The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: So Many Movies, So Little Time

It's become an annual tradition I really enjoy: On the podcast right before we record our "Best of the Year" episode, we do a lightning round in which we review a bunch of end-of-the-year films in quick succession. This year, that meant rapid reactions to A Complete Unknown, Nosferatu, Nickel Boys, Babygirl, The Seed of the Sacred Fig and The Order. Check it all out down below.

My Interview With Nicholas Hoult

The man who will be the next Lex Luthor had a pretty great 2024. For the Los Angeles Times, I chatted with the actor about Juror #2, The Order and Nosferatu. We also talked about fatherhood and staying out of the limelight. Check it out here.

(Photo by Marcus Ubungen.)

'Nosferatu' Review

As a filmmaker, Robert Eggers is now four-for-four. For Screen International, I reviewed his latest, Nosferatu.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: The Best Films of the First Half of 2022

There are several movies I wasn't able to catch in time for this week's episode, which I'm not happy about, but nonetheless: Will and I both list our six favorites of 2022 so far. Hope you enjoy.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Vikings, Nic Cage and 'Le Samourai'

Two new movies, one fantastic reboot: That's the story of this week's episode. Come for the reviews of The Northman and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, stay to hear me gush about Le Samourai.

'The Northman' Is a Lot of Viking Movie

Robert Eggers loves immersing us in long-ago worlds. He does the same with his third feature, The Northman, which is about a Viking seeking vengeance. My piece is up at MEL.

My Interview With Robert Pattinson for 'The Lighthouse'

OK, so this is weird. For reasons not worth getting into, I just realized that I never posted my interview with Robert Pattinson from last year when he and I hung out and talked about The Lighthouse. How did I forget this? I have no idea. Regardless, it was a delightful conversation. (I've now talked to him twice and immensely enjoyed it both times.) Here's our chat for Screen International.

My Interview With Willem Dafoe

One of the things that's fun about talking to Willem Dafoe is that he takes acting seriously -- but can dissect his process in ways that are clever, insightful and relatable. We had a great chat over the phone about The Lighthouse. My profile is up at Screen International.

Some Thoughts on 'The Lighthouse'

For MEL, I wrote about The Lighthouse, one of my favorites of 2019. It's a horror movie, but it's also really funny. Hope you enjoy.

Cannes 2019: The Wrap-Up and the Rankings

My sixth Cannes was unique in that, as opposed to previous editions, I wasn't in much agreement with my colleagues about what were the festival's best and worst films. I quite liked Little Joe and Frankie, two Competition selections that didn't receive much love elsewhere, while being duly impressed (but not blown away) by Parasite, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Pain and Glory, which were probably the consensus favorites. And yet, the fact that all four ended up ranking relatively high on my list suggests something I'd suspected over the last two weeks: Every Cannes you get to go to is amazing, but the overall quality of this year's films was below-average. It happens.

Another thing that made this an outlier Cannes: My favorite film wasn't part of the official selections. Over at Directors' Fortnight, Robert Eggers' follow-up to The Witch, The Lighthouse, was the big story, and I finally caught up with it last night. There will be more to say later, but it's a knockout -- and further proof that Robert Pattinson is one of our most exciting and surprising young actors. (While I was at Cannes, news broke that he probably, maybe will play Batman, and if comic-book nerds think he's just the "the Twilight guy," then they don't deserve him.)

I look forward to catching up with a few films that fell through the cracks, including Beanpole, I Lost My Body and The Unknown Saint. I confess there is still a part of me that wants to experience Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo. I enjoyed seeing colleagues and spending time at my favorite annual festival. And I thank you for reading. My ranking of everything I saw, including films screened in advance, is below, with links leading to individual reviews.

33. Wounds
32. Matthias & Maxime
31. Rocketman
30. The Traitor
29. Les Misérables
28. The Climb
27. Atlantics
26. Tommaso
25. The Dead Don’t Die
24. Zombi Child
23. The Bare Necessity
22. Vivarium
21. Bull
20. Adam
19. The Swallows of Kabul
18. Deerskin
17. Share
16. Bacurau
15. Give Me Liberty
14. Sorry We Missed You
13. Young Ahmed
12. A Hidden Life
11. Pain and Glory
10. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
9. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
8. Oh Mercy!
7. Ghost Tropic
6. Parasite
5. Little Joe
4. Frankie
3. The Wild Goose Lake
2. The Whistlers
1. The Lighthouse

Sundance 2015: 'The Witch' Review

As much as I hate using the word "buzz," one of the buzzier titles of Sundance 2015 is The Witch, from first-time filmmaker Robert Eggers. Playing in the U.S. dramatic competition, this is an elegant horror film about a luckless 1630s New England family living on their own out in the middle of nowhere. Oh, and there might be a witch in the dark forest just outside their property. Eggers' film may be little more than an excellent exercise in dread but, hey, it creeped me out mighty sufficiently. I reviewed The Witch for Screen International.