Anthony Hopkins has played several dynamic real-life people over his nearly six-decade acting career, like President Richard Nixon, Alfred Hitchcock, and writer C.S. Lewis. But “One Life,” set for its world premiere at TIFF this weekend, may be Hopkins’ most heartening role in a biopic yet. The actor stars as Sir Nicholas “Nicky” Winton in a film about how one man saved 669 children from the Nazis in World War II.

Continue reading ‘One Life’ Trailer: Biopic About Sir Nicholas Winton Starring Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn & Helena Bonham Carter Premieres At TIFF This Weekend at The Playlist.

Typically, when a celebrity says something problematic, they will quickly apologize (sincere or not) and attempt to move on. Then, when you have folks defending them, it’s at least understandable because there is an apology and a seemingly sincere desire to grow. Well, that’s not the case with J.K. Rowling and her litany of transphobic tweets and public statements over the years. This has made it increasingly rare when you find another celebrity who is willing to step up and defend the “Harry Potter” author.

Continue reading Helena Bonham Carter Defends J.K. Rowling Against “Horrendous” Treatment After Transphobic Comments at The Playlist.

Enola Holmes is on the case again in the sequel, “Enola Homes 2.” Netflix’s popular adaptation of Nancy Springer’s first novel became a hit with audiences of all ages. Our own review found the project to be “...an absolute delight. Charming and fleet-footed, with a dynamic sense of frisson and clever chutzpah.” Now, the streaming service is poised to find more success with Holmes’ return.

Continue reading ‘Enola Holmes 2’ Trailer: Millie Bobby Brown Is A Detective-For-Hire & On The Case In Sequel at The Playlist.

Documentary features, and really any artistic works having to do with history, often do not exist just to relay information but to make its audience not forget what it has to say. In that manner, few topics from more modern history are weightier to deal with than the Holocaust. Looking into the lives of Jewish citizens in a Polish village at the start of World War II, and stretching just three minutes of these people to feature length, “Three Minutes: A Lengthening” offers a wholly unique look at just a small section of people who would face the gravest of inhumanity.

Continue reading ‘Three Minutes: A Lengthening’ Trailer: Helena Bonham Carter Narrates A Haunting Holocaust Documentary at The Playlist.

A poetic meditation on film, history, and loss, “Three Minutes – A Lengthening” gives a glimpse into a lost world and then unpacks just how much can be learned from that brief fragment.  While on a grand tour of Europe in 1938, David Kurtz, a Polish-American man, traveled to Nasielsk, the town of his birth, and brought with him a 16mm camera filled with Kodachrome, a novelty at the time.  He took three minutes of footage there that was embedded in a larger film of his travels and, like many such films, it sat forgotten in a basement for years. Around 2009, David’s grandson Glenn Kurtz rediscovered the footage and recognized that the once-ordinary film was now an extraordinary historical document – the only remaining visual record of a Jewish community that was annihilated in the Holocaust. 

READ MORE: Venice Film Festival 2021 Preview: 12 Must-See Films To Watch

Director Bianca Stigter takes the 1938 footage and uses it as a prism, looking at every detail to see how much of prewar Nasielsk can be exhumed.

Continue reading Giving Life to a Lost Community in ‘Three Minutes – A Lengthening’ [Venice Review] at The Playlist.

A recurring theme over the first three seasons of Netflix’s Emmy-winning program, “The Crown,” is the familiar old adage that history repeats itself. And, despite the knowledge of their past misfortunes, Britain’s Royal Family continues to fail spectacularly at avoiding embarrassment in the public eye. If you’re looking for a recent example, you only need to see how they handled the racist treatment of Meghan Markle. In fact, even before she became sovereign at the age of 25, Queen Elizabeth II (portrayed currently by Olivia Colman) and her husband, Prince Philip (Tobias Menzies), had witnessed these cycles repeat themselves again and again.  The fourth season of the Peter Morgan shepherded series begins to chronicle perhaps the family’s greatest tragedy of all, the relationship between Lady Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) and Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor).

Continue reading ‘The Crown’ Season 4 Review: Princess Diana & Margaret Thatcher Impressively Steal The Spotlight at The Playlist.

Based on the first book in Nancy Springer’s YA Enola Holmes series—“The Case of the Missing Marquess” — about Sherlock Holmes’ precocious younger sister and the various mysteries she has to solve, Netflix’s movie adaptation of the inaugural book is an absolute delight. Charming and fleet-footed, with a dynamic sense of frisson and clever chutzpah, “Enola Holmes” is a compelling mystery and a sprightly adventure with a feminist streak that’s a perfect showcase for the winsome talents of “Stranger Things” star Millie Bobby Brown.

