Metacritic's 6th Annual Movie Studio Report Card
Ranking the performance of film studios in 2014
No, our look back at the best and worst of 2014 isn't quite complete. After revealing the year's best-reviewed movies, we have one more bit of data to get through: our annual evaluation of movie studio performance.
For the sixth straight year, we have examined both the box office performance and overall film quality of the six-ish major studios and a few dozen of the larger "indie" distributors in an attempt to determine the best and worst studios of the past year.
This year's rankings begin below. Our previous Movie Studio Report Cards are available here: 2014 (for films released in 2013) | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010
Which studios released the best films?
To compile these annual report cards, we calculate the average Metascores for each individual distributor, and then assign a letter grade to enable easy comparisons between studios. We do grade on a curve: the highest average Metascores get A's, the lowest F's, and everything else slots in between.
Grades for the studios' 2014 films are listed below, and once again the major studios are not the best "students." A year ago, Paramount was the best major distributor with an average Metascore of 58.4 (good for a C+ last year), and this year Disney leads the pack with a slightly better 59.8 and a B– grade. The latter studio and Fox were actually the only two majors that saw their Metascore averages rise from 2013 to 2014. For the second straight year, no major studio has received an average Metascore of 61 or higher (the cutoff we use to indicate generally positive reviews from critics).
The top grades, as always, belong to the smaller specialty distributors, though this year's leader, GKIDS, is new to our rankings. That New York-based distributor of high-quality, mostly animated fare collected the highest average Metascore in our six years of compiling these rankings. (The previous record, 76.2 was set a year ago by Cinema Guild. That company actually averaged a stunning 83.5 for its 2014 slate, but released one film too few to qualify for this year's rankings.)
Results for all studios (with at least seven scored films) are below.
= Major studio
2014 Film Quality Assessment for Studios with 7 or More Scored Releases
Studio (Ranked by Avg. Score) # Films * # Great % Good % So-So % Bad Average Metascore Quality Grade
1 GKIDS 7 4 100% 0% 0% 77.8 A+
2 Sony Pictures Classics 16 6 75% 19% 6% 73.1 A
3 Fox Searchlight 8 2 75% 25% 0% 71.7 A
4 Drafthouse Films 11 2 82% 18% 0% 68.7 A–
5 Kino Lorber 22 3 73% 27% 0% 68.0 A–
6 Oscilloscope 10 1 90% 10% 0% 67.1 B+
7 Film Movement 12 1 58% 42% 0% 66.7 B+
8 Strand Releasing 11 2 73% 18% 9% 64.8 B
9 Music Box Films 17 2 53% 41% 6% 63.9 B
10 First Run Features 17 1 65% 35% 0% 62.2 B–
11 A24 11 2 64% 18% 18% 61.9 B–
12 Weinstein Company 29 2 59% 38% 3% 61.7 B–
13
Disney 130 46% 46% 8% 59.8 B–
14 Roadside Attractions 12 1 50% 33% 17% 59.2 B–
15 Cohen Media Group 9 0 33% 67% 0% 57.7 C+
16 Amplify 13 2 38% 46% 15% 57.3 C+
17 Magnolia Pictures 33 3 42% 36% 21% 56.3 C+
18 IFC Films 57 4 40% 40% 19% 56.1 C+
19
Paramount 112 36% 36% 27% 55.8 C
20
20th Century Fox 170 35% 35% 29% 54.3 C
21
Warner Bros. 222 36% 45% 18% 53.8 C
22 FilmBuff 9 0 44% 33% 22% 53.4 C–
23 Open Road Films 8 0 50% 25% 25% 53.3 C–
24 Tribeca Film 17 1 35% 41% 24% 52.1 C–
25 Focus Features 12 0 25% 58% 17% 51.2 C–
26 Entertainment One 10 0 20% 60% 20% 51.1 C–
27
Universal 150 20% 47% 33% 47.5 D+
28 Samuel Goldwyn Films 10 0 30% 40% 30% 46.6 D
29
Sony 180 17% 50% 33% 46.4 D
30 Monterey Media 8 0 13% 50% 38% 46.0 D
31 Well Go USA 12 0 8% 58% 33% 45.9 D–
32 Relativity Media 8 0 25% 38% 38% 45.2 D–
33 Breaking Glass Pictures 8 0 13% 50% 38% 44.5 D–
34 Xlrator Media 11 0 27% 27% 45% 44.0 D–
35 Anchor Bay 10 0 10% 50% 40% 42.9 F
36 Phase 4 Films 10 0 10% 40% 50% 42.6 F
37 Gravitas Ventures 21 0 10% 48% 43% 41.6 F
38 Millennium Entertainment 9 0 11% 44% 44% 41.1 F
39 Screen Media Films 8 0 25% 50% 25% 40.4 F
40
Lionsgate 270 7% 33% 59% 37.1 F
41 Image Entertainment 11 0 0% 55% 45% 37.0 F
42 Freestyle Releasing 13 0 8% 23% 69% 33.4 F
* Re-releases, and films with fewer than four reviews (the minimum required to calculate a Metascore) are excluded.
Only studios with 7 or more scored American releases during 2014 are included. A few additional distributors did release at least 7 films in the U.S. last year but are not listed because some or all of their films do not have Metascores (these were mainly films in foreign languages).
The Metascore is a weighted average of scores from top professional critics, on a scale from 0 (bad) to 100 (good). The Average Metascore is a simple mean of all Metascores for the studio's 2014 releases. # Great indicates the total number of 2014 films with Metascores of 81 or higher. % Good represents positively-reviewed films (Metascore of 61 or higher). % So-So represents films receiving mixed or average reviews (40-60). % Bad represents negatively-reviewed films (39 or lower). Note that percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding. The Quality Grade is an overall quality assessment assigned by Metacritic to represent the studio's output for the year in comparison to its peers. All scores in this report are from January 19, 2015.
Details by individual studio
Below are the films released by each individual distributor during 2014, ordered by average Metascore (beginning the the majors as a group and then moving on to the smaller companies). Only those distributors with at least seven scored releases are included. Note that some films listed below do not have any reported box office grosses; these films were primarily released on VOD in the U.S. (and while all of them did also play in at least one theater for at least one screening, there wasn't enough of a theatrical release to have box office figures reported).
The majors
Disney
2014 Film Quality
Grade Avg. Score % Good *
B– 59.8 46%
up 3.6 vs '13
Per-Film Total Mkt. Share
2014 Box Office Results (Domestic) **
$124.7m $1.62 billion
down 5% vs '13
15.6%
Rank: 2nd
Though Disney's total grosses were down slightly compared to the prior year, 2014 was still a fairly good year for the studio. Finishing second in domestic market share and third globally, Disney once again led all studios in average gross per film, though 2014's figure of about $125 million (domestically) per wide release is a far cry from 2013's $170 million. Disney also had four of the year's 10 highest-grossing films (in North America), including 2014's #1 movie in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Disney's films, as a group, were also slightly better last year than in 2013. They were also better than those of any other major studio, leaving Disney the only one of the seven majors to receive a grade higher than a C. Interestingly, Disney's three Marvel-related films (including Big Hero 6, which is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe) were not just the studio's highest-grossing releases, but were also the highest-scoring Disney films with critics.
With two Pixar films (Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur), an Avengers sequel, Brad Bird's Tomorrowland, and the first of many planned Star Wars sequels on the calendar for the year ahead, 2015 should easily be Disney's biggest year to date. (And we didn't even mention Ant-Man or a Steven Spielberg thriller written by the Coen brothers).
* % Good = percentage of all 2014 releases receiving positive reviews from critics (with a score of 61 or higher).
** Per-Film is the average domestic gross per new film released nationwide by the studio in 2014, and includes additional 2015 domestic box office grosses through January 19, 2015 (including estimates for the holiday weekend of January 16-19) for any 2014 releases that are still playing in theaters. Total includes all receipts earned during 2014, including for those films carrying over from 2013. Market Share/Rank is share of domestic receipts among all distributors (including those omitted from this report). Source of box office data: Box Office Mojo
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross * Metascore User Score
Guardians of the GalaxyMarvel$333,145,154768.6
Big Hero 6Disney$216,539,000748.1
Captain America: The Winter SoldierMarvel$259,766,572708.2
Into the WoodsDisney$116,449,000696.6
BearsDisneynature$17,780,194687.3
Muppets Most WantedDisney$51,183,113616.4
Million Dollar ArmDisney$36,457,627567.1
MaleficentDisney$241,410,378566.9
The Hundred-Foot Journey Touchstone $54,240,821557.2
Alexander and the Terrible,
Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Disney$66,328,596545.1
The Pirate Fairy ** DisneyToon —515.4
Planes: Fire & RescueDisney / DisneyToon$59,165,787485.7
Need For Speed Touchstone $43,577,636396.6
* Domestic Gross (here and in all remaining tables on this page) includes box office grosses through January 19, 2015 (including estimates for the holiday weekend of January 16-19) for any 2014 releases that are still playing in theaters. Source: Box Office Mojo.
** Screened in just 1 theater (mainly a home video release)
Paramount
2014 Film Quality
Grade Avg. Score % Good
C 55.8 36%
down 2.6 vs '13
Per-Film Total Mkt. Share
2014 Box Office Results (Domestic)
$75.7m $1.05 billion
up 9% vs '13
10.2%
Rank: 6th
Among the major studios, Paramount was the best of a mediocre bunch in 2013, and came close again in 2014, finishing with a higher Metascore than any major distributor not named Disney. Paramount's highest-scoring 2014 film, Selma, was one of just two best picture nominees to come from one of the majors, and Paramount finished with 7 Oscar nominations in all (even with Selma's snubs in other categories).
Still, nearly two-thirds of the studio's films failed to win over critics, and Paramount's average Metascore declined a bit compared to the year before. Not helping matters was the release of three critical misfires in 2014 compared to just one in 2013.
The most surprising of those duds was the Jason Reitman-directed Men, Women & Children. That film was also the year's biggest box office flop from a major studio, boasting one of the worst opening weekends in history ($306,367) for a nationwide release.
As a whole, though Paramount's revenues were up slightly in 2014, the studio still placed sixth among the major distributors in domestic market share. Globally, the news was better, with Paramount's Transformers: Age Of Extinction the only film in 2014 to collect more than $1 billion worldwide.
Paramount currently has just 10 films on tap for 2015, and none seems headed to any box office or Oscar glory. The studio's best chance at a 2015 hit probably rests in the late-arriving Mission: Impossible 5 or the curiously spelled Terminator: Genisys, the best of a relatively anemic slate.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
SelmaParamount$29,164,000897.8
Top FiveParamount$25,290,000816.5
Interstellar * Paramount$185,889,000748.5
NoahParamount$101,200,044685.4
Jack Ryan: Shadow RecruitParamount$50,577,412576.1
The GamblerParamount$33,450,000555.9
HerculesParamount/MGM$72,688,614476.6
Paranormal Activity: The Marked OnesParamount$32,462,372425.0
Men, Women & ChildrenParamount$705,908385.9
Transformers: Age Of ExtinctionParamount$245,439,076324.6
Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesParamount$191,204,754315.1
* International distribution handled by 20th Century Fox
Fox
2014 Film Quality
Grade Avg. Score % Good
C 54.3 35%
up 6.3 vs '13
Per-Film Total Mkt. Share
2014 Box Office Results (Domestic)
$106.0m $1.79 billion
up 68% vs '13
17.3%
Rank: 1st
While the industry as a whole was down (with the lowest number of movie tickets sold in nearly two decades), Fox had a tremendous year financially. The studio established an all-time record (breaking a mark set by Paramount in 2011) with more than $5.5 billion in receipts worldwide. Fox had seven films surpass the $300 million mark globally (more than any other studio), led by X-Men: Days of Future Past, the fifth-highest grossing movie of 2014 worldwide.
Fox also performed well domestically—scoring its best year ever—with revenues soaring by nearly 70% compared to 2013 to lift Fox to #1 in overall market share last year (after finishing a mere 6th the previous year). And that's in spite of releasing one of 2014's biggest flops in The Pyramid.
And, a year after failing to release a single positively reviewed film, Fox released six of them—though the critics' favorite, Gone Girl, could not convert that acclaim into a best picture nomination at the Oscars. Fox managed to raise its average Metascore by over 6 points (vs. 2013) in the process.
The year ahead will bring another very large slate of films (at least 17) for Fox, though every potential quality film like new works from Alejandro González Iñárritu (The Revenant) and David O. Russell (Joy) seems to be balanced out by likely critical duds such as yet another Alvin and the Chipmunks film. A good early test will be next month's Kingsman: The Secret Service, which could go either way with critics and the public (though early reviews are encouraging).
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Gone Girl20th Century Fox$167,238,510798.1
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes20th Century Fox$208,545,589798.2
How to Train Your Dragon 2DreamWorks Animation$177,002,924768.4
X-Men: Days of Future Past20th Century Fox$233,921,534748.3
The Fault in Our Stars20th Century Fox$124,872,350697.4
The Book of Life20th Century Fox$49,764,110677.2
Mr. Peabody & ShermanDreamWorks Animation$111,506,430596.7
The Maze Runner20th Century Fox$102,348,942566.7
Penguins of MadagascarDreamWorks Animation$80,590,000536.8
Exodus: Gods and Kings20th Century Fox$64,255,000524.7
Rio 220th Century Fox$131,538,435496.2
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb20th Century Fox$104,773,000476.3
The Other Woman20th Century Fox$83,911,193395.0
Son of God20th Century Fox$59,700,064373.9
Devil's Due20th Century Fox$15,821,461342.6
Let's Be Cops20th Century Fox$82,390,774306.5
The Pyramid20th Century Fox$2,727,269243.5
Warner Bros.
2014 Film Quality
Grade Avg. Score % Good
C 53.8 39%
down 1.7 vs '13
Per-Film Total Mkt. Share
2014 Box Office Results (Domestic)
$84.3m $1.56 billion
down 16% vs '13
15.1%
Rank: 3rd
Was everything awesome for Warner in 2014? Not completely. The studio fell from 1st in domestic and global market share to 3rd domestically, though it placed second internationally thanks to hits like The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (#2 in worldwide grosses overall in 2014).
Warner's domestic receipts dropped 16% in 2014 even though the studio released more films than any other major. Still, many of the studio's minor flops like Jersey Boys and Horrible Bosses 2 were relatively cheap to make (and thus not necessarily flops), though Winter's Tale and the Johnny Depp sci-fi thriller Transcendence were indeed bombs.
Quality-wise, Warner's 2014 basically matched its 2013, with 39% of its films receiving positive reviews, and an average Metascore in the middle of the 50s. The studio even managed a best picture nomination, for American Sniper—a film that this week also proved to be an enormous hit, shattering January box office records. The studio received 11 Academy Award nominations in all, tops among the major distributors.
