Last week, the box office report featured several major storylines with just a large amount of movement over the Thanksgiving holiday. However, this weekend saw the release of only one major wide release and one limited release. So, as you might expect, there weren’t any broken records. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few standout storylines we’ve been following.

First, we need to take a look at last weekend’s major releases and see how they’ve handled themselves in their second weekends.

Continue reading ‘Ralph 2’ Continues Box Office Dominance As ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Flops Hard In China at The Playlist.

A zombie horror-comedy-musical set at Christmastime. It sounds like it was written by an A.I. using a hipster algorithm. To avoid sounding reductive, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Look at something like “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” (Anime! Retro Video Games! Nerdy Girls!), which on paper could sound cloying but completely makes up for it with a sense of wit and universally-relatable themes. That last part about being relatable applies to “Anna and the Apocalypse,” but the other is sorely missing.

Continue reading Christmas-Themed Zombie-Musical ‘Anna & The Apocalypse’ Tackles Multiple Genres But Not Very Well [Review] at The Playlist.

Christmas and zombies and music… oh my!

In an article about “How It Ends” we wrote, “One of the best things about the apocalypse thriller genre is that most of the time, the films each have a different spin on how the world ends. The typical takes include the classic monster and/or alien invasions or various natural disasters occurring, but some like to just keep the mystery tightly under wraps.” Such was the case with “How It Ends;” and, now, just when you think there couldn’t be any more variations of zombie movies, is the case with “Anna and the Apocalypse.”

READ MORE: Review: John Carney’s Terrific And Joyous Musical ‘Sing Street’

In the new trailer for “Anna and the Apocalypse,” you don’t necessarily see what causes the apocalypse; however, it is clear that as the city sleeps, something is going down.

Continue reading ‘Anna And The Apocalypse’ Trailer: ‘Shaun Of The Dead’ Meets ‘Sing Street’ In This Horror Musical at The Playlist.

The fall film festival circuit is in full swing. Venice has already started, Telluride is bringing up the rear with TIFF not far behind, and buzz has already started building for potential awards darlings like “First Man,” “Roma,” and “The Favourite.” But this past weekend, in a small Washington town where the owls are not what they seem, something strange emerged like the fog rolling down through the woods: the arrival of the first annual North Bend Film Festival (NBFF).

Continue reading ‘Anna & The Apocalypse,’ ‘Shirkers,’ & More [North Bend Film Festival Recap] at The Playlist.