As we slowly and eagerly await the end of a year that history will squint back on forever, we can take some solace in knowing that it hasn’t been completely devoid of good things. And if you’ve been following our marathon year-end coverage from the beginning of December, which course you have been, you know of what we speak. Today we finally zero in on the element that best illuminates the unassailable power of the silver screen — cinematography.

Continue reading The Best Cinematography Of 2016 at The Playlist.

This week we looked at the winners and losers of the summer 2016 season, but the usual dismal Labor Day weekend box office has provided two more entries to add to the latter category, while a late-season horror hit has stayed on top.

Screen Gems‘ “Don’t Breathe” comfortably took first place for a second week in a row, earning $15 million. The results push the domestic earnings for the picture over $50 million, which isn’t too bad for a movie that only cost $10 million to produce.

Continue reading ‘Don’t Breathe’ Stays On Top As ‘Light Between Oceans’ & ‘Morgan’ Among Worst Summer 2016 Debuts [Box Office] at The Playlist.

While this past summer at the movies has been rough by most accounts (though August had a slight surge of quality films), we now find ourselves at that near-180-degree switch that amounts to the fall festival season. With reviews already coming from our writer on the ground at the Venice Film Festival, and the Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival right around the corner, it’s an exciting time to visit The Playlist.

Continue reading 13 Films To See In September at The Playlist.

It might be a bit of a bummer to see news start rolling in about the movies screening at the Venice Film Festival, most of which you’ll have to wait months until you can watch them yourself. But there’s one movie making its premiere on the Lido that you’ll be able to see on the big screen starting this weekend: Derek Cianfrance‘s “The Light Between Oceans.” And in addition to featuring a killer lead trio in Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Rachel Weisz, the film also has the talents of Academy Award-winning composer Alexandre Desplat (“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Imitation Game,” “The King’s Speech“).

Continue reading Exclusive: Stream Alexandre Desplat’s Theme For ‘The Light Between Oceans’ at The Playlist.

Parents tend to have no perspective about their children, especially their newborn kin. They are the embodiment of life, golden treasures and mothers and fathers can stare at them lovingly all day long without pause. As such, as a love letter to his children and the halcyon days of baby coos and pure unadulterated love, Derek Cianfrance’s “The Light Between Oceans” is a little too precious and too enamored with itself.

Continue reading Derek Cianfrance’s ‘The Light Between Oceans’ Is Beautiful, But Can’t Sustain Its Melodramatic Grace Notes [Review] at The Playlist.

Derek Cianfrance’s “The Light Between Oceans” could be the head scratcher of the fall film festival season. The director (“Blue Valentine,” “The Place Beyond The Pines”) is deeply respected in the film world, the cast — including Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Rachel Weisz— is top shelf, and the movie is one of the most anticipated films of 2016 based on that alone.

Continue reading Swoon With The First 2 Clips From ‘The Light Between Oceans’ With Michael Fassbender & Alicia Vikander Plus Over 40 New Photos at The Playlist.

Next week, the first of the big fall film festivals kicks off, in which hordes of international journalists will surely threaten to sink the 11km-long sandbar island that is the Lido di Venezia. The Venice Film Festival is always bracketed with the boutique-y Telluride Film Festival and the behemoth Toronto International Film Festival, and there is famously significant competition between the three for premieres and high-profile titles. But Venice has certain advantages: it comes first on the calendar; it has a long, venerable and glamorous history; and… it’s in Venice.

Continue reading The 20 Most Anticipated Films Of The 2016 Venice Film Festival at The Playlist.

Let’s face it, 2016 has so far been sort of a crappy year for movies. It’s been a particularly bad summer blockbuster season, with almost everything coming up short. But even the indie world has been quieter than usual, with some dizzying highs — “The Witch,” “Embrace Of The Serpent,” “Green Room,” and “The Lobster” are among featured on our list of the best of the year so far — but some disappointments too.

Continue reading The 50 Most Anticipated Films Of The Fall Season at The Playlist.

The Venice Film Festival is always one of the highlights of the film-going year, and the line-up announced this morning for its 73rd installment, which kicks off next month, suggests that that’ll certainly be the case again, and that Cannes more and more faces some stiff competition from its waterbound competitor.

Venice has sometimes risked being overshadowed by TIFF by the U.S. press at least, but after a killer run of premieres in recent years including big Oscar-players like “Gravity,” “Birdman” and “Spotlight,” it’s attracting big-ticket movies as well as the usual great selection of world cinema that it’s always displayed.

