The summer is known for big studio blockbusters, but for many fans of The Criterion Collection, releases are in store for something special in June as they’ve announced six additions are coming in glorious 4K UHD.

Criterion presents a group of films that includes Joachim Trier’s charming Oscar contender, “The Worst Person in the World”; Hong Kong master Stanley Kwan’s romantic ghost story, “Rouge”; Ekwa Msangi’s remarkable debut feature debut, “Farewell Amor”; and “Shaft,” the blaxploitation action-hero classic from Gordon Parks that helped launched serious black-led action films, now on 4K UHD.

Continue reading Criterion Adds ‘Shaft,’ ‘Pink Flamingos,’ ‘Worst Person In The World’ & More Titles In June at The Playlist.

Joachim Trier is having a good day. The excitement is almost pouring through the phone. And, who can blame him? Trier has just earned his first two Oscar nominations for his celebrated romantic drama “The Worst Person in the World.”

READ MORE: 2022 Oscar Nominations [Complete List]

“We are thrilled. I’m here with Eskil and the team and the actors, and we were watching the announcements with fingers crossed, waiting for the international category, and then suddenly Oscar struck us with the wonderful news of a nomination for best original screenplay.”

“Worst Person,” which this writer chose as the best film of 2021, has earned accolades since it debuted at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and star Renate Reinsve took the Best Actress prize.

Continue reading Joachim Trier On “Very Touching” ‘Worst Person In The World’ Oscar noms at The Playlist.

Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” is finally gracing America’s theaters and not only will moviegoers be able to catch the best movie of 2021, as well as BAFTA Best Actress nominee Renate Reinsve, but the movie’s secret weapon, Anders Danielsen Lie’s heartbreaking performance. Amazingly, Danielsen Lie is a celebrated actor who somehow manages a side career as a practicing medical doctor. And, as you’d expect, juggling both professional roles isn’t easy.

Continue reading ‘The Worst Person In The World’: Anders Danielsen Lie & His “Database Of Human Drama” [Interview] at The Playlist.

With all of the buzz surrounding the Sundance Film Festival last month and with the Berlin International Film Festival poised to begin later this month, it’s easy to miss some of the smaller films released on the regular schedule. While January failed to offer many must-see titles, February looks to offer more with films such as likely Oscar nominee “The Worst Person in the World” sharing release dates with the anticipated return of Johnny Knoxville and the gang in “Jackass Forever.” Later in the month will see another attempt to adapt a video game into a series building film, Channing Tatum’s directing debut, and the return of indie favorite Josephine Decker.

Continue reading 13 Films To See In February: ‘Jackass Forever,’ ‘Worst Person,’ ‘Dog’ & More at The Playlist.

“It’s a tough thing; making movies. And to talk to people who appreciate them means a lot.” Director Joachim Trier has an undeniably infectious energy, housing a clear love for the history of cinema and storytelling art in general. A pupil of director Stephen Frears while attending London’s National Film School, “The Worst Person in the World” filmmaker very much agrees with his former mentor’s philosophy that “90% of what you can do with actors starts with the casting.” Capturing both the frenetic spirit of youth and eventual acknowledgment of adulthood through her character, Julie, Cannes Best Actress winner Renate Reinsve was Trier’s only choice for the part, having written the script specifically with her in mind.

Continue reading Joachim Trier Talks The Inspiration For ‘The Worst Person In The World,’ His Love Of Graphic Novels & More [Interview] at The Playlist.

The new year has come, which means awards season speculation and Best-Of lists run rampant before the cycle begins all over again, albeit a little belatedly this year (we needed a break!) Sundance starts next week, the Festival moving online/virtual again this year with the surge in post-holiday Omicron cases. In some ways, the Oscar game often kicks off in Park City, unofficially, critically acclaimed titles like “Coda,” often first making their mark on a potential awards run.

Continue reading The 20 Best Films Of 2022 We’ve Already Seen at The Playlist.

Every year, there seems to be at least one film that debuts at a film festival, does the festival circuit and earns rave reviews everywhere it goes and is talked about as one of the best films of the year almost from the very first screening. In 2021, that film might be “The Worst Person in the World.”

READ MORE: The 25 Best Films Of 2021

As seen in the trailer, “The Worst Person in the World” isn’t about some sort of horrible dictator or mass murderer.

Continue reading ‘The Worst Person In The World’ Trailer: Joachim Trier’s Acclaimed Romantic Drama Arrives In Theaters Next Month at The Playlist.

The adulation for Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” continues. After winning Best Film from both the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the New York Film Critics Circle, Japan’s submission for the International Film Oscar dominated the winner’s list from the National Society of Critics. “Drive My Car” took Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay (Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe), and Best Actor (Hidetoshi Nishijima).

