Nick Plowman, Author at The Playlist

Cannes ’09: ‘Antichrist’: Making Cinematic History or von Trier’s Meltdown?

Nick Plowman — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:05:00 +0000

Danish auteur Lars von Trier, whose “Dancer in the Dark” won the Palme d’Or back in 2000, suffered from severe depression two years ago, as he tells Variety’s Gunner Rehlin, and his latest film “Antichrist” served as a means of recovery. Mike Collet-White notes that in the production notes for said film, von Trier says, “”I can offer no excuse for ‘Antichrist’ … other than my absolute belief in the film — the most important film of my entire career!”

Whether or not the all too audible Cannes critics agree with that statement (and many don’t), one cannot deny that “Antichrist” has definitely become the most talked about film of the festival thus far – and it remains to be seen how exactly Antichrist’s mixed reception will affect the filmmaker.

Continue reading Cannes ’09: ‘Antichrist’: Making Cinematic History or von Trier’s Meltdown? at The Playlist.

Cannes ’09: ‘Taking Woodstock,’ Inessential Lee?

Nick Plowman — Sun, 17 May 2009 08:38:00 +0000

“Considering the iconic event at its center,” writes Eric Kohn for indieWIRE, “the most surprising aspect of “Taking Woodstock” lies with the decision to make it into a rather flat comedy.”

Perhaps that “trailer” introduced by Demetri Martin during the “Important Things with Demetri Martin” show wasn’t much of a joke after all? Kohn continues, “Even with the ever-versatile Ang Lee behind the camera, this messy historical fiction plays like a two hour “Saturday Night Live” sketch, and not a very good one, either.”

Kohn isn’t the only one with the unfortunate impression that “Taking Woodstock” is just a forgettable, comedic filler in between far more memorable Lee works, as Allan Hunter puts it, “Enjoyable in places and merely humdrum in others, ‘Taking Woodstock’ ultimately feels like a minor Ang Lee digression in between more memorable works.”

Kirk Honeycutt of the Hollywood Reporter finds himself disappointed but not entirely dissatisfied by Lee’s latest, “Lee’s new film “Taking Woodstock” runs counter to any expectations that a world-class director would plumb the meaning of this transforming event.

Continue reading Cannes ’09: ‘Taking Woodstock,’ Inessential Lee? at The Playlist.

Cannes ’09: Park Chan-wook’s ‘Thirst’ an Overlong, Repetitive Comic Allegory?

Nick Plowman — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:43:00 +0000

Park Chan-wook, whose “Oldboy” won the Grand Prix at Cannes back in 2003, returns to the festival this year with his New Age vampire film “Thirst,” about a medical experiment gone haywire transforming a Catholic priest into a blood-thirsting vampire, may or may not end up on the Vatican’s radar, but based on the generally mixed response its unlikely to inspire many bets for the film taking the Palme d’Or come the festivals commencement.

Continue reading Cannes ’09: Park Chan-wook’s ‘Thirst’ an Overlong, Repetitive Comic Allegory? at The Playlist.

Cannes ’09: Jane Campion’s ‘Bright Star,’ Gorgeous Masterpiece or Masterpiece Theatre?

Nick Plowman — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Jane Campion’s first film to debut in competition at Cannes since 1993, when her film “The Piano” scooped the Palme d’Or marking her as the first female director to ever receive the honor on the Rivera, “Bright Star” has some calling it the “best of her career,” while Jeffrey Wells calls it, “basically a Masterpiece Theatre thing that my mother will love.”

Wells, however, seems to be in the vast minority, what with the praise “Bright Star” is garnering almost matching Bob Berney’s “tour-de-force” comment following the announcement of he and Bill Pohlad’s brand spanking new (and as such unnamed) distribution venture snatching the U.S.

Continue reading Cannes ’09: Jane Campion’s ‘Bright Star,’ Gorgeous Masterpiece or Masterpiece Theatre? at The Playlist.

First Look: Rob Marshall’s ‘Nine’ With Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Fergie, Nicole Kidman & Penelope Cruz

Nick Plowman — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:56:00 +0000

Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Fergie, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Day-Lewis’ head and Kate Hudson. In addition, some random in the top right hand corner. Shrug.

“Nine,” Rob Marshall’s upcoming musical with the best ensemble cast of any musical ever based on Fellini’s indomitable “8 ½,” lands itself a first look picture/promo shot and….I’m not digging it. I don’t like how Daniel Day Lewis’ position in the photo, assuming it really is him, shows us nothing but the back of his head, I don’t like how Fergie’s thighs are so widely spread I can almost see inside of her, I don’t like how subdued Marion Cottilard looks and I don’t quite understand why Nicole Kidman is the only actress to be highlighted by a spotlight.