Warner again has more than 20 films lined up for 2015, which should be an interesting year for the studio, with plenty of films (Jupiter Ascending, Mad Max: Fury Road, Pan, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) that could potentially go either way with critics and with moviegoers.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The LEGO Movie Warner Bros. Pictures $257,760,692 83 8.2
Inherent Vice Warner Bros. Pictures $6,647,000 81 7.7
American Sniper Warner Bros. Pictures $108,730,000 72 7.0
Edge of Tomorrow Warner Bros. Pictures $100,206,256 71 8.4
Island of Lemurs: Madagascar [IMAX] Warner Bros. Pictures $8,508,813 66 n/a
The Good Lie Warner Bros. Pictures $2,722,209 65 6.9
Veronica Mars Warner Bros. Pictures $3,322,127 62 7.8
Godzilla Warner Bros. Pictures $200,676,069 62 6.9
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies New Line Cinema/MGM $245,682,000 59 7.2
Dolphin Tale 2 Warner Bros. Pictures $42,024,533 58 5.3
Jersey Boys Warner Bros. Pictures $47,047,013 54 7.0
The Judge Warner Bros. Pictures $47,119,388 48 7.3
300: Rise of an Empire Warner Bros. Pictures $106,580,051 48 6.1
If I Stay New Line Cinema/MGM $50,474,843 46 5.4
Into the Storm New Line Cinema $47,602,194 44 5.3
This Is Where I Leave You Warner Bros. Pictures $34,296,320 44 6.3
Transcendence Warner Bros. Pictures $23,022,309 42 6.0
Horrible Bosses 2 New Line Cinema $53,910,219 40 6.4
Tammy Warner Bros. Pictures $84,525,432 39 3.3
Annabelle New Line Cinema $84,273,813 37 5.7
Blended Warner Bros. Pictures $46,294,610 31 4.8
Winter's Tale Warner Bros. Pictures $12,600,231 31 5.6
Universal
2014 Film Quality
Grade Avg. Score % Good
D+ 47.5 20%
down 3.0 vs '13
Per-Film Total Mkt. Share
2014 Box Office Results (Domestic)
$73.1m $1.12 billion
down 22% vs '13
10.8%
Rank: 5th
Though Universal finished fifth in domestic market share, it placed just sixth globally, and had one of the biggest revenue declines last year among the major studios. Universal also was the only major studio with just one film (Neighbors) surpassing the $150 million mark domestically. The result, perversely, was the studio's most profitable year ever, thanks to one reason: all of its 2014 films were cheap to make.
They also weren't very good. Just three of the studio's 15 films received positive reviews from critics (and one of those, only by a nose), putting Universal in the bottom half among the major distributors in terms of quality—not surprising, given that its 2014 slate wasn't exactly deep in Oscar-worthy films. Universal also had five critical duds last year, two more than in 2013.
A new Fast & Furious movie and Jurassic World suggest that Universal will perform better at the box office in 2015, though critics could find even less to like this year.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Get On UpUniversal$30,703,100716.3
NeighborsUniversal$150,157,400686.3
LucyUniversal$126,663,600615.9
UnbrokenUniversal$109,299,000596.7
A Walk Among the TombstonesUniversal$26,307,600576.6
Non-StopUniversal$92,168,600567.1
The Purge: AnarchyUniversal$71,962,800506.1
A Million Ways to Die in the WestUniversal$43,139,300445.1
Ride AlongUniversal$134,938,200415.5
Dracula UntoldUniversal$56,280,355406.3
As Above, So BelowUniversal$21,321,100386.2
OuijaUniversal$50,856,010384.4
Dumb and Dumber ToUniversal$85,874,000365.7
Endless LoveUniversal$23,438,250304.2
Welcome to the JungleUniversal—255.2
Sony
2014 Film Quality
Grade Avg. Score % Good
D 46.4 17%
down 4.9 vs '13
Per-Film Total Mkt. Share
2014 Box Office Results (Domestic)
$70.3m $1.26 billion
up 10% vs '13
12.2%
Rank: 4th
The Interview debacle was just one of several problems for Sony in 2014. The quality of the studio's films dropped considerably for the second straight year, with the bad releases outnumbering the good by a 2:1 margin.
An Amazing Spider-Man sequel (13 points lower than the previous film), George Clooney's The Monuments Men, and a remake of Annie are among the Sony films last year that underperformed with critics. And a year after collecting 16 Oscar nominations, Sony this year received a grand total of none.
And, while the studio's domestic grosses increased a bit last year (though it remained in 4th place for the second straight year), its foreign take declined. Sony's per-film average gross trailed all major studios except for Lionsgate (arguably not even a major), and Sony had just two big worldwide hits in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and 22 Jump Street.
At least we'll soon have another Mall Blart.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
22 Jump StreetColumbia Pictures/MGM$191,719,337717.3
FuryColumbia Pictures$85,707,116647.4
About Last NightScreen Gems$48,637,684626.0
The EqualizerColumbia Pictures$101,530,738576.6
The Amazing Spider-Man 2Columbia Pictures$202,853,933536.8
The InterviewColumbia Pictures $5,918,034 * 526.2
The Monuments Men ** Columbia Pictures$78,031,620525.3
RoboCopColumbia Pictures$58,607,007526.3
StalingradColumbia Pictures$1,013,945494.7
Heaven Is for RealTriStar$91,443,253474.4
When the Game Stands TallTriStar$30,127,963417.2
Deliver Us From EvilScreen Gems$30,577,122405.9
Pompeii *** TriStar$23,219,748395.5
Think Like a Man TooScreen Gems$65,182,182384.1
Sex TapeColumbia Pictures$38,543,473363.7
AnnieColumbia Pictures$82,980,000335.0
No Good DeedScreen Gems$52,543,632264.0
Moms' Night OutTriStar$10,429,707255.3
* Has also grossed over $40 million via VOD/streaming
** International distribution handled by 20th Century Fox
*** International distribution handled by Summit/Lionsgate
Lionsgate
2014 Film Quality
Grade Avg. Score % Good
F 37.1 7%
down 10.9 vs '13
Per-Film Total Mkt. Share
2014 Box Office Results (Domestic)
$50.8m $0.74 billion
down 31% vs '13
7.1%
Rank: 7th
Ouch. Take away The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, and—well, don't do that; it wouldn't be fair.
Treated by some as a major studio (and we're counting it as one this year, mainly out of sympathy) after merging with Summit and grossing over $2 billion worldwide for two straight years, Lionsgate regressed in 2014. The studio's domestic revenues declined by nearly a third last year, with its market share tumbling from nearly 10% (good for 5th place in 2013) down to 7.1% (and 7th place). Even its biggest hit—Mockingjay—underperformed. Though it was last year's #2 movie overall (domestically), it looks like it will be the lowest-grossing film in the Hunger Games series.