Continue reading ‘Enola Holmes’: Millie Bobby Brown Charms In An Dynamic Tale Of Adolescent Independence & Out-Sleuthing [Review] at The Playlist.

Netflix loves Millie Bobby Brown and turned her into a star with “Stranger Things.” The 16-year-old star seems to love Netflix and has barely worked outside their organization since “Stranger Things” in 2016 save “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and it’s 2021-scheduled sequel.  That trend remains the same with Brown’s upcoming starring role in “Enola Holmes,” an upcoming British mystery film based on the Young Adult book series of the same name by Nancy Springer, featuring the already-famous Sherlock Holmes’ teenage sister.

Continue reading ‘Enola Holmes’ Trailer: Millie Bobby Brown Is ‘Sherlock Holmes’ Sleuthing Little Sister Opposite Henry Cavill & More at The Playlist.

Recasting any form of filmed entertainment is certainly not without its dangers. Ask any actor or actress who has played a signature character in an installment of a James Bond film or the now legion of individual Doctor Whos, for that matter. Considering its mandate to chronicle the over sixty-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II, it was always known that Peter Morgan’s “The Crown” would present a new monarch and Royal Family following its second season.

Continue reading No Bones About It, ‘The Crown’ Season 3 Is Absolutely Magnificent [Review] at The Playlist.

Cinephiles who don’t have an opportunity to see movies come to life on set can appreciate the sanctity that goes into how our favorite actors prepare for their roles. But that doesn’t mean we can’t – or don’t – revel in the occasional wild story, from the shocking (Christian Bale’s drastic ping-ponging weight fluctuations) to the bizarre (Nic Cage preparing for a sex scene by pouring hot yogurt on his toes) to the utterly vile (Jared Leto sending used condoms to his “Suicide Squad” costars).

Continue reading ‘The Crown’: Helena Bonham Carter Used A Psychic To Consult The Deceased Princess Margaret For Guidance at The Playlist.

Coming squarely amid an era where reboots of beloved animated properties are myriad is the reimagining of another story integral to millions of childhoods, and one slightly darker than your standard Aladdins, Jungle Books and Lion Kings.

READ MORE: The Best TV Shows Of 2019… So Far

Anticipation is high for “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” the Netflixication of Jim Henson’s beloved 1982 fantasy film that still feels singular in tone and aesthetic—a gateway for children of the ‘80s to the dark side of their imaginations.

Continue reading ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ Sneak Peek Brings A Dark Fantasy World Into The 21st Century [Comic-Con] at The Playlist.

Hollywood has been fixated on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes character for decades. We’ve seen so many different iterations of the character, portrayed by the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey, Jr, Ian McKellen, and Peter Cushing, just to name several. And now, it appears that the film industry isn’t done with the detective just yet. But this time, Sherlock is only playing second fiddle to his younger sister Enola.

Continue reading Henry Cavill’s Sherlock Holmes Has To Deal With His Younger Sister Millie Bobby Brown In New Film ‘Enola Holmes’ at The Playlist.

Olivia Colman has turned into the belle of the ball in late 2018. Thanks to her incredible role in the Oscar contender “The Favourite,” the actress has been consistently at the top of people’s Best of 2018 lists (**Spoiler alert, she ranks pretty damn high on our Best Performances list**). But for as good as 2018 has been for Colman, 2019 is shaping up to become perhaps her biggest yet, thanks to Netflix’s “The Crown.”

READ MORE: The Best Performances Of 2018

As we enter the highly-anticipated third season of the Emmy Award-winning drama, “The Crown” is mixing things up.

Continue reading ‘The Crown’ Season 3 First Look: Olivia Colman & Helena Bonham Carter Join The Emmy Winning Series at The Playlist.

It’s my personal goal in 2018 to make the rest of my The Playlist pals finally watch “The Crown.” Some have wavered a bit, dipping into the second season, but most are put off by the notion of a show about monarchy. Well, the Netflix hit isn’t really about the glory of being royal leaders. Instead, the series dives into the political machinery around Buckingham Palace, and burden of holding the sceptre, in a position that’s often thankless, and filled with one no-win situation after another.

Continue reading Helena Bonham Carter To Play Princess Margaret In ‘The Crown’ Seasons 3 & 4 at The Playlist.

While we were hoping that the push for more female driven, mainstream Hollywood movies wasn’t just women led redos of dude franchises (“Ghostbusters,” now “Ocean’s Eight“) it’s hard to deny the star power of this picture. Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling. Awkwafina, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter all in the same movie? Sign us up. Oh, and James Corden too, if he’s someone that interests you, plus Richard Armitage.

