Ari Aster has made a career out of the horror and twisted comedy of anxiety. Regardless of where each individual audience member is in their life or the experiences they’ve had, this is what makes films such as “Hereditary” and “Midsommar” universally loved and relatable. Making films that are more about the subject watching instead of an overarching set of themes or narratives is something that Aster has mastered and brings to his most recent film “Beau Is Afraid.”

READ MORE: ‘Beau Is Afraid’ Review: Joaquin Phoenix Guides Ari Aster’s Hilarious, Horrific, Despairing Nightmare, Hellish Mom Comedy

An epic nightmare comedy, almost three hours in length, “Beau Is Afraid” tells the story of an anxiety-ridden man named Beau as he confronts his darkest fears after the sudden death of his mother.

Continue reading ‘Beau Is Afraid’: Ari Aster & Joaquin Phoenix Love Their Moms, Talk 3-Hour Length Consideration, Westerns & More [Interview] at The Playlist.

“Swallow,” currently in limited release from IFC Films, marks a confident narrative feature debut by filmmaker Carlo Mirabella-Davis. Thirty-nine and a lover of the medium since he begged his parents to let him rent a horror movie for his sixth birthday, he is particularly drawn to “dangerous and strange” films. (His parents chose “The Blob;” it gave him nightmares.) That love for the subversive shines through in “Swallow,” a deliberate and dark thriller that follows Hunter (Haley Bennett) from pristine homemaker to woman on the verge as she develops pica and starts compulsively swallowing household objects.

Continue reading ‘Swallow’ Director Carlo Mirabella-Davis Talks Body Horror And Telling A Story Of Female Trauma As A Male Director [Interview] at The Playlist.

May I welcome you to the newest episode of Indie Beat? Come on in! On this episode, we had on the director, writer, and producer Jessica Kingdon. Kingdon first dabbled in writing before ultimately finding a stronger pull in the art of filmmaking. She made several films throughout the years but the one to really hit was “Commodity City,” an observational documentary about the Yiwu Markets in China.

Continue reading Filmmaker Jessica Kingdon On Observational Aesthetics And Failure [Indie Beat Podcast] at The Playlist.

Jennifer Salke left us wondering what Amazon had up their sleeve after she went on a major buying spree at the Sundance Film Festival. Now, the Amazon Studios Chief sits down with The Hollywood Reporter and opens up about what she has in store for the Studio. Namely, taking on the streaming giant Netflix.

READ MORE: New ‘Hanna’ Trailer: A Teenage Assassin Goes Wild For Amazon Prime

Between acquiring new movies and making their own, Salke looks to step up the number of films released every year on Amazon Prime.

Continue reading Amazon Planning To Give Netflix A Run For Their Money In Streaming at The Playlist.

“Gemini” by venerable indie director Aaron Katz (“Land Ho!,” “Cold Weather”), is a mélange of noir references, striking L.A. visuals, and ambiguous characters. The film follows personal assistant Jill (Lola Kirke) after she is unwittingly caught up in the murder of her best friend/famous actress boss, Heather (Zoë Kravitz). An inscrutable detective (John Cho) throws Jill’s world into disarray, and she embarks on an unprecedented adventure to figure out what happened.

Continue reading Aaron Katz and John Cho Discuss How “Gemini” Bends Noir and Addresses The #MeToo Movement at The Playlist.

Podcast: The Playlist Talks With Jeremy Saulnier & Anton Yelchin About The Punk Rock Thriller 'Green Room'

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Jeff Nichols Talks Making 'Midnight Special,' Casting, And Why Adam Driver Is The Most Important Actor Of Our Generation

Continue reading Jeff Nichols Talks Making ‘Midnight Special,’ Casting, And Why Adam Driver Is The Most Important Actor Of Our Generation at The Playlist.

Interview: Kirsten Dunst Talks 'Midnight Special,' Making Her Directing Debut, Reteaming With Sofia Coppola, And More

Continue reading Interview: Kirsten Dunst Talks ‘Midnight Special,’ Making Her Directing Debut, Reteaming With Sofia Coppola, And More at The Playlist.

Interview: Michael Shannon Talks 'Midnight Special,' 'Nocturnal Animals,' Herzog's 'Salt And Fire' & Working With Jeff Nichols

Continue reading Interview: Michael Shannon Talks ‘Midnight Special,’ ‘Nocturnal Animals,’ Herzog’s ‘Salt And Fire’ & Working With Jeff Nichols at The Playlist.

Interview: Jeff Nichols Talks Making 'Midnight Special,' Working With Warner Bros., The Trouble With Final Cut, And More

Continue reading Interview: Jeff Nichols Talks Making ‘Midnight Special,’ Working With Warner Bros., The Trouble With Final Cut, And More at The Playlist.

Interview: '10 Cloverfield Lane' Director Dan Trachtenberg On That Title, Hitchcock's ’Notorious,’ And Video Game Influences

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Interview: Joel Edgerton Talks Jeff Nichols, 'Midnight Special,' 'Loving,' And Reteaming With David Michod

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Interview: Max Landis Talks Directorial Debut ‘Me Him Her,’ Upcoming TV Series ‘Dirk Gently’ & Nuanced Internet Opinions

Continue reading Interview: Max Landis Talks Directorial Debut ‘Me Him Her,’ Upcoming TV Series ‘Dirk Gently’ & Nuanced Internet Opinions at The Playlist.

'Deadpool': Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick Talk Sequel, Cable's Inclusion, Working On ‘X-Force,’ ‘Zombieland 2’ & More

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The Movies That Changed My Life: ‘The Witch’ Director Robert Eggers

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Writers Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick Talk ‘Deadpool,’ Its Surprise Success & Caution Against Following The R-Rated Trend

Continue reading Writers Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick Talk ‘Deadpool,’ Its Surprise Success & Caution Against Following The R-Rated Trend at The Playlist.

Interview: Anthony Mackie Talks Guns, Creating A Bank Heist In 'Triple 9,' And The Honor Of Playing Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Interview: John Hillcoat On The Challenges Of Building An Ensemble Cast And New Sonic Palette For Neo-Noir ‘Triple 9’

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Interview: Alex Garland Talks The Journey Of Oscar Contender 'Ex Machina,' 'Annihilation,' And More

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Interview: Stuart A. Staples Of Tindersticks Talks Short Films Of ‘The Waiting Room’ & A Career Of Exploration With Claire Denis

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Interview: Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki Talks ‘The Revenant’, Working With Terrence Malick, Muting The Ego & Much More

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Interview: Roger Deakins Talks 'Sicario,' Partnership With Denis Villeneuve, 'Blade Runner 2,' Digital Vs. Film & More

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Interview: Pablo Larrain Talks 'The Club,' Catholicism, And Keeping His Actors In The Dark

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Continue reading Interview: Cinematographer Ed Lachman Talks Romantic World Of ‘Carol,’ Werner Herzog, ‘I’m Not There’ & More at The Playlist.

Interview: '45 Years' Director Andrew Haigh Talks Fear And Doubts in Older Characters, New Film ‘Lean On Pete’ & More

Continue reading Interview: ’45 Years’ Director Andrew Haigh Talks Fear And Doubts in Older Characters, New Film ‘Lean On Pete’ & More at The Playlist.