The Playlist

The obsessives' guide to contemporary cinema via film discussion, news, reviews, features, nostalgia, movie music, soundtracks, DVDs and more.

Interviews

Review: '28 Hotel Rooms' Doesn't Get Beyond Just A Couple Of Jagoffs Having An Affair

By Gabe Toro
|
November 8, 2012 4:06 PM
|
2 Comments

Reviews

In movies, there is honesty, and there is truth. Forgive filmmakers for getting them confused, particularly in the post-indie world, where low-budget strategies bled into the mainstream allowing films to have an emotional immediacy and verisimilitude that soon gave way to simple re-creation of real life. This has resulted in a certain honesty much like that portrayed in “28 Hotel Rooms,” but the art form has evolved too much for that honesty to still be confused for truth.

By Edward Davis
|
November 6, 2012 1:41 PM
|
0 Comments

News

Unfolding as a collage of moments—some sexy, some innocent, some profound, some silly— "28 Hotel Rooms" is an intimate portrait of an affair in which two people wrestle with the intoxication of sex and the confusion of loving more than one person. Starring Chris Messina (most recently seen in "Argo" and "Ruby Sparks") and Marin Ireland (she was in the first season of "Homeland"), this indie drama is directed by Matt Ross, who some know from "Big Love" and we love most from his supporting role in Whit Stillman's "The Last Days of Disco" (he planned the lovably insufferable "Departmental Dan").

By Benjamin Wright
|
July 30, 2012 1:44 PM
|
2 Comments

News

Rashida Jones made a pretty significant splash at this year’s Sundance, co-writing and starring alongside "Saturday Night Live" alum Andy Samberg in the romantic dramedy “Celeste and Jesse Forever.” We were among many who gave the film a pretty solid recommendation, calling it a “charming tale of romance and heartbreak in the vein of 'When Harry Met Sally,' ” which is probably about as a high of praise as possible for a film of this sort.

By Gabe Toro
|
April 24, 2012 9:01 AM
|
23 Comments

Reviews

There’s a special sort of Hell where films like “The Giant Mechanical Man” play, with the same ideas and tropes repeated around the clock, with the mistaken assumption that they’re endearing or, even worse, adorable. It’s the sort of picture that gives independent films a bad name, the type of film that invites jackholes coming out of “Transformers 7” to say, “I ain’t seeing that faggy indie shit!” In reality, there’s a very good chance “Transformers 7” could very well be less obnoxious than “The Giant Mechnical Man.”

By Benjamin Wright
|
September 2, 2011 2:51 AM
|
2 Comments

As production rolls on Ben Affleck's much-talked-about "Argo," the film has added three more supporting players to its already lengthy credit scroll.

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
July 13, 2011 3:11 AM
|
2 Comments

'The Daily Show' Correspondent Aasif Mandvi Also Circling A RoleIt says something about directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, that half a decade since they rocked the indie movie world with "Little Miss Sunshine," that they are able to assemble the kind of cast they have lined up for "He Loves Me." Written by actress Zoe Kazan, the project is a meta-strange sounding road-trip film that centers on Calvin (Paul Dano) a young novelist who achieves success early in his career but begins to face struggles. As the young protagonist follows the advice of writing the woman he thinks will love him in a bid to overcome his writer’s block, he ends up willing her into existence. Annette Bening is also on board as Calvin's concerned and artistic Mom. It's a concept worthy of Charlie Kaufman and ripe with potential so no wonder this thing is packing itself full of stars.

By Simon Dang
|
May 21, 2011 2:26 AM
|
1 Comment

Rashida Jones' rise in the comedy world after debuting on "The Office" a few years ago is definitely commendable. The daughter of music legend Quincy Jones (we're sure she loves hearing that) is a regular on NBC's "Parks And Recreation," has already starred in "I Love You, Man" and will soon be seen in "My Idiot Brother," "The Big Year" and "The Muppets." Jones starred recently in Dana Adam Shapiro's Brooklyn-based relationship drama "Monogamy" and will soon make her writing debut with "Celeste And Jesse Forever" which will see her star along side Andy Samberg.

By Edward Davis
|
November 5, 2010 10:56 AM
|
0 Comments

'Julia and Julia' Actor Chris Messina Will Also Star In "Offbeat Romantic Comedy""The Office" actress Jenna Fischer, Topher Grace ("Predators"), Malin Akerman ("The Heartbreak Kid") and Chris Messina will all star in what is being touted as an offbeat romantic comedy, "The Giant Mechanical Man."