“Elizabethtown. ““Dean.” “August: Osage County.” All somewhat recent cinematic efforts of the past several decades revolving around a person or two dealing with the passing of a family member, more often than not, accompanied by a return to their childhood home or small town that will itself become far more inevitably meaningful by film’s end. Directed by renaissance man Robert Schwartzman, having helmed such efforts as “Dreamland,” “The Unicorn,” and “The Argument” in addition to fronting indie group Rooney and appearing onscreen as the dreamboat love interest in “The Princess Diaries,” there’s a smattering of ambition present throughout his latest project “The Good Half, “one that can easily find itself in line with the contemporaries above but can’t help but repeatedly trip over its storytelling shoelaces in the process.

Continue reading ‘The Good Half’ Review: Nothing Can Elevate This Grief-Stricken Tale Beyond The Realm Of Average at The Playlist.

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from musician turned filmmaker Robert Schwartzman, the younger brother of Jason Schwartzman and part of the larger Coppola-related film dynasty. Schwartzman began his career as lead vocalist of the rock/pop band Rooney. But circa 2014, he shifted towards writing and directing and directed “Dreamland” (2016), “The Unicorn” (2018), and “The Argument” (2020).

Continue reading ‘The Good Half’ Trailer: Nick Jonas & Brittany Snow Star In Robert Schwartzman’s Latest Indie at The Playlist.

Moviegoers will likely recognize Brittany Snow‘s name from films like “X,” “John Tucker Must Die,” and the “Pitch Perfect” series. But the longtime actress is now a full-fledged director, and her feature debut is ready to hit theaters after its world premiere at SXSW last year.

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024

And “Parachute” stars another up-and-coming performer on the cusp of a breakout: “Yellowjackets” star Courtney Eaton.

Continue reading ‘Parachute’ Trailer: Brittany Snow’s Romantic Directorial Debut Stars Courtney Eaton & Thomas Mann at The Playlist.

The "Pitch Perfect" actor takes on body image and mental illness in this sometime uncomfortable but often rewarding indie.

Continue reading ‘Parachute’ Review: Brittany Snow Makes a Fine Directorial Debut With A Candid & Nervous Romantic Drama [SXSW] at The Playlist.

Can a breakup actually be a good thing? “Christmas with The Campbells” turns the traditional holiday film upside down to prove its point. The project follows Jesse as she attempts to get over her breakup. Her former boyfriend’s family surprises the heartbroken woman with an interesting invite — what happens next stuns everyone.

“Christmas” stars Brittany Snow and Justin Long.

Continue reading ‘Christmas With The Campbells’ Trailer: Brittany Snow & Justin Long Star in AMC+ Holiday Rom-Com at The Playlist.

It’s a little surprising that “X” marks director Ti West’s first film for A24 since his approach to horror — emphasizing character and mood over jump scares, building slowly and steadily to a big bloody blowout — is so synced up with their house style. “X” is also his first feature since 2016, and his first horror film since 2013’s “The Sacrament”; he’s kept busy in the years since with plenty of television work, but this is what he does best, and it’s about time he got back to it.

Continue reading ‘X’ Review: Ti West Channels A Winking ‘Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ Horror In The World Of Scuzzy ’70s Porn at The Playlist.

She may have sung her way to the ICCA Finals in “Pitch Perfect,” but before that, Brittany Snow dipped her toes in the horror genre with “Prom Night.” Now, she returns to horror in Ti West‘s A24 project, “X,” joining an impressive cast that includes Kid Cudi and Mia Goth.

READ MORE: ‘X’: Mia Goth & Kid Cudi To Star In Ti West’s Upcoming A24 Film

The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop on Brittany Snow joining the cast of “X.” We still don’t know many details about the story, which was written by West himself, but insiders have told THR the film is “about the making of an adult film.” The project is being co-financed by A24 and Bron.

Continue reading ‘X’: Brittany Snow Joins The Cast Of Ti West’s Horror Film For A24 at The Playlist.

“Someone Great,” a female friendship raunch-com starring Gina Rodriguez, is a remarkable addition to its genre — and not just because of its subversive gender representation. This film, almost as dense with jokes as it is with drinking and drug use, is definitive proof that Rodriguez has comedy-movie-star chops. It is also a winsome debut from “Sweet/Vicious” (R.I.P.) creator Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.

Continue reading ‘Someone Great’: Gina Rodriguez Shines Brighter Than Neon In The Hilarious Netflix Comedy That Is Doomed To Be Forgotten [Review] at The Playlist.

In the seemingly never-ending debate over whether or not a streaming film is still a “real film,” there is one thing that most people can agree on – Netflix and its streaming brethren provide filmmakers with more opportunities to make art. And while you may not think a rom-com is “art,” there’s no denying that the upcoming Netflix original film “Someone Great” is the prime example of why a streaming service is a great option for filmmakers.

Continue reading ‘Someone Great’ Trailer: Surprisingly Hilarious Netflix Rom-Com Stars Gina Rodriguez & Lakeith Stanfield at The Playlist.

The third outing in the “Pitch Perfect” franchise is like a pop song remix that retains some of what you love about the original, while throwing in an out-of-nowhere bridge and an unwelcome guest verse. “Pitch Perfect 3” has plenty of Rebel Wilson‘s Fat Amy, female bonding and a cappella covers of every song you love dancing to at weddings (“Cake by the Ocean,” anyone?), but it has an overloaded plot in its script from Kay Cannon and Mike White.

