'Sinners' Review

An ambitious vampire film, Sinners wants to meld kills with social commentary. It has its missteps, but I was pretty darn impressed. My review is here.

'G20' Review

I was so intrigued by G20, a Prime Video action flick that stars Viola Davis as the U.S. president who gets trapped in a Die Hard-like situation in which she has to rescue her family and save the day. The very nice folks at the A.V. Club let me review this algorithm-driven curiosity, which inspired some thoughts about how streaming-service movies are like fantasy camps for respected actors. You can read my piece here. 

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Friend,' 'The Luckiest Man in America' and 'North by Northwest'

On this week's episode, we review two new movies. One we liked; one we didn't. Then, in our Reboot segment, we go back to 1959's North by Northwest, which is just so damn wonderful. Check out the whole thing down below.

'The Amateur' Review

In The Amateur, Rami Malek plays a nerdy CIA analyst who has to go out in the field to avenge his wife, who was killed by terrorists. Will he succeed? Will I like the movie? My review is up at Screen International.

I Talked to OK Go

This past Wednesday, I moderated a Q&A for an event celebrating the power-pop band OK Go. Titled "From Treadmills to Industrial Robots — A Retrospective + Premiere," the evening consisted of a screening at the Fine Arts in Beverly Hills of a bunch of their iconic videos, following by a conversation with some of the band and one of their co-directors, Aaron Duffy. It was a fun night, and The Hollywood Reporter was there to cover what went down. You can read all about it here. 

(Photo by Danielle Directo-Meston.)

'Eric LaRue' Review

 
Michael Shannon has finally directed his first film. For the Los Angeles Times, I reviewed Eric LaRue, which stars Judy Greer as a mother reeling from the fact that her teen son shot three classmates dead at school. You can read my thoughts here.

Anohni and the Johnsons - "It Must Change"

March 31 was International Transgender Day of Visibility, and in honor of that I wanted to put up a song from Anohni and the Johnsons' soulful 2023 album My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross, which I think is their best record. The opening track, "It Must Change," has a video that features transgender model Munroe Bergdorf. The song is pure old-school silky.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Remembering Val Kilmer

 

Val Kilmer died on Tuesday at the age of 65. I went on Press Play to talk about his career and legacy, spending extra time focusing on his best performance, as Jim Morrison in The Doors. You can listen to my segment down below.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Dead Unicorns, Jason Statham and 'Enemy of the State'

Two dud new movies lead off this week's episode: Death of a Unicorn and A Walking Man. But things brighten up a bit when we go back to the 1990s for a Reboot request: Tony Scott's Enemy of the State. Check it all out down below.

My Interview With Riki Lindhome

Last year, Riki Lindhome debuted a one-woman musical, Dead Inside, about her struggles with infertility. Now, she's putting out an album based on that show. For Cracked, I had a long, fun conversation with Lindhome about the album, No Worries If Not, as well as marriage, motherhood and life as a solo artist after years of being in Garfunkel and Oates. Hope you enjoy.

Charli XCX (featuring Billie Eilish) - "Guess"

Look, I like Brat and Hit Me Hard and Soft quite a lot. By my favorite 2024 song from those two women is a track that didn't appear on either of their records.

'Grand Tour' Review

When I saw Grand Tour last year at Cannes, I swooned. So it was a pleasure to revisit the film, twice, this past week in order to write my glowing review for the Los Angeles Times. 

'A Working Man' Review

Jason Statham is back! And he's out to save a kidnapped teenager! For Screen International, I reviewed A Working Man.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Debating 'Magazine Dreams,' Raving About 'Black Bag'

After a week off, we're back, and we're reviewing four new movies. Want to hear our thoughts on Snow White? No problem. Interested in what we make of Opus? You're in luck. Curious about Black Bag and Magazine Dreams? We're on 'em. Check out the episode down below.

SXSW 2025: 'Slanted' Review

The final film I was going to review out of SXSW was one that I'd grab when I got home: the narrative jury winner. The prize went to Slanted, which is about a Chinese-American teenager who wants to be prom queen. Her plan? Undergo a procedure that will turn her into a blonde white girl. My review is here.

Patti Smith Group - "Because the Night"

Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith should have written more songs together.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Gangsters, Princesses, Killers and 'Ash'

I was pleased to be on KCRW alongside Alison Willmore to discuss this weekend's movies. I like Misercordia and Ash. I do not like The Alto Knights and Snow White. Hear all of our thoughts down below.

