Toro y Moi - "Postman"

As a general rule, mailing yourself is not the best idea.

'Memory' Review

Liam Neeson has had a rough go of it, both personally and professionally, in the last few years. His latest film isn't going to turn things around. I reviewed Memory for Screen International.

Why Adam West's Batman Never Goes Away

This week, a viral video inserted Adam West's Caped Crusader into the trailer for The Batman. Why do people still have such a fondness for the campy 1960s show? Here's my latest for MEL.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Vikings, Nic Cage and 'Le Samourai'

Two new movies, one fantastic reboot: That's the story of this week's episode. Come for the reviews of The Northman and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, stay to hear me gush about Le Samourai.

Was "I'll Be Missing You" Moving or a Rip-Off?

Grieving over the murder of his friend Christopher Wallace (a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G.), Puff Daddy wanted to express his pain through music. So he turned to a Police hit from his youth. For MEL, I look back at the emotional legacy of "I'll Be Missing You."

'I'm Still Here' Remains the Ultimate Meta Movie

In honor of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, I considered a far more notorious satirical self-portrait of an eccentric actor. Here's my appreciation of Joaquin Phoenix's gutsy, fascinating, deeply flawed I'm Still Here.

Everybody Understands "I Can't Make You Love Me"

A song inspired by a newspaper story about a homeless man, Bonnie Raitt's finest moment has become a standard. I explored its history over at MEL.

A Tribute to Indie Theaters (Including the Aero)

So, this was fun: Screen International asked its writers to interview the folks who run independent movie theaters across the globe. I focused on the Aero here in Santa Monica. But the whole piece is worth a read.

Laurie Anderson - "From the Air"

Happy 40th anniversary, Big Science. This is the time.

Weighing 'The Offer'

I probably enjoyed this silly, shallow Paramount+ series more than most. But this dramatized look at the making of The Godfather isn't without serious flaws. My piece is up at MEL.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: The Wizarding World, Bayhem and 'Cow'

After taking a week off, we're back with reviews of three new movies. We weren't fans of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, but we both liked Ambulance and Andrea Arnold's latest, which is her first documentary. 

Hear the whole thing down below.

The Sound and Fury of "Smack My Bitch Up"

In 1997, the Prodigy were about ready to be huge. And then they decided to name the opening track of their highly-anticipated new album "Smack My Bitch Up." For MEL, I wrote about what happened next. 

Why Is "Vienna" Billy Joel's Most Popular Song?

Never a hit. Never a single. And yet, this album track from The Stranger is everywhere on social media and his biggest song on Spotify. How did this happen? I wrote about it for MEL.

When Franchises Are Canceled in the Middle

 

There's a very real chance that Warner Bros. will decide to kill off Fantastic Beasts if The Secrets of Dumbledore underwhelms at the box office. This would not be the first time an ambitious, multi-film series just ... ends prematurely. I talked about this strange group of woebegone franchises for MEL.

Life Without the 'Seinfeld' Parents

Liz was always the sweetest, nicest TV mom a son could wish for. Every time she came on our show it was the coziest feeling for me. So lucky to have known her. pic.twitter.com/ae9TDHQILU

— Jerry Seinfeld (@JerrySeinfeld) April 15, 2022

Liz Sheridan has died, meaning that all the actors who played the parents of the main characters on Seinfeld are gone. For MEL, I noted the meaningfulness of that sad fact.

My Interview With Wil Wheaton

Almost 20 years ago, Wil Wheaton wrote a memoir, Just a Geek. Recently, he reread the book and realized that he didn't like how he sounded. So he decided to do something about it. For MEL, I spoke to Wheaton about his revised memoir, Still Just a Geek, therapy, surviving abuse and living with anger. Hope you enjoy.

M83 - "Midnight City"

Be sure to use your powers for good, people.

'Breakfast All Day': Let's Talk About 'Ambulance'

I haven't done Breakfast All Day in a while, so it was fun to be on with Christy Lemire to talk about Michael Bay's latest. (By the way, if you want to hear a longer Ambulance discussion, you can check that out here.)

