Barry Sonnenfeld Archives - The Playlist

The Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘Citizen Kane,’ ‘Mulholland Dr.,’ ‘Menace II Society’ & More

Jason Bailey — Tue, 30 Nov 2021 18:53:08 +0000

Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on-demand, vintage and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalog titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This biweekly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you’re watching.

The big news in the world of home video this week is the splashy entry of the Criterion Collection into the world of 4K UltraHD Blu-ray, and we’ve got all four of those films in this week’s column.

Continue reading The Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘Citizen Kane,’ ‘Mulholland Dr.,’ ‘Menace II Society’ & More at The Playlist.

‘A Series Of Unfortunate Events’: Always Blunt Barry Sonnenfeld Is Writing A Book About His Time In Hollywood [Podcast]

Gregory Ellwood — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 17:02:39 +0000

Barry Sonnenfeld’s has proved to have a unique directorial eye with such pop culture touchstones as “The Addams Family,” “Men in Black” and “Get Shorty.” However, he’s spent the past year or so, working for Netflix as the show runner and executive producer of the streaming service’s “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” reboot.

During our conversation on this brand new episode of the 4 Quadrant podcast, Sonnenfeld bluntly explains why he was fired from the original movie (there was no love lost between himself and a producer at DreamWorks), how to handle the incredibly talented, but infamously difficult super producer Scott Rudin (it involves pillows) and goes into major detail on the casting and production of ‘Unfortunate Events.’

Many movie fans have also forgotten that Sonnefeld was a master cinematographer and was the Director of Photography on modern classics such as “Misery,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “Raising Arizona,” “Throw Momma From The Train” and “When Harry Met Sally.” The 64-year-old explains why as much as he loved that aspect of filmmaking why he’ll never go back.

Continue reading ‘A Series Of Unfortunate Events’: Always Blunt Barry Sonnenfeld Is Writing A Book About His Time In Hollywood [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Bingeworthy Breakdown: Should You Be Watching Netflix & Lemony Snicket’s ‘A Series Of Unfortunate Events’?

Oliver Lyttelton — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 18:07:30 +0000

The Bingeworthy Breakdown is an occasional look at new TV shows. An estimated 500 scripted seasons of TV will air in 2017, and to help you sort the wheat from the chaff, we’re going to look at the first episodes of the most notable of these to help you work out whether it’s worth tuning every week for them, waiting to binge later, or using the time to finally catch up on “Carnivàle” or whatever else you’ve been waiting for.

Continue reading Bingeworthy Breakdown: Should You Be Watching Netflix & Lemony Snicket’s ‘A Series Of Unfortunate Events’? at The Playlist.

Directors: Joe Carnahan Leads ‘Motorcade,’ ‘Toy Story 4’ Gets A Co-Director & More

The Playlist Staff — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 19:45:57 +0000

Directors: Joe Carnahan Leads 'Motorcade,' 'Toy Story 4' Gets A Co-Director & More

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D.J. Caruso Drafted For ‘G.I. Joe 3,’ Wong Kar-Wai Won’t Direct ‘Ferryman’ But Will Produce & More

The Playlist Staff — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 21:27:02 +0000

D.J. Caruso Drafted For 'G.I. Joe 3,' Wong Kar-Wai Won't Direct 'Ferryman' But Will Produce & More

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Comic Adaptation ‘Lore’ Starring Dwayne Johnson Still Moving, Just Not With Director Barry Sonnenfeld

The Playlist Staff — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 23:38:00 +0000

Comic Adaptation 'Lore' Starring Dwayne Johnson Still Moving, Just Not With Director Barry Sonnenfeld

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Barry Sonnenfeld To Direct Supernatural ‘Lore’ With Dwayne Johnson

The Playlist Staff — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:28:49 +0000

Barry Sonnenfeld To Direct Supernatural 'Lore' With Dwayne Johnson

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Barry Sonnenfeld To Direct DC Comics’ ‘The Metal Men’ For Warner Bros.

The Playlist Staff — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 14:18:22 +0000

Barry Sonnenfeld To Direct DC Comics' 'The Metal Men' For Warner Bros.

