If there’s any horror sequel that’s worthy of a repeat, it’s “Happy Death Day 2U.” Writer/director, Christopher Landon’s promising continuation of his surprisingly spry time loop PG-13 horror-comedy smash “Happy Death Day,” is given a liberating golden pass to ultimately remix its original and fundamentally remake his hit film.

READ MORE: ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ Trailer: Terror Will Repeat Itself Once More

Landon uses this winning sequel opportunity to not merely redo his refreshingly animated original film but challenge it— building upon its kooky, evergreen foundation and expand the story in scope, scale, genre, and tone.

Continue reading ‘Happy Death Day 2U’ Is Just As Splendidly Self-Aware, Goofy & Loopy [Review] at The Playlist.

I’m not an executive at Fox. So far as I’ve known, I’ve never been in charge of the studio’s creative decisions. But if I had to harbor a guess, I’ve got a hunch as to why theaters around the world got a chance to see “Once Upon A Deadpool,” the PG-13, Christmas-friendly remix of “Deadpool 2,” in theaters recently, right in the dead heat of a contentious awards season.

Continue reading Though It Has Good Intentions ‘Once Upon A Deadpool’ Sadly Neuters The Foul-Mouthed Hero [Review] at The Playlist.

There’s a storied history of horror directors making their way into family entertainment. The most apparent contemporary examples include Sam Raimi and Peter Jackson, two low-rent schlock masters who worked their way up the ranks via into the blockbuster scene — both to wonderful results, with the “Spider-Man” trilogy and “The Lord of the Rings” films, respectively. And since Eli Roth was indebted to the influences of his very well-established predecessors, Jackson and Raimi (perhaps even to a fault), it was only a matter of time before he followed in their footsteps and made his own family-friendly motion picture, one that was divorced from the shock and maybe even the cruelty of his early work.

Continue reading ‘The House With A Clock In Its Walls’ Is Somewhat Charming But Doesn’t Quite Spellbound [Review] at The Playlist.

Jennifer Garner first rose to prominence through her action-orientated work in both “Alias” and “Daredevil.” The former, a popular ABC spy series created by J.J. Abrams and co-starring a pre-fame Bradley Cooper, was the badass role that shot her to stardom in the first place. While her memorable turn in 2003’s would-be franchise-starter was at least popular enough to garner (no pun intended) an ill-fated spin-off film with “Elektra” only two years later, since then, beyond a supporting part in Peter Berg‘s mostly-forgotten “The Kingdom,” the actress has been featured, almost exclusively, in dramas and romantic comedies.

Continue reading Jennifer Garner’s ‘Peppermint’ Leaves A Bad Taste In Your Mouth [Review] at The Playlist.

Comic-Con isn’t what it used to be. The annual San Diego-hosted hotspot for all things comic book-related was once the official house of all things proudly nerdy and gleefully geeky, but it hasn’t hosted the same reputation it once held. The lines are long. The heat can be unbearable. The walking is endless. The bathrooms are fleeting (and disgusting). And it’s sometimes hard to justify all the time and labor spent on the weeklong trip — especially when there’s a better-than-decent chance the footage or panels you are watching will soon be available (or, more likely, leaked) for anyone and everyone to watch online.

Continue reading Comic-Con 2018 Preview: ‘Aquaman,’ ‘Glass,’ ‘Deadpool 2’ & More at The Playlist.

There’s a tremendous documentary to be made in the premise for “Tag,” the feature directorial debut of Jeff Tomsic. Inspired by a true story, the new comedy centers around a group of life-long friends who’ve played the same game of tag, one month in the year, for the past three decades. These grown men have resorted to drastic measures in order to tag their friends. They’ll fake identities, drive miles upon miles away to their friend’s destination, dress up in elaborate costumes — the whole gambit.

Continue reading ‘Tag’ With Ed Helms, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner & More Isn’t A Game Worth Playing [Review] at The Playlist.

2018 has been an odd year. The days churn by with grueling intensity, draining you emotionally with every single blow. Yet, you blink and suddenly, it’s June. How did that happen? Regardless of how 2018 has treated you, personally, the year has presented cinephiles with plenty to laud over, already. In a year that continues to challenge us like 2018, it’s a relief when art can continue to surprise you, impress you, move you, persuade you, gratify you or just simply entertain you.

Continue reading The Best Films Of 2018… So Far at The Playlist.

TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL: For over three decades, Molly Ringwald has made an undeniable impact on film and pop culture. The former teen superstar is best known for her roles in “The Breakfast Club,” “Pretty in Pink” and “Sixteen Candles,” but in the intervening years, the actress/writer/musician has expanded and radiated in exciting, engaging, versatile and culturally significant ways.

That tradition continues with her stunning, dynamic work in “All These Small Moments,” the intimate, emotion-driven coming-of-age story and family dramedy with shades of Noah Baumbach‘s “The Squid and the Whale,” among others.

