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"The Exorcist: Believer" is a pretty good movie that's so stuffed with characters and not-quite-developed ideas that you may come away from it thinking about what it could have been instead. 

Directed and co-written by David Gordon Green , who recently oversaw a trilogy of "Halloween" sequels, it focuses on the simultaneous possession of two young girls (apparently by the same demon that haunted the first movie) and the harmonic convergence of parents and clerics trying to liberate them from evil. It's probably the first "Exorcist" sequel since 1977's fitfully brilliant "Exorcist II: The Heretic" to capture the persistent sense of the uncanny that made William Friedkin's first entry in the series a smash hit. 

The opening third, which sets all of the narrative pieces in place, is the slowest and subtlest part of the movie. But it's also the most satisfying because of the confident way it uses silence, misdirection, and negative space to make the audience wonder if evil is already present in the story or if we're just being paranoid. Green has clearly studied William Friedkin's original as if it were a holy (or unholy?) text and reproduces some of the master's techniques for setting viewers on edge: for instance, adding a disruptive sound (such as a car horn) when the movie cuts from one scene to another, or cutting away to unnerving, oddly framed closeups (flashes of demonic faces and bloody wounds, shots of jackhammers, and so on) when characters are having important conversations. The film becomes less compelling as it goes along, however, ultimately succumbing to the horror movie equivalent of the problem that often afflicts superhero movies packed with lots of heroes and villains. The story's energy gets dispersed, and the movie gradually loses touch with the source of its initial power, the privilege of focusing on the main characters: a widowed father named Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) and his daughter Angela ( Lidya Jewett ). 

We meet Victor in the film's prologue, set in Haiti, where Victor and his very pregnant wife, both photographers, are vacationing. An earthquake collapses the building they're staying in and crushes her, though not before she accepts the locals' blessing to protect the baby. Doctors tell Victor they can save his wife or unborn daughter, but not both. We know how that turned out. The script elides exactly how the decision came about and how it affected Victor, saving it all for future revelations and gradually expanding flashbacks. 

Thirteen years later, father and daughter live in Atlanta, Georgia, where Victor has a thriving photographic portrait studio. The now-13-year-old Angela asks permission from her understandably super-protective father to have her first-ever after-school studying visit with a classmate: her best friend Katherine (Olivia O'Neill), whose parents ( Jennifer Nettles and Norbert Leo Butz ) are Catholic. Unfortunately, this is no ordinary study break: the girls spent a couple of furtive hours in the woods near the school, communicating with a spirit at the bottom of some kind of abandoned shaft, and emerged, um, different.  

The movie initially seems as if it's going to be another Catholicism-centered exorcism flick, but this is a misdirection that sets up some good jokes (not on Catholicism itself, but the way so many exorcism movies treat the Vatican as the spiritual equivalent of The Avengers). The film ultimately opts for more of a United Nations-of-spirituality approach, noting that most cultures throughout history have had equivalents for possession and exorcism, then assembling experts to attack the demon from multiple theological angles. 

Raphael Sbarge plays the priest at Katherine's family's church who bears witness to a disturbing outburst by the demon-possessed girl, who grows increasingly impatient and irritable as a Sunday service unfolds. Ann Dowd has a supporting role as Paula, a next-door neighbor who realizes while caring for Angela at the hospital that the kid isn't acting that way because she's got the flu. Though not an ordained holy person, Paula has connections to the Catholic faith and rallies to the cause. She's joined by Father Maddox (E.J. Bonilla), a goodhearted but fainthearted young padre who goes to the Church seeking permission for an official, sanctioned exorcism and ends up becoming a bit like the skittish young priest that Richard Pryor played in the old "Saturday Night Live" parody of " The Exorcist " ("Father, where is your faith?" "It's in the car ... I'll go get it!") There's even a demon-battler imported from Haiti ( Okwui Okpokwasili ) who pushes Victor to reconnect with beliefs he rejected after his wife's death.

Then, of course, there's Chris McNeil (Ellen Burstyn), the mother from the original "The Exorcist," making a "legacy sequel" appearance that connects this entry to the series' origin point. The handling of Burstyn's character is, unfortunately, the weakest part of the film's midsection—a study in misdirection that disappoints rather than surprises or delights. The movie sets up conditions wherein Chris seems poised to become this sequel's version of Max von Sydow's battle-hardened old priest in the first movie, and channels Burstyn's offscreen involvement with spiritually-oriented subjects and causes , then builds and builds and builds to the sequence where Paula gives Victor the memoir Chris wrote about her daughter's possession and recovery and then ...  pffft . Nothing. After one big scene, "The Exorcist: Believer" seems to have to remind itself that she's part of the story and find ways to connect her to the other characters through editing.

Green keeps all the different elements in play and tries not to short-shrift any particular character. It's not easy, apparently. But the movie has personality, at least. Green has had one of the oddest careers in Hollywood, starting out with achingly sincere independent dramas (" George Washington ," " All the Real Girls "), pivoting to stoner comedies (" Pineapple Express ," " Your Highness "), and somehow ending up in major-label franchise horror. He knows his way around this genre, and he doesn't just apply the "Halloween" template again; he knows it's a different kind of story that requires a more patient and earthy approach. The movie's quasi-documentary impulse (complete with handheld camerawork and French New Wave-style editing in montage scenes) goes a long way toward making you believe that you're seeing plausible individuals confronting the unspeakable and unmeasurable. 

But in the end, the movie still becomes more of an exercise in logistics than the kind of work that'll keep you up till dawn wondering if you made sure to close every window to prevent the dreaded demon Pazuzu from sneaking in and possessing you (which is how the writer of this piece spent several insomniac months after seeing the original "Exorcist" on TV as a child). The performances are all beyond reproach, even in relatively small roles like that of Sbarge's priest, a showboater shocked and humbled by what he's gotten himself into. Odom is especially impressive because his character is so internalized and uncommunicative, but he still manages to get across the father's distress and complex and often contradictory emotions. The child leads are superb and seem to be having fun saying horrible things to adults. 

If only the exorcism itself had any novelty, much less real dramatic power: between the fact that nearly ever exorcism sequence is basically the same and the glut of "Exorcist"-type projects in recent years (including the original, excellent " The Conjuring " and the "Exorcist" TV series), there's nothing in the final sequence that will shock or even surprise viewers, except for a few character moments that would have landed harder if the large cast of characters were more finely etched. The climax of this one doesn't hit as hard as it should because we haven't gotten to know all the people in that evil-infused room (not to mention the details of their faith). The spectacular movie moments that screenwriter William Goldman called "The Whammies" can't knock the viewer over unless the characters have weight.

Friedkin excelled on both fronts: the drama and the whammies. The original is still effective because it takes its sweet time establishing characters who seem like real people, then puts them and the audience through a prolonged, brutal ordeal together—one that, at the time, no one had ever seen on a screen before. Clocking in at a relatively breezy 121 minutes in length, "The Exorcist: Believer" is a rare case where a long cut would play better than a short one. Given that the hero and his late wife were photographers, you'd expect photography to play into this film the way sound recording did in the first one, but either the script isn't interested or just part of the movie got cut down to almost nothing. And there are a lot of underdeveloped themes and elements, including the notion that a culturally divided America needs to come together for the sake of the children, as well as oddly off-brand positive exhortations that everything happens as it should, even trauma, and there would be less evil in the world if we were more emotionally connected to one another. The message at the end isn't, "The real exorcist is love," but it almost seems that way.

In theaters October 6th.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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Film credits.

The Exorcist: Believer (2023)

Rated R for some violent content, disturbing images, language and sexual references.

111 minutes

Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil

Leslie Odom Jr. as Victor Fielding

Raphael Sbarge as Pastor

Olivia Marcum as Katherine

Lidya Jewett as Angela Fielding

E.J. Bonilla as Father Maddox

Antoni Corone as Father Phillips

Jennifer Nettles

• David Gordon Green

Writer (based on characters by)

• William Peter Blatty

Writer (screen story by)

• Scott Teems
• Danny McBride
• Peter Sattler

Cinematographer

• Michael Simmonds
• Timothy Alverson
• Amman Abbasi
• David Wingo

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The Exorcist: Believer

When two girls disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, the father of one girl seeks out Chris MacNeil, who's been forever altered by wha... Read all When two girls disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, the father of one girl seeks out Chris MacNeil, who's been forever altered by what happened to her daughter fifty years ago. When two girls disappear into the woods and return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, the father of one girl seeks out Chris MacNeil, who's been forever altered by what happened to her daughter fifty years ago.