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‘Men In Black’ Director Barry Sonnenfeld May Direct Warner Bros Movie Based On Secret ’60s Comic Book Property

The Playlist Staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:40:01 +0000

'Men In Black' Director Barry Sonnenfeld May Direct Warner Bros Movie Based On Secret '60s Comic Book Property

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Review: ‘Men In Black 3’ Is A Surprisingly Decent Return To Form For The Flagging Franchise

The Playlist Staff — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:05:00 +0000

Review: 'Men In Black 3' Is A Surprisingly Decent Return To Form For The Flagging Franchise

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Director Barry Sonnenfeld Says Ending Of ‘Men Of Black 3’ Leaves Room To Reboot The Franchise

The Playlist Staff — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:40:18 +0000

Director Barry Sonnenfeld Says Ending Of 'Men Of Black 3' Leaves Room To Reboot The Franchise

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Barry Sonnenfeld Says Shooting ‘Men In Black 3’ Without A Third Act Ready Might Have Been “A Really Stupid Idea”

The Playlist Staff — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:00:01 +0000

Barry Sonnenfeld Says Shooting 'Men In Black 3' Without A Third Act Ready Might Have Been "A Really Stupid Idea"

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Watch: Josh Brolin Nails His Tommy Lee Jones Impression In First Trailer For ‘Men In Black 3’

The Playlist Staff — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:10:45 +0000

Watch: Josh Brolin Nails His Tommy Lee Jones Impression In First Trailer For 'Men In Black 3'

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Barry Sonnenfeld Is Going To Make Dinosaurs Fight Aliens Because Why The Fuck Not

The Playlist Staff — Tue, 10 May 2011 09:51:06 +0000

Barry Sonnenfeld Is Going To Make Dinosaurs Fight Aliens Because Why The Fuck Not

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‘A Serious Man’ Star Michael Stuhlbarg Joins The Still-Filming ‘Men in Black 3’

The Playlist Staff — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:21:17 +0000

'A Serious Man' Star Michael Stuhlbarg Joins The Still-Filming 'Men in Black 3'

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‘Men In Black 3’ Starting To Sound Like A $200 Million Train Wreck

The Playlist Staff — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 06:55:29 +0000

'Men In Black 3' Starting To Sound Like A $200 Million Train Wreck

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Alice Eve To Play Younger Version Of Emma Thompson In ‘Men In Black 3’

The Playlist Staff — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:46:08 +0000

Alice Eve To Play Younger Version Of Emma Thompson In 'Men In Black 3'

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Script Issues Cause Problems: Production On Second Half Of ‘Men In Black 3’ Delayed

The Playlist Staff — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 05:03:59 +0000

Script Issues Cause Problems: Production On Second Half Of 'Men In Black 3' Delayed

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Details On The Celebrity Heavy ‘Men In Black 3’

Kevin Jagernauth — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 20:04:00 +0000

With the likes of Yoko Ono, Jimi Hendrix, Fidel Castro, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Andy Warhol you might be forgiven for thinking that we’re going to talk about a forthcoming documentary on pop culture in the late 1960s, but no, it’s actually some of (CGI) celebrity aliens (really?) that are apparently set to appear in “Men In Black 3.”

JoBlo has read the script for the film and it sounds about as fun and exciting as a time traveling “Men In Black” might be (as in, not that fun at all).

Continue reading Details On The Celebrity Heavy ‘Men In Black 3’ at The Playlist.

‘Men in Black III’ Confirmed For 3D, Opens May 25, 2012.

Edward Davis — Fri, 07 May 2010 16:50:00 +0000

Alright, no shockers here or really much news to speak of other than a release date.

Director Barry Sonnefeld recently told press that “Men In Black 3” would be shot in stereoscopic 3D and would reteam the original leads Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones for the McFranchise threequel.

All of this is now true, though TLJ is not officially locked in, but essentially he’ll be onboard (he’s in “advanced negotiations” which means it will happen).

Continue reading ‘Men in Black III’ Confirmed For 3D, Opens May 25, 2012. at The Playlist.

