For a while, it seemed like the primary legacy of Trey Edward Shults’ “It Comes at Night” would be its CinemaScore rating – one of the notorious handful of D’s handed out by the survey organization, which polls opening weekend audiences for their reactions to new releases. (Back when we went to the theaters to see movies? You remember.) A low Cinemascore grade is usually less about the quality of the motion picture than how accurately the films were marketed; ads for “It Comes at Night” promised a jump-scare fright-fest, and instead, audiences got a grim chamber piece about certain death.

Continue reading ‘It Comes At Night’s’ Bleak Realism Terrifies More Than Ever During A Global Pandemic at The Playlist.

As far as our sociopolitical environment is concerned, 2017 has been a dumpster fire inside a locked building full of orphans. But as we have witnessed with the tumultuous period of the 1970s, such times usually result in daring, transgressive, and sometimes even revolutionary artistic work. Therefore, it makes sense for this year to provide some of the most original and exhilarating films to be released from all demographics of genre, budget, studio, etc… Overall, 2017 feels like a major turning point in how filmmakers and studios approach their craft, and how audiences consume it.

Continue reading Oktay Ege Kozak’s Top 10 Films Of 2017 at The Playlist.

Welcome to another edition of Over/Under Movies, the podcast in which we choose one overrated film and one underrated film — similar in tone, genre, style, or however we may see fit — and we discuss them.

READ MORE: The Worst Films Of 2017

On our second part of our year-end wrap-up, we dive into the films that we believe were under-seen, under-appreciated, or were just plain slept on or dismissed by critics and audiences.

Continue reading Exploring The Little-Seen, Underrated Films of 2017 [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Even before filmmakers were even able to record and sync sound, movies and music have been tied together. Back then, music was played on a piano or an organ. Now, some of the world’s greatest composers write scores that can stand as works of art separate to the films they accompany, while often doing so much to make those works memorable. Or filmmakers curate killer compilations of songs familiar and new that can lead to some of movies’ most memorable moments (and an overlooked song being revived).

Continue reading The Best Scores & Soundtracks Of 2017 at The Playlist.

The horror films resurgence of the last few years has been a remarkable thing to watch: some of the most exciting new filmmakers to emerge have been working in the genre, and plenty of masters have been doing some of the best work of their careers. And, unsurprisingly, given that waking up every morning in 2017 has been like stepping into a John Carpenter nightmare, the last 12 months has seen the horror boom bigger than ever.

Continue reading The Best Horror Films Of 2017 at The Playlist.

So we’re off and running, galumphing through our end-of-year coverage like a giant hippo-pig destroying an underground mall. But with all of you doubtless still working your way through our immense 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2018 (which is basically our massive trailer for the year to come) we thought we’d take it pretty easy on you today, and take a look at the teasers, advance clips and promos that have whetted our appetites this past 12 months.

Continue reading The Best Movie Trailers Of 2017 at The Playlist.

December is here, and that only means one thing at Playlist HQ: just a month to go until the release of that horse soldier movie. But if it meant two things, it would be that it begins our annual binge-look at the year in film and TV gone by. Over the coming weeks between now and New Year’s Eve, we’ll be examining 2017 in cinematic entertainment from every angle, from our least favorite movies to the best in the small-screen, and even looking forward to what’s to come.

Continue reading The Best Movie Posters Of 2017 at The Playlist.

We’re right on top of things calendar-wise, right?…

A little late to the party, but, it’s become a recurrent trend every summer for journalists to look back at the movies that were released and, well, complain. The gist of some articles would be “don’t you remember the days when they used to release great movies in the summer”? 1982 and/or 1984 are usually mentioned and, in all honesty, those were pretty great years.

Continue reading The Best Movies Of Summer 2017 at The Playlist.

If last week “Wonder Woman” showed how box office receipts could be boosted by strong reviews, this week “The Mummy” highlighted what happens when critics carve up a movie.

Universal‘s Dark Universe franchise is off to a seriously rocky start as the Tom Cruise -starring vehicle got out of the gate with $32.2 million. According to trade reports, the studio needed the film to open to at least $40 million domestic to be considered a success, in addition to doing gangbusters overseas.

Continue reading ‘The Mummy’ Is Cursed As ‘Wonder Woman’ Wins Weekend [Box Office] at The Playlist.

Some of you may have missed out on 2016’s hidden masterpiece, Trey Edward Schults’ “Krisha.” However, there is a vocal fanbase behind the film and many are starting to see Shults as one of the most talented young indie filmmakers to come around in ages. “Krisha” was a movie that defied standard film experiences, feels way ahead of its time, and could prove to be, in the forseeable future, a pivotal moment in film history.

Continue reading Trey Edward Shults Talks ‘It Comes at Night,’ Working On ‘Tree Of Life’ With Terrence Malick & More [Interview] at The Playlist.

We’re firmly into June now, and fast bearing down on the midpoint of 2017, a year that’s shaping up to be the longest goddamn year in history (fun fact: at the start of 2017, Barack Obama was President of the United States!). Fortunately, in between the insanity of the news, it’s been a pretty strong film year on the whole.

Sure, not all of the blockbusters have been great (*side eye to “The Mummy”*), but some have been terrific, and we’ve also seen several great and unexpected movies get their due at the box office.

