The Oscar race officially started after the Telluride Film Festival, which took place early last month. While films like Sam Mendes’ “Empire Of Light” created a lot of buzz, perhaps no film had people talking like Sarah Polley’s upcoming drama, “Women Talking” (read our review). For one, the film is jam-packed with stars who were likely dying to appear in a movie by the Academy Award-nominated Polley, a favorite among filmmakers and actors.

Continue reading ‘Women Talking’ Trailer: Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley & Claire Foy Lead Sarah Polley’s New Acclaimed Drama at The Playlist.

It’s NYFF day. OK, yes, earlier today, we were honored to premiere the trailer for the 60th New York Film Festival. Following that update, we got word about NYFF’s Spotlight section and new world premieres added to the festival, including Maria Schrader‘s drama “She Said,” starring Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan, detailing the New York Times investigation that uncovered decades of sexual harassment and assault in Hollywood.

Continue reading First Look: Sarah Polley’s ‘Women Talking’ Starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Frances McDormand & More at The Playlist.

William Shakespeare, the Bard himself, needs no introduction. Nor, arguably, does Joel Coen, who has been one of American cinema’s great voices for almost forty years with his brother Ethan. A Coen take on a Shakespeare play, though, especially one of his best, deserves to be unpacked.

READ MORE: Joel Coen & ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’ Cast On Adapting Shakespeare, Streaming Services, & More [NYFF]

After its highly successful world premiere at the New York Film Festival in September (read our review of it here), “The Tragedy Of Macbeth” makes its way to theaters later this month.

Continue reading ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’ Trailer: Denzel Washington & Frances McDormand Are Haunted In Joel Coen’s Bleak Shakespearean Take at The Playlist.

One of the most anticipated films of the year was already seen earlier this year: “The Tragedy of Macbeth” by writer/director Joel Coen (going solo for the first time without Ethan Coen), made its world premiere at the New York Film Festival to much acclaim (read our review). Starring Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Corey Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, and Harry Melling, the film is a stark, but fierce black and white adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous play about murder, ambition, madness, wrathful cunning, greed and guilt; a cautionary tale about the lust for power.

Continue reading ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’ Trailer: Denzel Washington & Frances McDormand Retell Shakespeare’s Darkest Moment For Joel Coen at The Playlist.

“Father, son, and House of Gucci.” Will that now meme-worthy line help Lady Gaga back into Oscar’s good graces? She’s already won Best Original Song for “A Star is Born,” but lost out to “The Favourite’s” Olivia Colman for Best Actress. Like “The Eyes of Tammy Faye’s” Jessica Chastain and “Spencer’s” Kristen Stewart, she’ll be hunting for that first Acting win.

Continue reading Best Actress Oscars 2022 Predictions & Contenders at The Playlist.

Whenever Frances McDormand brought up the notion of her husband and frequent collaborator Joel Coendirecting her in her dream role of Lady Macbeth, he demurred – bluntly. “He said absolutely not,” she recalled; “I had no interested in theater,” he explained, and that was that. 

READ MORE: ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’: Denzel Washington & Frances McDormand Are Fearless In Joel Coen’s Bleak, But Thrilling Adaptation [NYFF Review]

“Doing something on the stage where there’s one sort of visual metaphor for the whole thing, which is a stage set, and that’s what you’re looking at – that’s not the way my brain works,” Coen said.

Continue reading Joel Coen & The ‘Tragedy of Macbeth’ Cast On Adapting Shakespeare, Streaming Services, & More [NYFF] at The Playlist.

The plot for “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” adapted from William Shakespeare’s classic play, is almost too familiar to waste space for explanation. Even so, the basic premise sees Lord Macbeth (Denzel Washington), a well-respected soldier, spurred by three witches’ prophecy and the aspirations of his wife, the Machiavellian Lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand), transfixed by an ambition for the Scottish crown.

Continue reading ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’: Denzel Washington & Frances McDormand Are Fearless In Joel Coen’s Bleak, But Thrilling Adaptation [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” Just as the witches anticipate Macbeth’s arrival at their heath, so too do audiences await the world premiere of Joel Coen‘s “The Tragedy Of Macbeth” at the New York Film Festival later this week. The new film debuts on the opening night of the festival’s 59th iteration; there’s nothing quite like a gloomy tale of murder, madness, and corruption to kick off proceedings.

Continue reading ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’ Trailer: Something Wicked This Way Comes For Denzel Washington & Frances McDormand On Dec 25 at The Playlist.

Without a doubt, one of the biggest films coming later this year is the highly-anticipated drama, “The Tragedy of Macbeth.” Not only does it feature the debut of filmmaker Joel Coen as a singular director (Ethan Coen is not attached), but it has one of the strongest casts of 2021, led by Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. This film has Oscar written all over it, right?

