The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the seven finalists for the Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar and there were some surprising omissions. Left off the list were  “It,” “Logan,” Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “The Post,” “Blade Runner: 2049” and “Beauty and the Beast,” among others.  The biggest snub of all, however, has to be Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water.”

Guillermo del Toro says Richard Jenkins’ “Shape of Water” character written for Ian McKellen [Interview]

The Best Picture contender is expected to compete with “Dunkirk” for the most nominations for a single picture and to many this category was a given.

Continue reading ‘Shape of Water’ And ‘It’ Snubbed As Oscars Reveals Makeup And Hairstyling Shortlist at The Playlist.

When considering Best Actress contenders one name has been dropped from the conversation, “Victoria and Abdul’s” Judi Dench.  The Oscar winner and seven-time nominee hasn’t made it to the Dolby Theater since 2014 for “Philomena,” but when she has a starring role she usually has a good chance of being a fixture during the season.  So, if she ends up with a SAG Award nomination in a few weeks just remember she’s also one of the few actors who have earned three nominations in one year from her peers in the guild. 

Continue reading Jeff Bridges Can’t Stop Calling 2017 Kirk Douglas Award Honoree Judi Dench ‘James Doodie’ at The Playlist.

All summer long, audiences were wary of sequels and reboots, with many underperforming or outright tanking. And while Fox will likely wind up being happy with the numbers for “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” it’s safe to say they were hoping for a slightly better result.

The sequel found its way to the top of the box office this weekend, knocking out two-week champion “It.” Earning $39 million, Matthew Vaughn‘s R-rated flick only did slightly better than the $36 million bow of ‘The Secret Service’ two years ago.

Continue reading ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’ Suits Up At The Multiplex [Box Office] at The Playlist.

The awards machine is in full effect and that means a slew of new lifetime achievement awards are on the horizon.  The latest honoree?  None other than Dame Judi Dench who will be awarded the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Kirk Douglas Award in Excellence on Nov. 30th.

The 100-year-old Douglas, who attended the annual ceremony up until just a few years ago, said in a statement, “I am especially delighted to learn that Dame Judi Dench will accept the award that bears my name.

Continue reading Judi Dench Is SBIFF’s 2017 Kirk Douglas Award Winner at The Playlist.

For all the gentility and good natured humor in the work of filmmaker Stephen Frears the 76-year-old director was a bit more reserved in our interview during the Toronto International Film Festival for the debut of his new movie “Victoria And Abdul.” Set in the late 1800s “Victoria & Abdul,” centers on the untold story of the hush-hushed relationship and special bond between an aged Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and her Indian servant, Abdul Kareem (Ali Fazal).

Continue reading Stephen Frears Talks ‘Victoria & Abdul,’ Working With The “Brilliant” Judi Dench at The Playlist.

If you wanted to be glib and coarse, not to mention antithetical to the film’s convivial tone, you could describe “Victoria & Abdul” as the movie that finally lets a constipated Queen Victoria take a shit. It’s about a doodie dislodged that brings joy and liberation. Hear me out.

In Stephen Frears’ agreeable period costume drama— which is engaging and charming thanks to Judi Dench, if too nonthreatening and ingratiating otherwise— the bowels are the window to the soul.

Continue reading ‘Victoria & Abdul’: Judi Dench Elevates Stephen Frears’ Feel-Good Dramedy [Venice Review] at The Playlist.

Judi Dench knows the weight of carrying the crown, having played Queen Victoria twenty years ago in John Madden‘s “Mrs. Brown.” Now, the Oscar winning actress is back on the throne to play the royal role again in “Victoria And Abdul,” and awards season chatter is already buzzing about her performance. And today we have an exclusive clip from the film.

Directed by Stephen Frears, who previously worked with Dench on “Philomena,” “Mrs.

Continue reading ‘Victoria And Abdul’ Exclusive Clip: Judi Dench Learns Urdu at The Playlist.

With the steady stream of blockbusters starting to dry up, fall festival season is fast approaching, and following big TIFF and NYFF announcements earlier in the week, Venice debuted their 2017 slate this morning. The Lido-based festival is one of our favorites, and while it’s sometimes existed in the shadow of Cannes, that’s begun to shift in recent years thanks to some killer lineups (Paul Thomas Anderson and Terrence Malick being among those who’ve debuted movies there), and a killer Oscar run – with “Gravity,” “Birdman,” “Spotlight” and “La La Land” all debuting there before going on to enormous awards season success.

Continue reading Venice 2017 Line-Up Led By Darren Aronofsky, Guillermo Del Toro, George Clooney, William Friedkin & More at The Playlist.

This morning, the Toronto International Film Festival unwrapped their first wave of titles, and their 2017 lineup is looking very impressive out of the gate.

It’s auteurs and high profile titles left and right, with plenty of dive into. Right at the top of our must-see list is Darren Aronofsky‘s “mother!” starring Jennifer Lawrence, with Scott Cooper‘s “Hostiles” starring Christian Bale, and Sebastian Lelio‘s “Disobedience” high on our list.

Continue reading TIFF 2017 Lines Up ‘mother!,’ ‘Hostiles,’ ‘I, Tonya,’ ‘The Current War,’ ‘Battle Of The Sexes’ & More at The Playlist.

You don’t have to look hard to find programming about the royalty on the small screen, with “The Crown” and “Victoria” leaving you more than covered. But if you want all that regal pomp and circumstance on the big screen, “Victoria and Abdul” will fit the bill.

The constantly busy Stephen Frears directs the film, which sees Judi Dench playing Queen again (she did before in the 1997 film “Mrs.

Continue reading Judi Dench Is The Queen In First Trailer For ‘Victoria And Abdul’ at The Playlist.

LAS VEGAS – Judi Dench couldn’t attend Focus Features presentation to discuss her new film “Victoria and Abdul,” but she still sent a taped message that was quintessentially Dench.

“I’m sorry to not be there in Las Vegas as I hear Britney Spears is in town,” Dench deadpanned.  Cue the laughter from the attendees looking for something to smile about.

The Oscar-winner introduced what appeared to be an extended trailer for Stephen Frears new drama, a film that has her reprising the role of Queen Victoria she first played in 1997’s “Mrs Brown.” This follow up chronicles the 19th Century monarch towards the end of her life when she developed a friendship with an Indian Muslim (Ali Fazal).

Continue reading New ‘Beguiled’ Trailer And Long Distance Judi Dench Highlights Focus Features CinemaCon Presentation at The Playlist.