Picture: Netflix
First released in 2013, The Square was an early awards contender for Netflix and is still considered to be one of Netflix’s best documentaries in its history. Sadly, however, the documentary is currently set to depart the streaming service in January 2024.
Covering the 2011 Egyptian protest that looked to overthrow the military leader, the doc still holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Ty Burr for the Boston Globe said when it released:
“What does a revolution feel like from the inside? I’m not sure we’ll ever get closer than “The Square,” an electrifying, at times heartbreaking documentary from the Egypt-born, Harvard-educated documentarian Jehane Noujaim.”
The Square isn’t on every Netflix region, but it’s worth noting. The doc was notably only picked up exclusively in a handful of regions, with Netflix serving only as an international distributor and not quite a full Netflix Original (quite...
First released in 2013, The Square was an early awards contender for Netflix and is still considered to be one of Netflix’s best documentaries in its history. Sadly, however, the documentary is currently set to depart the streaming service in January 2024.
Covering the 2011 Egyptian protest that looked to overthrow the military leader, the doc still holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Ty Burr for the Boston Globe said when it released:
“What does a revolution feel like from the inside? I’m not sure we’ll ever get closer than “The Square,” an electrifying, at times heartbreaking documentary from the Egypt-born, Harvard-educated documentarian Jehane Noujaim.”
The Square isn’t on every Netflix region, but it’s worth noting. The doc was notably only picked up exclusively in a handful of regions, with Netflix serving only as an international distributor and not quite a full Netflix Original (quite...
- 12/19/2023
- by Kasey Moore
- Whats-on-Netflix
70 years after its original release, the influence of musical juggernaut "Singin' in the Rain" is immeasurable. A Hollywood satire filled to the brim with show-stopping musical numbers from Nacio Herb Brown with lyrics by Arthur Freed, its DNA is present in the likes of modern movie musicals like "La La Land," and its whimsical, love-struck title song still gets airplay in Pnc Park in star Gene Kelly's hometown anytime the Pittsburgh Pirates catch a rain delay.
For all of its extravagance and pomp, the story of a trio of showbiz performers grappling with the advent of "talkies" in Hollywood had a modest reception upon its original 1952 release, and would collect just a handful of awards in its day. Over the decades, though, the movie (which was co-directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen) grew in reputation, and by 1989, the Library of Congress recognized its "cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance," preserving...
For all of its extravagance and pomp, the story of a trio of showbiz performers grappling with the advent of "talkies" in Hollywood had a modest reception upon its original 1952 release, and would collect just a handful of awards in its day. Over the decades, though, the movie (which was co-directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen) grew in reputation, and by 1989, the Library of Congress recognized its "cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance," preserving...
- 12/12/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
The film community remembered “Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman following his death on February 12.
The comedy titan passed away at age 75; the Reitman family confirmed to the Associated Press that the director-producer died in his sleep.
“Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life,” his children, director Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman, and Caroline Reitman said in a joint statement. “We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always.”
Reitman produced “National Lampoon’s Animal House” before collaborating with Bill Murray on “Meatballs,” “Stripes,” and “Ghostbusters.” He frequently teamed up with John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, and Rick Moranis.
Reitman later also launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comedy career with “Twins,” “Kindergarten Cop,...
The comedy titan passed away at age 75; the Reitman family confirmed to the Associated Press that the director-producer died in his sleep.
“Our family is grieving the unexpected loss of a husband, father, and grandfather who taught us to always seek the magic in life,” his children, director Jason Reitman, Catherine Reitman, and Caroline Reitman said in a joint statement. “We take comfort that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless others around the world. While we mourn privately, we hope those who knew him through his films will remember him always.”
Reitman produced “National Lampoon’s Animal House” before collaborating with Bill Murray on “Meatballs,” “Stripes,” and “Ghostbusters.” He frequently teamed up with John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, and Rick Moranis.
Reitman later also launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comedy career with “Twins,” “Kindergarten Cop,...
- 2/14/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Neon’s latest movie Pig stars Oscar-Winner Nicolas Cage and Alex Wolff. It is the story of a truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness and who must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.
Pig, which opened on July 16, presently sits at a solid 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and the reviews for Cage have been glowing. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pig_2021
Richard Roeper (Chicago Sun-Times) says “The unpredictable Cage delivers some of his best work in years.”
Kristy Puchko (Pajiba) “Pig is not only a mesmerizing while meditative drama about love and loss. It is also a powerful reminder that Cage is one of the most talented, most captivating movie stars of our time.”
David Sims (The Atlantic) “In Pig, Cage is the mournful center of a clever story about how commercialism rots the purity of artistic expression.
Pig, which opened on July 16, presently sits at a solid 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and the reviews for Cage have been glowing. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pig_2021
Richard Roeper (Chicago Sun-Times) says “The unpredictable Cage delivers some of his best work in years.”
Kristy Puchko (Pajiba) “Pig is not only a mesmerizing while meditative drama about love and loss. It is also a powerful reminder that Cage is one of the most talented, most captivating movie stars of our time.”
David Sims (The Atlantic) “In Pig, Cage is the mournful center of a clever story about how commercialism rots the purity of artistic expression.
- 7/20/2021
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Welcome, one and all, to the latest episode of The Film Stage Show! Today, Brian Roan, Bill Graham, and Robyn Bahr are joined by Ty Burr to discuss Florian Zeller’s The Father, which is now in theaters and available digitally on PVOD.
Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. For a limited time, all new Patreon supporters will receive a free Blu-ray/DVD. After becoming a contributor, e-mail podcast@thefilmstage.com for an up-to-date list of available films.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, or stream below.
The Film Stage Show is supported by Mubi, a curated streaming service showcasing exceptional films from around the globe. Every day, Mubi premieres a new film. Whether it’s a timeless classic, a cult favorite, or an acclaimed masterpiece — it’s guaranteed to be either a movie you’ve been...
Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. For a limited time, all new Patreon supporters will receive a free Blu-ray/DVD. After becoming a contributor, e-mail podcast@thefilmstage.com for an up-to-date list of available films.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, or stream below.
The Film Stage Show is supported by Mubi, a curated streaming service showcasing exceptional films from around the globe. Every day, Mubi premieres a new film. Whether it’s a timeless classic, a cult favorite, or an acclaimed masterpiece — it’s guaranteed to be either a movie you’ve been...