Barry Sonnenfeld Says ‘Men In Black 3’ Will Be 3D, Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones Set To Return

Edward Davis — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:31:00 +0000

Shocker. Not only is “Men In Black 3” apparently ready to go, but it’s already got a new title that links itself to the new fad du jour: “Men In Black 3D.”

Get it? It’s the third installment of the goofy sci-fi comedy series and it’s in 3D! Hooray!

Director Barry Sonnenfeld — whose career went from amazing Coen Brothers cinematographer (“Miller’s Crossing”), to hack director (“Wild Wild West,” “The Addams Family”) — tells Showbiz 411 that the film is ready to roll, will be shot in the stereoscopic 3D vision and the two leads Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back on board (they were question marks for a minute, especially TLJ).

Continue reading Barry Sonnenfeld Says ‘Men In Black 3’ Will Be 3D, Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones Set To Return at The Playlist.

Barry Sonnenfeld To Direct The Awfully Titled Dreamworks Animation Film ‘Pig Scrolls’

Kevin Jagernauth — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:11:00 +0000

This writer took not one, but two courses in Greek mythology during high school and can assure you that well runs deep with complex stories and endless characters. So it’s no surprise that Hollywood’s latest strip mining effort is directed at this particularly rich vein. “Clash Of The Titans,” “Percy Jackson,” “Immortals” and now……”Pig Scrolls.”

Former Coen brothers cinematographer turned forgettable “Men In Black” director Barry Sonnenfeld is taking the reins of Dreamworks Animation’s entry, “Pig Scrolls”.

Continue reading Barry Sonnenfeld To Direct The Awfully Titled Dreamworks Animation Film ‘Pig Scrolls’ at The Playlist.

Is Josh Brolin Joining the Men in Black?

Oliver Lyttelton — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:11:00 +0000

We reported a few months back that “Tropic Thunder” writer Etan Cohen was writing a third “Men in Black” movie, whether we wanted one or not — just like “Ghostbusters,” it seems that enough time has passed since the disastrous second installment in the franchise that audiences now have enough nostalgia for the original. It looks like there may have been some movement on the script, as the LA Times is reporting that Josh Brolin, of all people, is being considered for a part in “Men in Black III.”

Brolin had a couple of great years, with outstanding performances in “No Country for Old Men,” “Milk” and “American Gangster,” and he’s been striking while the iron’s hot, taking the lead in DC Comics western “Jonah Hex,” and the villain role in “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps.” He’s not known for his comedy stylings — he was a little anonymous when he hosted “Saturday Night Live” last year, but we imagine he’s stepping into the Tommy Lee Jones straight man role — indeed, the Times suggests that he’s either going to play Will Smith’s new partner, or actually play a younger version of Tommy Lee Jones’ character in the original.

Continue reading Is Josh Brolin Joining the Men in Black? at The Playlist.

‘Men In Black III’ On The Way Thanks To ‘Tropic Thunder’ Writer Etan Cohen

Oliver Lyttelton — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:15:00 +0000

You forget now, but the original “Men in Black” is a pretty good popcorn movie. It falls apart in its last act, but the chemistry between Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith is strong, and it’s got more good ideas in its brief running time than all the movies Smith’s made since, put together. The sequel, however is a disaster, mindlessly rehashing every joke from the original, and seemed to kill the franchise stone dead.

Continue reading ‘Men In Black III’ On The Way Thanks To ‘Tropic Thunder’ Writer Etan Cohen at The Playlist.

‘Moon’ Director Duncan Jones Set To ‘Escape From The Deep’

Simon Dang — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:50:00 +0000

Fresh off the success of the psychological sci-fi film “Moon” — at least critically, the film hasn’t been released in North America yet — director Duncan Jones is set to take helm of “Escape From The Deep,” a film based on the Alex Kershaw non-fiction book that centers the story of USS Tang, a WWII navy submarine which malfunctioned and sank to the bottom of the Pacific. The story will follow several survivors who battled to stay alive and swim 180 feet to the surface.

Continue reading ‘Moon’ Director Duncan Jones Set To ‘Escape From The Deep’ at The Playlist.