In 2001, the TV mini-series was forever altered by HBO’s “Band of Brothers,” a towering achievement in the form and quite simply one of the best WWII films or shows of all time. Based on the book by Stephen E. Ambrose, and created by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, “Band of Brothers” told the story of “Easy” Company from boot camp through the Western Front.

Continue reading ‘Masters Of The Air’ Review: WWII Mini-Series Captures Insane Danger, But Struggles To Maintain Altitude at The Playlist.

There’s a strong case to be made that the reporter is an underutilized protagonist in the thriller genre. They do much of the same job as a law enforcement officer, such as interviewing witnesses and suspects and attempting to find a perpetrator, but with perhaps an approach that is less dynamic and glamorous. The job of a reporter and the ethics of journalism are front and center in the new movie “Cold Copy,” helmed by first-time director Roxine Helberg from her own script.  

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024

Helberg describes the story as one about “the personal cost of the manipulation of the truth.”  

Bel Powley (“The Morning Show”) stars as Mia Scott, a green journalism student struggling to show herself to advantage in a class taught by established news reporter Diane Heger (Tracee Ellis Ross, “Black-ish”) By serendipity, Mia meets Igor Nowak (Jacob Tremblay, “Room”), the son of a writer who died under suspicious circumstances.

Continue reading ‘Cold Copy’ Trailer: Tracee Ellis Ross & Bel Powley Star In A Drama About Journalism, Ethics & The Truth at The Playlist.

Taking its title from a quote with which Miep Gies, the woman who helped hide Anne Frank and her family in Amsterdam during WWII, often ended her speeches later in life, “A Small Light” is the latest engaging, richly detailed biographical drama from National Geographic.

Co-creators Joan Rater and Tony Phelan (“Grey’s Anatomy”) find a deeply humanist angle to this well-known piece of history by telling the story of Frank and her family through those who aided them.

Continue reading ‘A Small Light’ Review: A Richly Detailed Portrait Of Anne Frank Protector Miep Gies at The Playlist.

We know you’ve watched a lot of films and television about World War II. We know you’ve seen a lot of films and television about the Holocaust. You’ve also likely seen the story of Anne Frank and her family told in one fashion or another. That being said, it’s sort of remarkable it took this long for the story of Miep Giles to make it to any screen. And, Bel Powley, who plays Giles, one of the heroes who hid Frank and her family, can easily make the case why you should see history play out once more in the new National Geographic limited series “A Small Light.”

READ MORE: Emmys 2023: Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Contenders and Predictions

“Well, A, it’s about an unlikely female hero that we don’t know about,” Powley says.

Continue reading Bel Powley On Why Anne Frank’s Story In ‘A Small Light’ Is More Relevant Than Ever [Interview] at The Playlist.

Most people have learned the story of Anne Frank. In many schools, her story is taught in history classes and her diaries are read as classic works. But in the new series, “A Small Light,” the story of Anne Frank is told through the perspective of the woman who promised to keep her safe. 

READ MORE: ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ Review: Jennifer Garner Can’t Save Apple TV+’s Plodding Thriller

As seen in the trailer for “A Small Light,” the limited series tells the story of Miep Gies, a young woman who takes on the challenge of hiding the Frank family from the Nazis during WWII after Otto Frank asked her to help.

Continue reading ‘A Small Light’ Trailer: Bel Powley, Joe Cole & Liev Schreiber Tell The Story Of Hiding Anne Frank’s Family in WWII at The Playlist.

IFC Films announced this week that they will reunite with “The Sound of Silence” director Michael Tyburski for his sophomore feature, sci-fi comedy “Turn Me On.” The new movie boasts impressive young talent in leading roles with Bel Powley (“The King of Staten Island,” “White Boy Rick“) and Nick Robinson (“Love, Simon,” “A Teacher“) starring.

Continue reading ‘Turn Me On’: IFC Nabs Michael Tyburski’s Sci-Fi Comedy Starring Bel Powley & Nick Robinson at The Playlist.

The streaming wars have led to an excellent time for well-crafted television. The quality of TV shows keeps elevating with compelling dramatic performances from actors from both the worlds of film and television alike as it’s not as taboo these days to move between the two mediums. Disney+ is now looking to shift toward darker stories and will set its sights on an original series tackling the Holocaust.

Deadline reports that the streaming service is behind an eight-episode drama series, “A Small Light.” The National Geographic limited series tells the remarkable true-life story of a Dutch woman, Miep Gies, who risked her life to shelter Anne Frank’s family from the Nazis in occupied Amsterdam for more than two years and then preserved Anne’s diary that was later published for the public.

Continue reading ‘A Small Light’: Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber & Joe Cole Tapped For Disney+ Holocaust Limited Series at The Playlist.