- 4/21/2021
- by Brian Roan
- The Film Stage
Aaron Sorkin has assembled one of the best casts of the year for “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” a follow-up to his directorial debut, “Molly’s Game.” The film is based on the true story of a group of anti-Vietnam War activists and protestors who were charged with conspiracy in 1969. It is now available in select theaters and will drop on Netflix on Oct. 16. Critics have now screened “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” which has a solid score of 75 on Metacritic as of this writing. Will the film become a major awards player this season?
Looking at Rotten Tomatoes, which is more binary than Metacritic, the film has an even more impressive 92% approval rating from critics. With 34 fresh reviews and only three rotten as of Friday, Sorkin’s film is shaping up to be a strong contender heading into the Oscar season. Critics rave that the courtroom drama is “inherently compelling,...
Looking at Rotten Tomatoes, which is more binary than Metacritic, the film has an even more impressive 92% approval rating from critics. With 34 fresh reviews and only three rotten as of Friday, Sorkin’s film is shaping up to be a strong contender heading into the Oscar season. Critics rave that the courtroom drama is “inherently compelling,...
- 9/25/2020
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
Film publications such as The A.V. Club, The Boston Globe, and RogerEbert.com will not review Disney’s “The New Mutants” this week after the studio did not make screening links available or offer socially-distanced press screenings to film critics. IndieWire is also declining to review the film for these reasons. The only option Disney is giving critics to review “The New Mutants” is to attend public screenings, which remains a health risk amid the coronavirus pandemic. Most theaters permit moviegoers to not wear masks when eating or drinking concession items, for instance.
A.V. Club film critic A.A. Dowd published an essay on the morning of August 25 explaining the publication’s decision not to review the film, noting scientific experts who confirm that going to movie theaters remains one of the more unsafe activities to do during the pandemic.
“[Science experts] did not mince words: There’s a very...
A.V. Club film critic A.A. Dowd published an essay on the morning of August 25 explaining the publication’s decision not to review the film, noting scientific experts who confirm that going to movie theaters remains one of the more unsafe activities to do during the pandemic.
“[Science experts] did not mince words: There’s a very...
- 8/25/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Following its early VOD release on March 20th due to the coronavirus keeping people out of theaters, Blumhouse's The Hunt is extending its reach on home media with a Digital release on May 26th before coming to Blu-ray & DVD on June 9th via Universal Pictures.
Special features for the Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital release of The Hunt include three behind-the-scenes featurettes.
We have the cover art, trailer, and official press release with full details below, and in case you missed it, visit our online hub to read Heather Wixson's review of The Hunt and Karen Benardello's interviews with director Craig Zobel and co-writer/executive producer Nick Cuse.
From the Press Release: Universal City, California, April 15, 2020 – Who is the hunter and who is the hunted? Decide for yourself! From producer Jason Blum, director Craig Zobel and writers Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuse comes a “clever, gory, often very funny” film...
Special features for the Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital release of The Hunt include three behind-the-scenes featurettes.
We have the cover art, trailer, and official press release with full details below, and in case you missed it, visit our online hub to read Heather Wixson's review of The Hunt and Karen Benardello's interviews with director Craig Zobel and co-writer/executive producer Nick Cuse.
From the Press Release: Universal City, California, April 15, 2020 – Who is the hunter and who is the hunted? Decide for yourself! From producer Jason Blum, director Craig Zobel and writers Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuse comes a “clever, gory, often very funny” film...
- 4/15/2020
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Universal City, California, April 15, 2020 – Who is the hunter and who is the hunted? Decide for yourself! From producer Jason Blum, director Craig Zobel and writers Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuse comes a “clever, gory, often very funny” film that has “all the makings of a cult classic” (Forbes), as The Hunt arrives on Digital May 26, 2020 and on Blu-ray and DVD June 9, 2020 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Featuring “a seriously cool action performance” from Betty Gilpin (Glow), The Hunt includes behind-the-scenes featurettes on the making of this suspenseful thriller.
Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don’t know where they are, or how they got there. They don’t know they’ve been chosen… for a very specific purpose … The Hunt.
In this subversive satire, a group of elites gather for the very first time at a remote Manor House to hunt ordinary Americans for sport. But the elites...
Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don’t know where they are, or how they got there. They don’t know they’ve been chosen… for a very specific purpose … The Hunt.
In this subversive satire, a group of elites gather for the very first time at a remote Manor House to hunt ordinary Americans for sport. But the elites...
- 4/15/2020
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
“I have some big news,” the Los Angeles Times lead film critic Kenneth Turan tweeted on Wednesday. “After close to 30 years in the most exciting and rewarding of jobs, I am stepping away from being a daily film critic for the Los Angeles Times. I will keep writing about film but at a different pace. To quote Ecclesiastes, ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.’ Looking forward to what’s to come.”
The outpouring of praise for Turan, who is 73, was intense and immediate. “The maestro takes a bow,” responded The New York Times lead film critic A.O. Scott on Twitter, who himself stepped down from full-time daily criticism on March 15 for one year, leaving that task to his fellow lead critic Manohla Dargis. In his case, taking the title of Critic at Large as he writes “bigger, cross-topic essays,” per The Nyt,...
The outpouring of praise for Turan, who is 73, was intense and immediate. “The maestro takes a bow,” responded The New York Times lead film critic A.O. Scott on Twitter, who himself stepped down from full-time daily criticism on March 15 for one year, leaving that task to his fellow lead critic Manohla Dargis. In his case, taking the title of Critic at Large as he writes “bigger, cross-topic essays,” per The Nyt,...
- 3/26/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
“I have some big news,” the Los Angeles Times lead film critic Kenneth Turan tweeted on Wednesday. “After close to 30 years in the most exciting and rewarding of jobs, I am stepping away from being a daily film critic for the Los Angeles Times. I will keep writing about film but at a different pace. To quote Ecclesiastes, ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.’ Looking forward to what’s to come.”
The outpouring of praise for Turan, who is 73, was intense and immediate. “The maestro takes a bow,” responded The New York Times lead film critic A.O. Scott on Twitter, who himself stepped down from full-time daily criticism on March 15 for one year, leaving that task to his fellow lead critic Manohla Dargis. In his case, taking the title of Critic at Large as he writes “bigger, cross-topic essays,” per The Nyt,...
