Since his nearly half-decade-old, internationally co-produced “Nowhere Special,” Uberto Pasolini has returned to the director’s chair with “The Return.” Retelling the Greek epic Homer’s “The Odyssey,” the story tells of Odysseus, who, upon returning, realizes things are not the same as when he left twenty years ago for the Trojan War. Now, both his wife and son are in danger, and it is up to him to confront it all and save his family.

Continue reading ‘The Return’ Trailer: Ralph Fiennes All-Star Historical Film Hits Theaters December 2024 at The Playlist.

Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey are foundational works of Western literature, yet they are seldom adapted for the screen today. The Iliad was last made into a mainstream Hollywood blockbuster in 2004’s “Troy.” But you must go back to 1954 to find an equivalent for The Odyssey in “Ulysses” starring Kirk Douglas. Since then, The Odyssey has had some notable television adaptations: 1968’s Italian production “Odissea” (with Bekim Fehmiu and Irene Papas), 1997’s American production “The Odyssey” (with Armand Assante, Greta Scacchi, and Isabella Rossellini) and 2013’s French production “Odysseus” (with Alessio Boni, Caterina Murino and Niels Schneider).

Continue reading ‘The Return’ Review: Ralph Fiennes & Juliette Binoche Lead Deeply Satisfying Retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey [TIFF] at The Playlist.

French director Leos Carax returned to the Cannes Film Festival in full force back in 2021 with “Annette” (and we’ll forgive the reader if it feels longer ago than that; COVID was a weird time). Carax’s film was Best Director on the 2021 Croisette, a slew of Césars (including another Best Director win), and made several annual top 10 lists by the time 2021 ended.

Continue reading Adam Driver Reteaming With Leos Carax For Next Film ‘It’s Not Me,’ Says Juliette Binoche at The Playlist.

How did Christian Dior become a fashion icon? “The New Look” seeks to answer that question by exploring a key period in not only Dior’s life but the fashion industry itself. This Apple TV+ series follows Dior as Paris is ravaged by Nazi occupation; the city, synonymous with fashion and style, is forced to find its way back to glory after succumbing to the horrors of World War II.

Continue reading ‘The New Look’ Trailer: Ben Mendelsohn Plays The Fashion Icon In New Apple TV+ Drama at The Playlist.

It seems every year there is debate about which French film deserves the honor of being the Official Selection of France for the Academy Awards. This year, that debate was as strong as ever, with people trying to figure out if “Anatomy of a Fall” would earn the distinction or if it would go to “The Taste of Things.” Surprising many, ‘Taste’ was chosen. 

READ MORE: France Surprises Selecting ‘The Taste Of Things’ Over ‘Anatomy Of A Fall’ For Oscars

Now, as the awards season begins to heat up, we are given our first look at the trailer for “The Taste of Things.” The film follows the story of a master chef in the late 19th Century who seemingly has it all, except for the one thing he longs for.

Continue reading ‘The Taste Of Things’ Trailer: Juliette Binoche Stars In New Romance Drama & France’s Official Oscars Selection at The Playlist.

While it didn’t win the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, Tran Anh Hung‘s “The Taste Of Things” may have been the most delightful film at the festival. It won Hung Best Director, and received unanimously positive reviews from critics (read The Playlist’s review here). And now the movie gets a few more screenings at Fall festivals before it, with any luck, hits US theaters before 2023 is out.

Continue reading ‘The Taste Of Things’ Trailer: Tran Anh Hung’s Culinary Drama With Juliette Binoche & Benoît Magimel Hits US Theaters Soon at The Playlist.

There has been a lot of talk in recent years about cooking as a form of care, an idea intrinsically linked to the feminist revaluation of the work usually performed by women, which is most often unremunerated yet essential to day-to-day living. In cinema, this has translated to a surge of interest among film writers around the place and representation of cooking and eating on screen; a focus that represents another avenue for reclaiming a place for women within cinema, and, more generally, for recognizing that dynamics of care (as opposed to violence or exploitation) are all around us already, if we only look. 