• David Gordon Green
• Peter Sattler
• Scott Teems
• Lafortune Joseph
• Leslie Odom Jr.
• Gastner Legerme
• 559 User reviews
• 220 Critic reviews
• 39 Metascore
• 1 win & 21 nominations

• Fisherman #1

• Victor Fielding
• Fisherman #2

• Sorenne Fielding
• Craftsperson
• (as Marie Michele Bazile)
• Mirror Salesman
• Young Boy in Haiti
• Spiritual Reader
• Kid at the Beach
• Mother Crying
• Haitian Doctor

• Angela Fielding

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia On William Friedkin 's passing, writer and film critic Ed Whitfield posted this on Twitter(X) and Facebook : "William Friedkin once said to me, 'Ed, the guy who made those new Halloween sequels is about to make one to my movie, The Exorcist (1973) . That's right, my signature film is about to be extended by the man who made Pineapple Express (2008) . I don't want to be around when that happens. But if there's a spirit world, and I can come back, I plan to possess David Gordon Green and make his life a living hell.'" Friedkin actually died two months before the movie was released.
• Goofs The demon in this movie, according to the credits, is Lamashtu, therefore, when it sees Chris McNeil, the "We've met before" quote is factually wrong since Chris met Pazuzu instead.

[repeated line; possessed]

Katherine : The body and the blood!

• Connections Featured in Big Brother: Episode #25.26 (2023)
• Soundtracks Kamimizye Written by Yves Boyer and Wilfred Lavaud Performed by Foula Courtesy of Seven Seas Music

User reviews 559

• Oct 6, 2023

Everything New on Prime Video in April

• How long is The Exorcist: Believer? Powered by Alexa
• October 6, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• Creepy Catalog - The Exorcist: Believer and The Rise of Real Possessions
• Film Sözlük
• Quỷ Ám: Tín Đồ
• Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Universal Pictures
• Blumhouse Productions
• Morgan Creek Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $30,000,000 (estimated)
• $65,537,395
• $26,497,600
• Oct 8, 2023
• $136,284,218

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 51 minutes
• 12-Track Digital Sound
• D-Cinema 96kHz 7.1
• Dolby Atmos
• Dolby Digital

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What Critics And Fans Are Saying About The Exorcist: Believer

50 years ago, "The Exorcist" changed horror as we know it. Director William Friedkin's 1973 film was far from the first great entry in the genre, but it brought an almost documentary-like sense of realism to its story of a young girl who catches a really bad case of demonic possession. The outcome was one of the most exalted horror films of all time ... and one that would inspire enough bad imitators to make your head spin like a possessed Regan MacNeil. Is it any wonder the film's sequels and prequel(s) have failed to reach the same bar (the semi-cult classic that is "Exorcist III" notwithstanding)?

The latest attempt at matching Friedkin's achievement comes from David Gordon Green, a former indie wunderkind who knows a thing or two about tackling sacred horror properties after helming Blumhouse's "Halloween" trilogy. Titled "The Exorcist: Believer," the film reunites Green and Blumhouse for a story about two girls who begin showing surefire signs of being controlled by a nasty entity after going missing in the woods for a few days. Like Green's "Halloween," this one is a legacy sequel that sees original "Exorcist" star Ellen Burstyn reprising her role as Chris MacNeil, who tries to help the kids in crisis (being one of the few living people with experience in these matters).

As you may recall, the finale of Green's "Halloween" trilogy, "Halloween Ends," proved to be one of the more divisive horror films in recent memory. In fact, some folks are already predicting history will repeat itself with "Believer." Upon seeing the film,  /Film's BJ Colangelo wrote , "[David Gordon Green] takes some controversial swings" trying to "reckon with the OG's legacy (and the way theology is presented in horror)" in "Believer." She added for good measure, "It's gonna be the most polarizing horror film of 2023."

What are critics saying about The Exorcist: Believer?

Where critics were increasingly divided on Green's "Halloween" trilogy the further along it went, they're comparatively unified in their disdain for "Believer" so far. At the time of writing, the film has a critics' score of only 25% on Rotten Tomatoes after 64 reviews.  In his own review for /Film , Witney Seibold wrote, "'The Exorcist: Believer' is as haphazard, uninteresting, and frustratingly shallow as any of the many, many, many 'Exorcist' imitators." He also noted that it's better than the more heavily derided "Exorcist" films before it while also being the least interesting, calling it "a rote, choppy thriller that forgets to scare us."

Echoing that sentiment, Mashable's Belen Edwards acknowledged the original "Exorcist" is "a tough act to follow" in her review , but felt that Green's sequel nevertheless commits the cardinal sin of simply being boring. "Limited scares, underdeveloped characters, and a hackneyed message about unity will make you yearn for escape — even as the movie tees up for a sequel," she explained.

Indeed, where you could readily find critics eager and willing to defend Green's "Halloween" sequels ( especially "Halloween Ends" ), even some of the more positive reviews for "Believer" tend to come with a big ol' asterisk. For example, The Guardian's Benjamin Lee observed that it's easier to appreciate the film as a fun schlockfest rather than a continuation of Friedkin's classic:

"Taken as just that, it's serviceable; a silly, gloopy Halloween shocker that offers just about enough goofy entertainment for an undemanding fright night crowd. But it might be close to impossible for those with deep reverence for the original, of which there are a great many, to take it as such, Green's messy script, co-written with Peter Sattler, also boldly insisting itself as a worthy successor."

What are fans saying about The Exorcist: Believer?

General horror enthusiasts have also started weighing in on "Believer" after preview screenings. Blogger/podcaster "HorrorMovieBBQ" wrote on X (a.k.a. the platform formerly known as Twitter), "'Exorcist: Believer' is way too predictable and very much on the corny side. Was not a fan in the least. Great cast, the kids especially were terrific and really nailed their roles. Leslie Odom Jr. was fantastic as the lead as well."

Exorcist: Believer is way too predictable and very much on the corny side. Was not a fan in the least. Great cast,the kids especially were terrific and really nailed their roles. Leslie Odom Jr was fantastic as the lead as well. That's just my opinion though, others may like it — HorrorMovieBBQ (@HorrorMovieBBQ) October 4, 2023

On the opposite end of the spectrum, X user "Jus10" wrote , "I shockingly liked ['The Exorcist: Believer'] as a film and it's David Gordon Green's most mature character study since 'George Washington' in 2000 ... but it's barely a horror film." He also predicted the film would generate a lot of love/hate reactions, noting that it was wise of Blumhouse to move "Believer" away from "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" on its original Friday the 13th release date. "This will be a VERY frontloaded box office," he added.

Gonna be an outlier: I shockingly liked #TheExorcistBeliever as a film and it's David Gordon Green's most mature character study since George Washington in 2000... but it's barely a horror film. Now I know why Blum was scared of TSwift... this will be a VERY frontloaded box office. pic.twitter.com/XyAgZLNMlC — Jus10 (@jnordell) October 4, 2023

Meanwhile, YouTuber Sydney Volpe indicated that your reaction to Green's "Halloween" trilogy may be a good litmus test for how you'll feel about "Believer." Describing the film as "exactly what you would expect from a David Gordon Green 'Exorcist' movie," she added that she "didn't hate it," but that compared to the original "Exorcist" film, "it just doesn't stack up despite trying some new things. Demons are too nice these days."

#TheExorcistBeliever is exactly what you would expect from a David Gordon Green Exorcist movie. Take that as you will. As a Halloween Ends defender, I didn't hate it. As an Exorcist lover, it just doesn't stack up despite trying some new things. Demons are too nice these days. pic.twitter.com/F2EG3vjTA9 — Sydney🚀 (@CountVolpe) October 4, 2023

In summation, folks don't seem quite as split on Green's "Exorcist" movie so far as they were on his "Halloween" trilogy. That could easily change once more people have seen it, but for now, it appears you could say this is one legacy horror sequel that has ( ahem ) failed to make a believer out of the masses.

"The Exorcist: Believer" opens in theaters on October 6, 2023.

• Entertainment /

The Exorcist: Believer looks like a hellish double feature in first trailer

The first trailer for david gordon green’s the exorcist: believer introduces a new generation of unsuspecting mortals to an old, familiar demonic presence..

By Charles Pulliam-Moore , a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.

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Though Warner Bros. ’ 1973 adaptation of The Exorcist is an iconic piece of horror cinema, none of the studio’s subsequent sequels ever really managed to make all that much of a splash. Only time will tell whether that also ends up being the case with Universal and Blumhouse’s new trilogy of Exorcist features from director David Gordon Green, but the first trailer for The Exorcist: Believer definitely makes it seem like the revival’s cooking with gas.

Set in the same continuity as the original film, The Exorcist: Believer tells the story of how widower Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) struggles to save the life of his young daughter Angela (Lidya Jewett) after she and her friend Katherine (Olivia Marcum) vanish suddenly one day only to reappear days later seemingly possessed by demonic entities.

Victor doesn’t need any prior experience with the supernatural to tell that something’s amiss with the girls after they both show up with little memory of where they’ve been, and Angela takes to sneaking up behind him in the middle of the night to say strange things. But when the girls begin to be overcome with convulsions and start speaking in inhumanly resonant, feral voices, some part of Victor knows that his neighbor’s (Ann Dowd) advice to seek out someone familiar with possessions is on the money.