And then there's that F grade. Lionsgate's average Metascore—not very good to begin with—dropped by over 10 points last year, making it the only major studio to finish with a red score (and putting it well behind the other majors, as well as almost all of the smaller studios). While many of its worst offenders were VOD-centric releases, there were still such theatrical release "gems" as The Legend of Hercules and I, Frankenstein.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
John WickSummit Entertainment$43,035,800677.8
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1Lionsgate$332,944,000646.3
They Came Together Lionsgate—606.1
Date and Switch Lionsgate—568.3
Draft DaySummit Entertainment$28,842,237546.7
Cesar ChavezPantelion Films$5,571,497515.2
Enemies Closer Lionsgate—494.5
DivergentSummit Entertainment$150,947,895485.9
Step Up: All InSummit Entertainment$14,904,384454.5
CantinflasPantelion Films$6,382,924444.2
The Quiet OnesLionsgate$8,509,867414.5
Jessabelle Lionsgate—374.6
The Expendables 3Lionsgate$39,322,544355.7
AddictedLionsgate$17,390,770321.4
Dying of the Light Lionsgate—311.9
Tyler Perry's The Single Moms ClubLionsgate$15,973,881312.8
Panic 5 Bravo Pantelion Films—31n/a
I, FrankensteinLionsgate$19,075,290304.2
Nurse 3D Lionsgate—294.9
Burning BlueLionsgate—29n/a
The Legend of HerculesSummit Entertainment$18,848,538222.0
ExistsLionsgate$3,65022n/a
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn Lionsgate—215.0
My Man Is a Loser Lionsgate—196.1
The Prince Lionsgate—193.7
Reasonable Doubt Lionsgate—194.8
AmericaLionsgate$14,444,502156.1
The others
GKIDS
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
A+ 77.8 $965k
Rank: 48th 7 100%
Meet our #1 distributor of the year: Established by the founders of the New York International Children's Film Festival, this New York-based distributor (its name is an acronym for Guerrilla Kids International Distribution Syndicate) releases mainly animated fare, though its films are typically more sophisticated (and/or more foreign) than the kiddie films released by the majors. In 2014, critics liked everything the studio released, including a pair of surprise Oscar nominees in Song of the Sea (nominated this year) and Ernest & Célestine (nominated last year, though it didn't reach American theaters until 2014). Also nominated for an Oscar was the Studio Ghibli production The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. The making of the latter film is chronicled in the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, one of the distributor's few non-animated releases.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya$603,970898.5
Ernest & Célestine$262,075867.2
Song of the Sea$132,44284n/a
Wrinkles—818.0
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness—75n/a
Patema Inverted—666.7
A Letter to Momo$71,712654.5
Sony Pictures Classics
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
A 73.1 up 1.7
vs 2013 $41.8m / 0.4% share
Rank: 14th 16 75%
If a Woody Allen movie is among your year's worst releases, you're doing something right—and Sony's specialty films division did a lot right last year. Tops among the distributors targeting older audiences, Sony Pictures Classics has finished among the top three studios every single year (six in all) that we have compiled these rankings. Even with the presence of a rare outright misfire (Third Person, from Crash director Paul Haggis), SPC managed to boost its already-high average Metascore by a few points last year, thanks to widely praised films like Mr. Turner (the year's #2 drama, behind Boyhood), Leviathan (2014's best-reviewed foreign-language film), and Sundance hit Whiplash. The latter's best picture nomination is one of 18 total Academy Award nominations for the studio this year.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Mr. Turner$1,607,000957.0
Leviathan$186,400918.1
Whiplash$6,671,000888.6
Love Is Strange$2,262,223836.9
Red Army *—82n/a
Foxcatcher$10,085,000817.1
Jodorowsky's Dune$647,280798.4
Only Lovers Left Alive$1,879,534797.3
The Lunchbox$4,235,151767.8
Still Alice$307,000727.4
The Raid 2$2,627,209718.6
Land Ho!$727,59468n/a
The Notebook$66,55957n/a
For No Good Reason$67,42156n/a
Magic in the Moonlight$10,539,326546.6
Third Person$1,021,398385.2
* Returns to theaters in limited release this Friday after a short awards-qualifying run last year
Fox Searchlight
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
A 71.7 up 7.6
vs 2013 $147.8m / 1.4% share
Rank: 11th 8 75%
Ranked 8th among all studios (by average Metascore) in 2013, Fox Searchlight shot up to #3 last year by avoiding any negatively reviewed films and impressing critics with best picture nominees Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Fox Searchlight, in fact, was the only studio with two best picture nominations this year, and had 20 nominations overall—the most by any company in this year's competition.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The Grand Budapest Hotel$59,100,318888.3
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)$28,566,000887.9
Calvary$3,600,006777.7
Wild$33,295,000767.0
The Drop$10,724,389697.6
Belle$10,726,630647.7
I Origins$336,472578.0
Dom Hemingway$523,511556.5
Drafthouse Films
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
A– 68.7 $1.1m
Rank: 44th 11 82%
An indie distributor sharing a founder with the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema mini-chain, Drafthouse Films is known for both arthouse fare and midnight movies. The company's quirky 2014 slate (its biggest to date) impressed critics with both varieties, and even released the year's second-best-reviewed documentary, The Overnighters.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The OvernightersDrafthouse Films$100,02289n/a
20,000 Days on EarthDrafthouse Films$279,558836.3
The DogDrafthouse/Cinedigm$44,58176n/a
A Field in EnglandDrafthouse Films$32,846737.8
Why Don't You Play in Hell?Drafthouse Films$19,918688.3
The Final MemberDrafthouse Films$11,42867n/a
BorgmanDrafthouse Films$57,474666.9
Cheap ThrillsDrafthouse Films$59,424647.4
The CongressDrafthouse Films$137,815637.6
Mood IndigoDrafthouse Films$303,18754n/a
Nothing Bad Can HappenDrafthouse Films$4,87051n/a
Kino Lorber
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
A– 68.0 up 1.6
vs 2013 $1.0m
Rank: 46 22 73%
Foreign-language films and documentaries are Kino Lorber's twin specialties, though this year it also released a trio of British dramas (which doesn't quite count as a foreign-language) from director Joanna Hogg: Archipelago, Unrelated, and Exhibition. Another highlight in 2014 was Jean-Luc Godard's Goodbye to Language, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes and landed on many critic top-10 lists.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Manuscripts Don't Burn$4,279865.0
Burning Bush$16,73183n/a
Archipelago$7,79182n/a
Concerning Violence$7,46480n/a
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night$199,877796.5
Horses of God$14,81776n/a
Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq$172,45076n/a
Unrelated$4,52974n/a
Goodbye to Language 3D$198,584735.5
Exhibition$14,21472n/a
The Rocket$56,823728.0
Life of Riley$9,33470n/a
Web Junkie —67n/a
Tip Top$2,73264n/a
Finding Fela!$120,42664n/a
Memphis$21,23263n/a
Monk With a Camera$30,56456n/a
Who is Dayani Cristal?$18,19055n/a
The Decent One$20,24055n/a
Winter in the Blood —52n/a
Marius$9,78150n/a
Fanny$8,73547n/a
Faith Connections$7,772n/an/a
Oscilloscope Laboratories
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
B+ 67.1 up 5.7
vs 2013 $562k
Rank: 56th 10 90%
Though Oscilloscope had only one out-and-out critical smash (Stand Clear of the Closing Doors, a Kickstarter-funded, award-winning drama from director Sam Fleischner), it was just a few points away from achieving a perfect 100% success rate. Still, that 90% figure was surpassed by just one other distributor (GKIDS).
