Maybe it’s time to let the old ways of this almost-finished decade die, yeah? But it wouldn’t be complete without our deep dive into the best soundtracks and scores of the 2010s. It’s admittedly somewhat weird and difficult to do. Scores and soundtracks are different beasts; one original musical written for a film that gives it its emotional shape—often the secret MVP of a movie—and the other more of a mixtape, but when well-curated and used next to picture, can be just as deadly and help craft what we know as the visual and aural transcendence that’s known as cinema when it’s at its best.

Continue reading The Best Soundtracks & Scores Of The Decade [2010s] at The Playlist.

With there being such a cottage industry of prognostication and precursors around the Oscars, it sometimes feels that the true surprise is a thing of the past when it comes to the actual day itself. Take last year for instance, where almost every major winner was one that was heavily predicted without much in the way of an upset.

This was not one of those years. Most of the major categories remained competitive until late in the day (only Best Actor was truly locked down, and even that felt like Christian Bale could potentially surprise), and plenty of expected and overdue winners went home empty-handed with only their wildly valuable gift bags and an offer to play the villain in the “Black Widow” movie to show for it.

Continue reading The Snubs & Surprises Of The 2019 Oscars at The Playlist.

Well, that was certainly a WTF kind of morning for Oscar nominations, with a lot of snubs and definitely some surprises. The biggest omissions surely being the overall lack of “First Man” and “If Beale Street Could Talk,” both missing out on Best Picture and other key awards. Alas, here’s the full list of what we feel are the biggest surprises and snubs of this morning’s nominations.

READ MORE: Oscars 2019: ‘Roma’ & ‘The Favourite’ Lead With 10 Nominations, ‘A Star Is Born’ & ‘Vice’ Closely Behind [Full List]

SNUBS

“First Man”- Overall
The writing was on the wall.

Continue reading Snubs & Surprises Of The 2019 Oscar Nominations at The Playlist.

After countless screenings, Q&A’s, red carpets, screeners, hand holding, for your consideration ads, talk show appearances and cocktail parties, between 160 and 190 contenders are going to be rewarded with Oscar nominations bright and oh, so unnecessarily early on Tuesday morning.  And almost just as many who didn’t hear their name called will try to get back to sleep knowing they no longer have to starve themselves for the February telecast.  Granted, this season hasn’t had the distraction of a historic presidential election or an industry-changing #MeToo movement, but have been controversies late in the game.

Continue reading Final 2018 Oscar Nominations Predictions: ‘Roma,’ ‘Burning,’ ‘A Star Is Born’ at The Playlist.

Back in 2017, filmmaker Damien Chazelle went to bat for fellow director Christopher Nolan and talked about how “Dunkirk” was simply incredible. Well, now that the tables have turned and Chazelle has a new film that’s in the awards conversation, Nolan has returned the favor and written a lovely piece praising “First Man.”

As part of Variety’s Directors on Directors series, Nolan doesn’t mince words and gets right to the point, not only singing the praises of Chazelle’s Neil Armstrong biopic, but also commenting on the filmmaker’s place in modern cinema.

Continue reading Christopher Nolan Praises ‘First Man’ & Says Damien Chazelle Is “One Of Our Most Exciting And Accomplished Filmmakers” at The Playlist.

“First Man” seems like the expected winner, and its our prediction, but “Black Panther” could easily take this as could “A Quiet Place” or even “Roma.” A ton of Oscar pools are going to be decided on this category and Sound Mixing. [Updated Feb. 12]

Pedictions

1. “First Man” – Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou Morgan
2. “Black Panther” – Benjamin A.

Continue reading 2019 Best Sound Editing Oscars Predictions at The Playlist.

Because it has “live music” Academy members should vote for “Star is Born” here. That being said, if they really don’t like the movie (which is possible based on some snubs) “First Man” or “Bohemian Rhapsody” (which just, um, sounds good?) could take it. [Updated Feb. 12]

Predictions
1. “A Star Is Born” – Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic, Jason Ruder and Steve A. Morrow
2.

Continue reading 2019 Best Sound Mixing Oscars Predictions at The Playlist.

You’ll have to look online to hear who won early in the show, but if “Green Book” or “The Favourite” takes it, Best Picture is way up in the air. “Bohemian Rhapsody” should take it because of John Ottman‘s work in helping shape the “director-less” movie together, but the flashy “Vice” from Oscar-winner Hank Corwin (“The Big Short”) could win as well.  [Updated Feb. 12]

Predictions
1.

Continue reading 2019 Best Film Editing Oscars Predictions at The Playlist.

This category will likely go to either of the ADG winners: “The Favourite” or “Black Panther.” We expect those films to split this category and costumes and think “Favourite” will prevail here. “First Man” would be the spoiler. [Updated Feb. 12]

Predictions
1. “The Favourite” – Production Design: Fiona Crombie; Set Decoration: Alice Felton
2. “Black Panther” – Production Design: Hannah Beachler; Set Decoration: Jay Hart
3.