As delicious as it is to hear snippets of “Tubular Bells” sprinkled throughout the trailer, it’s even better to see Ellen Burstyn return as an older, wiser Chris MacNeil, who remembers well what it took to expel a demon from her own daughter. It’s interesting to see that Believer ’s story will revolve around two possessions that have some sort of common thread and touch on spiritual practices outside of Catholicism that deal with demonic expulsion. But given how much of an influence the original Exorcist has had on the horror genre and its possession-focused subset, The Exorcist: Believer ’s success is likely going to hinge on just how well it’s able to truly unsettle and disturb audiences.

The Exorcist: Believer is slated to hit theaters on October 13th.

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‘exorcist: believer’ gets horrifying reviews after studio gambled $400 million for rights.

The first film in an ambitious planned horror trilogy is being read last rites by critics after Universal shelled out $400 million for the rights alone. But could strong box office tracking make the studio's faith pay off?

By James Hibberd

James Hibberd

Writer-at-Large

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From a business perspective, at least, The Exorcist: Believer is suddenly looking scary.

The first film in a planned horror trilogy, Exorcist: Believer is getting rather poor reviews — scoring only a 28 22 20 23 percent average on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s hardly unusual for Exorcist films to leave critics unimpressed. The franchise may have launched with William Friedkin’s acclaimed 1973 classic, but none of its four previous sequels received much acclaim.

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The film has been tracking for a good weekend opening — a potential franchise best, actually — of $30 million to $35 million. It’s unclear if the reviews, which were published today, will impact ticket sales; horror films are often review-proof. The tracking is on par with the opening of New Line’s recently released The Nun 2 . Yet as producer Jason Blum pointed out to IndieWire in March, The Exorcist: Believer needs to generate some head-spinning box office returns. Blum’s 2018 reboot of the Halloween franchise (which, like Believer , was also directed by David Gordon Green) opened to $77 million.

“The riskiest movie I have ever made for sure is not out yet,” said Blum ( M3GAN , Get Out , The Black Phone ), who is regarded as the most prolific and successful horror hitmaker working today. “It’s  The Exorcist . Just because it’s so expensive. Usually the bar to success on everything we do because it’s inexpensive is incredibly low. For  The Exorcist , it’s high.”

The film centers on Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.), whose daughter (Lidya Jewett) and her friend (Olivia Marcum) become possessed. Ellen Burstyn also returns to the franchise in her first appearance since the original film.

The Believer reviews follow the latest offering in the low-budget Saw franchise, Lionsgate’s Saw X , scoring 84 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and A24’s similarly modestly priced horror title Talk to Me getting a 94 percent “Fresh” rating. Yet neither title came close to the $30 million domestic opening weekend revenue that’s predicted for Believer and was scored by The Nun 2 — which received only a 52 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Director Green has been attached to helm the next film, The Exorcist: Deceiver , which is planned for 2025, and a third, as-yet-untitled film. In The Hollywood Reporter’ s review , critic David Rooney predicted, “Any love you had for David Gordon Green’s attempts to reanimate John Carpenter’s game-changing Halloween  franchise will probably more or less correspond to your feelings about  The Exorcist: Believer .”

The new Exorcist sequels might be less dependent on the first entry being a major hit than other franchises — like, for example, superhero movies — because fans are accustomed to horror movie franchises being hit-or-miss, and the Exorcist brand goes back decades.

The prospect of Believer potentially underperforming has to bring to mind the specter of another expensive attempt by Universal to launch a multifilm, horror-inspired franchise — its canceled Dark Universe classic monsters franchise, which kicked off with 2017’s The Mummy reboot starring Tom Cruise.

Still, Universal executives might want to say a few prayers.

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The Exorcist: Every Movie in the Franchise, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

For fifty years, William Friedkin’s iconic horror masterpiece The Exorcist has been terrifying audiences all across the world with its chilling tale.

For fifty years, William Friedkin’s iconic horror masterpiece The Exorcist has been terrifying audiences all across the world with its chilling tale. The controversial and extremely unsettling ‘70s classic depicts the horrific possession of 12-year-old Regan MacNeil by the demon Pazuzu, as her mother desperately fights to save her daughter by enlisting two brave priests to perform an exorcism. Led by a dynamic cast including Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, and Max von Sydow, the epic flick both shocked and entranced audiences everywhere and swiftly became a critical and commercial success.

The massive popularity of the original film helped establish an enduring and spine-tingling franchise that consists of five sequels (with a sixth set for release in 2025), with the most recent installment The Exorcist: Believer hitting theaters earlier this month. Both Blair and Burstyn make their buzzed about returns to the series, helping serve up some serious thrills and chills. Let’s take a look back at each entry in The Exorcist franchise, as ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes scores.

6 Exorcist II: The Heretic - 9%

Linda Blair returned as the emotionally traumatized Regan MacNeil in the 1977 supernatural horror film Exorcist II: The Heretic , the first sequel to the original classic that centers on the now 16-year-old Regan as she undergoes strict psychiatric care by Dr. Gene Tuskin (Louise Fletcher) while being tracked down by Father Lamont (Richard Burton). He is investigating the shocking death of Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) during Regan's exorcism four years prior. The teenager comes to the stunning realization that the nefarious demon that terrorized her before still lurks within her and must be released.

Despite being the anticipated follow-up to one of the cinema's most celebrated horror juggernauts, The Heretic was widely panned upon its release and is now considered one of the worst films of all time, with the screenplay and nonsensical premise being heavily critiqued. The overall lackluster response to Exorcist II caused the next installment in the series to arrive thirteen years later in 1990.

5 Exorcist: The Beginning - 11%

Serving as a prequel to the William Friedkin masterpiece , the fourth installment in the epic horror franchise centers on the early years of Father Lankester Merrin (Stellan Skarsgård) as he wrestles with his profound guilt after serving as a parish priest during World War II and the atrocities he witnessed and was forced to partake in at the hands of the sadistic Nazis. 2004's Exorcist: The Beginning follows Father Merrin and his first encounter with the demon Pazuzu in East Africa as he is forced to face his traumatic past in his battle against the evil entity while confronting his wavering faith.

Exorcist: The Beginning went on to become a minor success at the box office and grossed over $78 million, though both audiences and critics weren't too impressed by the follow-up. Though Skarsgård delivered a compelling and tortured performance as Father Merrin, the actor wasn't able to make up for the generic storyline and uninspired backstory for the famed horror character; the installment was ultimately nominated for two Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Remake.

4 The Exorcist: Believer - 23%

David Gordon Green directed the latest entry in the chilling series with 2023's The Exorcist: Believer , with original film stars Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair reprising their legendary roles as Chris and Regan MacNeil, appearing alongside Leslie Odom Jr., Ann Dowd, and Jennifer Nettles in the direct sequel to 1973's The Exorcist . In the Blumhouse Productions creation , single father and talented photographer Victor Fielding (Odom Jr.) desperately seeks out the help of Chris MacNeil after his thirteen-year-old daughter Angela and her friend become possessed by an unfathomable evil after disappearing into the woods for three days.

The Exorcist: Believer Director Explains Ellen Burstyn's Return to the Horror Franchise After a 50-year Absence

Blair served as an advisor during production, with Green telling Total Film , "I was really lucky to have [Blair] read the script, but she was not interested in a significant role and stepping back into that. We brought her in as an advisor because we're dealing with young people, and we want to take them to dangerous places safely". The Exorcist: Believer has so far amassed a negative critical reaction, with many feeling it does little to elevate the franchise and failed to deliver on the thrills and chills of the original hit.

3 Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist - 30%

Skarsgård reprised his role as Father Lankester Merrin (first originated by Max von Sydow) in 2005's Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist , which serves as an alternative prequel to the '70s staple and focuses on the struggling priest as he is plagued by his past misdeeds during World War II and sets out to volunteer at an archaeological dig in Kenya. While there, Father Merrin meets the disabled young boy Cheche (Billy Crawford) who is being shunned by the local residents for his physical state, and he swiftly begins to suspect the child is being possessed by the demon Pazuzu.

While Dominion garnered a mixed-bag response from critics and moviegoers, The Exorcist author and screenwriter William Peter Blatty was thoroughly impressed by the fifth installment and described it as "a handsome, classy, elegant piece of work." Dominion was received far more positively than fellow prequel Exorcist: The Beginning , earning praise for its thoughtful screenplay, taut atmosphere, and Skarsgård's riveting performance.

2 The Exorcist III - 58%

Set fifteen years after the spine-tingling events of the '70s horror masterpiece, 1990's The Exorcist III completely ignores the story and events of the second entry and instead follows original film character Lieutenant William F. Kinderman (George C. Scott, formerly portrayed by Lee J. Cobb). He sets out to investigate a bizarre and gruesome series of demonic murders in Georgetown which he believes are being committed by a serial killer who was executed fifteen years before. Kinderman begins to notice a pattern in the slayings and believes the spirit of the notorious criminal the Gemini has returned from beyond the grave.

