It’s the dog days of summer, and while that sometimes brings some dire offerings to the world of cinema, August still has plenty of distractions worth looking into. For one, M. Night Shyamalan returns with the serial killer film “Trap,” starring Josh Harnett, Matt Damon, and Casey Affleck star in “The Instigators” crime comedy for ‘Bourne Identity’ filmmaker Doug Liman, and horror suspense filmmaker Fede Álvarez finds a new muse in Cailee Spaeny (“Priscilla”), for his scary-looking “Alien: Romulus” franchise installment. 

Continue reading 12 Movies To See In August: ‘Trap,’ ‘Alien: Romulus,’ ‘Blink Twice’ & More at The Playlist.

No spoilers of course, but it wouldn’t be an M. Night Shyamalan film without a big twist, right? However, like some gimmicky curveballs of the past from the filmmaker that haven’t always worked, calling what happens in “Trap,” Shyamalan’s latest film, a twist might be misnomer. Because what occurs in this tense, taut and entertaining catch-a-serial-killer-drama is initially compelling; a popcorn cinema-approach to a single-setting thriller. But subverting the genre with an audacious, unexpected structure, Shyamalan’s “Trap” takes a tonal turn, and evolves into something much darker, more disturbing and even heartbreaking.

Continue reading ‘Trap’ Review: M. Night Shyamalan’s Entertaining Thriller Shapeshifts Into A Compellingly Darker Effort at The Playlist.

If it feels like filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan is fired up and reenergized with his new single-setting thriller “Trap,” that’s because he is. It’s his best film of all ages; it is tense, tightly wound, and stress-inducing but entertaining with a dark sense of humor. It’s also akin to Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” where it attempts and pulls off some bold structural moves in its terrifying and disturbing final act that will take you by surprise.

Continue reading ‘Trap’: Josh Hartnett Talks Working With M. Night Shyamalan, Potential Sequels, & Playing A Terrifying Psychopath [Interview] at The Playlist.

After the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film industry is still trying to find its sea legs in 2024. While the box office has been lagging, and there’s been no “Super Mario Bros,” “Barbie,” or “Oppenheimer” so far this year, to be fair, most of those hits didn’t arrive until the summer (minus the Nintendo adaptation). While it’s been a relatively slow year at the domestic box office, there have been hits in “Dune: Part Two” and “Godzilla x Kong,”

And, while the movie industry seemingly slowed down production last year because of said strikes, there’s absolutely no lack of content this year.

Continue reading Summer Movie Preview: 50 Must-See Films To Watch at The Playlist.

After a five-movie spate at Universal that resurrected his career, M. Night Shyamalan now has a first-look deal at Warner Bros. Pictures. So what’s the first film of Shyamalan’s at his new studio home? That would be “Trap,” a thriller that stars his eldest daughter, rising music star Saleka Shyamalan.

READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2024

And since this is an M.

Continue reading ‘Trap’ Trailer: M. Night Shyamalan’s Latest Thriller Gives A Pop Star’s Arena Event A Dark Twist at The Playlist.

Ok, you’ve hopefully read our 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2024 list, and perhaps you may have been disappointed at the lack of potentially so many blockbusters, horrors, and mainstream spectacles. Don’t worry; we like some of that stuff, can enjoy it, and can be thrilled by it, too. Look, the two most mainstream movies of the year (and highest-grossing) are “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” and they rule.

Continue reading Most Anticipated 2024: 27 Blockbusters & Big Spectacle Movies To Watch at The Playlist.

Believe it or not, M. Night Shyamalan had his seventh #1 opening weekend at the box office with “Knock At The Cabin” earlier this month. Sure, a box office win in early February isn’t exactly high stakes, but Shyamalan’s latest did finally knock “Avatar: The Way Of Water” out of the top spot—something to be said for that.  

READ MORE: ‘Knock At The Cabin’ Review: Top-Tier M.

Continue reading M. Night Shyamalan Signs New Overall Deal With Warner Bros., Eyes ‘Trap’ As His Next Film at The Playlist.