Only in Theaters (2022)
98%RT Audience Score: 100%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Only in Theaters is a captivating and poignant documentary that explores the legacy of the Laemmle family and their impact on the film industry. With a masterful blend of personal interviews, archival footage, and behind-the-scenes glimpses, the film offers a fascinating look at the challenges and triumphs of running a family-owned theater chain in the modern era. The film is a testament to the enduring power of cinema and the importance of preserving the art of theatrical exhibition. With its insightful commentary and witty observations, Only in Theaters is a must-see for anyone who loves movies and the people who make them.
Only in Theaters is a must-see documentary for anyone who loves movies and the people who make them. It’s like watching a family drama unfold, but instead of fighting over inheritance, they’re fighting to keep their legacy alive in a world that’s constantly changing. The Laemmle family’s passion for cinema is infectious, and you can’t help but root for them as they navigate the ups and downs of running a theater chain. Plus, you’ll learn a thing or two about the history of movie theaters and the importance of supporting independent cinemas. So grab some popcorn and settle in for a heartwarming and informative ride.
Production Company(ies)
Film/TV/Theater, Social
Distributor
The Film Collaborative
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Los Angeles, California, United States; Los Angeles Thirty Mile Zone, California, United States
MPAA / Certificate
NR
Year of Release
2022
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 34m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 2022 Limited
Genre(s)
Documentary/Biography
Keyword(s)
documentary, biography, history, Raphael Sbarge, Thomas Cassetta, Matt Kubas, Freida Orange, Rick Pratt, Allison Anders, Cameron Crowe, Ava DuVernay, Nicole Holofcener, James Ivory, Kenneth Turan, box office, gross USA, limited release, The Film Collaborative, family business, legacy, theatrical exhibition, American Dream, struggles, pandemic, filmgoer, intimate portrait, personal triumphs, challenges, losses, knotty, poignant, beautiful, complicated, changing times, critic reviews, audience reviews, featured audience reviews, TV guides, horror movies, streaming, verified purchase, Fresh Kernels, Tomatometer, feedback, critic submission, licensing, advertise with us, careers, newsletter, Fandango
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend: $6,140
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $6,140
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,769
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $400,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $400,000
Production budget ranking: 2,007
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $215,400
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Cameron Crowe – Self
Ava DuVernay – Self
Nicole Holofcener – Self
James Ivory – Self
Kenneth Turan – Self
Director(s)
Raphael Sbarge
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Thomas Cassetta, Matt Kubas, Freida Orange, Rick Pratt
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (6) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (6)
A fascinating and poignant look at the Laemmle family.
November 30, 2022
Claudia Puig
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
Like a knotty, poignant family business saga you might see on one of their screens, the story here is beautiful and complicated, one in which the twin weights of legacy and calling bear down on the need to survive in changing times.
November 18, 2022
Robert Abele
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
It’s not a film about how important theatrical exhibition is for filmmakers (though that is nice too). Rather, it’s an intimate portrait of a man burdened by legacy, navigating uncharted waters, not even sure that he wants to.
November 16, 2022
Katie Walsh
TheWrap
TOP CRITIC
I felt like I was watching a family’s home movie… A celebration of people to whom we owe an enormous debt.
November 30, 2022
Wade Major
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
Watching how it was a struggle to get people into the seats even before the pandemic and all the stress that Greg and Tish Laemmle endure is a little tough to watch at times, but Only in Theaters is essential viewing for every filmgoer.
November 19, 2022
Jason Delgado
Film Threat
Only In Theaters isn’t just a celebration of the Laemmles and their love of sharing cinema but the American Dream.
November 16, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies…
Plot
Laemmle Theatres, the 84-year-old arthouse cinema chain in Los Angeles, is facing seismic change and downward pressure. Yet the family behind this multigenerational business, whose sole mission has been to support the art of film, is determined to see it survive.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Allison Anders, one of the stars of Only in Theaters, is a filmmaker and screenwriter known for her work on films such as Gas Food Lodging and Mi Vida Loca.
Raphael-Sbarge.jpg
98%
Ikiru (1956)
98%RT Audience Score: 97%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award
5 wins & 2 nominations total
Ikiru is a well-acted and deeply moving humanist tale about a man facing his own mortality, one of legendary director Akira Kurosawa’s most intimate films.
If you’re in the mood for a flick that’ll make you feel all the feels, then Ikiru is the movie for you. It’s a real tear-jerker about a dude who’s coming to terms with his own mortality. And let me tell you, the acting is top-notch. You’ll be blown away by how deeply moving this film is. It’s one of those movies that’ll stick with you long after the credits roll. And get this, it’s directed by the legendary Akira Kurosawa himself! This guy knows how to make a movie, and Ikiru is one of his most intimate films. So grab some tissues and get ready to feel all the feels.
Production Company(ies)
Toho Company,
Distributor
Brandon Films Inc., Cowboy Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Japan
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1956
-
Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 23m
-
Language(s):Japanese
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 25, 1956 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 6, 2004
Genre(s)
Drama/LGBTQ+
Keyword(s)
drama, lgbtq+, Akira Kurosawa, Takashi Shimura, Miki Odagiri, Kyôko Seki, Sojiro Motoki, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni, box office, budget, reviewed by Kenji Fujishima, Keith Uhlich, Dorothy Masters, James Berardinelli, Mark Chalon Smith, Richard Brody, David Parkinson, Michael Roemer, Grant Watson, Brian Eggert, P.S Harrison, Nicholas Bell, Jack Parr, directed by Akira Kurosawa, written by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni, produced by Sojiro Motoki, MPAA rating, Japanese, humanist tale, mortality, cancer, communication, heartbreak, playground, slum neighborhood, peaceful acceptance, sound mix, mono, aspect ratio, Academy (1.33:1)
Worldwide gross: $96,302
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,194,735
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,554
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 130,287
US/Canada gross: $60,239
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $747,333
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,247
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,149
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $26,661
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,412
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
Miki Odagiri – Toyo Odagiri
Kyôko Seki – Kazue Watanabe, Mitsuo’s wife
Akira Kurosawa – Director
Sojiro Motoki – Producer
Akira Kurosawa – Screenwriter
Director(s)
Akira Kurosawa
Writer(s)
Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni
Producer(s)
Sojiro Motoki
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award
5 wins & 2 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (1)
Kurosawa’s masterpiece endures, still finding new ways to scare me and speak to me after all this time. —Guest post by Kenji Fujishima
June 10, 2022
Keith Uhlich
(All (Parentheses))
TOP CRITIC
[Kurosawa] is implemented with satirical brilliance and fine human interest… Lassitude in bureaucracy and skullduggery in politics are here to stay, he concedes, and only does the soul of man transcend his frailties.