The Exorcist III fared much better than its predecessor both critically and financially, grossing $44 million at the box office and winning the Saturn Award for Best Writing while earning two other nominations including Best Horror Film. People raved about the horror flick in their glowing review:

"As a movie writer-director, William Peter Blatty is like David Lynch's good twin: he is eccentric, original, funny and daring, but he also has a sense of taste, pace, and restraint - which is by way of saying that this is one of the shrewdest, wittiest, most intense and most satisfying horror movies ever made."

1 The Exorcist - 78%

Widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films to ever grace the silver screen, William Friedkin's sensational 1973 supernatural triumph The Exorcist famously tells the story of the disturbed 12-year-old Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) as she is terrorized by an ancient evil entity that begins to possess her and causes her to display frightening behavior like speaking in tongues and levitating. Regan's desperate and emotionally distraught mother Chris (Ellen Burstyn) enlists the help of two Catholic priests, Father Karras (Jason Miller) and Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) to exorcise the demon Pazuzu and free her daughter from his evil grasp.

The Exorcist: Is the Original Still One of the Scariest Horror Movies?

The difficult production of The Exorcist caused many to believe the picture was cursed, as unexplainable occurrences happened including an on-set fire, cast and crew injuries, and deaths of loved ones connected to those involved. Friedkin himself touched on the eerie events, telling the horror magazine Castle of Frankenstein in 1974, "I'm not a convert to the occult but after all I've seen on this film, I definitely believe in demonic possession ... We were plagued by strange and sinister things from the beginning."

Upon its worldwide release, The Exorcist caused a major uproar and led to audiences fainting, vomiting, and fleeing theaters due to its intense and terrifying images and content. Nonetheless, the classic has raked in over $441 million since its initial premiere and received a whopping ten Academy Award nominations, with author William Peter Blatty winning Best Original Screenplay . The Exorcist remains a beloved horror masterpiece that continues amassing a new, devoted fanbase and has permanently left its mark on the genre and silver screen.

The Exorcist: Believer Review: An Entertaining, Unnatural Sequel

By Alyse Wax

The Exorcist: Believer is not so much a sequel to William Friedkin’s brilliant masterpiece. It is a new exorcism story that utilizes a well-known character from The Exorcist to tie it together.

Leslie Odom Jr. stars as Victor Fleming, a photographer who was in Haiti when a detrimental earthquake struck. His wife, pregnant with their first child, was badly injured, and Victor is told they can only save one: his wife or his unborn daughter. 13 years later, we discover that it is his daughter, Angela ( Lidya Jewett ), who survived. The two are close, with Victor being just the tiniest bit overprotective of his happy daughter. He lets her go over to a friend’s house to do homework instead of joining him at work, with the promise that she will return for dinner.

Angela says she is going over to Katherine’s (Olivia O’Neill) house, but instead, the girls sneak off into the woods with the intent of conducting a séance to reach Angela’s mother. The séance doesn’t appear to work, and the girls don’t come home. Three days later, the two teens are found, frightened, hiding in a barn thirty miles away. They think they have only been gone for a few hours, and other than some superficial injuries, they seem to be fine and are released.

The next day, shit hits the fan. Angela wets the bed, has a seizure, and begins screaming violently. She is knocked out with Thorazine, but the doctors have no idea what is wrong and suggest she be put into a mental institution. Meanwhile, Katherine causes a scene at her church, but her parents decide to care for her at home.

With the help of Victor’s next-door neighbor Ann ( Ann Dowd ), a nurse who was nearly a nun, Victor discovers Chris MacNeil ( Ellen Burstyn ). Though she is careful to explain that she has never actually seen an exorcism, she claims she has researched exorcism and demon possession in every culture she could find. Chris goes to visit the girls and has a bad accident at the hands of Katherine.

Victor, a non-religious man, finally decides that he has enough proof. In order to save his daughter and her friend, he needs to put aside his distaste for religion and hold an exorcism. They gather a super team of religious people, ranging from the evangelical Katherine’s parents and pastor, to the nearly-nun neighbor, to a former doctor who now specializes in old-world traditional medicine. Rounding out the team are a Catholic priest (there against the dictate of the diocese) and a guy who is . . . maybe a snake handler? I don’t know, but they have pretty much every angle of Christianity covered.

The Exorcist: Believer Isn’t Very Scary

The Exorcist: Believer didn’t have a lot of scares. It was very loud, without the quiet parts to lead you into a false sense of security. You know the two little girls are in need of an exorcism, so quite frankly, all of their actions are expected. They mostly speak in demonic voices and shout curse words. They didn’t even shift between possessed and helpless little girls. Once they were possessed, they stayed possessed. That felt a little flat. 

The two little girls, however, were phenomenal. They played possessed children with aplomb. When they were kids, they felt like kids. When they were possessed, they felt demonic. An extra shout-out goes to Jewett. This was really Angela’s story. She got the most screen time, and she shined. When she was possessed, I forgot she was a child.

The religious aspect was well-handled in this film. There was a super-team of religious entities that didn’t go so corny as to represent every religion, just all the different aspects of Christianity. I like that Victor wasn’t religious. As an atheist myself, it made me feel less alienated.

The movie didn’t need The Exorcist angle. It could have succeeded on its own as an exorcism of two girls. As far as I could tell, Pazuzu didn’t possess either girl; maybe it did, but it wasn’t clear. Chris MacNeil seemed to have been wedged into the story to allow it to carry The Exorcist title. Other than pushing Victor towards believing that an exorcism was necessary (something which he was leaning towards at the behest of others in his little group), Chris MacNeil had no purpose. She didn’t even partake in the exorcism. Honestly, if you were going to lean into The Exorcist side of things, it would have been more purposeful to bring back Linda Blair as Regan.

Ultimately, The Exorcist: Believer doesn’t really make sense as a sequel to The Exorcist. It fits within the canon, but it doesn’t feel like a natural sequel. While the film isn’t scary like the original, top-notch performances make this an entertaining film.

SCORE : 6/10

As ComingSoon’s  review policy  explains, a score of 6 equates to “Decent.” It fails to reach its full potential and is a run-of-the-mill experience.

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‘The Exorcist: Believer’ Tests Faith in the Franchise With Soft Global Box Office Debut

Universal reportedly shelled out $400 million for the rights to the brand.

The Big Picture

• Universal's new film, The Exorcist: Believer , is underperforming compared to expectations, despite the reputation of the original classic.
• The film grossed $45 million globally in its debut, recovering its production budget, but it is playing more like a low-key horror movie than a follow-up to a critically acclaimed film.
• The Exorcist: Believer received poor reviews and currently has a 23% score on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating a challenging future for the film.

Universal’s big bet on the Exorcist brand isn’t quite paying off just yet, but it’s still early days. Positioned as a direct sequel to the 1973 classic The Exorcist , this week’s The Exorcist: Believer is coming in under expectations both domestically and worldwide, despite the near-unblemished reputation that the original film has been able to hold onto for five decades.

Directed by David Gordon Green , The Exorcist: Believer grossed $27 million in its domestic debut , and another $18 million from more than 50 overseas markets, for a global debut of $45 million. While this was good enough for it to be the top movie in the world (and to recover its reported $30 million production budget), the film is playing more along the lines of a relatively low-key horror title than as a follow-up to a critically acclaimed and commercially successful classic.

Directed by the late, great William Friedkin , The Exorcist delivered a then-record global box office haul of $441 million, which is only $40-odd million more than what Universal reportedly shelled out for the rights to the franchise. The studio intends on making a trilogy of new Exorcist movies, although it is free to monetize the franchise beyond theatrical films. The blueprint that it’s following was probably inspired by Green and Blumhouse’s trio of Halloween reboots, released between 2018 and 2022. The first Halloween actually opened to $76 million domestically, which is probably what The Exorcist: Believer would realistically be looking at in its entire box office run. Even Halloween Kills , which was released day-and-date on the Peacock streaming service in mid-pandemic 2021, managed to gross nearly $50 million in its domestic opening weekend.

The Movie Was Cursed With Poor Reviews

The Exorcist: Believer was greeted with terrible reviews, and is currently sitting at a “rotten” 23% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes . The movie earned a C CinemaScore from opening day audiences, and a C- from Collider ’s Chase Hutchinson . None of this bodes well for the film’s future. Globally, the film’s top market was Mexico, where it debuted with $4 million. The Exorcist: Believer also delivered number one openings in UK & Ireland ($2.1 million), Italy ($1.2 million), Spain ($1 million) and Germany ($0.9 million).

Starring Leslie Odom Jr. as the father of a young girl who disappears in the woods with her friend, the film also brings back franchise star Ellen Burstyn , alongside Anne Dowd , Jennifer Nettles , Norbert Leo Butz , and Lidya Jewett and Olivia Marcum as the two young girls. Coincidentally, the film debuted on the same day as Friedkin’s final film, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial . Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

The best movie you missed in theaters just arrived on streaming — and it’s 97% on Rotten Tomatoes

‘Late Night with the Devil’ is the freshest horror movie in years

Big-budget blockbusters have been hitting theaters at a regular clip in recent months making it easy to miss some less high-profile movies. Catching "smaller" movies on the big screen becomes even more tricky when many chains decide to skip showing them in favor of another “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” screening. 

