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Armageddon Time

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Armageddon Time
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJames Gray
Written byJames Gray
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDarius Khondji
Edited byScott Morris
Music byChristopher Spelman
Production
companies
  • RT Features
  • MadRiver Pictures
  • Keep Your Head
  • Spacemaker Productions
Distributed by
Release dates
  • May 19, 2022 (2022-05-19) (Cannes)
  • October 28, 2022 (2022-10-28) (United States)
Running time
115 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million[2]
Box office$6.6 million[3][4]

Armageddon Time is a 2022 American coming-of-age drama film written, directed, and produced by James Gray. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Jeremy Strong, Banks Repeta, Jaylin Webb, and Anthony Hopkins. Inspired by Gray's childhood experiences,[5] the story follows a young Jewish-American boy who befriends an African-American classmate and begins to struggle with his family's expectations and growing up in a time of inequality and prejudice. It was shot in New Jersey and Fresh Meadows, Queens, where Gray grew up.

Armageddon Time had its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2022, and was released in the United States via a limited theatrical release on October 28, 2022, by Focus Features, before expanding wide on November 4. It received positive reviews from critics, but failed at the box office, grossing $6.6 million against a production budget of $15 million.

Plot

[edit]

In 1980 Queens, New York City, on his first day in sixth grade, Jewish-American Paul Graff becomes friends with a rebellious African-American classmate, Johnny Davis. Johnny was held back by a year and gets harsher treatment from their teacher when they both joke around in class. Paul often disassociates from his schoolwork and draws pictures instead.

Paul lives with his financially stable family. He is close with his maternal grandfather, Aaron Rabinowitz, who encourages him to pursue his aspiration to become an artist. His well-meaning but strict parents, Esther and Irving, are less convinced of Paul's career prospects as an artist. At night, Aaron tells Paul the story of how Aaron's mother escaped antisemitic persecution in Ukraine, fleeing to London before eventually emigrating to the U.S. with Aaron and her British husband.

One day, Paul and Johnny are caught smoking a joint in the restrooms, unaware that it's an illegal drug. Furious, Esther allows Irving to beat Paul as punishment. In the hope that he becomes more disciplined, Paul is sent to the Forest Manor Prep private school by his parents,[5] where his older brother Ted is studying. Meanwhile, Johnny stops going to school after being relegated to special education.

Forest Manor is financially supported by famous businessman Fred Trump, who also supports Ronald Reagan in the upcoming presidential election. Many of the students are also Reagan supporters. On Paul's first day, Fred's daughter Maryanne, one of the school's famous alumni, gives a speech to the students about working to earn their success. Paul sees the school's advantages over his previous school but doesn't feel welcome. He is also unnerved by other students' racist comments when Johnny meets with him during recess. Johnny begins living in secret at Paul's clubhouse, having nowhere to go other than living with his sick grandmother, where foster system workers searching for Johnny have begun to visit regularly.

While playing at the park on the weekend, Paul tells Aaron of his struggles at school and how he did nothing when he witnessed racism. Aaron encourages Paul to stand up against prejudice when he sees it, reminding him that while antisemitism still covertly persists, he and his family still have the privilege of being white. Shortly after, Aaron dies of bone cancer, with the family mourning his loss.

Tired of living under high expectations from family and school, as well as the unfair treatment of Johnny, Paul convinces Johnny to steal a computer from school and sell it so they can run away together. After stealing the computer, they are arrested for trying to pawn it. While being interrogated, Paul confesses that it was all his plan. But knowing that he has no options in life, Johnny takes the blame to let Paul go, much to Paul's dismay. Paul and Johnny bid farewell, as Irving arrives to take him home with no consequences because Irving once did the interrogating officer a favor. At home, Irving confesses to Paul that he is sympathetic to his frustration with America's unfair racial inequality, but tells him that they need to survive to have a good life. The two agree to not tell Esther what happened, as she is still mourning her father.

Days later, the Graff family are disappointed by Reagan's victory in the election, while Paul is focused on schoolwork. During a Thanksgiving dance at school, Fred Trump addresses the students, expressing hope that they'll become the next successful elite. A disillusioned Paul leaves during the speech.