Continue reading ‘Ocean’s Eight’ Trailer: The Con Is On With Sandra Bullock, Rihanna, Cate Blanchett & More at The Playlist.

As we go through the terrific lineup for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, we’re continually being pleasantly surprised by the smaller movies making an appearance — ones that don’t necessarily land in the headlines. One such picture that’s caught our attention is “55 Steps.”

Directed by Bille August (“Night Train To Lisbon,” “The House Of The Spirits,” “Smilla’s Sense Of Snow“) and starring Helena Bonham Carter, Hilary Swank, and Jeffrey Tambor, the film tells the true story of Eleanor Riese, who fought for the rights of mentally ill patients to weigh in on their treatment.

Continue reading First Look & Clip: ’55 Steps’ Starring Helena Bonham Carter & Hilary Swank at The Playlist.

At one time, if you were looking for lush, literate dramas, you had to look no further than the films of Ishmail Merchant and James Ivory. The filmmaking duo produced dozens of movies together, spanning decades, with Merchant-Ivory becoming synonymous with a particular style of moviemaking. And their finest hour may have been “Howards End” (and “A Room With A View” is right behind) and it has been given a fresh coat of paint and is headed to back to theaters, where a new generation can get acquainted with their aesthetic (or an older generation can revisit a familiar fave).

Continue reading Return To ‘Howards End’ With The Re-Release Trailer For The Newly Restored Oscar Winning Film at The Playlist.

Elizabeth Banks recently pulled out of directing “Pitch Perfect 3,” with the actress and filmmaker saying that the planned fall shoot for the movie would bump up against her parental responsibilities. But could it also be that a role in a star-studded heist flick with some of the biggest names on the planet was something she couldn’t pass up?

Banks, Helena Bonham Carter, and Mindy Kaling are joining Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett in the all-female “Ocean’s Eleven” reboot, according to Showbiz 411.

Continue reading Elizabeth Banks, Helena Bonham Carter & Mindy Kaling Join All Female ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Reboot at The Playlist.

The Hatter (Johnny Depp) is less mad than sad in “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” and that’s also true of the film itself, a pitiful sequel that decisively sullies any goodwill one might have felt for these Disney-fied versions of Lewis Carroll’s famed characters. Director James Bobin (“The Muppets”) wholeheartedly mimics the computerized style of Tim Burton’s predecessor, meaning this second modern go-round in Wonderland resembles a frenzied fantasia of rainbow-hued colors, baroque architecture, overly ornate sets, and a general visual detachment between live-action foreground and digitally constructed background imagery.

Continue reading Review: Pitiful, Unpleasant Sequel ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’ Starring Johnny Depp & Mia Wasikowska at The Playlist.

So far this year, Disney has been dominating the box office. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” played in cinemas for months, “Zootopia” became a massive animated hit, “The Jungle Book” exceeded expectations, and “Captain America: Civil War” is off to a fantastic start. And next up will be “Alice Through The Looking Glass.” And while everyone has said that no one is asking for a sequel to “Alice In Wonderland,” a similar sentiment was applied to the live action/CGI “The Jungle Book,” only for Disney to prove that there was a very big audience for it.

Continue reading Watch: Mia Wasikowska Races Against Time In New Trailer & 2 Clips For ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’ at The Playlist.

Kristen Stewart, James Franco, And Helena Bonham Carter to Star In Drama 'JT LeRoy'

Continue reading Kristen Stewart, James Franco, And Helena Bonham Carter to Star In Drama ‘JT LeRoy’ at The Playlist.

Review: Heavy-Handed 'Suffragette' Starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Meryl Streep, More

Continue reading Review: Heavy-Handed ‘Suffragette’ Starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Meryl Streep, More at The Playlist.

Watch: Carey Mulligan Squares Off With Brendan Gleeson In Clip From 'Suffragette' Plus New Photos

Continue reading Watch: Carey Mulligan Squares Off With Brendan Gleeson In Clip From ‘Suffragette’ Plus New Photos at The Playlist.

Telluride Review: 'Suffragette' Starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter & Meryl Streep

Continue reading Telluride Review: ‘Suffragette’ Starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter & Meryl Streep at The Playlist.

Review: Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Hollow Misfire 'The Young And Prodigious T.S. Spivet'

Continue reading Review: Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Hollow Misfire ‘The Young And Prodigious T.S. Spivet’ at The Playlist.