The outpouring of praise for Turan, who is 73, was intense and immediate. “The maestro takes a bow,” responded The New York Times lead film critic A.O. Scott on Twitter, who himself stepped down from full-time daily criticism on March 15 for one year, leaving that task to his fellow lead critic Manohla Dargis. In his case, taking the title of Critic at Large as he writes “bigger, cross-topic essays,” per The Nyt,...
- 3/26/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Fox Searchlight unveiled Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” to sharply divided reactions at the Toronto International Film Festival. The coming-of-age comedy-drama is set in Nazi Germany and centers around a young boy whose sense of nationalism is rattled after he discovers his mother is hiding a young Jewish girl in their home. Waititi himself stars in the movie as the boy’s imaginary friend, who just so happens to be a cartoonish version of Adolf Hitler. More than a few film critics have compared “Jojo Rabbit” to “Life Is Beautiful,” Roberto Benigni’s equally divisive 1997 Holocaust comedy-drama.
Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman called “Jojo Rabbit” this year’s “model of Nazi Oscar-bait showmanship: ‘Life Is Beautiful’ made with attitude,” adding the film “pretends to be audacious when it’s actually quite tidy and safe…it’s a studiously conventional movie dressed up in the self-congratulatory ‘daring’ of its look!-let’s-prank-the-Nazis cachet.
Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman called “Jojo Rabbit” this year’s “model of Nazi Oscar-bait showmanship: ‘Life Is Beautiful’ made with attitude,” adding the film “pretends to be audacious when it’s actually quite tidy and safe…it’s a studiously conventional movie dressed up in the self-congratulatory ‘daring’ of its look!-let’s-prank-the-Nazis cachet.
- 9/9/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Hey, movie fans. Yes indeedy, the new "Spider-Man: Far From Home" movie is officially out in theaters nationwide. It was released by Columbia Pictures aka Sony this past Tuesday,July 2, 2019, and all the critic reviews have been turned in. They look mostly positive. It scored a 69 out of a possible 100 across 53 critics over on metacritic.com. It stars: Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Keaton, J.B. Smoove, Zendaya Coleman, Marisa Tomei, Numan Acar, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Remi Hii and Jacob Batalon. We're going to go over some of the statements from a few of the critics in this article. Alonso Duralde from The Wrap gave it an 85 grade. He stated, "If anything, and this is a compliment, the film frequently feels like a charming teen road-trip comedy that occasionally turns into a superhero movie." Justin Chang over at the Los Angeles Times gave it an 80 score. He compared it...
- 7/6/2019
- by Derek Smith
- OnTheFlix
In a loving yet overlong documentary, the director looks back on 1970s New York and how movie-watching has changed
Of Martin Scorsese’s classic Taxi Driver, the film critic Ty Burr once wrote, “Before Times Square was a Disneyfied tourist heaven, children, it was hell.” The New York of the 1970s had the dangerous luster of a well-polished razor blade, with hedonism and crime simultaneously hitting a hysterical peak. Forty-second Street was full of coke, pimps and working girls; the downtown scene was all art freaks and experimentalists creating raw expressions of urban fervor with whatever they could get their hands on. The neon lights of porn theaters would advertise smut with the same caliber of pizzazz as the major cineplexes. Though muggings may have been a fact of daily life in some neighborhoods, the Big Apple was cheap and thrilling and sexy during this era – the bad ol’ days.
Of Martin Scorsese’s classic Taxi Driver, the film critic Ty Burr once wrote, “Before Times Square was a Disneyfied tourist heaven, children, it was hell.” The New York of the 1970s had the dangerous luster of a well-polished razor blade, with hedonism and crime simultaneously hitting a hysterical peak. Forty-second Street was full of coke, pimps and working girls; the downtown scene was all art freaks and experimentalists creating raw expressions of urban fervor with whatever they could get their hands on. The neon lights of porn theaters would advertise smut with the same caliber of pizzazz as the major cineplexes. Though muggings may have been a fact of daily life in some neighborhoods, the Big Apple was cheap and thrilling and sexy during this era – the bad ol’ days.
- 4/29/2019
- by Charles Bramesco
- The Guardian - Film News
Critics are shooting out reviews for “Ocean’s 8” like dollar bills out of a jackpotted Atm machine, and the all-female spinoff caper seems to have pulled off yet another successful Ocean heist, with the film currently sitting at a comfy 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Ocean’s 8” is the first film in franchise not directed by Steven Soderbergh, and is instead helmed by “The Hunger Games'” Gary Ross. As per usual, it features a star-studded cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, and even James Corden makes an appearance.
Variety’s own Owen Gleiberman praised the gender-flipping aspect of the film, pointing out that there’s nothing inherently sneaky about men that wouldn’t have warranted an all-female cast before “Ocean’s 8.” Of Bullock’s performance as the story’s lead character, Debbie Ocean, Gleiberman wrote, “Sandra Bullock strides through this movie with the...
“Ocean’s 8” is the first film in franchise not directed by Steven Soderbergh, and is instead helmed by “The Hunger Games'” Gary Ross. As per usual, it features a star-studded cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, and even James Corden makes an appearance.
Variety’s own Owen Gleiberman praised the gender-flipping aspect of the film, pointing out that there’s nothing inherently sneaky about men that wouldn’t have warranted an all-female cast before “Ocean’s 8.” Of Bullock’s performance as the story’s lead character, Debbie Ocean, Gleiberman wrote, “Sandra Bullock strides through this movie with the...
- 6/6/2018
- by Ellis Clopton
- Variety Film + TV
“The Greatest Showman” is failing to capture audiences as reviews are trickling in — the musical, holding a score of 40 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, is being described as “an awful mess” and a “disappointing circus.” “The actual movie? Send in the clowns. Michael Gracey’s directorial debut is a disappointing circus of thinly developed characters, overly earnest melodrama and song-and-dance sequences that are more like unrelated music videos sewn together for a threadbare narrative,” USA Today’s Brian Truitt wrote, while The San Francisco Chronicle’s Mick Lasalle said, “It’s magnificently idiotic. It’s an awful mess, but it’s flashy.
