SAG-AFTRA Foundation: My Conversation With the 'Super Dark Times' Team

Super Dark Times opens today, telling the story of two high-school friends (Owen Campbell and Charlie Tahan) who get involved in something, well, super-dark. For the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, I moderated a Q&A with them and director Kevin Phillips. We talked about the film's genesis, the challenges Phillips did (or didn't) face making a movie that would invite comparisons to Stand by Me, and how the two young stars found their way into acting. (I hope Tahan is feeling better, by the way.) You can watch the whole thing below.

Misleading Men: Kiefer Sutherland

Asked to name my favorite Kiefer Sutherland performance, I might go with I Trust You to Kill Me. That little-seen documentary, which followed him as he went on tour with a band that he'd signed to his label, is a very revealing snapshot of the actor. I get into that while discussing the man's life and career for MEL.

'Blade Runner 2049' Review

So, Roger Deakins is finally going to win his Oscar, right? For Screen International, I reviewed Blade Runner 2049, which I (overcome by hyperbole) referred to on Twitter as "the most gorgeous film I've ever seen." And a lot of that has to do with Deakins, the renowned cinematographer who has been nominated 13 times. My review is right here.

Father John Misty - "Ballad of the Dying Man"

Pure Comedy came out in April, and ever since I've been struggling to wrap my head around it. Pretentiousness, concept albums, long-winded singer-songwriters, me me me ... none of that stuff turns me off normally, but there's something about Father John Misty's third record that leaves me cold.

As a document of where he's at emotionally after his nervous-newlywed sophomore release I Love You, Honeybear, the resolutely melancholy Pure Comedy suggests ... well, I don't pretend to know a thing about the man's personal life, but I would argue that maybe things aren't going so well on the home front. (Or maybe that's just how I read "Leaving LA," which feels like a farewell to Los Angeles as well as to the promise that it once held for an artist and his artist wife.) Regardless, this album's big-swing approach to its major themes -- most of which I'm aligned with him spiritually on -- too often play out as declarations from a guy who sounds like he thinks he's the first guy to come up with them. Not only does the music keep declaring its cleverness, the lyricist does, too.

So why may Pure Comedy still make my Top 10? Because when I stop fighting with the album, when I just let it play in the background, the beauty and inventiveness keep sneaking up on me. "Oh, that's a really good song," I'll think. "And so is that one. And that little passage there sure is lovely." And so on. As a friend, Father John Misty would probably be exhausting. As a songwriter who's trying to find new ways to express old ideas, he never stops thinking, never stops trying a new angle, often finds the grace note that makes me reassess the whole endeavor.

'American Made' Review

This site is very Tom Cruise-friendly, so it shouldn't be a surprise how much I liked him in American Made. The movie is sort of his American Hustle with more than a dash of Goodfellas thrown in. I have quibbles with this true-life crime drama, but Cruise helps to mitigate them. My review is up at Paste.

My Interview With Peter Nicks, the Director of 'The Force'

I was quite taken by The Force, which premiered at Sundance and offered an inside glimpse at the workings of the Oakland Police Department, which had been beset by scandal for more than a decade. So, I was happy to speak with its director, Peter Nicks, about Black Lives Matter, the challenges of police reform, and what happens when you try to make a nuanced film about a politically charged subject. (Spoiler: Everybody gets mad at you on all sides.) My interview is live at MEL.

The Best Airplane Movies

This Friday, American Made opens. It's about an airline pilot who becomes a smuggler. So, for Popular Mechanics, I put together a list of the finest movies about planes. Yes, Snakes on a Plane made the list. No, Con Air did not. You can read the whole thing here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: On 'Me and Orson Welles' and 'Holy Motors'

This week's episode features two new reviews: Battle of the Sexes and Kingsman: The Golden Circle. But since you already know how I feel about those movies, let me direct your attention to our Reboot segment, where we discuss Me and Orson Welles and Holy Motors. Unintentionally, we linked together two films that are about the art of performance -- it may be the only thing they have in common, though. You can hear the entire episode here.

So, Who Was Bobby Riggs?

With Battle of the Sexes out now, I decided to look into the life and times of Bobby Riggs. For MEL, I read his 1973 memoir and the 2003 biography The Last Sure Thing. I was curious if Riggs was more a chauvinist or a showman who would say anything for attention. My piece is here.

LCD Soundsystem - "Black Screen"

The closing track on American Dream is this 12-minute simmer, dedicated to David Bowie, that is my favorite type of LCD Soundsystem song: mournful, low-key, really beautiful. 

