From “Beetlejuice” to “Stranger Things,” Winona Ryder has grounded herself as an actress in the weird and wonderful. From her very first role in the 1985 film “Lucas,” Ryder has made her name for herself, starring in franchises like “Star Trek” and “Friends.” The “Stranger Things” star is more famously known for her work with director Tim Burton, but her latest project is neither gothic and strange nor part of the upside-down.

Continue reading ‘Gone In The Night’ Trailer: Winona Ryder & John Gallagher Jr. Can’t Stop Losing People at The Playlist.

There are certain actors who seem to have grown up before the public’s eye. Whose very existence serve to remind us of our own mortality. It’s fitting then that a movie about the relentlessness of time and the horror of aging would star Winona Ryder, who we’ve seen from her breakout teen years age through every phase Hollywood allows women. Co-written and directed by Eli Horowitz (“Homecoming”), the romantic horror, “The Cow,” stars Ryder as Kath, an older woman thrown for a loop when her younger boyfriend suddenly leaves her seemingly for a younger woman. 

Ryder is fantastic, in her first film role since 2018’s “Destination Wedding,” bringing her trademark wry humor, expressive eyes, and fiery energy to Kath.

Continue reading ‘The Cow’ Review: Winona Ryder Shines In Eli Horowitz’s Romance Horror [SXSW] at The Playlist.

“Cellphone horror” updates itself as technology improves and its place in culture changes. In 2019, “Countdown” warned of the perils of downloading every newfangled popular app for funsies, especially apps that kill. This year, Jacob Chase’s “Come Play,” adapted from his 2018 short “Larry,” moves from phones to smart devices and cries “stranger danger,”  reminding audiences that none of us know who’s watching us through our screens, or what; a pervert named Larry, perhaps, or an extra-dimensional child-snatching monster?

Continue reading ‘Come Play’: Gillian Jacobs Stars In A ‘Babadook’ Cousin With ‘Conjuring’ Aesthetics [Review] at The Playlist.

One thing that’s instantly striking about HBO Max’s rom-com anthology series “Love Life” is the exacting period detail for each year of the 2010s it depicts. When the show declares an episode is set in 2012, the iPhones and text messages actually look like they did in that exact year. This even extends to a 2006-set flashback episode where a pink Motorola Razr, chunk HP inkjet printer, and needle-drop to D4L’s “Laffy Taffy” conjure a period in time with stunning specificity.

Continue reading ‘Love Life’: Anna Kendrick’s Charm Can’t Sustain A Full Season In HBO Max’s Flagship Series [Review] at The Playlist.

PARK CITY – Gay coming of age stories are seemingly back in vogue. Last year, Sundance unveiled “Call Me By Your Name” and “Beach Rats.” In March 20th Century Fox will release “Love, Simon” and there are at least two other gay-themed high school films this critic knows of that didn’t make the Sundance cut this time around. One film, however, was selected to screen at this year’s festival and it was Desiree Akhavan’s “The Miseducation Of Cameron Post,” which had its world premiere on Monday.

Continue reading Chloë Grace Moretz In ‘The Miseducation Of Cameron Post’ [Sundance Review] at The Playlist.

Everyone’s probably had that moment when they wished harm upon their co-workers (probably when some bonehead decides to schedule a meeting at 4:30 on a Friday), but it’s always a passing sensation. However, in “The Belko Experiment,” a regular business day turns bloody when the employees of an American company in South America are ordered to kill their colleagues or face execution themselves.

READ MORE: James Gunn-Penned ‘The Belko Experiment’ Needs To Go Back To The Lab [TIFF Review]

Screenwriter James Gunn (“Super,” “Guardians Of The Galaxy“) and director Greg McLean (“Wolf Creek“) conjure up this “Battle Royale“-esque tale, which brings together John Gallagher Jr.

Continue reading Business Is Bloody In New Trailer For Greg McLean & James Gunn’s ‘The Belko Experiment’ at The Playlist.

What would happen if you were forced to murder your coworkers in order to stay alive? That’s the basic thrust of “The Belko Experiment,” which combines the talents of screenwriter James Gunn (“Super,” “Guardians Of The Galaxy“) and director Greg Mclean (“Wolf Creek“).

Featuring a large ensemble (and of course, not all of them will survive the running time) including John Gallagher Jr, Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona, John C.

Continue reading It’s Time To Kill In First Red Band Trailer For Greg McLean & James Gunn’s ‘The Belko Experiment’ at The Playlist.

Two years ago, Desiree Akhavan immediately became a director to watch with her indie charmer “Appropriate Behavior,” a film we called “a supremely satisfying and irreverent take on the New York rom-com.” Since then, the filmmaker has mostly been under the radar, most notably doing a small stint on “Girls,” but now she’s back behind the camera for a potentially powerful drama.

