliss, Cory Woodroof, Therese Lacson, Kip Mooney, Nicolás Delgadillo, Lisa Wright, David Hogan, Mark B, Sanity Assassin, Diyar G, irreverent, zany, funny, thrilling, heartwarming, visual splendor, space adventure, bounty hunters, orb, Ronan, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, cosmic threat, ragtag group, Walt Disney, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos
Worldwide gross: $773,350,147
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $966,492,197
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 101
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 105,397,186
US/Canada gross: $333,718,600
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $417,063,893
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 107
US/Canada opening weekend: $94,320,883
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $117,877,261
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 58
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $170,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $212,457,028
Production budget ranking: 87
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $114,408,109
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $639,627,060
ROI to date (est.): 196%
ROI ranking: 637
Zoe Saldana – Gamora
Dave Bautista – Drax the Destroyer
Vin Diesel – Groot (Voice)
Bradley Cooper – Rocket (Voice)
Lee Pace – Ronan the Accuser
Director(s)
James Gunn
Writer(s)
James Gunn, Nicole Perlman
Producer(s)
Kevin Feige
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
52 wins & 102 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (335) | Top Critics (74) | Fresh (307) | Rotten (28)
For much of its 122 minutes, Gunn’s grab-bag of quirky characters, genre ribbing, and incongruent ’70s pop tunes goes over like gangbusters. The trouble is, it’s only irreverent to a point.
June 18, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
If Guardians of the Galaxy is an origin story, it is also a satire of the origin story, one that emphasizes the power of the “We” over that of the “Chosen One.”
June 14, 2016
Katie Kilkenny
The Atlantic
TOP CRITIC
In proper “who gives a toss?” B-movie tradition, Guardians of the Galaxy takes us into the silly section of the Marvel Universe.
January 4, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
Kate Muir
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Guardians bounces with the energy of pure invention.
September 30, 2014
Richard Lawson
Vanity Fair
TOP CRITIC
Blessed with a loose, anarchic B-picture soul that encourages you to enjoy yourself even when you’re not quite sure what’s going on, the scruffy Guardians is irreverent in a way that can bring the first Star Wars to mind.
September 30, 2014
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
The lightly derisive, live-action-cartoon tone robs the movie of any majesty, even of the comic-book type, and the many violent deaths of their suitable gravity.
September 30, 2014
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Guardians of the Galaxy just might be Marvel’s greatest risk-reward situation yet.
February 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
Lumination Network
Absolutely stunning to look at, hilarious to watch, and never takes itself too seriously or gets dragged down in melodrama.
October 9, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Therese Lacson
Nerdophiles
The blockbuster I’ve been waiting all summer for.
August 31, 2021 | Rating: A-
Kip Mooney
College Movie Review
It’s an absolute riot from start to finish.
June 24, 2021
Nicolás Delgadillo
Discussing Film
The big screen version of this lesser-known Marvel comic is a hilarious curveball.
June 16, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Lisa Wright
NME
It’s so rare to see a film so perfectly crafted and cast. Forget “MCU films” or “Comic book films”, Guardians of the Galaxy is just a great film, period.
May 6, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
David Hogan
hoganreviews.co.uk…
Plot
After stealing a mysterious orb in the far reaches of outer space, Peter Quill from Earth is now the main target of a manhunt led by the villain known as Ronan the Accuser. To help fight Ronan and his team and save the galaxy from his power, Quill creates a team of space heroes known as the “Guardians of the Galaxy” to save the galaxy.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Rocket Raccoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper, is a fan favorite character in Guardians of the Galaxy.
James-Gunn.jpg
94%
Jodorowsky’s Dune (2014)
94%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: 12 wins & 27 nominations
Part thoughtful tribute, part bittersweet reminder of a missed opportunity, Jodorowsky’s Dune offers a fascinating look at a lost sci-fi legend.
