'Smile 2' Review

I really liked the first Smile. But this new one? It never finds the right rhythm. My review is up at Screen International.

My Interview With Sean Baker, Writer-Director of 'Anora'

Sean Baker is such a fan of indie theaters, I had a thought: Why not interview him at one for the Los Angeles Times? That's how I found myself at Gardena Cinema for the first time. He and I chatted about strip clubs, film school, sex workers, panic attacks and winning the Palme d'Or for Anora. (I also talked to three actors who have worked with him -- Mikey Madison, Simon Rex and Brooklynn Prince -- to get a sense of what he's like as a director.) Needless to say, I was very pleased with how this turned out. Hope you enjoy. 

(Photo by Carlin Stiehl.)

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Saturday Night,' 'The Apprentice' and 'La Haine'

How did Saturday Night Live become Saturday Night Live? How did Donald Trump turn into Donald Trump? Two movies try to answer those questions, and we reviewed them both on the podcast this week. Then, in our Reboot segment, we look back at 1995's La Haine. Hear the whole thing down below.

No Doubt - "Hella Good"

The only No Doubt song I ever really liked was this Rock Steady single. "Hella Good" has been in my life a lot lately as it's featured prominently in Piece by Piece and it's used in the promos for High Potential. So here you go.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Joker 2,' 'Will & Harper' and 'The Dead'

No surprise that we didn't like the Joker sequel, although it inspired some interesting conversation. On this week's episode, we also discussed the well-intentioned but flawed Netflix documentary Will & Harper and went back to 1987 to assess John Huston's The Dead. Hear the whole thing down below.

'Piece by Piece' Review

Pharrell Williams and Morgan Neville had an unconventional idea for a documentary about the superstar producer: Why not do it all in Lego animation? 

Does that strategy pay off? Here's my review of Piece by Piece.

Hamburg 2024: 'Pooja, Sir' Review

In Pooja, Sir, director Deepak Rauniyar draws from actual events to tell the story of a Nepalese detective (played by his wife Asha Magrati) tasked with finding two missing boys, discovering in the process the deep divisions within the country's different ethnic groups. I reviewed this somber thriller for Screen International.

A History of the Joker Being Funny (or Not)

In honor of Joker: Folie à Deux, I wrote a little something for Cracked about the Clown Prince of Crime. Specifically, I tried to answer this question: Is the Joker actually a funny supervillain? Hope you enjoy.

Kris Kristofferson - "For the Good Times"

There's no need to watch the bridges that we're burning.

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.