The Film Comment Podcast: Wrapping Up Sundance 2026

On the last night I will probably ever spend in Park City, I hung out with Bilge Ebiri, Maddie Whittle and Devika Girish to discuss some of the films we saw at the tail end of Sundance. Those include The Weight, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, Chasing Summer and more. It was an epic conversation, which you can listen to below.

Catherine O'Hara, 1954-2026

What a shock: Catherine O'Hara is gone. For Rolling Stone, Jon Blistein and I pay tribute to a very funny woman. 

Marlene Dietrich - "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

I wasn't intending to feature Pete Seeger in back-to-back Friday Videos. But then I rewatched Bugonia.

'The Last Thing I Saw': Reviewing 'The Invite,' 'The Weight' and 'The Friend's House Is Here'

While at Sundance, I was back on Nicolas Rapold's superb podcast The Last Thing I Saw talking about festival films. Nic and I discussed The Invite, while I raved about The Weight and The Friend's House Is Here. And Nic put in a good word for the documentary All About the Money, which I have yet to see. You can hear our conversation down below.

Sundance 2026: 'Run Amok' Review

One of the sad, understandable trends in recent movies is films about school shootings. Add to the list Run Amok, in which a teenager decides to stage a musical to commemorate a fatal shooting that took place at her school 10 years ago. The film is audacious, but it's also very flawed. I reviewed Run Amok for Screen International. 

Sundance 2026: 'See You When I See You' Review

One of the bigger disappointments of this year's Sundance is See You When I See You, which is based on the true story of a comedian wrestling with his sister's suicide. I found the film surprisingly phony. I get into why in my Screen International review. 

Sundance 2026: 'The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist' Review

Navalny director Daniel Roher is starting a family, but in the age of AI he worries that maybe this is a terrible time to raise children. The AI Doc, which he co-directed, finds him talking to experts on both sides of the debate to learn more about what the future might look like. I was unpersuaded. My review is live at Screen International.

Sundance 2026: 'The Only Living Pickpocket in New York' Review

John Turturro rarely gets to be the lead in a movie. So there's plenty of reason to rejoice at the existence of The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, in which he plays an expert thief who gets into a bind. Even better, though, is that the film is so darn entertaining. You can read my review here. 

Sundance 2026: 'Union County' Review

In Union County, Will Poulter plays an Ohio man trying to beat his opioid addiction after a stint in prison. The film includes a cast filled with real people in treatment, which lends the story an undeniable ring of authenticity. But is that enough? I reviewed the movie for Screen International.

Sundance 2026: 'Zi' Review

So, filmmaker Kogonada essentially made a movie in secret last year in Hong Kong. That movie is Zi, and it stars Michelle Mao as a woman diagnosed with a brain tumor who has an eventful 24 hours. My review is up at Screen International. 

Sundance 2026: 'The Weight' Review

Ethan Hawke has been on a roll lately. That continues with The Weight, a wonderfully old-fashioned action-drama about convicts in the 1930s having to transport gold, on foot, through the Oregon forest. My review is here. 

What Is the Best Sundance Movie of All Time?

Before I left for Park City, Screen Rant invited me to join their senior film critic Gregory Nussen for a podcast episode in which we each made our choice for the greatest Sundance movie ever. What did "greatest" mean? That was left to us to determine. Gregory went with Sex, Lies, and Videotape. I went with Hoop Dreams. Below, we talk about our picks. Hope you enjoy.

The Film Comment Podcast: 'The Gallerist,' 'I Want Your Sex' and 'The Invite'

 

I was very happy to be back on Film Comment's podcast, where I joined host Devika Girish and my pals Monica Castillo and Robert Daniels here in Park City. We eviscerated one film and debated another, and I then went solo on The Invite. Check out our lively conversation down below. 

 

Sundance 2026: 'The Shitheads' Review

Macon Blair was the big winner at Sundance 2017 with his film I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore. He returns with The Shitheads, about two losers (O'Shea Jackson Jr., Dave Franco) who are hired to drive a spoiled rich teen (Mason Thames) to rehab. Things go wrong quickly. My review is live over at Screen International. 

Sundance 2026: 'Once Upon a Time in Harlem' Review

Coming into this year's Sundance, the most anticipated film was actually shot in 1972. All those years ago, filmmaker William Greaves assembled the surviving members of the Harlem Renaissance to reflect on the movement's legacy. That footage has finally been put together by his son. The result is extraordinary. Here's my review of Once Upon a Time in Harlem. 

Sundance 2026: 'The Invite' Review

In The Invite, Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen play an unhappy, sexless married couple. Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton play the couple who live upstairs. (They have a lot of sex.) What happens when they all hang out together one night? I reviewed this relationship film for Screen International. 

Sundance 2026: 'The Friend's House Is Here' Review

One of the best films I've seen at this year's Sundance is The Friend's House Is Here, about two young Iranian women who are happily living their lives. Things eventually get complicated, however. You can read my review here. 

Sundance 2026: 'Buddy' Review

Remember Too Many Cooks? The mastermind behind that viral sensation, Casper Kelly, has just made his first feature. Here's my review of the horror-comedy Buddy. 

Sundance 2026: 'I Want Your Sex' Review

Gregg Araki hasn't made a movie in more than a decade. He's back with a sex comedy about a pretentious artist (Olivia Wilde) who hires a new assistant (Cooper Hoffman) to be her sexual muse. For Screen International, I reviewed I Want Your Sex. 

