My Interview With Jesse Plemons, Star of 'Kinds of Kindness'

Learning how Yorgos Lanthimos works. Understanding his own comedic style. Rocking a turtleneck. Winning Best Actor at Cannes. I had a lot to talk about with Jesse Plemons. Hope you enjoy.

Sabrina Carpenter - "Espresso"

Out-of-town wedding in Ojai this weekend. Which means road trip and a new playlist. This song will definitely be played loud.

My Interview With Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Director of 'The Grab'

The director of Blackfish wants you to worry about the world's shrinking food and water resources. I spoke to Gabriela Cowperthwaite about staying optimistic, eating all your groceries and The Grab.

Revisiting Harrison Ford's 'Presumed Innocent'

There is a new Apple TV+ limited series based on the Scott Turow novel. For RogerEbert.com, I looked back at the first time the book was adapted, the 1990 film with Harrison Ford that became a big hit. Does that Presumed Innocent hold up? And what does it say about that bygone Hollywood era? Read on.

Why Do We Care If Actors Look Like Their Real-Life Subjects?

Inspired by the rumored casting news about the Beatles biopics, I decided to write an essay about our obsession with whether or not an actor resembles the real person they're playing. My argument: It matters less than we realize.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: How Bad Is 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die'?

In this week's episode, we review the latest installment in the Bad Boys saga. We also discuss Hit Man and go back to 1959's Anatomy of a Fall. (I also talk a little about moderating a Q&A with Lynne Littman for her film Testament. That was a special night.) Hear the whole thing down below.

'Inside Out 2' Review

Yeah, it got me. For Screen International, I reviewed the quite moving Inside Out 2.

You Should See Glen Powell in 'Everybody Wants Some!!'

Did you enjoy Hit Man on Netflix? Then may I suggest an earlier movie in which Glen Powell and Richard Linklater worked together? Here's me singing the praises (again) of a great baseball comedy.

'Ultraman: Rising' Review

Japan's greatest superhero is back, this time in cartoon form. For Screen International, I reviewed the English-language, animated Ultraman: Rising.

My Interview With Richard Linkater, Director of 'Hit Man'

Ten years ago, I got to spend time with Richard Linklater on a couple different occasions thanks to Boyhood. Those are cherished memories, so I was happy to get to Zoom with him to talk about his latest, Hit Man. We discussed sex, contract killing and sports -- and, also, why he's still so laidback despite working in an industry that's getting tougher and tougher. My piece is live over at the Los Angeles Times.

The Byrds - "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star"

Even back in 1967, the corporatization of rock music was already in full swing. And the Byrds weren't having it.

When Martin Lawrence Was Bigger Than Will Smith

Every once in a while, someone remembers that, for the original Bad Boys, Martin Lawrence was top-billed over Will Smith. That changed for the sequels, of course, but I wanted to look back at where he was in his career in 1995. Here you go.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: We Answer Your Questions and Revisit 'The Abyss'

A big thanks to our listeners, who sent us so many great questions. We tried to answer as many as we could on this week's episode. Then, in our Reboot segment, we look back at 1989's The Abyss. (Yup, we did the director's cut.) Dive in down below.

Why Did the World Change Its Mind About 'Ishtar'?

When Ishtar came out, it was a flop. Critics despised it. Decades later, though, you mostly hear that it's a misunderstood masterpiece. What happened? And is the movie good or not? Here's my latest for Cracked.

My Interview With Taylor Tomlinson

I've been a big fan of Taylor Tomlinson since I saw her first special, Quarter-Life Crisis, back in 2020. So it was a pleasure to speak with her for the Los Angeles Times. We talked about turning 30, hosting After Midnight, her new girlfriend and her thoughts on the state of late night. And, of course, I had to ask her about stand-up and her most recent special, Have It All. Hope you enjoy.

A History of Hit Men at the Movies

In honor of Hit Man, which comes to Netflix on Friday, I wrote about cinematic hit men. We think of them as impervious and super-cool, but very often these characters fail to live up to our lofty impression of them. Why is that? My thoughts are here.

