We’re ranking Gerard Butler movies by Tomatometer, from Wes Anderson collaborations (The Royal Tenenbaums, The French Dispatch), audience favorites (Cars, Wedding Crashers, Marley & Me), and award winners (Midnight in Paris, Wonder). —Alex Vo
Critics Consensus:Fantastic Mr. Fox is a delightfully funny feast for the eyes with multi-generational appeal -- and it shows Wes Anderson has a knack for animation.
Synopsis: After 12 years of bucolic bliss, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) breaks a promise to his wife (Meryl Streep) and raids [More]
Critics Consensus: It may not boast the depth of his classic films, but the sweetly sentimental Midnight in Paris is funny and charming enough to satisfy Woody Allen fans.
Synopsis: Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a screenwriter and aspiring novelist. Vacationing in Paris with his fiancee (Rachel McAdams), he has [More]
Critics Consensus: Typically stylish but deceptively thoughtful, The Grand Budapest Hotel finds Wes Anderson once again using ornate visual environments to explore deeply emotional ideas.
Synopsis: In the 1930s, the Grand Budapest Hotel is a popular European ski resort, presided over by concierge Gustave H. (Ralph [More]
Critics Consensus:Wonder doesn't shy away from its bestselling source material's sentiment, but this well-acted and overall winsome drama earns its tugs at the heartstrings.
Synopsis: Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie Pullman becomes [More]
Critics Consensus: Despite sometimes sitcom-like execution, Meet the Parents is a hilarious look at familial relationships that works mostly because the chemistry between its two leads is so effective.
Synopsis: Everything that can possibly go wrong for groom-to-be Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) does. The problems begin with Greg's disastrous first [More]
Critics Consensus: The Royal Tenenbaums is a delightful adult comedy with many quirks and a sense of poignancy. Many critics especially praised Hackman's performance.
Synopsis: Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary --- all [More]
Critics Consensus: Although the plot is really nothing to brag about, Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson work well together. The cinematography looks great, and Jackie delivers a hilarious performance. This is an old-fashioned crowd-pleaser.
Synopsis: Bumbling Chon Wang (Jackie Chan) works as an Imperial guard in the Forbidden City of China. When Princess Pei Pei [More]
Critics Consensus: A loving ode to the spirit of journalism, The French Dispatch will be most enjoyed by fans of Wes Anderson's meticulously arranged aesthetic.
Synopsis: THE FRENCH DISPATCH brings to life a collection of stories from the final issue of an American magazine published in [More]
Critics Consensus:Cars offers visual treats that more than compensate for its somewhat thinly written story, adding up to a satisfying diversion for younger viewers.
Synopsis: While traveling to California to race The King and Chick Hicks in the Piston Cup Championship, Lightning McQueen falls out [More]
Critics Consensus:Inherent Vice may prove frustrating for viewers who demand absolute coherence, but it does justice to its acclaimed source material -- and should satisfy fans of director P.T. Anderson.
Synopsis: In a California beach community, private detective Larry "Doc" Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) tends to work his cases through a smoky [More]
Critics Consensus:Cars 3 has an unexpectedly poignant story to go with its dazzling animation, suggesting Pixar's most middle-of-the-road franchise may have a surprising amount of tread left.
Synopsis: Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast cars, the legendary Lighting McQueen finds himself pushed out of the sport that [More]
Critics Consensus: With the requisite combination of humor, sorrow and outstanding visuals, The Darjeeling Limited will satisfy Wes Anderson fans.
Synopsis: Estranged brothers Francis (Owen Wilson), Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) reunite for a train trip across India. The [More]
Critics Consensus: It's uneven and occasionally somewhat aimless, but Starsky & Hutch benefits from Stiller and Wilson's chemistry and a surprisingly warm-hearted script.