September 22, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Dorothy Masters
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
A thoughtful, existential meditation about the meaning of life and what constitutes a life well-lived, Ikiru is almost guaranteed to prod the viewer to examine his or her own mortality and ponder how, in the end, the scales will tip.
June 7, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
It illuminates a reeling society while telling a story of deep human emotion.
June 12, 2020
Mark Chalon Smith
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Kurosawa achieves the piercing emotion and poetry of the Italian neorealists, but by opposite means: he doesn’t make the camera disappear; instead… he deploys his camera so sharply and unerringly that it seems to take X-rays of the spirit.
April 8, 2016
Richard Brody
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Meticulously constructed, beautifully played and poignant.
April 27, 2009 | Rating: 5/5
David Parkinson
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
A moving and extraordinary document of our time and its urban civilization.
July 6, 2022
Michael Roemer
The Reporter
Personally and in the end all film reviews are personal ones Ikiru simply failed to fully impress me. Kurosawa had done better, and would go on to do much better, in the future.
April 26, 2022 | Rating: 6/10
Grant Watson
Fiction Machine
A heartbreaking masterpiece that will inspire self-reflection, even a severe alteration of lifestyle in every viewer, the beautiful Ikiru is among the greatest, most life-affirming motion pictures ever made.
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Celebrated director Akira Kurosawa fashioned not only a penetrating study of a man’s last days, but a brilliant commentary on middle class life and beauracracy that is universally understood.
June 7, 2021
P.S. Harrison
Harrison’s Reports
Moving without being sentimental, Kurosawa reaches the sort of emotional depths akin to early Frank Capra films, where cynicism was pushed aside by the integrity of the human spirit.
October 20, 2020 | Rating: 4.5/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
Kurosawa makes his worst mistake In treating what Is essentially lightweight, hock stuff in a ponderous and reverent manner.
September 1, 2020
Jack Parr
Winnipeg Free Press…
Plot
Kanji Watanabe is a civil servant. He has worked in the same department for 30 years. His life is pretty boring and monotonous, though he once used to have passion and drive. Then one day he discovers that he has stomach cancer and has less than a year to live. After the initial depression he sets about living for the first time in over 20 years. Then he realises that his limited time left is not just for living life to the full but to leave something meaningful behind…
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels does not provide any goofy, funny, or odd comments about the film or its cast.
Akira-Kurosawa.jpg
98%
Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
98%RT Audience Score: 95%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 2 Oscars
7 wins & 9 nominations total
Clever, incisive, and funny, Singin’ in the Rain is a masterpiece of the classical Hollywood musical.
Singin’ in the Rain is like a big ol’ bowl of popcorn – you just can’t get enough of it! This movie is a total classic, with all the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood. The songs are catchy, the dance numbers are jaw-dropping, and the humor is on point. It’s like the filmmakers took all the best parts of a musical and crammed them into one epic masterpiece. If you’re looking for a feel-good movie that will have you tapping your toes and grinning from ear to ear, Singin’ in the Rain is the way to go. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios – 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Re-Issue from 1952
Year of Release
1952
-
Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 42m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 10, 1952 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 24, 2002
Genre(s)
Comedy/Musical
Keyword(s)
starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell, Rita Moreno, directed by Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, written by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, produced by Arthur Freed, comedy, musical, G rating, classical Hollywood musical, box office gross USA $23.9K, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, Jake Cole, Ed Potton, Peter Bradshaw, Ben Flanagan, Anthony Lane, Douglas Davidson, Don Shanahan, Amanda Mazzillo, Brian Eggert, Howard McClay, Hortense Morton, masterpiece, spoof, silent movies, sound, turmoil, movie industry, chorus girl, dubbing, singing, dancing, tap-dancing, Hollywood, 1920s, production design, visual and auditory ravishments, Moses Supposes, Charleston numbers, rain dance, Hollywood premiere, romantic-comedy, ode to Hollywood’s past, joy, artistry, choreography, execution, LaLaLand, inspiration, warm, funny, visual splendor, creative energy, catchy songs, great plot, story, characters, top horror movies, MCU movies, renewed and cancelled TV shows, best Netflix series, freshest reviews, news
Worldwide gross: $1,923,485
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $24,441,035
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,632
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,665,325
US/Canada gross: $1,884,537
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $23,946,136
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,350
US/Canada opening weekend: $13,643
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $173,357
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,717
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $2,540,800
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $32,285,035
Production budget ranking: 1,113
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $17,385,491
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$25,229,492
ROI to date (est.): -51%
ROI ranking: 1,695
Debbie Reynolds – Kathy Selden
Donald O’Connor – Cosmo Brown
Jean Hagen – Lina Lamont
Millard Mitchell – R.F. Simpson
Rita Moreno – Zelda Zanders
Director(s)
Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Writer(s)
Betty Comden, Adolph Green
Producer(s)
Arthur Freed
Film Festivals
Berlin
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 2 Oscars
7 wins & 9 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (72) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (72)
To put it bluntly, this is one of the funniest films ever made.
May 20, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
Warner Bros. gives its greatest musical yet another substantial home-video upgrade with a gorgeous 4K disc that maximizes the films visual and auditory ravishments.
April 26, 2022
Jake Cole
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Is Singin’ in the Rain the finest movie musical of them all? There are none better in my book.
October 20, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Ed Potton
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The unstoppable joy of the musical numbers, especially with O’Connor, is what never fails to seduce – perhaps especially in Moses Supposes.
October 18, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Effervescent, life-affirming cinema… an antidote to any ailment, illness, or woes about the state of Hollywood.
October 17, 2019 | Rating: 5/5
Ben Flanagan
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Tap-dancing has never looked so unstoppable, nor so liquid: most tappers clench up and hammer away like road-drills, but these two sway their hips and laugh off the effort.