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Stand Clear of the Closing Doors$17,28286n/a
The Kill Team$18,98372n/a
Art and Craft$226,58468n/a
12 O'Clock Boys$82,614684.6
Metro Manila —65n/a
Coherence$102,617647.3
Teenage$40,16964n/a
Whitewash —63n/a
Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets —62n/a
Low Down$54,05158n/a
Film Movement
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
B+ 66.7 $299k
Rank: 73rd 12 58%
The arthouse specialist didn't have enough releases to qualify for our rankings a year ago, but performed fairly well over the past year, especially with Singaporean drama Ilo Ilo.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Ilo IloFilm Movement$56,773857.9
PapirosenFilm Movement$5,65880n/a
2 Autumns, 3 WintersFilm Movement$5,81975n/a
A Life in Dirty Movies Film Movement—69n/a
Cannibal Film Movement—69n/a
If You Don't, I WillFilm Movement$2,56968n/a
MoebiusRAM Releasing$2,34066n/a
Grigris Film Movement—59n/a
Salvo Film Movement—59n/a
For a WomanFilm Movement$32,28659n/a
1,000 Times Good NightFilm Movement$53,89557n/a
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?Film Movement$6,69456n/a
The Jewish CardinalFilm Movement$133,663n/an/a
Strand Releasing
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
B 64.8 down 0.2
vs 2013 $733k
Rank: 54th 11 73%
Strand managed to cut its total of negatively reviewed movies in half last year, while also releasing a pair of widely acclaimed films in the French homoerotic thriller Stranger by the Lake and The Empty Hours, an import from Mexico.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Stranger by the Lake$325,196826.5
The Empty Hours$8,24481n/a
Abuse of Weakness$31,61177n/a
Wetlands$59,478776.0
The Way He Looks$99,612728.8
The Amazing Catfish$11,34269n/a
Bicycling With Molière$59,87461n/a
Lilting$27,05461n/a
The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears$7,18253n/a
Interior. Leather Bar.$42,534476.5
Refuge$2,63134n/a
Music Box Films
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
B 63.9 down 5.2
vs 2013 $7.1m
Rank: 23rd 17 53%
Though barely over half of the Chicago-based distributor's 17 films scored positive reviews, one of them, the Oscar-nominated Ida, was among the year's best-reviewed foreign films. Take out the films from its genre division, Doppelganger Releasing, and that Metascore average jumps up to 67.8.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
IdaMusic Box Films$3,702,612907.6
Watchers of the SkyMusic Box Films$19,33985n/a
Revenge of the MekonsMusic Box Films$6,48778n/a
Fifi Howls from HappinessMusic Box Films$13,61478n/a
Happy ValleyMusic Box Films$23,86876n/a
Le Week-EndMusic Box Films$2,225,098736.8
Antarctica: A Year on IceMusic Box Films$252,13969n/a
The Green PrinceMusic Box Films$258,23767n/a
A Coffee In BerlinMusic Box Films$150,27563n/a
The Last SentenceMusic Box Films$62,50660n/a
Penance Doppelganger—58n/a
Generation WarMusic Box Films$91,595578.0
We Are the GiantMusic Box Films$1,08852n/a
Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael KohlhaasMusic Box Films$3,31351n/a
A Five Star LifeMusic Box Films$306,91751n/a
Jackpot Doppelganger $80643n/a
Black Out Doppelganger $2,73437n/a
First Run Features
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
B– 62.2 up 3.4
vs 2013 $262k
Rank: 78th 17 65%
The documentary-first distributor improved the quality of its output in 2014 compared to the prior year, and cracked the top 10 in our rankings despite having just one "great" film: the art doc (or is it a "rockumentary"?) Levitated Mass.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Levitated Mass$16,08682n/a
A People Uncounted$93072n/a
Maidentrip$68,24370n/a
The Pleasures of Being Out of Step$13,13768n/a
Evergreen: The Road to Legalization$2,36367n/a
More Than the Rainbow$1,67767n/a
Altina —65n/a
Smiling Through the Apocalypse: Esquire in the 60s$4,56065n/a
Through a Lens Darkly$64,77964n/a
Algorithms$2,02163n/a
K2: Siren of the Himalayas$12,95963n/a
Peter Brook: The Tightrope$19,36557n/a
A Will for the Woods —54n/a
Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation$36,08252n/a
Next Year Jerusalem$8,09351n/a
Mercedes Sosa: The Voice of Latin America$2,64850n/a
Kabbalah Me$9,81647n/a
Half the Road$4,783n/an/a
A24
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
B– 61.9 $13.3m
Rank: 20th 11 64%
In just its second full year of operation, the New York-based A24 managed to release 11 films, with one (Under the Skin) landing on quite a few critic top-10 lists, and two others (the Tom Hardy-starring Locke and the just-released A Most Violent Year) also greatly impressing reviewers. A24's Obvious Child was also among the past year's best-reviewed comedies. Among the distributor's planned 2015 releases are new films from Noah Baumbach (While We're Young) and screenwriter-turned-director Alex Garland (Ex Machina) that are already scoring with critics.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Locke$1,375,769817.4
A Most Violent Year$804,000818.0
Under the Skin$2,614,251786.7
Obvious Child$3,123,963766.8
The Rover$1,114,423647.4
Laggies$1,066,981637.5
Enemy$1,008,726616.9
Tusk$1,826,705556.2
Life After Beth$88,273506.7
The Captive$1,075,178364.7
Revenge of the Green Dragons —36n/a
The Weinstein Company
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
B– 61.7 up 6.5
vs 2013 $222.0m / 2.1% share
Rank: 8th 29 59%
Despite releasing 29 scored films (third-most among all distributors) in 2014, TWC boosted its average Metascore by over 6 points, helping to return the studio to its usual position in the top half of our rankings (following a sub-par 2013). Among the critics' favorites were the terrific Snowpiercer (a film the distributor only reluctantly released in its original form) and the Oscar-nominated documentary Citizenfour. The studio also had a best picture nominee in The Imitation Game, and earned 9 Academy Award nominations overall. The Weinstein Company also led all smaller distributors at the box office last year, though its revenues were down by more than half compared to 2013.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
CitizenfourRADiUS-TWC$2,420,200887.0
SnowpiercerRADiUS-TWC$4,563,650847.1
Tracks The Weinstein Co.$510,007787.3
Blue RuinRADiUS-TWC$258,384777.6
Keep On Keepin' OnRADiUS-TWC$163,74577n/a
The Immigrant The Weinstein Co. $2,025,328777.0
The Imitation Game The Weinstein Co.$51,674,000728.2
The Great InvisibleRADiUS-TWC$11,42872n/a
Fed UpRADiUS-TWC$1,538,899717.5
The Unknown KnownRADiUS-TWC$276,497696.7
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her * The Weinstein Co.—677.3
The One I LoveRADiUS-TWC$513,447666.1
St. Vincent The Weinstein Co.$43,737,040647.6
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep GordonRADiUS-TWC$213,064645.3
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him * The Weinstein Co.—637.6
Begin Again The Weinstein Co.$16,170,632627.8
Big Eyes The Weinstein Co.$13,572,000627.4
The Railway Man The Weinstein Co.$4,438,438597.3
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them * The Weinstein Co.$587,774577.2
The Art of the StealRADiUS-TWC$64,065535.8
One Chance The Weinstein Co.$101,19652n/a
Yves Saint Laurent The Weinstein Co.$723,59351n/a
14 BladesRADiUS-TWC—50n/a
The Giver The Weinstein Co.$45,090,374476.0
Sin City: A Dame To Kill ForDimension Films$13,757,804466.6
Horns Dimen./RADiUS-TWC $173,948466.0
13 Sins Dimen./RADiUS-TWC $13,809447.0
The Players The Weinstein Co.$10,85443n/a
Vampire Academy The Weinstein Co.$7,791,979305.8
On the Other Side of the Tracks The Weinstein Co.$9,572n/an/a
* Box office information not available for the Him/Her versions
Roadside Attractions
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
B– 59.2 down 4.0
vs 2013 $34.0m / 0.3% share
Rank: 15th 12 50%
L.A.-based Roadside once again saw half of its films (including Chilean drama Gloria and festival hit Dear White People) earn positive reviews, but its Metascore average (and box office grosses) fell a bit compared to 2013.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
GloriaRoadside Attractions$2,107,925837.0
Dear White PeopleRoadside / Lionsgate$4,390,269796.8
The Skeleton TwinsRoadside Attractions$5,284,309747.1
JoeRoadside / Lionsgate$373,375747.5
A Most Wanted ManRoadside / Lionsgate$17,237,855737.1
The HomesmanRoadside / Saban$2,376,600686.5
Life of CrimeRoadside / Lionsgate$265,452607.0
Words and PicturesRoadside Attractions$2,171,257496.6
In SecretRoadside Attractions$444,179477.7
Blood TiesRoadside Attractions$42,472456.7
Gimme ShelterRoadside Attractions$1,359,910377.7
BarefootRoadside Attractions$15,071224.0
The Devil's HandRoadside Attractions$5,746n/an/a
Cohen Media Group
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C+ 57.7 down 1.4
vs 2013 $5.3m
Rank: 27th 9 33%
Cohen Media had a lackluster 2014, with no great films to speak of, and only one-third of its releases earning anything close to positive reviews.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles$16,40066n/a
Last Passenger$14,80666n/a
Chinese Puzzle$338,523645.8
Breathe In$89,661606.4
On My Way$317,32460n/a
May in the Summer$22,00456n/a
My Old Lady$4,013,786526.0
The Liberator$113,067517.4
Le Chef$342,667434.8
Amplify
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C+ 57.3 $774k
Rank: n/a 13 38%
Amplify is a new company formed in 2014 out of the merger of six-year-old Variance Films and VOD distributor GoDigital. (The totals and averages reflected above include films released separately by the two companies prior to the merger, as well as Amplify's first batch of films post-merger.)
