Yes, we should be entirely way done with 2021, but permit us to close the books on this difficult year with one last belated feature whose title is not meant to be a backhanded compliment to the films, nor scolding and yes, generally relative as many people did see them, but not most (and yes, there will be some overlap with our Best of 2021 coverage, though it’s minor)

READ MORE: The 25 Best Films Of 2021

While most of us remain inside with far too many streaming options dangled in front of our eyes,  it doesn’t appear general audiences will be returning to theaters for movies that contain anything less than three Peter Parkers uniting on screen anytime soon.

Continue reading The 25 Best Films Of 2021 You Didn’t See at The Playlist.

Look, thanks to that godforsaken pandemic, which messed up the Oscars and the entire calendar year, it’s kind of hard to make the Best Films Of The Year, So Far feature because so many films were kind of released in 2020 — to qualify early for the Oscars — and or many were just released in a quiet limited release in December 2020. So, there is a tiny bit of crossover on our Best Films of 2020 list, but some films, “Nomadland” and “Minari” — which were essentially seen early last year at festivals — are not on this list and some films on the edge, like “Pieces of A Woman,” are okay?

Continue reading The Best Films Of 2021, So Far at The Playlist.

Obviously, when you watch the trailer for the upcoming Netflix film, “The Disciple,” you are shown the incredibly technical aspect of Hindustani classical music. But even though a lot of the people that watch the film might not be overly familiar with that genre of music, the tale being told in the film is something a lot more universal.

READ MORE: ‘The Disciple’ Is A Profound Study Of A Failed Artist [Venice Review]

“The Disciple” follows the story of an Indian classical vocalist, Sharad Nerulkar.

Continue reading ‘The Disciple’ Trailer: Festival Standout Produced By Alfonso Cuarón Arrives On Netflix Next Month at The Playlist.

The deck for 2021 film releases was shuffled yet again late last year, adding yet another wrinkle to what has undoubtedly been one of, if not the most tumultuous yearlong period for domestic film distribution in history. Obviously, some of 2021’s bigger blockbusters still have (tentative) release dates (see our massive 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2021 feature): we’re thinking of Denis Villeneuve’s hotly-anticipated “Dune” adaptation, which was supposed to be in theaters last December, and also Adam Wingard’s long-delayed “Godzilla Vs.

Continue reading The 25 Best Films Of 2021 We’ve Already Seen at The Playlist.

And there we have it. After going home with the Golden Lion award at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, Chloé Zhao‘s “Nomadland” just took the coveted People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival 2020. This award is often a precursor to an eventual Best Picture Oscar nomination. Last year’s award went to Taika Waititi‘s “Jojo Rabbit” which won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar and got a Best Picture nod.

Continue reading TIFF: Chloé Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ Wins 2020 People’s Choice Award And Becomes The Frontrunner For This Year’s Awards Season at The Playlist.

Unfurling an entire life of failed artistic ambitions in the span of a two-hour film, Chaitanya Tamhane’s remarkable sophomore feature “The Disciple” is decidedly leisurely in its approach. Executive produced by Alfonso Cuarón, Tamhane’s film centralizes the world of Hindustani classical music, in which singers perform an improvised raga, modulating their voices depending on the singer’s emotional state. This highly technical musical form, perhaps most famously popularized in America by Ravi Shankar, serves as the backdrop to the ambitious struggles of Sharad Nerulkar (Aditya Modak), a musical protégé who may not be as talented as he believes he is.

Continue reading ‘The Disciple’ Is A Profound Study Of A Failed Artist [Venice Review] at The Playlist.

With a much different than usual Venice Film Festival now come to a close, it’s time for the annual awards ceremony that marks the beginning of the awards season, whatever that means in this strange year. The festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion, was just awarded to Chloé Zhao‘s “Nomadland.” The film received a very positive reception out of TIFF earlier this week, and also charmed our own Jessica Kiang who wrote: “a wise, beautiful film summoned up entirely from things authentically seen, felt, and thought.”

READ MORE: Chloé Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ Is As Vast As The American Landscape It Travels [Venice Review]

“Nomadland” now joins the prestigious, and at times strange group of films that have won the Golden Lion, which includes last year’s winner, “Joker,” as well as “Roma,” “The Shape of Water” and “From Afar.”

‘Pieces of a Woman’: A Stunningly Complete Portrait of A Woman Under The Influence Of Grief [Venice Review]

The jury, led by president Cate Blanchett, included “The Lodge” director Veronika Franz, “The Souvenir” director Joanna Hogg, writer Nicola Lagioia, “Barbara” filmmaker Christian Petzold, actor Matt Dillon, and actress Ludivine Sagnier.

Continue reading Chloé Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ Wins The Golden Lion At The 2020 Venice Film Festival, Vanessa Kirby Takes Best Actress at The Playlist.