One of the most talked-about films this awards season is Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale.” While there is a lot of discussion about how the film portrays someone who is overweight, with many critics thinking the filmmaker dropped the ball on such an important part of the story, there also have been quite a few critics who think actor Brendan Fraser deserves an Oscar nomination for his performance.

Continue reading James Corden Almost Starred In ‘The Whale’ When Tom Ford Was Attached To Direct at The Playlist.

Most people know James Corden as the bombastic host of CBS‘ “The Late Late Show.” Or audiences may know him from his pitiful acting in the likes of “Ocean’s 8,” “Cinderella,” or 2019’s execrable laugh riot “Cats.” But in some deranged alternate universe, James Corden might have landed the role of Samwise Gamgee over Sean Astin in Peter Jackson‘s “The Lord Of The Rings” film trilogy.

Continue reading James Corden Reveals He Auditioned For Samwise Gamgee Role In Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ Films & It Was “Not Good” at The Playlist.

The human preoccupation with the complexities of marriage will probably never fade. In fact, our preoccupation with the complexities of romantic entanglements, in general, will probably always be at the forefront of the emotional questions we ask ourselves. But marriage, being a sort of binding contract, fascinates us on a different level. The idea of belonging to someone else completely, and more still, trusting them implicitly as you give yourself over to them, is a beautiful one, and it is something that keeps people entering the arrangement of marriage every single day—even though we know, it takes very little to bring a house of love cards down.

Continue reading ‘Mammals’ Review: Marriage Is Under a Microscope In James Corden’s New Lackluster Dramedy at The Playlist.

“In a world of eight billion, what happens after we’ve found ‘the one?’” That’s the tagline to Prime Video’s darkly comedic drama series “Mammals,” starring Tony, Emmy, and BAFTA winner James Corden and Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins. All six episodes of “Mammals” will premiere on November 11, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

Continue reading ‘Mammals’ Trailer: James Corden & Sally Hawkins Unpack The Complexities Of Marriage & Fidelity at The Playlist.

Marriage is a tough thing. Some people believe that once you tie the knot, you just get to coast and not really worry so much about your relationship. However, you could argue that marriage only complicates things more. The new Prime Video series, “Mammals,” attempts to showcase how marriage is filled with trials and tribulations.

As seen in the teaser trailer for “Mammals,” the series follows the story of a chef who finds himself at odds with his wife after some shocking secrets are brought to light.

Continue reading ‘Mammals’ Teaser: James Corden & Sally Hawkins Star In Prime Video Series About Complicated Marriages at The Playlist.

As surely as the glass slipper always fits Ella’s foot, it seems we’re destined to be treated to a new take on “Cinderella“ every few years, and the latest incarnation of the Disney classic is an Amazon-distributed jukebox musical starring pop star Camila Cabello. Though “Cinderella” makes a number of attempts to update the original fairy tale through quips, female “empowerment,” and a soundtrack full of familiar tunes, this latest reimagining runs out of magic far before the clock strikes midnight.

Continue reading ‘Cinderella’: New Girlboss Edition Runs Out Of Magic Before Midnight [Review] at The Playlist.

With two RIAA-certified platinum albums, it’s safe to say that Camila Cabello is one of this generation’s pop stars on the rise. Now, Cabello looks to extend her reach to the big screen, with her feature film debut in “Cinderella,” hitting Amazon Prime this September.

READ MORE: Camila Cabello’s ‘Cinderella’ Is Skipping Theaters & Going Straight To Amazon Prime Video

In this modern musical update to the traditional fairy tale, Cabelo stars as the eponymous young woman whose dreams of love and fortune miraculously come true.  Nicolas Galitzine (‘The Craft: Legacy‘) plays Prince Charming to Cabelo’s Cinderella, while singer and style icon Billy Porter plays Fab G, this version’s take on the girl’s fairy godmother.

Continue reading ‘Cinderella’ Trailer: Camila Cabello Makes Her Feature Film Debut In Amazon’s Updated Fairy Tale at The Playlist.

One of the odd experiences that have arisen from the pandemic delaying every major film for over a year is when a film gets a brand-new trailer more than a year and a half after the first trailer. Inevitably, this makes you wonder, “Didn’t that film already get released?” That’s the case with “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway,” a film that I swear was already in theaters but apparently isn’t actually getting released until June.

Continue reading ‘Peter Rabbit 2’ Trailer: James Corden Returns As The Troublesome Bunny This June at The Playlist.

Beneath the affected spectacle of “The Prom” is a relatively compelling premise: a handful of out of touch New Yorkers— nay, Broadway actors, condescend to a small town under the guise of spreading progressive politics. As the outline for questions about how celebrity functions in the 21st century, how politics becomes more a form of brand and persona maintenance than a praxis that’s embedded into the lives of the people who slap it on, and whether, indeed, east coast elites do know better, “The Prom” had an out with its satire.

Continue reading ‘The Prom’: ‘Glee’ Redux, TikTok-Level Cringe & A Musical Tweens-Only Vibe [Review] at The Playlist.

You’re on the cusp of taking the next big step in life. It’s been a long road to get here, but the finish line is in sight. So why not cut loose a little with friends and reminisce about all the best moments? Prom is that and so much more, especially if you have someone special at your side. Someone to pose for a picture and share a slow dance with. Some unexpected guests make sure “The Prom” has all those bases covered for one particular couple.

Continue reading ‘The Prom’ Trailer: Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman & More Are Broadway Stars Looking To Brighten A Special Night at The Playlist.

A joke belabored is a joke ruined. “Superintelligence,” Melissa McCarthy’s latest team-up with comedian, writer, director, and hubby Ben Falcone, ruins an overwhelming majority of its jokes. Why does McCarthy slapstick need explanation? In an early scene with Jessica St. Clair and Karan Soni, playing tech world hippie dips whose casual free-spirited babble disguises their stealth mean girl sniping, McCarthy hops on a chill sack and immediately slides off like butter melting off of stacked pancakes; the bean bag chair is just too tall.

Continue reading ‘Superintelligence’ Can’t Figure Out How To Craft A Joke, Even With Melissa McCarthy Leading The Way [Review] at The Playlist.

You’ve got to hand it to Ryan Murphy and his deal with Netflix. Some creators sign deals and nothing happens (the “Game Of Thrones” showrunners who turned up with nothing when they were supposed to start a “Star Wars” trilogy). The ultra prolific Murphy, however, he’s had a glut of shows (and movies) already, “Ratched,” “Hollywood,” “The Politician,” “Boys In The Band” and more coming.

Continue reading ‘The Prom’ Trailer: Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman & More Star In Ryan Murphy’s Netflix Musical at The Playlist.

Remember December of last year, when the biggest story that the film industry was concerned with was the botched release of Tom Hooper’s “Cats?” Those were simpler times. Well, even though the world is seemingly coming apart and spiraling into a pit of awful, Andrew Lloyd Webber, the writer of the Broadway show, “Cats,” is here to remind us that the 2019 film is truly terrible.

Continue reading Andrew Lloyd Webber Really Didn’t Like James Corden’s “Unfunny” Acting In ‘Cats’ at The Playlist.

Judging by the haughty press release sent out this afternoon from the Visual Effects Society (VES), someone seems pressed. Or perhaps they got their tail stepped on. Or maybe they didn’t get their back scratched. Whatever the case, the organization was not happy about the comedy bit presenters James Corden and Rebel Wilson performed while announcing the Visual Effects Academy Award at the 2020 Oscars.

In a statement, the VES remarked:

“The Visual Effects Society is focused on recognizing, advancing and honoring visual effects as an art form – and ensuring that the men and women working in VFX are properly valued.

Continue reading Visual Effects Society Scratches Back At Oscars For ‘Cats’ Bit at The Playlist.

The Oscars are officially just 10 days away and The Academy revealed more presenters for the 2020 telecast. The biggest names are arguably Keanu Reeves, Shia Labeouf, Penélope Cruz and Sigourney Weaver. To say there should be some concern about the lack of star power for this show beyond a few of the nominees is an understatement.

READ MORE: Oscars 2020: “Joker” leads all films with 11 nominations

Officially added to the roster are “Cats” feline James Corden, Oscar winner Penélope Cruz, “Booksmart” star Beanie Feldstein, “The Peanut Butter Falcon” star Zack Gottsagen, Oscar winner and four-time nominee Diane Keaton, “Honey Boy” star and screenwriter Shia LaBeouf, “1917’s” George MacKay, three-time Oscar host and honorary winner Steve Martin, 2019’s comeback king Keanu Reeves, Maya “she should be hosting” Rudolph and “why hasn’t she earned an honorary Oscar yet” Sigourney Weaver.

Continue reading Keanu Reeves, Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver New 2020 Oscar Presenters at The Playlist.

Honestly, all you need to do is look at the title of this film to know whether or not you’re excited. Basically, “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” isn’t going to be a film that attracts many new fans to the franchise. Did you like the first film? Are you someone that enjoys the hijinks of a talking rabbit and his crew? Well, this is the movie for you!

READ MORE: ‘Peter Rabbit’ Is A Wildly Weird Take On A Beloved Classic [Review]

As seen in the trailer for ‘Peter Rabbit 2,’ the film finds our titular hero with his feelings hurt after a particularly bad situation that makes him question his relationship with Thomas and Bea.

Continue reading ‘Peter Rabbit 2’ Trailer: The Talking Rabbit Returns In The New Children’s Film at The Playlist.

