“Small Axe: Lover’s Rock” and “Top Boy” breakout Micheal Ward is set to star alongside Olivia Colman in the new Sam Mendes-directed feature “Empire of Light,” Deadline reports. Produced by Searchlight, the film will mark Mendes’ first film since the one-take World War One drama “1917” and also marks his first solo script as a writer.

Continue reading ‘Small Axe’ Star Micheal Ward To Feature Alongside Olivia Colman In Sam Mendes’ ‘Empire of Light’ at The Playlist.

The Peabody Awards ended its four days of virtual announcements crowning Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” as its final entertainment category winner. It was joined by acclaimed documentaries “Welcome to Chechnya” and “The Cave.” Apple TV+’s “Stillwater” rounded out the last children’s and youth category winner.

READ MORE: “Ted Lasso,” “Time” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” win 2021 Peabody Awards

Today’s announcements were presented by Cynthia Erivo, Soledad O’Brien, Ronan Farrow, Taraji P.

Continue reading ‘Small Axe,’ ‘Welcome To Chechnya’ Among Final 2021 Peabody Awards Winners at The Playlist.

Six slots and only one Emmys lock. Yep, the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie category is essentially wide open. Well, that is outside of “Small Axe’s” John Boyega, of course.

READ MORE: “The Queen’s Gambit”: Anya Taylor-Joy shines in Scott Frank’s absorbing tale of genius, addiction, and redemption [Review]

The questions in this category are many. “The Queen’s Gambit” will land a boatload of nods, but will Bill Camp be one of them?

Continue reading Supporting Actor In A Limited Series Or TV Movie Emmys 2021 Predictions & Contenders at The Playlist.

Was it Kathryn Hahn all along? That’s the big question regarding this year’s Emmy category for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series. Can anyone seriously stop the “WandaVision” scene-stealer from winning her first Emmy Award on her second nomination? And, sure, she’ll get some legitimate competition from “Small Axe’s” Letitia Wright and “Mare of Easttown’s” Jean Smart. Beyond that? Well…

READ MORE: LA Film Critics Select “Small Axe” as Best Film of 2020

Let’s ponder the other three slots, shall we?

Continue reading Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or TV Movie Emmys 2021 Predictions & Contenders at The Playlist.

The 60 nominees for the 2021 Peabody Awards were revealed this morning and there were quite a few surprises on the narrative side. That being said, critically acclaimed programs such as “I May Destroy You,” “Small Axe,” “Ted Lasso,” “Never Have I Ever,” “Unorthodox” and “The Good Lord Bird” still made the cut. The winners will be announced during a virtual ceremony timed to the height of Emmy Award voting.

READ MORE: ‘Never Have I Ever’s Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Talks Starring In Mindy Kaling’s Bingeable Teen Series [Podcast]

Programs overlooked by the jurors included “Veneno,” “Bridgerton,” “Legendary,” “Hamilton,” “Black is King,” “The Flight Attendant” and “The Mandalorian.” Marvel fans keep the faith as “WandaVision” is eligible for next year’s honors.

Continue reading ‘I May Destroy You,’ ‘Never Have I Ever’ & ‘Small Axe’ Among 2021 Peabody Awards Nominees at The Playlist.

If you’re looking for any hints on what programs may dominate the Limited Series or Drama Series Emmy nominations look no further than the 2021 BAFTA TV Awards nominations. While the pool of contenders is not as uniform as the film side in regards to Emmy season, the nominations were still very good news for two big Amazon and Netflix contenders. Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” led all programs with 15 nominations while “The Crown” took 10.

Continue reading ‘Small Axe’ & ‘The Crown’ Dominate 2021 BAFTA TV Nominations at The Playlist.

John Boyega is an actor that knows a thing or two about franchises. Having starred in the recent “Star Wars” sequel trilogy, the actor knows what it’s like to have 5 years of your life dominated by fandom’s reaction to your performance, the grueling production process, and the aftermath of franchise films that might not land with audiences. Needless to say, Boyega knows what it’s like to be beholden to a franchise, while also, as he is now, having a bit more freedom.

Continue reading John Boyega Calls Franchise Acting Roles “Luxury Jail” & Is Excited To Work On More Projects Like ‘Small Axe’ at The Playlist.

Call this feature “overlooked films” if you liked, and if you saw them, and yes, there’s some crossover with some of our other Best of 2020 features, like the 25 Best Films Of 2020, the 20 Best Performances Of 2020, etc. but that’s ok!

READ MORE: The Best Cinematography Of 2020

2020 was a year where movie-lovers learned how to watch movies in an entirely different way. Since theaters were shut down across much of America for most of the year and many of the year’s more anticipated offerings were either shuffled off the annual slate until 2021, or relegated to streaming services a la “Wonder Woman 1984,” our regular routine of watching, analyzing, and obsessing over films was more or less completely upended.

Continue reading The 25 Best Films Of 2020 You Didn’t See at The Playlist.

If it’s a Sunday in December it means it’s time for the Los Angeles Film Critics Association to hand out their year-end honors. The big winner was Steve McQueen’s film anthology commissioned for the BBC and Amazon Prime Video, “Small Axe.” It took Best Film, Best Cinematography and McQueen was runner up for Best Director.

