Can a genuine connection go beyond lust and longing? “Queer” sees two men discover something more beneath the usual facades. Luca Guadagnino helms this anticipated film based on a short novel by counter-culture legend William S. Burroughs. The “Challengers” director reunites with screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes, who wrote the popular tennis drama. This time, Kuritzkes offers a script that ventures well beyond Burroughs’ original story.

Continue reading ‘Queer’ Trailer: Luca Guadagnino’s Gay William S. Burroughs Drama With Daniel Craig Arrives In November at The Playlist.

Niecy Nash-Betts has gotten back into the Ryan Murphy business. After appearing in Murphy’s now cult favorite “Scream Queens” and earning an Emmy for Oustanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” Nash-Betts has teamed up with Murphy once more for “Grotesquerie,” a new 10-episode drama series for FX. You can watch the first teaser trailer for the program embedded in this post.

Continue reading ‘Grotesquerie’ Teaser: Niecy Nash-Betts Reunites With Ryan Murphy For New FX Horror Series at The Playlist.

Art often imitates life (and vice versa), and the rumor and speculation swirling before a new season of “The Crown” is released rivals the attention received by the figures it portrays. Outrage about potential storylines hits fever-pitch heights as we enter the final stretch, and it is no surprise that emotion runs high with the events of 1997 about to play out. But this is not a reenactment nor a docuseries, and Peter Morgan’s drama-infused telling shouldn’t be assessed based on accuracy or who it will offend.

Continue reading ‘The Crown’ Season 6 Review: Elizabeth Debicki Offers Nuance Even When The Show Struggles For Subtlety [Part 1] at The Playlist.

Joe Russo almost broke Twitter when he said that technology is moving with such momentum that we should expect AI-generated films and TV shows in the very near future. Not only was that a questionable thing to say with a potential writer’s strike looming on the horizon, but, well, recent Russo productions like “The Gray Man” haven’t exactly given anyone hope for the future of screenwriting. Maybe he was setting us up for lowered expectations regarding what he had his name on next.

Continue reading ‘Citadel’ TV Review: The Russo Brothers’ Atrocious Action Series Has No Personality at The Playlist.

Variety reports that Luca Guadagnino will start shooting “Queer,” his next feature, in Rome this month now that he’s wrapped post-production on “Challengers,” in theaters this September. This marks the most rapid creative pace for Guadagnino in his whole career: three films in as many years. That’s great news for Guada fans.

READ MORE: ‘Queer’: Luca Guadagnino Wants To Adapt The Early William S.

Continue reading ‘Queer’: Drew Starkey Joins Daniel Craig In Luca Guadagnino’s Latest, Filming Begins In Rome This Month at The Playlist.

Another year, another super-expensive TV series to premiere on Prime Video. And while the $250 million budget for “Citadel” isn’t as costly as “The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power,” it indicates that Amazon wants its new spy thriller to be another juggernaut for its streamer. But will there be a fanbase for yet another spy series on TV, especially one with so many spinoffs planned?

Continue reading New ‘Citadel’ Trailer: Richard Madden & Priyanka Chopra Jonas Are Mind-Wiped Spies In The Russo Brothers’ New Series at The Playlist.

Last week, news broke that “Industry” star Marisa Abela would play Amy Winehouse in Samuel Taylor-Johnson‘s upcoming biopic “Back To Black.” And now there’s the first bit of additional casting news. Deadline reports that Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan, and Lesley Manville join the cast of the upcoming film, with production currently underway in London.

Continue reading ‘Back To Black’: Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan & Lesley Manville Join Cast Of Upcoming Amy Winehouse Biopic at The Playlist.

Pierre Choderolas de Laclos’ 1782 epistolary novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” has proven to be incredibly malleable over the last few decades. In addition to the 1988, Stephen Frears-directed Christopher Hampton adapted “Dangerous Liaisons,” we’ve gotten the stately “Valmont” and even the glorious camp of “Cruel Intentions.” Needless to say, the world was perhaps not clamoring for another look into the backstabbing lives of the Marquise de Merteuil and her sometimes lover/enemy, Valmont.

Continue reading ‘Dangerous Liasons’ Review: This Starz Prequel is An Absurd & Superfluous Origin Story at The Playlist.

To a majority of moviegoers, well, maybe cinephiles, Lesley Manville has a reputation as a “serious” dramatic actress. Her resume features numerous collaborations with Mike Leigh (seven and counting) and, most recently, a pivotal role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread.” A performance that earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. And, sure, she’s had small parts in a few Hollywood CGI fests here and there, but, her latest film, “Mrs.

Continue reading Lesley Manville On Alan Rickman’s Critical Advice & ‘Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris’ [Interview] at The Playlist.