READ MORE: LA Film Critics select “Drive My Car” as Best Film of 2021

Outside of Best Actress, which went to “Parallel Mothers'” Penelope Cruz, most of the organization’s other winners were somewhat surprising.

Continue reading ‘Drive My Car’ Takes Best Picture From National Society Of Film Critics at The Playlist.

If you want to get in the International Film Oscar race get your ass to the Cannes Film Festival. This year, eight titles that made the 15 films cut debuted on la Croisette including Asghar Farhadi’s “A Hero,” Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” and Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s NYFCC and LAFCA Best Film winner, “Drive My Car.” This year’s Palme d’Or winner and the French submission, “Titane,” was snubbed.

Continue reading ‘Drive My Car,’ ‘Flee,’ ‘A Hero’ Make Oscars 2022 International Film Shortlist at The Playlist.

We certainly have not resumed full normalcy as we continue to battle this pandemic, but at least we have movies—even more than last year. With certain reservations about how they were premiered, released, and distributed, this year in film brought back more festival favorites like Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch,” more massive franchise golden geese like Cary Joji Fukunaga’s “No Time to Die,” more awards-friendly fare that had been held over, like Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.

Continue reading The 25 Best Films Of 2021 at The Playlist.

The New York Film Critics Circle announced their annual year-end honors, giving an awards season boost to one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, Ryusuke Hamaguchi‘s “Drive My Car.” Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” took three honors including Best Director, Best Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), and Best Supporting Actor (Kodi Smit-McPhee). For those paying attention, it’s worth noting the NYFCC’s top pick hasn’t won the Oscar for Best Picture since “The Artist” 10 years ago, but every winner has been nominated in the category.

Continue reading New York Film Critics Circle Choose ‘Drive My Car’ As Best Film at The Playlist.

Spotting and scrutinizing movie posters this year has felt brand new – like seeing the world with fresh eyes as we rush back into cinemas and can once again place faith in the pictures we see, knowing we will, finally, slowly, be able to bookmark these promises with a trip to the cinemas once more. That’s not to say we’re totally out of the woods yet – rather that there is simply more hope and excitement rather than just longing and loneliness as there was when we made this list this time last year. 

Right now, we celebrate – the colors, the emotion, the unexpected thrills and bold statements filmmakers are once more making with the first images we see of the movies we will so soon fall in love with.

Continue reading The Best Film Posters Of 2021 at The Playlist.

Unless you’ve been lucky enough to attend a number of select film festivals over the past few months, it’s highly unlikely you’ve seen Joachim Trier‘s fantastic “The Worst Person In The World” yet. And chances are you won’t see it anytime soon as NEON, its U.S. distributor, has also decided to release it in theaters this February. That’s unfortunate as it’s the sort of film that could use theatrical buzz as awards season heats up.

Continue reading Renate Reinsve Is The Best Actress Contender That Needs Your Social Media Hype [Interview] at The Playlist.

Two filmmakers uniquely fascinated with mapping and navigating moments in time, Mia Hansen-Løve and Joachim Trier, know how to pass an hour. And, in fact, their free talk on Monday evening — part of this year’s New York Film Festival, where Hansen-Løve’s “Bergman Island” and Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” are both Main Slate selections — ran about 20 minutes over its scheduled 60, though attendees packed into the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center’s 75-capacity Amphitheater didn’t seem to mind.  

“I need so much time to tell a story,” said Hansen-Løve, discussing how the passage of days appears to ebb and flow throughout the seven patiently naturalistic features she’s directed to date, from the coming-of-age story “Goodbye First Love” (2011) to decades-spanning rave-scene drama “Eden” (2014).

Continue reading Mia Hansen-Løve & Joachim Trier Talk Ingmar Bergman, Growing As A Filmmaker & More [NYFF] at The Playlist.

Despite the title, “The Worst Person in the World” isn’t, in fact, about the literal worst person on the planet. There are people in the world way worse than the character of Julie in Joachim Trier’s new film. But nevertheless, sometimes everyone thinks they hold the title at some point during their life.

READ MORE: ‘The Worst Person In The World’: Joachim Trier Latest In An Exuberant Delight Reminiscent Of ‘Frances Ha’ & ‘Reprise’ [Cannes Review]

As seen in the trailer for “The Worst Person in the World,” the film follows the story of Julie, a young woman in Oslo who is going through a really tough time in her life.

Continue reading ‘Worst Person In The World’ Teaser: Joachim Trier’s Award-Winning Cannes Film Arrives In Theaters Courtesy Of NEON at The Playlist.