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. 

Two potentially major productions caught in the wheels of the lockdown hit disc and (reasonable) VOD this week, alongside a Sundance doc on Apple TV+,  a lovely new musical bio-doc, and the usual bushel of marvelous catalog titles from Criterion, Warner Archive, and Kino-Lorber.

Continue reading The 13 Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘The King of Staten Island,’ ‘The Burnt Orange Heresy’ & More at The Playlist.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: a lovable loser in a state of perpetual arrested development. A group of friends that love and support, but are probably holding him/her back. A good girl/guy, offering up a real relationship. A new, better life, if they’d only grow up a little. 

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2020

This is the story of “The King of Staten Island,” the new film by Judd Apatow.

Continue reading ‘The King Of Staten Island’: A Charming Cast Energizes A Formulaic Story In Judd Apatow’s Latest [Review] at The Playlist.

Writer/director/producer Judd Apatow (“Knocked Up“) has a long history of mentoring and helping out comedians in need, often vaulting them to the next level in the process. He forever changed Steve Carrell’s career with the “40-Year-Old Virgin,” elevated nearly every member of the “Freaks & Geeks” team with their own movies (Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel) and gave huge career boosts to popular comedians by directing or producing their breakout films (Kristen Wiig with “Bridesmaids,” Amy Schumer‘s “Trainwreck,” and Kumail Nanjiani‘s “The Big Sick“).

Continue reading ‘King Of Staten Island’ Trailer: Pete Davidson Tackles Grief & Weed For Judd Apatow at The Playlist.

“People must know what is happening here; with your pen, you can show them.” These words are spoken and they grip you tightly as the trailer for “Ashes in the Snow” shows you the harsh conditions and misery felt during World War II. But will Lina’s art be celebrated or cause her more trouble?

Based on Ruta Sepetys’ bestselling novel “Between Shades of Gray,” the historical drama “Ashes in the Snow” looks at a period of World War II that is often overshadowed: The Soviet Union’s annexation of the Baltic states.

Continue reading ‘Ashes In The Snow’ Trailer: Bel Powley Stars As A Young Artist Torn From Her Family Under Stalin’s Rule at The Playlist.

The BBC has been on a roll this year with diverse and exciting police dramas with “Collateral” to “Killing Eve” and now “Informer.”

As a co-writer of the show, Iranian born Sohrab Noshirvani was adamant that showcasing the face of London today was important, saying, “We wanted that diversity to be normal on-screen – not suburban ‘normal’ but recognizable.

Continue reading ‘Informer’ Trailer: Paddy Considine & Bel Powley Star In BBC’s Answer To ‘The Wire’ From Sam Mendes at The Playlist.

TELLURIDE – What happened to Richard Wershe Jr. isn’t great. As a 14-year-old he somehow found himself working as an informant for the FBI. Within three years he was making significant money as a low-level drug dealer in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. And after that? Well, feel free to Google it to find out or you can catch a version of Rick’s life in Yann Demange’s “White Boy Rick” which debuted at the 2018 Telluride Film Festival this past weekend.

Continue reading ‘White Boy Rick’ Can’t Quite Connect The Dots [Telluride Review] at The Playlist.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences made history today inviting a record 928 new members as it aims to expedite its long-term goal of a more diverse membership overall.

According to the AMPAS 49% of the new members are women, 38% are People of Color and they represent 59 different countries. These efforts are making an impact. In 2015 just 8% of the members were POC. That percentage has jumped to 16% in 2018.

Continue reading Tiffany Haddish, Timothee Chalamet Among Massive 928 New Academy Class at The Playlist.

Any good coming of age story needs a great hook to differentiate it from the sea of coming of age movies. So, what separates the upcoming film “Wildling” from the bunch? It’s a horror movie about a girl who may or may not be a werewolf. Sign me up, immediately.

The film premiered at SXSW earlier this month just after IFC Midnight picked it up. “Wildling” seems like a natural fit for the horror distribution company.

Continue reading ‘Wildling’ Trailer: Bel Powley Goes Horror In The Diary of a Teenage Werewolf at The Playlist.

In 1818, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” was published and became an almost immediate sensation. “Mary Shelley” is the story of its author and the creative inspiration behind the groundbreaking book. Well, eventually. Before we discover the titular writer’s genius, we must endure a fusty period drama that unfolds with such a startling lack of imagination, it’s nearly remarkable how conventional the production is, particularly when the life and famed work of Mary Shelley is so boldly unconventional.

Continue reading Elle Fanning Plays ‘Mary Shelley’ In Biopic Of ‘Frankenstein’ Creator [TIFF Review] at The Playlist.

