'The Roses' Review

There's a new version of The War of the Roses out this weekend. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman and is not as good as the 1989 film. I explain why over at Screen International.  

Cannes 2025: 'The Phoenician Scheme' Review

While watching Wes Anderson's latest, something occurred to me: I've never disliked any of his movies. Until now. For Screen International, I get into what I think doesn't work in The Phoenician Scheme.

Sundance 2025: Ranking the Best and Worst of the Festival

There's a temptation among film critics when they don't attend a particular festival to look askance at those who do, especially if those attendees rave about a lot of the movies there. The cynical assumption is that, amidst the prestige and excitement (and privilege) of being at a festival, these critics lose their ability to be discerning. Those feelings are only amplified when glowing reviews come out of Sundance, the theory being that, because of Utah's higher elevation, critics are susceptible to become more forgiving of mediocre movies than they would at sea level.

But a funny thing happened this year in Park City: Just about everyone I saw at the festival was similarly glum about the films they were watching on the ground, grousing that there were no big breakthroughs, no major discoveries, no instant classics. Actually, much of the talk at Sundance wasn't about the movies but, rather, where the festival was headed. And I don't mean philosophically; this was a more literal question, with Sundance moving to Salt Lake City, Boulder or Cincinnati in 2027. The festival's team made it clear that they didn't have any answers about that yet, so don't ask, but nonetheless that uncertainty also contributed to creating a feeling that something was ending, that the glory days were over. Add to that Trump's return to the White House and the fires in Los Angeles, and it was easy to see why many downbeat Park City attendees wrote off this year's edition as a disappointment.

For once, it was actually the people not at the festival who were more positive. Those who stayed home, using the festival's online platform to see certain films, were generally a lot happier with Sundance's 2025 installment. Partly, that was because they only watched movies we on the ground had already determined were good. But I also think not being at Sundance, which didn't feel as packed or lively as in previous years, helped keep one's focus on the films as opposed to the lack of electricity in Park City. 

As I put together my rankings of everything I saw at the festival, it became clear that this actually was a pretty great Sundance, especially in terms of documentaries. My top two films at this year's festival, The Perfect Neighbor and Predators, both of which screened in the U.S. Documentary Competition, feel like films we'll be talking about all year, their thematic connections so self-evident and fascinating that Film Comment ran a panel with their filmmakers (as well as the director of Zodiac Killer Project) to discuss them. Right behind were two features, Sorry, Baby and If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, which took very different approaches to examine an imperiled woman trying to keep her head above water. I count 12 films I would classify as, at least, very good, and that's keeping in mind that there were several more movies I would have liked to have caught but just didn't have the time.

During Sundance, I met a veteran filmmaker who was screening a movie there. "So, what's the vibe of the festival this year?" she asked me. Gloomy, for lots of obvious reasons. But the films compensated if we just let ourselves be open to them.

Below are my rankings, with links leading to individual reviews:

28. Opus
27. By Design
26. Ricky
25. The Ugly Stepsister
24. Rabbit Trap
23. Kiss of the Spider Woman
22. The Legend of Ochi
21. Together
20. The Thing With Feathers
19. The Wedding Banquet
18. Move Ya Body: The Birth of House
17. Folktales
16. Magic Farm
15. Jimpa
14. Omaha
13. Rebuilding
12. Zodiac Killer Project
11. The Alabama Solution
10. Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)
9. 2000 Meters to Andriivka
8. Train Dreams
7. Peter Hujar's Day
6. BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
5. Twinless
4. Sorry, Baby
3. If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
2. Predators
1. The Perfect Neighbor 

See you all at the next festival. And thanks again to Devika Girish for having me on The Film Comment Podcast to discuss Twinless, By Design and Rabbit Trap.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Doctor Strange, 'Happening' and My Cannes 2022 Preview

It's that time of year again: I'm off to Cannes soon. That means I spent part of this week's episode spotlighting some films I'm excited to see at the festival. Also, we reviewed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Happening. Hear the whole thing down below.

Doctor Strange Is Good Now

Long a second-tier character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Stephen Strange is starting to grow on me. For MEL, I wrote about his increased importance to the franchise here.

'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' Review

You know how most Marvel movies don't feel like they were directed by anyone in particular? Well, that's not an issue with the new Doctor Strange film: It definitely seems like the work of one Sam Raimi. That's a good thing, as I explain in my Screen International review.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Jane Campion, 'The Worst Person in the World' and 'Benedetta'

On this week's episode, we talked about movies shot in New Zealand, Denmark and Italy (and also a little bit in France, I believe). Hear the whole thing down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': A Cornucopia of Good International Films

So many worthwhile movies to discuss this week on KCRW: Carlos Aguilar and I review The Power of the Dog, The Hand of God, Benedetta, Drive My Car and Flee. You can hear our segment down below.

'The Power of the Dog' and the Myth of the Macho Cowboy

I'm slightly lower on Jane Campion's latest than most are, but I still think it's a fine Western that explores masculinity from several interesting angles. My thoughts are over at MEL.

'The Mauritanian' Review

In the wake of 9/11, Mohamedou Ould Slahi spent about 14 years in Guantanamo Bay. He was never charged with a crime, and he continually swore he wasn't involved in the attacks. The Mauritanian is a drama about his ordeal. I wish it were better.

Sundance 2020: 'Ironbark' Review

Benedict Cumberbatch has to save the world from nuclear devastation in Ironbark, the remarkable true story about a British salesman who went undercover to help spirit Soviet secrets out of the Kremlin during the early 1960s. I wish the movie was a little more electric. My review is up at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: We Answer Your Questions

On this week's episode, Will and I review The Current War and Dolemite Is My Name. But the bulk of the show is devoted to our listener questions. Folks emailed us things they wanted answered, and we're only too happy to oblige. You can hear the whole thing down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': 'The Current War,' 'Black and Blue,' 'Countdown' and 'Frankie'

Nice to be back on KCRW, this time joined by friend and colleague Katie Walsh. We reviewed four new movies, but I was especially glad to talk about Ira Sachs' underrated Frankie. Hear the whole thing down below.