January 4, 2018
Anthony Lane
Independent on Sunday
TOP CRITIC
… it sweeps you off your feet, wrapping you in a warm blanket constructed of song and dance numbers that make you feel like you can run up a wall, jump, and land on your feet.
May 19, 2022
Douglas Davidson
Elements of Madness
That iconic imagery of Gene twirling, tapping, stomping, and splashing around lamp posts, puddles, and sidewalks while crooning is fixed in Hollywood legend, but “Singin in the Rain” has a lot more going on than just that one song-and-dance number.
May 1, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Don Shanahan
25YL (25 Years Later)
Singin in the Rain makes you feel transported to Hollywood of the 1920s through beautiful production design highlighting the beauty of an era of black and white film with vibrant colors that feel fitting of that period.
March 8, 2022
Amanda Mazzillo
Amanda Mazzillo’s Cinematic Adventures
Long before his arrival in Hollywood, Kelly aspired to blend dance with narrative and, with the technical assistance of Donen to realize his vision, he finally achieved his goal with Singin in the Rain.
February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Bristling with the old Arthur Freed production touch, this MGM Technicolor movie is entertaining in all departments and proves to be a top vehicle for the talents of Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor.
July 7, 2021
Howard McClay
Illustrated Daily News (Los Angeles)
Let’s not overlook the Charleston numbers, Kelly’s rain dance in the street, the fabulous Hollywood premiere, the innumerable ribs Hollywood gives itself… Director Stanley Donen (and Kelly) and Producer Arthur Freed, who has done it again.
July 7, 2021
Hortense Morton (Screen Scout)
San Francisco Examiner…
Plot
1927 Hollywood. Monumental Pictures’ biggest stars, glamorous on-screen couple Lina Lamont and Don Lockwood, are also an off-screen couple if the trade papers and gossip columns are to be believed. Both perpetuate the public perception if only to please their adoring fans and bring people into the movie theaters. In reality, Don barely tolerates her, while Lina, despite thinking Don beneath her, simplemindedly believes what she sees on screen in order to bolster her own stardom and sense of self-importance. R.F. Simpson, Monumental’s head, dismisses what he thinks is a flash in the pan: talking pictures. It isn’t until The Jazz Singer (1927) becomes a bona fide hit which results in all the movie theaters installing sound equipment that R.F. knows Monumental, most specifically in the form of Don and Lina, have to jump on the talking picture bandwagon, despite no one at the studio knowing anything about the technology. Musician Cosmo Brown, Don’s best friend, gets hired as Monumental’s ideas man and musical director. And by this time, Don has secretly started dating Kathy Selden, a chorus girl who is trying to make it big in pictures herself. Don and Kathy’s relationship is despite their less than friendly initial meeting. Cosmo and Kathy help Don, who had worked his way up through the movie ranks to stardom, try make the leap to talking picture stardom, with Kathy following along the way. However, they have to overcome the technological issues. But the bigger problem is Lina, who will do anything to ensure she also makes the successful leap into talking pictures, despite her own inabilities and at anyone and everyone else’s expense if they get in her way, especially Kathy as Don’s off screen girlfriend and possibly his new talking picture leading lady.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Gene Kelly not only starred in Singin’ in the Rain, but also co-directed the film with Stanley Donen.
Stanley-Donen.jpg
98%
Forrest Gump (1994)
98%RT Audience Score: 95%
Awards & Nominations: Won 6 Oscars
50 wins & 75 nominations total
Forrest Gump may be an overly sentimental film with a somewhat problematic message, but its sweetness and charm are usually enough to approximate true depth and grace.
Forrest Gump, man. It’s like, yeah, it’s a little sappy and maybe not the most politically correct, but dang if it doesn’t just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It’s got that certain je ne sais quoi that just makes you want to hug your loved ones and appreciate the little things in life. Sure, it’s not exactly a masterpiece of cinema, but who cares when you’re having a good time? Plus, Tom Hanks is just a national treasure and he kills it as Forrest. So yeah, if you’re in the mood for a feel-good flick that’ll make you laugh, cry, and maybe even think a little bit, give Forrest Gump a shot. You won’t regret it.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, The Steve Tisch Company, Wendy Finerman Productions,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Chippewa Square, Savannah, Georgia, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for drug content, some sensuality and war violence
Year of Release
1994
-
Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Dolby SR SDDS Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 22m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 6, 1994 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 28, 2001
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field, Rebecca Williams, directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Winston Groom, Eric Roth, comedy, drama, PG-13, box office gross $330.3M, reviewed by Leslie Felperin, Nigel Andrews, Eric Kohn, Stanley Kauffmann, Duane Byrge, Jay Carr, Cory Woodroof, Sarah Brinks, Mike Massie, Danielle Solzman, Forrest Gump, Vietnam War, shrimp boat, college football, childhood love, sweet but troubled, childlike optimism, sentimental film, problematic message, sweetness, charm, true depth, grace, soundtrack, American history, innocence, supporting roles, violence, nudity, sentimental, special effects, sad music, classic, horror movies, MCU movies, Netflix series, TV shows
Worldwide gross: $678,226,133
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,372,136,500
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 59
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 149,633,206
US/Canada gross: $330,455,270
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $668,552,442
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 42
US/Canada opening weekend: $24,450,602
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $49,466,633
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 235
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $55,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $111,271,896
Production budget ranking: 338
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $59,919,916
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,200,944,689
ROI to date (est.): 702%
ROI ranking: 178
Robin Wright – Jenny Curran
Gary Sinise – Lt. Dan Taylor
Mykelti Williamson – Pvt. Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue
Sally Field – Mrs. Gump
Rebecca Williams – Nurse at park bench
Director(s)
Robert Zemeckis
Writer(s)
Winston Groom, Eric Roth
Producer(s)
Wendy Finerman, Steve Starkey, Steve Tisch
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 6 Oscars
50 wins & 75 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (106) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (75) | Rotten (31)
It’s too specific to be a proper allegory, and too vague to provide a satisfactorily millennial perspective on the last 50 years. Neither is it caustic enough to make one cry, nor soppy enough to make one laugh.