Continue reading ‘The Pot-Au-Feu’ Review: Tran Anh Hung Returns With An Awe-Inspiring Ode To Pleasure In All Its Forms [Cannes] at The Playlist.

A young boy comes of age after his father’s sudden death in Christophe Honoré’s “Winter Boy.” A bleak portrait of grief, the film may earn points for crafting an empathetic, subjective portrayal of one boy’s emotional spiral. Yet, the film also makes several odd formal and aesthetic choices that, ultimately, make Honoré’s film feel more hackneyed than resonant. The strangest of which is the decision to allow Lucas (Paul Kircher), an openly gay 17-year-old, to directly address the camera, explaining and contextualizing his feelings to an unseen audience.

Continue reading ‘Winter Boy’ Review: Christophe Honoré’s Latest With Juliette Binoche Is An Affecting & Occasionally Hackneyed Portrait Of Grief at The Playlist.

Juliette Binoche is one of the most accomplished actors working today. She’s won an Oscar for “The English Patient” and has starred in numerous acclaimed films. However, very rarely does she work on high-profile blockbusters such as her role in “Ghost in the Shell.” That doesn’t mean Binoche is anti-blockbuster and refuses to do more commercial films. She’s just a little pickier. That said, if Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese give her a call, she’ll answer.

Continue reading Juliette Binoche Would Work With “Commercial” Directors Like Spielberg & Scorsese Even Though “Their Films Lack Women” at The Playlist.

Would you risk one life to save another? A truck driver faces this unimaginable choice in “Paradise Highway.” And not only that: the new thriller also tackles the thorny, jarring world of human trafficking and its repercussions throughout society. In her feature film directorial debut, Anna Gutto presents an unflinching inspection of how each person must come to terms with difficult decisions. “Highway” also marks a departure from Gutto’s work as second director/co-director on the Norwegian dramedy series “Home for Christmas.” 

READ MORE: ‘Both Sides Of The Blade’: Juliette Binoche Talks Trust With Director Claire Denis, “Warm Pool” Sex Scenes & More

Oscar-winner Juliette Binoche stars in “Highway” as one driver who comes up against this distressing underworld.

Continue reading ‘Paradise Highway’ Trailer: Juliette Binoche Stars As A Truck Driver Caught Up In Human Trafficking On July 29 at The Playlist.

This interview was originally conducted in March during Film at Lincoln Center’s Rendezvous with French Cinema program.

This year, Juliette Binoche pulls double duty in Film at Lincoln Center’s Rendezvous with French Cinema program, leading a pair of selections as women with only the most tenuous connection to one another. In Claire Denis’ latest feature, “Both Sides Of The Blade,” Binoche forms one point in a charged love triangle with her ex-husband (Grégoire Colin) and her new man (Vincent Lindon), a rugged rugby pro just on the other side of a prison sentence.

Continue reading ‘Both Sides Of The Blade’: Juliette Binoche Talks Trust With Director Claire Denis, “Warm Pool” Sex Scenes & More at The Playlist.

Hearing about the new Claire Denis drama felt like playing a game of hot potato earlier in the year. Was the film named “Fire,” as its original English title was announced to be? Or was it “Both Sides of the Blade” its international name? Eventually, IFC Films acquiesced to Denis’ wishes and settled on “Both Sides of the Blade,” its official title in North America.

Continue reading ‘Both Sides Of The Blade’ Trailer: Juliette Binoche Plays Clarie Denis’ Romantic Muse Again In New Love Triangle Drama at The Playlist.

In today’s episode of Bingeworthy, our revitalized TV and streaming podcast, co-hosts Mike DeAngelo and Rodrigo Perez dive into HBO Max’s new true-life murder series, “The Staircase.” Based on the much-buzzed-about documentary of the same name, the show follows the true story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed.

