How does the historical nightmare of slavery inhabit the present day? “Antebellum,” the feature-length debut of directing duo Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz, tackles this question, once explored with originality and nuance by Jordan Peele’s “Get Out,” with shallow simplicity. For all its ideas—the existential threat to white supremacy posed by Black success, the lingering effects of intergenerational trauma, and the insidious romanticization of the Confederacy— “Antebellum” contains symbols rather than people and intrigue without meaningful discovery.

Continue reading ‘Antebellum’ Relies On Exploitation And Rehashed Ideas To Tackle Racial Dynamics [Review] at The Playlist.

The COVID-19 pandemic dominoes keep following. While Christopher Nolan and Warner Bros. will take their “Tenet” chances in theaters—limited release in the U.S. at best, depending on the states—others like Disney, aren’t taking the risk and or transforming that risk into a premium VOD experience. While not as ambitious as Disney’s move with “Mulan,” which is an add-on feature to Disney+ and slightly more complicated, Lionsgate is following suit.

Continue reading ‘Antebellum’ Final Trailer: Janelle Monáe Thriller Shifts To Premium VOD Premiere In September at The Playlist.

Janelle Monáe is making quite the transition to acting— after breakout performances in films like “Hidden Figures” and “Harriet,” she’s headed up another season of Amazon’s drama “Homecoming.” Now, the singer-turned-actress is facing her toughest role yet. “Antebellum” is one of the most anticipated films of the year, and Monáe’s given the task of leading a film on her own.

The marketing for “Antebellum” has been short on details, with much of its publicity leaving viewers to guess if a woman is dealing with multiple timelines, time travel, or even visions of the future.

Continue reading ‘Antebellum’ Trailer: Janelle Monáe Is A Woman Out Of Time In This New Thriller at The Playlist.

We’ve said it a million times when talking about teasers for films, but studios really just don’t understand what the word “tease” actually means. Masquerading as “teasers,” studios tend to release full trailers for films giving away far more than is actually necessary. Thankfully, Lionsgate didn’t go that route for the film “Antebellum.”

In the teaser for the upcoming horror film, the emphasis is very much on tease.

Continue reading ‘Antebellum’ Teaser: Janelle Monáe Finds Herself Trapped Between Realities In New Horror Film at The Playlist.