READ MORE: “First Cow” chosen as Best Film of 2020 by NYFCC

Chloe Zhao won Best Director for “Nomadland” which also was runner up for Cinematography.

Continue reading LA Film Critics Select Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’ As Best Film at The Playlist.

With anticipated films delayed, theaters closed, and festivals canceled or refurbished to virtual affairs, there has been little in big, prestigious movie events for audiences to rally around in 2020.  Steven McQueen‘s five-film anthology series “Small Axe” may be as close to a buzz-worthy event as we’ll get in the current movie climate. After its debut at the virtual New York Film Festival this fall, the first film in the anthology, “Mangrove,” premiered on Amazon Prime on Friday, November 20.

Continue reading ‘Education’ Trailer: Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’ Anthology Culminates on December 18th at The Playlist.

I was born with a speech impediment. For years, I received speech therapy in special education. I don’t remember why, but for some reason, for instance, I would trip over the word “yellow” as though, ironically, my tongue was strapped by velcro. By the age of seven, I was transferred from special education to general, but still took supplemental speech therapy. By second grade, I was one of only eight students in my grade reading at an expected reading level.

Continue reading ‘Education:’ Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’ Film Is His Most Tender Work To Date [Review] at The Playlist.

We’re living in the middle of a pandemic, nearly every theatrical release has vacated the 2020 hellscape, but somehow, as the year comes to a close, we’re offered, an overwhelming number of films worth exploring (isn’t film over?). Some have been celebrated since January of this year at Sundance, while others made their festival arrivals later but stunned nonetheless. Others, such as “Soul” and “Wonder Woman 1984,” will experiment with just how much success a typical tentpole film can have at home.

Continue reading 16 Films To See In December: ‘Nomadland,’ ‘Pieces Of A Woman,’ ‘Mank’ & More at The Playlist.

One of 2020’s few joys has been Steve McQueen’s Amazon anthology “Small Axe,” a series telling, in some instances for the first time, the stories of the Black Brits who faced oppression during the ’60s and ’70s. While “Mangrove” touted empowerment through self-representation,  “Lovers Rock” through music, and “Red, White and Blue” through reform from within, “Alex Wheatle” calls for literature as a gateway to freedom.

Continue reading ‘Alex Wheatle’ Is The Weakest Strike In Steve McQueen’s ‘Small Axe’ [Review] at The Playlist.

This late fall has been a treat because we’ve received a new Steve McQueen (“12 Years A Slave,” “Widows“) week every week for the last three weeks; when does that happen? And they are all part of McQueen’s new five-film anthology series, “Small Axe,” based on the Jamaican proverb, “If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.” Three films have debuted at the New York Film Festival earlier this fall, and those three have now aired on Amazon Prime Video.

Continue reading ‘Alex Wheatle’ Trailer: Steve McQueen’s Latest ‘Small Axe’ Film Is About A Man Looking For Community at The Playlist.

It is a film or is it TV? That’s the micro-debate happening on Film Twitter right now over Steve McQueen‘s new project “Small Axe.” Often, these arguments are so byzantine, they’re not worth spending a breath on and we peace out on the whole topic and let others fight over it. But Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” seems simple: Yes, it’s premiering on Amazon Prime and yes, it’s vying for Emmy consideration in the end, not the Oscars.

Continue reading ‘Red, White & Blue’ Trailer: Amazon Teases Another Steve McQueen ‘Small Axe’ Film at The Playlist.

John Boyega made headlines earlier this year with a powerful Black Lives Matter speech back in June, where he addressed concerns that speaking out may affect his career. Months later, the actor says he’s even more fixated on fighting to secure working environments “as good as possible for everyone.”

READ MORE: John Boyega Says Studios Need To Protect POC Actors From Online Abuse: “They Can’t Get Boyega-ed”

In a new interview with Indiewire to promote his role in the third installment of Steve McQueen‘s “Small Axe” anthology, “Red, White and Blue,” Boyega looked back on his Black Lives Matter speech from earlier this summer, and whether that could alter his career.

Continue reading John Boyega Says He’s “Fixated” On Making Sure The Industry Has Work Environments “As Good As Possible For Everyone” at The Playlist.

Yesterday, U.K. audiences got their first official taste of “Small Axe,” Steve McQueen‘s new film anthology series that comprised of five original films set from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s that tell personal stories from London’s West Indian community, whose lives have been shaped by their own force of will despite rampant racism and discrimination. The title is derived from the African proverb, “If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.”

READ MORE: ‘Lovers Rock’: Steve McQueen’s Dance-Filled ‘Small Axe’ Entry Is Surprisingly Tender [NYFF Review]

If you read U.K.Film Twitter, you know all eyes were on the debut of “Mangrove” last night.

Continue reading ‘Lovers Rock’ Trailer: Steve McQueen’s Dancehall ‘Small Axe’ Film Gets The Spotlight at The Playlist.

