Another year has come and gone, and with it, another 12 months of quality cinema. And while the internet is flooded with critics and writers sharing their top 10s and Best Of’s, I wanted to use my platform a little differently. Instead of talking about the same things everyone else is saying (yes, “Parasite” is fucking great, and of course, I loved “Uncut Gems” and “Marriage Story” like the rest of you), I wanted to take this time to highlight some 2019 releases that I feel landed under the radar for most people.

Continue reading Charles Barfield’s Best Of 2019 Highlights Films That You May Have Missed at The Playlist.

Happy Holidays to you and yours. This season brings forth time-honored traditions of attempting to take it easy at work to spend time with loved ones, and compiling the year-end “Best Of” list and debate online whether or not it’s been a good year for movies.

READ MORE: The 100 Best Films Of The Decade

I’m speaking generally, of course. There are two firmly-held beliefs I have when it comes to making a “Best Of” list that you could tattoo on my forehead, carve on my tombstone, etc.

Continue reading Ryan Oliver’s Top 25 Films of 2019 [Video] at The Playlist.

Sometimes a film is meant to challenge you, and perhaps even upset you. Sometimes a film is meant to excite and thrill you. And in some cases, a film is just meant to move you and make you feel great. With “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” written and directed by Michael Schwartz and Tyler Nilson, the heartwarming project is meant to leave you with a smile on your face as you exit the theater.

Continue reading ‘Peanut Butter Falcon’ Exclusive Music Video: Parker Ainsworth, Butch Walker, Paris Jackson & Jessie Payo Combine Forces On New Song at The Playlist.

Labor Day Weekend isn’t normally known as a time to highlight the biggest blockbuster a studio might have. Sure, there’s an extra day to get people’s attention, but this weekend is normally known as a time when parents and children prepare for the upcoming school year, while others lament the summer gone by. Basically, not the best time to expect people to run out to the theater. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that this weekend’s box office report will feel a bit similar to last weekend’s, as studios largely steered clear.

Continue reading ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ Successfully Swings Back Into The Box Office Top 10 With Extended Cut Despite Sony/Disney Squabble at The Playlist.

Having previously directed documentaries and shorts until this year, filmmakers Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz burst onto the narrative feature scene with “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” which won the Narrative Spotlight Award at SXSW Film Festival. A boldly idiosyncratic independent film with a heart of gold, the modern-day Twain-inspired adventure story doubles as one of the most crowd-pleasing buddy comedies in years. The film stars Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen (both of whom create undeniably infectious chemistry), and Dakota Johnson.

Continue reading ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’: Directors Tyler Nilson & Michael Schwartz Discuss The Film’s Unique Development [Interview] at The Playlist.

Truth be told, there are some weekends when I sit here and realize that the box office report is going to be a bit…dry. That is to say that there’s just not too much to talk about, or perhaps I’m just sick of talking about another silly record being broken by Disney. It gets boring. This weekend, dear reader, that is not the case as Hollywood has decided to release no less than 6 films in relatively wide release and the Top 10 is drastically different than even 7 days ago.

Continue reading ‘Hobbs & Shaw’ Barely Muscles Out Horror Film ‘Scary Stories’ As ‘The Kitchen’ Fizzles [Box Office] at The Playlist.

It has already been a bizarre summer for movies, it’s only going to get stranger in August before the upheaval of the festival circuit is further set upon us and awards season kicks into high gear. Until then, while there are certainly interesting films to get us by, we’re going to continue to be hit with a smorgasbord of odd selections, from hard-hitting documentaries to the most ridiculous action flicks the genre could hurtle our way.

Continue reading 11 Movies To Watch In August: ‘Scary Stories,’ ‘Peanut Butter Falcon,’ ‘The Kitchen’ & More at The Playlist.

Reach back, if you will, and recollect the days of your high school years. Perhaps you can dimly recall an English classroom and long hours of reading (by force) the novels of Mark Twain. Maybe you even have fond memories of a young rogue named Huckleberry Finn, who faked his death and fled up the Mississippi River with naught but a raft and Jim, a slave on the run. If you enjoyed (or even remember) the comedic, moving story of Twain’s All-American Moses, you’re sure to enjoy the upcoming  adventure of the summer: “The Peanut Butter Falcon.”

READ MORE: The Best Films Of 2019… So Far

Here’s the synopsis:

READ MORE: ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’: Shia LaBeouf Shines In This Funny, Heartwarming Adventure [SXSW Review]

A modern Mark Twain style adventure story, THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON tells the story of Zak (Zak Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome, who runs away from a residential nursing home to follow his dream of attending the professional wrestling school of his idol, The Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church). 

Continue reading ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’ Trailer: Shia LaBeouf Stars In A Modern Mark Twain Riff at The Playlist.

The definition of family is not beholden to the idea of blood. Like anyone, blood relatives are completely susceptible to being rotten individuals, regardless of who they are providing for. The people who look after you are your family. Not unlike Hirokazu Kore-eda’s recent and beloved “Shoplifters,” Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz’s deeply-moving “The Peanut Butter Falcon” tackles the idea of finding beautiful familial relationships in unexpected places to fill that void in the heart.

Continue reading ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’: Shia LaBeouf Shines In This Funny, Heartwarming Adventure [SXSW Review] at The Playlist.

It’s been interesting to see Austin and the SXSW Festival explode over the years. Not only has film and music grown, but the festival’s become a trailblazer for tech, interactive, comedy, sports, and much more; SXSW just keeps expanding. Throughout it all, however, the festival has shown very-few-to-no growing pains which is astonishing considering all the expansion. Moreover, the film festival committee and programmers haven’t lost sight of what they do and have continued to deliver their eclectic mix of crowd-pleasing, raucous comedies, and mainstream efforts mixed in with under-the-radar, about-to-breakthrough indies, breakout documentaries and so much more.

Continue reading SXSW Film Festival Preview: 16 Movies To See at The Playlist.