February 6, 2020
Leslie Felperin
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Self-ingratiatingly, and for this viewer maddeningly, it blends the comic with the Christly, the satirical with the sentimental, the free-thinking with the fuddy-duddy.
February 4, 2020
Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
It remains a bad movie that gets worse with age.
July 5, 2019
Eric Kohn
indieWire
TOP CRITIC
I can’t see how people with low I.Q.s or those who love them are in any way comforted by all this hogwash. I can easily see how such people might be offended by its smug unreality.
February 21, 2019
Stanley Kauffmann
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
Contrasting Forrest’s unassuming innocence with the upheavals and rancor of the times, the film is a wisely goofy commentary on the stupidity of smartness.
July 9, 2018
Duane Byrge
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
Forrest Gump, the new Tom Hanks movie directed by Robert Zemeckis, is a one-of-a-kind treat.
April 26, 2018
Jay Carr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Forrest Gump remains an American staple thanks to Tom Hanks’ affecting performance and Robert Zemeckis’ ability to canvass history with a galavanting story about patriotic perseverance and optimism.
June 28, 2022
Cory Woodroof
Williamson Home Page
Seeing this 1994 winner of Best Picture in 2022, immediately reminded me of how far cinema has come in portraying the “different amongst us”.
May 8, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
James Wegg
JWR
The performance I had forgotten was Sally Field as Mama. As always Field brings commitment and passion to her role and she is great as the protective but empowering mother of a special needs child.
April 1, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
Its timelessness, poignancy, and hilarity are infectiously powerful.
September 13, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Forrest Gump may have its own problems some 26 years later but the film features one heck of a soundtrack.
July 6, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
The narrative is so programmed it is like watching software. Forrest Gump is a medley of sound bites-clever, cute, amusing, silly, sentimental-and irritatingly phony…
February 6, 2020
Brian D. Johnson
Maclean’s Magazine…
Plot
Forrest Gump is a simple man with a low I.Q. but good intentions. He is running through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His ‘mama’ teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, starts a ping-pong craze, creates the smiley, writes bumper stickers and songs, donates to people and meets the president several times. However, this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny Curran, who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Tom Hanks delivers an “affecting performance” as Forrest Gump, according to Fresh Kernels.
Robert-Zemeckis.jpg
98%
Schindler’s List (1993)
98%RT Audience Score: 97%
Awards & Nominations: Won 7 Oscars
91 wins & 49 nominations total
Schindler’s List blends the abject horror of the Holocaust with Steven Spielberg’s signature tender humanism to create the director’s dramatic masterpiece.
Schindler’s List is like a rollercoaster ride of emotions, but instead of loops and drops, it’s a gut-wrenching journey through the horrors of the Holocaust. Steven Spielberg really outdid himself with this one, managing to balance the heart-wrenching tragedy with his signature touch of humanity. It’s like watching a beautiful painting being slowly destroyed, but somehow still managing to find hope in the midst of the destruction. This movie is a true masterpiece, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful cinematic experiences of all time.
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment,
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp, Oswiecim, Malopolskie, Poland
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, some sexuality and actuality violence
Year of Release
1994
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:3h 15m
-
Language(s):English, Hebrew, German, Polish, Latin
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 15, 1993 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2008
Genre(s)
History/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Embeth Davidtz, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Steven Zaillian, produced by Branko Lustig, Gerald R Molen, Steven Spielberg, History, Drama, R rating, box office gross $96.6M, reviewed by Eleanor Ringel Cater, Susan Stark, Henry Sheehan, Michael H Price, Joe Pollack, Philip Strick, James Wegg, Quentin Falk, Ron Weiskind, Lawrence Toppman, Steve Persall, Holocaust, World War II, Nazi party, Jewish workers, Krakow ghetto, Amon Goeth, Itzhak Stern, Emilie Schindler, Poldek Pfefferberg, Helen Hirsch, Dolby Atmos, Stereo, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Universal Pictures
Worldwide gross: $322,161,245
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $651,772,590
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 199
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 71,076,618
US/Canada gross: $96,898,818
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $196,038,458
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 361
US/Canada opening weekend: $656,636
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $1,328,457
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,249
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $22,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $44,508,758
Production budget ranking: 876
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $23,967,966
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $583,295,865
ROI to date (est.): 852%
ROI ranking: 149
Ben Kingsley – Itzhak Stern
Ralph Fiennes – Amon Goeth
Caroline Goodall – Emilie Schindler
Jonathan Segal – Poldek Pfefferberg
Embeth Davidtz – Helen Hirsch
Director – Steven Spielberg
Producer – Branko Lustig, Gerald R. Molen, Steven Spielberg
Writer – Steven Zaillian
Director(s)
Steven Spielberg
Writer(s)
Steven Zaillian
Producer(s)
Branko Lustig, Gerald R. Molen, Steven Spielberg
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 7 Oscars
91 wins & 49 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (129) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (126) | Rotten (3)
Using every ounce of his awe some technical skill, the man who sent T. rex and Indiana Jones racing through our imagination brings us a story of human horror beyond imagination.
April 15, 2021
Eleanor Ringel Cater
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
Once in a very great while, a movie insinuates itself so deeply into your consciousness that it offers not vicarious experience but instead, direct experience. Steven Spielberg’s heartfelt, monumental Schindler’s List is such a movie.
April 15, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Susan Stark
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
This is a movie that succeeds brilliantly not just in bringing a terrible chapter in history back to life, but in meticulously depicting the processes through which a self-obsessed and immature man becomes integrated and responsible.
April 15, 2021 | Rating: A
Henry Sheehan
Orange County Register
TOP CRITIC
There are enough “Spielbergian” set pieces and incidental touches to keep Schindler accessible to those who believe that the best Spielberg is the perky Spielberg of the E.T. and Indiana Jones romps.
April 15, 2021 | Rating: 8/10
Michael H. Price
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
TOP CRITIC
Liam Neeson is a splendid Schindler, tall, handsome, devil-may-care and a poker-playing genius. Ben Kingsley, as Itzhak Stern, Schindler’s accountant and chief aide, is as brilliant as ever, and Ralph Fiennes is evil and powerful as Amon Goeth.