'Sound of Falling' Review

Sound of Falling made the Oscar shortlist for both International Feature and Cinematography. Sadly, it failed to get a nomination in either category. I have been raving about this movie since I saw it at Cannes. I was very happy to extol its brilliance over at the Los Angeles Times.

Sundance 2026: 'Josephine' Review

In Josephine, the unimaginable happens: An eight-year-old girl witnesses a brutal rape in the middle of Golden Gate Park. How does the child process such a terrible event? My review is live over at Screen International. 

Sundance 2026: 'The History of Concrete' Review

Let the final Sundance at Park City begin. For Screen International, I reviewed The History of Concrete, a very enjoyable continuation of How to With John Wilson. You can read my thoughts here. 

Pete Seeger - "We Shall Overcome"

Every little bit helps.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' and Our Oscar Nomination Predictions

I leave for Sundance tomorrow. Thursday, the Oscar nominations are announced. But first, let's do a podcast. Will and I reviewed The Rip and the latest installment in the 28 Days Later franchise. And then we make some guesses about which people will and won't hear their names called on Thursday morning. Enjoy!

'Young Mothers' Review

When I started going to Cannes more than a decade ago, I realized, "Oh my god, I'm going to be able to see the Dardenne brothers' movies when they premiere!" They have been fixtures of the festival for decades, winning the Palme d'Or twice. I saw their latest, Young Mothers, last year at Cannes, and now it's out in the U.S. For the Los Angeles Times, I reviewed another solid effort from Jean-Pierre and Luc. 

A$AP Rocky (featuring Rod Stewart, Miguel and Mark Ronson) - "Everyday"

A$AP Rocky had a good 2025 on the big-screen, nailing key roles in both If I Had Legs I'd Kick You and Highest 2 Lowest. But let's not forget what a good rapper he is.

The 101 Best Los Angeles Movies

This has been in the works for a little while, so I'm glad it's finally out there in the world. The Los Angeles Times has put together a list of the all-time best L.A. movies. I didn't have a say in the final rankings, although I contributed a ballot alongside my fellow critics and journalists, but I did write several of the capsules. I was very happy to heap praise on Barton Fink, Devil in a Blue Dress, Die Hard, Inherent Vice, Killer of Sheep, Safe and A Woman Under the Influence. Check the whole list out here. 

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Sundance 2026 Preview, 'Avatar: Fire and Ash'

We are back! And we're finally getting around to discussing the new Avatar. Plus, I offer my take on five Sundance movies that look really promising, including John Wilson's The History of Concrete. Check out the conversation down below.

'A Private Life' Review

Jodie Foster in a French-language whodunit that's also a romantic drama? Sign me up, although I do wish I liked A Private Life a little more than I did. My tempered recommendation is over at the A.V. Club. 

My Interview With Gus Van Sant and Austin Kolodney, the Team Behind 'Dead Man's Wire'

Dead Man's Wire is one of Gus Van Sant's strongest films in years. And it's writer Austin Kolodney's first big-screen credit. For Screen International, I talked to each of them about this long-in-the-works real-life thriller ... and how a comment made by Werner Herzog helped influence the final product. You can read our conversation here. 

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': 'Greenland 2: Migration,' 'Dead Man's Wire' and a Mad Monkey

Plenty to discuss on Press Play, where Witney Seibold and I reviewed disaster movies, horror flicks, 1970s dramas and All That's Left of You. Check out our segment down below.

'All That's Left of You' Review

All That's Left of You is on the shortlist for the Best International Feature Oscar. Over at the Los Angeles Times, I reviewed Cherien Dabis' heartfelt, dutiful portrait of 70 years of Palestinian history told through the prism of one family. You can read my thoughts here.

'Primate' Review

It's the new year! My first review of 2026 is for a very dumb, very gory, very effective horror film about a chimpanzee who goes berserk. You can read my thoughts on Primate here. 

Hayley Williams - "Parachute"

Paramore never did much for me, but I know they are beloved in some music circles. Ditto the band's frontwoman. To which I'll say I enjoy this song off her 2025 solo album well enough, and leave it at that.

'No Other Choice' Review

Job market getting you down? Maybe you should consider killing the competition, literally. For the Los Angeles Times, I reviewed Park Chan-wook's dark comedic thriller No Other Choice. 

My Interview With Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Star of 'Sentimental Value'

When people heard that Worst Person in the World filmmaker Joachim Trier was reuniting with his star Renate Reinsve for Sentimental Value, most weren't familiar with the actor who would be playing Reinsve's sister, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas. Well, she's now probably going to get an Oscar nomination for her role, so it seems like a good time to learn a little about her. 

That's where I come in: I hung out with Lilleaas on a rainy November afternoon to talk about the film, her career and what comes next. A delightful conversation, which you can read here. 

(Photo by Evelyn Freja.) 

Bela Tarr, 1955-2026

A couple years ago, I had the immense pleasure of moderating a Q&A with Bela Tarr after a screening of his final film, The Turin Horse. He was great. Today for Rolling Stone, I pay tribute to an iconic filmmaker. You can read my piece here. 

Cesar Lopez - "Memoria"

Here's a little instrumental beauty for your first Friday of 2026.