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
ElenaVariance/Syndicado$25,788817.7
Closed CurtainVariance Films$28,098814.3
It Felt Like LoveVariance Films$33,817766.8
The RetrievalVariance Films$50,25775n/a
TestVariance Films$18,82370n/a
God Help the GirlAmplify$102,757586.9
The Better AngelsAmplify$70,91853n/a
Citizen KochVariance Films$153,90852n/a
The Zero TheoremAmplify$257,706507.2
Love Is in the AirFocus World/Variance$8,42549n/a
Video Games: The MovieVariance Films$23,043406.5
Default GoDigital—34n/a
Dumbbells GoDigital—247.8
Magnolia Pictures
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C+ 56.3 down 2.4
vs 2013 $5.2m
Rank: 28th 33 42%
While all of the distributor's best 2014 films (including the Oscar-snubbed foreign-language gem Force Majeure, fellow critic-loved import We Are the Best!, and the also-Oscar-snubbed Roger Ebert doc Life Itself) fall under its Magnolia Pictures brand, you can't blame all of the low scores on its Magnet Releasing genre label, as many of the company's very worst films were Magnolia-branded, too. What you can blame, possibly, is the sheer number of films released: only one other company released more than Magnolia's 33 films.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Force MajeureMagnolia Pictures$1,244,942877.8
We Are the Best!Magnolia Pictures$180,590877.8
Life ItselfMagnolia Pictures$810,454878.3
FrankMagnolia Pictures$645,186756.8
Whitey: United States of America
v. James J. BulgerMagnolia Pictures$75,881747.4
Happy ChristmasMagnolia Pictures$30,312705.8
Journey to the WestMagnet Releasing$18,058687.0
The DoubleMagnolia Pictures$200,406686.0
Alan PartridgeMagnolia Pictures$153,426666.6
The Two Faces of JanuaryMagnolia Pictures$507,463666.0
HoneymoonMagnet Releasing$9,318657.4
Big Bad WolvesMagnet Releasing$33,232647.4
Nymphomaniac: Volume IMagnolia Pictures$785,896647.2
Grand PianoMagnet Releasing$22,555617.7
Nymphomaniac: Volume IIMagnolia Pictures$327,167606.6
PioneerMagnolia Pictures$6,87158n/a
FronteraMagnolia Pictures$59,696587.4
Life PartnersMagnolia Pictures$8,26557n/a
FilthMagnet Releasing$34,411566.3
Life's a BreezeMagnolia Pictures$3,45055n/a
ABCs of Death 2Magnet Releasing$7,17154n/a
Beyond OutrageMagnet Releasing$3,878536.5
The SacramentMagnet Releasing$9,221495.9
White Bird in a BlizzardMagnolia Pictures$33,821494.9
RagnarokMagnet Releasing$1,36949n/a
The Protector 2Magnet Releasing$2,463453.8
Stage FrightMagnet Releasing$7,078398.1
A Long Way DownMagnolia Pictures$13,347346.5
The Hero of Color CityMagnolia Pictures$32,18833n/a
V/H/S: ViralMagnet Releasing$2,756312.2
The Right Kind of WrongMagnolia Pictures$2,09830n/a
Tasting MenuMagnolia Pictures$18,68629n/a
Best Night Ever Magnet Releasing—175.7
IFC Films
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C+ 56.1 down 0.5
vs 2013 $32.5m / 0.3% share
Rank: 16th 57 40%
IFC released an astounding number of films last year: 24 more than any other distributor, and four more than IFC itself released the previous year. With that many releases, it is unsurprising that the quality varies considerably, though it almost doesn't matter when you release a film as good as Oscar best picture front-runner Boyhood, the only new film since the launch of Metacritic 15 years ago to receive a perfect 100 Metascore. Other highlights include the French drama Two Days, One Night (which earned star Marion Cotillard another Oscar nomination) and Australian horror hit The Babadook. IFC also tripled its box office receipts from the previous year—thanks again, mainly, to Boyhood.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
BoyhoodIFC Films$24,634,0001008.0
Two Days, One NightSundance Selects$312,000928.1
The BabadookIFC Midnight$868,800877.7
Elaine Stritch: Shoot MeSundance Selects$305,036817.8
Dancing in JaffaIFC Films$147,84475n/a
The Trip to ItalyIFC Films$2,873,758755.0
Finding Vivian MaierIFC Films$1,509,131748.0
Like Father, Like SonSundance Selects$301,213737.4
Witching and Bitching IFC Midnight—73n/a
Cold in JulyIFC Films$423,223737.6
The Blue RoomSundance Selects$247,866724.9
Gore Vidal: The United States of AmnesiaSundance Selects$135,554728.4
Run & JumpSundance Selects$11,229715.6
Bird PeopleSundance Selects$25,20970n/a
Venus in FurSundance Selects$342,183696.7
Bound by Flesh Sundance Selects—68n/a
Lucky ThemIFC Films$48,99565n/a
The French MinisterSundance Selects$12,02765n/a
Kelly & CalIFC Films$15,29764n/a
Young & BeautifulSundance Selects$52,804637.6
Two LivesIFC Films$2,31162n/a
Goodbye to All ThatIFC Films$12,120628.0
Adult WorldIFC Films$19,731616.3
Magical Universe Sundance Selects—60n/a
Hateship LoveshipIFC Films$51,61059n/a
Beyond the Edge IFC Films—59n/a
Jimmy P.IFC Films$24,329586.4
The SleepwalkerSundance Selects$2,63657n/a
Proxy IFC Midnight—575.4
HellionIFC Films$55,708556.9
Camp X-RayIFC Films$9,837547.8
CometIFC Films$6,673528.3
Wolf IFC Midnight—52n/a
The Face of LoveIFC Films$332,22551n/a
God's PocketIFC Films$166,457516.8
War Story IFC Films—50n/a
The Best OfferIFC Films$87,662497.8
The DenIFC Midnight—486.7
Alien AbductionIFC Midnight$12,087475.4
Before I DisappearIFC Films$8,251477.3
At the Devil's Door IFC Midnight—47n/a
Blood Glacier IFC Midnight—45n/a
24 Exposures IFC Midnight—42n/a
RazeIFC Midnight$4,126414.3
Last WeekendSundance Selects$26,111406.2
Almost HumanIFC Midnight$8,44740n/a
The DamnedIFC Midnight—39n/a
Extraterrestrial IFC Midnight—38n/a
The Pact 2 IFC Midnight—37n/a
Days and NightsSundance Selects$8,647366.3
Inner Demons IFC Midnight—35n/a
Premature IFC Midnight—347.0
Beneath IFC Midnight—34n/a
Free the NippleSundance Selects$93533n/a
Haunt IFC Midnight—334.2
Hangar 10 IFC Midnight—26n/a
Cam2Cam IFC Midnight—26n/a
FilmBuff
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C– 53.4 n/a 9 44%
The digital distributor did get some buzz for its documentary The Internet's Own Boy, the only one of its 2014 films to get anything close to a proper theatrical release (thanks to its co-distributor, Participant Media).