If you’re a movie geek, you need to watch Jodorowsky’s Dune. It’s like getting a backstage pass to a concert that never happened, but you get to see all the cool stuff they were planning. And let me tell you, they were planning some wild stuff. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see Salvador Dali as the emperor of the universe? Plus, it’s a great reminder that sometimes the journey is just as important as the destination. And in this case, the journey was a wild ride through the mind of a true visionary.
Production Company(ies)
Highline Pictures, Camera One Endless Picnic
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
The Domes, Casa Grande, Arizona, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some violent and sexual images and drug references
Year of Release
2016
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 28m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish, French, German
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 21, 2014 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 8, 2014
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Jodorowsky’s Dune, directed by Frank Pavich, written by Alejandro Jodorowsky, starring Alejandro Jodorowsky, Amanda Lear, Brontis Jodorowsky, Chris Foss, Christian Vander, reviewed by Karl Quinn, Walter V Addiego, Philippa Hawker, Marc Savlov, Joe Williams, Ann Hornaday, Erick Estrada, Brian Eggert, Richard Crouse, Mike Massie, Jorge Loser, documentary, PG-13 rating, box office gross of $646.5K, produced by Frank Pavich, Stephen Scarlata, Travis Stevens, missed opportunity, sci-fi legend, Frank Herbert’s Dune, storyboard, animation, Pink Floyd, Magma, Salvador Dali, Mick Jagger, Orson Welles, alien, failure, creative vision, dream deferred, ambition, art, ego trip, influence, modern sci-fi, creativity, Best Documentary Feature, sci-fi fan
Worldwide gross: $661,586
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $815,404
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,642
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 88,921
US/Canada gross: $647,280
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $797,772
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,238
US/Canada opening weekend: $36,018
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $44,392
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,247
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
Amanda Lear – self
Brontis Jodorowsky – self
Chris Foss – self
Christian Vander – self
Devin Faraci – self
Frank Pavich – director, producer
Stephen Scarlata – producer
Travis Stevens – producer
Director(s)
Frank Pavich
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Frank Pavich, Stephen Scarlata, Travis Stevens
Film Festivals
Cannes, Telluride, Toronto
Awards & Nominations
12 wins & 27 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (123) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (120) | Rotten (3)
Pavich makes great use of the legendary and massive Dune flipbook Jodorowsky touted around Hollywood in the mid-’70s.
August 31, 2018
Karl Quinn
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Pavich shows us many images from the storyboard, and even treats some to a simple form of animation to suggest how the movie might have looked.
January 4, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
Walter V. Addiego
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
The phantom film is, by its nature, always rich with possibilities.
September 12, 2014 | Rating: 3.5.5
Philippa Hawker
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Frank Pavich’s new documentary on the obsessive Chilean surrealist’s projected epic masterwork is very nearly as marvelous as “Jodo”‘s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel might have been.
May 8, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
This documentary version of Jodorowsky’s “Dune” is probably more entertaining than what Hollywood would have done to it, with a clearer message: Our lives are like sands though an hourglass, so dream the impossible dream.
May 8, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/4
Joe Williams
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
A deeply moving testament to single-minded, indefatigable commitment of creative vision and to an almost spiritual ability to let that vision go, thereby allowing it to exist in the world in an entirely unexpected form.
May 1, 2014
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
An embellished narrative of Alejandro’s [Jodorowsky] caprice to make a film as big as his sacred mountain, as elevated as the narrative of the novel… [Full review in Spanish]
July 1, 2022
Erick Estrada
Cinegarage
While the documentary drools over what might have been, it also aggrandizes Jodorowsky, suggesting that no artist was purer or more revolutionary at the time
February 18, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
For movie geeks it’s an essential glimpse into the mind of a legend.
February 1, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
Despite many staggering images, from a technical standpoint, the documentary is standard at best.