My Interview With Naomi Watts

Naomi Watts has a new movie (The Friend) and a new book (Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause). These seemed like excellent excuses to spend some time with the Oscar nominee to talk about life, resilience and her dear friend David Lynch. You can read my interview over at the Los Angeles Times. 

(Photo by Jennifer McCord.)

'Snow White' Review

There's a new Snow White. It is not as good as the old Snow White. It's not even better than some of the other recent Disney live-action remakes. I reviewed this stinker for Screen International.

'The Alto Knights' Review

You get two Robert De Niros for the price of one in The Alto Knights, a real-life gangster drama about childhood friends who became mob rivals. The Oscar-winning actor plays both roles, a decision I think ultimately doesn't help the movie all that much. My Screen International review is here.

Film Independent: My Conversation With Brendan Bellomo, Co-Director of 'Porcelain War'

A few months ago, I moderated a Q&A with Brendan Bellomo, one of the directors of the Oscar-nominated documentary Porcelain War, which looks at Russia's war with Ukraine through a different lens, focusing on Ukrainian artists who split their time between fighting on the front line and honing their craft. You can check out our conversation down below.

'Ash' Review

Ash premiered at SXSW, but I was already back in Los Angeles when that screening happened. So I caught it here at its West Coast premiere. I had a lot of fun with this low-budget sci-fi horror/head-trip, which I reviewed for Screen International.

Lady Gaga - "Disease"

Yeah, dark synths are what I need right now.

SXSW 2025: The Documentary Jury Winners

I attended SXSW for the first time for a good reason: I was invited to be part of the festival's Documentary Competition jury, alongside Aisha Harris and Jen Yamato. We saw eight films, all of them good (or better), and had a happily painless deliberation as we selected our top prize, as well as two special jury awards. 

Our winner was Shuffle, which opens the door to another reason why you should hate the way this country treats addiction. We also gave shout-outs to The Python Hunt and Remaining Native, two portraits of under-seen sections of America that are illuminating in different ways. 

You can read our write-ups here, as well as check out the winners in other section. Thanks for having me, Austin.

'The Next Picture Show': Let's Talk About 'Eephus'

Last week, I was on The Next Picture Show to talk about a baseball movie from the past, Bull Durham. This week, I return to talk about a new baseball film, Eephus. It was a very fun conversation. Hope you enjoy.

The Film Comment Podcast: Talking About 'Opus' and 'Misericordia'

Very happy to be back on Film Comment's podcast, alongside Devika Girish and Clinton Krute, to discuss new and upcoming releases. We chatted about Opus, Mickey 17, Misericordia and Eephus. Hear our wise words down below.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Clones, Murderers and Baseball

I recorded this week's episode from my hotel at SXSW. We had movies to talk about, darn it! You can check out our reviews of Mickey 17, Chaos: The Manson Murders and Eephus down below.

SXSW 2025: 'Holland' Review

Nicole Kidman is trapped in suburbia in Holland, a psychological thriller that doubles as a prickly character study. My review is live over at Screen International.

SXSW 2025: 'Death of a Unicorn' Review

Is it a horror movie? A dark comedy? A twisted fairy tale? A social commentary? A story about grief? All of the above: For Screen International, I reviewed the very uneven Death of a Unicorn.

SXSW 2025: 'Another Simple Favor' Review

I wasn't a fan of A Simple Favor. Did the long-awaited sequel change my mind about this stylish franchise? My review is up at Screen International.

SXSW 2025: 'The Accountant 2' Review

Greetings from Austin. My first review from SXSW is The Accountant 2, which is one of those rare cases where I didn't like the original, but I like the sequel. You can read my thoughts here.

Shania Twain - "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!"

Let's go, girls.

'Black Bag' Review

Steven Soderbergh's best in a good long while? I sure think so. My review of Black Bag is up at Screen International.

'The Next Picture Show': Let's Talk About 'Bull Durham'

So, this was fun: The gang over at The Next Picture Show asked me on as a guest. For those unfamiliar with that podcast, the hosts pair a current movie with an older, thematically-linked film. (The first episode is about the older film. The second episode focuses on the new film.) My episodes' theme was baseball movies, which makes sense since we're in the midst of spring training. This week: We talked about 1988's Bull Durham. Next week: To be continued. (But if you're paying attention to the indie release calendar, you can probably guess.)

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Our Oscar Reactions and Don Hertzfeldt's 'ME'

What a night. We talked about the Oscars on our new episode. We also finally got around to discussing ME, Don Hertzfeldt's terrific 2024 animated short. Then, in our Reboot segment,we went back to Robert De Niro's directorial debut, A Bronx Tale. Hope you enjoy.

