'Paradise Highway' Review

Juliette Binoche, hardcore truck driver? That's the premise of Paradise Highway, a thriller that explores the dark heart of human trafficking. My review is up at Screen International.

Steve Martin - "Angel in Flip Flops"

Pitta putta. (Also, I love the London Calling reference in this video.)

Fantasia 2022: 'Country Gold' Review

Fantasia veteran Mickey Reece returns with his latest film, in which he plays a Garth Brooks-like country star who meets his idol, George Jones. (He's in for a surreal evening.) I reviewed Country Gold for Screen International.

I'm Already Dreading the 'Barbie'/'Oppenheimer' Showdown

On July 21, 2023, two highly anticipated films will be coming out. That should be exciting, but for MEL, I wrote about why the battle between Barbie and Oppenheimer fans is going to be the death of me. Hope you enjoy.

(Thanks for the artwork, Bryan Jones.)

'DC League of Super-Pets' Review

What if Superman had a dog who also had superpowers? And was voiced by Dwayne Johnson? That's the pretty adorable conceit behind DC League of Super-Pets. I wish the movie was funnier, though. My review is up at Screen International.

What 'Nope' Tells Us About America

Aliens may be invading in Jordan Peele's latest film, but Nope argues that interstellar creatures are actually the least of our worries. I explain why over at MEL.

'Thirteen Lives' Review

It's been 27 years since Ron Howard made Apollo 13. He's back with a very different true-life rescue story in Thirteen Lives, about the 2018 Thai soccer team that was trapped in a cave. My review is up at Screen International.

Fantasia 2022: 'Shin Ultraman' Review

It's already a huge hit in Japan, but now Shin Ultraman has made its way to North America. You can read my Screen International review here.

My Interview With Jono McLeod, Director of 'My Old School'

In 1993, a new student arrived at Bearsden Academy in Scotland. He said his name was Brandon Lee. None of his classmates, including Jono McLeod, thought he looked like a teenager. What followed was one of the country's greatest hoaxes. 

Decades later, McLeod has made a movie about that incident, My Old School. For MEL, I had a chat with the documentarian about con men, reverting to your high school self, and why he feels somewhat guilty about telling Brandon's story. Hope you enjoy.

Jerry Garcia - "Sugaree"

For whatever reason, this has become one of this year's summer jams.

'Nope' Review

As Robert Christgau once wrote about the Clash when they unveiled the bold, sprawling London Calling, "Here's where they start showing off." For Screen International, I reviewed Jordan Peele's most ambitious film yet, Nope.

Ryan Gosling, Action Hero?

It wasn't until I watched The Gray Man that I realized the La La Land star had never done a proper action movie before. For MEL, I explain why it works against his strengths.

"Fell In Love With a Girl" and the Era When We Thought Jack and Meg White Were Siblings

I feel like we as a society have forgotten that, for a little while, we believed that the members of the White Stripes were brother and sister. That was a lie concocted by Jack White, and it helped inspire my look back at the song that brought them to the world's attention. For MEL, I wrote about "Fell In Love With a Girl."

The Surprising Longevity of "I'd Buy That for a Dollar!"

Today is the 35th anniversary of RoboCop. To mark the occasion, I wrote about its most famous line of dialogue.

'The Gray Man' Review

Ryan Gosling gets his Jason Bourne on with his new Netflix action-thriller. I thought it was pretty so-so. For Screen International, here's my review of The Gray Man.

Mark Lindsay - "Silver Bird"

Have a good weekend. Don't watch The Gray Man.

The Endless Cringe of "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)"

Those keyboards! That voice! That truly terrible video! Bolstered by its appearance on Stranger Things, the Journey hit "Separate Ways" is back in the culture, whether you like it or not. I wrote about the band and their era for MEL.

"James Bond Theme" Remains Undefeated

This week, Monty Norman died. You may not recognize the name, but you know his most famous song. For MEL, I wrote about the legacy of "James Bond Theme."

