Genre films often have certain calling cards allowing audiences to know what we will be watching. Symbols and stylistic elements aid the film and composition of narrative. In horror films we can expect to see shadows and darkness, noirs offer oblique lines, and science fiction introduces objects unfamiliar to the ordinary world. But of the objects in mise-en-scène, what is one piece that often transcends genre and has the option to evade or pursue analysis?

Continue reading Upon Reflection: Directors Love Using Mirrors at The Playlist.

We only have a few more days to wait before we’ll see if any film or person can pull off a major upset (in any category) and beat out “La La Land” which, last time we checked, was tracking to pick up more Oscars on Sunday than there are categories. It seems mathematically impossible, but that’s the magic of the movies for you. One of the most hotly contested, though, is Best Actress — a category which Emma Stone seems to be steamrolling her way through to victory.

Continue reading The 15 Best Oscar-Nominated Performances In Foreign-Language Films at The Playlist.

Continue reading Charlotte Gainsbourg & Yvan Attal To Star In Drama Based On The Murder Of Kitty Genovese at The Playlist.