- 12/20/2017
- by Wrap Staff
- The Wrap
Ava DuVernay — the director of Disney’s much-awaited, March 2018 adaptation of Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time” — announced her support of a growing press boycott of the studio’s advanced screenings, stemming from The La Times’ November 3 disclosure that Disney retaliated for the newspaper’s business journalism by denying access to its pop culture critics.
Saluting the film journalists standing up for one another. Standing with you. https://t.co/M9Fs22vv4L
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) November 7, 2017
On November 6, writers from four publications allied themselves with the Times, refusing to attend advanced Disney press screenings while the studio blackballs the California newspaper. According to statements posted by film editors of The A.V. Club and Flavorwire on their respective websites, their staffs will refrain from reviewing movies made by Disney and subsidiaries Marvel and Lucasfilm until their theatrical debuts. Individual critics are also following suit: The Washington Post’s...
Saluting the film journalists standing up for one another. Standing with you. https://t.co/M9Fs22vv4L
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) November 7, 2017
On November 6, writers from four publications allied themselves with the Times, refusing to attend advanced Disney press screenings while the studio blackballs the California newspaper. According to statements posted by film editors of The A.V. Club and Flavorwire on their respective websites, their staffs will refrain from reviewing movies made by Disney and subsidiaries Marvel and Lucasfilm until their theatrical debuts. Individual critics are also following suit: The Washington Post’s...
- 11/7/2017
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
Nyt Amanda Peet on why she doesn't read reviews
Variety Ron Howard to produce and direct much discussed political book Hillbilly Elegy. A very odd fit if you ask us, since Howard is skilled at broad-stroked popcorn pictures, not nuanced thematic drama
Nyt Radley Metzger, erotic cinema pioneer (The Lickerish Quartet, Score) has died at 88
Shadowplay looks back at Joan Crawford in Torch Song with some notes on Feud
Interview Mag talks to Pilou Asbaek (A War, Ghost in the Shell)
Mnpp John Waters still making trouble onscreen and in print
Theater Mania Provincetown's got an amazing lineup of concerts this summer including Sutton Foster and Megan Hilty
Coming Soon Some Scarlet Witch action from the Avengers: Infinity War set. It's always amusing to see how strange these things look before visual fx
i09 reviews the direct to video animated feature Teen Titans: Judas Contract, based on the classic...
Variety Ron Howard to produce and direct much discussed political book Hillbilly Elegy. A very odd fit if you ask us, since Howard is skilled at broad-stroked popcorn pictures, not nuanced thematic drama
Nyt Radley Metzger, erotic cinema pioneer (The Lickerish Quartet, Score) has died at 88
Shadowplay looks back at Joan Crawford in Torch Song with some notes on Feud
Interview Mag talks to Pilou Asbaek (A War, Ghost in the Shell)
Mnpp John Waters still making trouble onscreen and in print
Theater Mania Provincetown's got an amazing lineup of concerts this summer including Sutton Foster and Megan Hilty
Coming Soon Some Scarlet Witch action from the Avengers: Infinity War set. It's always amusing to see how strange these things look before visual fx
i09 reviews the direct to video animated feature Teen Titans: Judas Contract, based on the classic...
- 4/11/2017
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
(Getty Images)
Jessica Chastain is a two-time Academy Award nominee who has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses of her generation. She has received numerous nominations and accolades for her work from the La Film Critics, British Academy of Film and TV, Broadcast Film Critics, HFPA, National Board of Review, Screen Actors Guild, Film Independent and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, to name a few.
The actresses’ latest film, Miss Sloane, opens in cinemas on December 9, 2016.
In the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is the most sought-after and formidable lobbyist in D.C. Known equally for her cunning and her track record of success, she has always done whatever is required to win. But when she takes on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds that winning may come at too high a price.
Chastain can soon be...
Jessica Chastain is a two-time Academy Award nominee who has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses of her generation. She has received numerous nominations and accolades for her work from the La Film Critics, British Academy of Film and TV, Broadcast Film Critics, HFPA, National Board of Review, Screen Actors Guild, Film Independent and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, to name a few.
The actresses’ latest film, Miss Sloane, opens in cinemas on December 9, 2016.
In the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is the most sought-after and formidable lobbyist in D.C. Known equally for her cunning and her track record of success, she has always done whatever is required to win. But when she takes on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds that winning may come at too high a price.
Chastain can soon be...
- 12/6/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Over the summer months, the narrative that “cinema is dead” once again began to be bandied about, with Ty Burr among those floating the idea in a thinkpiece. It’s understandable: as we’ve written about before, the summer was one of the worst in recent memory in terms of major releases (and not all that great in terms of minor ones either). It wasn’t just cinephiles getting up in arms either: Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate and basis for the character Oogie Boogie in “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” told a rally at the start of this month “they don’t make movies like they used to,” causing even members of the political commentariat who otherwise vehemently disagree with him to concur.
Continue reading What If 2016 Is Actually The Year That Saves Cinema? at The Playlist.
Continue reading What If 2016 Is Actually The Year That Saves Cinema? at The Playlist.
- 10/13/2016
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
It wasn’t high-fiving the President of the United States, but it certainly came close.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! host Jimmy Kimmel kicked the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday — his second time emceeing the broadcast — with a caravan through current TV.
RelatedEmmys 2016: The Complete Winners’ List
An opening taped piece found Kimmel catching a ride to the ceremony in The People v. O.J. Simpson‘s white Bronco (with Malcolm Jamal-Warner), Modern Family‘s Dunphy minivan (with Ty Burr, Julie Bowen, Nolan Gould, Sarah Hyland and Ariel Winter), Veep‘s presidential limo — (with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale and chauferred by Jeb Bush,...
Jimmy Kimmel Live! host Jimmy Kimmel kicked the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday — his second time emceeing the broadcast — with a caravan through current TV.
RelatedEmmys 2016: The Complete Winners’ List
An opening taped piece found Kimmel catching a ride to the ceremony in The People v. O.J. Simpson‘s white Bronco (with Malcolm Jamal-Warner), Modern Family‘s Dunphy minivan (with Ty Burr, Julie Bowen, Nolan Gould, Sarah Hyland and Ariel Winter), Veep‘s presidential limo — (with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale and chauferred by Jeb Bush,...