Continue reading ‘Pitch Perfect 3′ Can’t Hit the Series’ High Notes [Review] at The Playlist.

While we’re all excited that Al Pacino is finally working Martin Scorsese on “The Irishman,” let’s not forget that he’s immune to making low-rent trash (much like his co-star, Robert De Niro). Case in point: “Hangman.”

Co-starring Karl Urban and Brittany Snow, the film seems to play like an off brand “Se7en” or “Mindhunter,” with a very grizzled Pacino plays a detective who is joined by a criminal profiler as they track a serial killer that murders people in a version of the children’s game, Hangman.

Continue reading ‘Hangman’ Trailer: Al Pacino Stars In Off Brand ‘Se7en’ at The Playlist.

In a year where audiences have been cool on sequels, will “Pitch Perfect 3” sing the right tune? The breakout musical comedy has sustained two pictures, but the third installment is swinging for the fences, aiming for a holiday season release, and it’ll be interesting to see if moviegoers are ready for another song.

The massive ensemble this time around includes Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Hana Mae Lee, Ester Dean, Alexis Knapp, Chrissie Fit, Kelley Jakle, Shelley Regner, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins, John Lithgow, and Ruby Rose, with the story seeing The Bellas back together – out of school and on tour overseas, where more musical mayhem unfolds.

Continue reading ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ Trailer: The Bellas Go On Tour at The Playlist.

Ever get the feeling that the movie you’re watching is sentient, ill-tempered, and perfectly happy to kick your legs out from underneath you at the worst possible moment for maximum cruelty? That’s “Bushwick,” a slick, swaggering gallimaufry of alt-history war-cum-propaganda movie a’la “Red Dawn,” oriented on a sudden and violent invasion of New York (yes, that Bushwick) by unknown, ad libbed, but altogether well-organized military force.

Continue reading ‘Bushwick’ Is Pure, Overwhelmingly Grim Provocation [Review] at The Playlist.

You might not expect a film starring Dave Bautista to play both the Sundance Film Festival and Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, but that’s what happened with “Bushwick.” The no-nonsense action thriller seems to have enough pedigree for high profile festival berths, even if it does look a bit ridiculous, at least as far as the premise is concerned.

Co-starring Brittany Snow, and directed by Cary Murnion and Jonathan Milott (“Cooties“), the story reimagines the titular, hip Brooklyn neighborhood as ground zero by an invasion of Texan militants.

Continue reading Dave Bautista Fights Texan Separatists In New Trailer For ‘Bushwick’ at The Playlist.

The Bellas are going global in the first official trailer for “Pitch Perfect 3,” directed by Trish Sie. While “Pitch Perfect” was rather delightful in the “don’t think too hard about the logistics” type of way, “Pitch Perfect 2” brought any issues from the first and more into the spotlight with ridiculous narrative pivots, casual racism, sexism and homophobia, and suffering from “too much” syndrome where they made everything bigger and louder than the first.

Continue reading First Trailer For ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ Sings A New Song at The Playlist.

In recent years, Al Pacino has branched out into a number of roles that could be best describe as….questionable. However, it seems as if he’s (hopefully) going back to something a little better quality wise for the upcoming film, “Hangman.” Variety is reporting that Pacino is set to star in the film as a decorated homicide detective investigating a series of murders.

READ MORE: Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’ With Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci And Al Pacino Moving Forward

Directed by Johnny Martin, who just wrapped “Vengeance: A Love Story” starring Nicolas Cage and Don Johnson, “Hangman” tells the story of a detective, played by Pacino, who is joined by a criminal profiler as they track a serial killer that murders people in a version of the children’s game, Hangman.

Continue reading Al Pacino & Karl Urban Team Up To Find A Serial Killer In ‘Hangman’ at The Playlist.

Review: Elizabeth Banks-Directed ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, And More

Continue reading Review: Elizabeth Banks-Directed ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, And More at The Playlist.

Watch: The Bellas Gets Suspended In New Trailer For 'Pitch Perfect 2'

Continue reading Watch: The Bellas Gets Suspended In New Trailer For ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ at The Playlist.

Watch: Get Ready To Sing Again In First Trailer For ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ With Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson & Elizabeth Banks

Continue reading Watch: Get Ready To Sing Again In First Trailer For ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ With Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson & Elizabeth Banks at The Playlist.

Continue reading ‘Point Break’ Remake Casts Johnny Utah, Lily Collins Learns ‘How To Be Single’ & More at The Playlist.

Continue reading Jack Reynor Rumored For ‘Star Wars 7,’ Matthias Schoenaerts Goes To ‘Belgica’ And More at The Playlist.

Review: 'Would You Rather' See This Movie, Or Make A Better Use Of Your Ten Bucks?

Continue reading Review: ‘Would You Rather’ See This Movie, Or Make A Better Use Of Your Ten Bucks? at The Playlist.

Review: '96 Minutes' Is About An Hour And A Half Too Long

Continue reading Review: ’96 Minutes’ Is About An Hour And A Half Too Long at The Playlist.

Continue reading Shadier Than BP: David Bergstein Buys Back Tony Kaye’s ‘Black Water Transit’ From Himself In Odd Deal at The Playlist.

Continue reading Trailer: The ‘Vicious Kind’ Hits Theaters December 11 at The Playlist.