Nick Allen, Author at The Playlist

‘Interceptor’: It’s Elsa Pataky Vs. Nuclear Missles In Netflix’s Entertaining, But Formulaic Actioner

June 3, 2022 9:35 am

It’s Elsa Pataky versus many nuclear missiles in “Interceptor,” a decent Netflix actioner that embraces its formula a little too much but effectively sells the “Fast Five” breakout star as the next action hero...

‘Heartstopper’ Review: An Refreshingly Honest Look At Young LGBTQ+ Love

Nick Allen

May 28, 2022 11:42 am

News, Reviews, Television

Since its premiere last month, the new series “Heartstopper” has become a standout hit for Netflix, which is all the more impressive given the deluge of streaming content each week. But watching one or two epi...

‘The Kids in the Hall’ Review: Comedy’s Punks Still Reign Supreme

Nick Allen

May 22, 2022 10:50 am

News, Reviews, Television

Amazon made a wise choice to give so much love to “The Kids in the Hall.” The revitalization of the five-piece comedy troupe — with a new two-part SXSW documentary, “The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks,” and th...

‘The Kids In The Hall: Comedy Punks’ Review: Essential Viewing For Die-Hards Or Newcomers

Nick Allen

May 20, 2022 1:51 pm

News, Reviews

You don’t have to be a fan of the legendary Canadian comedy group The Kids in the Hall to appreciate a thorough and loving new documentary about them, Reg Harkema’s “The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks.” Knowin...

‘Gaslit’ Review: Sean Penn & Julia Roberts’ Quirky Watergate Series Is Coen-Brothers-Esque

Nick Allen

April 22, 2022 9:26 am

News, Reviews, Television

“Gaslit” has a funny way of recalling a dark moment in American history. It takes a step back and asks: what if Watergate was more of a Coen brothers farce than the tense, paranoid ‘70s thrillers that came aft...

‘Choose Or Die’: A ‘Nightmare On Elm Street’-Esque Horror About Video Game Curses

Nick Allen

April 15, 2022 9:55 am

News, Reviews

It’s no big secret that Netflix has been struggling to cultivate profitable original franchises of its own, especially of the wide tentpole variety. But consider its latest algorithm addition, Toby Meakins’ di...

‘DMZ’ Review: Rosario Dawson Stars In A Sentimental DC Comics Adaptation Of Dystopian Grift From Ava DuVernay

Nick Allen

March 16, 2022 10:50 am

News, Reviews, Television

Based on the DC Comics series from Riccardo Burchielli and Brian Wood of the same name, the demilitarized zone of Roberto Patino’s four-part HBO series “DMZ” can be full of surprises. It's what we know as Manh...

‘The Last Days Of Ptolemy Grey’ Review: Samuel L. Jackson Shines In An Enigmatic Journey Through Time & Memory

Nick Allen

March 13, 2022 2:42 pm

News, Reviews

Samuel L. Jackson is unforgettable in the new Apple TV+ series “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey,” even when he’s silent, slumped in a lawn chair, and fading away in a monumentally cluttered apartment. With the h...

‘The Adam Project’ Review: Ryan Reynolds’ Sci-Fi Adventure Is Built Around An Earnest Emotional Core

Nick Allen

March 10, 2022 9:49 am

News, Reviews

“The Adam Project” is the latest Netflix film to come from the Ryan Reynolds Industrial Complex (after 2021’s gimmicky “Red Notice”), and it feels fair to applaud it for what it resists. It doesn’t cram movie ...

‘Shining Vale’ Review: Lighthearted Horror-Comedy Series Has Interesting Ideas But Is Haunted By Sluggish Pacing

Nick Allen

March 3, 2022 1:21 pm

News, Reviews, Television

There’s so much overlong TV out there in the streaming era, but the Starz horror-comedy “Shining Vale” has to be one of this year’s most damning, counter-intuitive examples. Because it needs to take up so much...

Author Nick Allen