“Late Night with the Devil” is one such movie. While I was able to see it at my local movie theater on opening weekend back in late March, before I could even recommend it to more than a few close family and friends, it had already been replaced by more showings of forgettable popcorn flicks like “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." Yes, I’m bitter it didn't get more time in the spotlight. 

It’s a great shame that many people likely missed their chance to see “Late Night with the Devil” in theaters, as it’s easily one of the most creatively inspired horror movies of the last few years. And it completely changed my opinion on the found footage format, reminding me that when used in the right context it can ratchet up the tension and increase the scares. 

Fortunately, if you missed this movie in theaters, now is your chance to atone for that mistake. This fantastic movie is now streaming at home, on the horror-specific service Shudder . Alternatively, you can buy the movie on Amazon Prime . 

Here’s why “Late Night with the Devil” is the best movie you can watch this weekend … 

“Late Night with the Devil” blew me away 

“Late Night with the Devil” is a seriously spooky horror movie presented in the style of a late-night talk show. If you want a quick elevator pitch, think “The Tonight Show” but instead of a Johnny Carson-type interviewing an A-list pop star about their new record, they’ve brought a possessed child onto the studio set and soon enough all hell breaks loose.

In the movie, David Dastmalchian plays Jack Delroy, the host of the fictional talk show “Night Owls” which enjoyed a wave of popularity in its early seasons, but is now fading into obscurity and is struggling for rating. In a desperate attempt to get more viewers watching, Jack invites a supposedly possessed girl on his show, alongside a magician-turned-skeptic who publicly debunks those claiming to have psychic power. What follows is a live broadcast of sheer terror.   

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Most of the movie takes place during the broadcast but when Jack throws to a commercial break, the cameras keep rolling. During these black-and-white sequences, various behind-the-scenes shenanigans unfold as Jack juggles unhappy studio executives and disgruntled guests. We also get a glimpse into Jack’s personal life during these moments.

Much like “Night Owls” rests on Jack Delroy's shoulders, “Late Night with the Devil” hinges on the performance of Dastmalchian, and the actor is nearly flawless in the leading role. Delroy oscillates between charming and sleazy, and his futile attempts to hold the show together as things get increasingly sinister are engaging. It’s practically an awards-caliber performance. 

I’m keen to avoid divulging any spoilers, as the real joy of “Late Night with the Devil” is watching the taping descend into a feverish nightmare with a few unexpected twists along the way. Plus, the blood-soaked ending is haunting. If you have the nerve for a spine-chilling horror movie, you need to see “Late Night with the Devil”. 

“Late Night with the Devil” reviews — critics love it

I’m not alone in my enthusiasm for “Late Night with the Devil”. The movie currently holds a 97% score on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes from a significant sample size of 180 reviews. Plus, its audience score is also very solid at 82%. 

AV Club ’s Matthew Jackson has plenty of praise for the movie: “Virtually everything about ‘Late Night With The Devil’ works, from its sets to its costumes to its casting to its impeccable sound design. It’s a gem on every level, and it’s already a contender for the best new horror film of 2024” and that’s an assessment that I very much agree with myself. 

Dennis Harvey of Variety noted that the movie manages to balance light comedy elements that poke fun at the late-night talk shows of the 70s with its unnerving horror. “The mix of vintage Me Decade showbiz cheese and “Exorcist”-y demonic doings is distinctive, not to mention deftly handled by the brothers as both writers and directors,” said Harvey. 

However, not every critic was won over, Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com said, “The movie gets in its own way and trips over itself repeatedly” in a mixed write-up. 

You need to stream “Late Night with the Devil” 

It's shaping up to be a pretty fantastic year for horror movies, but “Late Night with the Devil” is going to take some beating for my personal favorite of 2024. 

It’s a totally fresh film with a note-perfect leading performance from David Dastmalchian and a slowly developing sense of dread that matches the very best of the genre. It’s a must-watch either on Shudder or via Amazon.

Meanwhile, if you want to know which other scary flicks are set to arrive in theaters over the next eight months, we’ve got a guide to the best new horror movies set for release on the big screen in 2024 from “A Quiet Place: Day One” to “Alien: Romulus.”

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Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

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30 Highest Rated Movies of all Time: Movies With 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

For 23 years, Rotten Tomatoes has been the go-to for those looking to get the scoop on what is new in movies. Aggregating opinions from fans and critics across the country, Rotten Tomatoes uses its “Tomatometer” system to calculate critical reception for any given film. If 60% of reviews are positive, the movie is given a “Fresh” status, but if positive reviews fall below that benchmark, it is deemed “Rotten.” A popular piece of media will typically fall between the 70-90% range, but rarely, a project will receive a 100% score. This means every last review from critics was positive.

Close to 480 films with at least 20 reviews have achieved a 100% score, with many coming very close. Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” had a 100% rating with 196 positive reviews before a critic submitted a negative one, knocking it down to 99%. The immortal classic “Citizen Kane” had a 100% rating until a negative review from a 1941 issue of the Chicago Tribune was rediscovered, revoking its 100% status.

Here are Rotten Tomatoes’ highest-rated movies that have managed to maintain a 100% score and have the highest number of reviews.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

“The Philadelphia Story” is based on the 1939 Broadway play and follows a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the arrival of her ex-husband and a tabloid magazine journalist. Directed by George Cukor, he film stars Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey.

“It’s definitely not a celluloid adventure for wee lads and lassies and no doubt some of the faithful watchers-out for other people’s souls are going to have a word about that,” Variety ‘s review said. “…All of which, in addition to a generous taste of socialite quaffing to excess and talk of virtue, easy and uneasy, makes “The Philadelphia Story” a picture every suburban mamma and poppa must see – after Junior and little Elsie Dinsmore are tucked away.”

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Christmas musical film “Meet Me in St. Louis” follows a year of the Smith family’s life in St. Louis leading up to the opening of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, in the spring of 1904. The film stars Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Leon Ames, Marjorie Main, June Lockhart and Joan Carroll and directed by Vincente Minnelli, who Garland later married.

“‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ is wholesome in story [from the book by Sally Benson], colorful both in background and its literal Technicolor, and as American as the World’s Series,” Variety ‘s review said. “Garland achieves true stature with her deeply understanding performance, while her sisterly running-mate, Lucille Bremer, likewise makes excellent impact with a well-balanced performance.”

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

The musical romantic comedy “Singin’ In the Rain” follows three Hollywood stars in the late 1920s dealing with the transition from silent films to talkies. Starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor, the movie was one of the first 25 films selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.

“‘Singin’ In the Rain’ is a fancy package of musical entertainment with wide appeal and bright grossing prospects,” Variety ‘s review said. “Concocted by Arthur Freed with showmanship know-how, it glitters with color, talent and tunes, and an infectious air that will click with ticket buyers in all types of situations.”

Seven Samurai (1954)

Epic samurai action film “Seven Samurai” follows the story of a village of farmers in 1586 who seek to hire samurai to protect their crops from thieves. The film was the most expensive movie made in Japan at the time.

“Director Akira Kurosawa has given this a virile mounting,” Variety ‘s review said. “It is primarily a man’s film, with the brief romantic interludes also done with taste. Each character is firmly molded. Toshiro Mifune as the bold, hairbrained but courageous warrior weaves a colossal portrait. He dominates the picture although he has an extremely strong supporting cast.”

The Terminator (1984)

Sci-fi action film “The Terminator” follows a cyborg assassin (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose son will one day save mankind from extinction from artificial intelligence, Skynet. Co-written and directed by James Cameron and co-written and produced by Gale Anne Hurd, the film topped the U.S. box office for two weeks and grossed $78.3 million.

“‘The Terminator,’ which opens today at Loews State and other theaters, is a B-movie with flair. Much of it, as directed by James Cameron (‘Piranha II’), has suspense and personality, and only the obligatory mayhem becomes dull,” wrote Janet Maslin in a New York Times review. “There is far too much of the latter, in the form of car chases, messy shootouts and Mr. Schwarzenegger’s slamming brutally into anything that gets in his way. Far better are the scenes that follow Sarah (Linda Hamilton) from cheerful obliviousness to the grim knowledge that someone horrible is on her trail.”

Toy Story (1995)

Animated comedy film “Toy Story” follows the first adventures of cowboy doll Woody and space cadet action figure Buzz Lightyear. Owned by a boy named Andy, Woody and Buzz are a part of a group of toys that spring to life when humans aren’t around. Birthed after the success of Pixar’s short film “Tin Toy,” “Toy Story” was the first feature film from Pixar and the first entirely computer-animated feature film.

“To swipe Buzz’s motto –“To infinity and beyond”–“Toy Story” aims high to go where no animator has gone before,” wrote Leonard Klady in a 1995 Variety film review . “Fears at mission control of the whole effort crashing to Earth proved unwarranted; this is one entertainment that soars to new heights.”

