A Salute to 'The Conjuring'

The first two films are on Netflix now. They're horror movies, but they're also love stories. Let me explain.

Let's Rank Jodie Foster's Movies

In honor of The Mauritanian, her first film in several years, we take a look back at Jodie Foster's acting career. What's her best performance? Our pick is over at Vulture.

'Titanic' and the Challenge of Finding the Perfect Ending

This week, social media went nuts after the alternate, original ending for Titanic was rediscovered. My take is that bad endings are instructive because of what they suggest about what audiences expect from a "good" ending. (Also: What is a good ending?) My latest is up at MEL.

Joe Pesci ... Musician?

You know him from films like Goodfellas and The Irishman. But wait until you hear Little Joe Sure Can Sing! I wrote about Joe Pesci's forgotten musical career for MEL.

Going Back in Time With 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'

It has been 32 years since the first film came out. Its abiding lesson: "Be excellent to each other." My appreciation is up at SyFy.

Smokey Robinson - "Cruisin'"

Glad you're goin' my way.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Judas,' Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo and 'The World to Come'

Three new movies on this week's episode. Neither of us were as blown away by Judas and the Black Messiah as we were hoping, we disagree about Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar, while The World to Come has a lot to recommend. Hear the whole thing down below.

My Interview With Riz Ahmed, Musician

You know him as an (excellent) actor in Sound of Metal and The Night Of. But Riz Ahmed has a whole musical side as well, and it's on display in his new livestream, The Long Goodbye, which is inspired by his 2020 album of the same name. He takes his hip-hop career seriously, and so I wanted to talk to him about it. I had a blast: You can read my profile over at Rolling Stone.

Why Is Everyone Suddenly Talking About Phil Collins' 'Tarzan' Songs?

Folks, social media is a weird thing.

John Cusack Was a Different Type of Romantic Leading Man

...and it wasn't built to last. For MEL, I look at the 1980s heartthrob and how he personified Generation X. (People seem to dig this piece, which I'm glad about.)

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Daniel Kaluuya, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Yeun and 'Barb & Star'

I was on KCRW alongside Carlos Aguilar to review Judas and the Black Messiah, French Exit, Minari and Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar. A fun time was had by all. Hope you enjoy.

Movies About Love That Goes Bad

Who wants happily ever after? Sometimes the best movies about love are the ones starring couples that shouldn't stay together. I highlight 10 personal favorites over at MEL.

All Hail '69 Love Songs'

What's the perfect album for Valentine's Day? The Magnetic Fields' masterpiece, of course. I have a lot to say about it over at MEL.

'Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar' Review

There is a lot of stuff that's funny in Barb & Star. There is a lot of stuff that drags. I wrestled with my conflicted feelings about this proudly absurdist comedy over at MEL.

Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters - "Hard Times"

May you currently not be experiencing any hard times.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Looking Back at 'Ordinary People' and Reviewing 'Malcolm & Marie' and 'A Glitch in the Matrix'

Lots of disagreement on this week's episode. Plus, I make an announcement about my new book. And my Super Bowl pick ended up being correct. Hear the whole bloody affair down below.

John David Washington and Hollywood's Best Acting Sons

Now that Malcolm & Marie is out, I thought I'd do a quick survey of the best actors who are sons of famous actors. Where does John David Washington rank among them? The answers are over at MEL.

'Breaking News In Yuba County' Review

 

What has happened to Tate Taylor? I didn't like The Help, but at least it had its charms. And Get On Up was a solid James Brown biopic. Of late, though, he's been mostly hacky. Outside of Allison Janney's performance, I didn't have much nice to say about Breaking News.

'Coraline' and the Launch of Laika

Laika isn't held in the same esteem as Pixar, but they've done innovative stop-motion animation for more than a decade. And it all started with Coraline, which came out 12 years ago this month. I wrote about its legacy over at SyFy.

Christopher Plummer's Essential Roles

A few days behind on this, but for Vulture we mourned the passing of Christopher Plummer by writing about 10 memorable performances. (Yup, The Sound of Music is on there.)

'Music' Review

Pop star Sia has made her first film. It's called Music, which is also the name of the main character, played by Maddie Ziegler, who is autistic. Ziegler is not autistic in real life, though, which creates some issues for the movie. My review is up at Screen International.

Wait, There Was a 'Zoolander' Animated Show?

Sure was. For MEL, I spoke to director Aaron Augenblick and writers Michael Colton and John Aboud to get the inside story of what happened to Zoolander: Super Model.

"It Wasn't Me" and Our Fascination With Cheating

Twenty years ago, Shaggy's ode to infidelity dominated the charts. "It Wasn't Me" is now part of a Super Bowl commercial, and over at MEL, I looked back at a song that, remarkably, has become part of actual legal defenses. Read on.

The Weeknd, the Super Bowl Halftime Show and 'Uncut Gems'

Happy Super Bowl Weekend. Never forget how good Abel Tesfaye is in Uncut Gems.

"5 to 9" and the History of Artists Revisiting Their Old Songs

Dolly Parton redid "9 to 5." Is the new version better? I talk about that, In the Blue Light, "Walking on Sunshine," "Fast Slow Disco" and a few other notable remakes over at MEL.