Synopsis: High-strung workaholic David Starsky (Ben Stiller) and laidback ladies' man Ken "Hutch" Hutchinson (Owen Wilson) are detectives who patrol the [More]
Critics Consensus:Marry Me's silly storyline is heavy on the "something old" and "something borrowed," but the movie's well-matched leads make it easy to say "I do."
Synopsis: Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) is half of the sexiest celebrity power couple on Earth with hot new music supernova Bastian [More]
Critics Consensus: While its subdued thrills and lack of answers may prove frustrating, The Minus Man delivers a chillingly measured performance from Owen Wilson.
Synopsis: Aimless Vann Siegert (Owen Wilson) takes a bizarre turn in life and becomes a serial killer, tracking down the miserable, [More]
Critics Consensus: Much like the titular oceanographer, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou's overt irony may come off as smug and artificial -- but for fans of Wes Anderson's unique brand of whimsy it might be worth the dive.
Synopsis: Renowned oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) has sworn vengeance upon the rare shark that devoured a member of his crew. [More]
Critics Consensus:No Escape's talented cast and taut B-movie thrills are unfortunately offset by its one-dimensional characters and uncomfortably retrograde worldview.
Synopsis: American businessman Jack Dwyer, wife Annie and their two young daughters arrive in Southeast Asia to begin a new life. [More]
Critics Consensus: There are far worse family viewing options, but given the talent assembled, Secret Headquarters is a disappointingly bland and muddled action movie.
Synopsis: While hanging out after school, Charlie and his friends discover the headquarters of the world's most powerful superhero hidden beneath [More]
Critics Consensus:She's Funny That Way is an affectionate, talent-filled throwback to screwball comedies of old -- which makes it even more frustrating that the laughs are disappointingly few and far between.
Synopsis: The cast and crew of a Broadway play are thrown into a romantic roundelay when a lecherous director (Owen Wilson) [More]
Critics Consensus:Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian is busy enough to keep the kids interested but the slapstick goes overboard and the special effects (however well executed) throw the production into mania.
Synopsis: Once the night guard at the Museum of Natural History, Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is now a successful purveyor of [More]
Critics Consensus: Parents might call this either a spectacle-filled adventure or a shallow and vapid CG-fest, depending on whether they choose to embrace this on the same level as their kids.
Synopsis: A night watchman (Ben Stiller) at a museum of natural history makes a startling discovery: Thanks to the unleashing of [More]
Critics Consensus:Cars 2 is as visually appealing as any other Pixar production, but all that dazzle can't disguise the rusty storytelling under the hood.
Synopsis: Racecar Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and his tow-truck buddy, Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), have had their share of adventures [More]
Critics Consensus:The Wendell Baker Story is a lackadaisical comedy of quirky characters and situations, but ultimately the lazy narrative bores instead of charms.
Synopsis: Career con artist Wendell Baker (Luke Wilson) discovers he has a talent for straightening out tense situations. Following his release [More]
Critics Consensus: Lovely to look at but about as intelligent as the asteroid that serves as the movie's antagonist, Armageddon slickly sums up the cinematic legacies of producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay.
Synopsis: When an asteroid threatens to collide with Earth, NASA honcho Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) determines the only way to [More]
Critics Consensus: The plot for Behind Enemy Lines is more jingoistic than credible, and the overload of flashy visual tricks makes the action sequences resemble a video game.
Synopsis: A Navy pilot (Owen Wilson) is shot down over enemy territory, and struggles to survive the relentless pursuit of a [More]
Critics Consensus:The Internship weighs down Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson's comic charisma with a formulaic script and padded running time that leans heavily on its stars' easygoing interplay.
Synopsis: After old-school salesmen Billy (Vince Vaughn) and Nick (Owen Wilson) find themselves downsized, Billy decides that, despite their complete lack [More]
Critics Consensus:Masterminds' great cast and stranger-than-fiction true story are largely wasted on a scattershot comedy with a handful of funny moments and far too much wackiness.