"Take On Me" Will Never Die

The band a-ha have a documentary out about them. In the trio's honor, I wrote about their biggest song, which is not their only hit, for the record. Here's my appreciation of "Take On Me."

'The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent' Review

Nicolas Cage plays Nicolas Cage in this very amusing action-comedy. Massive Talent is very meta but also surprisingly sweet. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

'Father Stu' Review

For years, Mark Wahlberg has wanted to make a film about Stuart Long, a washed-up boxer who decided to move to Los Angeles to become an actor, later finding God and joining the priesthood. (Walkberg even gained 30 pounds for the role.) Was it worth the effort? For Screen International, I reviewed Father Stu.

'The Northman' Is a Lot of Viking Movie

Robert Eggers loves immersing us in long-ago worlds. He does the same with his third feature, The Northman, which is about a Viking seeking vengeance. My piece is up at MEL.

The New York Yankees and Their Clean-Shaven Players

Another baseball season, another year in which the Yankees aren't allowed to have beards. For MEL, I wrote about the nearly 50-year tradition for the Bronx Bombers, and why it's getting increasingly silly.

The Strange History of "Hitler Has Only Got One Ball"

Around 1939, someone (we're not sure who) came up with a song called "Hitler Has Only Got One Ball." It was inspired by a widespread rumor about the Nazi leader, and based on a popular march of the time. But the parody tune has endured ever since. For MEL, I dove into the backstory and modern-day relevance of what is, essentially, a schoolyard taunt directed at possibly the most evil man who ever lived. Hope you enjoy.

Is the Michael Bay Renaissance Upon Us?

Let's not get crazy. But I do think critics are starting to come around on the Transformers auteur, and Ambulance has a lot to do with it. For MEL, I wrote about what a strange turn of events this is.

The Juliana Hatfield Three - "My Sister"

Fun fact: Juliana Hatfield does not have a sister.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Morbius,' 'Apollo 10 1/2' and 'The Bubble'

A supervillain origin story. A nostalgic animated reverie. And the absolute worst movie Judd Apatow has ever made. Step right up for this week's podcast! The whole episode is down below.

How the 'Iron Man' Post-Credits Scene Changed Hollywood

It was 2008, and Marvel was putting out Iron Man, the first film in what the company hoped would be a string of superhero flicks. And to get audiences prepared for the future, Marvel ended the film with a little scene after the credits, where Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark encounters a strange figure in his home. Blockbusters were never the same, for better and for worse. My latest is over at MEL.

'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' Review

The third chapter in the Fantastic Beasts saga is coming soon. I thought the first two were very OK, which qualifies as a rave compared to what most critics think of them. So when I say I liked The Secrets of Dumbledore a little less, that's probably enough of a warning for most people. My review is up at Screen International.

AC/DC and the Juvenile Brilliance of "Big Balls"

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, so the folks over at MEL decided to feature pieces all month about how balls are (and aren't) discussed in our society. This brings me to AC/DC, an Australian band who have made a career out of double entendres and locker-room talk. They are shameless in this regard, especially on a late-1970s song called "Big Balls." I wrote about its history and its strange second life here.

What Does Jared Leto Think He's Doing in 'Morbius'?

As one of the few people who actually likes this reviled superhero movie, I devoted a few words to what I think the Oscar-winner does right in Morbius. You can read my essay over at MEL.

What, Exactly, Was Techno?

As part of MEL's yearlong look back at 1997, I tried to explain why techno was such a big deal at the time, even though people couldn't quite define what the music even sounded like. This was fun.

What Is 'Bad Luck Banging'? And Why Is It Being Censored on Hulu?

Radu Jude's superb 2021 comedy-drama has now come to streaming services, and it doesn't resemble the film audiences saw last year. I explain both the movie and the controversy here.

Hatchie - "Quicksand"

Stay off the internet today. I mean, you should stay off it every day, but especially today.