A Salute to the Sports Comedy

In honor of Happy Gilmore 2, Vulture asked us to pick 25 great sports comedies, which was a pleasure. You can check out our list here. 

'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.)

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.

James Earl Jones' Essential Performances

In memory of the legendary stage and screen actor, we highlighted nine of his most memorable films. Hope you enjoy.

'Breakfast All Day': Lamenting 'Horizon,' Praising 'Longlegs'

I was very happy to be on Breakfast All Day with Christy Lemire to talk about Horizon and Longlegs. (Worth pointing out: When we recorded the Horizon segment, the news hadn't broken yet that the second chapter was being delayed.) You can check out the videos down below.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Horror Prequels, Yorgos Lanthimos Triptychs, 'Horizon' and 'Janet Planet'

Yup, this is a rare four-movie episode. But there was a lot to talk about, including the election. Check it out down below.

Kevin Costner, Director

As we prepare for Horizon, I went back and rewatched Kevin Costner's first three films as a director. Some themes emerged, which I wrote about here.

Cary Elwes Breaks Down His Best Comedic Roles

Cary Elwes costars in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. I used that opportunity to ask him about his funniest characters. This was very fun.

Keith Law and I Talk About Baseball Movies

Welcome to a new baseball season. To celebrate the occasion, I had a long Zoom talk with my buddy Keith Law to discuss the best and worst baseball films. We had a blast. (And, seriously, you should see Sugar and Everybody Wants Some!!)

What's the Best Sports Comedy?

As I'm sure you know, this weekend is the Super Bowl. For Cracked, I did a deep dive into sports comedies, selecting the 40 best. Hope you enjoy.

What Is a "Male Savior" Movie?

You know those films where a guy has to protect someone: a boy, a pop star, the president? Well, I'm dubbing them "male savior" movies, and with a new one coming out this weekend (Sweet Girl), I thought I'd do a rundown of the many variations of the trope. Check it out over at MEL.

George Clooney and the Modern Actor-Turned-Director

In honor of The Midnight Sky, I ranked 12 movie stars who made the transition to filmmakers. Where does Clooney rank? The answer is over at MEL.

Let's Rank Kevin Costner Movies

In honor of Let Him Go, we put together for Vulture a big list of Kevin Costner performances. Here's our rundown of all 42.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Let Him Go,' 'Proxima' and 'The Fly'

I raved and raved and raved about the 1986 remake of The Fly on this week's episode. I also had nice things to say about Let Him Go (pity about the ending) and Proxima. And, yes, we talked about the election, too. Hope you enjoy. 

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Stop-Motion Animation, Kevin Costner and Bad Netflix Christmas Movies

I joined William Bibbiani on Friday's show to tackle a whole range of films. (I especially enjoyed ripping on Operation Christmas Drop.) You can hear our KCRW segment down below.

Misleading Men: Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner was on top of the world. Then he went backstage to talk to Madonna after one of her concerts. Therein lies my latest MEL piece.

'The Art of Racing in the Rain’ Review

A random observation: I went to the premiere of The Art of Racing in the Rain, and it was a bit poignant to hear people who worked on the film clap uproariously for the 20th Century Fox logo and that Alfred Newman fanfare. Nothing lasts, folks. Anyway, here's my review of this so-so tearjerker.

Some Thoughts on 'The Highwaymen'

Whose band is better: Kevin Costner's or Woody Harrelson's?

What's the finest song about Bonnie and Clyde?

And why is The Highwaymen the dad-rock of crime dramas?

I answer these questions, and more, over at MEL.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Diane' Is Good, 'Dumbo' and 'The Beach Bum' Are Not

On this week's podcast, we review Dumbo, The Highwaymen and The Beach Bum. I also spend a little time talking about an actual good movie, Diane. Hear the whole thing down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Elephants, Stoners, Lawmen, 'Diane' and Agnes Varda

I was very happy to be with TCM's Alicia Malone on Press Play yesterday, especially because we talked a little about the passing of Agnes Varda. (Actually, Alicia took the lead, for obvious reasons.) Then we reviewed Dumbo, The Highwaymen, Diane and The Beach Bum. You can hear the whole thing here.