Continue reading Molly Ringwald Talks ‘All These Small Moments,’ That New Yorker Piece, ‘Lady Bird’ And More [Interview] at The Playlist.

We might be seeing the last of Nicolas Cage soon. At least, if Nicolas Cage is to be believed.

In Puerto Rico to promote his newest film, “Primal,” Cage confessed that he only has “three or four more years” of acting left in him. After that, the Academy Award-winning actor will be gracing the silver screen (or, these days, the direct-to-VOD market) no more. But Cage won’t be leaving Hollywood, nor will he be pursuing any other creative endeavors outside of filmmaking like, say, painting or full-time podcasting (though can you imagine what a Nicolas Cage podcast would be like?

Continue reading Nicolas Cage Wants To Quit Acting In 3 Years And I Beg Him To Reconsider at The Playlist.

Say what you will about Brad Peyton‘s (“San Andreas“) ridiculously goofy cinematic adaptation “Rampage,” based on the 1986 arcade game of the same name, but it owns up to its inherent silliness. A big, brawny, bombastic, gleefully rambunctious big budgeted slice of pre-summer movie season ludicrousness, it has all the markings of a stupendously stupid good time at the movies — especially with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and a giant CG albino gorilla at the forefront of this chaotic charge.

Continue reading ‘Rampage’: A Surprisingly Boring Blockbuster That Dwayne Johnson’s Charisma Can’t Save [Review] at The Playlist.

There are so many different ways “Blockers” could’ve gone sour. The directorial debut of screenwriter Kay Cannon (the “Pitch Perfect” movies), the bare premise of this raunchy comedy follows a gaggle of concerned parents trying to “cock block” — as the title doth (half) suggest — their teenage daughters from losing their virginities on prom night. Portrayed in the wrong light, it’s a potentially problematic, troubling idea for a comedy, one that could be easily be approached uncomfortably, clumsily and or just plain insensitively.

Continue reading ‘Blockers’ Is A Surprisingly Heartfelt, Raunchy Comedy That Shouldn’t Be Pushed Away [Review] at The Playlist.

Some icons are so enduring, so ubiquitous, so larger than life, they take on an air of invulnerability. Some renowned figures seem to last forever and it’s possible to take them for granted. Take Alfredo James Pacino, who has been around for on screen for five decades in every role imaginable and somehow is just two years away from turning 80 years old (he turns 78 next month). The thought blows our mind, frankly.

Continue reading The Essentials: Al Pacino’s Best Performances at The Playlist.

There’s a great deal to love in Ava DuVernay‘s inspired, invigorated Disney blockbuster retelling of “A Wrinkle of Time.” Both visually and thematically, it’s a gorgeous movie — told with great warmth, a tender heart, a keen eye and a loving spirit. It’s mesmerizing in its scope and it’s encouraging and inspirational in its undaunting optimism. It’s a $103 million production with a diverse cast, great production values, soaring motivations, fantastic visions of grandeur and one hell of a great director.

Continue reading ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ Isn’t As Smooth As It Should Be [Review] at The Playlist.

Happy Oscars! It was the best of times, it was the mostly okay of times, it was the 90th Academy Awards ceremony and they made sure we remembered that the Oscars are about movies. Literally, there was a movie montage celebrating movies brought to you by movies at the movie awards.

Continue reading Oscars! The Best And Worst Of The 2018 Academy Awards at The Playlist.

Click here for more from our Oscars 2018 coverage, including the Best & Worst of the ceremony, all the speeches, and the Snubs & Surprises.

Tonight, Guillermo Del Toro is now an Academy Award winner Guillermo Del Toro. The Mexican filmmaker walked away with the Best Director Oscar for his moving work helming “The Shape of Water.” This is the first directing Oscar with Guillermo Del Toro’s name etched on it.

Continue reading Guillermo Del Toro Wins Best Director For ‘The Shape of Water’ at The Playlist.

Sam Rockwell is now an Academy Award winner. The 49-year-old character actor won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Martin McDonagh‘s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” It was also his first Oscar nomination. Rockwell dedicated his win to the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman.

READ MORE: Oscars! The Best And Worst Of The 2018 Academy Awards

The Oscar win comes only hours after Rockwell won his first Independent Spirit Award the night before.

Continue reading Sam Rockwell Wins Best Supporting Actor For ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ at The Playlist.

“Game Night” is something of a rarity — it’s a smart, consistently entertaining, and actually funny studio comedy. There are so many ways it could’ve gone wrong, yet like actual game nights with the right people, the newest film from directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein deliver something that’s genuinely fun. Not likely to break any new ground like some of its R-rated peers such as “The Hangover,” “Bridesmaids” or “Girls Trip,” “Game Night” remains fresh simply for being a crude-yet-sweet mainstream comedy for the middle-aged crowd that doesn’t belittle their intelligence.