'Battle of the Sexes' Review

Battle of the Sexes is a perfectly likeable sports biopic about Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Emma Stone and Steve Carell are both good, but what's best about the movie is a love story -- and, no, it's not between those two characters. My review is up at Paste.

The History of 'Broken,' the Notorious Nine Inch Nails Promotional Film

I haven't written for Revolver in five years, so it was fun to be reunited with my old editor Brandon for this piece, which is tied to the 25th anniversary of the release of the Nine Inch Nails EP Broken. Trent Reznor wanted to do a promotional film in connection with the album, but the resulting video was so upsetting he decided to shelve it. That wasn't the end of the story, though. My appreciation of this horrifying artifact is available here.

What's Emma Stone's Best Performance?

Emma Stone has a new film out on Friday, Battle of the Sexes. Today at Vulture, Will and I look back at her first decade of stardom, ranking every one of her movies. I think you can guess what No. 1 is. The full list is here.

'Kingsman: The Golden Circle' Review

I like The Golden Circle a little bit more than its predecessor, The Secret Service. Still, I can't stand this franchise. Someone, please, make it stop. I reviewed the new film for Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Reviewing 'Mother!' and 'The Hudsucker Proxy'

On this week's episode, Will and I debate mother! Plus, I sing the praises of Brad's Status. And in our Reboot segment, we both admit to not liking The Hudsucker Proxy all that much. This was a special episode because Will was in Los Angeles, so we recorded it face-to-face in my kitchen. Feel the love here.

On the Greatness of 'Comedian'

This week, Jerry Seinfeld debuts a new comedy special on Netflix called Jerry Before Seinfeld. For MEL, I took the opportunity to remind everyone that the 2002 documentary about Seinfeld, Comedian, is still terrific. You can read my piece here.

Toronto 2017: The Wrap-Up and the Rankings

I am fearful that 2017 is going to be the year of the B+ for me. For most movies, a B+ is a very respectable grade, indicative of a film that's of fairly high quality. But a B+ is also the grade I assign films that aren't quite amazing, that don't quite wow me. Toronto had a lot of B+ movies, when I was really hoping for something more.

Will some of the movies on my ranked list end up getting a higher grade on second viewing? It's very possible. But I note that the top two films on my list came from earlier festivals. And I should also say that I'm excited to catch up with Bodied, Dark River, Downsizing, Ex Libris, Foxtrot, Sweet Country and I, Tonya down the road.

In the meantime, let's hear it for Lean on Pete, the third and best film yet from director Andrew Haigh. It's the Kelly Reichardt movie of the year: I saw shades of Meek's Cutoff, Wendy and Lucy, Night Moves and Certain Women in this beautiful, tough coming-of-age story. Sadly, it's not arriving in theaters until 2018. Regardless, put it on your radar.

45. Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! 
44. Three Christs
43. The Summit
42. Suburbicon
41. The Mountain Between Us 
40. Papillon
39. Redoubtable
38. 55 Steps
37. Marrowbone
36. 1%
35. Mom and Dad
34. Professor Marston & the Wonder Women 
33. Stronger
32. Roman J. Israel, Esq.
31. A Ciambra
30. In the Fade 
29. Unicorn Store
28. Chappaquiddick 
27. Thelma
26. Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
25. Caniba 
24. Novitiate
23. Battle of the Sexes
22. The Death of Stalin 
21. I Love You, Daddy
20. The Day After
19. The Rider
18. The Square
17. Beats Per Minute
16. First Reformed 
15. Lady Bird 
14. Mudbound
13. Zama
12. The Shape of Water
11. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
10. The Other Side of Hope
9. The Disaster Artist
8. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
7. The Florida Project
6. Happy End  
5. Brad's Status
4. mother!
3. Lean on Pete
2. Loveless
1. Call Me by Your Name

What's Jennifer Lawrence's Best Performance?

Will and I spent a little time ranking the Oscar-winner's roles, including mother! As far as I was concerned, No. 1 boiled down to three possibilities, probably the same ones anyone else would guess. Check out the full list over at Vulture.

In Praise of Ben Stiller in 'Brad's Status'

For MEL, I wanted to talk about why Ben Stiller is such a perfect choice to play the lead in Brad's Status, a film about insecurity and envy. Yes, I brought up his New Yorker profile from five years ago and the "Tom Cruise cupcakes" part. You can read my essay here.

