Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on-demand, vintage, and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalog titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This biweekly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you’re watching. 

Since we last met, a flurry of prestige new releases have hit the streaming services – awards season in full swing, it seems, even this peculiar, couch-bound version of it.

Continue reading The 11 Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘The Trial Of The Chicago 7,’ ‘American Utopia’ & More at The Playlist.

Nothing busts canons quite like living in interesting times. In our ongoing Inflection Point series, we look back at the films that have taken on new relevance due to our ongoing cultural and political upheaval. Some beloved, some undiscovered, these titles deserve newfound consideration as film criticism evolves to meet the moment

Even when placed alongside the other films that have taken on new relevance and poignancy in These Troubled Times, the prescience of James McTeigue’s “V for Vendetta” is sort of astonishing.

Continue reading ‘V for Vendetta’ Isn’t Science Fiction Anymore at The Playlist.

Nothing busts canons quite like living in interesting times. In our ongoing Inflection Point series, we look back at the films that have taken on new relevance due to our ongoing cultural and political upheaval. Some beloved, some undiscovered, these titles deserve newfound consideration as film criticism evolves to meet the moment.

Long before ‘Parasite‘ was the surprise hit of the 2020 Academy Awards, director Bong Joon Ho was known as the creator behind another piece of political allegory.

Continue reading Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Snowpiercer’ Finds Fault In False Messiahs at The Playlist.

There is a broad, prestige Oscar-bait biopic that “Jackie, Starring Natalie Portman As Tragically Bereaved First Lady Jackie Kennedy!” implies. It has a central performance that will be declared “towering,” and a lot of pathos-laden scenes in which a woman in a bloodstained pink Chanel suit looks small and helpless, swamped in a sea of dark-clad Secret Service men; in which a beautiful First Lady looks prophetically sad in an evening gown at a state function.

Continue reading Pablo Larrain Paints A Devastatingly Human Portrait In ‘Jackie’ Starring Natalie Portman [Review] at The Playlist.

As it usually goes during the awards season, each week sees a shift in the favorites to win, while others lose momentum, but so far, Pablo Larrain‘s “Jackie” is holding strong. Powered by a strong lead performance by Natalie Portman that is already earning Best Actress buzz, Fox Searchlight has unveiled another new trailer for the film that takes a powerful look at one of the most famous women to ever hold the title of First Lady.

Continue reading Connect With Natalie Portman’s ‘Jackie’ In New Trailer For Pablo Larrain’s Oscar Contender at The Playlist.

Every once in a while, there are one or two movies that emerge at the fall festivals with no set release date, only to wow crowds and critics, and are then rushed into the Oscar season. This year, that crown belongs to “Jackie.” Pablo Larraín‘s movie was a bit of an unknown quantity heading into Venice and TIFF, but after a strong reception at both festivals, Fox Searchlight is hoping they have new player for the months ahead (particularly now that “The Birth Of A Nation” feels like a big question mark).

Continue reading Natalie Portman Shines In First Trailer For Pablo Larraín’s ‘Jackie’ at The Playlist.

There is a broad, prestige Oscar-bait biopic that “Jackie, Starring Natalie Portman As Tragically Bereaved First Lady Jackie Kennedy!” implies. It has a central performance that will be declared “towering,” and a lot of pathos-laden scenes in which a woman in a bloodstained pink Chanel suit looks small and helpless, swamped in a sea of dark-clad Secret Service men; in which a beautiful First Lady looks prophetically sad in an evening gown at a state function.

Continue reading Natalie Portman Is Better Than Ever In Pablo Larrain’s Kennedy Biopic ‘Jackie’ [Venice Review] at The Playlist.

Focus Features may have three awards season players with “Nocturnal Animals,” “Loving” and “A Monster Calls” this year, but the studio is already planning for 2017 and beyond. The longtime prestige player announced today it would be distributing Working Title’s “Darkest Hour” on Nov. 24, 2017. That means Joe Wright and Gary Oldman are back in the Oscar game.

Continue reading Gary Oldman Is Winston Churchill As Joe Wright’s ‘Darkest Hour’ Gets A 2017 Release Date at The Playlist.

September Start Date Confirmed For Terry Gilliam's 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,' John Hurt Out?

Continue reading September Start Date Confirmed For Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,’ John Hurt Out? at The Playlist.