December 4, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
‘Jodorowsky’s Dune’ tells us about the true power of cinema. [Full Review in Spanish]
May 1, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Jorge Loser
Espinof
This documentary is at times like taking what is one of the special features from a DVD or Blu-Ray release and just showing that instead of the movie.
January 11, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Julian Lytle
Punch Drunk Critics…
Plot
The story of cult film director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ambitious but ultimately doomed film adaptation of the seminal science fiction novel.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The documentary features interviews with Alejandro Jodorowsky, Amanda Lear, Brontis Jodorowsky, Chris Foss, Christian Vander, and Devin Faraci.
Frank-Pavich.jpg
94%
Wadjda (2013)
94%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
22 wins & 35 nominations total
Transgressive in the best possible way, Wadjda presents a startlingly assured new voice from a corner of the globe where cinema has been all but silenced.
Wadjda is the kind of movie that makes you want to stand up and cheer for the underdog. It’s a heartwarming story about a young girl who refuses to let societal norms hold her back from achieving her dreams. The film is both thought-provoking and entertaining, with a message that is as relevant today as it was when the movie was first released. Haifaa Al Mansour has created a true masterpiece, and Wadjda is a must-see for anyone who loves great storytelling and inspiring characters.
Production Company(ies)
Razor Film Produktion GmbH, Highlook Communications, Group Rotana Film Production
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic elements, brief mild language and smoking
Year of Release
2013
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 38m
-
Language(s):Arabic
-
Country of origin:United States, Germany, Saudi Arabia
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 13, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 11, 2014
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
Wadjda, PG, Drama, Arabic, Haifaa Al-Mansour, Gerhard Meixner, Roman Paul, Amr Alkahtani, directed by Haifaa Al-Mansour, written by Haifaa Al-Mansour, starring Reem Abdullah, Waad Mohammed, Abdullrahman Al Gohani, Ahd, Sultan Al Assaf, Alanoud Sajini, reviewed by Sarah Mirk, Deborah Ross, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Candice Frederick, Jake Wilson, Sandra Hall, Josh Long, Alex Heeney, Debbie Lynn Elias, Mattie Lucas, Alexa Dalby, Bernard Boo, drama, box office gross $1.4M, PG rating, Saudi Arabia, Koran recitation competition, bicycle, female filmmaker, women’s rights, gender segregation, Muslim culture, oppression, rebellion, Saudi society, politics, elections, spirituality, business school
Worldwide gross: $6,499,169
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $8,256,207
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,027
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 900,350
US/Canada gross: $1,347,747
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,712,108
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,074
US/Canada opening weekend: $41,253
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $52,406
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,197
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
Waad Mohammed – Wadjda
Abdullrahman Al Gohani – Abdullah
Ahd – Ms. Hussa
Sultan Al Assaf – Father
Alanoud Sajini – Fatin
Director(s)
Haifaa Al-Mansour
Writer(s)
Haifaa Al-Mansour
Producer(s)
Gerhard Meixner, Roman Paul, Amr Alkahtani
Film Festivals
Venice, Telluride
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
22 wins & 35 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (122) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (121) | Rotten (1)
Wadjda builds a complex portrait of a place and people around a simple story.
January 20, 2021
Sarah Mirk
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
Though people will talk about how it breaks boundaries and how pioneering it is, that’s not what you most need to know. What you most need to know is that it’s fascinating, involving, moving, an entirely excellent film in its own right.
September 5, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
Determinedly non-preachy, non-bitter and rapturously uplifting.
September 5, 2017 | Rating: 4/5
Larushka Ivan-Zadeh
metro.co.uk
TOP CRITIC
A moving film that is punctuated by two heartening debut performances Wadjda never stops to second guess itself in its intent or declaration.
September 5, 2017 | Rating: A
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
The overall pro-freedom message comes through loud and clear. Rhetorically speaking, the trick of using childish innocence to reveal adult hypocrisy is virtually foolproof.