Quincy Jones - "Soul Bossa Nova"

Right, the Austin Powers song. Sorry, I'm gonna stick to thinking of it as the Quincy Jones song.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': 'Last Breath,' 'My Dead Friend Zoe' and 'The Accidental Getaway Driver'

Katie Walsh and I were on KCRW today to discuss this weekend's new movies with guest host Brian Hardzinski. We tacked the deep-sea diving drama Last Breath, the melancholy comedy My Dead Friend Zoe, the woeful thriller Cold Wallet and the atmospheric true-life tale The Accidental Getaway Driver. Check it all out down below.

Gene Hackman's Finest Films

I was flattered to be asked to help contribute to this Rolling Stone piece that provides a primer on Gene Hackman's best performances. These 20 films constitute a hall-of-fame career.

Gene Hackman, 1930-2025

For Rolling Stone, I eulogized Danville, Illinois' favorite son, Gene Hackman.

'Last Breath' Review

Oscar weekend tends to be a pretty slow one in terms of new releases. But I can recommend Last Breath, a true-life survival thriller about three deep-sea divers in the North Sea who face a life-or-death crisis. Read all about it over at Screen International.

The Films That Got Overlooked This Oscar Season

This year's Oscar nominees are fairly decent, but I'd like to take a moment to recognize 10 superb films we won't hear mentioned at all during Sunday's telecast. The voters forgot about these movies, but I have not.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Monkey,' Sly Stone and Our Oscar Predictions

On this week's episode, we shake our heads at The Monkey and groove to Sly Lives! But then, we take our time offering our predictions in the eight major Oscar categories. Worth noting: We recorded just as the SAG Awards were getting underway Sunday night, so a few of the surprise winners hadn't happened yet. Still, I think I was fairly hesitant in my picks, knowing that several of the categories remain fairly wide open. Check out our conversation down below.

Lauryn Hill - "Lost Ones"

I'll always prefer The Score to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. But this track slays.

'The Annihilation of Fish' Review

In 1999, Charles Burnett's film The Annihilation of Fish premiered in Toronto. A very mixed reaction from critics doomed the movie. Now, at long last, the film is finally coming out into the world. For the Los Angeles Times, I reviewed this delicate, long-lost love story.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Captain America, Paddington and Bridget Jones Return

On this week's episode, we review new movies from franchises trying to sustain their cultural cachet: Captain America: Brave New World, Paddington in Peru and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. I only liked one of the three. You can hear our discussion down below.

My LAFCA Awards Presentation for Jomo Fray, Cinematographer of 'Nickel Boys'

The devastating Los Angeles fires in January forced the postponement of this year's Los Angeles Film Critics Association awards dinner. But on February 6th, the show went on, resulting in an evening that was a little more subdued but, nonetheless, still rather joyous. It was my honor to present our award for Best Cinematography, which deservedly went to the year's best film. Here were my remarks from the stage:

Few cinematographers today are more exciting than Jomo Fray. He has shot some of the most distinctive feature debuts in recent memory, including Selah and the Spades and All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. His images are tactile, lived-in — they stun without feeling showy. His camerawork, which is often centered on Black narratives, has the grace of a poem.

Tonight, we celebrate his crucial contribution to Nickel Boys, deservedly praised for its audacious use of first-person POV. Working alongside first-time feature director RaMell Ross, Fray had to determine precisely how the film’s teenage characters would take in their world, shooting on locations that often had to be 360-degree environments, with a nimble camera meant to replicate Elwood and Turner’s sentient perspective. From a craft standpoint, Nickel Boys was an enormous undertaking.

But anyone moved beyond words by this film doesn’t talk about aspect ratios or SnorriCam rigs. Instead, we marvel at myriad indelible shots that feel like childhood memories. Nickel Boys is full of pain and sorrow, but there’s also an incredible innocence to it — we don’t just see the film from Elwood and Turner’s perspective, we reconnect with the spirit of being young, back when our impressionable eyes were hungrily absorbing everything around us. Fray’s camera is attuned to these terrors and joys. We practically smell the stench of the so-called White House, where the Black students of Nickel are beaten. But we also delight at the sight of an adorable girl smiling under our seat on a bus.

The film invites us to experience it all in this most extraordinary of coming-of-age dramas, to bear witness to a country’s history of racism and cruelty — a history that remains so very present. Nickel Boys is an act of love and an act of defiance. And Jomo Fray makes sure we never look away.

Please join me in congratulating our winner for Best Cinematography, Jomo Fray.

I was so glad to have Jomo Fray there. I hadn't met him, and he was, unsurprisingly, terrific. (Also, everybody loved his outfit.) All of our winners can be found here. This photo was taken by Shiloh Strong.

