German filmmaker Nora Fingscheidt has been making quite the name for herself in recent years and in a very short period of time. 2019 put her on the map with the critically acclaimed “System Crasher,” which premiered at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. Hollywood barely let her catch her breath and came knocking. She quickly directed “The Unforgivable” for Netflix, starring Sandra Bullock, in 2021 and returns this year with “The Outrun,” starring yet another globally renowned name in Saoirse Ronan.

Continue reading ‘The Outrun’ Trailer: Saoirse Ronan’s Acclaimed Addiction & Recovery Drama Opens October 4 at The Playlist.

We don’t usually review movies twice at The Playlist. But then again, a director doesn’t usually cut a substantial chunk of his film after reactions from a festival premiere suggested it was too long, and debut the new version barely six weeks after the initial premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. So props to David Mackenzie for clearly taking the response to “Outlaw King” seriously — not least because the film is backed by Netflix, who, given the latitude they usually give their filmmakers, clearly would have had no problem with releasing whatever version Mackenzie preferred.

Continue reading David Mackenzie’s Re-Edited ‘Outlaw King’ Trims The Fat & Is A Rousing, Satisfying Adventure [LFF Review] at The Playlist.

In the introduction to their TIFF opening night selection “Outlaw King,” director David Mackenzie and producer Gillian Berrie made much of its seven-year journey to the screen. That’s a long time to spend on a project, particularly one as presumably complicated and costly as this one, so one does wonder at what point it became clear that they were making a movie about the wrong character. I’ll bet it was early.

Continue reading ‘Outlaw King’: Chris Pine’s Brave Heart Can’t Save David Mackenzie’s Bloody Epic [TIFF Review] at The Playlist.

In the 2002 BBC poll ranking the 100 greatest Britons, one man beat out the likes of Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton, Stephen Hawking, and, really, every other Briton ever. The gentleman atop that list was the incredibly-quotable, cigar-inhaling Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill. While he is remembered as a wildly-popular leader who refused to yield to one of history’s greatest villains, Churchill’s journey to becoming the greatest Briton began in a crucible of public confusion and political subversion, all while the threat of a Nazi invasion loomed.

Continue reading ‘Darkest Hour’ Trailer: Gary Oldman Goes For Oscar Gold As Winston Churchill at The Playlist.

In 1818, “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” was published and became an almost immediate sensation. “Mary Shelley” is the story of its author and the creative inspiration behind the groundbreaking book. Well, eventually. Before we discover the titular writer’s genius, we must endure a fusty period drama that unfolds with such a startling lack of imagination, it’s nearly remarkable how conventional the production is, particularly when the life and famed work of Mary Shelley is so boldly unconventional.

Continue reading Elle Fanning Plays ‘Mary Shelley’ In Biopic Of ‘Frankenstein’ Creator [TIFF Review] at The Playlist.

We’re about to be inundated with blockbuster trailers from D23 and San Diego Comic Con, but don’t forget that studios are getting ready for Oscar season too. So before the spectacle, here comes the awards season player, “Darkest Hour.”

READ MORE: Premature Oscar Predictions: 2018 Best Actor & Best Actress Nominees

Gary Oldman leads the new film from director Joe Wright (“Atonement,” “Anna Karenina“) playing Winston Churchill, and the big question is whether or not he can make the iconic figure his own, particularly coming so hot on the heels of John Lithgow‘s great turn as the British Prime Minister on Netflix‘s “The Crown“. 

Continue reading First Trailer For ‘Darkest Hour’ Starring Gary Oldman As Winston Churchill at The Playlist.

Continue reading The Small Screen: John Goodman & Michael K. Williams Join Season 3 Of ‘Community’ at The Playlist.