March 21, 2014 | Rating: 3/5
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
It’s a provocative but credible premise and in exploring it, Al Mansour has come up with an engagingly subversive character. Wadjda is a delight.
March 21, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Films like these are insightful and useful instruments for change.
February 24, 2021
Josh Long
Battleship Pretension
For years, aspiring feminists had Jo March; now, we have Wadjda. [TOP 50 FILMS OF THE DECADE]
December 4, 2019
Alex Heeney
Seventh Row
Haifaa Al Mansour is clearly one those people who will change the world, both within the Arab world and outside. This is Wadjda, hear her roar!!!
November 27, 2019
Debbie Lynn Elias
Behind The Lens
Something kind of radical, a quiet rebuke of repressive religious values that make no sense in a modern world.
August 7, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
Wadjda isn’t angry or sentimental. Rather it ends up being a heart-warming and positive story with some laughs and tears along the way.
June 8, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Alexa Dalby
Dog and Wolf
Wadjda is unstoppable, and the character will no doubt serve to empower many young Saudi girls.
April 11, 2019 | Rating: 8.8/10
Bernard Boo
Way Too Indie…
Plot
A rebellious Saudi girl enters a Koran recitation competition at her school in hopes of winning enough money to buy her own bicycle in the transgressive drama, Wadjda.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Waad Mohammed delivers a captivating performance as the rebellious Saudi girl, Wadjda.
Haifaa-Al-Mansour.jpg
94%
Blackfish (2013)
94%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
6 wins & 41 nominations total
Blackfish is an aggressive, impassioned documentary that will change the way you look at performance killer whales.
If you’re looking for a documentary that will make you laugh and feel good about humanity, Blackfish is not it. But if you want to be educated on the mistreatment of killer whales in captivity and the shady practices of theme parks like SeaWorld, then this is the film for you. It’s a heart-wrenching look at the psychological distress these animals endure, and it will make you think twice about buying a ticket to a killer whale show. Plus, who doesn’t love a good exposé on corporate malfeasance?
Production Company(ies)
CNN Films, Manny O Productions, Sunset Pictures,
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Sea World, San Diego, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements including disturbing and violent images
Year of Release
2013
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 23m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 19, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 12, 2013
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, killer whales, captivity, sea-park industry, nature, intelligent mammals, PG-13, English, Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Manuel Oteyza, Eli B Despres, Tim Zimmerman, box office, Magnolia Pictures, Tilikum, John Hargrove, Samantha Berg, Mark Simmons, Kim Ashdown, Dean Gomersall, reviewed by Roxana Hadadi, Anthony Quinn, Joshua Rothkopf, Jenny McCartney, Geoff Pevere, Thelma Adams, Gem Seddon, Kelechi Ehenulo, Tom Meek, Katie Smith-Wong, Ryan Syrek, Brian D Johnson, starring Tilikum, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, written by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Eli B Despres, Tim Zimmerman, producer Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Manuel Oteyza, genre documentary, budget, MPAA rating PG-13, Lady Bird, The Salt of the Earth, Frances Ha, Blindspotting, The Grand Budapest Hotel, reviewed by critics, produced by Magnolia Pictures, streaming, theaters, TV shows, actors, news, box office performance, audience score, mature thematic elements, disturbing violent images
Worldwide gross: $2,303,417
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,926,141
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,319
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 319,099
US/Canada gross: $2,073,582
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $2,634,171
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,970
US/Canada opening weekend: $75,962
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $96,498
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,948
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
John Hargrove – Self
Samantha Berg – Self
Mark Simmons – Self
Kim Ashdown – Self
Dean Gomersall – Self
Director(s)
Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Writer(s)
Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Eli B. Despres, Tim Zimmerman
Producer(s)
Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Manuel Oteyza
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
6 wins & 41 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (132) | Top Critics (47) | Fresh (130) | Rotten (2)
You won’t forget Cowperthwaite’s documentary, and you shouldn’t.
