My Interview With Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Star of 'Wonder Man'

It's nice to know, after all this time, that you can still experience a first in your work.

A few weeks ago, I interviewed Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, the star of Marvel's superb series Wonder Man. Abdul Mateen had been nominated for an Emmy, and the show was getting close to ramping up for its second season. So there was plenty to discuss. I really enjoyed our chat.

Then, after I sent the story to my editor and it was set to be published, Disney dropped a bombshell: Despite already being renewed for a second season, Wonder Man was canceled without explanation. And with that, my article wasn't the same as it had once been.

You can read my profile here. We chatted about turning 40, starring in a David Fincher movie, and what it's like to play a guy who's a struggling actor. 

My Interview With Jeff Tremaine, Director of 'Jackass: Best and Last'

Jeff Tremaine is one of the chief architects behind Jackass. So why doesn't he get any respect? For Filmmaker, I had a long talk with the auteur -- god, he would hate being called that -- about the long-running series, fighting with the MPAA, kidnapping Brad Pitt, and never growing up. Hope you enjoy. 

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Two Very Different Sports Movies and 'M3GAN 2.0'

On the podcast, we review F1 and M3GAN 2.0. (We disagree about one of them.) Then, in our Reboot segment, we look back at 1978's Heaven Can Wait. You can check out the episode down below. (And next episode, Will and I will reveal our best films from the first half of this year.)

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Raving About 'Sorry, Baby' and 'Familiar Touch'

Christy Lemire and I were on KCRW this week to talk about new movies. We reviewed F1 and M3GAN 2.0, but the more interesting conversations regard the Sundance hit Sorry, Baby and the touching drama Familiar Touch. You can hear our segment down below.

'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. 

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Megalopolis,' 'A Different Man' and Differing on 'Wolfs'

A supersized episode of the podcast this week, featuring reviews of four new movies. Neither of us liked Francis Ford Coppola's film, but there was much to discuss. Elsewhere, I rave about A Different Man, we debate whether The Wild Robot ends at the right time, and we split on the George Clooney/Brad Pitt action-comedy. Check out this two-hour episode down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Coppola, Clooney and 'Saturday Night'

What a treat to be on with Christy Lemire to talk about movies. We reviewed Megalopolis, Wolfs, The Wild Robot and Saturday Night. Check out our segment down below.

Comedies With Twist Endings

We tend to think of dramas having big twist endings. But, every once in a while, a comedy pulls the rug out from under its audience. For Cracked, I looked at some of the most memorable examples, and discussed whether the twists worked.

'Fight Club' Jokes Still Pack a Punch

The new comedy Bottoms riffs on Fight Club, telling the story of a female fight club at a high school. Nearly 25 years after that David Fincher film came out, it's still used as a go-to joke in movies and TV shows. Why is that? I offered some thoughts here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Making Our Oscar Predictions (And Reviewing 'Creed III' and 'Babylon')

OK, let's do it. This week on the podcast, we guess what's going to win in the eight major Oscar categories. (Lots of disagreement, which means Sunday should be fairly unpredictable.) Elsewhere, we differ on Creed III. And, by popular demand, we go back and review Babylon, which came out too late for us to cover in December. Dig in down below.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Debating 'Quantumania,' Revisiting 'The Tree of Life' and 'Life Is Beautiful'

We disagree about the latest Ant-Man adventure, which opens the door to a larger discussion about the state of the MCU. Also in this episode, we have two Reboot segments. Has The Tree of Life lost a little of its stature over the years? And how would the world react to Life Is Beautiful if it came out today? We've got the answers below.

'Babylon' Review

Babylon has inspired reviews that run the gamut. You can read mine over at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Is 'Bullet Train' or 'Luck' Worse?

It's August, which is when the movies start getting worse. Need proof? Just check out this week's episode, where I disparage both Brad Pitt's latest and Luck. (We did have nice things to say about Prey, though.) Hear the whole thing down below.

'Bullet Train' Review

Boy, is Bullet Train irreverent! This action-comedy, about a bunch of bad guys all on the same Japanese high-speed train, wants very badly to be hip and amoral. It's mostly just exhausting. My review is up at Screen International.

SXSW 2022: 'The Lost City' Review

The Lost City features two very likeable stars who give their all to a script that I think lets them down. For Screen International, here's my review.

Let's Rank Guy Ritchie's Movies

Now that Wrath of Man is out, we have a list over at Vulture evaulating all the director's films. Verdict: Many of them are just OK. You can check out the rankings here.

Just How Bad Is 'Interview With the Vampire'?

Anne Rice didn't want Tom Cruise to play the lead. Brad Pitt wanted to quit during the shoot. For SyFy, I look back at this thoroughly dopey vampire flick.

'Fight Club' and Male Bonding

I saw Fight Club on opening night October 15, 1999. Today, I look back at a movie that still packs a punch. My piece is up at SyFy.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Blow Out,' 'The Counselor' and Looking Back at 1982

On this week's episode, we look at the movie year 1982, when E.T. and Tootsie ruled the box office. Then, we have two Reboots. I rave about Brian De Palma's Blow Out and stick up for Ridley Scott's The Counselor. Enjoy!

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Assistant,' 'The Rhythm Section,' 'Inglourious Basterds' and Our Oscar Predictions

Lots to get to on this week's show. (I also talk a little about Sundance 2020.) Hear the entire episode down below.