If you live in the US, November is a time for feasting and excess. Obviously, you have the joy of Thanksgiving, which is a feast that makes you literally pass out from food exhaustion. Then you have Black Friday, which is a lesson in excess, as people just go out to buy everything they can at low prices as they brace for the Christmas season. Well, in the tradition of November feasts, the Criterion Collection is here to feed us well with plenty of new releases for us to overindulge in. 

Continue reading ‘Power Of The Dog,’ ‘Infernal Affairs,’ ‘Malcolm X’ & More Coming From Criterion In November at The Playlist.

When Jane Campion returned with 2021’s Oscar-nominated “The Power Of The Dog,” there was much talk about the New Zealand filmmaker’s return and her 12-year absence from feature filmmaking. However, often missing in that narrative was the fact that Campion never went anywhere. All she did was pivot to television and two seasons of “Top Of The Lake” (2013 and then 2017), so acclaimed and anticipated at the time, it was invited to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and is largely regarded as some of the best TV of the decade.

Continue reading Elisabeth Moss Talks Missing Out On ‘The Power Of The Dog’ & Hoping To Reunite With Jane Campion at The Playlist.

After the dismal ratings of last year’s Oscar broadcast, a lot was in the balance for this year’s edition, one less severely curtailed by Covid protocols but with its own share of new worries and controversy. The decision to have the awards from eight categories (documentary short, film editing, makeup/hairstyling, original score, production design, animated short, live-action short, and sound) handed out at the beginning of the ceremony, before the event actually went live on television, was met with strong resistance from all corners of the industry.

Continue reading Analyze This: Why ‘Coda’ Won The 2022 Best Picture Oscar at The Playlist.

The Oscars were back in the Dolby Theater this year with social distancing and eight categories presented before the live show even began. While there was a joke about Samuel L. Jackson in hosts Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes‘ opening bit, his Oscar moment presented by Denzel Washington, along with all the other Honorary Oscars were similarly not presented live. Despite containing one of the most WTF moments in Oscar history, the show oscillated between dragging and feeling weirdly chaotic.

Continue reading Oscars 2022: The Snubs & Surprises at The Playlist.

After a long and predictably fraught journey, Oscar season finally came to an end tonight in a wild ceremony hosted by Regina Hall, Wanda Sikes, and Amy Schumer. In an effort to attract more viewers and make more time for “entertainment,” as Oscar producer Will Packer put it, the show cut eight categories from the main broadcast. Jumbling things further, those eight categories and their speeches were then edited into the live broadcast in brief intervals, making one wonder what the point was, given the show actually ran longer than last year.

Continue reading Oscars 2022: ‘CODA’ Wins Best Picture, ‘Dune’ Takes 6 Awards [Full Winners List] at The Playlist.

Jane Campion has made history once again. Just the second woman nominated for Best Director in 1994 for “The Piano,” she now has become the third woman to win the prestigious Oscar category for “The Power of the Dog.” This is her second Oscar statue after winning Best Original Screenplay for the aforementioned “Piano.”

READ MORE: Kirsten Dunst: “Roles Are Only As Good As The Films They’re In” [Interview]

The Australian native has won a cavalcade of Best Director honors for “The Power of The Dog,” including the DGA Award, the BAFTA Award, the Golden Globe, the LA Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Circle, a Venice Film Festival honor, and the Critics Choice Award.

Continue reading Jane Campion Wins Best Director Oscar For ‘Power Of The Dog’ at The Playlist.

And finally, our long journey is almost at an end. It’s been a little over five and a half months since the fall festival season kicked off and AMPAS members are finally about to cast their final ballots for the 94th Academy Awards. There are a number of races that seem pretty much settled. For example, Jenny Beavan winning Costumes for “Cruella” is one of the biggest locks of the night.

Continue reading 5 Oscar Races To Watch As Final Voting Begins at The Playlist.

As “The Power of the Dog” continues to earn a ton of awards as it marches its way to what seems to be some more trophies at the Oscars, the discussion surrounding the film has less to do with the content of the feature and more to do with comments made by people surrounding the film. First, we saw Sam Elliott make ridiculous comments about the film and its view on Westerns.

Continue reading Jane Campion Apologizes After Controversial Venus & Serena Williams Comments At Critics Choice Awards [Updated] at The Playlist.

In an evening otherwise marked by celebration, there was still a little room for award season controversy. Last night, director Jane Campion took home her first DGA Award for her work on “The Power of the Dog,” an Oscar frontrunner and gleeful twist on the western and male masculinity. But having spent the past few days dogged by the negative comments of actor Sam Elliott, Campion was asked by Deadline if she had a response.

Continue reading Jane Campion Calls Sam Elliott A “Bitch,” Claps Back At His “Misogyny” And “Homophobia” at The Playlist.

Like many other awards shows, the DGA Awards returned to an in-person event for 2022. This year’s event was hosted by Judd Apatow and featured a number of minor upsets. There was no big surprise with the top honor, however, as Jane Campion won her first DGA Award for “The Power of the Dog.”