Continue reading ‘Game Night’ Starring Jason Bateman & Rachel McAdams Is A Winner [Review] at The Playlist.

Aardman Animation is, without question, one of the finest animation houses in the business. The stop-motion specialists that brought us “Wallace & Gromit,” “Chicken Run,” “Arthur Christmas,” “Shaun the Sheep Movie” and several other cheeky delights, craft lovely, inventive, heartfelt and hilarious movies. The passion, expertise, and precision bleeding into each frame is remarkable in its impeccable style and thoroughness.

Continue reading ‘Early Man’ Just Misses Aardman’s Usually High Standards [Review] at The Playlist.

“Quirky” has become a dirty word, usually used as a quick throwaway to colorfully describe something that’s “cute” or “weird” or “interesting.” But these are the words that came to mind upon watching “Entanglement,” the sophomore feature film from director/producer Jason James. A darling, twisty, and yes, very “quirky” rom-com about depression, isolation, suicide and one’s place in the world, it’s both cliched and subversive, yet hard to categorize, and for good reason.

Continue reading ‘Entanglement’ Finds Thomas Middleditch & Jess Weixler Tied Up In A Charming Indie Dramedy [Review] at The Playlist.

It’s hard to make sense of “Peter Rabbit.” Based on Beatrix Potter‘s beloved, century-old British literary mainstay, this CG/live-action hybrid adaptation enlists Will Gluck, the American director/co-writer behind an inconsistent batch of studio comedies, including “Easy A,” “Friends With Benefits,” “Fired Up” and 2014’s “Annie” remake, to bring this early 20th century garden rabbit to the new millennium.

Continue reading ‘Peter Rabbit’ Is A Wildly Weird Take On A Beloved Classic [Review] at The Playlist.

At 87 years of age, and with nearly 50 years of filmmaking experience, Clint Eastwood is a seasoned pro, a resilient icon, and one of the last remaining titans of his era. It’s remarkable that at nearly 90 years old, he’s not only still making studio movies, but critical and commercial hits (it was only four years ago that “American Sniper” became one of the most successful pictures of his career).

Continue reading Clint Eastwood’s ‘The 15:17 To Paris’ Misses The Station [Review] at The Playlist.

You’d be forgiven if you have forgotten about “The Maze Runner” franchise. You’re not alone. In the general scheme of YA adaptations, ranging from genuinely good (“Harry Potter,” “The Hunger Games”) to the stupendously bad (“Twilight,” “Divergent“), James Dashner‘s post-apocalyptic action-thriller book series has inspired some fairly average film adaptations.

Continue reading ‘The Maze Runner: The Death Cure’ Exits The Franchise The Same Way It Arrived [Review] at The Playlist.

Every good heist abides by two golden rules: get in, and get out. The same logic applies to heist movies too. The quicker, sleeker and smoother you can be following through with your best laid plains, the better. The best pictures in the genre have an understanding of pace and structure, and are constantly moving forward. They’re not always short, but they always respect your patience. Ironically, what “Den of Thieves,” the directorial debut of screenwriter Christian Gudegast (“London Has Fallen“), steals most is your time.

Continue reading ‘Den Of Thieves’ Is A Bloated Heist Pic That Steals Your Precious Time [Review] at The Playlist.

There are movies — good and bad — that inspire you as a writer. They’ll overwhelm you with the volumes of text that ensue from your fingertips, all conjured by the celluloid (or, more often than not these days, digital file) recently projected in front of you. “12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers“ is not one of those movies. In fact, its hyper-masculine, explosion-filled, glowingly patriotic storytelling is so formulaic, rote and dreadfully dull, that it leaves a film critic struggling to find something to write about.

Continue reading ’12 Strong’ Starring Chris Hemsworth Is An Unremarkable Tale Of Heroism [Review] at The Playlist.

With “The Commuter,” director Jaume Collet-Serra and his frequent action muse Liam Neeson complete their unofficial “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” trilogy. In 2010, an uneasy taxi crashes into Berlin’s Spree and gives Neeson a bad case of amnesia in the ironically forgettable “Unknown.” In 2014, an alcoholic air marshal, played by Neeson, must stop a mysterious airborne killing spree on a plane in the surprisingly engaging “Non-Stop.” Now, with “The Commuter,” we find ourselves traveling with Neeson on a train, where a recently unemployed ex-cop-turned-insurance salesman gets caught in another murder conspiracy, one where a mysterious woman (Vera Farmiga) provides Neeson with a tantalizing offer that could either save or destroy his fragile family life before the train’s final destination.

Continue reading ‘The Commuter’: Liam Neeson Provides Another Enjoyably Goofy Ride [Review] at The Playlist.