Continue reading First Look: Rob Marshall’s ‘Nine’ With Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Fergie, Nicole Kidman & Penelope Cruz at The Playlist.

The Lovely Kate Winslet Wants an Oscar, I Want Her To Get One Too

Nick Plowman — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:02:00 +0000

Gracing the cover of this month’s Vanity Fair, Kate Winslet, airbrushed wonderfully as she intentionally invokes Catherine Deneuve and always adored in these parts, the five time Oscar nominee, the youngest actress ever to do so, chats about her upcoming roles in Sam Mendes’ “Revolutionary Road,” in which she threw up before shooting an emotional scene, and “The Reader” to being a “fat famous actress,” and something about running a bath too.

Continue reading The Lovely Kate Winslet Wants an Oscar, I Want Her To Get One Too at The Playlist.

New Still From ‘The Reader,’ Winslet Looks Fierce To Say The Least

Nick Plowman — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:03:00 +0000

Ah, this brings me back to the good old days where seeing stills from my most anticipated movies would drive me insanely wild. Doesn’t Winslet say so much in that picture, without saying anything at all? Very awesome. Kate Winslet is now firmly in the thick of things with regards to the Oscar season, what with “The Reader” and “Revolutionary Road” opening this year, and obviously I have no idea which film will get her the most recognition but one of them better, because this is her freaking year.

Continue reading New Still From ‘The Reader,’ Winslet Looks Fierce To Say The Least at The Playlist.

Trailer: ‘Sunshine Cleaning,’ Which We’ve Have Been Looking Forward To Since Forever But Seemed To Have Fallen Off The Face Of The Earth

Nick Plowman — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:15:00 +0000

“Sunshine Cleaning” is a dramedy starring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin and Steve Zahn that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year, and fell off the theatrical radar all together. It tells the story about a 30-something maid Rose (Adams) who learns that she can make more money in the crime scene than she can as a domestic worker, and she recruits her sister Norah (Blunt) to create their very own cleaning company, “Sunshine Cleaning.”

Todd McCarthy whined in his review and compared it to “Little Miss Sunshine,” I mean how could he not the are both of the same genre, share Alan Arkin and have the word ‘Sunshine’ in the title, saying that it comes short of achieving the same level of excellence “Little Miss Sunshine” did.

Continue reading Trailer: ‘Sunshine Cleaning,’ Which We’ve Have Been Looking Forward To Since Forever But Seemed To Have Fallen Off The Face Of The Earth at The Playlist.

Rodrigo Garcia And His Three Big Shot Amigos Prepare For ‘Mother and Child’

Nick Plowman — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:08:00 +0000

Rodrigo Garcia’s (“Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her,” “Nine Lives”) $4.5 million female-focused ensemble drama, which he has been working on for seven years, focusing on the intersecting storylines of a fifty-year-old woman, the daughter she gave up for adoption, and a black woman who wants to adopt a baby, can count its lucky stars. Garcia’s cha cha cha friends, Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro González Iñárritu, are set to produce the film, currently in the casting stages, for Focus Features and without them there was a very good chance it would never see the light of day.

Continue reading Rodrigo Garcia And His Three Big Shot Amigos Prepare For ‘Mother and Child’ at The Playlist.

Cut-Off Day Was Yesterday, Rounding Up This Years Best Foreign Language Film Submissions

Nick Plowman — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:24:00 +0000

Wednesday saw the foreign language film selectors taking off their thinking caps and resting on the hope that their official submissions for Best Foreign Language Film appeal to the temperamental Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Cinematical notes that this year 51 countries submitted what they consider their finest products, from the usuals such as Italy and France, and others like Jordan who submitted a film, “Captain Abu Raed,” for the first time ever.

Continue reading Cut-Off Day Was Yesterday, Rounding Up This Years Best Foreign Language Film Submissions at The Playlist.

Extended Trailer Clip Thing: ‘Australia,’ Can You Say ‘Pretty’?

Nick Plowman — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:22:00 +0000

Ha! Today is the day of trailers featuring random music that I actually can spot all by myself without someone else telling me. Here, in this latest clip from Baz Luhrmann’s sprawling pre-World War Two epic of gorgeous proportions “Australia,” featuring my absolute favourite instrumental band of all time Explosions In The Sky’s “The Only Moment We’re Alone,” and their songs were also featured in the film version of “Friday Night Lights.” When I heard the track, I thought had it playing on iTunes in the background, but I guess whoever compiled the trailer just has good taste.

Continue reading Extended Trailer Clip Thing: ‘Australia,’ Can You Say ‘Pretty’? at The Playlist.