READ MORE: Director Jane Campion says feature filmmaking is “Not As Daring As Series-Making”

Campion became just the third woman to win the category after Kathryn Bigelow in 2010 for “The Hurt Locker” and Chloe Zhao for “Nomadland” last year.

Continue reading Jane Campion Wins Top Prize At 2022 DGA Awards at The Playlist.

Sam Elliott recently finished the first season of his hit Paramount+ series, “1883,” the first spinoff of the uber-popular “Yellowstone.” And in the aforementioned series, Elliott continues his career-spanning work portraying super masculine guys. In the case of “1883,” he’s, once again, a cowboy, as well, with his gruff voice and facial hair. But even though his series has been a massively popular show, recently Elliott came under fire for some remarks he made about Netflix’s Oscar-nominated cowboy drama, “The Power of the Dog,” calling it a “piece of shit” and criticizing the “allusions to homosexuality” in the film.

Continue reading Benedict Cumberbatch Talks Sam Elliott’s “Very Odd” Comments About ‘Power Of The Dog’ at The Playlist.

Earlier this month, several historic achievements were made after “The Power of the Dog” earned 12 Oscar nominations. Jane Campion became the first woman with two Best Director nominations. The first for “The Piano” and, now, a second for “Power.” Kirsten Dunst was finally honored with a long-deserved acting nomination for Supporting Actress. And, in another reminder that the industry has a long way to go when it comes to diversity, Ari Wegner became just the second woman to land a Cinematography nod.

Continue reading Cinematographer Ari Wegner Breaks Down A Scene From ‘The Power Of The Dog’ [Exclusive] at The Playlist.

Awards season just loves drama, doesn’t it? After months of barely a peep of any real controversy, the past few weeks have seen both the Academy and – sorry, checking my notes – ah, yes, Sam Elliott come under fire. And, in the biggest surprise of all, the latter’s unexpected comments have a shot at affecting a seemingly tight Best Picture race (maybe). Let’s start with AMPAS, however, and an Oscar telecast that no amount of protesting is going to change.

Continue reading It Wouldn’t Be A Best Picture Race Without More Controversy [Contender Countdown] at The Playlist.

It’s almost comical how many older Hollywood types end up saying the most out-of-touch things nowadays. Recently, we had some strong words from Francis Ford Coppola about filmmaking and blockbusters. Previously, there’s all that Martin Scorsese stuff about Marvel. And now, it appears Sam Elliott has decided to talk about Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog.” And by “talk about,” it’s really just him railing against the film and its depiction of the American West, which is something Elliott feels offended by, apparently. 

Continue reading Sam Elliott Calls ‘The Power Of The Dog’ A “Piece Of Sh*t” & Criticizes The “Allusions To Homosexuality” In The Film at The Playlist.

Perhaps the Best Picture race is truly over. When the 2022 Oscar nominations were announced Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” landed 12 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Adapted Screenplay, four acting nominations, and Editing. The only contender with nods in the five key categories. It also earned Original Score, Sound, Cinematography, and Production Design nods. In fact, the only qualifying branches that didn’t recognize it were Costumes and Makeup and Hair.

Continue reading Is ‘Power Of The Dog’ Your Oscar Winner For Best Picture? at The Playlist.

Well, it’s certainly that timer again. The 94th Academy Award ceremony announces its Oscar picks for 2022. It’s been a long and winding Oscar season, but this phase of the campaign is about to be over. Will Netflix and “Don’t Look Up,” “The Power Of The Dog” dominate? Will Disney find some redemption in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story”?

Continue reading 2022 Oscar Nominations: ‘Power Of The Dog’ Leads With 12 Noms, ‘Dune’ Nabs 10 [Full List] at The Playlist.

The Oscar nominations are finally here. AMPAS members are collectively ready to unveil some surprises, some snubs, and, most notably, make history. When the nominations are announced insanely early on Tuesday morning Netflix may become the first studio or distributor to land three Best Picture nominees in one year in over five decades. And even more potentially historic, Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s “Flee” could become the first film to earn International Film Film, Animated Feature, and Documentary Feature nominations (Spoiler: We’re predicting it).

Continue reading Oscar Nominations Predictions 2022: ‘Dune,’ ‘Power of The Dog’ & ‘Belfast’ Will Dominate at The Playlist.

The Oscar nominations are just a few days away, but early this morning BAFTA revealed their nominees for the 2022 British Academy Film Awards. And, as in recent years, they served as an indicator of where AMPAS members may throw their ballots. In something of a surprise, “Dune” lead all films with 11 nominations including Best Film.

READ MORE: “Belfast,” “Only Murders In The Building” and “Succession” lead 2022 SAG Awards nominations

Other nominees for Best Film included “Belfast” (6 noms), “Don’t Look Up” (4 noms), “Licorice Pizza” (5 noms) and “The Power of the Dog” (8 noms).

Continue reading ‘Dune’ Leads 2022 BAFTA Awards With 11 Nominations at The Playlist.

