Venice 2026: 'Father Joe' Review

I'll say this about Father Joe: It sure ain't boring. In this 1990s action-thriller, Kiefer Sutherland plays a humble priest who wants to end New York's drug problem by killing the dealers. Trying to stop him is Al Pacino as a very hammy mob boss. Written by Luc Besson, the movie is decidedly bonkers. My review is up at Screen International.  

'Dogman' Review

When Luc Besson's latest premiered at Venice, the reviews were pretty ruff. For the Los Angeles Times, I wrote about Dogman.

Five Replacements for 'Black Widow'

I can't comprehend that, if not for this pandemic, Black Widow would be out right now. There hasn't been a Marvel movie in forever. But in the meantime, we offer five films that might address your MCU craving. Enjoy our insights over at Vulture.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Reviewing 'Dunkirk,' 'Girls Trip' and '24 Hour Party People'

Because of competing screenings, I wasn't able to get to Dunkirk until Thursday night, when my wife and I saw it at the Arclight in 70mm. So, I've had no chance to write at length about the movie. Not surprisingly, I had a ton to say on this week's episode. Plus, I talk to Will about Girls Trip, and we both review Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Finally, in our Reboot section, we look back at 24 Hour Party People. You can hear the whole thing down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Talking 'Dunkirk,' Luc Besson and 'Landline'

Had a blast, as always, on Press Play. I was on with Kyle Buchanan to review Dunkirk, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets and Landline. There's also some random Comic-Con talk. Hear the whole thing here.

'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets' Review

I dunno, folks: There aren't that many planets in this movie. Valerian is an ambitious, swing-for-the-fences sci-fi epic. It's just not very good. But there is a lot of it. My review is up at Screen International.

'Lucy' Review

Lucy is such dopey fun. It has its head in the clouds, pondering the big questions of life, while also being a really taut action-thriller. It's silly, it's stupid and it wouldn't be nearly as good without Scarlett Johansson. My review of Lucy is up at Screen International.

Back Stage: Reviews of the Good ('The Cabin in the Woods') and the Bad ('Detention')

This week's Screen Grab column at Back Stage surveys eight movies coming out this weekend, and I'm sad to say most of them aren't so hot. Blue Like Jazz, L!fe Happens, The Lady, Lockout (hey, a Luc Besson double feature), Detention ... yeah, there are some duds out there. So why not take a chance on Monsieur Lazhar? Or The Cabin in the Woods? You can read my complete rundown here.