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The Internet's Own Boy:
The Story of Aaron Swartz FilmBuff/Participant$48,911728.8
The Heart Machine FilmBuff — 72 n/a
Double Play: James Benning & Richard Linklater FilmBuff — 71 n/a
Last Hijack FilmBuff — 61 n/a
Miss Lovely FilmBuff/Dada — 52 n/a
Someone Marry Barry FilmBuff — 52 n/a
Burt's Buzz FilmBuff — 49 n/a
Affluenza FilmBuff — 30 n/a
All Relative FilmBuff — 23 n/a
Open Road Films
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C– 53.3 up 11.5
vs 2013 $162.7m / 1.6% share
Rank: 10th 8 50%
Open Road raised its average Metascore by over 11 points last year while still falling into the bottom half of our rankings. While that tells you more about its 2013 (in a word: disastrous) than it does about its 2014, Open Road did manage to get a lot of traction with critics last year with its Jake Gyllenhaal crime thriller Nightcrawler.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
NightcrawlerOpen Road Films$32,179,000768.4
ChefOpen Road Films$31,424,003687.7
Jimi: All Is by My SideOpen Road Films/Xlrator Media$340,911663.2
RosewaterOpen Road Films$3,128,941667.1
The Fluffy MovieOpen Road Films$2,827,393566.5
SabotageOpen Road Films$10,508,518415.2
The Nut JobOpen Road Films$64,251,541374.2
A Haunted House 2Open Road Films$17,329,486173.7
Tribeca Film
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C– 52.1 down 6.9
vs 2013 $1.3m
Rank: 41st 17 35%
While Tribeca Film did have a few notable releases in 2014 (especially the prison drama Starred Up, starring Unbroken's Jack O'Connell), it released far too many mediocre-to-poor films to consider 2014 a success.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Starred UpTribeca Film$54,915818.3
Listen Up PhilipTribeca Film$190,490766.7
Nas: Time Is IllmaticTribeca Film$164,540728.7
Hide Your Smiling FacesTribeca Film$3,576707.3
Palo AltoTribeca Film$767,732696.8
Beneath the Harvest SkyTribeca Film$34,76862n/a
Love & Air SexTribeca Film$6,047585.8
Bright Days AheadTribeca Film$21,77057n/a
The Bachelor Weekend Tribeca Film—57n/a
Beside Still Waters Tribeca Film—42n/a
U Want Me 2 Kill Him? Tribeca Film—42n/a
The Big Ask Tribeca Film—41n/a
The Truth About EmanuelTribeca Film$4,40441n/a
Very Good GirlsTribeca/Well Go$6,94035n/a
Open Grave Tribeca Film—335.3
Maladies Tribeca Film—28n/a
Summer in FebruaryTribeca Film$1,62422n/a
Focus Features
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C– 51.2 down 15.0
vs 2013 $126m / 1.2% share
Rank: 12th 12 25%
Universal's specialty films division, Focus Features had a wildly disappointing 2014 from a quality standpoint (especially compared to its successful 2013), despite the presence of an Oscar best picture nominee (The Theory of Everything). Box office receipts were up by nearly 25%, however.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The Theory of EverythingFocus Features$27,510,000727.1
A Birder's Guide to EverythingFocus World/Screen Media$48,713617.0
The Boxtrolls * Focus Features$50,698,678617.0
Kill the MessengerFocus Features$2,450,846608.0
Bad WordsFocus Features$7,779,614576.4
I Am AliFocus World$7,20555n/a
The SignalFocus Features$600,896536.3
Love Is in the AirFocus World/Variance$8,42549n/a
Wish I Was HereFocus Features$3,591,299437.6
Under the Electric SkyFocus Features$207,58442n/a
That Awkward MomentFocus Features$26,068,955365.4
Walk of ShameFocus World$59,209254.9
* International distribution handled by Universal
Entertainment One
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
C– 51.1 up 1.2
vs 2013 $3.8m
Rank: 31st 10 20%
Entertainment One more than doubled its box office receipts and even managed to raise its average Metascore a bit in 2014, though just two of its releases earned positive reviews.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Gabrielle$5,53470n/a
Watermark$84,46468n/a
The Grand Seduction$3,430,018577.5
You're Not You$11,48656n/a
Decoding Annie Parker$48,39056n/a
Cuban Fury$92,384527.9
Two Night Stand$18,612446.2
Miss Meadows —43n/a
After The Fall —36n/a
A Merry Friggin' Christmas —285.4
Knights of Badassdom$123,854n/an/a
Samuel Goldwyn Films
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
D 46.6 $4.9m
Rank: 29th 10 30%
Samuel Goldwyn Films manages to take much of the art out of the arthouse, with few of its indie films gaining any sort of traction with critics.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
AnitaSamuel Goldwyn Films$176,97968n/a
Ivory Tower Goldwyn/Participant Media $106,77165n/a
The German DoctorSamuel Goldwyn Films$418,392626.7
RudderlessSamuel Goldwyn Films$58,293527.9
The Last of Robin HoodSamuel Goldwyn Films$288,54546n/a
The SongSamuel Goldwyn Films$1,009,620426.9
Better Living Through ChemistrySamuel Goldwyn Films$75,143405.7
Cold Comes the NightSamuel Goldwyn Films$16,971375.6
Goodbye World Samuel Goldwyn Films—365.4
Kirk Cameron's Saving ChristmasSamuel Goldwyn Films$2,783,970181.8
Monterey Media
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
D 46.0 $392k
Rank: 64th 8 13%
Formerly a home-video distributor, Monterey Media now releases films theatrically as well, though few of them were worth heading to theaters to see last year.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Canopy$8,46264n/a
Cinemanovels$39859n/a
Half of a Yellow Sun$53,46551n/a
No God, No Master$6,79648n/a
Fort McCoy$78,94847n/a
A Farewell to Fools —34n/a
The Wait$2,48034n/a
Girl on a Bicycle$91,40132n/a
Redwood Highway$134,049n/an/a
Rhymes for Young Ghouls$1,529n/an/a
Two-Bit Waltz$2,051n/an/a
Well Go USA
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
D– 45.9 down 2.1
vs 2013 $1.6m
Rank: 40th 12 8%
The Texas-based importer of Asian films has been releasing more and more English-language movies in recent years, and that change in emphasis may explain a doubling of box office receipts from 2013 to 2014. Well Go's films, however, got even worse last year.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The SuspectWell Go$218,69364n/a
Dead Snow 2: Red vs. DeadWell Go$37,473597.9
Kundo: Age of the RampantWell Go$280,95856n/a
The AttorneyWell Go$557,23655n/a
Kid CannabisWell Go$5,565545.0
Rigor MortisWell Go$7,86553n/a
Child of GodWell Go$39,32450n/a
Special IDWell Go$12,66647n/a
Very Good GirlsTribeca/Well Go$6,94035n/a
IcemanWell Go$7,67932n/a
McCanickWell Go$2,57228n/a
CavemenWell Go$5,948194.3
The PiratesWell Go$415,775n/an/a
Relativity Media
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
D– 45.2 up 4.4
vs 2013 $186.5m / 1.8% share
Rank: 9th 8 25%
It's hard to admire a studio we've given a D– grade, but Relativity Media had a somewhat decent 2014, relatively speaking. Relativity raised its average Metascore, reduced its number of poorly reviewed films from five to three, and managed to hold onto its 9th-place ranking in domestic market share (though its grosses fell by over $50 million).