Cobrah - "Brand New Bitch"

Everybody loves when Emma Stone dances in trailers.

My Interview With Chris Wilcha, Director of 'Flipside'

Chris Wilcha has started a lot of documentaries that never ended up seeing the light of day. As he turned 50, though, he wondered what to do with those abandoned projects. That became the inspiration for his new film, Flipside. I talked to him about getting older, Gen-X, record stores, throwing away things and figuring out this whole work-life balance. Our interview is here.

'Young Woman and the Sea' Review

It seems like Disney is sorta burying Young Woman and the Sea this weekend. This biopic of long-distance swimmer Trudy Ederle is hardly a disaster, but I nonetheless found it fairly straightforward. My review is here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Furiosa' and Your 2024 Cannes Recap

I'm back in Los Angeles, and we're back to our regular podcasting schedule. We went long on Furiosa, and then I offered some thoughts on Cannes. Hear it all down below.

Ranking Neon's Five Palme d'Or Winners

With Anora, Neon has now been responsible for the last five films to take home the Palme d'Or. Which one is the best? I have the answer.

Cannes 2024: The Wrap-Up and the Rankings

The 2024 Cannes Film Festival is when I finally decided it's not worth debating whether a particular edition was "good" or "bad." Truth is, every Cannes is filled with triumphs, misfires, disappointments, underappreciated gems, surprises, and movies you liked a lot more (or a lot less) than your colleagues did. And because the festival doesn't necessarily front-load its strongest offerings, you really have no idea where the annual ebbs and flows will land. You have to take Cannes in its entirety, judging it not by one day but by the whole two-week experience. There's no festival like it because it's longer and, therefore, harder to process as it's happening. Only distance will tell you for sure -- and even then, you may be shocked to catch up with a few films you missed (or revisit ones you saw) and discover what a great year it had actually been. There's no such thing as a "bad" Cannes, just degrees of good.

That said, do I think I found a film this year that could match 2023's twin stunners in The Zone of Interest and Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell? No, but looking over my rankings, I'm pleased by how many strong films I saw, with the possibility of more bangers to come. (I wish I'd had time for The Balconettes, The Kingdom, Armand, Black Dog, Flow, Santosh, Viet and Nam and others. And I wish my screening of Universal Language had had English subtitles like it claimed it would.) 

Here's a list of everything I saw at Cannes, from worst to best, with links leading to individual reviews. And please note that I'm not including the first half of the restoration of Abel Nance's extraordinary Napoleon, which I saw and was completely blown away by.

34. Megalopolis
33. The Surfer
32. The Second Act
31. The Apprentice
30. Oh, Canada
29. Beating Hearts
28. Emilia Perez
27. Wild Diamond
26. Rumours
25. The Shrouds
24. Visiting Hours
23. Misericordia
22. Being Maria
21. I, the Executioner
20. Motel Destino
19. The Substance
18. It's Not Me
17. Christmas Eve in Miller's Point
16. Elementary
15. The Girl With the Needle
14. Bird
13. Three Kilometers to the End of the World
12. Blue Sun Palace
11. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
10. Eephus
9. Good One
8. The Invasion
7. All We Imagine as Light
6. Anora
5. Grand Tour
4. Caught by the Tides
3. Kinds of Kindness
2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig
1. September Says

A few words about my No. 1 film. I went into Ariane Labed's directorial debut basically blind. (I knew the plot description, plus who had worked on the movie.) And basically from the first moment, I was enraptured, its spell never breaking. September Says (pictured above) was part of Un Certain Regard, but it crushed me more completely than anything in the Competition, although Mohammad Rasoulof's The Seed of the Sacred Fig got awfully close. When I review movies at a festival, I go home straight from the screening and write -- I don't talk to anyone or check online reactions. So I'm basically in a bubble, unaware of how others feel, and what I quickly discovered was that I was higher on September Says than, basically, anyone else. (As one colleague, who hadn't seen it, put it derisively, "It sounds like a Toronto film.") Maybe a second viewing will diminish the film in my estimation -- maybe revisits of The Seed of the Sacred Fig or Caught by the Tides or Anora or All We Imagine as Light will vault them up the rankings. But for now, this tale of two peculiar sisters -- too delicate and strange for this world -- earns the top spot.