READ MORE: Review: Desiree Akhavan’s Satisfying And Irreverent Rom-Com ‘Appropriate Behavior’

A formidable cast including Chloë Grace Moretz, “American Honey” breakout star Sasha Lane, John Gallagher Jr., Forrest Goodluck, and Jennifer Ehle will star in “The Miseducation Of Cameron Post.” Based on the novel by Emily Danforth, the film is set in 1993 and follows a girl forced into gay conversion therapy center after getting caught with the prom queen.

Continue reading Chloë Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane & More To Star In Desiree Akhavan’s ‘The Miseducation Of Cameron Post’ at The Playlist.

Putting characters into a single space, applying a few narrative rules, and then seeing what happens is nothing new, and at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, we’ve already seen Ben Wheatley have some gleefully relentess fun with his entirely warehouse-set “Free Fire” (our review). And just a couple of days later comes “The Belko Experiment,” directed by Greg McLean (“Wolf Creek”) and penned by James Gunn (“The Guardians Of The Galaxy”), neither of whom are slouches when it comes to genre fare.

Continue reading James Gunn-Penned ‘The Belko Experiment’ Needs To Go Back To The Lab [TIFF Review] at The Playlist.

Review: ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ Starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, And John Gallagher Jr.

Continue reading Review: ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ Starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, And John Gallagher Jr. at The Playlist.

Recap: 'The Newsroom,' Season 3, Episode 1, 'Boston'

Continue reading Recap: ‘The Newsroom,’ Season 3, Episode 1, ‘Boston’ at The Playlist.

Review: Absorbing, Deeply Intelligent 'Olive Kitteridge' Starring Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, Bill Murray & More

Continue reading Review: Absorbing, Deeply Intelligent ‘Olive Kitteridge’ Starring Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, Bill Murray & More at The Playlist.

Review: Absorbing, Thoughtful 'The Heart Machine' Starring John Gallagher Jr. And Kath Lyn Sheil

Continue reading Review: Absorbing, Thoughtful ‘The Heart Machine’ Starring John Gallagher Jr. And Kath Lyn Sheil at The Playlist.

Interview: Kate Lyn Sheil & John Gallagher Jr. Navigate Tech-Dating & Obsession In 'The Heart Machine'

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Watch: 'The Newsroom' Takes On The Boston Bombing In Trailer For Season 3

Continue reading Watch: ‘The Newsroom’ Takes On The Boston Bombing In Trailer For Season 3 at The Playlist.

Casting: Bryan Cranston Climbs 'The Great Wall,' Aaron Paul Meets 'Louis Drax' And More

Continue reading Casting: Bryan Cranston Climbs ‘The Great Wall,’ Aaron Paul Meets ‘Louis Drax’ And More at The Playlist.

Venice Review: HBO Miniseries ‘Olive Kitteridge’ Starring Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins And Bill Murray

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SXSW Review: ‘The Heart Machine’ Starring Kate Lyn Sheil & John Gallagher Jr.

Continue reading SXSW Review: ‘The Heart Machine’ Starring Kate Lyn Sheil & John Gallagher Jr. at The Playlist.

Recap: Aaron Sorkin Finally Gets It Right With The Season 2 Finale Of 'The Newsroom'

Continue reading Recap: Aaron Sorkin Finally Gets It Right With The Season 2 Finale Of ‘The Newsroom’ at The Playlist.

Continue reading ‘Game Of Thrones’ Star Natalie Dormer Flies To ‘Mockingjay,’ Craig Roberts Experiences ‘The End Of The World’ & More at The Playlist.

Review: 'Short Term 12' Starring Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr. & Rami Malek

Continue reading Review: ‘Short Term 12’ Starring Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr. & Rami Malek at The Playlist.

Continue reading Watch: Brie Larson & John Gallagher Jr. Talk ‘Short Term 12,’ Working With Kids, Upcoming Projects & More at The Playlist.

Continue reading John Gallagher Jr., Jesse Plemons & Zoe Kazan Join Lisa Cholodenko’s HBO Miniseries ‘Olive Kitteridge’ at The Playlist.

Recap: 'The Newsroom' Season 2 Episode 1, 'The First Thing We Do, Let's Kill All The Lawyers'

Continue reading Recap: ‘The Newsroom’ Season 2 Episode 1, ‘The First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All The Lawyers’ at The Playlist.

Continue reading Video: Brie Larson Talks ‘Short Term 12,’ Her Upcoming Bollywood Musical, Being SXSW’s “It Girl” & More at The Playlist.