April 15, 2021
Joe Pollack
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
A near-documentary, brilliantly designed and choreographed, [and] a character study in which Ralph Fiennes, the winningly urbane Liam Neeson, and the magnificently impassive Ben Kingsley attain a memorable dramatic intensity.
April 15, 2021
Philip Strick
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
It’s a bad business
May 5, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
James Wegg
JWR
Steven Spielberg’s triumphant Schindler’s List is a remarkable and moving memorial to an historical Holocaust. It is also a timely reminder of what genocide and “ethnic cleansing” really mean. But, above all, it is a cracking movie.
March 7, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Quentin Falk
Sunday Mirror (UK)
How does one comprehend the magnitude of the Holocaust? Remarkably, Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List defines the horror of Hitler’s “final solution” on vividly human terms without diminishing its scope or impact.
April 15, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Ron Weiskind
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Few films have ever dealt so chillingly with what philosopher Hannah Arendt called “the banality of evil.”
April 15, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Lawrence Toppman
Charlotte Observer
A towering cinematic accomplishment from director Steven Spielberg that left all other 1993 films in its wake.
April 15, 2021 | Rating: A+
Steve Persall
Tampa Bay Times
Spielberg’s dazzlingly modulated epic Schindler’s List is nothing less than astonishing.
April 15, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Michael MacCambridge
Austin American-Statesman…
Plot
Oskar Schindler is a vain and greedy German businessman who becomes an unlikely humanitarian amid the barbaric German Nazi reign when he feels compelled to turn his factory into a refuge for Jews. Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler who managed to save about 1100 Jews from being gassed at the Auschwitz concentration camp, it is a testament to the good in all of us.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Liam Neeson delivers his best performance to date as the layered Schindler.
Steven-Spielberg.jpg
98%
Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka) (1988)
98%RT Audience Score: 95%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins
An achingly sad anti-war film, Grave of the Fireflies is one of Studio Ghibli’s most profoundly beautiful, haunting works.
If you’re in the mood for a good cry, then Grave of the Fireflies is the movie for you. This anti-war flick from Studio Ghibli is seriously beautiful and haunting. It’s the kind of movie that will stick with you long after the credits roll. But fair warning, you might need a box of tissues handy.
Production Company(ies)
Shinchosha Company, Studio Ghibli,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1989
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):Japanese
-
Country of origin:Japan
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Mar 11, 2017
Genre(s)
Drama/War
Keyword(s)
Grave of the Fireflies, drama, war, anime, J Robert Spencer, Rhoda Chrosite, Isao Takahata, Toru Hara, written by Isao Takahata, directed by Isao Takahata, produced by Toru Hara, reviewed by Glenn Kenny, Chris Cabin, James Berardinelli, Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Steve Rose, Richard Propes, Sergio Benítez, Charles Webb, Christopher Runyon, David Nusair, Brian Gibson, 100% Tomatometer, 95% audience score, box office performance, budget, MPAA rating, anti-war film, Studio Ghibli, haunting, survival, tragedy, natural beauty, human spirit, childhood, Allied firebombing, World War II, teenager, younger sister, care, mother, aunt
Worldwide gross: $516,962
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,259,719
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,542
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 137,374
US/Canada gross: $516,962
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,259,719
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,130
US/Canada opening weekend: $158,101
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $385,256
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,467
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,700,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $9,016,056
Production budget ranking: 1,714
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $4,855,146
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$12,611,484
ROI to date (est.): -91%
ROI ranking: 1,966
Rhoda Chrosite – Setsuko (Voice)
Amy Jones – Aunt (Voice)
Kathleen McInerney – Mother (Voice)
Isao Takahata – Director, Screenwriter
Director(s)
Isao Takahata
Writer(s)
Isao Takahata
Producer(s)
Toru Hara
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (40)
One of the most startling and moving animated films ever.
January 3, 2019
Glenn Kenny
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
Isao Takahata makes survival the thematic core of the story, but he never degrades his characters or fetishizes their suffering.
December 30, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
Chris Cabin
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Some movies are such singular achievements that they deserve to be seen at least once by everyone who considers himself or herself to be a lover of film. Grave of the Fireflies falls into that exclusive category.
December 28, 2018 | Rating: 4/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
Once seen, this is seared in your heart, deep as your worst relationship break-up.
September 5, 2017 | Rating: 5/5
Larushka Ivan-Zadeh
metro.co.uk
TOP CRITIC
We’re so used to seeing the human spirit triumph. Here, we’re allowed to understand how it might fail.
May 24, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Charlotte O’Sullivan
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
There are magical moments of natural beauty and childish delight, too – which only make the tragedy even more harrowing.
May 23, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Steve Rose
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
There is no aspect of this film that doesn’t work beautifully.
September 9, 2020 | Rating: 4.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
It is not difficult to assume the qualification of Masterpiece that deserves one of the best films ever filmed about the war. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 29, 2019
Sergio Benítez
Espinof
This film isn’t easy to watch but it’s essential viewing among the great works of animation–or really of all film, for that matter.
July 3, 2018
Charles Webb
MTV
Isao Takahata’s masterpiece is one of the most profound anti-war statements ever brought to cinema
February 20, 2014 | Rating: A+
Christopher Runyon
Movie Mezzanine
…a well-made and heartfelt drama that’s just not as engrossing as it should be.
November 30, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Such odd hopefulness, flitting around a child, mixed with the overwhelmingly sad, pervades Isao Takahata’s film. And all around Seita and Setsuko, nature, in the face of human destruction and tragedy, persists in its beauty.
July 11, 2013
Brian Gibson
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)…
Plot
Grave of the Fireflies follows a teenager who must care for his younger sister after their home is destroyed and their mother is killed during an Allied firebombing in World War II.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features the voice talents of J. Robert Spencer and Rhoda Chrosite.
Isao-Takahata.jpg
98%
Stop Making Sense (1984)
98%RT Audience Score: 97%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 1 nomination
Stop Making Sense is a cinematic masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of the concert film genre. Jonathan Demme’s direction and David Byrne’s performance are a match made in heaven, resulting in a visually stunning and musically exhilarating experience. The film captures the essence of Talking Heads’ unique sound and style, blending punk, funk, art, and avant-garde into a cohesive and unforgettable performance. Demme’s love for musical performance is evident in every frame, and Byrne’s spiritual presence on stage is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Stop Making Sense is a true celebration of music and art, and a testament to the power of live performance.
