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John Refoua

John Refoua

Editor · Born August 20, 1960 (66) · New York, United States

Oscar nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 1 other major award body

John Refoua (December 8, 1964 – May 14, 2023) was an American film editor. He was nominated at the 2009 Academy Awards for Best Film Editing for the film Avatar. He was nominated along with James Cameron and Stephen E. Rivkin. He worked on television series, including Touched by an Angel, Twin Peaks, and Law & Order. He died from complications related to bile duct cancer at the age of 58. Description above from the Wikipedia article John Refoua, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 20, 1960 (66)
From
New York, United States
Works as
Editor
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 21 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 157 days to Oct 28Up 9% in 30 days

What are John Refoua's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Action9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 86th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Comedy 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
Bonds
25%
Morality
21%
Survival
19%
Self
13%
Society
13%
Power
6%
Ideas
3%
Loyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 13 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Heightened: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their heightened movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 1 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 1 · Intense 9

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 3

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

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 4

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 1

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 6 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 2

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

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Thrilling
8
Melancholic
4
Absurd
3
Triumphant
3
Other
11

How their films linger

Fun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

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 John Refoua's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Refoua'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

21 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page.

  • Avatar: Fire and Ash(2025)

    Editor · In Memory Of

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Avatar: The Way of Water(2022)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Geostorm(2017)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Transformers: The Last Knight(2017)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Magnificent Seven(2016)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Southpaw(2015)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Equalizer(2014)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Sleepy Hollow(2013)

    Show 1 episode · Editor

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Olympus Has Fallen(2013)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • 21 & Over(2013)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Avatar(2009)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Balls of Fury(2007)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Reno 911!: Miami(2007)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • L.A. Twister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Editor

  • Ghosts of the Abyss(2003)

    Editor

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • CSI: Miami(2002)

    Show 9 episodes · Editor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all shows

  • Dark Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 21 episodes · Editor

  • Ally McBeal(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Editor

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.(1993)

    Show Editor

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Earth Angel(1991)

    Assistant Editor

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Editor

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

Career shape

A full career of 20 titles from 1990 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Avatar (2009)

$2.9B worldwide

Highest rated

Avatar (2009)

Midcredits 95th

Most popular right now

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Editing19 of 20: 18 only editing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thOther crew2 of 20: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1990s3 · crew2000s7 · crew2010s8 · crew2020s2 · 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.

Awards

1 major award from 4 major nominations, 2010–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Editing
  2. 2010
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Achievement in Film Editing
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Editing
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Editing

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do John Refoua's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 67th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Approval · how many liked their films

72ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Reach · how many have seen their films

98thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 13

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 19 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · editor

CSI: Miami (2002)

55th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · editor

Avatar (2009)

Midcredits 95th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the pacing 46/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 55, detractors 29. The element that speaks to their work as an editor.

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.

Is John Refoua's work okay for kids?

Across up to 12 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles52–92 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity12 titles23–64 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles48–86 · median 58 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles11–48 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense10 titles51–82 · median 59 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does John Refoua work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Refoua's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; James Cameron shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers