There are meta-movies, and then there’s Alex Ross Perry’s “Pavements.” This biography of the iconic ‘90s alt-rock group Pavement cannot even contain its self-reflexivity and inventive ambition to just the medium of cinema. Perry builds a mammoth monument to his subject in place of the genre’s hoary cliches with this multi-disciplinary hybrid film.

“Pavements” clearly manifests the stamp of formal pioneer Robert Greene, who serves as both the film’s editor and producer.

Continue reading ‘Pavements’ Review: Alex Ross Perry’s Tribute To Cult Indie Rock Group Demolishes Musician Biopic Conventions [Venice] at The Playlist.

“Escape Room: Tournament of Champions” is a tricky sequel, starting with gauging just how successful it truly is. Like with the 2019 original, “Escape Room,” its hand-holding horror can be nifty and surprising, but it’s even less of a challenge to forget about as soon as it’s over. 

READ MORE: ‘Spiral: From The Book of Saw’: An Intricately Bad Soap-Copera Spin-Off About Police Accountability [Review]

The biggest mistake from returning director Adam Robitel and his fleet of writers, the true game-makers of this series, is in stepping away from the variety of the first film.

Continue reading ‘Escape Room: Tournament Of Champions’: A Well-Crafted Sequel That Doesn’t Think Outside Of The Box [Review] at The Playlist.

“Play the game, or we die!” It’s strange to think that some seemingly disposable horror thrillers get sequels when no one really cared: or so you thought anyhow. Sony Pictures clearly cares about their “Escape Room” horror so much they turned it into a franchise. And that’s because, while you weren’t paying attention, “Escape Room” was made for $9 million and grossed $155.7 million worldwide, which is a lot of profit.

Continue reading ‘Escape Room 2’ Trailer: A ‘Tournament of Champions’ Tries To Survive The Sequel’s Deadly Game at The Playlist.

The teenage coming-of-age/discovering yourself/love story genre is overflowing with entries, but few of them deal with what it’s like being gay in high school. That changes with “Love, Simon” which takes on the big subject of accepting and owning your sexuality, all within the familiar teen movie tropes.

Directed by Greg Berlanti, who knows this territory well as the hit TV producer behind tweenage fare like “Riverdale,” “The Flash,” and “Supergirl,”  the movie is based on the book by Becky Albertalli, and follows Simon, a closeted teenager who starts falling for anonymous classmate online.

Continue reading ‘Love, Simon’ Trailer: Find Yourself & Fall In Love at The Playlist.

Greg Berlanti is mostly known as the hit TV producer behind “Riverdale,” “The Flash,” “Supergirl,” “Blindspot,” and countless other series. But he does have filmmaking aspirations too. His last big screen effort was 2010’s mostly forgotten “Life As We Know It” starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel, but now he’s back with something in his tweenage sweetspot with “Love, Simon.”

Starring Nick Robinson, Katherine Langford, Alexandra Shipp, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Miles Heizer, Keiynan Lonsdale, Logan Miller, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel, and Tony Hale, and based on the book by Becky Albertalli, the story follows a teenage who navigates the complications of coming out.

Continue reading ‘Love, Simon’ Trailer: Do You Ever Feel Weird? at The Playlist.

PARK CITY — There are a lot of good things about Ry Russo-Young’s “Before I Fall,” which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday. Let’s quickly review them, shall we?

As a director, Russo-Young has a distinct vision and an impressive visual aesthetic. The cinematography is gorgeous and the production design is the height of Pacific Northwest white privilege. The soundtrack is on point.

Continue reading ‘Before I Fall’ Is A Stylish ‘Groundhog Day’ With YA Movie Life Lessons [Sundance Review] at The Playlist.

“Groundhog Day” remains the shining cinematic example of the (comedic) horror of living the same day over and over and over again. But for teenagers, where each twenty-four hours can play out like dramatic epic, the idea of reliving a heightened twenty-fours might seem terrifying, but that’s what “Before I Fall” dives into.

Based on the book by Lauren Oliver, this is a YA movie bringing a slightly different flavor, with indie director Ry Russo-Young (“You Won’t Miss Me,” “Nobody Walks”) behind the camera for the story that follows Sam who relives the day she dies, over and over.

Continue reading It’s YA ‘Groundhog Day’ In New Trailer For Ry Russo-Young’s ‘Before I Fall’ Starring Zoey Deutch & Halston Sage at The Playlist.

Watch: Tension Rises In New Trailer For 'Take Me To The River'

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Review: 'Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse' Starring Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller, Halston Sage, More

Continue reading Review: ‘Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse’ Starring Tye Sheridan, Logan Miller, Halston Sage, More at The Playlist.

Watch: New, Full Length Trailer For 'Scouts Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse' Starring Tye Sheridan

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On The Rise 2015: 20 Actors To Watch

Continue reading On The Rise 2015: 20 Actors To Watch at The Playlist.

Watch: First Trailer For 'The Stanford Prison Experiment' Puts Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Tye Sheridan & More Behind Bars

Continue reading Watch: First Trailer For ‘The Stanford Prison Experiment’ Puts Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Tye Sheridan & More Behind Bars at The Playlist.

Sundance Review: 'Take Me To The River’ Features Solid Performances In A Genuinely Peculiar Film

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Sundance Exclusive: Photos From ‘Take Me To The River’ Starring Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton & Logan Miller

Continue reading Sundance Exclusive: Photos From ‘Take Me To The River’ Starring Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton & Logan Miller at The Playlist.