Tag Archives: The Playlist

Admittedly, we paused when we found out Todd Haynes (a Playlist favorite) was adapting a YA novel, but sometimes you just gotta have faith. Haynes, after all, has rarely let us down, and, more often, he has blown us away. While some consider him to be a provocative, subversive filmmaker, labeling him as such misses so muchContinue reading “New York Film Festival: 12 Must-See Films To Watch”

It had been a long four years after “Bright Star” waiting for Campion to return, but when “Top Of The Lake” finally came, it was obviously worth the wait. The seven-episode first season, which premiered at Sundance in a single seven-hour showing (there was a lunch break), is exactly the slow-burn sort of mystery weContinue reading “Essentials: The Films Of Jane Campion”

Few artists have made a claim for so drastically altering the shape of their medium than Cecil Beaton, the fashion photographer turned war photographer turned royal photographer turned costume and production designer, who arguably forever reshaped the concept of possibility in the static image. Beaton faced his share of adversity and controversy, rubbed shoulders with the biggestContinue reading “‘Love, Cecil’: Tender And Lush Documentary Is A Moving, But Conventional Portrait [Telluride Review]”

The first season of “Stranger Things” was a true surprise. Netflix’s surplus of content makes it easy for a show to sneak up out of nowhere, and while most are middling, some, like this Spielbergian, ‘80s throwback are home runs. A gleeful homage to nearly every sci-fi adventure from that nostalgic decade, “Stranger Things” alsoContinue reading “TV Fall Preview: 25 Must-See Shows”

From the demented mind of S. Craig Zahler, the writer/director of “Bone Tomahawk” — 2015’s most memorable (read: scarring) film — “Brawl In Cell Block 99” has our interest peaked for more reasons than one. The first of which being that Zahler took on a well-worn genre with “Bone Tomahawk” and twisted it into something utterlyContinue reading “Venice Film Festival: 13 Must-See Movies”

While I certainly don’t speak for every voice here at The Playlist, I do feel comfortable in saying there are few directors that excite us more than Tomas Alfredson. The director broke out with his fantastic “Let The Right One In” (which spawned a decent Hollywood reboot), then knocked it out of the park with “TinkerContinue reading “50 Most Anticipated Films: Fall Movie Preview”

An intelligent but emotionally wounded teenager with the ability to play god by killing anybody he wants, just by writing their name in a book, is admittedly a compelling idea. The potential for drama packed into the premise alone is worthwhile, not to mention that the boy’s girlfriend is seemingly aroused by his ability toContinue reading “Adam Wingard’s ‘Death Note’ Is Thoughtless & Incoherent [Review]”

Addiction has long been one of Hollywood’s favorite muses. It makes for empowering, emotionally charged films about one of life’s most trying personal battles. Of course, the success and believability of these sorts of movies vary wildly: for every “Half Nelson” and “Trainspotting” there’s a “Thanks For Sharing” or “Flight” (which was fuelled by aContinue reading “‘To The Bone’ Works Hard To Do Justice To The Realities Of Anorexia [Review]”