The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Wicked' vs. 'Gladiator II'

On this week's podcast, we look at the two big movies that opened over last weekend. (Turns out, we disagree on both of them.) And then we spend a little time with The Piano Lesson. Check out the show down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Oz, Rome and 'The Piano Lesson'

It's a big movie weekend. Should you see Wicked? Gladiator II? What about The Piano Lesson? Christy Lemire and I were on KCRW today to offer our thoughts. Check out the segment down below.

'Gladiator II' Review

Gladiator II doesn't have Russell Crowe, but it does have Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal. Is that an upgrade? My review is up at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Alien: Romulus' and Your 2024 Fall Film Festival Preview

I'll be leaving shortly for Venice and Toronto. So, there's a lot to talk about on this week's episode. First, we review Alien: Romulus, which we differed on. Then, we list 10 movies we're excited about that will be premiering at festivals over the next couple weeks. Looking for an early awards-season preview? Here you go.

What's the Best Film to Launch Its Summer Movie Season This Century?

I provide my rankings here.

My Interview With Ridley Scott, Director of 'Napoleon'

I talked about history, violence, war, Joaquin Phoenix, Stanley Kubrick, dead dogs and not slowing down with the one and only Ridley Scott. Hope you enjoy.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Napoleon, Leonard Bernstein, Felicia Montealegre and 'Saltburn'

Three big prestige movies are reviewed on this episode. You can hear our takes on Napoleon, Maestro and Saltburn down below.

'Napoleon' Review

Napoleon, complex: Here's my review of Ridley Scott's latest for Screen International.

Russell Crowe's Furious Peak

At the height of his stardom, Russell Crowe brought a manly intensity to his best roles. Do we still want that from our leading men? My latest for MEL is here.

Revisiting 'G.I. Jane'

For reasons that should be obvious, I watched G.I. Jane this morning. It inspired a lot of thoughts.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Three Films About Families

I only now realized that this week's episode covered three films that deal with difficult families: House of Gucci, Encanto and The Humans. Guess which one I liked best.

Or you could just listen and find out.

'House of Gucci' Puts the Rich on Blast

There's no shortage of popular entertainment about how awful the wealthy are. But there's always room for one more. For MEL, I indulged in the seductive, tacky pleasures of House of Gucci.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Last Duel,' 'Halloween Kills' and 'Bergman Island'

Period dramas, horror sequels and the latest from Mia Hansen-Løve are all featured on this week's podcast. Lots to discuss with all three films, even the one that's bad. Hear the whole thing below.

'The Last Duel' Takes on Men in the #MeToo Era

There was a lot of uncertainty in the media and on social media when it was announced that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck had co-written a medieval drama about a knight who challenges another knight to a duel after his wife accuses the other man of raping her. This sounded like pretty sensitive material -- could those two do it justice? For MEL, I went long digging into The Last Duel.

'Raised by Wolves' Review

In the future, humanity has been all but destroyed, and two androids must raise the last remaining children. I reviewed Raised by Wolves for MEL.

Let's Rank Russell Crowe's Movies

Now that Unhinged is out, let's consider the career of Russell Crowe. For Vulture, we ranked his performances. I think our top pick isn't very controversial.

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!

What's Matt Damon's Best Performance?

That's the questions we answer over at Vulture, where we rank all of his performances. (No. 1 was never in doubt for me.)

Sci-Fi's Best Imaginary Worlds

Oz, Pandora, the Shimmer ... for SyFy, we picked the best worlds in science fiction and fantasy. Hope you enjoy.

What's the Best Best-Picture Winner?

"This seems like a thankless task. And one that will only leave people angry." -- Philip Allcott

Undeterred, for Vulture, Will and I ranked every Best Picture winner. Dig in here.