Continue reading The 25 Best Films Of 2017 So Far at The Playlist.

“It Comes At Night” is a stealthy, ravenous beast, but the menacing picture doesn’t pounce until it means to feast. Its teeth are sharp and its bite will scar, but the light is scarce and you’ll only see its bloodshot eyes the very moment you’re devoured by its all-consuming, wholly frightening lunge. Writer/director Trey Edward Shults‘ (“Krisha“) sophomore feature is a triumph in measured suspense and chilling attention to detail.

Continue reading ‘It Comes At Night’ Will Truly Haunt Your Soul [Review] at The Playlist.

On this episode of Adjust Your Tracking, Joe and I open the show with “Wonder Woman” and the film’s enormous success over the weekend. (Only I’ve seen it, though, and agree with Rodrigo Perez’ review.) From there, it’s onto our larger topic, writer/director Trey Edward Shults‘ sophomore film (after AYT favorite “Krisha” from last year) “It Comes At Night,” which despite its misleading marketing (it’s not a monster movie, more a European-flavored horror/survivalist art picture) is a strong effort nonetheless.

Continue reading Adjust Your Tracking Talks ‘Wonder Woman,’ ‘It Comes At Night’ & ‘War Machine’ [Podcast] at The Playlist.

Just yesterday, our team at the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival put the finishing touches on their coverage. As per usual, it looked like an amazing time to be at the world’s biggest annual celebration of cinema as an art form. (Of course, don’t forget, the business is always lurking nearby.) We eagerly await those titles to make their way to cinemas so the rest of us boring old regular moviegoers can get in on the fun.

Continue reading 11 Movies To See In June at The Playlist.

This month, if you’re looking for a movie to genuinely send a chill up your spine, you might want to seek out “It Comes At Night,” instead of lining up for the schlockbuster “The Mummy.” The latest from Trey Edward Shults, the breakout filmmaker behind “Krisha,” has been earning crazy advance buzz, and before it arrives next week, one more trailer has arrived to convince you to track it down.

Continue reading New Trailer For ‘It Comes At Night’ Shows You What Fear Looks Like at The Playlist.

One film we were a little surprised not to see in the Cannes line-up this year was Trey Edward Shults’ “It Comes At Night.” The festival often has indie-minded U.S. genre fare like this at least in a sidebar — “It Follows” and “Green Room” both premiered in recent years — and Shults’ startling debut film “Krisha” played at the festival a couple of years back too.

Continue reading Full Trailer For A24’s Terrifying-Looking Horror ‘It Comes At Night’ With Joel Edgerton [Watch] at The Playlist.

We’re less than a month away from the summer movie season, although you would likely think otherwise if you’ve been to a theater near you lately. With hot titles like “Logan,” “Ghost In The Shell,” “Beauty And The Beast,” “Power Rangers,” “Life,” “Kong: Skull Island,” “The Lego Batman Movie” and, err, “CHIPS” all playing in cinemas near you, it can be hard to differentiate between the sizzling summer selections and the ones that now play at seemingly any point in time of the year, no matter the season.

Continue reading 2017 Summer Movie Preview: Blockbusters And Beyond at The Playlist.

The horror genre appears to be healthier than ever, and 2017 has plenty of scary movies to look forward to. And it’s the independent/arthouse fright flicks that are increasingly providing some of the best big screen terror out there, which is why “It Comes At Night” is one we can’t wait to see.

“Krisha” director Trey Edward Shults is behind the camera for this one, which stars a pretty great cast in Joel Edgerton, Riley Keough, Christopher Abbott, and Carmen Ejogo, about a man protecting his family from an evil outside his door.

Continue reading Terror Comes Home In First Trailer For ‘It Comes At Night’ Starring Joel Edgerton & Riley Keough at The Playlist.

There are few genres as enduringly popular — and profitable — as the horror flick. Superheroes and disaster movies and spy actioners and movies based on a holiday featuring Julia Roberts as part of an ensemble cast come and go, but since the silent era, people have consistently liked to go to the movies to have the shit scared out of them.

READ MORE: What Will Be The Biggest Box-Office Blockbuster Of 2017?

Continue reading The 20 Most Exciting Horror Films Coming In 2017 at The Playlist.

There’s now less than a month until Christmas, and after a start last week with our look at the Best Posters and Best Trailers of the year, this week commences in earnest our annual smorgasbord of movie love that is our annual Playlist year-end features marathon. We’ll be looking at the best and worst of films, performances, sequences, cinematography, soundtracks and more across the next few weeks, which will serve as a reminder that 2016 was a pretty strong year at the movies.

Continue reading The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2017 at The Playlist.

One of the nice success stories of 2015 revolved around Trey Edward Shults and his directorial debut, “Krisha.” His intimate, intense family drama was a big hit at SXSW (winning the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize) and kicked off a great run for the movie which saw it hit Cannes, festivals around the world, and finally open in cinemas this past spring. And now Shults is making his next move, and it’ll find him moving into some new territory.

Continue reading Joel Edgerton To Star In Thriller ‘It Comes At Night’ From ‘Krisha’ Director Trey Edward Shults at The Playlist.