Continuing their attempts to chronicle every foundational moment or figure in American history, Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s exhaustive six-hour documentary, “Hemingway,” traces the historical formation of the titular author. Utilizing Burns’s now routine formal devices – photo pans and zooms, talking heads, Peter Coyote narration – “Hemingway” grafts the author’s life onto his novels in ways that may trouble literary critics who have moved on from biographical criticism but will be captivating for fans of Burns’ particular form of reporting.

Continue reading ‘Hemingway’: Ken Burns’ Latest Is An Exhaustive Look At White Male Authorship [Review] at The Playlist.

“From the writer and director of ‘Downton Abbey’” would normally be all that’s required to sell a film to a general audience. However, in the case of the upcoming film “The Chaperone,” not only do you have a writer and a director from the upcoming “Downton Abbey” film and acclaimed TV series, but you also have a great cast, including one of the more interesting up and coming actresses today.

Continue reading ‘The Chaperone’ Trailer: Haley Lu Richardson Stars In New Film From The Writer & The Director Of ‘Downton Abbey’ at The Playlist.

Fans of Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway singing their hearts out might be a little disappointed, but regardless, the upcoming BBC adaptation of “Les Misérables” looks to put the focus back on the popular story and ditch the music. That doesn’t mean, however, that the cast of the series isn’t just as impressive.

As seen in the new trailer for the six-part series, “Les Misérables” will not only have the high production value that is needed to tell the story of the June Rebellion in Paris, as seen through the eyes of several people, including the famous Jean Valjean, but will also have a cast that is clearly up to the task of bringing Victor Hugo’s novel to life.

Continue reading ‘Les Misérables’ Series Trailer: Lily Collins, Dominic West, & David Oyelowo Headline BBC’s Non-Musical Adaptation at The Playlist.