Synopsis: An armored-car driver (Zach Galifianakis) helps a flirty co-worker (Kristen Wiig) and her friends pull off a heist, then finds [More]
Critics Consensus: Some filmgoers may be surprised by the Farrellys' defense of traditional domestic values in Hall Pass -- unfortunately, they'll probably also be dismayed by the absence of laughs.
Synopsis: Best friends Rick and Fred each have been married for a long time, and they are showing signs of restlessness. [More]
Critics Consensus: Thanks to a creative canvas that's stretched too thin and haphazardly splashed with far too few colors, most viewers will find watching Paint a painfully dry experience.
Synopsis: In PAINT, Owen Wilson portrays Carl Nargle, Vermont's #1 public television painter who is convinced he has it all: a [More]
Critics Consensus:How Do You Know boasts a quartet of likeable leads -- and they deserve better than this glib, overlong misfire from writer/director James L. Brooks.
Synopsis: Lisa Jorgenson's (Reese Witherspoon) entire life has been defined by softball, but at 31, she is deemed too old to [More]
Critics Consensus: The movie is overwhelmed by its chaotic visual effects and disjointed storyline.
Synopsis: An unhappy car dealer (Bruce Willis) believes that a dime-store author/philosopher (Albert Finney) has the answers to life's important questions. [More]
Critics Consensus:Zoolander No. 2 has more celebrity cameos than laughs -- and its meager handful of memorable gags outnumbers the few worthwhile ideas discernible in its scattershot rehash of a script.
Synopsis: Former models Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel find themselves thrust back into the spotlight after living in seclusion for [More]
Critics Consensus: A rather generic entry into the arrested development subgenre, with themes borrowed from other more successful and funnier films. Dupree wears out its welcome.
Synopsis: Newlyweds Carl (Matt Dillon) and Molly (Kate Hudson) are anxious to start their lives together, but the pair soon become [More]
Critics Consensus: Lazily crafted and light on substance, The Big Bounce takes few chances and strands its promising cast in a subpar adaptation that fails to do its source material justice.
Synopsis: Beach bum and petty criminal Jack Ryan (Owen Wilson) gets into a fight while working at a construction site owned [More]
Critics Consensus: Given the amount of talent assembled on both sides of the camera, Are You Here falls bewilderingly flat.
Synopsis: After his eccentric pal (Zach Galifianakis) inherits a fortune from his estranged father, an aimless, womanizing weatherman (Owen Wilson) becomes [More]
This week on home video, we’ve got an action sequel starring Tom Cruise, an historical drama about Queen Victoria, and a Jim Jarmusch music doc about the Stooges, plus a few more interesting choices. Read on for the full list.
Jim Jarmusch’s Certified Fresh documentary is a tribute to the pioneering punk band The Stooges, charting their rise and fall through first-hand accounts from Iggy Pop, his bandmates, and others close to the band. The film’s only available on DVD, and information on special features is currently unavailable.
This fantastical coming-of-age comedy centers on a young girl who retreats into bizarre, dreamlike fantasies when her parents invite her entire school to her surprise 15th birthday party. Information on special features is currently unavailable.
Jenna Coleman stars as a young Queen Victoria in this ITV drama (broadcast in the US as a PBS Masterpiece series) that focuses on the monarch’s early reign, beginning with her ascension to the throne at the age of 18 in 1837. Information on special features for the season 1 set are currently unavailable.
Dwayne Johnson stars in HBO’s comedy about an ex-NFL player struggling to adjust to life after football who becomes a financial manager for other star athletes. The season 2 set comes with behind-the-scenes featurettes for all ten episodes.
Tom Cruise reprises his role as author Lee Child’s wandering fixer, who attempts to clear his name after he is wrongly accused of murder, and discovers he may have a child he never met. Extras include interviews with the cast and crew, a lengthy look at the filming locations, inside looks at the final set piece and the Jack Reacher persona, and more.