- 9/19/2016
- TVLine.com
People say such strange things when they're talking about Oscars
• Bwin predicts Leo will lose the Oscar. One especially weird bit of reasoning is that all of the Actor nominees are playing good guys. Um, did they watch Steve Jobs?
• The Guardian says a "conservative" estimate is that Australians will win 10 Oscars tomorrow. Conservative? Have they not heard of The Revenant?
• /Film Stunt people want their own Oscar and recently protested again. Unfortunately they also felt the need to belittle other industry talents saying:
People love action; that’s why people go to the movies. No disrespect, but who goes to the movies to see the hairstyles?”
*raises hand*
More Oscar Mania
• Vanity Fair fun interview with nominated Jenny Beavan, Mad Max Fury Road costume designer, with a choice Charlize Theron quote
• Boston Globe really interesting piece from Ty Burr on "what if the Oscars didn't exist..." and it takes...
• Bwin predicts Leo will lose the Oscar. One especially weird bit of reasoning is that all of the Actor nominees are playing good guys. Um, did they watch Steve Jobs?
• The Guardian says a "conservative" estimate is that Australians will win 10 Oscars tomorrow. Conservative? Have they not heard of The Revenant?
• /Film Stunt people want their own Oscar and recently protested again. Unfortunately they also felt the need to belittle other industry talents saying:
People love action; that’s why people go to the movies. No disrespect, but who goes to the movies to see the hairstyles?”
*raises hand*
More Oscar Mania
• Vanity Fair fun interview with nominated Jenny Beavan, Mad Max Fury Road costume designer, with a choice Charlize Theron quote
• Boston Globe really interesting piece from Ty Burr on "what if the Oscars didn't exist..." and it takes...
- 2/27/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Yesterday in this very spot, I revealed that the actor who voices Black Phillip in Robert Eggers' new horror film The Witch is crazy hot, and today EW has the exclusive on a new TV spot that confirms what those of us who have seen the film already know: Black Phillip is the breakout star of this movie. He's so hot that the "all Black Phillip all the time" spot even boasts some impressive critical blurbs, including the following from Boston Globe critic Ty Burr: "Catapults to the top of the creepy-animal charts." Let's hope he doesn't get typecast.
- 2/24/2016
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Paramount Pictures delivered their new action/drama movie, "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" into theaters today, January 15th, 2016, and all the reviews have been turned in from the major, top movie critics, and it turns out that it was a pretty mixed bag with their opinions on it, receiving an overall 49 score out of a possible 100 score across 29 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film features: Alexia Barlier, David Costabile, David Denman, James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Max Martini, Pablo Schreiber and Toby Stephens. We've added comments from a couple of the critics, below. Joe Dziemianowicz from the New York Daily News, gave it a pretty damn good 80 grade, stating: "Sure, Bay indulges some signature cinematic fetishes. But he shows restraint with the slowed-down, sexed-up shots. War is gritty here, not glamorous. Result: characters, stakes and emotions feel authentic — all the more so thanks to terrific actors including...
- 1/15/2016
- by Andre Braddox
- OnTheFlix
Charlotte Rampling in '45 Years.' Charlotte Rampling, Kristen Stewart winners: Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 2015 Those following the movies' awards season will enjoy a smorgasbord of winners, runners-up, and WTFs/How could they? today, Dec. 6, '15. The Boston Society of Film Critics, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Online, and the British Independent Film Awards are all announcing their winners (and, by extension, non-winners). But not to worry, in case your favorite is not to be found on their lists, there's always next year. The Boston Film Critics named their winners and runners-up at the Brattle Theater in Cambridge. On Sunday morning, they tweeted: “We're here! There's coffee! Dues paid! Wifi working! Pizza ordered! Let the debating begin!” 'Studio tactic' leads to voting woes There was quite a bit of debating, it seems, as two hours later they had announced only a handful of winners.
- 12/6/2015
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
Lionsgate released their new action/drama movie, "Hunger Games 4: Mockingjay Part 2," into theaters today, November 20th, 2015 and all the top, major movie critics have turned in their reviews. It turns out that it sat well with most of them, getting an overall 64 score out of a possible 100 across 38 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Natalie Dormer, Stef Dawson, Evan Ross, Gwendoline Christie, Patina Miller, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson, Robert Knepper, Michelle Forbes and Eugenie Bondurant. We've posted comments from a couple of the critics,below. Manohla Dargis from The New York Times, gave it a nice 90 score, stating: "What makes the material still feel personal — other than the yearslong investment and love that transform entertainments into fan communities — is the combination of Katniss and Ms.
- 11/20/2015
- by Andre Braddox
- OnTheFlix
Dailies is a round-up of essential film writing, news bits, videos, and other highlights from across the Internet. If you’d like to submit a piece for consideration, get in touch with us in the comments below or on Twitter at @TheFilmStage.
Scout Tafoya polled a group of critics on the best films directed by women:
Criminally unfair. Those are the two words that spring to mind when I consider the fate of female directors throughout the short history of the cinematic medium. Not enough opportunity. Appalling sexism. Terrible chance and circumstances, coupled with biases, slander and mistrust. When I began asking for these lists from all the critics below many replied reluctantly. Their reasoning that so many of their films would be modern, that so many of the classics would be homogenous, is not without justification. But it’s no one’s fault that we all fall back on the same seven classics.
Scout Tafoya polled a group of critics on the best films directed by women:
Criminally unfair. Those are the two words that spring to mind when I consider the fate of female directors throughout the short history of the cinematic medium. Not enough opportunity. Appalling sexism. Terrible chance and circumstances, coupled with biases, slander and mistrust. When I began asking for these lists from all the critics below many replied reluctantly. Their reasoning that so many of their films would be modern, that so many of the classics would be homogenous, is not without justification. But it’s no one’s fault that we all fall back on the same seven classics.
- 11/4/2015
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
In 2011, Ty Burr wrote an article on the most common scourge of multiplex projection: seeing a film projected that is obviously far darker than it should be because a 2D film is being projected through a 3D lens. This is still happening, and I want to use this website to yell about it a little bit: this is a common problem that simply should not exist at this late date. The rise of digital projection is a cost-friendly win for both studios who can save money on printing and shipping prints and movie theaters, which theoretically no longer have to […]...