Continue reading 2019 Production Design Oscars Predictions at The Playlist.

In a perfect world, Nicholas Britell would win this walking away. The problem is there is great concern that a signicant number of Academy members simply didn’t go see or watch their screener for “Beale Street.” Ludwig Göransson has already won a Grammy Award for his “Black Panther” score and is the likely winner here. The only nominee who would be a shock to take the stage is “Isle of Dog’s” Alexandre Desplat who won last year for “The Shape of Water.” [Updated Feb.

Continue reading 2019 Best Original Score Oscars Predictions at The Playlist.

There should be enough goodwill from the Academy to give “Avengers: Infinity War” the Oscar, but the last time the membership voted for something so broad was “Avatar” in 2010. Since then the winner has consistently gone toward more artistic efforts. That could mean a win for “First Man” which means this category is much closer than it seems.  [Updated Feb. 12]

Predictions
1. “Avengers: Infinity War” – Dan DeLeeuw, Kelly Port, Russell Earl and Dan Sudick
2.

Continue reading 2019 Visual Effects Oscars Predictions at The Playlist.

The 2019 awards season comes to a close, literally today—at least as far as the Academy Awards are concerned— and there’s one film that should be getting significantly more recognition than it is. Damien Chazelle‘s Neil Armstrong biopic “First Man” was not only one of the most intimate character studies of 2018, featuring exceptional performances from Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy, but a technical marvel that stripped away the gloss and polish of the Apollo program to give us a real visceral deconstruction of how Apollo 11 succeeded in landing on the moon.

Continue reading ‘First Man’: Director Damien Chazelle & Claire Foy Talk Their Moon Landing Drama [Video Interview] at The Playlist.

The Art Director’s Guild of America announced their 2019 ADG Awards nominees and thanks to multipe categories across film and television almost every possible movie or program that could get nominated did.  On the film side that meant potential Oscar nominees such as “Black Panther,” “The Favourite,” “First Man,” “Mary Poppins Returns” and “Roma.”  The TV nominees saw acclaimed work for “Homecoming,” “The Good Place,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Sharp Objects” and “Maniac” earn recognition from the guild.

Continue reading ‘Black Panther,’ ‘The Favourite’ Top 2019 Art Director Guild Awards Nods at The Playlist.

The American Society of Cinematographers announced their 2018 nominees and “Roma,” “A Star is Born,” “Cold War,” “First Man” and “The Favourite” were the big winners on the film side.  For television, “The Handmaid’s Tale” earned two nods alongside work from “Homeland,” “The Crown” and “The Man in High Castle.”

READ MORE: “Roma” and “Cold War” top Oscar’s Foreign Language Film Shortlist

A major bellwether for an Oscar nomination (the ASC and Oscar almost always line up), this has to be disconcerting for James Laxton‘s gorgeous work in “If Beale Street Could Talk,” Rachel Morrison’s achievements in “Black Panther” or Bruno Delbonnel’s lighting in “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.”

It should be noted that “Roma’s” Alfonso Cuarón is now just the second director to earn an ASC nod for shooting his or her own film.

Continue reading ‘Cold War,’ Roma,”A Star Is Born,’ ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Earn ASC Cinematography Nods at The Playlist.

Today, the announcement for the 69th ACE Eddie Awards was given, presenting the nominees for the very best in editing from 2018 in film and TV, as decided by American Cinema Editors. And as you might expect, we’re at the point in the awards season cycle where we have begun to see the same names popping up all over the place.

READ MORE: Best And Worst Of The 2019 Golden Globe Awards

On the film side, we have the awards season mainstays from 2018, including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Roma,” “A Star is Born,” “Green Book,” “Vice,” and “The Favorite,” which make up most of the Best Drama and Best Comedy film noms.

Continue reading ‘First Man’ & ‘Deadpool 2’ Among Best Edited Film Nominees For ACE Eddie Awards at The Playlist.

Updated: Well, it was quite the upset. “Bohemian Rhapsody” bested “A Star Is Born” and won the night’s Best Picture and Best Actor prizes in Drama. The Comedy or Musical category was mostly dominated by “Green Book.” More analysis and more tomorrow. Stay tuned for our Best and Worst list recapping the show.

Earlier: Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh hosted the 76th Golden Globes broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.  

Continue reading Golden Globes 2019 Winners: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Surprises With Best Drama & Best Actor at The Playlist.

Welcome to the 2018 edition of bad takes! Some traditions are noble and entertaining, and some, like this annual feature where we poll individual writers and ask them about their subjective picks for the most overrated and underrated films of the year, are neither. This feature is the one that we call internally, the Give ‘Em Enough Rope piece and let me tell you that many make ample use of the cord and noose. Sometimes there are wildly wrong hot takes, but other times just a fundamentally misguided understanding of what constitutes an overrated or underrated film, no matter how much possible editorial guidance you can give.