It was a day when four Hollywood guild honors had their say and the editors cut themselves into the picture with the 2022 ACE Eddie Awards nominations. On the film side, 10 nominees were recognized in two categories. Those films are “Belfast,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “No Time To Die,” “The Power of the Dog,” “Cruella,” “Don’t Look Up,” “The French Dispatch,” “Licorice Pizza” and “tick, tick…BOOM!”

READ MORE: “Belfast,” “Dune” and “Succession” among 2022 PGA Awards nominees

Surprising omissions in the film categories include “West Side Story,” “Licorice Pizza” and “Nightmare Alley.”

On the television side, “Euphoria,” “Lupin,” “Squid Game” and two editors of “Succession” earned nods in the Drama category while “Hacks,” two nods each for “Ted Lasso” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” made up the Comedy field.

Continue reading ‘No Time To Die,’ ‘French Dispatch’ & ‘Euphoria’ Among 2022 ACE Eddie Awards Nominees at The Playlist.

The Producers Guild of America announced the film and television nominees for the 2022 PGA Awards and it was a banner day for Netflix. Three of the streamer’s films earned nominations, “Don’t Look Up,” “tick, tick…BOOM!” and “The Power of the Dog.” The rest of the Theatrical Motion Picture category included “Belfast,” “CODA,” “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza” and “West Side Story.”

READ MORE: “Summer of Soul,” “Flee” among 2022 PGA Awards nominees

This was disappointing news for “Nightmare Alley,” “No Time To Die” and “The Lost Daughter,” but all is not lost.

Continue reading ‘Belfast,’ ‘Dune,’ ‘Succession’ Among 2022 PGA Awards Nominees at The Playlist.

The American Society of Cinematographers announced their 2022 nominees this morning and it was good news for Sci-Fi fans. Over six categories projects such as “Dune,” “Foundation,” “Titans,” “Snowpiercer,” “Superman & Lois” and “The Nevers” earned nominations. Of course, it’s the film nods that will get the most attention.

READ MORE: “Belfast,” “Only Murders in the Building” and “Succession” lead 2022 SAG Awards nominations

Greig Fraser‘s work on “Dune” was nominated in the Feature Film category alongside Bruno Delbonnel for “Tragedy of Macbeth,” Dan Lausten for “Nightmare Alley,” Ari Wegner for “The Power of the Dog” and Haris Zambarloukos for “Belfast.” Additionally, the Spotlight category saw Ruben Impens recognized for “Titane,” Pat Scola for “Pig” and a very deserving Adolpho Velos for “Jockey.”

On the television side, other nominees included James Laxton for “The Underground Railroad,” Ben Richardson for “Mare of Easttown,” David Garbett for “Sweet Tooth” and Adam Bricker for “Hacks.”

Some of the snubbed film contenders that will be looking to crack the Oscar field include “The French Dispatch,” “West Side Story,” “Cyrano” and “No Time To Die,” among others.

Continue reading ‘Dune,’ Nightmare Alley,’ ‘Belfast’ Earn 2022 ASC Awards nominations at The Playlist.

The nominees for the 28th SAG Awards were announced this morning by Rosario Dawson and Vanessa Hudgens and they provided a lot of surprises on both the film and the television side. On the big screen, “House of Gucci” led all films with nominations for Ensemble, Lead Actress (Lady Gaga), and Supporting Actor (Jared Leto). On the television side, “Succession” earned five nominations including Ensemble for a Drama Series, Actor (Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Jeremy Strong), and Actress (Sarah Snook).

Continue reading ‘Belfast,’ ‘Only Murders In The Building’ & ‘Succession’ Top SAG Awards Nominations at The Playlist.

If you’re looking for an indicator of potential Oscar nominations sometimes you need to look across the Atlantic to the Academy’s British counterparts, BAFTA. The U.K.-based organization features a large cross-section of AMPAS members so their nominations can tell along about where the Oscars may (or may not) go. This morning BAFTA released the first phase of its nominations, the Longlists, and what stood out the most was just how much Netflix dominated the proceedings.

Continue reading ‘West Side Story,’ ‘The Power Of The Dog’ & ‘Don’t Look Up’ Dominate The BAFTA Awards Longlists at The Playlist.

Here we are again — another year that somehow felt both five seconds and twelve eons long has come to a close. For me, a big highlight was definitely getting to see movies in theaters again (post-vaccination and with a mask on, of course). My first venture back was for “A Quiet Place Part II,” and soon after that I got to live my high school theater kid dream by seeing “In the Heights” on the big screen.

Continue reading Lena Wilson’s Top 10 Films Of 2021 at The Playlist.

He’s already won Best Supporting Actor honors from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Circle, and five other critics groups. He’s the frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actor, but despite the acclaim for his performance in Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog,” Kodi Smit-McPhee is attempting not to pay too much attention to it. As he noted in a conversation last month, he may only be 25 years old, but he’s been on “a long and very personal journey” when it comes to his acting career.

Continue reading Kodi Smit-McPhee: “I Surrendered And I Went For The Ride” [Interview] at The Playlist.