Because I am historically awful at predicting the Palme d'Or winner, my guess is worth nothing. Nonetheless, I'm with the consensus that it's going to be either All We Imagine as Light or The Seed of the Sacred Fig. It's impossible to know what a Cannes jury will go for, but my gut tells me that All We Imagine as Light's gentle beauty will win out over The Seed of the Sacred Fig's darker, more challenging tone -- although filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof's emotional appearance at the latter's premiere may be too much for the jury to resist. Could Anora pull off the upset? Emilia Perez? Absolutely. But I'm going with All We Imagine as Light, which premiered late this year and has all the momentum going into the weekend. Not that you should bet your mortgage on my hunch.  

David Bowie - "Modern Love"

The song of this year's Cannes? Here you go.

Cannes 2024: 'Being Maria' Review

Maria Schneider was a teenager trying to establish herself as an actor. Then, she landed her big break as the lead opposite Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris. But what happened afterward ended up traumatizing her. For Screen International, I reviewed the bittersweet biopic Being Maria.

Cannes 2024: 'Beating Hearts' Review

Crime, romance and music collide in Beating Hearts, an epic love story whose characters aren't as vivid as its world. My review is up at Screen International.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': The Highs and Lows of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival

I was so pleased to be on with Madeleine talking about four of the buzziest films at this year's Cannes. You can check out my segment down below.

Cannes 2024: 'I, the Executioner' Review

In 2015, the action-comedy Veteran became one of the biggest hits ever in South Korea. Nearly 10 years later, there's a sequel that's a little more serious. For Screen International, I reviewed I, the Executioner.

Cannes 2024: 'September Says' Review

I wasn't expecting to be as moved by September Says as I was. Honestly, this may be my favorite film I've seen at this year's Cannes. My review of this delicate story of sisterhood is here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Will's Talking New Movies, I'm Talking Cannes

A unique episode this week: With me here in France, we decided to divide and conquer. Will reviewed If and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, while I recorded a segment in my apartment discussing some of the highlights from the first half of the Cannes Film Festival. (I also offered my quick thoughts on Kingdom.) Check it out down below.

Cannes 2024: 'Blue Sun Palace' Review

Here was a fun discovery at this year's Cannes: director Constance Tsang's muted, moving romantic drama Blue Sun Palace about two close friends and the man they separately pursue. Read all about it here.

Cannes 2024: 'The Apprentice' Review

How did Donald Trump end up the way he is? The Apprentice tries to give us the answer, but I don't think it succeeds. Here's my review.

Cannes 2024: 'The Substance' Review

In The Substance, Demi Moore plays an aging star who needs a career boost. Enter a strange service promising to offer clients a better version of themselves. What could go wrong? I reviewed this gory body-horror for Screen International.

Cannes 2024: 'Eephus' Review

I was having a conversation with a colleague the other day, who told me that he doesn't like sports movies. I think he will like Eephus, which is about a baseball game but isn't really a "sports movie." I explain what I mean over at Screen International.

Cannes 2024: 'Visiting Hours' Review

In Visiting Hours, Hafsia Herzi and Isabelle Huppert play women from two different worlds who both have husbands in prison. As a result, they form a bond, but is there more going on under the surface? My review is here.

Cannes 2024: 'The Surfer' Review

In The Surfer, Nicolas Cage plays an Australian who wants to take his son to the beach for some surfing. But a local gang stands in his way, humiliating the man in front of his kid. What happens next? A downward spiral in true Cage fashion. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

Cannes 2024: 'Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point' Review

If you grew up with big family get-togethers during the holidays, the large ensemble piece Christmas Eve in Miller's Point may speak to you. The film balances nostalgia with a clear-eyed memory of the disparate personalities that come together under one roof. My review is here.

Timex Social Club - "Rumors"

It's my fault that I've introduced this song to my Cannes flatmates. It's a long, dumb story, although perhaps not as long as how Timex Social Club became Club Nouveau.

