How’s this for an epic cast list?  Karim Aïnouz‘s “Rosebush Pruning” had enough hype surrounding it already: Elle Fanning as the star; Efthimis Filippou penning a script that adapts the 1965 classic “Fists In The Pocket“; MUBI, The Match Factory, and Fremantle‘s The Apartment footing the bill. But the ensemble Aïnouz cast around Fanning now makes his follow-up to “Motel Destino” one of next year’s most anticipated films.

Continue reading ‘Rosebush Pruning’: Karim Aïnouz’s Dark Satire With Elle Fanning Adds Callum Turner, Riley Keough, Jamie Bell & More at The Playlist.

If you manage to go in blind to “Eric Larue,” the directorial debut of actor Michael Shannon, you might think the titular character is dead. His parents, Janice and Ron (Judy Greer and Alexander Skarsgård, respectively), go through the motions of their everyday routines with a gaping hole in their emotional lives. It feels a bit like the somber sadness of “Rabbit Hole,” the Nicole Kidman-starring adaptation of the David Lindsay-Abaire play about the grief over a lost child.

Continue reading ‘Eric Larue’ Review: Michael Shannon’s Directorial Debut Gives Judy Greer the Spotlight She Deserves [Tribeca] at The Playlist.

The novels of Patricia Highsmith are a gift to filmmakers. Murderous levels of desire and jealousy simmer in protagonists, often criminals or outsiders, whose calculating observations power page after page in a slow burn towards a dreadful denouement. Save for her one extraordinary romance, Carol (aka The Price of Salt), it is the underbelly of human nature that captured Highsmith.

READ MORE: ‘Deep Water’: Long-Awaited Ben Affleck & Ana De Armas Erotic Thriller Debuts March 18 On Hulu

The marriage of Highsmith’s cool imagination with that of Mr-‘80s-and-‘90s-erotic-thrillers, Adrian Lyne makes for a partnership just as peculiar as the one shared by Vic and Melinda Van Allen.

Continue reading ‘Deep Water’ Review: Ben Affleck & Ana de Armas Are Committed In A Thriller Not Ridiculous Enough To Be Camp at The Playlist.

Everyone is hiding something in “The Woman in the Window.” Unfortunately, the challenge here isn’t so much deciphering the film’s array of generously signposted secrets but, instead, finding reasons to care about them in the first place. In that regard, versatile British director Joe Wright’s visually stylish, but ultimately sluggish thriller commits perhaps the most cardinal genre sin of them all. Somewhere amid suspicious neighbors who might have killed someone, stormy New York City nights, and one too many instances of pill-popping and heavy-drinking, it forgets to have fun, aggressively molding its “Gone Girl” echoes into a contemporary “Rear Window” template (if that much isn’t already evident by the title).

Continue reading ‘Woman In The Window’: Amy Adams Fails To Awaken This Sleepy, Predictable Mystery Thriller [Review] at The Playlist.

Patricia Highsmith’s writing has always made for excellent cinema. Alfred Hitchcock’s “Strangers On A Train,” Todd Hayne’s “Carol,” and Anthony Minghella’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley” are all prime examples of how well Highsmith’s work carries over to the big screen. However, 2016’s “A Kind Of Murder,” the last adaptation of her work, received only a limited release and a lukewarm reception from critics.

Continue reading ‘Deep Water’ Trailer: Ben Affleck & Ana De Armas Star In An Erotic Thriller Coming To Hulu In March at The Playlist.

A Tragedy of Manners. This is how bestselling author Patrick DeWitt’s satirical novel “French Exit” was billed upon its publishing in 2018. That description is also spot-on for this elegant, droll, and heartbreaking screen adaption, directed with crafty command and confident style by Azazel Jacobs. Scripted by DeWitt himself with the authority of a wordsmith possessed by his own material, the fiendishly disarming “French Exit” widely and nonchalantly grins out its death-tinted tragedy throughout, but with a fake smile, a severe code of conduct, and not a hair out of place.

Continue reading ‘French Exit’: With No F*cks To Give, Michelle Pfeiffer Sets An Icy World Of Privilege Ablaze [NYFF Review] at The Playlist.

Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on-demand, vintage and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalog titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This weekly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you’re watching. 

This week’s new release slate includes three big Oscar nominees (and one winner), an acclaimed indie that should’ve been up there with them, new Aardman animation on Netflix, a muscular old-school action flick, and two new Blu-rays from Criterion. 

Continue reading The 9 Best Movies To Buy Or Stream This Week: ‘Jojo Rabbit,’ ‘Beautiful Day,’ ’21 Bridges’ & More at The Playlist.

Amy Adams made the 2010s a decade of outstanding performances, with an emphasis on the films “Arrival” and “The Master,” and even “Sharp Objects” in the realm of television. She showed her ability to transform into any character, morphing into one of Hollywood’s most respected and ambitious actors. Even though her Oscar got lost in the mail, Adams’ star power continues to grow.

Continue reading ‘The Woman In The Window’ Trailer: Amy Adams Hides In A New Mystery Thriller at The Playlist.

Louisa May Alcott changed how we and women hear their voices. Beginning in 1868, she released a semi-autobiographical work set during the Civil War focusing upon four sisters that would deservingly become an inspiration for generations of young girls. Since then, each cinematic rendering of “Little Women” has emphasized a unique set of themes. In George Cuckor’s 1933 version, released during the Great Depression and on the eve of the Second World War, frugality and moral self-sacrifice rang true.

Continue reading ‘Little Women’: Greta Gerwig Crafts A Beautifully Enchanting & Heartrending New Version Of A Classic [Review] at The Playlist.

Tracy Letts is a Tony-Award winning actor and a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.  He’s starred in Oscar-nominated films and earned WGA Award nominations, but it appears he’s finally encountered the deflating experience of Hollywood studio meddling.  Thank the Disney/20th Century Fox merger, sadly.

Letts was brought on to adapt  A.J. Finn’s novel “The Woman in the Widow,” the first time he’s ever tackled another writer’s work.  The film was directed by Joe Wright and features an all-star cast including Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Tyree Henry.

Continue reading Tracy Letts’ Experience Working On ‘Woman In The Window,’ Well, “Kinda Sucked” at The Playlist.

TELLURIDE – The story of the Ford Motor Company’s attempt to overtake Ferrari’s dominance at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race has already been written. You can find the historical details quite easily and quickly if you really want to. Despite that obvious knowledge James Mangold, using a screenplay by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller, has managed to accomplish what only the best historical dramas do with “Ford v Ferrari” , keep you at the edge of your seat.

Continue reading Christian Bale & Matt Damon Take A Thrilling Ride In James Mangold’s ‘Ford v Ferrari’ [Review] at The Playlist.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences started off the month by inviting 842 new members into the mix. Assuming they all agree to join, which is never the case, this swells the membership to almost 9,000 members. This year’s class also helps AMPAS come closer to many of the diversity goals it has strived for since the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in 2016.

READ MORE: Timothee Chalamet, Tiffany Haddish among massive new 928 member Academy class 

According to the Academy, 50% of the new members are women and push the overall percentage from 25 to 32%.

Continue reading Adele, Lady Gaga, Sterling K. Brown & 839 More Invited To Join The Academy at The Playlist.

Not only is fall festival season the time for lucky film fans to see some of the best movies of the year, but it’s also a time for actors, producers, and filmmakers to sell their latest project to studios. And while we’ve already heard about a couple huge projects to be on the table during this season, the latest major film package features one of the bet up and coming directors leading an all-star cast in what seems to be a pretty incredible story.

Continue reading Chris Evans, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson & More Join New Thriller From ‘Christine’ Director Antonio Campos at The Playlist.

Steven Spielberg’s career has always been marked by two distinct characteristics: optimism (there’s not a cynical bone in his body), and a sentimentality that underlines most characters, subjects and approaches. The former trait — supported by a thrilling, propulsive approach to storytelling — has contributed to countless classic pieces of cinema, but the latter, mawkish qualities have marred many of his films. When the two elements dovetail, one gets the magical uniqueness that epitomizes Spielberg at his best.

Continue reading Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Post’: A Stirring, Sentimental & Feminist ‘All The President’s Men’ Prequel [Review] at The Playlist.

Even if audiences didn’t embrace “The BFG,” any new movie from Steven Spielberg is an event, and his latest, “The Post,” is shaping up to be a major Oscar contender. America’s top newspapers are in the midst of a renaissance and “The Post” portrays the Washington Post during its golden era, just prior to Watergate, as the paper battled the federal government for the right to publish the Pentagon Papers, the collection leaked by Daniel Ellsberg which revealed the extent to which the government had lied about the Vietnam War.

Continue reading ‘The Post’ Trailer: Steven Spielberg Releases The Pentagon Papers at The Playlist.

This year at the Toronto International Film Festival, there are quite a few films that might pique the interest for a variety of reasons. One film, “Lady Bird,” is of particular interest because, firstly, it looks pretty damn good and, secondly, it has Greta Gerwig making her solo directorial debut.

READ MORE: ‘Lady Bird’: Laurie Metcalf Has Her Moment In Greta Gerwig’s Solo-Directorial Debut [Telluride Review]

Gerwig is currently best known as an actor and writer, though she did co-direct “Nights and Weekends,” so she’s not technically a neophyte.