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Beyond the Lights$14,573,841737.4
Oculus$27,695,246616.8
Earth to Echo$38,934,842534.6
3 Days to Kill$30,697,999405.8
Brick Mansions$20,396,829405.6
The November Man$25,018,119385.6
Hector and the Search for Happiness$1,124,445297.7
The Best of Me$26,766,213294.2
Breaking Glass Pictures
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
D– 44.5 $38.1k
Rank: 114th 8 13%
The five-year-old indie distributor targeted mainly VOD audiences with its lackluster 2014 slate, which included only one critic-approved title: Paraguayan thriller 7 Boxes.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
7 Boxes$38,106728.6
Detonator—51n/a
The M Word—47n/a
Xingu — 46n/a
Coldwater — 44n/a
I Am Happiness on Earth — 33n/a
Hamlet — 33n/a
The Odd Way Home—30n/a
Xlrator Media
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
D– 44.0 $341k
Rank: 68th 11 27%
Another VOD-centric distributor, Xlrator managed three positively reviewed titles, but more than balanced those out with some terrible movies, including the stoner comedy mess Don Peyote.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
HouseboundXlrator Media—768.0
Jimi: All Is by My SideOpen Road Films/Xlrator Media$340,911663.2
The Banshee ChapterXlrator Media—626.0
The MuleXlrator Media—57n/a
The MachineXlrator Media — 526.8
FoundXlrator Media — 41n/a
Poker NightXlrator Media — 35n/a
The Human RaceXlrator Media — 327.9
The ScribblerXlrator Media — 27n/a
Ironclad: Battle for BloodXlrator Media — 22n/a
Don PeyoteXlrator Media—142.6
Anchor Bay
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
F 42.9 up 3.9
vs 2013 $59.0k
Rank: 105th 10 10%
Yes, what you see here is actually considered an improvement: the Starz-owned Anchor Bay released zero good films in 2013.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
In Fear —667.1
At Middleton$53,837605.7
Small Time —53n/a
Road to Paloma—44n/a
Return to Nuke 'Em High Volume 1$5,12240n/a
In the Blood —406.0
Mr. Jones—38n/a
The Color of Time —34n/a
The Possession of Michael King—344.4
Kite —193.1
Phase 4 Films
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
F 42.6 n/a 10 10%
Even associating with major names (Jay Z concert documentary Made in America was directed by Ron Howard; A Night in Old Mexico stars Robert Duvall) did nothing to lift the quality of Phase 4's releases. It might be time for Phase 5.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Fort BlissPhase 4 Films—68n/a
Made in AmericaPhase 4 Films—48n/a
DronesPhase 4 Films — 47n/a
A Night in Old MexicoPhase 4 Films — 45n/a
Free RidePhase 4 Films — 41n/a
Catch HellPhase 4 Films — 39n/a
The Culture HighPhase 4 Films — 378.1
After the DarkPhase 4 Films — 375.9
Take CarePhase 4 Films — 34n/a
Jamesy BoyPhase 4 Films — 29n/a
Gravitas Ventures
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
F 41.6 $52.9k
Rank: 106th 21 10%
Gravitas flooded your local VOD provider with releases in 2014, but that quantity certainly didn't compensate for a lack of quality.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Hanna Ranch—71n/a
Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show$3,10068n/a
Drug Lord: The Legend of Shorty—53n/a
Ping Pong Summer$52,90952n/a
Felony—52n/a
21 Years: Richard Linklater—51n/a
Jamie Marks Is Dead—49n/a
Stay—48n/a
4 Minute Mile — 48n/a
Perfect Sisters — 446.2
I Am I — 44n/a
Down and Dangerous — 43n/a
The Longest Week — 34n/a
Chlorine — 33n/a
Brightest Star — 32n/a
Murder of a Cat — 31n/a
Hit by Lightning — 31n/a
Always Woodstock — 30n/a
Friended to Death — 26n/a
Bad Johnson — 25n/a
Among Ravens—81.4
Millennium Entertainment
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
F 41.1 down 5.2
vs 2013 $5.8m
Rank: 26th 9 11%
Though L.A.-based Millennium saw its box office receipts increase significantly last year, its overall film quality declined. Perhaps some re-branding is in order: the company was sold last year, and as of this month it is now operating under the name Alchemy.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Rob the Mob$208,693637.0
Fading Gigolo$3,769,873585.9
Life of a King$6,54752n/a
Elsa & Fred$285,86349n/a
Good People —424.7
Autómata—376.4
Are You Here —37n/a
Reach Me —21n/a
Persecuted$1,558,836113.2
Screen Media Films
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
F 40.4 $48.7k
Rank: 111th 8 25%
The lesson here: two sub-20 scores certainly won't do much for your Metascore average.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
Food ChainsScreen Media Films—62n/a
A Birder's Guide to EverythingFocus World/Screen Media$48,713617.0
Young OnesScreen Media Films—47n/a
About AlexScreen Media Films—45n/a
Stephen King’s A Good MarriageScreen Media Films—435.1
Awful NiceScreen Media Films—42n/a
Authors AnonymousScreen Media Films—16n/a
Back in the DayScreen Media Films—73.3
Image Entertainment
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
F 37.0 n/a 11 0%
VOD distributor Image is the only company here not to release a single positively reviewed film in 2014.
Films Released in 2014 Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The Houses October Built—46n/a
Odd Thomas—458.0
All Cheerleaders Die — 45n/a
Wolf Creek 2 — 446.5
Devil's Knot — 425.6
Aftermath — 40n/a
Black Coffee — 38n/a
Drive Hard — 294.2
Cabin Fever: Patient Zero — 286.2
Rage — 282.4
The Outsider—23n/a
Freestyle Releasing
Quality Avg. Metascore Total U.S. Box Office # of Releases % Good
F 33.4 $78.2m / 0.8% share
Rank: 13th 13 8%
Freestyle had by far its best year ever at the box office, grossing over $77 million more than it did in 2013. (Much of that was due to its Christian drama hit God's Not Dead.) But it also has the distinction of being our worst distributor of the year, with over two-thirds of its releases getting rejected by critics.
Films Released in 2014 Studio Domestic Gross Metascore User Score
The Hornet's NestFreestyle Releasing$312,70661n/a
Falcon RisingFreestyle Releasing$11,774496.4
MissionaryFreestyle Releasing$2,12048n/a
Before I Go to SleepClarius Entertainment/Freestyle$8,462,027414.3
And So It GoesClarius Entertainment/Freestyle$15,160,801385.8
Radio Free AlbemuthFreestyle Releasing$9,36535n/a
Come Back to MeFreestyle Releasing$7,74431n/a
Jake SquaredFreestyle Releasing$2,59230n/a
The IdenticalFreestyle Releasing$2,827,666253.4
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's ReturnClarius Entertainment/Freestyle$3,242,457255.6
JinnFreestyle Releasing$202,34824n/a
God's Not Dead Freestyle Releasing/Pure Flix $60,755,732163.5
Left BehindFreestyle Releasing—123.1
View our previous Movie Studio Report Cards:
2014 (for films released in 2013) | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010
More of our Best of 2014 coverage:
Best/Worst Movies of 2014 | Film Awards & Nominations | Critic Top 10 Lists
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