Cast

[edit]
  • Banks Repeta as Paul Graff
  • Anne Hathaway as Esther Graff, Paul's mother and Aaron's daughter
  • Jeremy Strong as Irving Graff, Paul's father
  • Jaylin Webb as Johnny Davis, Paul's African-American friend and public school classmate
  • Anthony Hopkins as Aaron Rabinowitz, Paul's grandfather
  • Tovah Feldshuh as Mickey Rabinowitz, Paul's grandmother and Aaron's wife
  • Ryan Sell as Ted Graff, Paul's older brother
  • John Diehl as Fred Trump, a famous businessman and financier of Forest Manor Prep private school[6]
  • Jessica Chastain as Maryanne Trump, Fred's daughter[6]
  • Andrew Polk as Mr. Turkeltaub, Paul and Johnny's public school teacher
  • Teddy Coluca as Uncle Louis, Paul's uncle
  • Marcia Haufrecht as Aunt Ruth, Paul's aunt
  • Dane Zagarino (aka Dane West) as Topper Lowell, Paul's friend at Forest Manor
  • Richard Bekins as Forest Manor Headmaster Fitzroy
  • Domenick Lombardozzi as Police Sergeant D’Arienzo
  • Marcia Jean Kurtz as Forest Manor Student Guide
  • Landon James Forlenza as Chad Eastman, Topper's friend
  • Eva Jette Putrello as Veronika Bronfman, a Forest Manor student
  • Jacob MacKinnon as Edgar Romanelli, a public school student

Production

[edit]
James Gray at the 2017 Berlin Film Festival in Berlin, Germany.
Writer, director, and producer James Gray

On May 16, 2019, Variety reported that James Gray would write and direct Armageddon Time, a film based on his upbringing in Queens, New York.[7] Cate Blanchett was cast in May 2020,[8] with Gray saying she would shoot all her scenes in three days, including a long monologue.[9] The next month, Robert De Niro, Oscar Isaac, Donald Sutherland, and Anne Hathaway were added to the cast, with plans to film in New York City once the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were minimal.[10]

Filming began in October 2021 in New Jersey.[11] It was initially expected to start in early 2021.[12] In October, it was reported that Anthony Hopkins and Jeremy Strong would also star alongside newcomers Banks Repeta, Jaylin Webb, and Ryan Sell, with Hopkins and Strong replacing De Niro and Isaac, respectively.[13][14] Production wrapped in December 2021, and Andrew Polk and Tovah Feldshuh were confirmed to star.[15][16] Domenick Lombardozzi was revealed as part of the cast in March 2022.[17] Jessica Chastain was later revealed to have replaced Blanchett in a cameo role.[18]

The title comes from The Clash's song "Armagideon Time", which is heard several times in the film.[19]

Release

[edit]

The film premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2022, where it received a seven-minute standing ovation.[20] It began a limited release in the U.S. on October 28, 2022, before expanding nationwide on November 4.[21] It was distributed in the U.S. by Focus Features and internationally by Universal Pictures.[21]

Armageddon Time was released on VOD platforms on November 22, 2022,[22] followed by release on home media (Blu-ray and DVD) on January 3, 2023, by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Studio Distribution Services.[23]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

The film grossed $1.9 million domestically and $4.7 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $6.5 million. Sources such as Variety attributed this performance to poor marketing, a mixed audience reception and the general public losing interest in supporting prestige films in favor of MCU franchise and horror films in a movie-going environment altered by the pandemic.[24][25]

Gray called the film's financial performance a "failure" and warned that films of its kind would continue to fail commercially, adding,[26]

You’re now in a situation where literally every single one of these [non-franchise] movies is not doing well, and in some ways, that’s the great equalizer ... But you also know as a film person that has absolutely no bearing on the long-term reaction to a film. I’m a film person, and I have no idea what the box office receipts were of, you know, A Clockwork Orange or something. So I try to divorce myself from that as well. Because I can’t do anything about it.