Zach Galifianakis and Kristen Wiig lead an all-star comedic cast in this based-on-true-events caper about an armored vehicle driver who attempts pull off an impossible heist in hopes of impressing a woman. It comes with a making-of featurette.
There are just a handful of noteworthy selections new to Netflix and Amazon Prime this week, while FandangoNOW adds a mix of well-received older titles (including one Disney classic) and new releases. Read on for the full list.
This acclaimed horror hybrid from debuting writer-director Babak Anvari is set in war-torn Tehran and centers on a mother and daughter who may or may not be suffering from the presence of a Djinn.
Season 12 of FX’s enduring comedy about a gang of misanthropic friends who run an Irish pub in Philly just premiered last week, and if you caught it for the first time and thought, “This is insane. I want more,” then you’re in luck. Netflix has all 11 previous seasons.
Following the success of Stranger Things, Netflix goes full retro by remaking and recontextualizing a popular 1970s-1980s sitcom about a divorced mother raising two teenage daughters. Except this time, they’re Cuban.
This Certified Fresh documentary spends a year chronicling the life of the powerful contemporary soul singer — who we unfortunately lost in November — as she attempts to release a new album while battling cancer.
Bryan Cranston stars in this real-life drama about an undercover US Customs agent who enters Pablo Escobar’s drug trafficking operation in an effort to build a case and bring down his financial support system.
Toby Kebbell and Brian Cox star in this thriller about an Afghanistan war veteran who returns home and discovers a conspiracy between intelligence agencies and a gang of drug dealers.
In José Padilha’s sequel to the hit 2010 Brazilian crime drama, Wagner Moura reprises his role as a military police captain who helps stem gang violence in his town but inadvertently empowers corrupt cops and politicians in the process.
Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo star in Mira Nair’s inspirational tale based on a true story about a chess prodigy who is discovered in a Ugandan slum and nurtured to become a champion.
This surprisingly effective prequel to the forgettable 2014 original follows a scam psychic and her two daughters as they deal with an unwelcome spirit who enters their lives via the titular game board.
Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, and Owen Wilson lead an all-star comedic cast in this based-on-true-events caper about an armored vehicle driver who attempts pull off an impossible heist in hopes of impressing a woman.
Zach Galifianakis and Isla Fisher play a regular suburban couple who get roped into an international conspiracy when their new neighbors turn out to be spies.
This weekend, director Tim Burton scored his first number one opening in over six years with the fantasy adventure Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children which debuted on top with an estimated $28.5M. The PG-13 film from Fox averaged a sturdy $8,092 from 3,522 theaters. Reviews were decent and audiences polled by CinemaScore gave a satisfactory B+ grade.
Based on the best-selling novel, Miss Peregrine played to a more female audience at 59% while the split between those over and under 25 was even. With a production cost of over $100M, the adventure film posted a global debut weekend of $65M including a $36.5M international bow from 59 markets. Leading the way were Korea at $5.2M and the U.K. at $4.6M. 20 more markets are still to come next weekend including France, Russia, and Germany.
Another new expensive film followed in second place. The disaster drama Deepwater Horizon opened to an estimated $20.6M from 3,259 theaters for a good $6,321 average. Lionsgate’s PG-13 pic anchored by Mark Wahlberg earned strong reviews from critics and did well with paying audiences too taking an A- grade from CinemaScore. The production cost was north of $110M.
Like the recent hit Sully, Horizon takes a recent real-life American disaster from 6-7 years ago and turns it into a well-reviewed motion picture event anchored by a big Hollywood star as the hero who fights to overcome the odds and save lives. But the Tom Hanks pic performed much better opening to $35M. For Wahlberg, this was not even among his top ten career openings. Deepwater Horizon rolled out in a handful of international markets grossing an additional $12.4M including debuts in the U.K., Russia and Mexico.
Following its top spot debut, The Magnificent Seven tumbled 55% to an estimated $15.7M boosting Sony’s cume to $61.6M. That was a larger drop than the 45% of Denzel Washington’s last film, The Equalizer, which the studio also released during the end of September. Seven should finish at or just below $100M domestic.
