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ACT OF GODMovie Reviews
Documentary that examines what it means to be struck by lightning. Cast:Paul Auster, James O'Reilly, Dannion Brinkley, Fred FrithDirector:Jennifer BaichwalRelease Date:October 9, 2009DVD Release:January 26, 2010From:ZeitgeistLength:1 hr 15 min
JANUARY 26, 2010
Act of God, Good (Not Great) Reviews (Doc) Regional
Act of God played in regional release to good not great reviews. • John Hartl called the film in the Seattle Times, "...a scary and surprisingly philosophical documentary about people who have been struck by lightning or had a very close call." • And Mark Feeney wrote in the Boston Globe, "The chances of being hit by lightning are 1 in 700,000.... solid and offbeat..." More Reviews Below...
Act of God Positive Reviews (7 Reviews, reviews below)
Act of God has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (3 Reviews)
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...insubstantial -- if occasionally lovely... filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal is so busy watching the skies she forgets to bring her gaze back to earth."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 323 words, 11/04/09
Kyle Smith, New York Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Haunting as some of the segments are, the film doesn't mean a lot except that lightning is so scary that it can permanently rattle those who have gotten too near it."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 236 words, 11/04/09
Ella Taylor, Village Voice: MODERATE "Jennifer Baichwal falls back on ceremonial storm footage and awed blow-by-blow survivor accounts of how it felt to be struck or to be spared while others died..."(See all of Ella Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 226 words, 11/04/09
KEY CITIES (2 Reviews)
Mark Feeney, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD(cg) "The chances of being hit by lightning are 1 in 700,000.... solid and offbeat... Lightning, even more as metaphysical puzzle than meteorological spectacle, is the film's subject."(See all of Mark Feeney's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 417 words, 10/30/09
John Hartl, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a scary and surprisingly philosophical documentary about people who have been struck by lightning or had a very close call."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 326 words, 10/30/09
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (2 Reviews)
Ella Taylor, Village Voice: MODERATE "Jennifer Baichwal falls back on ceremonial storm footage and awed blow-by-blow survivor accounts of how it felt to be struck or to be spared while others died..."(See all of Ella Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 226 words, 11/04/09
HIGHBROW PRESS (1 Review)
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...insubstantial -- if occasionally lovely... filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal is so busy watching the skies she forgets to bring her gaze back to earth."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 323 words, 11/04/09
MOVIE INDUSTRY (2 Reviews)
Ronnie Scheib, Daily Variety: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...suffers from the lack of a unifying vision... [but] whenever Jennifer Baichwal and her cinematographer/co-producer/husband Nick de Pencier turn their attention heavenward, the resulting skyscapes dazzle..."(See all of Ronnie Scheib's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 488 words, 11/04/09
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...insubstantial -- if occasionally lovely... filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal is so busy watching the skies she forgets to bring her gaze back to earth."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 323 words, 11/04/09
18.2 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Act of God's reviews are separated by an average 18.2 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Act of God (7 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Act of God's reviews cover 9.7% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 2,235 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 319 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Act of God Coverage, Volume & Length (7 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 24 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Act of God's reviews on average broke 24 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Act of God's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
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