The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' 'Hokum' and 'Animal Farm'

As luck would have it, I didn't actually write about any of the three films we reviewed this week on the podcast. So you can hear me express my disappointment in the Devil Wears Prada sequel, praise Adam Scott in Hokum and shake my head at the animated Animal Farm. The full episode is below:

My Reaction to This Year's Golden Globe Nominations

What were the biggest surprises? What were the most egregious snubs? I wrote about all that and more for Rolling Stone.

What's the Best Fourth of July Release This Century?

I offer a Top 10 here.

What's the Funniest Movie to Open Over Fourth of July?

This time of year, the multiplex is ruled by action movies. But every once in a while, we get a great comedy. I looked back at a few for Cracked.

'Paint' Isn't About Bob Ross (and Other Movies Very Clearly Based on Real People)

Owen Wilson's new comedy made me think of other films in which we know who the main character is supposed to be, even though the movie itself lightly fictionalizes that person. I did an analysis of these roman a clefs here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Spielberg's Musical, McKay's Satire and 'Red Rocket'

Three big movies on this week's podcast. (Makes sense considering we're in the thick of awards season.) Two are quite good, while one is Don't Look Up. Hear our reviews and random foolishness down below.

'Don't Look Up' Review

Oh boy, is Don't Look Up bad. I have very little good to say about Adam McKay's latest over at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Minari,' 'The Prom' and Everything in Between

On this week's episode, we dive into four new releases. We've got musicals (The Prom), we've got family dramas (Minari), we've got Soderbergh flicks (Let Them All Talk) and we've got the latest in the Small Axe anthology (Alex Wheatle). Check out all the fun below.

'Let Them All Talk' Review

Steven Soderbergh takes to the high seas for Let Them All Talk, which follows three old friends (Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest) as they reunite and pick at old scabs. My review is up at Screen International.

All the Oscar Nominees From Every Summer Blockbuster

Good heavens, there are 54 performances that have been nominated from summer hits. (I thought this was supposed to be the season of mindless action movies.) I ranked them all over at MEL.

The Summer When Meryl Streep Took Down Superman

Let us return to the summer of 2006, when The Devil Wears Prada battled Superman Returns and an unlikely winner emerged. The latest installment of my Ultimate Summer Movie Guide is here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Nazis, Lighthouse Keepers, Zombies and 'The Laundromat'

On this week's episode, I review the two big art-house releases, Jojo Rabbit and The Lighthouse. Then, Will and I differ on The Laundromat and equally lament Zombieland: Double Tap. Hear the whole thing down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Let's Talk About 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'

Fellow critic Katie Walsh and I were on KCRW today to review The Equalizer 2 and Blindspotting. (Katie soloed on Unfriended: Dark Web.) But the real conversation was around the Mamma Mia sequel, which is surprisingly good. You can hear the whole thing here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Reviewing 'The Post,' 'Phantom Thread' and 'Molly's Game'

We're coming to the end of the year, and this week's podcast is devoted to some of the high-profile Christmas releases. I'm a big fan of The Post and Phantom Thread, while I get a kick out of the supreme Sorkin-ness of Molly's Game. You can hear the whole episode down below.

'The Post' Review

It's too early to tell, but I'd be pretty tempted to put money down on The Post winning the Oscar. It's a really good movie but, more importantly, it's a very timely film, telling the story of The Washington Post's battle to publish the Pentagon Papers. If you happen to see any modern-day parallels -- journalism versus a corrupt administration, say -- well, that's the idea. My review is up at Screen International.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Meryl, Dragons, Animated Food and 'Hell or High Water'

The lovely Barbara Bogaev filled in for Madeleine yesterday on Press Play, and Grae Drake and I had a fine time discussing Sausage Party, Florence Foster Jenkins, Pete's Dragon and Hell or High Water. You can hear our segment here.

'Florence Foster Jenkins' Review

Meryl Streep returns with Florence Foster Jenkins, based on the true story of a 1940s New York socialite who was famous for her terrible singing voice. So why was she such a sensation? This very enjoyable film doesn't dig deeply enough into that question. My review is up at The New Republic.

Meryl Streep's Movies, Ranked

Will and I have done a few ranked lists for Vulture, but our latest is our biggest: We run down 42 of Meryl Streep's performances, from worst to best. This was a massive undertaking, and I'm quite proud of the results. I hope you enjoy.

'Ricki and the Flash' Review

Meryl Streep is one the best parts -- but not the only good part -- of Ricki and the Flash, which is slight but still pretty profound in its own minor way. I reviewed the movie for Deadspin. (Oh, and this isn't the only Meryl Streep item coming from me this week.)

'Into the Woods' Review

Into the woods, into the woods, into the woods!

If you see only one musical this holiday season......absolutely don't let it be the atrocious Annie. And while Into the Woods isn't terrific, it's perfectly, pleasantly solid. My review of the big-screen adaptation of the James Lapine/Stephen Sondheim classic is up live over at Screen International.