Toy Story 2 (1999)

“Toy Story 2” continues Woody and Buzz Lightyear’s journey as the co-leaders of the toy group. When Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and the other toys must find set out to find him. During his time with the collector, Woody meets Jessie and Stinky Pete, other toys also based on characters from the TV show “Woody’s Roundup.” The animated film was originally supposed to be a direct-to-video sequel, but was upgraded to a theatrical release by Disney.

“In the realm of sequels, “Toy Story 2″ is to “Toy Story” what “The Empire Strikes Back” was to its predecessor, a richer, more satisfying film in every respect,” wrote former chief film critic Todd McCarthy in a 1999 Variety film review . “The comparison between these two franchises will be pursued no further, given their utter dissimilarity. But John Lasseter and his team, their confidence clearly bolstered by the massive success of their 1995 blockbuster, have conspired to vigorously push the new entry further with fresh characters, broadened scope, boisterous humor and, most of all, a gratifying emotional and thematic depth.”

Deliver Us From Evil (2006)

“Deliver Us From Evil” is a documentary that follows the case of convicted pedophile Oliver O’Grady, who molested approximately 25 children as a priest in northern California between the late 1970s through early 1990s. Filmmaker Amy Berg tracks O’Grady down to Ireland, where he was deported after being convicted of child molestation in 1993 and serving seven years in prison.

“Given how strong this kind of testimony is, “Deliver Us From Evil’s” decision to hype it more than it needs to be is unfortunate,” L.A. Times film critic Kenneth Turan said about the film in a 2006 review. “The film has a weakness for over-dramatization, for unsettling music and portentous close-ups of O’Grady’s hands and lips that are distracting and unnecessary.”

“There is nothing over-dramatic, however, about the deeply painful testimony of the adults who were victimized as children and their still traumatized parents,” he continued. “’He was the closest thing to God that we knew,’ one mother says. ‘I let the wolf in through the gate.'”

Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)

“Taxi to the Dark Side” is a documentary film directed by Alex Gibney about the 2002 killing of an Afghan taxi drive named Dilawar, who was beaten to death by American soldiers while being detained without a trial and interrogated at a black site, a detention center operated by a state where prisoners are incarcerated without due process or court order.

The film was a part of the “Why Democracy?” series, produced by The Why Foundation, which consisted of 10 documentary films examining democracy.

“Gibney (“Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”) has crafted more than just an important document of systemic abuse — he’s stripped the rhetoric from official doublespeak to expose a callous disregard for not only the Geneva Conventions but the vision of the Founding Fathers,” writes Jay Weissberg in a Variety film review . “All enemies in wartime are perceived as animals, but Gibney uncovers the ways the White House and Pentagon have encouraged torture while distancing themselves from responsibility.”

Man on Wire (2008)

James Marsh’s “Man on Wire” documents the death-defining hire-wire stunts of Philippe Petit, who in 1974, performed a tightrope walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. “For contemporary audiences, Petit’s moment of mastery is inevitably shot through with a sense of loss; the following scenes, which reveal the band’s subsequent dissolution, reaffirm the bittersweet truth that triumph is but fleeting,” wrote Catherine Wheatley, who reviewed the film for Sight and Sound in 2010. “The film’s vision, though, is ultimately uplifting: relationships, like buildings, can collapse into rubble, but as [Annie Allix] tenderly puts it, sometimes ‘It is beautiful that way’.”

Poetry (2010)

Lee Chang-dong’s “Poetry” chronicles the life of Mija, a Korean grandmother who is simultaneously dealing with an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the violent crime committed by her teenage grandson. “Now is the time to bestow on yourself the gift of one of the most, well, poetic films of 2010,” Lisa Kennedy wrote for the Denver Post in 2011. “And by ‘poetic,’ we mean rich with soulful pauses that are at once visual and aural and deeply observant of the dance of routine and quiet surprise.”

Waste Land (2010)

Lucy Walker’s “Waste Land” follows modern artist Vik Muniz to Jardim Gramacho, Brazil, the world’s largest landfill. There, he photographs the work of “catadores,” men and women who collect the refuse to recreate classical art. Legendary film critic Roger Ebert wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times in 2011, “I do not mean to make their lives seem easy or pleasant. It is miserable work, even after they grow accustomed to the smell. But it is useful work, and I have been thinking much about the happiness to be found by work that is honest and valuable.”

The Square (2013)

“The Square” is a documentary film by Jehane Noujaim, which follows Egyptian revolutionaries during the Egyptian Crisis, a period that started with the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 at Tahrir Square and lasted for three years. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won three Emmys.

“Continuing to follow a group of activists as they rally against the undue powers of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Army, ‘The Square’ understands that the Revolution itself is a work in progress, and while its immediacy means it, too, will soon be superseded, it stands as a vigorous, useful account,” writes Jay Weissberg in a 2013 Variety film review .

Gloria (2013)

Sebastián Lelio’s “Gloria” follows the relationship between an aging divorce and an amusement park operator after their chance encounter at a singles disco. “With someone else in the central role, ‘Gloria’ might have been cloyingly sentimental or downright maudlin,” wrote Joe Morgenstern in his 2014 Wall St. Journal review. “With [Paulina García] on hand, it’s a mostly convincing celebration of unquenchable energy.”

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2014)

Isao Takahata’s “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” tells the fable of a beautiful young woman who sends her suitors away on impossible tasks in hopes of avoiding a loveless marriage. In a 2015 review for Sight and Sound, Andrew Osmond wrote, “While the characters feel very simplified at times, there are scenes that put great weight on performance and subtle expressions, in a way that’s nearer to the classical Disney tradition than most Japanese animation.”

Seymour: An Introduction (2014)

Ethan Hawke’s documentary “Seymour: An Introduction” chronicles the life of Seymour Bernstein, a concert pianist who, at age 50, gave up performing to become an educator and composer. “Coming off of his superb one-two performances for Richard Linklater in ‘Before Midnight’ and ‘Boyhood,’ Hawke continues to work at a creative high level,” wrote Bruce Ingram in his 2015 review for the Chicago Sun-Times. “He demonstrates a rapport and openness with his subject that proves exceptionally affecting.”

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2014)

From directors Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz, “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” follows an Israeli woman’s three-year battle to separate from her husband who refuses to dissolve their marriage. “Ultimately the movie is wearying, but then it’s likely supposed to be,” Tom Long wrote for Detroit News in 2015. “If Viviane’s going through the wringer, you’re going through the wringer too.”

One Cut of the Dead (2017)

Shin’ichirô Ueda’s “One Cut of the Dead” follows Director Higurashi and his crew who attempt to shoot a zombie movie at an abandoned WWII Japanese facility. Things go wrong when they realize they are being attacked by real zombies. In his 2019 Los Angeles Times review, Carlos Aguilar called the film, “A master class in endless narrative inventiveness and an ode to the resourceful and collaborative spirit of hands-on filmmaking, ‘One Cut of the Dead’ amounts to an explosively hilarious rarity.”

Leave No Trace (2018)

Debra Granik’s “Leave No Trace” follows a father and daughter hiding in the forests of Portland, Ore. When a misstep tips off their location to local authorities, they must escape and find a new place to call home. Peter Travers wrote in his 2018 Rolling Stone review, “Debra Granik’s drama about a damaged war vet (Ben Foster) living off the grid with his teen daughter, brilliantly played by breakout star Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, is hypnotic, haunting and one of the year’s best.”

Summer 1993 (2018)

Carla Simón’s “Summer 1993” is told through the eyes of six-year-old Frida, who watches in silence as her recently deceased mother’s last possessions are packed into boxes. “Some creatures are able to grow new limbs,” wrote Joe Morgenstern in his 2018 Wall Street Journal review. “Frida, given more than half a chance after demanding it, achieves something no less remarkable. She grows new joy and hope.”

Minding the Gap (2018)

“Minding the Gap” follows the relationship of three boys who use skateboarding as an outlet to escape their hardships at home. “The film captures more than a decade long documentary footage showcasing their friendship. In some documentaries, the filmmakers attempt to make themselves invisible. Despite Liu’s camera-shyness, he never pretends to be anything other than a part of the story, hitting his subjects with direct, deeply personal questions,” wrote Peter Debruge, who reviewed the film for Variety in 2018.

Honeyland (2019)

“Honeyland” is a Macedonian documentary film that was directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov. The movie follows a woman and her beekeeping traditions to cultivate honey in the mountains of North Macedonia. Guy Lodge from Variety describes “Honeyland” as it begins as a “calm, captured-in-amber character study, before stumbling upon another, more conflict-driven story altogether — as younger interlopers on the land threaten not just Hatidze’s solitude but her very livelihood with their newer, less nature-conscious farming methods,” he said.