Continue reading ‘The Tragedy Of Macbeth’ First Look: Joel Coen’s Film Starring Denzel Washington & Frances McDormand To Premiere At NYFF at The Playlist.

Well, Wes Anderson‘s “The French Dispatch” has premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, and it appears to be a big hit, some saying it’s one of Anderson’s best pictures and even stronger than his celebrated last live-action film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Our critic Jessica Kiang wrote about the film, “’The French Dispatch”… is a work of such unparalleled Andersonian wit, that at times the sheer level of detail – mobile, static, graphic and typographic – that bedecked the screen was enough to make your correspondent’s jaw slacken.”

READ MORE: The French Dispatch ‘The French Dispatch’: Wes Anderson Dazzles With A Whimsical New Missive Of Wit & Short Story Delights [Cannes Review]

The review also confirms our assertion from earlier in the year before too many details were known, but the trailer basically tipped its hat: “The French Dispatch” is essentially an anthology short film, focusing on “The French Dispatch” New Yorker-style magazine at its center and then diving into those stories in four different mini-movies within, some of them with their own style.

Continue reading ‘The French Dispatch’: Frances McDormand, & Timothée Chalamet Discuss The Typos In The Film’s First Clip [Watch] at The Playlist.

July 12th, 2021, Cannes – Reader, I ratatat out this missive in haste on my trusty Smith-Corona from the South of France, in the paltry hopes it may adequately convey my delight in viewing the latest cinematographic marvel from Mr. Wes Anderson, originally of Houston, Texas but more latterly resident of a nearby color-coded, symmetrical nebula almost entirely of his own design. “The French Dispatch,” Mr.

Continue reading ‘The French Dispatch’: Wes Anderson Dazzles With A Whimsical New Missive Of Wit & Short Story Delights [Cannes Review] at The Playlist.

Back in December, it was announced that Frances McDormand (who basically only appears in Oscar-nominated films) is set to join the upcoming film, “Women Talking,” from director Sarah Polley. As if it isn’t exciting enough to have McDormand and Polley working together on a new film, the news was made even sweeter today as the rest of the main cast was announced, featuring some truly great talents.

Continue reading ‘Women Talking’: Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy & More Join Frances McDormand In Sarah Polley’s New Feature at The Playlist.

Apple TV+ is still in its toddler stage of development. The newborn/infant stage was rife with lackluster reviews, not-so-great viewership, and a general feeling of disinterest by the greater public. But recently, thanks to the critically acclaimed TV series “Ted Lasso” and major exclusive films like “Cherry” and “Greyhound,” Apple’s streaming service has become a legit contender in the Streaming Wars.

Continue reading ‘Macbeth’: Apple TV+ Makes An Awards Play With Joel Coen’s Film Starring Frances McDormand & Denzel Washington 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.

This week’s very busy round-up of new movies on disc and digital includes Sunday night’s big winner, four new additions to the Criterion Collection, one of the best comedies of the ‘90s, and three showcases for one of the brightest stars of the ‘30s and ‘40s.

Continue reading The 14 Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘Synchronic,’ ‘Memories of Murder,’ ‘Nomadland’ & More at The Playlist.

The 2021 Oscars didn’t look like a typical awards show. It surely didn’t flow like a typical awards show. But yet, no matter how much you change things up, you can’t escape the inevitability of awards acceptance speeches. And with no orchestra to play them off and cut speeches short, this year’s winners were able to dig deep and deliver some truly memorable moments.

READ MORE: Oscars 2021 Full Winners List: ‘Nomadland’ Wins Best Picture, ‘Sound Of Metal,’ Anthony Hopkins & More

The highlights, of course, include Daniel Kaluuya reminding everyone that his parents had sex and that because he won, he’s going to party.

Continue reading Watch Daniel Kaluuya, Yuh-Jung Youn, Emerald Fennell & Others Deliver Delightful Oscars Acceptance Speeches at The Playlist.

It may be a couple of months behind schedule, but the awards season is officially ending with the 93rd Academy Awards. In the past year, since Bong Joon Ho won 4 Oscars for his work on “Parasite,” the world has changed quite a bit, with the COVID pandemic changing every aspect of our lives. And with that, we’re getting an all-new, very different Oscars.

READ MORE: Oscars Predictions 2021: ‘Nomadland,’ ‘My Octopus Teacher,’ Viola Davis

Unlike previous years, the 2021 Oscars aren’t your typical awards show.

Continue reading Oscars 2021 Full Winners List: ‘Nomadland’ Wins Best Picture, ‘Sound Of Metal,’ Anthony Hopkins & More at The Playlist.