Stop Making Sense is the concert film that will make you want to dance like nobody’s watching (even if you’re in your living room). With David Byrne’s magnetic energy and the Talking Heads’ eclectic sound, this movie is a pure joyride from start to finish. It’s no wonder why it’s considered one of the greatest concert films ever made – it’s a perfect blend of artistry, passion, and pure fun. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready to stop making sense!
Production Company(ies)
Talking Heads Arnold Stiefel Company,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Pantages Theater – 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
1984
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:NA
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Oct 26, 1999
Genre(s)
Documentary/Music
Keyword(s)
starring David Byrne, directed by Jonathan Demme, written by Talking Heads, documentary, music, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Betsy Sharkey, produced by Gary Goetzman, MPAA rating, Hollywood Pantages Theatre, concert movie, David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, backup singers, acoustic guitar, bass, percussion, keyboards, vocals, color, visual wit, energetic, unpredictable, peak Talking Heads, iconic performance, enormous suit, punk, funk, art, avant-garde, postmodernist rock ‘n’ roll, intimate look, brilliant talking head, narrative, bits of invention, passion, celluloid, rock orgy, volcanic power, greatest concert film ever made, spiritual performance, life-affirming joyride, endless love of musical performance, accessible, arty, precise, loopy, urgent, enticingly, perfect
Worldwide gross: $5,108,872
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $14,960,456
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,818
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,631,456
US/Canada gross: $5,095,592
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $14,921,567
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,497
US/Canada opening weekend: $41,666
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $122,012
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,860
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,200,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $3,513,994
Production budget ranking: 1,961
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,892,286
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $9,554,175
ROI to date (est.): 177%
ROI ranking: 695
Alex Weir – Guitar and Vocals
Steven Scales – Percussion
Lynn Mabry – Backing Vocals
Ednah Holt – Backing Vocals
Tina Weymouth – Bass, Percussion and Vocals
Director(s)
Jonathan Demme
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Gary Goetzman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (40)
Talking Heads made for great material, with its revolutionary mash-up of punk, funk, art, avant-garde and other sounds. But what sets “Stop” apart is the intimate look at that brilliant talking head, lead singer David Byrne.
July 16, 2020
Betsy Sharkey
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Truly captivating entertainment.
July 16, 2020
Ian Freer
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
It’s a treat for fans (Heads heads?), and a chance for the uninitiated to tune in to the band that has come to personify postmodernist rock ‘n’ roll.
January 2, 2018
Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Stop Making Sense is a concert film with a narrative, bursting at the seams with bits of invention and passion.
December 22, 2009 | Rating: 3.5/4
Chuck Bowen
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
This movie is pure fun and sheer exuberance transferred onto celluloid and perfectly re-created at the other end. Experiencing what Demme and the Talking Heads have crafted with this motion picture makes perfect sense.
June 10, 2008 | Rating: 4/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
A quietly large achievement.
February 9, 2006
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
A rock orgy of volcanic power, and the greatest concert film ever made.
August 30, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
It’s Byrne’s spiritual performance that pulls us in and takes us on a life-affirming joyride.
February 8, 2020
Sean Price
The Spool
Stop Making Sense brilliantly represents Demme’s endless love of musical performance and gleeful urgency.
August 21, 2018
Glenn Heath Jr.
San Diego CityBeat
Byrne is the auteur here; Demme is the rare, generous sort of filmmaker who would emphasize that.
May 6, 2017 | Rating: 4/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
Like Talking Heads itself, Jonathan Demme’s landmark 1984 film is accessible and arty. In less skilled hands, it would simply feel alien and cold, not vibrantly and enthrallingly alive.
May 8, 2014 | Rating: 4.5/5
Nick Rogers
The Film Yap
It’s all so precise even as it is totally loopy, and the music pressed up in our face so urgently and enticingly, that the movie is as close to perfect as it gets.
September 1, 2013 | Rating: 10/10
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy…
Plot
David Byrne walks onto the stage and does a solo “Psycho Killer.” Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz join him for two more songs. The crew is busy, still setting up. Then, three more musicians and two back-up singers join the band. Everybody sings, plays, harmonizes, dances, and runs. They change instruments and clothes. Bryne appears in the Big Suit. The backdrop is often black, but sometimes it displays words, images, or children’s drawings. The band cooks for 18 songs, the lyrics are clear, the house rocks. In this concert film, the Talking Heads hardly talk, don’t stop, and always make sense.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features Talking Heads frontman David Byrne in an iconic performance featuring him in an enormous suit.
Jonathan-Demme.jpg
98%
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
98%RT Audience Score: 96%
Awards & Nominations: Won 5 Oscars
37 wins & 24 nominations total
Featuring bravura set pieces, sly humor, and white-knuckle action, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consummately entertaining adventure pictures of all time.
If you’re looking for a movie that’s got it all – action, humor, and some seriously impressive stunts – then Raiders of the Lost Ark is the flick for you. This adventure-packed film is seriously entertaining, and it’s no wonder it’s considered one of the best of all time. From the heart-pumping action scenes to the clever jokes, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and get ready for a wild ride with Indiana Jones.