Screen International: My Screen Life

Screen International runs a regular feature in its print edition called "My Screen Life," in which the publication's editors, critics and reporters discuss the films and moments that shaped them. My turn was up recently, so I talked about 2001, George Clooney and Cannes. Check it out here.

My Interview With George Wallace

He's been doing stand-up for nearly 50 years. His best friend is Jerry Seinfeld. (Back in the day, they used to be roommates.) And now he has a Prime Video show with Laverne Cox called Clean Slate. For Cracked, I had a long conversation with the legend about everything: comedy, Donald Trump, Johnny Carson, Twitter, Sanford and Son, growing up in the church, my bookcases, you name it. Hope you enjoy.

Berlin 2025: 'Magic Farm' Review

I quite liked Amalia Ulman's first film, El Planeta. Her new movie, Magic Farm, got a chilly reception at Sundance, but I think it works. For Screen International, I made the case for this rambunctious, politically pointed comedy, which is now playing Berlin.

'Cleaner' Review

 

Eventually, every movie star gets his or her Die Hard. For Daisy Ridley, that movie is Cleaner, which I reviewed for Screen International.

Berlin 2025: 'Mickey 17' Review

I'm not in Berlin, but for Screen International I reviewed one of the festival's high-profile premieres. Here are my thoughts on Bong Joon Ho's latest.

P.M. Dawn - "I'll Be Waiting for You"

Gone but not forgotten, P.M. Dawn was one of the 1990s' best hip-hop groups. My favorite album of theirs was their 1995 record, Jesus Wept, which wasn't as big as their first two discs. No matter: All these years later, I still find its mixture of the spiritual and the romantic to be fairly overwhelming.

How Does Neon Put Together Its Cool DVD Box Set Every Year?

This was a treat. For the Los Angeles Times, I talked to the people at Neon who design the company's annual for-your-consideration DVD box set of its films. This collection has quickly become the one item each year critics love to brag about receiving. You can read what I learned here.

'The Monkey' Review

I really liked Longlegs. But Osgood Perkins' follow-up left me cold, in large part because it's more of a dark comedy. I explain my reservations with The Monkey here.

RaMell Ross Breaks Down the Secrets of the 'Nickel Boys' Screenplay

I feel very fortunate this awards season to have gotten to spend some time with RaMell Ross. I've already profiled him for the Los Angeles Times, and I've also moderated a few Q&As with him. Today, I'm happy to unveil this new L.A. Times piece, in which he and I focus on Nickel Boys' screenplay, breaking down three crucial scenes and discussing how they evolved from the script to the screen. I was especially pleased that Ross shared a few secrets about these scenes which, I don't think, have been talked about anywhere else. Check out the piece here.

'Captain America: Brave New World' Review

Anthony Mackie is the new Captain America. Can he fill Chris Evans' shoes? For Screen International, I reviewed Brave New World.

My Interview With Edward Berger and Ralph Fiennes, the Team Behind 'Conclave'

For much of awards season, I've been trying to nail down a time to speak with the director and star of Conclave. This past week, it finally happened. For the Los Angeles Times, I jumped on the phone with Edward Berger and Ralph Fiennes to talk about faith, both in a higher power and in the potential of art. I was also especially interested to ask Fiennes about playing spirituality, which yielded an interesting answer. Our Conclave conversation is here.

My Interview With Tom Green

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Tom Green was on pop culture's cutting edge thanks to The Tom Green Show and Freddy Got Fingered. Since then, he's been doing stand-up, and after the pandemic he decided to leave Los Angeles to move back to Canada. He now operates a farm on 150 acres in Ontario when he isn't touring the world. In light of his new stand-up special, documentary and reality series, all devoted to his new life as a farmer, I had a long talk with the veteran comic. We talked about everything, including David Letterman, Canada, being a trailblazer, and Freddy's legacy. Hope you enjoy.

'No Other Land' Review

No Other Land has won multiple critics' awards as the best documentary of 2024. It's the front-runner for the Oscar. And it still doesn't have a U.S. distributor. But it's opening in select theaters across the country. What's going on here? For the Los Angeles Times, I reviewed this harrowing film.

Funkadelic - "Maggot Brain"

As the story goes, Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel was told to play "like his mom had died" by band leader George Clinton. This is what came out. Definitely feels like a eulogy for something or someone. And right now, it seems as good a song as any to lament the fall of America.

'Love Hurts' Review

Back from Sundance. And right back into the blah February releases. Here's my review of Love Hurts.