Trailer: ‘Seven Pounds,’ Screw Will Smith, It’s Rosario Dawson That Has Me Interested

Nick Plowman — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:52:00 +0000

“Seven Pounds,” a story about one man who changes the lives of seven strangers, is a dramatic feature directed by Gabriele Muccino that sees Will Smith teaming up again with the makers of “The Pursuit of Happyness” that garnered him a Best Actor nomination, as well as starring a personal favourite of mine Rosario Dawson (who looks amazing in the trailer below, that features the same music that was in “The Island” and in the trailer for “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”) and Woody Harrelson.

Continue reading Trailer: ‘Seven Pounds,’ Screw Will Smith, It’s Rosario Dawson That Has Me Interested at The Playlist.

‘Valkyrie’ Trailer & Poster, Mediocre and Awesome Respectively

Nick Plowman — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:05:00 +0000

The trailer for “Valkyrie” ain’t all that and a bag of chips, but it is an indication of an entertaining thriller, something that won’t clean up at the Oscars but will make for a decent film. Because the poster is pretty cool, I expected to get the same from the trailer, but when it comes to this film that I almost gave up on the prospect of seeing, I’m not complaining.

Continue reading ‘Valkyrie’ Trailer & Poster, Mediocre and Awesome Respectively at The Playlist.

‘The Reader’ To Open on December 12, Weinstein Wins, But Who Loses?

Nick Plowman — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:58:00 +0000

A join statement just came in from the biggest psychos in Hollywood, Scott Rudin and Harvey Weinstein naturally, stating that they spent a long, romantic weekend being weird and psychotic together and says the men got down to the important issues at hand and came to the conclusion that getting “The Reader,” and more specifically Kate Winslet, into the Oscar race might not be entirely difficult as was previously reported.

Continue reading ‘The Reader’ To Open on December 12, Weinstein Wins, But Who Loses? at The Playlist.

Obituary: Paul Newman (1925 – 2008)

Nick Plowman — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:26:00 +0000

A confirmed Awards Daily report says that one of Hollywood’s true icons in every sense of the word who had been fighting a losing battle to cancer for a while now, Paul Newman, has finally lost the fight at the age of 83. This is the most devastating news ever, even though it has been a long time coming, it is still a huge blow for his family, friends, his enormous amount of fans and film lovers who idolise him and his unsurpassed contribution to the world of film, from his all time greats that I regard highly, “Cool Hand Luke,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Rachel, Rachel,” “Hud,” “The Verdict,” “The Hustler” and even “The Sting,” and the official end of an era when Old Hollywood was at its peak.

Continue reading Obituary: Paul Newman (1925 – 2008) at The Playlist.

The Trailer For ‘Medicine for Melancholy’ Paints It Far Prettier Than It’s Budget Would’ve Had Us Think

Nick Plowman — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:40:00 +0000

“Medicine for Melancholy” is an indie film that had it’s premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival this year, and centres on the day after two twenty-something African-Americans have a one-night stand in San Francisco, where they barely remember how they got there.

Lensed using a $5000 camera, one might expect a typically scruffy indie that usually results from a microscopic budget. The trailer, however, proves otherwise. Filmed in a delectable desaturated colour palette, it looks far more polished and distinctive than we could have imagined.

Continue reading The Trailer For ‘Medicine for Melancholy’ Paints It Far Prettier Than It’s Budget Would’ve Had Us Think at The Playlist.

‘Slumdog’ Wins People’s Choice Award, Poke Yourself In The Eye If You Didn’t See That Coming

Nick Plowman — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:29:00 +0000

As the ten-day festival drew to a close this afternoon, Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” walked off with the People’s Choice award; which anyone could have seen coming. That prize went to the Oscar-nominated “Eastern Promises” last year, “Bella” in ’06, “Tsotsi” in ’05 and “Hotel Rwanda” in ’04. Whether that is an indication of things to come (mass appreciation, wide critical praise, awards recognition…you get the picture), I’m not so sure.

Continue reading ‘Slumdog’ Wins People’s Choice Award, Poke Yourself In The Eye If You Didn’t See That Coming at The Playlist.

First Look: Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ Teaser

Nick Plowman — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 16:12:00 +0000

This clip, which is a tease but far from a trailer, from Quick Stop Entertainment is a featurette of sorts featuring a whole lot of Terry Gilliam, but some footage of his bizarre sounding “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” as well which he introduces to us. Like a behind-the-scenes kinda gig. As absolutely everyone knows, the film was the last that Heath Ledger worked on before his untimely death, which then had Jude Law, Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp stepping in to finish his scenes.

Continue reading First Look: Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’ Teaser at The Playlist.

Trailer: ‘Doubt,’ Catholicism In The Bronx Made To Look Classy, Again.

