'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' Review

Much to my surprise, I vastly preferred the Venom sequel to the original. Having a much better bad guy definitely helps. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

Spike Lee and I Hung Out at the New Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Inconceivably, I have now interviewed Spike Lee on four different occasions. Every time I get to talk to him, I pinch myself. For Rolling Stone, I took a tour with the Oscar-winning filmmaker of his new exhibition at the Academy Museum, which opens today. (It's a gorgeous facility.) We discussed his movies and his memories. Hope you enjoy.

Digging Into 'The Many Saints of Newark'

In early 2020, I finally started watching The Sopranos in anticipation of The Many Saints of Newark, the prequel film that was set to come out later that year. Well, the pandemic delayed the movie's release, but at last it's finally coming out. What did I think? Read on.

'No Time to Die' and James Bond's Discomfort With Aging

For MEL, I wrote about the Daniel Craig 007 films, which have grappled with the realities of getting older more than any other movies in the franchise. Hope you enjoy.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Dear Evan Hansen,' 'The Starling' and 'The Guilty'

Huge disagreement on Dear Evan Hansen in this week's episode. But we're pretty closely aligned on the two Netflix stinkers. Hear the whole thing down below.

A Salute to Vincent Lindon in 'Titane'

Titane won the top prize at Cannes this summer. It's a crazy, provocative mix of horror, sex and masculinity, and it's highlighted by a terrific supporting performance from Vincent Lindon. I'm a big fan of his, especially after his work in Bastards and The Measure of Man, and I hope Titane helps him reach a bigger audience in the U.S. I sing his praises over at MEL.

Woody Harrelson's Risk-Taking 1990s

At the start of the 1990s, Woody Harrelson was part of a hit sitcom. But would he ever be a movie star? For MEL, I looked at a defining decade for a performer who's turned into a pretty darn good character actor. My piece is here.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Bad Musicals, American Remakes and German Love Stories

Very happy to be joined by Katie Walsh on Madeleine Brand's show this week: We reviewed Dear Evan Hansen, The Guilty and I'm Your Man. Hear our segment down below.

'I'm Your Man' and the Perils of Trying to Be the Perfect Partner

Over at MEL, I wrote about this weekend's most interesting release, I'm Your Man, which is about a single woman who agrees to be part of a program in which she's paired with an android designed to cater to her every need. Lots to ponder in the movie, and you can read my thoughts here.

'The Guilty' in the Age of Defund the Police

In his new movie, Jake Gyllenhaal plays a disgraced cop looking for a shot at redemption. But as the media (and American culture at large) are rethinking our relationship with law enforcement, where does that leave a film like The Guilty? I wrote about that for MEL.

Telluride 2021: 'C'mon C'mon' Review

Mike Mills' best film yet? I think so. Here's my review of C'mon C'mon.

The Long, Strange Journey of "With a Little Help From My Friends"

There's a new version of The Wonder Years on ABC's fall schedule. This, of course, made me think of the Joe Cocker theme song from the original, which of course was a cover of a Beatles song. Truly, "With a Little Help From My Friends" has gone through a few permutations over the years. I wrote about them for MEL.

Telluride 2021: 'King Richard' Review

Will Smith plays Richard Williams, the hardheaded father of tennis phenoms Venus and Serena Williams. King Richard clearly feels like an Oscar vehicle for him, and for the most part I liked the film, especially when it pushes back against the conventions of the inspirational sports drama. My review is up at Screen International.

The Hives - "Come On!"

I'm pretty sure in the history of Friday Video, this is the shortest song I've ever put up.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Clint, Tammy Faye and 'The Nowhere Inn'

Last episode, I liked all three movies. This week? A very different story. 

You can hear our reviews of Cry Macho, The Eyes of Tammy Faye and The Nowhere Inn down below.

Why Does Hollywood Cast Non-Teens to Play Teenagers?

Inspired by Dear Evan Hansen, which has received a lot of criticism for casting Ben Platt to play the title teen, I did a deep dive into other teen movies that had older actors in the lead roles. I found out a lot of interesting stuff for this MEL piece.

Telluride 2021: 'Cyrano' Review

Do we need another version of Cyrano de Bergerac? If it stars Peter Dinklage and features music from the National, sure. My review of Cyrano is over at Screen International.