Sure, the new trailer for “Small Axe” dubs the anthology as a “new series,” but this project from filmmaker Steve McQueen is no TV series. In fact, it’s a group of five feature films that can be viewed separately or together and paint the picture of life for a group of people in London’s West Indian community throughout the decades. But again, this is not a TV series.

READ MORE: ‘Red, White And Blue’: John Boyega Is Superb In Steve McQueen’s Challenging, And Unafraid ‘Small Axe’ Film [NYFF Review]

The trailer for “Small Axe” begins by showing how much music plays a role in the lives of various folks in the London West-Indian community, as a way for everyone to come together.

Continue reading ‘Small Axe’ Trailer: Steve McQueen’s Acclaimed Anthology Arrives On Amazon Later This Month at The Playlist.

Well, at least we still have movies – even if theaters are still relatively no-go zones. For all its ensuing stress, November has a strong list of films on its slate, some of which have already built significant buzz following rounds on the film festival circuit this year (some of which even premiered in 2019, approximately 20 years ago.) In the line-up, there’s a return of David Fincher, some of the finest animation in recent years, leading performances from perennial favorite Carrie Coon, and Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan as lovers.

Continue reading 11 Movies to See in November: From ‘Small Axe’ To ‘Happiest Season’ at The Playlist.

One of the great joys of the New York Film Festival has been watching Steve McQueen’s new film anthology “Small Axe.” Composed of five works set between the late-’60s and early-’80s, the two recently screened films — “Lovers Rock” and “Mangrove” — are intimate slices of life of a little-represented community, British Black folks from the West Indies, resiliently thriving amidst a racially hostile environment.

Continue reading ‘Red, White And Blue’: John Boyega Is Superb In Steve McQueen’s Challenging, And Unafraid ‘Small Axe’ Film [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

A West Indian proverb holds, “If you are the big tree, we are the small axe.” “Lovers Rock,” the first film made available of Steve McQueen’s Amazon miniseries “Small Axe,” first interpreted the saying as a metaphor for the joyous spirit in the Black British community. But his newest installment, “Mangrove” swings a different emphasis on the rebellious phrase. Frank Crichlow (Shaun Parkes) owns the Mangrove, a new restaurant located in Notting Hill.

Continue reading ‘Mangrove’: Revolution Sparks In Steve McQueen’s Uplifting ‘Small Axe’ Courtroom Drama [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

“If you are the big tree, we are the small axe,” this is the Jamaican proverb that has inspired filmmaker Steve McQueen‘s, “Small Axe,” a collection of five films inspired by real-life events about ordinary people showing courage, belief, and resilience to overcome injustice and achieve something transformative in their West Indian community.

READ MORE: NYFF 2020: 12 Most Anticipated Films You Need See

Three of the “Small Axe” film are playing at the now-started New York Film Festival, “Mangrove,” “Red White And Blue,” and just premiered before the weekend to much critical acclaim, “Lovers Rock.” Our review by Robert Daniels described the film as an atypical Steve McQueen affair.

Continue reading New ‘Small Axe’ Trailer Teases Steve McQueen’s ‘Lovers Rock’ Acclaim & 5 Film Anthology Coming In November at The Playlist.

Like most aspects of life, the New York Film Festival looks a little different this year, switching to a mostly virtual format in light of the pandemic. While this will limit the chances for the film community to gather in-person, it’s still a joyful time for film lovers to unite virtually to celebrate the world’s best films after a lost summer of moviegoing and luckily, the festival’s opening night film, Steve McQueen’s “Lover’s Rock,” is a portrait of a joyful community, a feast for the evocation of the senses of a wild house party of West Indians in 1980 London. 

READ MORE: ‘Lover’s Rock’: Steve McQueen’s Dance-Filled ‘Small Axe’ Entry Is Surprisingly Tender [NYFF Review]

“Lover’s Rock” kicked off the 58th New York Film Festival yesterday evening, and to commemorate the occasion, the film’s director and stars Amarah-Jae St.

Continue reading Director Steve McQueen & Cast Discuss ‘Lover’s Rock’: “An Image of Freedom” [NYFF] at The Playlist.

Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen’s films rarely have a light touch. For example, “Hunger” recounts the life of IRA member Bobby Sands, and the group’s organized hunger strike; “Shame” depicts sex addiction; “12 Years a Slave” violently retells the story of a freed Black man kidnapped into slavery; and “Widows” explains the socio-political environment for women and Black people in Chicago.

Continue reading ‘Lovers Rock’: Steve McQueen’s Dance-Filled ‘Small Axe’ Entry Is Surprisingly Tender [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

As we’ve mentioned ad nauseum this fall, cinema is different this year and so are film festivals. While the pandemic knocked Cannes, Telluride, and SXSW out of action, festivals with the benefit of more time have worked extremely hard to find a way to pull off a virtual film festival with drive-in screenings. Chief among them and so far, the only major American film festival to pull it off, the New York Film Festival, has done a remarkable job of pulling their festival together, using both virtual screenings, that expand all over North America and not just New York, and drive-in screenings around the five boroughs.

Continue reading NYFF 2020: 12 Most Anticipated Films You Need See at The Playlist.