Not every movie needs to either reinvent the wheel or make us question our personal realities. Sometimes, a movie can look like it is just wanting to offer an audience a nice time, make them feel good for its runtime, and that can be enough. Distributed by Focus Features and premiering this summer, the first trailer for the film “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” looks to offer something in that vein: A quaint adventure with plenty of fancy clothes being worn.

Continue reading ‘Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris’ Trailer: Lesley Manville Is A Housekeeper Who Dares To Dream at The Playlist.

There is a prescient shot that opens “Let Him Go,” the frontier drama starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane. A flat stretch of Montana plain, a blanket of blue-gray sky, as if Heaven itself was just beyond the horizon. It is haunting, that endless horizon. Thomas Bezucha, who directs, holds the shot long enough to get you thinking. Cinematographer Guy Godfree, with a Canadian Screen Award under his belt, shoots the film.

Continue reading ‘Let Him Go’: Kevin Costner & Diane Lane Bring The Heart In This Violent Midwestern Thriller [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.

Many people navigate a litany of relationships before finally finding the one with whom they want to spend the rest of their life. For a lucky few, there is instant chemistry and adoration, which only grows stronger as they spend more time with each other. Make no mistake, though: the beauty of both journeys lies in the power of love motivating each other to be the best possible person they can be and to feel comfortable being the person they are.

Continue reading ‘Ordinary Love’ Trailer: Liam Neeson & Lesley Manville Face The Challenges Of Love & Grave Obstacles at The Playlist.

As this maddening list attests—one that nearly broke us trying to order “properly”—putting together a Best of Decade list is dangerous work. There’s just a million factors to consider, a million people and look, we anguish and anguish and at the end of the day it’s all arbitrary anyhow, so don’t give us shit!

READ MORE: 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2020

As the 100 Best Films of The 2010s Decade proved, no matter what you claim about the state of cinema and the sky is falling, the best of the best was unimpeachable.

Continue reading The Best Film Performances Of The Decade [2010s] at The Playlist.

For some, the connection is instantaneous, and it only grows stronger as two people spend more time with each other. Others may struggle through a litany of poor relationships before finally finding the one with whom they want to spend the rest of their life. The feelings in both cases are the same, however. Their significant other’s love motivates them to be the best possible person they can be, and they can feel comfortable being the person they are—just to name two.

Continue reading ‘Ordinary Love’ Trailer: A Lifetime Of Commitment For Liam Neeson & Lesley Manville Faces A Grave Obstacle at The Playlist.

Hulu is growing its original content to keep up with the competition. The streaming service became the first of its kind to take home the coveted Outstanding Drama Series award at the Emmys for its popular title “The Handmaid’s Tale.” But otherwise, it’s struggled to garner acclaim for most of its other shows. Within the growing programming of Hulu is a sultry period drama, “Harlots,” and frankly, no one seems to really be watching despite all the terrific actors on the show.

Continue reading Hulu’s ‘Harlots’ Season 2 Trailer: Samantha Morton, Jessica Brown Findlay & Liv Tyler Are Still Trying To Seduce You at The Playlist.

Review: Mike Leigh Turns The Lens On Himself In 'Mr. Turner,' One Of His Finest Films

Continue reading Review: Mike Leigh Turns The Lens On Himself In ‘Mr. Turner,’ One Of His Finest Films at The Playlist.

Cannes Review: Mike Leigh's 'Mr. Turner' Ranks Among His Very Best Films

Continue reading Cannes Review: Mike Leigh’s ‘Mr. Turner’ Ranks Among His Very Best Films at The Playlist.

'Les Miserables' Star Samantha Barks & Susan Boyle Light Up 'The Christmas Candle'

Continue reading ‘Les Miserables’ Star Samantha Barks & Susan Boyle Light Up ‘The Christmas Candle’ at The Playlist.

Continue reading Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson, Sam Riley & Lesley Manville Join ‘Maleficent’ With Angelina Jolie at The Playlist.

Continue reading Mike Leigh Veteran Lesley Manville & ‘Game Of Thrones’ Star Emilia Clarke Join Stone Roses Movie ‘Spike Island’ at The Playlist.

Continue reading Lesley Manville, Damian Lewis & Stellan Skarsgard Round Out Cast For Carlo Carlei’s ‘Romeo And Juliet’ at The Playlist.

Continue reading Ray Winstone, Jim Sturgess & Lesley Manville Team For Noir ‘Ashes’; Film Co-Financed By Coldplay at The Playlist.

Continue reading Oscarbation: 11 Oscar Nominee Snubs That Agitate Us at The Playlist.

Continue reading Review: ‘Another Year’ Is Four Bittersweet Seasons Of Laughter, Love & Tears at The Playlist.