Welcome to Chechnya (2020)

“Welcome to Chechnya” released in 2020, exposes Russian leader Ramzan Kadyrov and his government as they try to detain, torture and execute LGBTQ Chechens. “A vital, pulse-quickening new documentary from journalist-turned-filmmaker David France that urgently lifts the lid on one of the most horrifying humanitarian crises of present times: the state-sanctioned purge of LGBTQ people in the eponymous southern Russian republic,” wrote Guy Lodge from Variety in 2020.

Crip Camp (2020)

“Crip Camp” is based on Camp Jened, which was a summer camp for teens with disabilities in the ’70s that inspired real-life activism. The film eliminates stereotypes and challenges the way people think about disabilities. “It may be startling for those who haven’t spent time with people with cerebral palsy or polio to see how a paraplegic gets from his wheelchair into the pool,” wrote Peter Debruge for Variety in 2020. “On closer inspection, it becomes clear that these teenagers…are having the time of their lives.”

76 Days (2020)

“76 Days” is a documentary released on Netflix in 2020 that shows the struggles of medical professionals and patients in Wuhan, China dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. “As an artifact alone, the result is remarkable, capturing all the panic and pragmatism greeting a disaster before its entire global impact had been gauged, while strategies and protocols are adjusted on the hoof,” wrote Guy Lodge for Variety in 2020. “That it’s so artfully and elegantly observed, and packs such a candid wallop of feeling, atop its frontline urgency is testament to the grace and sensitivity of its directorial team, not just their timely savvy.”

His House (2020)

“His House” is a horror movie that initially released on Netflix and terrified audiences. The plot follows a refugee couple that try to create a new life for themselves in an English town by escaping South Sudan but find their new home is haunted. Jessica Kiang reviewed the film for Variety in 2020 and wrote “‘His House’ is at its most persuasively terrifying when it gets out of the house and into the existential terror of reality. Out there are aspects of the refugee experience that contain greater horrors and mortifications than all the blackening plaster, childish ghostly humming and skittering presences in the walls could ever hope to suggest.”

Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)

“Quo Vadis, Aida?” documents the journey of Aida, a translator for the U.N. in Srebrenica interpreting the crime taking place when the Serbian army takes over the Bosnian town. “This is not historical revisionism, if anything, ‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’ works to un-revise history, re-centering the victims’ plight as the eye of a storm of evils — not only the massacre itself, but the broader evils of institutional failure and international indifference,” wrote Jessica Kiang, who reviewed the film in 2020 for Variety.

Hive (2021)

“Hive” tells the true story about a woman, Fahrije, who becomes an entrepreneur, after her husband goes missing during the Kosovo War. She sells her own red pepper ajvar and honey, and recruiting more women to join her. “Within the heavily patriarchal hierarchy of the country’s rural society, this places these maybe-widows in an impossible situation, especially when, like Fahrije, they have a family to care for,” writes Jessica Kiang for Variety . “They are expected to wait in continual expectation of their breadwinner-husbands’ return, subsisting on paltry welfare handouts, because to take a job or set up a business is looked on not only as a subversion of the natural order, but as a sign of disrespect to the husband and possibly loose morals.” 

Descendant (2022)

Netflix described its 2022 film, saying, “Descendants of the enslaved Africans on an illegal ship that arrived in Alabama in 1860 seek justice and healing when the craft’s remains are discovered.” “This past remains present, Brown shows, as activists explain how the land on which Africatown (formerly Magazine Point) was established once belonged to Meaher, who sold some of it to former slaves.,” wrote Peter Debruge for Variety . “Talk of racial injustice calls for nuance, and it’s impressive just how many facets of the conversation Brown is able to include in her film.”

20 Days in Mariupol (2023)

“20 Days in Mariupol” tells the story of a group of Ukrainian journalists who are trapped in Mariupol during the Russian invasion and struggle to continue documenting the war. The film is directed by Mstyslav Chernov, a Ukrainian director and it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film in 2024. “Powerful as those glimpses were to international viewers, Chernov doesn’t spare his documentary more brutally sustained moments,” wrote Dennis Harvey for Variety . “There’s no political analysis or sermonizing here, just a punishingly up-close look at the toll of modern warfare on a population.”

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Weekend Box Office

Weekend box office results: civil war earns highest opening weekend for a24, alex garland's unsettling thriller dethrones godzilla x kong , but can it surpass everything everywhere all at once as a24's highest-grossing film overall.

TAGGED AS: Box Office , movies , news

Going to movie theaters bring people together. They can also polarize them after leaving, depending on what they saw. So what better movie to offer the best of both worlds than the new film from Alex Garland? Because no one has ever been polarized in their thinking after watching Annihilation or Men . By next weekend, his latest film will have outgrossed all of his previous films, but moviegoers may be more divided than ever.

King of the Crop: Civil War Earns Highest Opening Weekend for A24

We kid, of course, to play into the rhetoric around Garland’s Civil War . The film’s initial high Tomatometer score from SXSW has come back to Earth a little, but the majority of critics are still very much in favor of it, as evidenced by its Certified Fresh status. Audiences are a little less enthralled but still overall satisfied with 77% Audience Score, but a “B-“ from the Cinemascore crowd, the first grade of its kind for 2024 and the first since Ridley Scott’s film about a tyrannical leader named Napoleon . Still, folks spent $25.7 million to give A24 its highest opening weekend ever, a record previously held by Ari Aster’s Hereditary ($13.5 million). Already, Civil War is the ninth highest-grossing film in the company’s history, and by the end of next weekend, it should be at least sixth and on its way to becoming its second. Or could it be A24’s No. 1?

Gross is one thing, but with a $50 million budget (and possibly higher), it’s going to take some other countries delighting in America destroying itself for this film to prove profitable. It would also take some incredible word of mouth for Civil War to stretch towards overcoming the $77+ million of Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All At Once . But it is not unheard of for an April film with an opening like this to achieve that goal.

Mel Gibson’s We Were Soldiers did it back in 2002 with just a $20 million opening. The Christian music film I Can Only Imagine did it with a $23 million start. If these two groups can just get together, there’s no telling what can be achieved. Then again, that “B-“ grade looms over it. But looking at last year’s grades of its ilk, horror films including The Boogeyman , Thanksgiving , Cocaine Bear , and Meg 2: The Trench all had multiples over 2.75 (while The Pope’s Exorcist , Renfield , and Last Voyage of the Demeter were all under 2.23), so maybe horror of all types sell, as someone once told me — even if that hasn’t been the case in 2024 so much with Night Swim , Imaginary , and The First Omen . Civil War has a little old-fashioned war to deal with next weekend, along with some fresh horror, but the calendar is also pretty light until we get into May and should allow the discourse to maybe drive a little curiosity until then.

The Top 10 and Beyond:  Godzilla x Kong Slips,  Monkey Man and The First Omen Drop

After two weeks at the top, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire falls back to second place with $15.4 million. That brings its 17-day total to $157.9 million, which is not far away from displacing Kong: Skull Island to become the second highest-grossing film in the Warner Bros. MonsterVerse. Does it have a shot at 2014’s Godzilla ? That would mean getting over $200 million, and that could be close. Its third weekend is in the vicinity of John Wick: Chapter 4 ($14.4 million) but is also $10 million ahead of its overall pace. That suggests a final gross possibly right below $200 million. It is going to want to stay above $8 million in its fourth weekend to keep that pace going. Warner Bros. would certainly love to achieve that, but with over $400 million worldwide, the film is already a success and should ensure another entry. Speaking of which, the studio’s Dune: Part Two added another $4.3 million and is now up to $272 million domestic and $673 million worldwide.

In third place with just $5.9 million is the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire in its fourth weekend. The film is at $96.9 million and inching its way towards $100 million. That’s a better fourth frame than either 10,000 B.C. or A Wrinkle in Time ($4.8 million each), suggesting it could still have a chance at getting over $110 million. It would at least like to stretch over $112.4 million to pass Ghostbusters II to avoid having the lowest-grossing domestic haul of the franchise. (Of course, with inflation, that sequel would have made about $283 million.) But it is going to have the lowest worldwide haul by a lot. With still less than $150 million, it is almost certain to become the first to not gross over $200 million worldwide.

Universal’s Kung Fu Panda 4 fell just 29% to $5.5 million. That brings its total to $173.6 million. The animated film is also over $425 million worldwide and could be the first in the franchise not to reach half-a-billion. But by carrying a lower price tag ($85 million) than the other three films, it is currently the most profitable film of 2024 so far. The studio’s pickup of Dev Patel’s Monkey Man isn’t doing as well, though, falling nearly 60% down to $4.1 million in its second weekend. That’s $17.7 million in the bank for that film. Universal also re-released Dreamworks’ Shrek 2 in 1,512 theaters this weekend and it grossed $1.35 million.

In horror news, 20th Century Studios’ prequel The First Omen made $3.7 million over the weekend, bringing its total to $14.6 million. The $30 million budgeted film continues a losing streak for the Disney-acquired company since the massive profits of Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022-23. Alien: Romulus is up next for them in August. The first of two giant spider films debuting this month, Sting , grossed $487,000 in 750 theaters. Arcadian , the Quiet Place -like apocalyptic monster film briefly featuring Nicolas Cage, was in 1,100 theaters and grossed $481,100.

