Drew Taylor, Author at The Playlist

‘Encanto’ Review: Disney’s Latest Animated Fable Is Miraculous

November 15, 2021 10:36 am

“Encanto,” Walt Disney Animation Studios’ latest computer-generated confection, is the studio’s 60th feature-length production (there’s even a special version of the Steamboat Willie logo that plays in front) ...

‘Muppets Haunted Mansion’ Is A Fun, Spooky Ride That Perfectly Utilizes Jim Henson’s Creations [Review]

Drew Taylor

October 7, 2021 11:38 am

News, Reviews

Throughout the years, The Muppets have established themselves as staples of Christmas programming. They have starred in at least a half-dozen stellar television Christmas specials (including 1987’s “A Muppet F...

‘Fast & Furious: F9’ Is A Silly, Self-Aware & Hugely Satisfying Theme Park-Esque Ride [Review]

Drew Taylor

June 2, 2021 10:05 am

News, Reviews

Few franchises have endured the improbable twists and turns of “The Fast and the Furious” series. In the years since, what began as a cheap summer programmer took many forms, transforming from a “Point Break”-...

‘The Mandalorian’ Finally Begins To Bring Everything Together In The Penultimate Chapter [Episode 7 Review]

Drew Taylor

December 18, 2019 11:00 am

News

If there's been an overriding criticism for the inaugural season of "The Mandalorian," it's that the series felt too episodic, with our central character (Pedro Pascal) hopping from planet to planet, getting in...

‘The Mandalorian’ Delivers The Series’ Most Entertaining Entry To Date With ‘The Prisoner’ [Episode 6 Review]

Drew Taylor

December 13, 2019 1:06 pm

News, Reviews, Television

"The Mandalorian" is unique for being the first live-action "Star Wars" television series, and at its best, it channels the relatively low-budget, let's-put-on-a-show vibe of the very first movie and uses that ...

‘The Mandalorian’ Shows The Battle Scars That Are Left Long After The War Is Over [Episode 4 Review]

Drew Taylor

November 29, 2019 11:21 am

News, Reviews, Television

So far, "The Mandalorian," the first-ever live-action "Star Wars" series (and flagship series for the nascent Disney+ direct-to-consumer streaming platform) has nimbly mixed stand-alone episodes, in which our f...

‘Ralph Breaks The Internet’ Is A Frequently Brilliant & Emotional Pop Art Fantasia [Review]

Drew Taylor

November 15, 2018 10:41 am

News, Reviews

At the end of 2012’s “Wreck-It Ralph,” Ralph (John C. Reilly), a brutish videogame goliath, found friendship and acceptance in the form of Vanellope (Sarah Silverman), a spritely princess from a neighboring kar...

‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ Is A Magical & Surprisingly Relevant Addition To The Wizarding World [Review]

Drew Taylor

November 14, 2018 11:09 am

Features, News, Reviews

2016’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” promised to be a new, tonally distinct chapter in the so-called Wizarding World. Based on a slender, canon-adjacent book by J.K. Rowling (who also provided the f...

Brad Bird Talks ‘Incredibles 2,’ ‘Tomorrowland’s’ Reception, And Why He Loves Sequels [Interview]

Drew Taylor

June 14, 2018 3:12 pm

Interviews, News

For the past 14 years writer/director Brad Bird has had to endure one question more than any other: When was he going to make a sequel to his animated superhero romp "The Incredibles?" Well, a few years ago Pix...

‘Incredibles 2’ Is An Animated Blast & Improves On The Beloved Pixar Original [Review]

Drew Taylor

June 11, 2018 12:00 pm

Features, News, Reviews

It’s hard to believe it’s been a whopping 14 years since "The Incredibles" opened. Not only has the movie, which had an almost mythic importance when it was released (since it marked the union of renowned filmm...