January 9, 2017 | Rating: 4.5/5
Roxana Hadadi
Punch Drunk Critics
TOP CRITIC
Save the whale? After watching this documentary about the mistreatment of killer whales, you’ll never mock that sentiment again.
January 1, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Anthony Quinn
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A troubling expos of Sea World’s hazardous entertainment trade.
January 1, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Blackfish is a heartbreaking documentary, forensically constructed by Gabriella Cowperthwaite, about the extreme psychological distress of killer whales kept in captivity and used to entertain crowds at venues such as SeaWorld in Orlando.
January 1, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Jenny McCartney
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Blackfish makes an especially strong case for the innate marvel of these animals: that they are smart, social, communicative and loving.
January 1, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Geoff Pevere
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s eye-opening, edge-of-your-seat feature “Blackfish” has it all: an oversized villain, chilling attack footage, corporate malfeasance, and girls in bikinis.
October 31, 2013
Thelma Adams
Yahoo! Movies
TOP CRITIC
This story is one that continues to make waves – should animals be kept in captivity for our entertainment? – making this a must-see Netflix documentary.
February 3, 2022
Gem Seddon
SFX Magazine
After seeing this documentary, it would probably make you think twice about SeaWorld.
July 16, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Kelechi Ehenulo
Confessions From A Geek Mind
An illuminating documentary not only about the cruel conditions that killer whales endure at theme parks such as Sea World, but the biology and psychology of the mysterious and majestic sea wolf.
June 11, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
Blackfish is a well-edited and intriguing documentary, which delivers its message in a subtle yet memorable way. Shows featuring killer wales will never be seen in the same light again.
November 21, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Katie Smith-Wong
Flick Feast
Nothing says “family fun” like aquatic murder and animal mistreatment, right SeaWorld?
August 27, 2019 | Rating: B
Ryan Syrek
The Reader (Omaha, NE)
Blackfish unfolds as a documentary thriller, the portrait of a predator with a string of gruesome homicides on his record. But Tilikum is not cast as a villain like the shark in Jaws.
August 6, 2019
Brian D. Johnson
Maclean’s Magazine…
Plot
Notorious killer whale Tilikum is responsible for the deaths of three individuals, including a top killer whale trainer. Blackfish shows the sometimes devastating consequences of keeping such intelligent and sentient creatures in captivity.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The cast of Blackfish consists of Tilikum, a captive killer whale, and various individuals who worked with or studied him.
Gabriela-Cowperthwaite.jpg
94%
Let The Fire Burn (2013)
94%RT Audience Score: 90%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 12 nominations
Smartly edited and heartbreakingly compelling, Let the Fire Burn uses archival footage to uncover a troubling — and still deeply resonant — chapter in American history.
Let the Fire Burn is a documentary that will leave you feeling like you just watched a thriller movie. Director Jason Osder did an amazing job piecing together archival footage to create a powerful and disturbing account of the deadly police assault on the MOVE collective’s fortified Philadelphia row house. It’s a stark reminder of how dumb and dangerous humans can be, and a searing picture of the clash between constitutional freedoms and social society. But don’t worry, you won’t be bored watching this documentary – it’s scary and intense, and impossible to keep your eyes off of.