Trust us when we say we hope there’s a day when the words pandemic and COVID-19 are never written on the pages of this website again, specifically in any intros to any features. However, the reality is that the collective disruption of 2020 was difficult, and it made 2021’s release schedule something of a log-jammed shitshow. That Delta variant could play havoc with things too, but we’re all starting to learn to live with a world that’s in flux. 

READ MORE: The Best Films Of 2021, So Far

All that said, the delays of 2021 have had their pluses.

Continue reading Fall 2021 Movie Preview: 60+ Must-See Films at The Playlist.

The Toronto International Film Festival announced today films from around the globe that are included in the Contemporary World Cinema programme presented by Sun Life and the Discovery programme presented by Dyson as part of the Toronto International Film Festival’s 46th edition, plus recently confirmed additional Gala and Special Presentations titles. Also announced: TIFF Rewind presented by Bell, which highlights memorable films from TIFF editions of the past along with conversations and Q&As with directors and cast members.

Continue reading TIFF 2021 Adds Jane Campion’s ‘Power Of The Dog,’ Joachim Trier ‘Worst Person In The World’ & More at The Playlist.

Well, that’s a wrap on the 2021 Cannes Film Festival; 56 reviews and counting (there might be one or two more stragglers to come, but we are basically done). It was a pretty great festival and strong year despite the COVID-19 protocol confusion, those changing rules, and Spike Lee spoiling the Palme d’Or prize early (Spike!!).

READ MORE: Cannes Film Festival 2021 Preview: 25 Films To Watch

2021 was a strong year, and perhaps that’s not a surprise since films like Wes Anderson‘s “The French Dispatch,” Paul Verhoven‘s “Benedetta,” and other movies basically waited an entire year waiting for the global pandemic to subside so they could premiere under optimal conditions.

Continue reading Best Of Cannes 2021: 15 Must-See Movies From The Festival at The Playlist.

In 2019, “Parasite” took the Palme d’Or in a celebration that saw audience members and media jumping from their seats in joy. Many thought it was a career achievement for Bong Joon Ho. But Oscar prospects? Well, sure, maybe it could be the first South Korean film to earn an International Film nomination, but more than that? Many dismissed its chances much too quickly. Some of us, however, saw a universal tale that was a clear Oscar contender.

Continue reading Did The 2022 Oscar Season Kickoff In Cannes With ‘Titane’? Well… at The Playlist.

The 74th Cannes Film Festival came to an end on Saturday night. It was a sweaty fest full of tourists more interested in the beach than the world premieres and lots of spitting in testing vials for non-Europeans, but it proved that a major festival could return at full capacity during the age of COVID. And, a jury comprised of notable industry players Spike Lee, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Tahar Rahim, among others, selected Julia Ducournau’s “Titane” to win the prestigious Palme d’ Or.

Continue reading Spike Lee Reveals ‘Titane’ As 2021 Cannes Palme d’Or Winner A Bit Early [Full Winners List] at The Playlist.

Director Joachim Trier has developed quite a relationship with the Cannes Film Festival over the years. Two of his films, 2011’s “Oslo, August 31st” and 2015’s “Louder Than Bombs,” have premiered at the festival, and he also served as the Jury President for the 57th Independent Critics’ Week at Cannes in 2018. Now, his new film, “The Worst Person In The World,” has premiered at Cannes this week, in competition for the coveted Palme d’Or.

Continue reading ‘The Worst Person In The World’: Watch The First 2 Clips From Joachim Trier’s Winning Millennial Struggle Cannes Dramedy at The Playlist.

Midway through “The Worst Person in the World,” everything stops. Everyone in the streets of Oslo is frozen in an instant. Pedestrians are suspended mid-stride, a couple passionately making out against a tree is stuck in stasis. Running gleefully amidst the stillness, with the widest carefree grin on her face, is Julie (Renate Reinsve), who would surely love for the passage of time to come to a halt for real if only so she could get a moment to figure out what she wants from her life.

Continue reading ‘The Worst Person In The World’: Joachim Trier Latest In An Exuberant Delight Reminiscent Of ‘Frances Ha’ & ‘Reprise’ [Cannes Review] at The Playlist.

It’s that time of year again, though a little delayed. Following the cancellation of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival last year, thanks to the global pandemic, Cannes is triumphantly back this year with a whopper of a line-up, And it’s one that’s perhaps overflowing with things that were due to appear at the festival last year (Wes Anderson‘s “The French Dispatch,” Paul Verhoeven’s “Benedetta”) and instead were held for an entire year by the filmmakers and producers.

Continue reading Cannes Film Festival 2021 Preview: 25 Films To Watch at The Playlist.