Sometimes, being a teenager means feeling a bit out-of-step or uncertain of your place in their world. But for the titular “Carrie Pilby,” that feeling is only exacerbated by being a genius who went to Harvard at the age of 14. From that viewpoint, the entire world can feel alien.

READ MORE: ‘Diary Of A Teenage Girl’ Star Bel Powley Returns In Coming-Of-Age Comedy ‘Carrie Pilby’ [TIFF Review]

The coming-of-age dramedy is led by “The Diary Of A Teenage Girl” star Bel Powley, who is joined by Gabriel Bryne, Nathan Lane and Vanessa Bayer, in the story of a young woman who sets some goals to try to change her life.

Continue reading ‘Diary Of A Teenage Girl’ Star Bel Powley Sets Some Goals In New Trailer For ‘Carrie Pilby’ at The Playlist.

Being young and a genius is the burden shouldered by the titular “Carrie Pilby” in the upcoming dramedy. “Diary Of A Teenage Girl” star Bel Powley takes the lead role in the coming-of-age tale.

Also featuring Jason Ritter, Gabriel Bryne, Nathan Lane and Vanessa Bayer, the story unfolds in New York City, where a young woman embarks on a plan to meet people who might be below her exacting standards.

Continue reading ‘Diary Of A Teenage Girl’ Star Bel Powley Is A Genius In First Trailer For ‘Carrie Pilby’ at The Playlist.

If any one of the ’90s Quentin Tarantino copycats remade “Sliding Doors,” this neo-noir would be the result, even down to the casting of John Lynch, who starred in the 1998 film. Filled with would-be-witty dialogue, “Detour” takes a Choose Your Own Adventure approach to its twist-filled narrative about a college student whose attempts for revenge go very wrong. Director Christopher Smith employs split screen to show what happens when his hero makes a decision and flips back in time when it wants to show the audience just how little they know.

Continue reading Neo-Noir ‘Detour’ Starring Tye Sheridan, Bel Powley And Emory Cohen Underwhelms [Review] at The Playlist.

“Don’t regret the things you do, just the things you don’t,” says Emory Cohen in the upcoming neo-noir “Detour,” and that’s pretty much the sentence around which the entire movie revolves. Utilizing plenty of split screen, the film, which we described as a Quentin Tarantino knockoff directing a “Sliding Doors” remake, essentially folds two crime stories in one.

READ MORE: Tribeca Review: Neo-Noir ‘Detour’ Starring Tye Sheridan, Bel Powley And Emory Cohen

Directed by Christopher Smith, and also featuring Tye Sheridan, Bel Powley, and Stephen Moyer, the story follows a law-student who falls in a grifter, with their meeting leading to murder.

Continue reading Tye Sheridan Tries To Keep It Together In New Trailer For Neo-Noir ‘Detour’ With Bel Powley & Emory Cohen at The Playlist.

If you’re an actor making your feature directorial debut, it doesn’t hurt to surround yourself with really good talent. Paul Dano is doing just that with this currently filming “Wildlife” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan, and Kirsten Dunst has put together some excellent actors for her turn behind the camera with “The Bell Jar.”

Patrica Arquette, Bel Powley (“The Diary Of A Teenage Girl”) and Stacy Martin (“Nymphomaniac”) have joined Dakota Fanning and Jesse Plemons in the adaptation of Sylvia Plath’s novel.

Continue reading Patricia Arquette, Bel Powley & Stacy Martin Join Kirsten Dunst’s ‘The Bell Jar’ at The Playlist.

Carrie Pilby is such a delightful character that she deserves a movie better than the one that bears her name. As played by Bel Powley, the heroine of the indie comedy “Carrie Pilby” is a 19-year-old genius, smart enough to know that she may have peaked at 14, when she was admitted to Harvard. At the start of the film Carrie’s unemployed and friendless in New York City, and seeing a therapist, Dr.

Continue reading ‘Diary Of A Teenage Girl’ Star Bel Powley Returns In Coming-Of-Age Comedy ‘Carrie Pilby’ [TIFF Review] at The Playlist.

Tribeca Review: Neo-Noir 'Detour' Starring Tye Sheridan, Bel Powley And Emory Cohen

Continue reading Tribeca Review: Neo-Noir ‘Detour’ Starring Tye Sheridan, Bel Powley And Emory Cohen at The Playlist.

Review: 'A Royal Night Out' Starring Sarah Gadon, Bel Bowley, Rupert Everett, And Emily Watson

Continue reading Review: ‘A Royal Night Out’ Starring Sarah Gadon, Bel Bowley, Rupert Everett, And Emily Watson at The Playlist.

20 Best Breakthrough Performances Of 2015

Continue reading 20 Best Breakthrough Performances Of 2015 at The Playlist.