Continue reading ‘Lady Bird’ Trailer: Saoirse Ronan Can’t Wait To Leave Sacramento at The Playlist.

TELLURIDE – I give you a teenager.  Let’s say a high school senior, maybe. Counting the days till they can leave their silly small town and go to their dream college in a city far, far away. This is a coming of age storyline that you’ve seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching. Ladies and gentleman please welcome to the stage Greta Gerwig and “Lady Bird.”

Gerwig’s solo directorial and screenwriting debut, “Lady Bird” centers on Christine (Saoirse Ronan), who has renamed herself the title in question.

Continue reading ‘Lady Bird’: Laurie Metcalf Has Her Moment In Greta Gerwig’s Solo-Directorial Debut [Telluride Review] at The Playlist.

When you’re Steven Spielberg, you can get whoever the hell you want to star in your movies, especially if it’s gunning for Oscar glory. It may be June, but the director is fast-tracking his Pentagon Papers movie “The Papers” (formerly known as “The Post“), that will be led by Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. And if that leading duo wasn’t impressive enough as it is, the supporting ensemble is a bounty of talent.

Continue reading Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Carrie Coon & More Join Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Papers’ With Meryl Streep & Tom Hanks at The Playlist.

There is a moment in Azazel Jacobs’ “The Lovers” (read our review of the movie, which opens in limited release today) that feels almost shockingly real. And it’s a small one that almost anyone watching the movie may have experienced in their own lives.

The film centers on a long-married couple, Mary (Debra Winger) and Michael (Tracy Letts), who are each having an affair with someone else as their union teeters on divorce.

Continue reading Debra Winger Didn’t Think She Was Making A Comedy When She Shot ‘The Lovers’ [Interview] at The Playlist.

In other hands, the stripped-down premise of “The Lovers” — a decades-long marriage in its death throes — could be a dour experience or even an enjoyably nasty one. But writer/director Azazel Jacobs (HBO‘s “Doll & Em“) and his two leads Tracy Letts and Debra Winger bring a warm, bittersweet tone to a film that’s an endearing joy to watch.

Continue reading Azazel Jacobs’ ‘The Lovers’ Is A Wonderfully Adult Romantic Comedy [Tribeca Review] at The Playlist.

Generally speaking, A24 either acquire or debut films on the festival circuit before bringing them to cinemas, but that strategy doesn’t always need to be followed. Occasionally, there’s a film whose charm speaks for itself and whose ambitions are modest, and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t just go right to theaters. And for “The Lovers,” the indie studio is keeping things simple and doing just that.

Directed by Azazel Jacobs (“Terri“), and starring Tracey Letts, Debra Winger, and Aiden Gillen, the film follows a long-married couple who each have an affair, only to develop a stronger attraction to each other than ever before.

Continue reading Debra Winger & Tracy Letts Breakup & Makeup In First Trailer For ‘The Lovers’ at The Playlist.

While Daniel Radcliffe is keeping the door open to play Harry Potter again, if and when that happens, it will be a long time down the road. So for now, he’s continuing to try his luck at projects that show new sides to the boy wizard, and the latest is “Imperium.”

READ MORE: The 40 Most Anticipated Movies Of Summer 2016

Written and directed by Daniel Ragussis, co-starring Toni Collette, Sam Trammell, Burn Gorman, Nestor Carbonell, and Tracy Letts, and inspired by a true story, the film finds Radcliffe playing Nate Foster, an FBI agent who goes deep undercover and infiltrates the neo-Nazi movement.

Continue reading Daniel Radcliffe Goes Undercover In First Trailer For ‘Imperium’ at The Playlist.

Todd Solondz has been making movies since 1989, and became the toast of Sundance and American art-houses with just his second film, 1995’s “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” But the writer-director hasn’t been all that prolific throughout his career, producing only eight features in just over a quarter-century. In part that’s due to the ups and downs of the indie film market. It’s also because it takes time to come up with something unlike what any other filmmaker could or would do.

Continue reading ‘Wiener-Dog’ Starring Greta Gerwig & Danny DeVito Might Be Todd Solondz’s Most Accessible Film [Review] at The Playlist.

Production Begins On Todd Solondz’s ‘Wiener-Dog’; Full Cast Includes Brie Larson, Zosia Mamet & More

Continue reading Production Begins On Todd Solondz’s ‘Wiener-Dog’; Full Cast Includes Brie Larson, Zosia Mamet & More at The Playlist.

Oscars: Which Films Will Pick Up Original & Adapted Screenplay Nominations?

Continue reading Oscars: Which Films Will Pick Up Original & Adapted Screenplay Nominations? at The Playlist.