Cannes 2024: 'Megalopolis' Review

I was so rooting for Francis Ford Coppola's first film in 13 years. But I think Megalopolis is a failure. My review is up at Screen International.

Cannes 2024: 'The Second Act' Review

Cannes' opening night film is filled with heavy hitters, including Lea Seydoux, Louis Garrel and Vincent Lindon. It's The Second Act, a very meta comedy about characters in a film who know they're in a film. But the jokes belie writer-director Quentin Dupieux's deep anxieties about cinema's future. My review is here.

My 2024 Cannes Preview

What are the films I'm most intrigued by this year at the world's most prestigious festival? Take a look.

James Carr - "The Dark End of the Street"

I'm off to Cannes. Stay safe out there.

Hot Docs 2024: 'Never Look Away' Review

Lucy Lawless has directed her first film, and it's a documentary about Margaret Moth, a combat photographer whose life was as wild away from war zones. My review is up at Screen International.

Hot Docs 2024: 'Farming the Revolution' Review

Farming the Revolution won the prize for Best International Documentary at Hot Docs. It chronicles Indian farmers' protests after their government's decision to pass laws that put their livelihood in jeopardy. I reviewed the film here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Stunt Performers, Outcasts and a Movie About Pop-Tarts

Our latest episode ... was in person! Will and I sat at my dinner table to discuss The Fall Guy, I Saw the TV Glow and Unfrosted. Hear the whole thing down below.

I Finally Saw 'Let It Be'

I never thought the Beatles would allow the 1970 documentary Let It Be to see the light of day after its initial release. Well, it's now on Disney+. I wrote about the film here.

Hot Docs 2024: 'Intercepted' Review

Intercepted chronicles Russia's war on Ukraine in a striking way. We see images of destruction juxtaposed with audio from phone calls made by Russian soldiers calling their loved ones back home. My review is up at Screen International.

Hot Docs 2024: 'Red Fever' Review

How much has Indigenous culture permeated the world? Red Fever explores fashion, sports and politics, seeing how Native peoples have left an immeasurable influence on each. I reviewed the documentary for Screen International.

'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes' Review

Of the recent Apes films, this is probably my second-favorite. My Kingdom review is here.

What's the Best Film to Launch Its Summer Movie Season This Century?

I provide my rankings here.

What 'The Fall Guy' Gets Right About "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)"

 

Think you can resist Phil Collins' emotional power ballad? Think again.

Hot Docs 2024: 'Whatever It Takes' Review

Whatever It Takes is a true-crime documentary with all the twists and turns you'd expect. The less you know the better going in, but I'll just say the story has something to do with eBay. My review is up at Screen International.

Hot Docs 2024: 'The Ride Ahead' Review

With The Ride Ahead, Samuel Habib and his father Dan have made a documentary about disability visibility, chronicling Samuel's journey into adulthood. My review is here.

Hot Docs 2024: 'Le Mans 55: The Unauthorised Investigation' Review

In 1955, Le Mans experienced the deadliest crash in its history. Director Emmanuel Reye lost two uncles in the tragedy, and he's still seeking answers for what happened. The result was Le Mans 55, which I reviewed for Screen International.

Hot Docs 2024: 'Helen and the Bear' Review

I went to Hot Docs for the first time this year. One of my happiest discoveries while I was there was Helen and the Bear, which traces the long, complicated marriage of Helen and Pete McCloskey. Never heard of them? That scarcely matters. My review is up at Screen International.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller > "The Fall Guy"

Underwhelmed by The Fall Guy, I tried to pinpoint my big problem with the film. And then it hit me: I would have liked it a lot more if Phil Lord and Chris Miller had made it. I explain why here.

My Interview With Turner and Bill Ross, Directors of 'Gasoline Rainbow'

The guys behind Western and Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets have returned with one of their best hybrid projects, the road-trip meditation Gasoline Rainbow. For RogerEbert.com, I talked to the brothers about America, making movies the hard way, and whether they envy their teen cast. Hope you enjoy.