'Rams' Review

The original Rams was a prize-winning Icelandic film about two feuding brothers who are both sheep farmers. The remake sends the action to Australia. Is Sam Neill enough of an enticement to give this redo a try? Sadly, no.

People Under the Stairs - "Acid Raindrops"

"When they finally did start releasing music, they say L.A.’s independent music support structure wasn’t interested. Fat Beats Records didn’t want to stock them, KCRW DJs ignored them. Other local artists shunned them." 

That's from a 2019 piece in the Los Angeles Times announcing that longtime hip-hop duo People Under the Stairs were calling it quits. And it's true: They always seemed under-the-radar, never fully breaking through. I'm part of the problem considering I didn't give them the spins they deserved.

On Saturday, the band's Michael Turner (better known as Double K) died at the age of 43. So this is in tribute to him, and them.

Sundance 2021: 'Jockey' Review

Clifton Collins Jr. received a special jury prize for his performance in Jockey. I think he's quite good, and so is Molly Parker. My review is up at Screen International.

'Big Night' in the Age of the Stanley Tucci Internet Love Affair

Stanley Tucci has long been a working actor, but only in the last few years has he been embraced as one of the Internet's Boyfriends. Where does that leave his greatest film? I connect the dots between Big Night and now over at MEL.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Little Things,' 'Saint Maud' and 'Supernova'

We've got three new movies to review this week, although only one of them is worth your time. Plus, we talk about the Super Bowl and the St. Louis Cardinals a little. Check it all out down below.

My Interview With Rodney Ascher, Director of 'A Glitch in the Matrix'

Are we living in a simulation? And if so, does it make any difference? For MEL, I spoke with Rodney Ascher, who makes documentaries about true believers. His latest, A Glitch in the Matrix, concerns everyday people who are convinced that the life around us is actually an illusion. Ascher isn't so interested in figuring out whether they're right or not. As always, he's more invested in why people believe what they believe. Hope you enjoy our conversation.

Sundance 2021: 'Prisoners of the Ghostland' Review

Nicolas Cage is very Nicolas Cage-y in the new Sion Sono film. (Does he have a detonator attached to his testicles? Why, yes, he does.) For Screen International, I dove into Prisoners of the Ghostland.

Sundance 2021: 'All Light, Everywhere' Review

I thought Theo Anthony's first documentary, Rat Film, was pretty special. I love his new one even more. For Screen International, I raved about All Light, Everywhere.

Sundance 2021: 'R#J' Review

Romeo and Juliet is endlessly adaptable, right? Well, what if Shakespeare's great love story took place in the era of TikTok and FaceTime? For Screen International, I reviewed the unconvincing R#J. 

Justin Timberlake at 40 or: A Look Back at "Cry Me a River"

JT hits the big 4-0 today. On this special occasion, I decided to write about the song that defines his post-NSYNC career. Don't it make you sad about it?

Sundance 2021: 'Wild Indian' Review

Two Native American boys are witnesses to the murder of a classmate. What becomes of them? Wild Indian is a pretty terrific look at guilt and moral ambiguity, as well as a close study of cultural identity. I raved over at Screen International.

Ralph Fiennes Before and After 'The Avengers'

No, not the Avengers with all the Marvel characters. I'm talking about the one based on the British spy series. That infamous bomb was a defining moment in Ralph Fiennes' career, as I explain over at MEL.

Misleading Men: Jason Segel

Of late, Jason Segel has moved away from doing comedy. But whether he's going for drama or laughs, he's always playing the buddy. I wrote about that dynamic for MEL.

Sundance 2021: 'Passing' Review

Going into this year's Sundance, Passing was one of the films I was most curious to see. Well, Rebecca Hall's directorial debut lives up to its promise. I reviewed this muted stunner for Screen International.

My Interview With Directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton

When my editors at Rolling Stone asked me who I'd want to profile as part of a series of pieces they're doing about creative teams, I had an easy answer: Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton, the married filmmakers behind Little Miss Sunshine and Battle of the Sexes. They were an absolutely delight. We talked about marriage, family and art, and how they all intertwine. Hope you enjoy.

Sundance 2021: 'How It Ends' Revew

Filmmakers Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones follow a woman (Lister-Jones) as she journeys across Los Angeles on the last day before Earth is destroyed by an asteroid. It's a gentle, whimsical film. It's also more than a tad self-indulgent. I reviewed How It Ends for Screen International.

Tag Team - "Whoomp! (There It Is)"

“I’ll take being a one-hit wonder over anything. It’s really about how you adapt to everything that comes your way. Our whole progression has just been different things at different times in life. Now it’s a Geico commercial.” -- Cecil Glenn, part of the duo Tag Team, in Adweek.

Sundance 2021: 'Summer of Soul' Review

It was known as the Black Woodstock: a series of shows in Harlem in the summer of 1969 that celebrated blues, R&B, jazz and funk. For 50 years, the footage had been lost. Now, it's here. And it's amazing. I reviewed Summer of Soul for Screen International.

Sundance 2021: 'CODA' Review

Welcome to the virtual Sundance. My first review is for a real crowd-pleaser that focuses on a teenager who longs to be a singer ... and her deaf parents and brother who make that dream challenging. You can read all about CODA over at Screen International.

'The Little Things' Review

Denzel Washington and Rami Malek are on the hunt for a serial killer who just might be Jared Leto. I dug the L.A.-ness of The Little Things, but ultimately I think this whodunit runs out of gas. My review is up at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Here's Your Sundance 2021 Preview

No new movies this week. Instead, I give a preview of this year's surreal Sundance Film Festival. And then we dig into two Reboots: The Insider and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. Get it while it's hot.

'Malcolm & Marie' Review

Zendaya and John David Washington spend a night in a house fighting. Who'd want to watch that? For MEL, I stick up for the divisive Malcolm & Marie.

The O'Jays - "Give the People What They Want"

Lots of good songs on the official Joe Biden/Kamala Harris inauguration playlist. For this week's Friday Video, I decided to pick one I didn't know. Get funky, everybody. People dig understanding, people dig freedom.

Donald Trump and "My Way"

The Don's presidency started and ended with "My Way." For MEL, I wrote about the history of an anthem to self-pity. Hope you enjoy.

Garth Brooks, the Inauguration and "Friends in Low Places"

 

The country superstar talked about wanting to make "a statement of unity" by performing at Joe Biden's inauguration. Then he should have played his most beloved hit, which is all about bringing people together. For MEL, I wrote about "Friends in Low Places."

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Reviews of 'The Lockdown,' 'The Dig' and 'American Skin'

Welcome to our first podcast of the new year. We've got reviews of three new movies, as well as some thoughts about the Capitol riot and Twitter dummies. Hope you enjoy.

"Jenny From the Block" and the Legacy of Bennifer

Once, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were a power couple. Then they were in a video together and everybody lost their mind. For MEL, I look back at "Jenny From the Block."

My Interview With Sam Pollard, Director of 'MLK/FBI'

Sam Pollard turned 18 just a few days before Martin Luther King Jr. was killed. A half-century later, he's made a movie about the man and his fight against J. Edgar Hoover. You can read our interview over at MEL.

Manu Chao - "Bongo Bong"

I first encountered "Bongo Bong" when I bought Manu Chao's 2001 record Próxima Estación: Esperanza, not realizing that album's version was merely a riff on the original, which itself was a cover. Enjoy the groove, which is buttressed by a sentiment we can all get behind: "I'm so happy there's nobody in my place instead of me."

'Locked Down' Review

Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor are a London couple who were thinking of ending things. Then came the pandemic. Locked Down is a film that examines what happens when a relationship comes to a close but you're stuck living together. (Also, there's a heist.) I reviewed the film for Screen International.

'WandaVision' Review

WandaVision is Marvel's first excursion into television. Does it work? Kinda.

Remember When Ethan Hawke Was a Vampire?

In January 2010, Daybreakers came out. In January 2021, I wrote about it for SyFy.

Bahamas 2021: '25 Years of Innocence' Review

Tomasz Komenda was a 23-year-old man arrested in 2000 and accused of raping and killing a 15-year-old girl. He swore he was innocent. For Screen International, I reviewed 25 Years of Innocence, which turns that story into a gripping, restrained drama. 

Bahamas 2021: 'Roommate Wanted' Review

One thing I don't miss is having a roommate ... especially if you're looking for someone off the street. The horror film Roommate Wanted explores the worst-case scenario while trying to have some fun with slasher-movie tropes. It is not very successful, as I explain over at Screen International.

The 2021 Movies That Aren't Based on Anything

Wanna see something original this year? For MEL, I offer a preview of 10 promising movies coming out in 2021 that aren't sequels, prequels, remakes, reboots or adaptations. Hope you enjoy.

'The Mauritanian' Review

In the wake of 9/11, Mohamedou Ould Slahi spent about 14 years in Guantanamo Bay. He was never charged with a crime, and he continually swore he wasn't involved in the attacks. The Mauritanian is a drama about his ordeal. I wish it were better.

'The Marksman' Review

My brother-in-law has a weakness for Liam Neeson action movies. I think he'll like The Marksman, although I was a little more mixed on it. My review is up at Screen International.

Misleading Men: Ted Danson

Did you ever wonder what Sam Malone would be like as an older man? I think we have the answer. For MEL, I wrote about the beautiful second act of Ted Danson.

My Interview With Matthew Hamachek, Co-Director of 'Tiger'

Documentarians Matthew Heineman and Matthew Hamachek sought a complex depiction of Tiger Woods, one of the most famous athletes in the world. But Woods couldn't participate in their film. So what now? I spoke to Hamachek for MEL.

'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. 

Yves Tumor - "Gospel for a New Century"

 Love the TV on the Radio vibe of the opening cut off Heaven to a Tortured Mind.

Let's Rank George Clooney's Movies

Where does The Midnight Sky place among George Clooney's performances? We break it all down over at Vulture. 

Donna Summer - "Hot Stuff"

I have this album on vinyl and can listen to it whenever I want.