Production Company(ies)
Amigo Media,
Distributor
Zeitgeist
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2013
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 28m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 20, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 25, 2014
Genre(s)
Drama/Mystery & Thriller
Keyword(s)
Let the Fire Burn, drama, mystery, thriller, 2012, 1h 28m, directed by Jason Osder, produced by Jason Osder, written by N/A, starring N/A, box office gross $59.0K, Zeitgeist distributor, rated N/A, reviewed by J Hoberman, Zeba Blay, Michael Phillips, Neil Genzlinger, Tom Long, Wesley Morris, Sarah Brinks, Daniel Barnes, C.J Prince, Neely Swanson, Gerald Peary, Ellen Gray, more, filmmaker Jason Osder, prejudice, intolerance, fear, violence, constitutional freedoms, social society, racial conflict, American history, archival footage, troubling, deeply resonant, smartly edited, heartbreakingly compelling, Yossi, Private Life, Shahid, Bridegroom, Wild, rent/buy from $3.99
Worldwide gross: $64,489
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,923
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 3,044
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 8,934
US/Canada gross: $64,489
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $81,923
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,684
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,226
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,639
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,773
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Jason Osder – Producer
Andrew Herwitz – Executive Producer
Nels Bangerter – Film Editing
Director(s)
Jason Osder
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 12 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (46) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (1)
The violent clash between constitutional freedoms and social society, not to mention the racial conflict, make for a very American story.
February 25, 2019
J. Hoberman
ARTINFO.com
TOP CRITIC
There have been many documentaries comprised entirely out of archival footage, but few as powerfully and masterfully structured as this one.
March 28, 2017
Zeba Blay
Shadow and Act
TOP CRITIC
Director Jason Osder’s grieving account of the deadly police assault on the MOVE collective’s fortified Philadelphia row house works small, continuous miracles with a variety of existing footage.
June 13, 2014 | Rating: 4/4
Michael Phillips
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
[Osder] cuts between news footage of the events as they unfurled and testimony from hearings held afterward to create a stark, nonjudgmental portrait of an incident that probably needn’t have happened.
May 13, 2014
Neil Genzlinger
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
“Let the Fire Burn” offers a searing picture of how dumb and dangerous humans can be.
January 23, 2014 | Rating: B
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
It’s scary as both a movie and a still-reverberating moment in time.
December 10, 2013
Wesley Morris
Grantland
TOP CRITIC
Let the Fire Burn is an intense documentary that plays out like a fictional thriller. First time filmmaker Jason Osder hit a homerun his first time out.
February 16, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
Powerful and disturbing.
October 2, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Daniel Barnes
Dare Daniel
Osder’s technique makes this a film that’s impossible to keep your eyes off of, and makes for one of the most effective documentaries to come out this year.
June 22, 2019 | Rating: 7.9/10
C.J. Prince
Way Too Indie
Director Jason Osder has created a film that is an accurate capsule of one extraordinary human rights violation approved and carried out by the political hierarchy of Philadelphia in 1983.
September 18, 2017
Neely Swanson
Easy Reader (California)
[This historic footage — from newsreels, TV stations once-live coverage, from several investigating commissions — has been edited, brilliantly into a coherent, important political film.
June 13, 2014
Gerald Peary
Arts Fuse
It’s a remarkably evenhanded telling of a story in which there could be no winners, using archival footage alone.
May 13, 2014
Ellen Gray
Philadelphia Daily News…
Plot
Let the Fire Burn is a documentary that uses archival footage to explore the violent clash between constitutional freedoms and social society, and the racial conflict that led to the deadly police assault on the MOVE collective’s fortified Philadelphia row house.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
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94%
Muscle Shoals (2013)
94%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 11 nominations
Essential for soul fans and entertaining for novices, Muscle Shoals offers a compelling, warts-and-all glimpse at one of the most fascinating stories in modern American music.
Muscle Shoals is like a musical time machine that takes you back to the birthplace of some of the greatest hits in history. Sure, there are some platitude-spouting rock stars hogging the commentary, but who cares when you’re grooving to the rich, elemental energy of the Muscle Shoals sound? The film does have its touch-and-go moments, but it’s worth enduring them to uncover the wealth of rock ‘n’ roll history within. Plus, any documentary that features Wilson Pickett’s Land of 1000 Dances as its opening track is a winner in my book.
