Venice 2025: 'Megadoc' Review

My feelings about Megalopolis are out there for the world to see. So take it from me when I say that Megadoc, which is Mike Figgis' documentary about the making of Francis Ford Coppola's film, is pretty great. Sympathetic but not uncritical, it looks at the act of creation in all its messy, hopeful glory, without snark or judgment. Here's my review.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Megalopolis,' 'A Different Man' and Differing on 'Wolfs'

A supersized episode of the podcast this week, featuring reviews of four new movies. Neither of us liked Francis Ford Coppola's film, but there was much to discuss. Elsewhere, I rave about A Different Man, we debate whether The Wild Robot ends at the right time, and we split on the George Clooney/Brad Pitt action-comedy. Check out this two-hour episode down below.

Cannes 2024: 'Megalopolis' Review

I was so rooting for Francis Ford Coppola's first film in 13 years. But I think Megalopolis is a failure. My review is up at Screen International.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Reviews of 'The Reason I Jump,' 'Herself' and 'Pieces of a Woman'

Jacqueline Coley and I were on KCRW yesterday to talk about new releases. And there are several gems, which you can hear us talking about down below. 

Sundance 2019: 'Honey Boy' Review

As a Shia LaBeouf fan, I was curious about Honey Boy, which is based on his own contentious relationship with his father. Alas, the movie doesn't quite work.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: The Rock, The Android, 'The Rider' and 'Borg vs McEnroe'

We tackle five movies on this week's podcast. Will and I both review Rampage and Come Sunday. I go solo on The Rider and Borg vs McEnroe. And then, in our Reboot section, we look back at A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Oh, and I also go off on Netflix. You can hear the whole thing down below.

Is Shia LaBeouf Due for a Comeback?

Stop it. Stop asking dumb questions like that. I think LaBeouf, who's in the new tennis film Borg vs McEnroe, can be a really good actor. I like the guy. But, seriously, what is our obsession with comeback narratives? I wrote about that for MEL.

Cannes 2016: The Wrap-Up and the Rankings

When people ask me how a film festival went, there are always two answers I could give. The first, which is the one folks normally care about, is an overall assessment of the movies that screened there. But the second answer concerns how my life was during that festival. Did I sleep well? Any strange encounters? Any moments of paralyzing self-doubt or crippling loneliness? Did I get sick from not enough sleep and too many deadlines? This is the stuff critics and journalists don't talk about so much, but you'd better believe it affects them, especially when they're far from home, and it can affect their assessment of the movies they see.

A small personal example from Cannes. I rented a flat that was on the third floor of an apartment complex. No elevator, just stairs, and it was a beautiful spiral staircase that was very fun to go up and down every day during the festival. Well, except for that one afternoon when I locked my apartment door, proceeded to put the keys in my pocket but had them clang off my wedding ring, sending them tumbling down that beautiful spiral staircase. I don't know if you've ever chased a set of keys as they bounce down twirling stairs, but it's a horrible experience -- especially when you're convinced they've fallen through the center of the stairwell, never to be found again. For a good five-minute span, I was pretty convinced I was in major trouble. And then, I saw them resting in a dusty corner of the stairwell, mere inches from falling down a crevice where I could have never recovered them. A very lucky break ... and a nice reminder that one's experience at a festival can hinge on such inexplicable, uncontrollable moments. (Other than that, I had a great, uneventful festival.)

Now, to the rankings. This was a pretty strong Cannes, and although I'm sorry I missed After the Storm, The Handmaiden, The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki, Julieta, Raw and The Red Turtle, I'm very happy with what I saw. Links lead to full-length reviews...

33. It's Only the End of the World
32. Money Monster
31. The Last Face 
30. Blood Father 
29. Dog Eat Dog
28. Captain Fantastic
27. Staying Vertical
26. Loving
25. Midnight Return: The Story of Billy Hayes and Turkey
24. Hands of Stone
23. Slack Bay 
22. Cafe Society
21. Personal Affairs
20. The Neon Demon
19. Hell or High Water
18. The Cinema Travellers
17. The BFG
16. The Dancer
15. The Transfiguration
14. I, Daniel Blake 
13. Aquarius
12. The Salesman 
11. The Nice Guys
10. Sieranevada
9. The Unknown Girl
8. Ma' Rosa
7. The Student
6. Personal Shopper
5. Elle
4. Toni Erdmann
3. Graduation
2. Paterson
1. American Honey

I'm terrified Julieta is going to win the Palme d'Or, meaning I'll have missed the big prizewinner. But if I had to bet, I'd say Toni Erdmann will take the award. We'll see soon enough. As for me, American Honey was my film of the festival. All hail Sasha Lane (pictured above), who's a major discovery. I hope she had a good Cannes.

'Fury' Review

Fury is a movie I respected more than I loved, but I respected it enough to recommend. Writer-director David Ayer has made a World War II film that's awfully familiar in its broad strokes, but on closer inspection it has its own peculiar rhythm to it. And I quite liked Brad Pitt in it -- and Shia LaBeouf, which may surprise some. My review is up at Screen International.

'Transformers: Age of Extinction' Review

Mark Wahlberg is an upgrade over Shia LaBeouf, and Age of Extinction was the Transformers movie I've liked best. But, really, none of that matters: This sequel stinks. My review is up at Deadspin.

'Nymphomaniac' and CGI Sex

Director Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac: Vol. I isn't one of his best -- I haven't seen Vol. II yet -- but it does perhaps suggest what the future of cinematic sex might look like. Maybe the NC-17 movie will emerge from the ghetto? I ponder such issues in this week's Playboy column.

'Charlie Countryman' Review

"I'm going to be seeing Charlie Countryman," I told a colleague the other day.

"Wow," he said, "that was the worst movie I saw at Sundance this year."

I had heard similar things from other folks who had sat through The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman at the festival in January and just plain hated it. Apparently, a few things have changed since then -- the title's been shortened, and there used to be a narration from John Hurt -- but I found the new version to be ... not good, but at least kinda curious. But, again, not good. My review is up at Paste.

Back Stage: 'Lawless' and 'For a Good Time, Call...' Lead a Weak Weekend

We're heading into Labor Day weekend, the one big holiday weekend all year where movie studios don't unveil any of their prize fare. Nope, if your movie comes out this weekend, that's a sign that everybody thinks it stinks. There are exceptions, though, and Lawless and For a Good Time, Call... aren't too shabby. You can read my rundown of your movie choices over at Back Stage.

Shia LaBeouf, Serious Actor

Shia LaBeouf will be in Lawless on Wednesday, and it's part of a new phase in his career where he walks away from Hollywood blockbusters and focuses on indie films. For Deadspin, I consider LaBeouf's career, his bid for respectability, and the pitfalls therein. You can read it here.