What Is Danny Boyle's Best Film?

For the fine folks at Vulture, Will and I put together our ranking of all of Danny Boyle's films, including 28 Years Later. You can check them out here. 

'Caught by the Tides' Review

I'm not claiming it's any kind of blockbuster, but the fact that Jia Zhangke’s Caught by the Tides is still playing in and around Los Angeles more than a month after it opened is damn heartening. For the Los Angeles Times, I extol its virtues, and explain why it's actually a decent primer for someone just getting into Jia. Hope you enjoy. 

The Clash - "I'm So Bored With the U.S.A."

I hadn't heard this in a while. Brought a smile to my face.

My Interview With Rowan Haber and Julia Sweeney for 'We Are Pat'

Perhaps you remember "It's Pat," a series of popular Saturday Night Live sketches Julia Sweeney did back in the early 1990s, in which she played the androgynous, awkward Pat, who constantly provoked confusion: Was Pat a he or a she?  

We Are Pat is a new documentary that examines the character's legacy, and how Pat has impacted the LGBTQ+ community. For Cracked, I had a long conversation with We Are Pat director Rowan Haber (as well as Sweeney) as we discussed "problematic" comedy, trans humor, and Sweeney's SNL memories. We got into a lot of topics: Hope you enjoy.

'The Damned' Review

Roberto Minervini's The Other Side remains one of the great pre-MAGA artifacts of our time. But with The Damned, the nonfiction filmmaker tries his hand at narrative. Sorta. I reviewed this muted, mysterious antiwar movie for the Los Angeles Times. 

My Interview With Jonathan Gould, Author of 'Burning Down the House'

Burning Down the House: Talking Heads and the New York Scene That Transformed Rock is an exhaustive biography of the seminal band and the city that shaped them. For Paste, I talked to author Jonathan Gould (himself a musician) to discuss many things: David Byrne's autism, Stop Making Sense's greatness, and why the band is never ever getting back together. You can read my Q&A here.

'F1' Review

Brad Pitt plays an over-the-hill race car driver looking for a shot at redemption in F1, which is incredible on the track but a lot messier when no one's behind the wheel. You can read my review here. 

'Elio' Review

Elio is one of several recent Pixar films that's not part of the studio's big franchises. I'm glad the company keeps making original movies. I just wish they were better. Here's my review for Screen International. 

The Beach Boys - "In My Room"

When Susan was a kid, she fell in love with "In My Room." She still loves it. In honor of Brian Wilson's passing, let's give it a listen.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Phoenician Scheme,' 'Ballerina' and 'All That Money Can Buy'

On this week's episode, well, we're a little let down by both of the new movies we review. So it's good we went back to 1941's All That Money Can Buy, which is probably better known as The Devil and Daniel Webster. Check out all our wise insights down below.

'Materialists' Review

Past Lives was one of the best films of 2023. Celine Song returns with Materialists. How does it stack up? My review is live at Screen International. 

'Dangerous Animals' Review

I quite liked Sean Byrne's first two films, The Loved Ones and The Devil's Candy. But his first movie in 10 years, Dangerous Animals, left me underwhelmed. I explain why over at the Los Angeles Times. 

The Folk Implosion - "Nothing Gonna Stop"

Let's just ride that groove for four minutes, OK?

What Makes an HBO Documentary Film an HBO Documentary Film?

To get the answer, I spoke separately to five directors who have recently worked with the studio: Nanette Burstein (Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes), Alex Gibney (Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos), Eric Goode (Chimp Crazy), Lance Oppenheim (Ren Faire) and Matt Wolf (Pee-wee as Himself). These are very different kinds of documentaries, all under the same roof. The results of my conversations can be read over at the Los Angeles Times.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Evil Foster Moms and Tech Bros, and 'Pi'

Two reviews of new movies in this episode. We got creeped out, in different ways, from watching Bring Her Back and Mountainhead. Then, in our Reboot segment, we revisit Darren Aronofsky's 1998 debut. Check it all out down below.

'Ballerina' Review

Ballerina convinced me Ana de Armas has the goods as an action star. I just wish she was in a better movie. My review is up at Screen International.

What 'Dogma' Did to Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith's controversial 1999 comedy Dogma returns to theaters tomorrow. For Cracked, I looked back at the film's legacy, and why he never made as interesting a movie afterward. Hope you enjoy.

My Interview With the Cast of 'Severance'

This was fun. For the Los Angeles Times, I chatted with seven members of the Severance ensemble. (From left to right, that's Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, John Turturro, Adam Scott, Dichen Lachman, Tramell Tillman and Patricia Arquette.) The interesting wrinkle? I talked to them all separately and at different times over the span of a few weeks. What this created was a fascinating experiment in seeing how each of them, on their own, reacted to the challenges of living up to the show's first season. I found them to be candid, even confessional, about the anxieties and issues they faced while filming Season Two. The result is this very satisfying piece, which I hope you enjoy.

(Photos by Jason Armond.)