Why Foo Fighters Won the Nirvana/Pearl Jam Rivalry

Foo Fighters have a new album out. I used that occasion to discuss how they're the real victors in the Nirvana/Pearl Jam debate that we didn't really get to have back in the 1990s. My piece is up at MEL.

Toronto 2017: 'Chappaquiddick' Review

It's stressful having to make sure you spell Chappaquiddick right in the midst of a festival when you're running around and not getting a ton of sleep. Anyway, Chappaquiddick features a very good performance from Jason Clarke as Ted Kennedy, who's about to be tested after that fatal 1969 car crash. A drama about the crash's aftermath, Chappaquiddick is a despairing look at a senator who did not acquit himself particularly well. My review is up at Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'Unicorn Store' Review

Brie Larson makes her directorial debut with Unicorn Store, which risks cutesiness at every turn. She plays a failed art student who comes to believe that she's going to receive a unicorn from a mysterious salesman (Samuel L. Jackson). Is she right? Is she crazy? Unicorn Store is a goofy, odd little beast, but I went for it. My review is up at Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'Three Christs' Review

Three Christs is a fictionalized look at actual events, and the premise is an interesting one. An American psychiatric doctor (Richard Gere) discovers that three of his patients all believe they're Jesus Christ. So, he decides to put them together to see what happens. Unfortunately, the film is a bit of a snooze. I reviewed Three Christs for Screen International.

Toronto 2017: '1%' Review

A24 picked up 1% during the Toronto Film Festival, which surprised me. I had seen this Australian crime drama early, and wasn't all that impressed by it. Fans of Gomorrah and Animal Kingdom will probably enjoy this look into the world of motorcycle gangs engaged in a turf war, but I didn't see much new here to recommend. My review is up at Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'Roman J. Israel, Esq.' Review

Never ceases to amaze me how quick festival buzz spreads and then shifts. The first folks who saw Roman J. Israel, Esq. reported back that it was a fiasco. But when I caught up to it, I didn't find a fiasco at all. In fact, I think it contains one of Denzel Washington's gutsier recent performances. He plays an idealistic, deeply odd Los Angeles lawyer who goes through a moral crisis. I wish it worked better, but Roman is a noble failure. My review is up at Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'Marrowbone' Review

Sergio G. Sanchez is the screenwriter of The Orphange who's made his feature directorial debut with Marrowbone. It's an atmospheric horror movie with a twist. I did not like the twist. I talk about it (a little) in my Screen International review.

Prince - "Father's Song"

The remastered, expanded Purple Rain has been out for a little while. While most of the extras aren't that worthwhile, I'm glad that "Father's Song" is now commercially available. And, yes, you do hear a little "Computer Blue" in there.

Toronto 2017: 'Professor Marston & the Wonder Women' Review

What a great premise Professor Marston & the Wonder Women has. This biopic tells the story of William Moulton Marston, the Harvard psychologist who came up with the idea for Wonder Woman. How did he do it? Well, partly thanks to his wife ... and their shared lover. Rebecca Hall is the highlight of this intriguing but ultimately disappointing drama. My review is up at Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood' Review

The guy in the center there is Scotty Bowers. You probably have never heard of him. I had not before I watched Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood, a documentary portrait of this man who, around the 1950s, became infamous in L.A. by procuring young lovers for Hollywood stars -- many of whom were gay and wanted to keep that a secret. Dishy and fun, Scotty is full of superficial pleasures, although there's a little poignancy thrown in, too. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'The Mountain Between Us' Review

Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now, Omar) makes the leap to Hollywood for The Mountain Between Us, a romantic melodrama in which two strangers, played by Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, crash land in the Utah mountains, struggling to stay alive while they look for help. Both stars are quite good, but I couldn't get with this florid disaster flick/love story. My review is up at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Talking 'It,' 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead' and 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'

This week's podcast focuses on the super-successful It. Will and I feel very differently about that horror movie. We're much more aligned on two terrific movies in our Reboot section. First, there's Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. And then we dig into Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. You can hear the whole thing here.

Toronto 2017: 'Mom and Dad' Review

There's a certain cinematic school of thought that insists that when Nicolas Cage goes really crazy in some low-rent B-movie, it's always amazing. But a film like Mom and Dad tests that theory. This action-thriller has a great premise: For some reason, suddenly parents start wanting to murder their children, creating citywide havoc. But the movie is nothing but its premise, and Cage doesn't do much to help. I reviewed Mom and Dad for Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'Thelma' Review

Joachim Trier's fourth film is his least accomplished -- more an exercise than a fully engaging experience. And yet, I still liked Thelma, which is sort of a modern riff on Carrie about a young woman who discovers she has strange powers. Read all about it over at Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'Papillon' Review

Hey, that's not Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman! Yep, it's Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek in a remake of Papillon. It's grueling but not particularly great, never quite excavating a lot of interesting themes about human resilience and masculinity. I reviewed the film for Screen International. 