Continue reading New Films By Terrence Malick, Derek Cianfrance, Mel Gibson, Denis Villeneuve Lead 2016 Venice Film Festival Line Up at The Playlist.

Director Derek Cianfrance certainly knows his way to an emotional gutpunch, as evidenced by “Blue Valentine,” which beautifully and agonizingly detailed the well of feelings involved in a breakup, leaving us clutching a box of Kleenex by the film’s gorgeous final credits. Can he do the same with “The Light Between Oceans“? Certainly, the story is filled with no shortage of drama that’s primed to not just tug at the heartstrings, but possibly rip them out.

Continue reading New Trailer For ‘The Light Between Oceans’ Highlights A Miraculous Love With Michael Fassbender & Alicia Vikander at The Playlist.

Michael Fassbender has got you covered this year. If you’re not in the mood to watch the actor in blockbuster mode via “X-Men: Apocalypse” or “Assassin’s Creed,” you can see him flex his well respected dramatic chops in the upcoming “The Light Between Oceans,” and a brand new trailer for the film has landed.

READ MORE: Review: Bloated ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ Buckles Under Excessive Superhero Destruction Porn

Directed by Derek Cianfrance (“Blue Valentine,” “The Place Beyond The Pines“) and co-starring Alicia Vikander and Rachel Weisz, this adaptation of of M.L.

Continue reading Watch: Michael Fassbender & Alicia Vikander Explore ‘The Light Between Oceans’ In New Trailer at The Playlist.

Watch The First Trailer For 'The Light Between Oceans' With Michael Fassbender & Alicia Vikander

Continue reading Watch The First Trailer For ‘The Light Between Oceans’ With Michael Fassbender & Alicia Vikander at The Playlist.

Derek Cianfrance's 'The Light Between Oceans' Starring Michael Fassbender Gets Labor Day Weekend Release Date

Continue reading Derek Cianfrance’s ‘The Light Between Oceans’ Starring Michael Fassbender Gets Labor Day Weekend Release Date at The Playlist.

New Images From 'Alice Through The Looking Glass,' 'The Light Between Oceans,' And 'Queen Of Katwe'

Continue reading New Images From ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass,’ ‘The Light Between Oceans,’ And ‘Queen Of Katwe’ at The Playlist.

New Image Of Michael Fassbender And Alicia Vikander In Derek Cianfrance's 'The Light Between Oceans'

Continue reading New Image Of Michael Fassbender And Alicia Vikander In Derek Cianfrance’s ‘The Light Between Oceans’ at The Playlist.

Interview: Rachel Weisz Talks 'Youth,' Assembling A Character, Derek Cianfrance’s ‘The Light Between Oceans’ & More

Continue reading Interview: Rachel Weisz Talks ‘Youth,’ Assembling A Character, Derek Cianfrance’s ‘The Light Between Oceans’ & More at The Playlist.

First Look: Alicia Vikander In ‘The Light Between Oceans,’ Actress Reportedly Eyed For New ‘Dragon Tattoo’ Movie

Continue reading First Look: Alicia Vikander In ‘The Light Between Oceans,’ Actress Reportedly Eyed For New ‘Dragon Tattoo’ Movie at The Playlist.

50 Movies On Our Fall Film Festival Wishlist

Continue reading 50 Movies On Our Fall Film Festival Wishlist at The Playlist.

Premature Oscar Predictions: The 2016 Best Actor Contenders

Continue reading Premature Oscar Predictions: The 2016 Best Actor Contenders at The Playlist.

Premature Oscar Predictions: The 2016 Best Picture Contenders

Continue reading Premature Oscar Predictions: The 2016 Best Picture Contenders at The Playlist.

Rachel Weisz Sees 'Light Between Oceans' With Michael Fassbender For Director Derek Cianfrance

Continue reading Rachel Weisz Sees ‘Light Between Oceans’ With Michael Fassbender For Director Derek Cianfrance at The Playlist.

Casting: Zachary Quinto Goes To 'Girls,' Alicia Vikander Sees 'Light Between Oceans' & More

Continue reading Casting: Zachary Quinto Goes To ‘Girls,’ Alicia Vikander Sees ‘Light Between Oceans’ & More at The Playlist.

Michael Fassbender Looking To Star In Derek Cianfrance’s ‘The Light Between Oceans’

Continue reading Michael Fassbender Looking To Star In Derek Cianfrance’s ‘The Light Between Oceans’ at The Playlist.

Derek Cianfrance To Set Sail On 'The Light Between Oceans'

Continue reading Derek Cianfrance To Set Sail On ‘The Light Between Oceans’ at The Playlist.