Let's Rank Pixar's Best Characters

The talented team over at Rolling Stone put together a list of Pixar's 25 best characters. I had no control over the rankings, but I contributed some thoughts on Jessie, Carl and a few others. Check it out.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Talking 'Warcraft,' 'Menace II Society' and 'Being John Malkovich'

On this week's installment of the Grierson & Leitch podcast, we get really angry about Warcraft. (Actually, it's more me.) Plus, for our regular Reboot section, we revisit Menace II Society and Being John Malkovich. Both movies made my Top 10 of their respective years. One of them, sadly, has not held up. You can hear the whole thing here.

'Animal Kingdom' Review

Animal Kingdom was one of my favorite films of 2010. Now, it's been turned into a TV series, which (three episodes in) is only so-so. Ellen Barkin is a hoot as a crime family's trashy matriarch, but I'm not sure there's enough else here to recommend. I reviewed the TNT drama for The Wrap.

'Finding Dory' Review

It's so nice to have him back. Pixar filmmaker Andrew Stanton, the man behind Finding Nemo and Wall-E, returns to the fold to bring us Finding Dory, which you may have quickly surmised is a sequel to Finding Nemo. Fortunately, I was able to get over my grumpiness that, technically speaking, they're not trying to find Dory in the movie -- really, Dory is doing most of the finding -- to see this sequel for what it is: the most purely entertaining and emotional Pixar movie in quite a while. It's just a crackerjack example of everything the studio has done before, all in one comfy-cozy package. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

Chappaquiddick Skyline - "Everyone Else Is Evolving"

"I haven't listened to my Chappaquiddick Skyline album in forever," I thought the other day. "I wonder how it holds up."

A side project from the king of the wistful bummer -- well, one of 'em, anyway -- Joe Pernice, Chappaquiddick Skyline is just as mopey and pretty as I recalled. And, actually, it wasn't as dreary as my memory had led me to believe. The opening track sets the tone. It's called "Everyone Else Is Evolving." But everyone knows it by its unofficial title, "I Hate My Life."
 

'O.J.: Made in America' Review

On Saturday, ABC and ESPN will begin airing O.J.: Made in America. It's a major achievement, but one not without its minor flaws. I get into all that at Paste.

'Warcraft' Review

Last night, as I walked out of Warcraft, I tweeted the following:

WARCRAFT: The end of movies.

— Tim Grierson (@TimGrierson) June 8, 2016

Few things are more depressing than watching talented people conspire to make junk. I reviewed Warcraft for Popular Mechanics.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: The Terrific New O.J. Simpson Documentary

I'll have more to say about O.J.: Made in America soon, but for now, please enjoy the latest installment of the Grierson & Leitch podcast, which is focused on discussing the new 30 for 30 documentary. We also talk a little Popstar and give John Wick a second look. Enjoy.

George Lois Remembers Muhammad Ali

For Rolling Stone, I had the honor of interviewing George Lois, the man behind the indelible 1968 Esquire cover that featured Muhammad Ali attacked by arrows. Lois was friends with Ali for more than 50 years, and he had many stories to share. You can read my piece right here.

Muhammad Ali in Popular Culture

From the opening to my piece....

Ferocious, hilarious and a verbal dynamo, Muhammad Ali is one of the precious few people who can lay claim to being the 20th century's greatest athlete. If his dominance in the ring were all we used to measure his importance, the champ would still be major. But once you factor in his political engagement, his principled refusal to support the Vietnam War and his movie-star charisma, you see why Ali didn't just tower over his sport but also the cultural landscape at large.  

For Rolling Stone, I paid tribute to the Greatest of All Time by examining the shadow he cast over pop culture. He made albums, starred in biopics about himself, and hung out with Superman in a comic book. (And that's when he wasn't joking around with the Beatles.) You can read my appreciation here.

Exploring Paul Simon's Best Non-Hits

Paul Simon's new album, Stranger to Stranger, arrives today. Over at MEL, I gave myself the task of selecting his strongest deep album cuts over his career. This required me listening to a bunch of Paul Simon songs, which I hardly consider work. You can read my piece here.

The Lonely Island's Legacy and 'Popstar'

Over at The New Republic, I thought a little about the Lonely Island and how Popstar both encapsulates their greatness and suggests that they're past their prime. As someone who listens to Incredibad a bunch to this day, I think I'm qualified to render an opinion on such matters -- hopefully you'll agree.

Kacey Musgraves - "Late to the Party"

On her 2015 album Pageant Material, Kacey Musgraves encapsulates one of the delicious little moments you get every once in a while in life: the joy of going to a party where, really, the best part is knowing you're going home with the person you went there with. "Late to the Party" popped up on a playlist while I was in Cannes, and you can bet that line "Who needs a crowd when you're happy at a party for two?" hit me right between the eyes when I was missing my wife.

Great Mockumentaries (That Weren't Made by Christopher Guest)

This weekend's Popstar will be compared to This Is Spinal Tap a lot. Christopher Guest merely starred in and co-wrote that film, but he's become synonymous with mockumentaries over the years. For MEL, I looked at great mockumentaries he wasn't involved with. Check 'em all out here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Midnight Run' and Fighting About 'X-Men: Apocalypse'

Over at The New Republic, Will and I devote this week's podcast to debating the new X-Men movie. (I'm right.) We also dissect the corpse that is Alice Through the Looking Glass. And we take a look back at Midnight Run and discuss whether it holds up. (Good lord, that Danny Elfman score is an abomination.) You can hear the whole thing here.

'The Conjuring 2' Review

A fan of The Conjuring, but not someone who thought it was the second coming of classic horror films, I was curious how I would react to the sequel. Although not as elegant as the first installment, this one gets its screws into you, too. Plus, it's plenty emotional. And Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson rock. You can read my review over at Screen International.

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows' Review

The new Turtles movie is less horrendous than the last one. In fact, I actually caught myself enjoying Out of the Shadows on occasion. Not enough to recommend, mind you, but enough to at least appreciate what new director Dave Green brings to the proceedings. My review is live at Screen International.

'Now You See Me 2' Review

Folks, I thought the original Now You See Me was dumb, dumb, dumb and smug, smug, smug. The sequel is a bit better, but I still find its maniacal self-confidence and giddy pleasure at fooling us pretty annoying. I reviewed it for Screen International.

'Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping' Review

A big Lonely Island fan, I was hopeful that they could pull off Popstar, which is a very silly mockumentary that spoofs the modern pop world. They succeed, for the most part. My review is up at Screen International.

'The Fits' Review

The thing I like most about The Fits, the feature debut of writer-director Anna Rose Holmer, is that it won't sit still in any one genre. Is it a coming-of-age drama? A dance film? A psychological horror movie? A little bit of all three, but done in a stripped-down, realist style that's make it all feel very naturalistic. I reviewed this indie gem, about a young girl who dreams of joining a local dance troupe, for The New Republic.