The baby-delivery toon Storks enjoyed an encouraging 35% sophomore decline to an estimated $13.8M playing as the main option for younger children this weekend. With $38.8M in the bank for Warner Bros., a final of around $75M may result. Tom Hanks scored the 19th $100M+ domestic blockbuster of his career this weekend as Sully took in an estimated $8.4M, down 38%, for a $105.4M cume to date. The double Oscar winner has delivered such hits across four consecutive decades now starting with his first which was 1988’s Big.
Crashing into sixth place was the new comedy Masterminds which was rejected by moviegoers opening to only $6.6M, according to estimates, from 3,042 locations for a weak $2,170 average. Relativity had this one bouncing around the calendar and the many delays did nothing to excite ticket buyers. Reviews were mostly negative for the PG-13 pic.
Critics were all cheers for the chess drama Queen of Katwe but audiences spent an estimated $2.6M this weekend for its national expansion resulting in a soft $2,100 average from 1,242 theaters for Disney. Total is $3M. The horror hit Don’t Breathe kept on rocking slipping 37% in its sixth weekend in the top ten – a rare feat for a fright film. Sony collected an estimated $3.4M, pushing the sum to $84.7M, and could be headed for $90M.
A couple of underperformers rounded out the top ten with drops of 50% each. Bridget Jones’s Baby grossed an estimated $2.3M for Universal while Open Road’s Snowden took in an estimated $2M. Disappointing cumes are $21M and $18.7M, respectively.
In limited release, the new legal drama Denial got off to a nice start averaging $20,420 from five New York and Los Angeles theaters for a $102,000 weekend estimate. Bleecker Street will widen the PG-13 film starring Rachel Weisz next weekend into ten more markets. The critically-acclaimed teen drama American Honey delivered a good result in its platform debut averaging $18,843 from four locations in NY/LA. The R-rated film expands Friday into more cities before going national on October 14.
The top ten films grossed an estimated $102.9M which was down 26% from last year when The Martian debuted at number one with $54.3M; and down 24% from 2014 when Gone Girl opened in the top spot with $37.5M.
Tim Burton‘s love of ornate visuals and dark whimsy hasn’t always jibed with the mainstream, but with his adaptation of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, he’s tackling a property that’s not only squarely in his wheelhouse, but has enough of an audience to encourage hopes for a blockbuster. Inspired by Ransom Riggs’ YA bestseller, Peculiar follows the adventures of Jake (Asa Butterfield), a grieving boy who stumbles into a time loop populated by strange and wonderful people — just in time to be drawn into their life-or-death battle against a terrifying foe (Samuel L. Jackson). Packed with quirk (and franchise potential), the story sets the table for a cinematic feast of truly Burtonian proportions; unfortunately, reviews describe an end product that’s something less than the sum of its parts. Perhaps too frightening for younger viewers and too loose with the source material for hardcore fans of the books, Burton’s Peculiar Children may prove a hard sell — but one not without its charms for the director’s fans and those seeking something strange and a little dark at the cineplex this weekend.
How do you turn a catastrophic real-life disaster into entertainment? It’s tricky, obviously, but with Deepwater Horizon, director Peter Berg proves it can be done. Inspired by the events leading up to the 2010 oil spill that killed 11 crewmen and left a devastating environmental imprint in the Gulf of Mexico, this ensemble thriller stars Mark Wahlberg as a rig worker who leaps into the fray after the explosion that threatens the lives of his crew — and critics say he does a fine job, along with a list of co-stars that includes Kurt Russell, John Malkovich, and Kate Hudson, while Berg remains a dependably deft hand with a senses-rattling set piece. While many critics have hastened to add that Deepwater might have been more satisfying if it took the time to consider the regional aftermath of the events it dramatizes, reviews still point to an absorbing, well-acted action drama with some extra poignant nonfictional heft.