Continue reading The Most Underrated & Overrated Films Of 2018 at The Playlist.

A strange thing has happened in the race for Best Picture.  Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” has become the clear frontrunner and likely winner, but the other seven to eight films that join that blockbuster with a nomination?  That’s become a somewhat stranger call.

Granted, there are three obvious locks for a nomination, Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma,” Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite.”  And, trust, neither Netflix, Focus Features nor Fox Searchlight will give up on a potential Best Picture win once each film lands a slew of nominations on Jan 22.

Continue reading ‘A Star Is Born’ Is Still Your Best Picture Frontrunner But The Field Is Getting Murky at The Playlist.

As the year races to a close, we’re all on the verge of killing each other, at least on Film Twitter. Everyone’s ornery as we sprint to make those deadlines, but before we declare war on one another, remember we still have inspiring and movie music to celebrate and soothe us. In crafting this piece over the years – Best Soundtracks and Scores – we’ve discovered it’s one of the most soothing, one of the best balms of the end of the year.

Continue reading The 20 Best Film Soundtracks & Scores Of 2018 at The Playlist.

First, there were twenty.  Now there are just 10.  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the films whose Visual Effects will be judged in the annual “bakeoff” to determine the five Oscar nominees.   Each film will present a video highlighting their VFX work in front of their Academy peers on January, XX, 2019.

As expected, “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Ready Player One” and “First Man” moved on to the next round.

Continue reading ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Makes The Visual Effects Oscar Shortlist at The Playlist.

2018 saw the passing of a cinematography legend in Robby Müller, a regular collaborator of Wim Wenders and Jim Jarmusch, who with his work on “Paris, Texas,” “Down By Law,” “Dead Man” and Lars von Trier’s “Breaking the Waves” was responsible, perhaps more than anyone, for defining and expanding the aesthetics of the 1980s and 1990s arthouse. It is a sad note in a year that has been otherwise a banner year for the craft he perfected and elevated, and so as our small tribute, we dedicate our list of the Best Cinematography of 2018 to him.

Continue reading The Best Cinematography of 2018 at The Playlist.

Now it’s time to get our action yah-yahs out. 2018 is coming to a close so as is our usual wont to do, we’re running down many of the particulars of the year in cinema; Best Films, Posters, Trailers, Breakthrough Performances, and much more to come. Action is an art, but it’s not always artfully crafted, sometimes placing a premium on noise, loudness, chaos, and all the things Michael Bay values. But the best action sequences we always tend to love always put a focus on staging, crafty editing, tension, and orchestration.

Continue reading The 20 Best Action Movies Of 2018 at The Playlist.

Karma, they say, is a bitch. Yet it must be down to some cosmic law of balance that as terrible as things have been on a daily basis in other spheres of life, 2018 has been among the most remarkable years for cinema in recent memory. Maybe it’s that the instability and uncertainty of the zeitgeist has ignited channels of creative expression that might have remained dormant in more complacent times; maybe it’s that 2-hour breaks from the constant blithering nonsense that is being alive in 2018 are precious even if you’re watching the “Overboard” remake.

Continue reading The 25 Best Films Of 2018 at The Playlist.

As the awards ceremonies begin announcing their nominations, it’s beginning to become more clear where the best films of 2018 rank as we enter Oscar season. And if the Critics’ Choice Awards are any indicator, it appears that “The Favourite” is indeed the…err, favorite coming into the home stretch of awards season.

The Yorgos Lanthimos film scored an amazing 14 nominations, in most every major category for his period film.

Continue reading ‘The Favourite’ Nabs 14 Critics’ Choice Award Noms, Followed By ‘Black Panther’ & ‘First Man’ at The Playlist.

The Academy of Motion Pictures announced the 20 contenders in the running for the 2019 Visual Effects Oscar this afternoon. There were a few notable snubs among the submissions including “Venom,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” “The Meg” and “Rampage.”  Some of the surprise entries included “Isle of Dogs,” “Mary Poppins Returns” and “Incredibles 2.”

READ MORE: ‘Aquaman’ early reactions: ‘Avatar’ meets ‘Jupiter Ascending’

The full list of all 20 films still in the race are as follows:

“Ant-Man and the Wasp”
“Aquaman”
“Avengers: Infinity War”
“Black Panther”
“Bumblebee”
“Christopher Robin”
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”
“First Man”
“Incredibles 2”
“Isle of Dogs”
“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”
“Mary Poppins Returns”
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”
“Mortal Engines”
“The Nutcracker and the Four Realms”
“Paddington 2”
“A Quiet Place”
“Ready Player One”
“Solo: A Star Wars Story”
“Welcome to Marwen”

The Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the preliminary list of films eligible for further awards consideration.

Continue reading ‘Aquaman,’ ‘Black Panther’ & ‘First Man’ Among 20 Visual Effects Oscar Finalists at The Playlist.