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Thor, 'Both Sides of the Blade' and 'The Sea Beast'

Lots of disagreement this week: We differ on the latest from both Marvel and Claire Denis. But we're aligned on Netflix's latest animated film. Hear the whole episode down below.

'Where the Crawdads Sing' Review

I have not read the book that Where the Crawdads Sing is based on, but it's something of a literary phenomenon. No one will be saying anything similar about the film. My review is up at Screen International.

The James Caan Films You Need to See (After You Watch 'The Godfather')

Vulture asked Will and me to come up with a list of essential James Caan performances, the assumption being that The Godfather was an obvious choice and therefore not worth including. You can see all our picks here.

'Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris' Review

Every summer, there are a few modest arthouse charmers that serve as counterprogramming to the big tentpoles. This summer, one of those films is Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, which I reviewed for Screen International.

My Interview With Sara Dosa, Director of 'Fire of Love'

Sara Dosa never met Katia and Maurice Krafft, but with her new movie, she tries to understand this volcanologist couple whose marriage was as much about lava as it was love. Hope you enjoy our conversation.

James Caan, Funny Guy

James Caan will be best remembered for his dramatic work. But for MEL, I made the case for his comedic side.

Sticking Up for Chris Hemsworth

Thor: Love and Thunder has gotten very mixed reviews. But I think Chris Hemsworth has really grown into the role, so much so that I actually think he's really fun as the God of Thunder. I defend the guy over at MEL.

What Exactly Was "Deepest Bluest (Shark's Fin)"?

In 1999, LL Cool J was in a horror-thriller called Deep Blue Sea. It was about ravenous super-sharks attacking folks at an underwater research facility. Cool J recorded a song for the end credits. In that song, he imagined himself as a shark. For MEL, I wrote about the ridiculous, riveting "Deepest Bluest."

Julie Andrews and Richard Burton - "What Do the Simple Folk Do?"

It was very fun to have my parents here last week. Camelot 4eva.

What James Caan Brought to 'The Godfather'

In honor of James Caan's passing, Rolling Stone asked me to write about his impact on The Godfather, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It was my honor to do so.

How Did Beach Balls Become a Thing at Baseball Games?

I put on my investigative-reporter hat for this very fun piece I wrote for MEL.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: The Best Films of the First Half of 2022

There are several movies I wasn't able to catch in time for this week's episode, which I'm not happy about, but nonetheless: Will and I both list our six favorites of 2022 so far. Hope you enjoy.

Russell Crowe's Furious Peak

At the height of his stardom, Russell Crowe brought a manly intensity to his best roles. Do we still want that from our leading men? My latest for MEL is here.

The Best Films About America

Rolling Stone put together a list of movies that have encapsulated America over the last 50 years. I didn't have a say in the rankings, but I was asked to write the capsules for Selma, Moonlight, O.J.: Made in America, Safe, Taxi Driver and Wendy and Lucy. A pleasure to write about such mighty films. The whole list is here.

Chris Pratt Was Perfect in 'Moneyball'

I've heard nothing but bad things about Chris Pratt's new series The Terminal List. So I'd rather spend time reminiscing about how good he was in Moneyball, which suggested he had a great career ahead of him. (I'm still waiting.) You can read my MEL piece here.

Crunching the Numbers on the 50 Films That Have Made a Billion Dollars

Top Gun: Maverick is the latest film to gross over a billion dollars worldwide. For MEL, I decided to figure out what these movies, if anything, had in common. This was a fun piece.

'Thor: Love and Thunder' Review

Hi, I liked Thor: Love and Thunder. My review is up at Screen International.

What Happened With 'The House'?

It's been five years since the Will Ferrell bomb hit theaters. For MEL, I make the case for why the film could have been good, even though it most certainly isn't.

Atmosphere - "Lifter Puller"

Happy Fourth. Even if you don't feel like celebrating America.