Continue reading ‘The Staircase’: Antonio Campos On His Michael Peterson Obsession & Adding More Story Details [Bingeworthy Podcast] at The Playlist.

An “English Patient” reunion is finally on the horizon, as co-stars Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes are attached for a new “gritty take” on the beloved ancient Greece tale Homer‘s “The Odyssey,” according to Variety. The original epic focuses on a war-wary husband that sets sail to return home to his wife and son after the Trojan War. However, Odysseus and his crew keep running into obstacles on that mission thanks to the gods, a giant cyclops, a witch that turns men into animals, and shipwrecking sirens that use their haunting songs to kill sailors.

Continue reading Juliette Binoche & Ralph Fiennes Reunite For ‘The Return,’ A Gritty Take On ‘The Odyssey’ From Uberto Pasolini at The Playlist.

On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson called 911 in a state of absolute panic. He reported that he had just found his wife Kathleen at the bottom of their stairs in their North Carolina home, and the scene was ghastly. Kathleen Peterson was pronounced dead at the scene and authorities immediately became skeptical of Michael’s story that his wife must have fallen after mixing Valium and alcohol. As the investigation progressed, the secret life of Michael Peterson became exposed to public scrutiny as did an amazing coincidence regarding another woman’s death and some truly unusual case details.

Continue reading ‘The Staircase’ Review: Antonio Campos Crafts A Compelling True-Crime Drama With Colin Firth, Toni Collette & More at The Playlist.

Let’s catch up a little bit with French filmmaker Claire Denis since we’re slightly behind on the most recent updates. For one, her latest film is no longer titled “Fire” in the U.S. and has reverted to the international title, “Both Sides Of The Blade.” The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February under the ‘Blade’ title (read our review here), but it recently made its U.S.

Continue reading ‘Both Sides Of The Blade’ Teaser Clip: Claire Denis’ Romance Starring Juliette Binoche Arrives July 8 at The Playlist.

Of all the unsolved mysteries in Claire Denis‘ new Berlin Competition film, the biggest may just be its U.S. retitling to a generic and not particularly representative “Fire.” The film’s English title in the rest of the world, “Both Sides of the Blade” — a line from the terrific Tindersticks track that ends the film —is not just cooler and more compelling.

Continue reading ‘Fire’: Juliette Binoche & Vincent Lindon Create Sparks But Only Tindersticks Truly Sets Claire Denis’ Love Triangle Alight [Berlin Review] at The Playlist.

In the early days of streaming TV dramas, one of the most underrated series was “Bloodline” on Netflix. Luckily, if you missed it, you can watch it now at your leisure. But if you’re a fan of that series and want to see director Todd A. Kessler team up with actor Ben Mendelsohn again, you’re in luck, as they have a new series, “The New Look.”

READ MORE: Marvel’s ‘Secret Invasion’: Marvel Taps Thomas Bezucha & Ali Selim To Direct Their Skrull Event Series

According to THR, Todd A.

Continue reading ‘The New Look’: Ben Mendelsohn & Juliette Binoche Starring As Dior & Chanel In A New Series From ‘Bloodline’ Creator at The Playlist.

For decades, Juliette Binoche has been one of the best actors working in films. And that doesn’t seem to be a descriptor that will be changing anytime soon. In fact, she still continues to adapt and evolve over the years, taking on more and more interesting projects, including a new film from a filmmaker we haven’t heard from in more than a decade, Lance Hammer.

Speaking to Variety, Juliette Binoche talked about the reason why she took on a starring role in her first real TV series, “The Staircase.” And apparently, the reason is that she needs to get a decent paycheck so she can make smaller films. 

Continue reading Juliette Binoche To Star In Director Lance Hammer’s First Film Since 2008 at The Playlist.

Juliette Binoche really seems like a nice lady in real life. And it’s that reason why her performance in “Who You Think I Am” feels just a bit creepy.

