The Playlist

Watch: First Trailer For 'Maria Full Of Grace' Helmer Joshua Marston's Family Drama 'Forgiveness Of Blood'

By Simon Dang
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January 19, 2012 12:22 PM
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It's been about seven years since global audiences were introduced to Joshua Marston with his captivating drug-mule drama "Maria Full Of Grace," a film which saw its lead, Catalina Sadino Moreno, earn worldwide acclaim and an Oscar nomination. The Californian helmer has managed to keep himself occupied with stints directing television shows such as "How To Make It In America" and "In Treatment," but 2012 is set to see him return with another unique international tale, in the family drama "The Forgiveness Of Blood."

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'Four Weddings' & 'Love Actually' Mastermind Richard Curtis Returns To Directing With Sci-Fi Comedy-Drama 'About Time'

By Oliver Lyttelton
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January 19, 2012 11:39 AM
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7 Comments

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Potentially unpopular opinion ahoy: Richard Curtis is a pretty great writer. Don't get us wrong, we don't like "Love Actually" or "Pirate Radio"/"The Boat That Rocked" any more than you do, but "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Notting Hill" and "Bridget Jones' Diary" make up as good a run of rom-coms as anyone has ever had (particularly when compared to the dismal current state of the genre), and his lower-key, more emotional work on the likes of "The Girl in the Cafe," "Doctor Who" episode "Vincent and the Doctor" and the currently-in-theaters "War Horse," is undervalued.

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Sean Penn-Directed 'The Comedian' Will Be Kristen Wiig's Next Film; Reason For Not Doing 'Bridesmaids' Is To Avoid 'SNL' Curse

By Simon Dang
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January 19, 2012 11:15 AM
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6 Comments

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Yes, we know. It's hasn't even been 24 hours since we last weighed in on the whole "Kristen Wiig isn't doing a 'Bridesmaids' sequel" revelation, but in never-ending conversation, no one has really talked about what she's actually doing next. However, Vulture now report that while the actress definitely has no intention of doing a sequel to the 2011 box office hit, her only project for 2012 so far is joining Sean Penn and Robert De Niro for "The Comedian," with shooting planned to take place during her 'SNL' hiatus, begining in June.

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'Before The Devil Knows You're Dead' Scribe Kelly Masterson To Rewrite Bong Joon-Ho's 'Snow Piercer'

By Oliver Lyttelton
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January 19, 2012 10:37 AM
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1 Comment

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Somewhat underrated at the time, it's sad that it took the death of Sidney Lumet last year to cause his final film, "Before The Devil Knows You're Dead," to be re-appreciated. A seedy little Greek tragedy of a crime movie, with impeccable performances across the board, and shot like it was made by a hungry twenty-something, it deserved to stand with anything else in the Lumet canon. And perhaps because the film was overshadowed by others on release, writer Kelly Masterson, who made his debut with the project, hasn't yet managed to follow it up, although he's had a number of projects in development, including the Tobey Maguire thriller "Good People," the Barry Levinson drama "Brother Jack" and "Stones," a potential AMC series produced by Scott Free, focusing on the diamond trade.

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'Underworld: Awakening' Taking Up Screens Prevented Steven Soderbergh From Prepping IMAX Version Of 'Haywire'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 19, 2012 10:17 AM
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4 Comments

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You might not remember, but back when Steven Soderbergh's virus thriller "Contagion" hit theaters last fall, it also landed on over 250 IMAX screens. While the director has dabbled in many genres and styles over the years, we would've thought IMAX might prove to be more of a gimmick than an aesthetic he would pursue. But talking recently with the AV Club, Soderbergh admits he too was surprised to be taken with the format, calling the "Contagion" IMAX edition "awesome."

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Concept Art From M. Night Shyamalan's ‘After Earth’ Features A Picture Of Wong Kar-Wai's 'In the Mood for Love'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 19, 2012 9:43 AM
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6 Comments

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Well, say what you will about M. Night Shyamalan, but his films -- even at their worst -- have always looked pretty damn good (the exception being the abysmal "The Last Airbender"). Shyamalan has alwasy had a knank for picking great cinematographers to work with on his films including Tak Fujimoto ("The Happening," "Signs," "The Sixth Sense"), Roger Deakins ("The Village") and Eduardo Serra ("Unbreakable"). However, one of his most famous collaborations occured when he somehow managed to wrangle the cranky, Hollywood-hating, but exceptionally gifted Christopher Doyle for "The Lady In The Water." The longtime cinematographer for Wong Kar-Wai (though they haven't worked together since "In The Mood For Love") is known for capturing astonishingly beautiful and unexpected moments. And while we'll have to wait and see if Shyamalan and Doyle's career paths ever cross again, it sure seems like the director is a big fan of the cinematographer's work.

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Sylvester Stallone Confirms 'The Expendables 2' Will Be PG-13

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 19, 2012 9:23 AM
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2 Comments

News

"The Expendables 2" is coming, and this time....bring the kids! Yesterday, word started being kicked around that the upcoming beefcake sequel was possibly going to be given a safe and friendly PG-13 rating due to the whims of the sensitive Chuck Norris, who apparently doesn't like cussing. Could it be true? Well, the answer is yes.

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Universal Pick Up Gus Van Sant/Matt Damon Drama; 'The Invasion' Scribe David Kajganich To Rewrite Ben Affleck's 'The Stand'

By Oliver Lyttelton
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January 19, 2012 9:01 AM
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4 Comments

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No matter what they do, the fates of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck will always be tied together. Having arrived as hot new things at the same time thanks to writing and starring in "Good Will Hunting" together, and cemented as a partnership thanks to joint appearances in various Kevin Smith films, it's easy to forget that the duo haven't worked together since Damon cameoed in the ill-fated "Jersey Girl." The pair are planning to reunite down the line -- with a film about legendary Boston gangster Whitey Bulger and "The Trade" a movie about wife swapping ball players in the works -- but with those efforts seemingly still a way off, they've got their own concerns.

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Watch: Trailer For Keanu Reeves' 'Side By Side' Doc Featuring David Lynch, Steven Soderbergh, Christopher Nolan & More

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 18, 2012 7:41 PM
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15 Comments

News

With the death knell ringing for 35mm film as format -- with estimates suggesting that by 2015 it will be nothing more than a niche -- there is perhaps no better time for the Keanu Reeves-produced documentary "Side By Side." Set to premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival next month, a trailer has arrived and it should spur some very interesting conversations.

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Sundance Docs: Clip From 'Bones Brigade'; Trailer For 'Finding North'; Peter Jackson & Damien Echols Talk 'West Of Memphis'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 18, 2012 6:57 PM
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1 Comment

News

Sundance kicks off tomorrow and the journey for many films that will hit your arthouse and garner awards season heat will begin in Park City, Utah. While the lineup of feature films is always impressive, this year in particular features an equally strong array of documentaries with subject matter in a wide range of topics and interests. So here's a few that might catch fire over the next week or so.

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