- 11/2/2015
- by Vadim Rizov
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
In 2011, Ty Burr wrote an article on the most common scourge of multiplex projection: seeing a film projected that is obviously far darker than it should be because a 2D film is being projected through a 3D lens. This is still happening, and I want to use this website to yell about it a little bit: this is a common problem that simply should not exist at this late date. The rise of digital projection is a cost-friendly win for both studios who can save money on printing and shipping prints and movie theaters, which theoretically no longer have to […]...
- 11/2/2015
- by Vadim Rizov
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Universal Pictures released their new drama/thriller movie, "Crimson Peak," into theaters this weekend, and all the major,top movie critics have submitted their reviews. It turns out that it resonated pretty well with the majority of them, getting an overall 67 score out of a possible 100 score across 33 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: Charlie Hunnam, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska and Tom Hiddleston. We've posted comments from a couple of the critics, below. Sheila O'Malley from RogerEbert.com, gave it an excellent 100 score, stating: "Crimson Peak's atmosphere crackles with sexual passion and dark secrets. There are a couple of monsters (supernatural and human), but the gigantic emotions are the most terrifying thing onscreen." Chris Nashawaty from Entertainment Weekly, gave it a 67 score, saying: "Crimson Peak is a cobwebs-and-candelabras chamber piece that’s so preoccupied with being visually stunning it forgets to be scary." Ty Burr over...
- 10/17/2015
- by Andre Braddox
- OnTheFlix
Paramount Pictures released their new action/thriller film, "Terminator Genisys," into theaters this past Wednesday, July 1st, and all the major,top movie critics served up their reviews. It turns out that the movie didn't quite resonate well with them, getting just an overall 39 score out of a possible 100 across 40 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Byung-hun Lee, Courtney B. Vance, Dayo Okeniyi, Emilia Clarke, J.K. Simmons, Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke and Matt Smith. We've posted blurbs from a few of the critics,below. Peter Travers from Rolling Stone, gave it a 75 grade, stating: "Terminator Genisys fires on all action cylinders when director Alan Taylor (Thor: The Dark World) follows the model James Cameron set in the first two films, still the glory of the series." Michael O'Sullivan from the Washington Post, gave it a 63 grade. He stated: "Genisys goes back to what made the...
- 7/3/2015
- by Andre Braddox
- OnTheFlix
He was one of the youngest TV executive producers in the medium's history, created not one but two successful animated programs, hosted the Oscars and had a blockbuster comedy bring in beaucoup box office receipts. He has contributed $1 million to the Reading Rainbow kickstarter fund and produced the recent reboot of the classic science series Cosmos; Harvard named him their 2011 Humanist of the Year. Yet Seth MacFarlane has managed to inspire an intense, rabid hatred of his raunchy comedy and retro-dude attitudes that's been as fervent as the fanbase that...
- 6/29/2015
- Rollingstone.com
"Tomorrowland" is Disney's new sci-fi adventure starring George Clooney and Britt Robertson. Like the land it's named after in the Disney theme parks, the movie is a tribute to the future and how special individuals who are engineers, makers, inventors (or "imagineers" as Disney dubs them) make a difference not just in the present but in the future as well. Although director Brad Bird has been praised for his ability to shoot action sequences and handle the spectacular future landscapes, the movie is generating mixed reviews, so it's not a universally praised release. The movie does feature some frightening deaths and scenes of violence, but it also espouses so many positive messages, it's hard to find fault with taking a curious kid to see it.
Here are five questions to consider before heading out with your kids to see "Tomorrowland."
1. Do you love Disney?
In case the title doesn't make it obvious,...
Here are five questions to consider before heading out with your kids to see "Tomorrowland."
1. Do you love Disney?
In case the title doesn't make it obvious,...
- 5/22/2015
- by Sandie Angulo Chen
- Moviefone
"The Independent Film Festival of Boston has made it to the age of 13, and it’s looking stronger than ever," write Ty Burr and Peter Keough in the Boston Globe. Among the titles they preview: Andrew Bujalski's Results, Mia Hansen-Løve's Eden, Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s The Tribe, Patrick Brice's The Overnight, Crystal Moselle’s The Wolfpack, Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville’s documentary on the rivalry between William F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vidal, Best of Enemies and the closing night film, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Wbur's Tom Meek previews the opener, James Ponsoldt's The End of the Tour with Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg. » - David Hudson...
- 4/22/2015
- Fandor: Keyframe
"The Independent Film Festival of Boston has made it to the age of 13, and it’s looking stronger than ever," write Ty Burr and Peter Keough in the Boston Globe. Among the titles they preview: Andrew Bujalski's Results, Mia Hansen-Løve's Eden, Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s The Tribe, Patrick Brice's The Overnight, Crystal Moselle’s The Wolfpack, Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville’s documentary on the rivalry between William F. Buckley Jr. and Gore Vidal, Best of Enemies and the closing night film, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Wbur's Tom Meek previews the opener, James Ponsoldt's The End of the Tour with Jason Segel and Jesse Eisenberg. » - David Hudson...
- 4/22/2015
- Keyframe
Walt Disney Pictures released their new fantasy/romance movie, "Cinderella," into theaters this weekend, and all the top,major movie critics have submitted their reviews. It turns out that most of them liked it, or a least, thought it was ok with an overall 65 score out of a possible 100 across 40 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: Helena Bonham Carter, Cate Blanchett, Stellan Skarsgård, Derek Jacobi, Nonso Anozie, Holliday Grainger, Lily James, Richard Madden and Sophie McShera. We've supplied blurbs from a couple of the critics,below. Betsy Sharkey from the Los Angeles Times, gave it a great 90 score, saying: "As pure of heart as its heroine, Cinderella floats across the screen like a gossamer confection, full of elegant beauty and quiet grace." Richard Roeperat the Chicago Sun-Times, gave it a nice 88 score. He stated: "The world didn’t need yet another Cinderella story, but the one we...