Comedy is subjective, but even taking individual tastes into account, this weekend’s Masterminds boasts a pretty impressive pedigree: Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones, and Kate McKinnon are just a few of the funny people in its ensemble cast, and if that isn’t enough, it also has Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess at the helm — as well as a script inspired by the true story of an absurd bank heist sparked by a toxic blend of greed and unrequited love. Alas, critics say most of that potential is squandered here; although the movie almost can’t help but manage a handful of funny moments, they’re smothered in an aggressively wacky caper that mistakes questionable hairstyles for genuine laughs.
For a cerebral game that may not seem inherently cinematic, chess has served as the backdrop for some pretty entertaining films over the years — a list upon which Disney’s Queen of Katwe can now claim a spot of honor. This inspirational drama finds director Mira Nair commanding a stellar cast led by Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo, and starring newcomer Madina Nalwanga as real-life Ugandan chess champion Phiona Mutesi, and although its portrayal of Mutesi’s life might be guilty of indulging in a few stereotypical Hollywood shenanigans, the story of this unlikely prodigy is undeniably compelling. Critics say Nyong’o and Oyelowo deliver outstanding performances, while Nair has earned some of her best reviews since 2002’s Monsoon Wedding. If it’s feelgood fare you seek this weekend, check your local listings for Queen of Katwe.
Uniquely its own, and compelling and poignant as ever, Transparent continues to transcend the parameters of comedic and dramatic television with sustained excellence in its empathetic portrayal of the Pfefferman family.
An immersive, socially conscious narrative and a confident, charismatic lead performance make Marvel’s Luke Cage a stellar sampling of the new Marvel/Netflix universe.
With an impressive level of quality that honors its source material, the brilliantly addictive Westworld balances intelligent, enthralling drama against outright insanity.
Also Opening This Week In Limited Release
Long Way North (2015)98%
, a period adventure following a 19th-century teenaged Russian aristocrat on a beautifully animated Arctic quest, is at 100 percent.
Sand Storm (2016)93%
, about the effects of entrenched patriarchy on the women of one Israeli family, is at 94 percent.
Among the Believers (2015)95%
, a look at a real-life cleric’s efforts to impose Sharia law in Pakistan, is at 91 percent.
Harry & Snowman (2015)94%
, a documentary about the bond between Harry de Leyer and his champion horse, is at 89 percent.
A Man Called Ove (2015)91%
, a Swedish import adapting the bestselling novel about an elderly man whose plans for suicide are foiled by unwanted friendships, is at 86 percent.
Tharlo (2015)91%
, a Tibetan import about a shepherd caught in a legal bind, is at 86 percent.
American Honey (2016)79%
, about a teenage runaway’s experiences with a group of potentially unsavory new friends, is at 78 percent.
The Apostate (2015)79%
, about the bureaucratic entanglements suffered by a Spaniard struggling to excommunicate himself from the Catholic church, is at 76 percent.
Denial (2016)82%
, starring Rachel Weisz in a fact-based drama about the legal battle that erupts after an author is accused of being a Holocaust denier, is at 70 percent.
Danny Says (2015)74%
, a documentary about the little-known yet incredible career of music industry figure Danny Fields, is at 60 percent.
ClownTown (2016)9%
, about a group of stranded friends fighting to survive in a town full of homicidal clowns, is at 13 percent.
Masterminds, a heist comedy based on a 1997 North Carolina robbery directed by Napoleon Dynamite‘s Jared Hess, has seen multiple reported release dates come and go over the past year, having been stuck in limbo after production company Relativity Media went belly-up. But in the annals of delayed movie history, a year is a mere blip. In this week’s gallery, here are 24 movies that sat on the shelf for years after completion (or relatively close thereof).