Production Company(ies)
Ear Goggles
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Huntsville, Alabama, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic elements, language, smoking and brief partial nudity
Year of Release
2013
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 51m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 25, 2014
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Muscle Shoals, documentary, soul music, FAME Studios, Alabama, Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, directed by Greg “Freddy” Camalier, produced by Stephen Badger, Alicia Keys, Bono, Jimmy Cliff, reviewed by Brad Newsome, Noah Berlatsky, David Hinckley, Geoffrey Macnab, Mark Kermode, Tara Brady, Jordan M Smith, Andrew Martin, Daniel Green, Megan Basham, Craig D Lindsey, PG rating, box office gross $695.6K, Magnolia Pictures, smoking, language, brief partial nudity, thematic elements, English language, 1h 51m runtime, documentary genre
Worldwide gross: $709,415
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $901,204
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,618
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 98,277
US/Canada gross: $696,241
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $884,468
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,215
US/Canada opening weekend: $13,901
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $17,659
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,556
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
Aretha Franklin – Self
Jerry Carrigan – Self
Alicia Keys – Self
Bono – Self
Jimmy Cliff – Self
Director(s)
Greg “Freddy” Camalier
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Sundance, South by Southwest
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 11 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (87) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (84) | Rotten (3)
It’s fitting that the first track we hear in this celebratory but emotionally dappled documentary is Wilson Pickett’s Land of 1000 Dances. The rich, elemental energy of the recording encapsulates what would become known as the Muscle Shoals sound.
February 12, 2020
Brad Newsome
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
Even with its disappointments, Muscle Shoals can’t help but make a hopeful sound.
August 28, 2019
Noah Berlatsky
The Atlantic
TOP CRITIC
Hall’s backstory, riddled with tragedy, gets the proper attention and respect here. But it’s the music that won’t let you stop watching.
April 21, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
David Hinckley
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Camalier makes an excellent job of combining talking-head interviews with music, anecdotes and folklore.
December 30, 2013 | Rating: 3/5
Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
A galaxy of stars recall the magic of it all, although a little less boring Bono would have been a bonus.
October 28, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Kermode
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
And lo, the musical miscegenation was good.
October 25, 2013 | Rating: 3/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
There is no doubt a variety of editorially rhythmic issues breakdown the musical flow of Muscle Shoals, but endure the touch and go structure and you’ll find a wealth of rock ‘n’ roll history within.
November 4, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/5
Jordan M. Smith
IONCINEMA.com
There is an over-reliance on commentary by platitude-spouting rock stars…but the film’s great virtue is that it will introduce and remind viewers of the wonderfully varied trove of music that came out of these studios.
March 13, 2019
Andrew Martin
The New York Review of Books
It’s the music here that shines brightest, and for fans of any of the artists involved, there’s more than enough great content on show here to get feet tapping and hearts thumping.
March 5, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Daniel Green
CineVue
The movie doesn’t mention the contemporary Christian or gospel albums recorded at his studio. But what’s there is so uplifting it’s still well worth your time.
September 6, 2018
Megan Basham
WORLD
An occasionally doleful but otherwise lively trip, Muscle Shoals is yet another cinematic shout-out to those unsung heroes who came out of nowhere and made music that mattered.
October 25, 2017 | Rating: 3/4
Craig D. Lindsey
INDY Week
Camalier’s tuneful if somewhat overlong anecdotal history does the most justice to the Muscle Shoals sound just by listening to it.
February 4, 2014
Jonathan Kiefer
SF Weekly…
Plot
Located alongside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the unlikely breeding ground for some of America’s most creative and defiant music. Under the spiritual influence of the ‘Singing River’ as Native Americans called it, the music of Muscle Shoals changed the world and sold millions upon millions of copies. At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, he brought black and white together in Alabama’s cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations while giving birth to the ‘Muscle Shoals Sound’ and ‘The Swampers’. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge, Gregg Allman, Clarence Carter, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Bono, and others bear witness to Muscle Shoals’ magnetism, mystery, and why it remains influential today.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Bono makes an appearance as one of the talking heads in the documentary.
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