Production Company(ies)
Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Sidi Bouhlel, Tozeur, Tunisia
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1981
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 55m
-
Language(s):English, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic, Nepali
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 12, 1981 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 13, 2008
Genre(s)
Adventure/Action
Keyword(s)
starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Wolf Kahler, Ronald Lacey, John Rhys-Davies, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas, Philip Kaufman, adventure, action, PG rating, box office success, Frank Marshall as producer, reviewed by David Denby, Scott Cain, Zaki Hasan, Bob Thomas, Arthur Knight, Bruce McCabe, Allison Rose, Frank J Avella, Brian Eggert, Alan French, Dennis Schwartz, Matt Brunson, Indiana Jones, archeologist, occult, U.S Government, ark of the covenant, Ten Commandments, Hitler’s agents, Nepal, Cairo, bravura set pieces, sly humor, white-knuckle action, consummately entertaining, hair’s-breadth escapes, tension, great spirit of high adventure, good humor, museum, rousing action-adventure fun, perfectly cast Harrison Ford, enduring action adventure film, genre classic, original popcorn summer blockbuster, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Lawrence Kasdan, Philip Kaufman, Raiders of the Lost Ark
Worldwide gross: $389,925,971
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,313,773,039
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 61
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 143,268,597
US/Canada gross: $248,159,971
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $836,122,504
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 27
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,305,823
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,984,713
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 494
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $18,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $60,647,191
Production budget ranking: 670
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $32,658,512
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,220,467,336
ROI to date (est.): 1,308%
ROI ranking: 87
Karen Allen – Marion Ravenwood
Paul Freeman – Rene Belloq
Wolf Kahler – Dietrich
Ronald Lacey – Toht
John Rhys-Davies – Sallah
Director(s)
Steven Spielberg
Writer(s)
Lawrence Kasdan, George Lucas, Philip Kaufman
Producer(s)
Frank Marshall
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 5 Oscars
37 wins & 24 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Art Direction Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Editing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Visual Effects Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (89) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (85) | Rotten (4)
Spielberg has made a pure-fun extravaganza that is like a thirties serial, only grander, funnier, and blessedly free of interruptions.
June 17, 2022
David Denby
New York Magazine/Vulture
TOP CRITIC
Sensational… Under Steven Spielberg’s witty and brisk direction, “Raiders” depicts more hair’s-breadth escapes than would seem possible in a two-hour movie. This is a terrific moviegoing experience.
November 9, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Scott Cain
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
TOP CRITIC
To quote the man himself in one of his sequels, ‘It belongs in a museum.’
June 15, 2021
Zaki Hasan
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Entertainment that propels the audience inexorably from one excitement to the next.
October 17, 2018 | Rating: 3/4
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
It’s all done with such a great spirit of high adventure and good humor that you don’t even begin to count the corpses… The finale suggests that Ford’s Indiana Jones character will soon be back with further adventures, and I’m all in favor of it.
June 12, 2018
Arthur Knight
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
Raiders is an assured, relaxed, impressive work. It’s almost impossible to resist. It’s no more substantial than cotton candy — but it’s easily the best piece of entertainment Hollywood has produced in 1981.
April 26, 2018
Bruce McCabe
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
For Ford, portraying Indiana Jones offered some similarities to his role as Hans Solo while one major glaring difference was the addition of formal schooling.
June 14, 2022 | Rating: 5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
Raiders of the Lost Ark is rousing action-adventure fun with a perfectly cast Harrison Ford keeping viewers enthralled for two hours.
June 14, 2022 | Rating: B+
Frank J. Avella
Edge Media Network
From scene to scene the picture surges with nonstop energy and craft.
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Forty years since its release, Raiders of the Lost Ark remains one of cinema’s true masterpieces while spawning a worldwide phenomenon.
January 14, 2022 | Rating: A+
Alan French
InSession Film
The popular action pic was a great commercial success despite its lunatic plot.
July 7, 2021 | Rating: B
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
One of the all-time greats. Harrison Ford is perfection-plus as Indiana Jones, so iconic a character that the AFI cited him as the second greatest movie hero of all time (just under Atticus Finch and just above James Bond).
June 19, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy…
Plot
The year is 1936. An archeology professor named Indiana Jones is venturing in the jungles of South America searching for a golden statue. Unfortunately, he sets off a deadly trap but miraculously escapes. Then, Jones hears from a museum curator named Marcus Brody about a biblical artifact called The Ark of the Covenant, which can hold the key to human existence. Jones has to venture to vast places such as Nepal and Egypt to find this artifact. However, he will have to fight his enemy Rene Belloq and a band of Nazis in order to reach it.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no mention of anything goofy, funny, or odd about the film or anyone in the cast in this particular Fresh Kernels entry.
Steven-Spielberg.jpg
98%
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
98%RT Audience Score: 97%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 6 nominations
Arguably the greatest of the spaghetti westerns, this epic features a compelling story, memorable performances, breathtaking landscapes, and a haunting score.
If you’re looking for a wild west flick that’ll knock your boots off, look no further than this bad boy. It’s got everything you could want in a spaghetti western – a killer plot, actors that’ll make you swoon, scenery that’ll make you want to pack up and move to the desert, and a soundtrack that’ll give you goosebumps. Trust me, you won’t regret giving this one a watch. Yeehaw!
Production Company(ies)
Produzioni Europee Associate, Arturo González Producciones Cinematográficas, Constantin Film
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, United Artists
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Carazo, Burgos, Castilla y León, Spain
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1967
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Mono
-
Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 41m
-
Language(s):Italian
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 20, 1967 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 7, 2006
Genre(s)
Western
Keyword(s)
Western, Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef, Sergio Leone, Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni, Alberto Grimaldi, box office, budget, R rating, reviewed by Derek Malcolm, Peter Bradshaw, Kevin Maher, Kim Newman, directed by Sergio Leone, produced by Alberto Grimaldi, written by Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni, Sergio Leone, Civil War, Mexican outlaw, partnership, bandit, reward money, hanged, sadistic criminal, Union army, buried treasure, haunting score, memorable performances, breathtaking landscapes, spaghetti western, epic, masterpiece, iconic, operatic, tension, showdown, self-contained scenes, Quentin Tarantino, mesmerizing score, epic plot, cache of gold, immoral, Union, Confederate troops, beautiful cinematography, remarkable filmmaking
Worldwide gross: $25,253,887
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $254,098,058
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 574
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 27,709,712
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.): $1,200,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $12,074,089
Production budget ranking: 1,592
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $6,501,897
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $235,522,072
ROI to date (est.): 1,268%
ROI ranking: 95
Eli Wallach – Tuco
Lee Van Cleef – Sentenza
Aldo Giuffré – Alcoholic Union Captain
Chelo Alonso – Stevens’ Wife (uncredited)
Mario Brega – Cpl. Wallace
Director(s)
Sergio Leone
Writer(s)
Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli, Luciano Vincenzoni, Sergio Leone
Producer(s)
Alberto Grimaldi
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (75) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (73) | Rotten (2)
It still looks a treat and a bold and largely successful attempt to recast the traditions of the genre in a new, sometimes critical, almost operatic way.