All season long, the Best Actress in a Leading role category was nearly impossible to predict, but tonight at the 93rd Academy Awards, Frances McDormand took home the Oscar statue in the end, for the night’s frontrunner “Nomadland” which was likely a close race. The award was the third Oscar Best Actress prize for McDormand, and she won a fourth the same evening for being a producer on “Nomadland.” She won the acting Oscar award only three years back for 2017’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and 1997’s “Fargo.” She’s been nominated for Oscar three times on top of those accolades.

Continue reading Frances McDormand Wins Best Actress & Fourth Oscar Award For ‘Nomadland’ At The 93rd Academy Awards at The Playlist.

Well, the fait accompli of the season has finally come to fruition. After looking like the Oscar frontrunner since September of last year, Searchlight Pictures‘ “Nomadland” won Best Picture at the 93rd annual Academy Awards. The event took place at Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center, and the award was accepted by the producers of the film, director Chloé Zhao, lead actress Frances McDormand, and Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, and Dan Janvey.

Continue reading ‘Nomadland’ Wins Best Feature At 2021 Oscars at The Playlist.

Still with us? Are you still invested in this year’s never-ending pandemic delayed Oscar race? If so, your attention is certainly appreciated. We’re also guessing that if you are still engaged you’re probably wondering, “Can anyone win Best Picture besides ‘Nomadland?'” Or, maybe you’re not because you know it’s a masterpiece and why would anyone vote for any of the other contenders anyway? Maybe you’re much more intrigued by the insane Best Actress race.

Continue reading We’ve Got A Real Oscar Race For Best Actress But Best Picture? Well…[Contender Countdown] at The Playlist.

Is there room for upsets at the Oscars? That depends on how you categorize an upset. In theory, Chadwick Boseman is still the locked frontrunner to take the Best Actor prize at the Academy Awards in two weeks, but Anthony Hopkins pulled off something of a surprise winning the equivalent honor at the 2021 BAFTA Awards. Does that put Boseman’s posthumous honor from the Oscars in doubt? Unlikely.

READ MORE: “Black is King,” “Mank,” “Soul” and “Tenet” triumph at 2021 Art Directors Guild Awards

Among the other awards, “Nomadland” took four honors including Best Film, Best Director (Chloe Zhao), Leading Actress (Frances McDormand), and Cinematography (Joshua James Richards).

Continue reading ‘Nomadland’ Wins Best Film As Anthony Hopkins Surprises At 2021 BAFTA Awards 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.

READ MORE: Chloe Zhao Says ‘The Revenant’ Is Her ‘Eternals’ Inspiration [Interview]

It is a loaded week on the disc and streaming front, with three big titles on three big streamers, a wonderful new music documentary, and a boatload of first-rate catalog titles.

Continue reading The 14 Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘Nomadland,’ ‘Judas & The Black Messiah,’ ‘I Care A Lot’ & More at The Playlist.

“One of the things I love most about this life, is there’s no final goodbye’s, let’s just say, I’ll see ya down the road,” a nomad and non-professional actor says to Frances McDormand in Chloé Zhao‘s critically acclaimed drama “Nomadland.”Co-starring David Strathairn, the film, a soulful, sad American Western drama about economic hardship and life on the open road is otherwise, free of stars and populated with real nomad, non-professional actors, many of whom are excellent revelations like Linda May and Swankie.

Continue reading New ‘Nomadland’ Trailer: France McDormand Wanders & Reflects In Chloé Zhao’s Acclaimed American West Drama at The Playlist.

It’s been quite a while since we last heard any updates on Joel Coen‘s first movie without brother Ethan, “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” but we’re finally getting some news, and it will have cinephiles very excited.

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2021

In a recent episode of cinematographer Roger Deakins‘ podcast, Team Deakins, costume designer Mary Zophres revealed that cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel shot “The Tragedy of Macbeth” entirely in black and white.

Continue reading Joel Coen Shot ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth,’ Starring Denzel Washington And Frances McDormand, In Black And White at The Playlist.

It came close with both the New York Film Critics Circle and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, but the National Society of Film Critics came through for “Nomadland.” The acclaimed Searchlight Pictures release won Best Picture, Best Director (Chloé Zhao), Best Actress (Frances McDormand) and Cinematography (Joshua James Richards). In an incredibly close Best Picture race, NYFCC winner “First Cow” was just two points behind.

Continue reading ‘Nomadland’ & Delroy Lindo Win Key 2020 National Society Of Film Critics Honors at The Playlist.

The New York, Los Angeles and Boston critics have had their say and now we begin the long, tedious rollout of other critics groups who insist their honors are not meant to have any influence on guild or Oscar voters. The Chicago Film Critics Association and Florida Film Critics Circle have now made their selections and anointed, respectfully, “Nomadland” and “First Cow” as Best Picture. Both features now have two Best Film honors each.

Continue reading ‘Nomadland’ Dominates Chicago Critics Awards, Florida Critics Chose ‘First Cow’ at The Playlist.