I've never been the biggest Lenny Kravitz guy. (I thought he was great on Better Things, though.) But I've always had a fondness for "Again." I hope he and Gina Gershon work things out.
Friday, July 31, 2020
Thursday, July 30, 2020
My Interview With Robert P. Jones, Author of 'White Too Long'
I really enjoyed this. For MEL, I spoke with Robert P. Jones, religious scholar and author, whose new book White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity is an insightful, statistic-driven look at how white Christians have perpetuated systemic racism. We had a great talk.
'The Fight' Review
The Fight looks at the battle the ACLU has waged against the Trump administration. I found the documentary to be strongest when it didn't stoop to easy applause breaks. My review is up at MEL.
'Inception' at 10
For SyFy, I pondered Inception's impact. Big movie star teams up with big movie director for high-concept, top-secret project. And, hey, it worked. You can read my appreciation here.
The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Rental,' 'Yes, God, Yes' and 'The Host'
On this week's episode, we're dealing with guilt, whether it's characters spending time in an Airbnb (The Rental) or horny Catholic teens at a retreat (Yes, God, Yes.) Then, in our Reboot segment, we look back at Bong Joon Ho's The Host. (I got pretty rapturous there.) Hear the whole thing down below.
Monday, July 27, 2020
All the Oscar Nominees From Every Summer Blockbuster
Good heavens, there are 54 performances that have been nominated from summer hits. (I thought this was supposed to be the season of mindless action movies.) I ranked them all over at MEL.
Five Replacements for 'The French Dispatch'
Wes Anderson was supposed to have a new movie out last Friday. That didn't happen. For Vulture, we offered five streaming alternatives, including Harold and Maude. Check out the whole list here.
Labels:
list mania,
natalie portman,
the replacements,
vulture,
wes anderson
Friday, July 24, 2020
Tierra Whack - 'Whack World'
Imagine if Abbey Road was just the second-side suite and you're close to grasping Whack World, which is 15 songs, each of them exactly one minute long. My favorite tracks? The one about her dead dog. And the one about the jerk who reminds her of her deadbeat dad.
Thursday, July 23, 2020
'The Rental' Review
Remember Airbnb rentals? Dave Franco's directorial debut is about one that goes very wrong. My review is up at MEL.
Labels:
alison brie,
dan stevens,
dave franco,
horror movies,
mel,
movie reviews
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: World War II Misery, Scorsese's Religious Epic and 'Demolition Man'
On this week's episode, we differ on The Painted Bird. Then, we have two Reboots: Martin Scorsese's tortured Silence and that nutty slab of 1990s sci-fi, Demolition Man. Hear the whole thing down below.
'Fear City: New York vs the Mafia' Review
You'd think a story about how prosecutors and the FBI took down the Five Families would be pretty exciting. But in the case of a new Netflix documentary series, you'd be very wrong. For MEL, I reviewed Fear City.
Monday, July 20, 2020
The Endless Resonance of "This Land Is Your Land"
Every once in a while, someone online proposes that Woody Guthrie's most famous song should be our new national anthem. For MEL, I wrote about why we can't get enough of "This Land Is Your Land."
This Week in Genre History: 'X-Men,' 20 Years Later
Can it really be 20 years since Wolverine and his pals first burst onto the big screen? I wrote about the film's legacy over at SyFy.
Saturday, July 18, 2020
The Four Kinds of Christmas Movies You See During the Summer
It's rare, but Hollywood sometimes releases Christmas-themed films at the multiplex during the warm weather months. I did a taxonomy over at MEL.
Five Replacements for 'Tenet'
Folks, Tenet is probably not coming out this summer. The Christopher Nolan thriller was set to open yesterday, so for Vulture, we offered five streaming alternatives. Hope you enjoy.
'The Painted Bird' Review
Friday, July 17, 2020
Duke Ellington & John Coltrane - "In a Sentimental Mood"
There's a paucity of jazz on this site. Let's fix that.
Thursday, July 16, 2020
'Father Soldier Son' Review
Brian Eisch served his country in the Army, getting injured in Afghanistan and sent home in 2011. His wounds were so bad that it was proposed that he get his leg amputated. That's merely the start of Father Soldier Son, a moving documentary that goes far beyond "support the troops" bromides to say something meaningful about fathers and sons, and also the macho military mindset. My review is up at MEL.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
My Interview With Alex Winter, Director of 'Showbiz Kids'
You probably know him from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. But Alex Winter has become a documentary filmmaker over the last 10 years, focusing on political and social issues. His latest is Showbiz Kids, about former child stars, which is something he knows a little about since he used to be one. For MEL, I had a long conversation with Winter about documentaries, parenting during quarantine, sexual abuse, and why he still loves playing Bill. Our interview is here.
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