- 3/14/2015
- by Andre Braddox
- OnTheFlix
Warner Bros. Pictures released their new action/drama film, "Focus," into theaters this weekend, and all the reviews are now in from the top,major critics. It turns out that we got a mixed bag of opinions with this one as it got an overall 56 score out of a possible 100 across 40 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The movie stars: Will Smith, Rodrigo Santoro, Gerald McRaney and Margot Robbie. We've supplied some blurbs from a couple of the critics,below. Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times, gave it a great 88 score, stating: "This is just sheer, escapist entertainment from start to finish." James Rocchi over at TheWrap, gave it a great 80 score, saying: "Like a perfect cocktail mixes the sour with the sweet and the bright with the boozy, Focus combines seamless, superbly-crafted filmmaking with the fizz and fun created by its leads." Christy Lemire from RogerEbert.com, gave it a 75 score,...
- 2/28/2015
- by Andre Braddox
- OnTheFlix
Universal Pictures released their new Angelina Jolie directed drama film, "Unbroken," into theaters yesterday,December 25th, and all the major, top movie critics in the biz, have served up their reviews. And things turned out mixed, getting an overall 59 score out a possible 100 across 42 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. It stars: Garrett Hedlund, Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Finn Wittrock and Miyavi. We've provided blurbs from a couple of the critics,below. Joe Neumaier from the New York Daily News, gave it an excellent 100 score, saying: "When you get through it, though, you can’t help but feel uplifted by this tough-skinned movie that can stand with the best muscular wartime dramas in the American movie canon." Peter Travers over at Rolling Stone, gave it an 88 score, stating: "Jolie has an army of craftsmen in her corner, notably camera poet Roger Deakins (No Country for Old Men). But it's her...
- 12/26/2014
- by Megan
- OnTheFlix
Walt Disney Pictures released their new fantasy/musical film, "Into The Woods," into theaters yesterday, December 25th, and all the top,major movie critics have turned in their reviews. It ended up resonating quite well with most of them, getting an overall 71 score out of a possible 100 across 33 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: Tracey Ullman, Frances de la Tour, Johnny Depp, Lucy Punch, Meryl Streep, Chris Pine, Emily Blunt, Simon Russell Beale, Tammy Blanchard, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Christine Baranski, Billy Magnussen, Lilla Crawford, Daniel Huttlestone, MacKenzie Mauzy, Richard Glover, Joanna Riding, and Annette Crosbie. We've provided blurbs from a few of the critics,below. Stephen Holden from The New York Times, gave it a nice 90 grade, saying: " Into the Woods, the splendid Disney screen adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine musical, infuses new vitality into the tired marketing concept of entertainment for “children of all ages.
- 12/26/2014
- by Andre Braddox
- OnTheFlix
Columbia Pictures (Sony) released their new comedy/musical "Annie" 2014 remake flick into theaters this weekend, and the top,major movie critics have all submitted their reviews. It turns out that it was very unliked by most of them with an overall 33 score out of a possible 100 over at the Metacritic.com site. The movie stars: Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, David Zayas, and Quvenzhané Wallis. We've added blurbs from a couple of the critics,below. Matt Zoller Seitz at RogerEbert.com, gave it a decent 75 score, stating: " Annie is light on its feet, frothy, and always insistently, at times provocatively kind, determined to melt grumpy hearts like marshmallows." Claudia Puig over at USA Today, gave it a 50 grade. She said: "Quvenzhané Wallis is adorably plucky as the lead in Annie. She and Jamie Foxx as the newfangled Daddy Warbucks character have an appealing chemistry and...
- 12/20/2014
- by Derek
- OnTheFlix
20th Century Fox released their new action/Bible film, "Exodus: Gods And Kings," into theaters this weekend and all the reviews are in from the top critics. It turns out that they were pretty mixed about how they felt about it, giving it an overall 52 score out of a possible 100 across 35 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: John Turturro, Christian Bale, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, Joel Edgerton, and Aaron Paul. We've included blurbs from a few of the critics,below. Richard Roeper over at the Chicago Sun-Times, gave it a perfect 100 score, saying: "As a fictional, big-budget, 3-D, epic interpretation of Moses’ journey, Exodus: Gods and Kings is spectacular." Justin Chang at Variety, gave it a 90 score, stating: "What’s remarkable about Scott’s genuinely imposing Old Testament psychodrama is the degree to which he succeeds in conjuring a mighty and momentous spectacle — one that, for sheer astonishment,...
- 12/12/2014
- by Andre Braddox
- OnTheFlix
Universal Pictures released their new comedy film, "Dumb And Dumber To" into theaters this weekend, and all the reviews are in from the major,top movie critics. It turns out that the film really missed the mark with these guys, only garnering up an overall 35 score out of a possible 100 across 31 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Rob Riggle, Laurie Holden, Rachel Melvin and Kathleen Turner. We posted blurbs from a couple of the critics,below. Ty Burr from the Boston Globe, gave it a "less than stellar" 63 score to start things off. He stated: "Everyone has piled into this dumber, sillier, more consistently funny reprise with an enthusiasm that’s infectious, and not in a low-grade medical way." Sara Stewart at the New York Post, gave it a 50 score, simply saying: "From time to time, it works." Susan Wloszczyna from RogerEbert.com,...
- 11/15/2014
- by Andre
- OnTheFlix
Paramount Pictures released their new sci-fi/drama film, "Interstellar," into theaters this weekend, and all the major,top movie critics have sent in their reviews. it turns out that all the twists and turns this movie delivered, resonated quite well with most of them, getting an overall 73 score out of a possible 100 across 46 reviews at the Metacritic.com site. The film stars: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Ellen Burstyn, John Lithgow, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Wes Bentley, Bill Irwin, Mackenzie Foy, Topher Grace and David Gyasi. We posted blurbs from a couple of the critics,below. Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times, gave it an awesome 100 score, saying: "What a beautiful and epic film is Interstellar, filled with great performances, tingling our senses with masterful special effects, daring to be openly sentimental, asking gigantic questions about the meaning of life and leaving us drained and grateful for the experience.
- 11/9/2014
- by Andre
- OnTheFlix
Interstellar features Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine, but it's the rare Hollywood film where the director is the unquestioned star. This is a Christopher Nolan joint, from its epic scope, its tangled storytelling gymnastics, and its unrivaled insistence on Nsa-level control and pre-release secrecy. The director, who made his name with the backwards-running Memento, and burnished his reputation with the Dark Knight trilogy and the mind-bending Inception, goes all in with Interstellar, an ambitious tribute to the film that most inspired him: Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the near future, Earth is slowly starving and suffocating,...