"Holiday Road" and Lindsey Buckingham's Elusive Solo Success

You know him from Fleetwood Mac. But for decades, Lindsey Buckingham has also worked on solo material, always knowing it would never garner the same attention as his material with that superstar band. For MEL, I wrote about what might be his most beloved solo venture, his contribution to National Lampoon's Vacation. Here's my ode to "Holiday Road."

Clint Eastwood at 90

Clint Eastwood is now 91, but he was 90 when he made Cry Macho. It is a remarkable thing to watch a film in which someone of his age is the star. I wrote about what that realization stirred in me over at MEL.

Catching Up With 'Riders of Justice'

I heard lots of good things about Riders of Justice, which came out earlier this year and stars Mads Mikkelsen as a father and husband whose wife is killed in a train accident ... except, maybe it wasn't an accident? It's on Hulu now, and I found it to be an interesting dissection of the revenge thriller. You can read my thoughts right here.

The Movies About Rock Stars That Make Being a Rock Star Sound Awful

For MEL, I did a quick rundown of films that take a dim view of the lives of musicians, either fictional or real. Folks, being a rock star is hard, as this list demonstrates.

Ambar Lucid - "The Door"

"A lot of the stuff that I say in my music is stuff that I feel that many people need to hear. Or maybe they just need a reminder, or they don’t have somebody in their life that will tell them. A lot of it is stuff that I wish somebody would’ve told me when I was younger. That’s my biggest concern with music, to provide a certain healing for people that they can’t find anywhere in front of them." -- Ambar Lucid, last year.

Toronto 2021: 'Silent Night' Review

In Silent Night, Keira Knightley gathers a group of friends to get together for Christmas ... and also the end of the world. This movie is a nervy mixture of holiday film and post-apocalyptic drama, and it doesn't quite mix. My review is here.

Breaking Down the Different Types Jeff Daniels Plays on Screen

The Monster.

The Sidekick.

The Normal-Guy Hero. 

The Goofball.

Jeff Daniels is a man of many different talents. For MEL, I explore his wide-ranging film career.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Paul Schrader, 'Malignant' and 'Queenpins'

I like when I like all three new movies we discuss on the podcast. Hear the whole episode down below.

'Cry Macho' Review

Cry Macho is Clint Eastwood's 39th film as a director. It's not one of his stronger efforts, unfortunately. I reviewed the movie for Screen International.

Toronto 2021: 'The Survivor' Review

With The Survivor, Barry Levinson tells the true story of Harry Haft, a Polish Jew who survived the Holocaust and moved to America. But the way he stayed alive haunted him the rest of his life. Ben Foster elevates familiar material, resulting in a fairly moving film. You can read my review here.

Toronto 2021: 'The Forgiven' Review

Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain play a rich married couple who travel to Morocco for a friend's lavish weekend party. But then they accidentally kill someone with their car. There's a lot to like in The Forgiven, but ultimately I came away from it disappointed. My review is up at Screen International.

Toronto 2021: Why Do People Hate Kenny G and His Music?

For MEL, I wrote about the documentary Listening to Kenny G, which takes the smooth-jazz superstar seriously, even though lots of folks can't stand his music. My takeaway: The film is very helpful at helping me synthesize why his songs do nothing for me. Hope you enjoy.

Toronto 2021: 'Dear Evan Hansen' Review

I didn't know much about Dear Evan Hansen before seeing the film. I was aware it was a popular musical that had won some Tonys, but that was about it. And then I found out what it was about. Did I deeply dislike the big-screen adaptation? Oh, boy, did I.

Toronto 2021: 'Beba' Review

Rebeca Huntt has fashioned her debut feature as an exploration of her family, her identity and the pains of growing up. I was quite taken by Beba, which you can read all about right here.

Toronto 2021: 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye' Review

And now it's time for the story of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. The Eyes of Tammy Faye dives into their colorful world, but it still ends up feeling pretty superficial. My review is up at Screen International.

Toronto 2021: 'The Starling' Review

I want Melissa McCarthy to make more dramas. I don't want her to make any more movies with director Theodore Melfi. Here's my review of The Starling.

What Movies Should You Be Excited About This Fall?

Along with other fine folks at Rolling Stone, I helped to preview the most-anticipated films as we move into awards season. Dig right in.

Looking Back at 30 Years of "Nothing Else Matters"

Writing about this Metallica song allowed me an opportunity to revisit an interview I did with Lars Ulrich ... back in 2005. (I sure miss Blender.) For MEL, I went long on the beloved/divisive ballad "Nothing Else Matters" and the band's history of people thinking that they've sold out. Hope you enjoy.