Accidental Love (2015, delayed 7 years)
Money problems plagued this comedy starring Jessica Biel as a waitress who survives a nail gun shot to the head, prompting cast and crew walkouts and union pullouts. Producers held the production hostage by delaying filming of the crucial nail scene, and when all funding evaporated, the movie was left incomplete. In 2014, Millennium Entertainment cobbled the footage together for release while director David O. Russell took his name off the project, with credit now going to one Stephen Greene.
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane (2013, delayed 7 years)
Nothing particuarily wrong about this grindhouse slasher by way of Badlands, except that original distributor Weinstein Company got cold feet after the spectacular failure of the Grindhouse project by Tarantino and Rodriguez. After premiering at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival, the Weinsteins sold the movie to Senator Entertainment’s nascent distribution arm, which then went out of business. It took another half-decade until the movie showed up on VOD with a limited theatrical release.
Fanboys (2009, delayed 2 years)
The Weinsteins strike back! This raunchy paean to Star Wars worship features a group of friends (one of them dying of cancer) plotting to break into Skywalker Ranch and steal a workprint of The Phantom Menace. After production, the Weinstein Company hired another director to shoot new vulgar scenes and tested versions with the cancer plotline cut. The movie was eventually released as an amalgamation of the original and reshot versions.
Cabin in the Woods (2012, delayed 2 years)
A mega winky deconstruction of horror films, Cabin was a piece of film flotsam that emerged from the bankruptcy of MGM in 2010. Lionsgate, mid-thrall with Twilight and Hunger Games, picked it up in 2011 and scheduled it for release the year after.
Take Me Home Tonight (2011, delayed 4 years)
No changing hands of distributors with this one. Star Topher Grace contends that Universal sat on this ’80s-set party comedy because the studio didn’t know how to handle a movie featuring copious cocaine use.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1997, delayed 3 years)
The once shining depraved star that is the Texas Chainsaw franchise continued to dim throughout the ’90s, when Columbia pushed back this maligned comedy sequel until Renee Zellweger became a household name post-Jerry Maguire. Co-star Matthew McConaughey insisted on not releasing the movie at all by that point.
Case 39 (2010, delayed 2 years)
To comment on the wild nature of show biz, by 2010, Zellweger’s name was no longer big enough to guarantee a movie hitting theatrical release. Paramount shelved Case 39 until it saw a release opening after co-star Bradley Cooper hit it big with The Hangover.
Roar (2015, delayed 34 years)
The most violent film shoot in history without fatalities, Roar features lions, tigers, elephants, and more tearing apart a house and mauling cast and crew, with real bloodletting onscreen. Melanie Griffith, Tippi Hedren, and cinematographer Jan De Bont required hundred of stitches between them. Completed in 1981, the movie was never shown in America until Drafthouse picked it up for limited release.
Red Dawn (2012, delayed 2 years)
Another victim of the MGM bankruptcy starring Chris Hemsworth, Dawn attracted controversy when the invading enemies were changed from China to North Korea. FilmDistrict eventually picked it up.
Margaret (2011, delayed 4 years)
For his follow-up to You Can Count On Me, Kenneth Lonergan was unable to stick to Fox Searchlight’s mandate to keep Margaret at 150 minutes or less, resulting in years of post-production tinkering and conflict. Even Martin Scorsese was brought in to do a cut, which ran 165 minutes. Litigation threats compelled Lonergan to finally turn in the 150 minute cut, though you can see the original 3-hour movie on DVD.
A Thousand Words (2012, delayed 4 years)
Eddie Murphy shot several movies virtually back-to-back-to-back with director Brian Robbins, resulting in Meet Dave and the Oscar-nominated Norbit. The third, A Thousand Words, was halfheartedly released years later when, by that point, Murphy had largely quit the film scene to focus on home life.
White Dog (2008, delayed 27 years)
Explosive genre maestro Samuel Fuller’s final American film, co-scripted by the late Curtis Hanson, plays ruff with a dog trained by a former white supremacist owner to only attack black people. Fuller was run out of town for the movie and moved to France, with White Dog never hitting theaters in the States. It was finally released uncut by Criterion, 11 years after Fuller’s death.
