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Shem Bitterman

Shem Bitterman

Writer, director and producer

Works as
Writer, director and producer
Titles
8 on MovieCove · 12 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 3% in 30 days

What are Shem Bitterman's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Survival.

Genres

Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 10th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
27%
Survival
23%
Morality
19%
Bonds
17%
Ideas
6%
Power
5%
Society
3%
Ambition3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 5 · Intense 1

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
5
Tense
5
Absurd
3
Hopeful
2
Contemplative
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Bittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Shem Bitterman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 8 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Shem Bitterman's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

12 credits, 8 with a MovieCove page.

  • Distant Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · Writer

  • Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas(2018)

    Teleplay

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Whitney(2015)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Betty and Coretta(2013)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Job(2009)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Play Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Producer · Writer

  • Lenexa, 1 Mile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Screenplay

  • Off the Lip(2004)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Tinseltown(1997)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Peephole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director · Writer

  • Out of the Rain(1991)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers(1989)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 12 titles from 1989 to 2023.

Biggest box office

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

$12M worldwide

Highest rated

Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas (2018)

Midcredits 69th

Most popular right now

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing3 of 12: 0 only directing, 3 with another roleWriting12 of 12: 8 only writing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score11thProducing2 of 12: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

12 titles, 4 with more than one role — writing and directing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s3 · crew2000s4 · crew2010s3 · crew2020s1 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Shem Bitterman's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 11th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 12th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

12thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

18thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th2
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 8 titles are Mixed.

  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · writer

Off the Lip (2004)

96th percentile spread · 49% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas (2018)

Midcredits 69th · 61% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 42/100 and the plot and story 37/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Shem Bitterman work with?

People who share at least 2 of Shem Bitterman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Joe Pantoliano shares the most, 2.

Actors

Editors

Producers

Mixed roles