Toronto 2017: 'Stronger' Review

Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany have a great rapport in Stronger, the biopic based on the life of Jeff Bauman, who lost both legs in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Unfortunately, the movie itself isn't as affecting as I wish it was. My review is up at Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'I Love You, Daddy' Review

What did you do this summer? Louis C.K. made a movie in secret, and now it's just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. I Love You, Daddy is about several things, but it's chiefly an homage to C.K.'s hero Woody Allen. (The movie is shot in black-and-white in New York, giving it a vague Manhattan-like vibe.) But that homage comes with a twist, as I explain in my review over at Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'Brad's Status' Review

Ben Stiller is at his very best in Brad's Status, a smart, funny comedy-drama about an insecure dad who uses the opportunity of his son's trip to look at colleges to examine himself, pinpointing all the areas where's he failed. It's great, as I explain in my Screen International review.

Toronto 2017: 'Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!' Review

The longer that Morgan Spurlock's career rolls along, the more irritating I find his shtick. He's back with a follow-up to his Oscar-nominated hit. There's interesting info in Holy Chicken!, but he won't get out of its way. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

Toronto 2017: 'The Death of Stalin' Review

Armando Iannucci heads to Russia for his latest satire, The Death of Stalin. I don't think it's among his best work but, you know what, it'll speak to you in these modern times, which is absolutely the idea. You can read my review at Screen International.

Steely Dan - "Time Out of Mind"

Still thinking about the passing of Walter Becker. I can't overstate how massively important Steely Dan have been to me. But what's my favorite song of theirs? Gun to my head, I might go with this one.

Toronto 2017: '55 Steps' Review

The Toronto Film Festival features no shortage of award-hopefuls, and some of them will leave here being exposed as well-meaning but simply not good enough. Such is the case with 55 Steps, a real-life drama about a landmark California case from the 1980s that sought to improve the rights of psychiatric patients. Helena Bonham Carter plays Eleanor, who knows that the medication she's being forced to take is only making her worse, and Hilary Swank and Jeffrey Tambor play the lawyers fighting for her in court. 55 Steps is a film dripping with worthiness, which is rarely enough. My review is up at Screen International.

The Return (and the Legacy) of 'MTV Unplugged'

On Friday, MTV Unplugged returns. For MEL, I took this opportunity to talk about both why the show was so influential in the 1990s and why that's somewhat disappointing. And, of course, I had to remind you just how amazing Nirvana's episode was. My essay is right here.

'It' Review

It is great. The first half of what's expected to be duology, this horror movie turns Stephen King's bestseller into a fraught tale of adolescence that's rich with dread. My review is up at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Previewing the Toronto Film Festival

Tomorrow, I leave for the Toronto Film Festival. So on the podcast, Will and I each picked five movies we're very curious about that will be screening there. (That still from above comes from my most-anticipated film, Frederick Wiseman's Ex Libris - The New York Public Library.) Then, in our Reboot segment, we take a look back at Good Will Hunting and 11:14. Bad news, everybody: I like neither film. You can hear the whole episode down below.

'Tulip Fever' Review

I was one of the few critics the Weinstein Company actually allowed to see Tulip Fever in advance. We had to hold our reviews until Friday, though, and I'm just now bothering to post it here. Is the movie as terrible as its advance buzz suggested? No, it's just dull. My review is live at Screen International.

Misleading Men: Richard Dreyfuss

Close Encounters of the Third Kind was re-released this weekend. For MEL, I took the opportunity to devote my latest Misleading Men column to Richard Dreyfuss, the star of that movie and several other notable 1970s flicks. What happened afterward? I'm here to talk about that.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': 'Tulip Fever,' 'I Do ... Until I Don't' and Awards Season

I was on Press Play on Friday to talk about this holiday weekend's new releases. Spoiler Alert: Those movies are no good. And then, Alicia Malone and I discuss what we're excited to see as the fall film festivals start up. You can hear the whole thing here.

Bruce Springsteen - "Factory"

Happy Labor Day weekend. How about we play a song about actual work?