August 1, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Derek Malcolm
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
The new length gives a clearer view of the civil war context: a nightmare of panic as the south flees before the Union’s advance.
August 1, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Re-released movies are forever claiming to be iconic, but few can hold the title as easily as Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
August 1, 2008 | Rating: 5/5
Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Amid the endless homages and the sheer adoration meted out to Sergio Leone’s ambitious, pricier finale to his Spaghetti Western trilogy, it’s easy to forget just how damn good the film is.
August 1, 2008 | Rating: 5/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The third in the Clint Eastwood series of Italo westerns, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is exactly that — a curious amalgam of the visually striking, the dramatically feeble and the offensively sadistic.
July 22, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Though ordained from the beginning, the three-way showdown that climaxes the film is tense and thoroughly astonishing.
March 28, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
While it may not be the best Western ever made – heck, it’s not even the best Western Leone ever made – it’s clearly the work of a master filmmaker whose style has never grown stale.
April 30, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
If you only see one spaghetti Western in your lifetime, this is the one to see.
April 27, 2021 | Rating: 8/10
Sarah Boslaugh
TheArtsStl
The score for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is magnificent. The main theme that plays over the titles is simultaneously of a specific time and also timeless.
March 24, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
Leone’s penchant for contrasting two kinds of shots, close-ups and long shots, finds its corollary in the gray or blue…Leone turns gray soldiers blue in the simplest way possible. Movies were invented for ideas like that.
January 26, 2021
A.S. Hamrah
n+1
Boasts what is often considered the greatest showdown ever filmed.
August 24, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The quintessential spaghetti western.
August 4, 2020
Allen Almachar
The MacGuffin…
Plot
Blondie, The Good (Clint Eastwood), is a professional gunslinger who is out trying to earn a few dollars. Angel Eyes, The Bad (Lee Van Cleef), is a hitman who always commits to a task and sees it through
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
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98%
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
98%RT Audience Score: 95%
Awards & Nominations: Won 1 Oscar
4 wins & 10 nominations total
Though hampered by Stuart Rosenberg’s direction, Cool Hand Luke is held aloft by a stellar script and one of Paul Newman’s most indelible performances.
Cool Hand Luke is one of those movies that’ll make you wanna break outta prison and start a rebellion. Sure, the director, Stuart Rosenberg, might’ve been a bit of a buzzkill, but the script is top-notch and Paul Newman is on fire. Seriously, his performance is so good, it’ll make you wanna wear shades indoors just to look as cool as he does. Overall, this movie is a must-see for anyone who loves a good underdog story and wants to feel like a rebel without a cause.
Production Company(ies)
Jalem Productions,
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Home Vídeo
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
MPAA / Certificate
GP
Year of Release
1967
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Mono
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 9m
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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): Nov 1, 1967 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 24, 1997
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Paul Newman, George Kennedy, J.D Cannon, Lou Antonio, Robert Drivas, Strother Martin, Jo Van Fleet, Morgan Woodward, directed by Stuart Rosenberg, written by Frank Pierson, Donn Pearce, produced by Gordon Carroll, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by John Mahoney, Jake Wilson, Dave Kehr, Bill Weber, Kim Newman, PG rating, rebel hero, prison life, nonconformity, Florida prison farm, sadistic warden, unbreakable will, solitary confinement, antihero, allegory, counterculture, human spirit, immolation, ensemble cast, charismatic, psychological revelation, black comedy, anti-establishment, iconic performance, taut script, slow-moving pace, resonant message, strong performances
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
George Kennedy – Dragline
J.D. Cannon – Society Red
Lou Antonio – Koko
Robert Drivas – Loudmouth Steve
Strother Martin – Captain
Director(s)
Stuart Rosenberg
Writer(s)
Frank Pierson, Donn Pearce, Donn Pearce
Producer(s)
Gordon Carroll
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 1 Oscar
4 wins & 10 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (52)
Well written by Pearce and Pierson and acted by a most talented ensemble of performers, Luke succeeds as both a highly humorous and deeply dramatic study of the immolation of human spirit in captivity and as an allegory.
December 15, 2020
John Mahoney
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
The whole thing depends on Newman’s blue eyes, easy grin, and ability to appear charismatic but never cocky.
September 27, 2018
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Stuart Rosenberg’s direction is a horror, but the cast teems with so many familiar faces that this 1967 film can’t help but entertain.
April 23, 2009
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Newman remains watchable and glamorous throughout, bloody, muddy or coated in torso-flattering sweat, but the film’s efforts to sentimentally “humanize” him by psychological revelation are clumsy.
September 9, 2008 | Rating: 3/4
Bill Weber
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
One of those movies you remember Great Moments from.
August 22, 2008 | Rating: 5/5
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Newman gives an excellent performance, assisted by a terriffic supporting cast, including George Kennedy, outstanding as the unofficial leader of the cons who yields first place to Newman.
July 22, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
In my mind, the most defining role of Paul Newman’s long, illustrious career, and one of the great antihero films told with cruel wit – a black comedy if ever there was one.
January 23, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
An archetype of ’60s counterculture in cinema, particularly with its nuanced messages of discontent, conspicuous humor, and the unforgettable performance by Paul Newman.
August 24, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
The movie cheats slightly by hinting Newman’s death is a triumph – as if all crucifixions were alike. But this is a very small carp at a very fine movie.
February 6, 2020
Wilfrid Sheed
Esquire Magazine
As this ‘Southern’ turns up the heat, the sense of sadistic oppression, of being looked down on by ‘the man,’ swelters and burns. The glowering sun eclipses the convict in its hellfire glow. Newman/Luke’s knowing smile, though, burns on.
June 26, 2015
Brian Gibson
Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Alberta)
An incredible film…
February 16, 2014
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
…a gulag melodrama, if such a thing is possible.
July 8, 2010 | Rating: 4/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm…
Plot
Luke Jackson is a cool, gutsy prisoner in a Southern chain gang, who, while refusing to buckle under to authority, keeps escaping and being recaptured. The prisoners admire Luke because, as Dragline explains it, “You’re an original, that’s what you are!” Nevertheless, the camp staff actively works to crush Luke until he finally breaks.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
George Kennedy won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Dragline in Cool Hand Luke.
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