Critical reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 75% of 224 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Armageddon Time finds writer-director James Gray excavating his own past and returning with a well-acted drama refreshingly free of nostalgia."[27] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 74 out of 100 based on 54 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[28]

Accolades

[edit]
Award or film festival Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards 28 January 2023 Best Intergenerational Film Armageddon Time Nominated [29]
Best Time Capsule Nominated
Cannes Film Festival 28 May 2022 Palme d'Or James Gray Nominated [30]
Critics' Choice Awards 15 January 2023 Best Young Actor/Actress Banks Repeta Nominated [31]
Casting Society of America 9 March 2023 Studio or Independent Feature – Drama Douglas Aibel and Matthew Glasner Nominated [32]
Gijón International Film Festival 19 November 2022 Best Film James Gray Nominated [33]
Gotham Independent Film Awards 28 November 2022 Best Screenplay James Gray Nominated [34]
Guild of Music Supervisors Awards 5 March 2023 Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Under 25 Million Dollars Joe Rudge Nominated [35]
Las Vegas Film Critics Society 11 December 2022 Best Male Youth Performance (Under 21) Banks Repeta Nominated [36]
Music City Film Critics Association 9 January 2023 Best Young Actor Banks Repeta Nominated [37]
National Board of Review 8 December 2022 Top Ten Independent Films Armageddon Time Won [38]
National Society of Film Critics 7 January 2023 Best Screenplay James Gray Runner-up [39]
Portland Critics Association Awards 16 January 2023 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Anthony Hopkins Nominated [40]
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 6 January 2023 Best Youth Performance (Under 16) Jaylin Webb Won [41]
Banks Repeta Runner-up (tied)
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle 9 January 2023 Best Supporting Actor Anthony Hopkins Nominated [42]
Santa Barbara International Film Festival February 10, 2023 Virtuoso Award Jeremy Strong Won [43]
Satellite Awards 3 March 2023 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Jeremy Strong Nominated [44]
Seattle Film Critics Society 17 January 2023 Best Youth Performance Banks Repeta Nominated [45]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 12 December 2022 Best Youth Performance Banks Repeta Nominated [46]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Armageddon Time". Cannes Film Festival. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  2. ^ "Focus Features Finalizing $15M WW Deal For James Gray-Directed 'Armageddon Time:' Virtual Cannes". Deadline. July 7, 2020. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  3. ^ "Armageddon Time (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  4. ^ "Armageddon Time (2022)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Armageddon Time: James Gray's Apologetic Origin Story". National Review. October 28, 2022. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Rooney, David (May 19, 2022). "Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong in James Gray's Armageddon Time: Film Review | Cannes 2022". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  7. ^ Lang, Brent (May 16, 2019). "James Gray Writing, Directing Armageddon Time (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  8. ^ Kroll, Justin (May 11, 2020). "Cate Blanchett Joins James Gray, Adam McKay's Next Films (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 12, 2020. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  9. ^ Sharf, Zack (March 17, 2021). "Cate Blanchett to Play Donald Trump's Sister in James Gray's New Film: 'It's a Real Scene-Stealer'". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  10. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (June 16, 2020). "Robert De Niro, Oscar Isaac, Donald Sutherland & Anne Hathaway Join Cate Blanchett In James Gray's Armageddon Time: Hot Virtual Cannes Package". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  11. ^ "Film Starring Anne Hathaway, Anthony Hopkins, and Jeremy Strong Seeks NJ Kids Between 12-17 In Bayonne/Jersey City Area". New Jersey Stage. October 11, 2021. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  12. ^ Welk, Brian (July 28, 2020). "Focus Features Closes Deal for James Gray's Armageddon Time (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  13. ^ Kroll, Justin (October 12, 2021). "Anthony Hopkins and Jeremy Strong Join Anne Hathaway In James Gray's Armageddon Time For Focus". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  14. ^ Welk, Brian (October 12, 2021). "Anthony Hopkins and Jeremy Strong Join James Gray's Armageddon Time With Anne Hathaway". TheWrap. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  15. ^ Grobar, Matt (December 22, 2021). "Armageddon Time: Andrew Polk Boards James Gray's Focus Features Coming-Of-Age Film". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  16. ^ Haun, Harry (December 3, 2021). "The Book of Tovah: From Jewish Cheerleader to Yentl to Dr. Ruth". Observer Media. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  17. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 24, 2022). "Tulsa King: Max Casella, Domenick Lombardozzi, Vincent Piazza & Jay Will Join Sylvester Stallone In Paramount+ Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  18. ^ Donnelly, Matt; Vary, Adam B. (May 19, 2022). "Jessica Chastain Plays Surprise Role as Maryanne Trump, Donald Trump's Sister, in Armageddon Time". Variety. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  19. ^ "Movie Review: 'Armageddon Time': Privilege and punk rock in 1980s Queens". spokesman.com. November 9, 2022. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  20. ^ "Anne Hathaway, James Gray Tear up During Seven-Minute Emotional Cannes Standing Ovation for Armageddon Time". May 19, 2022. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  21. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (July 7, 2022). "'Armageddon Time' Release Date: James Gray's Focus Features Drama Set For Fall". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 27, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  22. ^ "Armageddon Time DVD Release Date". www.dvdsreleasedates.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  23. ^ "Armageddon Time Blu-ray". Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  24. ^ "'She Said' Bombs: Why Aren't Awards Season Movies Resonating with Audiences?". November 20, 2022. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  25. ^ "Panic Time? Oscar-Bait Movies Keep Tanking at Box Office". November 6, 2022. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  26. ^ "'Armageddon Time' Director Calls Film a Commercial "Failure" but Dismisses the Importance of Box Office". The Hollywood Reporter. December 23, 2022. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  27. ^ "Armageddon Time". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 6, 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  28. ^ "Armageddon Time". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  29. ^ Malkin, Marc (January 28, 2023). "'Top Gun: Maverick' Named Best Picture at AARP's Movies for Grownups Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  30. ^ "The films of the Official Selection 2022". Festival de Cannes. April 26, 2022. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  31. ^ Panaligan, EJ; Earl, William (January 15, 2023). "Critics' Choice Awards 2023 Full Winners List: 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', 'Abbott Elementary' and 'Better Call Saul' Take Top Honors". Variety. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  32. ^ Coates, Tyler (March 9, 2023). "Artios Awards: Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, and Marcel the Shell With Shoes On Among Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  33. ^ "Todas las películas de la Sección Albar". FICX (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  34. ^ Zilko, Christian (November 28, 2022). "Gotham Awards Winners List (Updating Live)". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  35. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (January 23, 2023). "Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Taylor Swift Nominated for Guild of Music Supervisors Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  36. ^ Neglia, Matt (December 10, 2022). "The 2022 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  37. ^ Neglia, Matt (January 3, 2023). "The 2022 Music City Film Critics Association (MCFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  38. ^ Davis, Clayton; Moreau, Jordan (December 8, 2022). "Top Gun: Maverick Named Best Picture by National Board of Review". Variety. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  39. ^ Zilko, Christian (January 7, 2023). "'TÁR' and 'Aftersun' Win Big at National Society of Film Critics Awards (Complete Winners List)". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  40. ^ "2022 PCA Award Winners". PortlandCritics. January 16, 2023. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  41. ^ "2022 San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) winners". AwardsWatch. January 6, 2023. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  42. ^ "2022 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) nominations". AwardsWatch. January 6, 2023. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  43. ^ Scott Feinberg (November 1, 2022). "Once' Duo, Jeremys Pope and Strong Among 8 Tapped for Virtuosos Award". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  44. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 8, 2022). "'Top Gun: Maverick' leads International Press Academy's 27th Satellite Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  45. ^ Anderson, Erik (January 9, 2023). "2022 Seattle Film Critics Society nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  46. ^ Anderson, Erik (December 12, 2022). "Washington DC Critics go for 'Everything Everywhere All At Once', 'Glass Onion', 'The Banshees of Inisherin'". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 12, 2022. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
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