Months ago, film fans feared the worst as they sat in horror and watched the first trailer for Tom Hooper’s “Cats.” Could it be that bad? Surely, the all-star cast and legendary music numbers would lead this film to become a holiday box office hit, right? Well, we are now a week removed from the theatrical release of “Cats” and the nightmare became reality. “Cats” isn’t just bad.

Continue reading Universal Pulls ‘Cats’ From Its Awards Season Website As James Corden Jokes About The Film Being “Terrible” at The Playlist.

December 2019 will go down in history as the fateful month when theater was found bludgeoned to death, its shimmery innards spilling out in streams of gold. The killer, authorities discovered promptly, was one Tom Hooper, a lackey for Universal Studios. The victim’s bloodstains spelled one word — “Cats.” It was a thorough massacre, plotted over years of production and funded with $95 million.

READ MORE: The 100 Best Films Of The Decade [2010s]

The problem is not that “Cats” makes no sense (a plot has been strung together from the incomprehensible stage production) nor that the performances are mediocre (most of them are quite good).

Continue reading ‘Cats’: Tom Hooper’s Adaptation Of A Broadway Classic Is A CGI Nightmare [Review] at The Playlist.

Everyone’s been living in denial the past few months, trying to forget that collective nightmare that was the first “Cats” trailer. Though on occasion someone would write some news piece trying to convince us that it was an actual movie, we still considered the sight of James Corden as a fur-tuxedo-wearing cat person as a collective nightmare. That all changed when Universal Pictures decided to go ahead and release a second trailer for “Cats,” reminding you once and for all that this is a real motion picture that is coming to theaters later this year.

Continue reading New ‘Cats’ Trailer: Make The Jellicle Choice This Holiday Season at The Playlist.

Children’s movies have never pretended to be super complex character studies. So, when you come into a sequel to “Peter Rabbit” and it’s best described as Peter being mischievous and getting into various bits of trouble along the way, you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.

As the new teaser trailer for “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” shows, Peter is once again up to his old tricks.

Continue reading ‘Peter Rabbit 2’ Trailer: Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne & James Corden Return For More Hijinks at The Playlist.

Among Universal Pictures slate for 2019 is a film quite a number of people have been pawing at for more details. It’s Tom Hooper‘s adaptation of the Tony Award-winning, Broadway sensation “Cats.” The announcement of the film’s production generated conversation, quips, and a few memes throughout the internet. But with a cast ready to sink their claws into the material, Hooper and Universal may just have the right mix for this musical feline fiasco.

Continue reading ‘Cats’ Trailer: Tom Hooper’s Musical With Taylor Swift & Idris Elba, Finally Bears Its Songs & Claws at The Playlist.

One of the biggest acquisitions in the last year for Netflix isn’t a particular movie or TV series. No, it was Ryan Murphy. The superstar producer is responsible for some of the biggest series on TV, with FX airing his long-running “American Horror Story,” “American Crime Story,” “Pose,” and “Feud” series, just to name a few.

Continue reading Meryl Streep, Ariana Grande, Nicole Kidman & More Headline Ryan Murphy’s Upcoming Netflix Musical ‘The Prom’ at The Playlist.

It was only a matter of time. After the success of recent musicals like “La La Land” and last year’s “The Greatest Showman,” plans are being made to bring Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1981 legendary musical “Cats” to the big screen. And boy, are they putting together a pretty great cast of singers.

According to The Wrap, the cast for the upcoming cats is being led by Jennifer Hudson, who was nominated for an Oscar for her work in the film “Dream Girls,” Taylor Swift, who is one of the biggest stars on the planet, James Corden, who is no stranger to musicals himself, and Ian McKellan, who is freaking Ian McKellan.

Continue reading Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellan & More Join Tom Hooper’s ‘Cats’ Adaptation at The Playlist.

Here’s a quick quiz: Rank Adam Sandler, Hugh Grant, and Jake Gyllenhaal, from most to least talented.

If you’re a sane person, you’d probably rank Jake Gyllenhaal as the most talented, right? If you put him at #2, you better have a damn good reason. And if you actually had the nerve to rank him as the least talented, then someone needs to test your mental capacity.

Continue reading Drew Barrymore Says Jake Gyllenhaal Is Her Least Talented Co-Star, Adam Sandler Her Most Talented at The Playlist.

It’s hard to make sense of “Peter Rabbit.” Based on Beatrix Potter‘s beloved, century-old British literary mainstay, this CG/live-action hybrid adaptation enlists Will Gluck, the American director/co-writer behind an inconsistent batch of studio comedies, including “Easy A,” “Friends With Benefits,” “Fired Up” and 2014’s “Annie” remake, to bring this early 20th century garden rabbit to the new millennium.

Continue reading ‘Peter Rabbit’ Is A Wildly Weird Take On A Beloved Classic [Review] at The Playlist.