Toronto 2021: 'The Humans' Review

When I walked out of the screening for The Humans, I heard some grumbling from colleagues, who didn't seem as taken by this adaptation of the Tony-winning play as I was. I make the case for a film I think is pretty great here.

Toronto 2021: 'Montana Story' Review

What a quiet little gem Montana Story is. The new film from Scott McGehee and David Siegel, the directors of What Maisie Knew, is about two siblings (Haley Lu Richardson, Owen Teague) who return home to deal with their dying father. That's a familiar setup, but this film finds its own rhythm. My review is up at Screen International.

My Interview With Greg Barker, Director of 'Detainee 001'

Do you remember John Walker Lindh? Shortly after 9/11, he was captured on the battlefield in Afghanistan. But what was a Northern California kid doing palling around with the Taliban? I spoke to Greg Barker about his new film Detainee 001.

Toronto 2021: 'The Guilty' Review

Jake Gyllenhaal plays a 911 operator who has to endure a stressful night in The Guilty. Do you like movies that are intense featuring a very intense character? Then maybe this will be for you. I wasn't a fan.

Venice 2021: 'Old Henry' Review

Tim Blake Nelson is a character actor who rarely gets a starring vehicle. That's one reason that Old Henry is notable, but the film has a lot more going for it than that. I liked this flinty Western quite a lot, as you can tell from my Screen International review.

My Interview With Mark Duplass

Mark Duplass has cornered the market on sensitive guys throughout his career. That's true as well with his latest film, Language Lessons. We talked about that, and therapy and co-dependence and a lot of other stuff, for MEL. 

Fats Domino - "Let the Four Winds Blow"

Have a good weekend. Here's some Fats Domino for you.

Why We Can't Get Over the Fact That Clive Owen Won't Ever Be James Bond

Years ago, the film world assumed Clive Owen would be the next 007. Then ... it didn't happen. Why can't people let that go? I wrote about it for MEL.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Marvel's Latest, 'Worth' and 'Bronson'

We're pretty mixed on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, but we enjoyed digging into Worth. Then, in our Reboot section, we go back to a movie that paired Nicolas Winding Refn and Tom Hardy. You'd be hearing a lot more from both of them soon.

Check out the episode down below.

Paula Cole, "I Don't Want to Wait" and Artists' Rights

This week, Netflix announced that, finally, they'd be streaming Dawson's Creek with its original theme song included. Why was that a big deal? I did a deep dive into the history of "I Don't Want to Wait" for MEL.

Telluride 2021: 'Marcel the Shell With Shoes On' Review

It's been years since we've had a Marcel the Shell short. Well, he's back, and on the big screen. For Screen International, I reviewed Marcel the Shell With Shoes On.

Telluride 2021: 'Fauci' Review

Anthony Fauci, perhaps you've heard of him. Been in the news a lot lately. For MEL, I reviewed the new documentary about the man in the midst of Covid crisis. My thoughts are here.

Venice 2021: 'Scenes From a Marriage' Review

The original Scenes From a Marriage miniseries is terrific. The HBO remake has two excellent actors in it, but it's not nearly as good. What happened? I get into that over at MEL.

Venice 2021: 'Dune' Review

Holy cow, is it epic. I reviewed Dune for Screen International.

Ximena Sariñana - "Different"

See ya, summer.

Telluride 2021: 'The Story of Looking' Review

Mark Cousins, the man (and the voice) behind The Story of Film, had to undergo eye surgery during the pandemic. The fear of maybe losing his sight made him ponder the very nature of seeing, especially in terms of how it relates to film. Out of that came the essay film The Story of Looking, which I reviewed for Screen International.

Venice 2021: 'The Card Counter' Review

Alas, I'm not at Venice this year. But that will not stop me from writing about movies playing there, like the latest from Paul Schrader, which I think is really good.

'Cinderella' Review

There is a new Cinderella premiering on Amazon Friday. But it's not your grandma's Cinderella; this one has attitude. Not surprisingly, the remake is best when it's more than just that. My review is up at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Horror Remakes, 'Happy Together' and 'The Fisher King'

We only had one new movie on this week's episode. We disagree on Candyman, but we see eye-to-eye on our two Reboots. Hear the whole thing down below.