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The Playlist
The obsessives' guide to contemporary cinema via film discussion, news, reviews, features, nostalgia, movie music, soundtracks, DVDs and more.Interviews
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Greta Gerwig Talks 'Frances Ha' & Working With Noah Baumbach -
Joel Edgerton On 'Wish You Were Here,' 'Jane' Drama & More -
James Gray On 'The Immigrant,' 'The Gray Man,' 'The Lost City Of Z' And More -
Brit Marling Talks 'The East' & Espionage Thrillers -
Nicolas Winding Refn Discusses 'Only God Forgives -
Justin Lin Talks 'Fast Furious 6' & The Influence Of Altman -
Interview: Noah Baumbach Talks 'Frances Ha' -
Ben Wheatley Talks 'Sightseers,' Violence & More -
Mark Romanek On 'One Hour Photo' & Leaving 'Cinderella'
The Playlist
Review: 'Parker' Is A Visually Indistinguishable, Punishingly Violent, And Painfully Inert Pulp Trifle
- By Drew Taylor
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- January 25, 2013 12:01 AM
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- 4 Comments
The character of Parker is one of those icons of hard-boiled pulp fiction – a smart alecky bruiser created by legendary novelist Donald Westlake (under his Richard Stark nom de plume), who appeared in over a dozen novels, a handful of cinematic adaptations (most notably portrayed by Lee Marvin in "Point Blank"), and a number of cross-media platforms (like the recent beautifully realized comic books written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke). In the novels, Parker wasn't a superhero – he was a criminal who would take a beating or bite a bullet but keep on chugging; an unstoppable everyman.
Review: 'High School' With Adrien Brody Is Your Standard-Issue Stoner Comedy
- By Gabe Toro
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- June 1, 2012 3:04 PM
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- 2 Comments
There’s a long and underwhelming tradition of marijuana-fueled comedies, some overt, others less so. Even as the subgenre ages, however, it’s impossible to note the lowered aspirations of filmmakers each time out, as “pot” comedy has become part of a genre where increasingly timid filmmakers merely check off boxes in lieu of embracing the kind of irreverence that comes with the use of controlled substances. By the self-consciously layered title, you can guess where “High School” falls on this spectrum.
Michael Chiklis, Forest Whitaker, Common & Ray Liotta To Star In ‘Pawn’
- By Ryan Sartor
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- November 29, 2011 6:30 PM
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- 5 Comments
This project’s got direct-to-BluRay written all over it. The components include a boring cast: Michael Chiklis and Forest Whitaker (reteaming after both serving time on "The Shield"), Ray Liotta and Common, a first-time director (David A. Armstrong), and a title so generic, you’ll be convinced there’s another film in theatres/in a Walmart bargain bin right now with the exact same name (“Pawn”).
Michael Chiklis Will Square Off Against Jason Statham In 'Parker'
- By Kevin Jagernauth
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- July 11, 2011 7:52 AM
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- 1 Comment
Clifton Collins Jr. & Wendell Pierce Also JoinFor Michael Chiklis, a leap to the big screen has been been curiously out of the reach. The star of "The Commish" and more recently "The Shield" memorably played The Thing in the "Fantastic Four" films but otherwise, has not made much of an impression in feature films, but it looks like he's going to get his shot.
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Recent Comments
I remember him saying in an interview with Harry Knowles that current projectors are actually
Nice job coming off like a film blog jock in this article. "If you care about this nerdy
Just for clarity's sake, he was the writer of Easter Promises. Not the helmer.
I agree with most of the objective review here. One massive bug-bear for me was the presence of 4 or
I like the pick for Quicksilver for the Avengers more than the pick for X-men. I want to know more
That was my issue too. I don't mind this plot twist, but there's no time for reflection in
Should've listened to Nolan the first time.
IMO, the reason why "The Place Beyond the Pines" is not considered a successful movie is
Jesse from Toy Story is a great female character. She has an interesting backstory and is not
Thank you Playlist staff for the objective thorough review of Man of Steel. This is not the worst