- 11/7/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
You could be kind and suggest that the term "nightcrawler" refers simply to a person who owns the midnight hours, sort of like a night-owl. But in Dan Gilroy's directorial debut, the title refers to the the cold-blooded vultures who chase the bloodiest crime scenes in order to capture the gore on video for television news. They truly are worms that wiggle to the surface at night, and the wormiest of all is Jake Gyllenhaal's Lou Bloom. Part Rupert Pupkin, part Weegee, Lou finds his true calling with a camera and police scanner, and he quickly becomes Rene Russo...
- 10/31/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
Sarah Dobbs Oct 16, 2019
Hocus Pocus was strongly criticized during its original release, yet has it endured as a Halloween favorite. Why?
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Over the 25 years since Hocus Pocus was released, this daft family comedy has become a kind of Halloween staple. From the beginning of October, you’ll start seeing Hocus Pocus gifs and references popping up – and on Halloween night, you might even spot people dressed up as the Sanderson sisters. Watching Hocus Pocus is a comforting, nostalgic experience, especially for anyone young enough to have experienced it on TV as a kid.
But its reputation as a Halloween necessity is something it’s acquired over the years, because when Hocus Pocus came out, critics hated it. Roger Ebert gave it just one star, and complained that it lacked focus and structure; Entertainment Weekly’s Ty Burr gave it a C-, claiming that for Bette Midler fans,...
Hocus Pocus was strongly criticized during its original release, yet has it endured as a Halloween favorite. Why?
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Over the 25 years since Hocus Pocus was released, this daft family comedy has become a kind of Halloween staple. From the beginning of October, you’ll start seeing Hocus Pocus gifs and references popping up – and on Halloween night, you might even spot people dressed up as the Sanderson sisters. Watching Hocus Pocus is a comforting, nostalgic experience, especially for anyone young enough to have experienced it on TV as a kid.
But its reputation as a Halloween necessity is something it’s acquired over the years, because when Hocus Pocus came out, critics hated it. Roger Ebert gave it just one star, and complained that it lacked focus and structure; Entertainment Weekly’s Ty Burr gave it a C-, claiming that for Bette Midler fans,...
- 10/28/2014
- Den of Geek
Hocus Pocus was strongly criticised on its original release. But why has it endeared as a Halloween favourite? Sarah revisits the film...
Over the 21 years since Hocus Pocus was released, this daft family comedy has become a kind of Halloween staple. From the beginning of October, you’ll start seeing Hocus Pocus gifs and references popping up – and on Halloween night, you might even spot people dressed up as the Sanderson sisters. Watching Hocus Pocus is a comforting, nostalgic experience, especially for anyone young enough to have experienced it on TV as a kid.
But its reputation as a Halloween necessity is something it’s acquired over the years, because when Hocus Pocus came out, critics hated it. Roger Ebert gave it just one star, and complained that it lacked focus and structure; Entertainment Weekly’s Ty Burr gave it a C-, and claimed that for Bette Midler fans, it was “depressing as hell”. Overall,...
Over the 21 years since Hocus Pocus was released, this daft family comedy has become a kind of Halloween staple. From the beginning of October, you’ll start seeing Hocus Pocus gifs and references popping up – and on Halloween night, you might even spot people dressed up as the Sanderson sisters. Watching Hocus Pocus is a comforting, nostalgic experience, especially for anyone young enough to have experienced it on TV as a kid.
But its reputation as a Halloween necessity is something it’s acquired over the years, because when Hocus Pocus came out, critics hated it. Roger Ebert gave it just one star, and complained that it lacked focus and structure; Entertainment Weekly’s Ty Burr gave it a C-, and claimed that for Bette Midler fans, it was “depressing as hell”. Overall,...
- 10/27/2014
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Stanley Kubrick believed that casting was 80 percent responsible for the failure or success of a film. Put the right actor—not necessarily the best actor—in the right role, and everything has a way of falling into place. The Judge is a father-son courtroom drama featuring a Jaded Lawyer and an Ornery Coot, and it would be difficult to imagine better choices than Robert Downey Jr., who produced the film with his wife, and Robert Duvall. Downey, in his first real drama since 2009's The Soloist, "plays the closest thing to a real human being he's tackled in ages," writes EW's critic Chris Nashawaty.
- 10/10/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
My first question about The Equalizer after seeing the trailer was, “Why even bother calling it The Equalizer?”
After all, it’s not as if The Equalizer—a 1980s CBS detective drama starring Edward Woodward as a Good Samaritan retired intelligence agent—was a brand that still lured audiences. Antoine Fuqua’s violent action movie with Denzel Washington exists in an entirely different universe, the brutal and vengeful cinematic neighborhood of Charles Bronson, Liam Neeson, and Washington himself. Call it The Equalizer or call it Man on Fire 2—this is a Denzel action film, first and last.
The film doesn...
After all, it’s not as if The Equalizer—a 1980s CBS detective drama starring Edward Woodward as a Good Samaritan retired intelligence agent—was a brand that still lured audiences. Antoine Fuqua’s violent action movie with Denzel Washington exists in an entirely different universe, the brutal and vengeful cinematic neighborhood of Charles Bronson, Liam Neeson, and Washington himself. Call it The Equalizer or call it Man on Fire 2—this is a Denzel action film, first and last.
The film doesn...
- 9/26/2014
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
The Weinstein Company released their new drama/sci-fi film, "The Giver" into theaters this past Thursday, August 14th, and the reviews are in from all the top critics. It turns out that it went over close to half well with them with an overall score of 46 out of a possible 100 across 31 reviews at the metacritic.com site. The film stars: Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Brenton Thwaites, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, Odeya Rush, and Taylor Swift. We posted blurbs from a couple of the critics,below. Mick Lasalle at the San Francisco Chronicle, gave it a 75 score, saying: "Just in the last few months, we've seen "Snowpiercer" and "Divergent," which also deal with what happens after a civil collapse. The Giver, the latest in this weird trend, approaches a now-familiar topic from a new angle, and, of the three, it's the most visually arresting." Sara Stewart from the New York Post,...
- 8/16/2014
- by Megan
- OnTheFlix
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