Eye See You (2002, delayed 3 years)
By 2002, Sylvester Stallone’s career had entered the darkest timeline. His attempt to rebrand in CopLand didn’t work (people apparently don’t need to see fat Rocky), while passion project Driven hit a wall. So when a producer abandoned Eye See You mid-shoot, UIP was convinced another Stallone stinker was on the horizon and didn’t release it ’til years after the fact.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1989, delayed 3 years)
A cinema verite descent via dismemberment and placid madness, Henry played the festival circuit for years unable to pick up distribution due to its content. After a positive review from Roger Ebert linking the stigma of the “X” rating to arthouse challengers like The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover and Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Henry was released uncut as an X feature. The following year, the NC-17 rating was introduced.
Night of the Ghouls (1984, delayed 26 years)
Aww yeah, you knew Ed Wood would show up in this list! Ghouls, shot post-Plan 9 as a sequel to Bride of the Monster, lay dormant in a production lab due to lack of funds. Decades later, a Wood fanatic footed the bill for its release onto VHS.
Prozac Nation (2005, delayed 4 years)
The Weinsteins (again!) picked up this depression cherry during their Miramax days after it debuted at the 2001 Toronto Film Fest. The company muddled around with multiple cuts without finding the movie’s right edge, before dumping it on Starz! mid-decade.
Rampage (1992, delayed 5 years)
Somewhat fresh off his artistic comeback with To Live and Die in L.A., William Friedkin made this Michael Biehn vehicle — part murder spree, part histrionic courtroom drama. Italian producing legend Dino De Laurentiis was set to release Rampage; his company, DEG, then went bankrupt, delaying the movie by several years.
Shanghai (2015, delayed 5 years)
The Weinstein Company shot this 1940s-era mystery in Thailand, after China revoked their permit a week before shooting was to start. The movie gross almost $10 million internationally during initial release (a far cry from its $50m budget) and the Weinsteins did nothing with the product for years until suddenly and quietly dumping it in theaters last year.
The Lovers on the Bridge (1999, delayed 8 years)
Directed by Leos Carax (Holy Motors) and released in France in 1991, this strung-out romantic drama starring Juliette Binoche didn’t see an American theatrical release until the fin de siècle for any real known reason.
The Plot Against Harry (1990, delayed 21 years)
Independent filmmaker Michael Roemer only shot two features, during the 1960s. The second, Plot Against Harry was shot in 1969 and abandoned after failing to connect with any audience. Decades later, while transferring the film to videotape as a gift to his kids and witnessing the technician laughing, Roemer passed the film around again to acclaim.
Tiefland (1954, delayed 10 years)
Leni Riefenstahl, she of neutral docudrama Triumph of the Will fame, directed and starred in this adaptation of Hitler’s favorite opera. After resolving a global inconvenience during the later 1940s, French authorities confiscated the Tiefland reels, with Riefenstahl only able to complete the film a decade after shoot. Cannes then rejected it.
Unconditional Love (2003, delayed 4 years)
Using his clout after My Best Friend’s Wedding success, P.J. Hogan directed this way offbeat comedy about a mild housewife who becomes involved with tracking down a murderer of singers. New Line Cinema eventually released the movie on Starz!
Blue Sky (1994, delayed 3 years)
This Tommy Lee Jones/Jessica Lange drama took a while to hit theaters due to Orion’s bankruptcy in 1991. Lange, who won the Best Actress for this movie, would’ve had to compete with Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs) for the Oscar had Blue Sky released on time, though Lange did beat out Foster in ’94 over Nell.
A Sound of Thunder (2005, delayed 3 years)
Production company Franchise Pictures went bankrupt during this Ray Bradbury adaptation’s post-production. Budget reports vary wildly for this, and the higher the number goes, the sadder the final result looks on the screen.
93%
73%
58%