The period high school golf film starring Dennis Quaid and Jay Hernandez, The Long Game , premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival but opened in limited release this past weekend, earning $1.39 million. Trafalgar Releasing put out the concert film by Suga (aka Agust D) of BTS and it grossed $961,015 last Wednesday in 784 theaters. SUGA: Agust D TOUR D-DAY THE MOVIE played again on Sunday and made another estimated $990,881, which was enough in one day to sneak into the top 10 this week.

Last year’s top 10 romance, Someone Like You , fell off the list this week with $849,000. It has grossed $4.8 million. Also falling out just behind it is Mark Wahlberg and the dog, Arthur the King , grossing $840,000 for a total of $23.5 million. Focus’ Housekeeping for Beginners from director Goran Stolevski ( You Won’t Be Alone , Of An Age ) expanded into 75 theaters but grossed just $70,000. His previous films grossed $264,055 and $556,585, respectively. Bertrand Bonello’s The Beast with Lea Seydoux and George MacKay grossed $50,000 after expanding into 23 theaters. It will expand further next week. The best per-theater average of the week looks to go to the Zellner Bros.’ Sasquatch Sunset . The Bleecker Street released grossed an estimated $93,005 in 9 theaters for a $10,333 average. It will expand next weekend.

On the Vine: Abigail Fights  The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Mentioned earlier its more horror and more war. The child vampire home invasion film Abigail from the duo known as Radio Silence ( Ready or Not , Scream 5 and 6 ) is the one to likely bet on for next weekend. Horror fans have been stingy this year, but maybe this is the one they will sink their teeth into. Then, another year, another Guy Ritchie film. This time The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare with Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson tells a real-life Inglourious Basterds -like tale of British soldiers recruited to kill Nazis during WWII. Hugo Stiglitz is even in it and is hoping it could supplant Civil War for a second place finish.

Full List of Box Office Results: April 12-14, 2024

• $25.7 million ($25.7 million total)

• $15.4 million ($157.9 million total)
• $5.8 million ($96.9 million total)

• $5.5 million ($173.6 million total)
• $4.3 million ($272.1 million total)
• $4.1 million ($17.7 million total)
• $3.7 million ($14.6 million total)
• $1.39 million ($1.39 million total)
• $1.35 million ($1.35 million total)

• $990,881 ($2.2 million total)

Erik Childress can be heard each week evaluating box office on  Business First AM  with Angela Miles and his  Movie Madness Podcast .

[box office figures via  Box Office Mojo ]

Thumbnail image by ©A24

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New Spiderwick Chronicles Adaptation's Rotten Tomatoes Score Doesn't Excel Like 2008 Movie Version

• The Spiderwick Chronicles has a 38% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
• While hoping to earn some positive attention on Roku, the show has failed to match the movie's 81% score.
• The show currently does not have an audience score, but critics have been generally negative in their reviews.

The new Spiderwick Chronicles show is facing a disastrous response on Rotten Tomatoes. The eight-episode season premiered on the Roku Channel and stars Lyon Daniels as Jared Grace, as he slowly begins to investigate a world filled with magical creatures. The show is based on the books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black and comes 16 years after the release of the 2008 The Spiderwick Chronicles movie, which starred Freddie Highmore in the dual role of Jared and his twin brother, Simon.

While the Roku Channel had high hopes that The Spiderwick Chronicles could earn a season 2 , critics have not praised the show. It has received a 38% score on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer based on eight critical reviews, which has landed the show with a Rotten designation. This is a stark contrast in comparison to the 200i movie, which has maintained an 81% critics score and a 63% audience score in the 16 years since its release.

Why The New Spiderwick Chronicles Doesn't Compare To The Movie

Critics have rejected the spiderwick chronicles.

The new Spiderwick Chronicles show suffered through a harsh production cycle that saw it dropped by Disney+ after completing its production. The show was canceled alongside Nautilus , but it was eventually saved by Roku. Unfortunately, the show that could have ushered in a revival for a beloved series has instead been hounded by critics. The show has an average 4.5 out of 10 rating, having been saved by just three positive reviews out of the eight listed at the time of writing.

The original movie has 149 reviews and maintained an average of 6.5 out of 10, which is around where the audience rated the movie. With over 250,000 audience reviews, the film received ample responses, which praised it for its entertaining and imaginative storytelling. Though only having fewer than 50 reviews as of the time of writing, the Spiderwick Chronicles show holds a 73% approval rating from audiences on the site, which does prove a promising comparison to the movie's 63% score. With the show having only just premiered, though, this score could just as easily fluctuate downward as it could increase.

The Perfect Locke & Key Replacement Show Is Coming To Roku In 2024

There are several reasons for the disappointment of The Spiderwick Chronicles ' reviews . The show aged up its lead characters, while also failing to adequately depict the terrifying nature of the monsters. Many reviews describe poor pacing as well, which can be attributed to the eight-episode format that left much more room for exploration of the show's creatures and themes, but also adding some unnecessary padding. If it is ever renewed for season 2, Roku will need to adjust to widen its reach and correct the pacing and surreal horror in the show's world.

The Spiderwick Chronicles is available to stream for free on The Roku Channel. Source: Rotten Tomatoes

The Spiderwick Chronicles (2024)

Based on the novel series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, The Spiderwick Chronicles is an adventure fantasy series that was released for Roku in 2024. A family moves into their ancestral home only to discover their ancestors had been keeping a secret beyond the mortal world and now know that magical creatures exist. With the help of their aunt, the children of the Spiderwick manor set out on a quest to find the magical pages created by their father to protect themselves from a dangerous creature.

Cast Mychala Lee, Lyon Daniels, Noah Cottrell, Jack Dylan Grazer, Joy Bryant, Christian Slater

Release Date April 19, 2024

Genres Adventure, Fantasy

Streaming Service(s) The Roku Channel

Writers Aron Eli Coleite

Showrunner Aron Eli Coleite

Creator(s) Aron Eli Coleite

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Zendaya's new movie surpasses dune 2 on rotten tomatoes to give star a career-best score.

Zendaya's new movie earns the star her best-ever Rotten Tomatoes score, beating her recent critical and commercial smash hit Dune: Part Two.

• Challengers earns Zendaya's best Rotten Tomatoes rating with a Fresh score of 96%.
• The movie beats her previous high of 93%.
• Zendaya has the potential to continue her strong Rotten Tomatoes streak with her next project.

Challengers has bested Dune: Part Two to become the best-performing Zendaya movie on Rotten Tomatoes. The upcoming movie is the latest release from director Luca Guadagnino, who has previously helmed titles, including the Oscar-winning Call Me By Your Name and the 2018 remake of Suspiria . It follows the torrid love triangle that forms between three tennis players: former pro turned coach Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), her husband Art (Mike Faist), and Patrick (Josh O'Connor), her ex who was Art's former best friend.

Rotten Tomatoes has now calculated an official critical score for the movie ahead of the Challengers release date . Although the score will fluctuate somewhat as more reviews are added, with 72 critics weighing in, the movie has earned a Fresh score of 96% at the time of writing. This is the highest score that a narrative feature starring Zendaya has ever earned, beating her previous record of 93%, a score earned by both her recent hit Dune: Part Two and 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home .

Zendaya's Future Has Never Looked Brighter

Challengers continues the star's rotten tomatoes hot streak.

Now that she has extended her post-2021 streak with a fourth movie thanks to these strong Challengers reviews, it remains to be seen if Zendaya can keep it going.

This near-perfect score is a huge win for Zendaya, who had previously only received 100% scores for appearing in the Beyoncé visual album Lemonade and the 2023 fashion documentary Invisible Beauty . On top of the movie achieving a record, Zendaya leading the Challengers cast is also continuing her streak of Fresh scores since earning a pair of splats in 2021 for Malcolm & Marie and Space Jam: A New Legacy . Below, see the Rotten Tomatoes critic scores for every Zendaya movie since 2021:

Now that she has extended her post-2021 streak with a fourth movie thanks to these strong Challengers reviews , it remains to be seen if Zendaya can keep it going. However, it seems entirely possible that she will be able to do so. At the time of writing, the only big screen project to which she is likely attached would be the third Dune movie , which is in development and will be adapted from the sequel novel Dune: Messiah .

The sequel, which is currently being written, will likely include Zendaya's character Chani, who plays an important part in the story on the page. While her return in the role has not been officially confirmed, it seems likely that the currently untitled movie will be the next major project to follow Challengers . Returning director Denis Villeneuve's previous two installments in the franchise have received glowing reviews and increasingly positive scores, so it seems likely that the follow-up will help continue her streak.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Challengers

Challengers is a romantic sports comedy film by director Luca Guadagnino. The film stars Zendaya as a retired Tennis legend who, while trying to coach her husband and lead him to victory in an upcoming Tennis match, discovers his coming opponent is her ex-lover.