Nick Plowman — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:46:00 +0000

One of the more elusive films of the year has finally landed a [vague] trailer. Starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis, the film centres on a priest who is accused of abusing a black student but then obviously denies it and religious, moral and authority issues ensue. That is all I know. After watching the trailer, that is still all I know.

Continue reading Trailer: ‘Doubt,’ Catholicism In The Bronx Made To Look Classy, Again. at The Playlist.

Toronto Reactions: ‘The Lucky Ones,’ ‘The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond,’ ‘Adoration’ & ‘I’ve Loved You So Long’

Nick Plowman — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:56:00 +0000

“The Lucky Ones” by Neil Burger

Eric D. Snider, “But for the most part, the film is astonishingly wrong-headed. Directed by Neil Burger (The Illusionist) and written by him and Dirk Wittenborn (Fierce People), its light tone is at odds with the characters’ serious problems, and its implausible story conflicts with the vein of realism that lies beneath it. The movie wants us to remember that there really is a war, and that the Army really is having trouble recruiting new soldiers.

Continue reading Toronto Reactions: ‘The Lucky Ones,’ ‘The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond,’ ‘Adoration’ & ‘I’ve Loved You So Long’ at The Playlist.

Trailer: ‘Changeling,’ Angelina Wants Her Son, And An Oscar Too?

Nick Plowman — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:45:00 +0000

What is it about Clint Eastwood and his fascination with missing/possibly dead children? Sure, he has only made two films that fit that bill, to my knowledge, the first being “Mystic River,” which garnered a Best Actor win for Sean Penn for his portrayal of a grieving/revengeful father, and the second being “Changeling,” which could do the same for Ms. Angelina Jolie. After all, she knows a thing or two about children, ahem, and if anyone had to tap into the emotions that would result from losing one of them, I’m sure she’d do a great job of that, providing that she has a little more to say/over dramatically scream than,” I want MY son back.” Which I am sure she does.

Continue reading Trailer: ‘Changeling,’ Angelina Wants Her Son, And An Oscar Too? at The Playlist.

Trailer: ‘Hunger,’ Steve McQueen’s Cannes-Polarising Debut

Nick Plowman — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:04:00 +0000

“Hunger,” Steven McQueen’s debut film, focuses on the death of Bobby Sands (played by Michael Fassbender), a key figure in the IRA struggles of the 1980s, who died after he went 66 days without food, apparently resulted in a mixture of standing ovation-like applause and walk-outs at it premiere at Cannes this year. It, nonetheless, won the coveted Caméra d’Or award for first-time filmmakers and secured a deal with IFC but has no U.S.

Continue reading Trailer: ‘Hunger,’ Steve McQueen’s Cannes-Polarising Debut at The Playlist.

IFC Nabs the Tweaked Soderbergh Two-Parter, ‘Che’

Nick Plowman — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:25:00 +0000

After expecting that Magnolia we’re about to announce that they had secured the U.S. distribution rights to Steven Soderbergh’s “Che,” I picked up the phone and tried to see what info I could get out of them. Needless to say, I got nothing, and now we know why. IFC have apparently picked it up, smashing all the false rumours that had me duped. After Soderbergh tightened the two-part Guevera biopic up a bit since its mixed reaction at Cannes, everyone was throwing guesses around as to who would be brave enough to secure it.

Continue reading IFC Nabs the Tweaked Soderbergh Two-Parter, ‘Che’ at The Playlist.

Toronto Reactions: ‘Blindness,’ ‘Me and Orson Welles’ & ‘Religulous’

Nick Plowman — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:00:00 +0000

“Blindness” by Fernando Meirelles

Kim Voynar weighs in on the changes that have been made to the film since its premiere at Cannes this year. The change, according to her, is great. “I’m happy to report that the newly edited version of Blindness is a vast improvement over what we saw at Cannes. Not only did director Fernando Meirelles (who also made one of the best films ever, City of God) remove the irritating and distracting voiceover, but as a result of doing so had to significantly re-cut, and in the process ended up with a much, much better film.

Continue reading Toronto Reactions: ‘Blindness,’ ‘Me and Orson Welles’ & ‘Religulous’ at The Playlist.

‘Howl’ Now A Full-Blown Biopic, With An All-Star Cast

Nick Plowman — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:03:00 +0000

A while back, we reported that James Franco had been cast to play the beatnik writer Allen Ginsberg in the upcoming film “Howl.” We also reported that it was a documentary, which we found out courtesy of MTV, and that Franco would be playing Ginsberg in re-enactment scenes, the “young Ginsberg” days before he got fat and bald. Franco looks like the writer did at that time, so the re-enactment idea made sense.

Continue reading ‘Howl’ Now A Full-Blown Biopic, With An All-Star Cast at The Playlist.