READ MORE: ‘Fire’: Clarie Denis’ New Film Starring Juliette Binoche Shooting For Cannes Debut, ‘Stars At Noon’ May Shoot In April

As seen in the trailer for “Who You Think I Am,” Binoche plays a middle-aged woman, Claire, who decides it’s a good idea to create a fake online persona, Clara, and gets carried away when the 24-year-old avatar catches the eye of a younger, attractive man.

Continue reading ‘Who You Think I Am’ Trailer: Juliette Binoche Catfishes A Much Younger Man In Safy Nebbou’s Drama at The Playlist.

The impish, mischievous air of Juliette Binoche is one of the qualities which mark her as one of the most vivid and interesting actresses working today. The star has mastered the art of deploying a sort of disarming silliness whenever things get too serious, with flashes of humor that only make whatever character she is playing seem that much more alive and real. This talent was recently put to most satisfying use in Claire Denis’ “Let The Sunshine In,” where she allowed audiences to both feel for her desperate character and laugh at her sometimes slightly delusional ideas.

Continue reading ‘Between Two Worlds’: Juliette Binoche’s Beautiful Performance Anchors Emmanuel Carrère’s Working-Class Drama [Cannes Review] at The Playlist.

Following the COVID-19-driven cancelation last year, the Cannes’ the Directors’ Fortnight sidebar section returns in full force. Organizer Paolo Moretti and his selection committee have unveiled the official selection for the 53rd edition of the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, and it’s full of great picks and several women filmmakers (Cannes only has four films by female filmmakers playing in competition). Notably, the biggest highlight is probably the world premiere of Joanna Hogg‘s “The Souvenir Part II,” the sequel to her British coming-of-age drama starring Tilda Swinton and her daughter Honor Swinton Byrne.

Continue reading Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight 2021 Lineup Includes ‘The Souvenir Part II,’ The Latest From Clio Barnard, Miguel Gomes & More at The Playlist.

French filmmaker Claire Denis’ most recent feature, “High Life,” was not only her English-language debut (though yes, technically, “Trouble Every Day” featured two Americans in France), but possibly the highest-profile movie of her career. It starred none other than Robert Pattinson, aka The Batman, who had wanted to work with the French auteur for years. Their second film together, “The Stars at Noon,” which was set to co-star Margaret Qualley, has been put on the shelf for now, due to COVID.

Continue reading ‘Fire’: Clarie Denis’ New Film Starring Juliette Binoche Shooting For Cannes Debut, ‘Stars At Noon’ May Shoot In April at The Playlist.

While they are giants in the world of French filmmaking and recognized as international talents, it seems strange to think that the first time Juliette Binoche and filmmaker Claire Denis worked together was only in 2017 on “Let The Sunshine In.” They quickly followed that up with “High Life” in 2018 starring Robert Pattinson and perhaps they’re now making up for lost time as Binoche will now star in a third upcoming film from the filmmaker known for “White Material” with Isabelle Huppert, and “Trouble Every Day” with Vincent Gallo among others.

Continue reading Juliette Binoche Reunites With Claire Denis Again For ‘Radioscopie’ With Vincent Lindon at The Playlist.

There are very few filmmakers working today that have earned the same level of acclaim as Hirokazu Kore-eda. The Japanese filmmaker is beloved by film fans for his incredible dramas, including his most recent award-winning feature, “Shoplifters.” Now, audiences are set to see his latest feature, “The Truth,” when it’s released later this week.

READ MORE: Catherine Deneuve Is A Joy In Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Playful English-Language Debut, And That’s ‘The Truth’ [Venice Review]

In honor of “The Truth” arriving Friday, we’re thrilled to offer our readers an exclusive clip from the film, showcasing just why Kore-eda’s newest work is well worth checking out this weekend.

Continue reading ‘The Truth’ Exclusive Clip: Ethan Hawke Is A Bit Tipsy In Hirokazu Kore-eda’s New Drama at The Playlist.