Watch: New U.S. Trailer For Euro Heist Series 'The Last Panthers' Starring Samantha Morton, John Hurt, And Tahar Rahim

Continue reading Watch: New U.S. Trailer For Euro Heist Series ‘The Last Panthers’ Starring Samantha Morton, John Hurt, And Tahar Rahim at The Playlist.

Watch: Samantha Morton, John Hurt, And Tahar Rahim Want The Diamonds In New Trailer For 'The Last Panthers'

Continue reading Watch: Samantha Morton, John Hurt, And Tahar Rahim Want The Diamonds In New Trailer For ‘The Last Panthers’ at The Playlist.

Terry Gilliam's 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' Delayed Again Due To John Hurt's Cancer Diagnosis

Continue reading Terry Gilliam’s ‘The Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ Delayed Again Due To John Hurt’s Cancer Diagnosis at The Playlist.

Watch: New Trailer For Heist Series 'The Last Panthers' With Samantha Morton, John Hurt, And Tahar Rahim

Continue reading Watch: New Trailer For Heist Series ‘The Last Panthers’ With Samantha Morton, John Hurt, And Tahar Rahim at The Playlist.

Casting: Emma Watson & Daniel Brühl Join 'Colonia,' Aiden Gillen Is 'Maze Runner: Scorch Trials' Villain And More

Continue reading Casting: Emma Watson & Daniel Brühl Join ‘Colonia,’ Aiden Gillen Is ‘Maze Runner: Scorch Trials’ Villain And More at The Playlist.

Terry Gilliam Says 'Don Quixote' Has Hit Another "Hiccup," But John Hurt Confirms Role In Film

Continue reading Terry Gilliam Says ‘Don Quixote’ Has Hit Another “Hiccup,” But John Hurt Confirms Role In Film at The Playlist.

Review: 'Hercules' Starring Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane And John Hurt

Continue reading Review: ‘Hercules’ Starring Dwayne Johnson, Ian McShane And John Hurt at The Playlist.

Guillermo Del Toro To Direct "Strange" Black & White Film Before 'Pacific Rim 2'

Continue reading Guillermo Del Toro To Direct “Strange” Black & White Film Before ‘Pacific Rim 2’ at The Playlist.

Review: Bong Joon-Ho's 'Snowpiercer' Starring Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, John Hurt & More

Continue reading Review: Bong Joon-Ho’s ‘Snowpiercer’ Starring Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, John Hurt & More at The Playlist.

Robert Duvall Out, John Hurt Possibly In For Terry Gilliam's 'Man Who Killed Don Quixote'

Continue reading Robert Duvall Out, John Hurt Possibly In For Terry Gilliam’s ‘Man Who Killed Don Quixote’ at The Playlist.

Watch: New Red-Band Trailer For Bong Joon-ho’s 'Snowpiercer'; Plus New Pics

Continue reading Watch: New Red-Band Trailer For Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Snowpiercer’; Plus New Pics at The Playlist.

Review: Jim Jarmusch's Cultured & Cool 'Only Lovers Left Alive' Starring Tom Hiddleston & Tilda Swinton

Continue reading Review: Jim Jarmusch’s Cultured & Cool ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ Starring Tom Hiddleston & Tilda Swinton at The Playlist.

Watch: New Trailer For Jim Jarmusch's 'Only Lovers Left Alive' Is Out For Blood

Continue reading Watch: New Trailer For Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ Is Out For Blood at The Playlist.

Watch: 3 New Clips From Jim Jarmusch's Vampire Drama 'Only Lovers Left Alive'

Continue reading Watch: 3 New Clips From Jim Jarmusch’s Vampire Drama ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ at The Playlist.

Watch: John Hurt "Not In Agreement" With 'Snowpiercer' Cuts, Says Harvey Weinstein Doesn't Trust His Directors

Continue reading Watch: John Hurt “Not In Agreement” With ‘Snowpiercer’ Cuts, Says Harvey Weinstein Doesn’t Trust His Directors at The Playlist.

Watch: 4 New Clips From Bong Joon-Ho's Berlin Bound 'Snowpiercer'

Continue reading Watch: 4 New Clips From Bong Joon-Ho’s Berlin Bound ‘Snowpiercer’ at The Playlist.