The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Friend,' 'The Luckiest Man in America' and 'North by Northwest'

On this week's episode, we review two new movies. One we liked; one we didn't. Then, in our Reboot segment, we go back to 1959's North by Northwest, which is just so damn wonderful. Check out the whole thing down below.

The Best Horror Films Ever Made

Rolling Stone asked a group of critics to pen the write-ups for its list of the 101 best horror movies of all time. Very honored to be part of the group. You can see my contributions (and everyone else's) here.

Telluride 2022: 'My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock' Review

If Alfred Hitchcock was alive today, what would he say? That's the intriguing premise of Mark Cousins' new documentary, which I don't think entirely works. I explain why over at Screen International.

I Was on 'The Great American Pop Culture Quiz Show'

I had a very fun time matching wits with Will Leitch and Katie Walsh on this episode. Topics included Lee Chang-dong, "When Doves Cry," Wilco, Alfred Hitchcock and MEL's "Women of Action" series. You can see how I did down below.

Cary Grant 101

Picking only 10 movies to encapsulate Cary Grant is hard. My picks are over at MEL.

Jimmy Stewart 101

Where do you start if you're wanting to dive into Jimmy Stewart's oeuvre? I have your guide.

Five Replacements for 'The Woman in the Window'

The Amy Adams thriller was supposed to open this weekend. Thanks to the pandemic, that didn't happen. Over at Vulture, we provide you with some good streaming alternatives, including her breakthrough role (and first Oscar nomination). The list is here.

The Therapeutic Properties of Watching People Scream in Movies

Random neighborhoods are organizing primal-scream sessions, where people go outside and just yell their heads off in frustration and anger over the pandemic. This got me thinking about how, in movies, characters are yelling all the time. There's something incredibly cathartic about that, which I explore over at MEL.

Some Thoughts on 'Us'

What did you think of the ending?

Is Jordan Peele the next Hitchcock?

Is "Hands Across America" the worst benefit song ever?

I dig into all those questions over at MEL.

The Horror Movies That Academy Voters Loved

Horror films tend not to get much attention at the Oscars. But there are some worthy exceptions. For this week's Debate Club, we look at five great examples of horror movies that audiences and Academy members both dug. You can read our write-up over at SyFy.

What's the Best Spy Movie (that's not a James Bond movie)?

For this week's Debate Club, Will and I chose the five best spy movies. There's a wrinkle, though: We couldn't pick any 007 films. (We also decided to skip Mission: Impossible and the Bourne movies, because it was too hard to narrow those down.) So, enjoy: Our list is up at SyFy.

'78/52' and the Disturbing Legacy of the 'Psycho' Shower Scene

Over at MEL, I wrote about the new documentary 78/52, which is devoted to the shower scene from Psycho. Specifically, my piece talks about how that infamous death sequence unleashed sexual violence into the movies, changing the landscape of horror films forever. You can read my essay here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Digging Into 'The Mummy,' 'It Comes at Night' and 'Shadow of a Doubt'

For whatever reason, Will and I haven't had any major disagreements on the podcast in a while. (Our last epic one was Rogue One.) But we don't see eye-to-eye at all on It Comes at Night. We talk about it -- and we (kinda, sorta) defend The Mummy. And then, in our Reboot segment, we take a look back at Shadow of a Doubt. You can hear the whole thing here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Looking Back at 'The Trouble With Harry' and 'Big Business'

I make my glorious return to the podcast this week: Will and I reviewed Life, CHIPS and Power Rangers. It's good to be back. If you'd like to hear how my voice sounded before surgery, check out the Reboot segment, which was prerecorded. There, we dig into The Trouble With Harry and Big Business. Enjoy!

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: The Movie Review Lightning Round

In this week's episode of the Grierson & Leitch podcast, Will and I go through a ton of movies in a short time. So, if you'd like reviews of Pete's Dragon, Sausage Party, Florence Foster Jenkins, Hell or High Water, Blood Father and Spaceman, you've come to the right place. And in our Reboot section, we go back to 1954 and Rear Window. Check it all out here.

'Hitchcock' Review

I have a soft spot in my heart for the opening night of AFI Fest. Many years ago, I attended my first ever opening night when I attended the U.S. premiere of Life Is Beautiful. It was in the Grauman's Chinese, and Roberto Benigni spoke beforehand, doing all the shtick that, because no one was that familiar with it, was actually immensely charming. (That feeling would change as it was repeated ad nauseum during that Oscar season.) Regardless, the oh-wow excitement of a big premiere has always stayed with me, even if now I tend to look at them as a lot of talk talk talk until we can finally get to the movie.

This year's AFI Fest opening night film was Hitchcock, and I confess that I was somewhat optimistic going on. Anthony Hopkins seemed to have Hitchcock down cold, and I'm a sucker for behind-the-scenes stories of how classic movies are made -- in this case, Psycho. Alas, the film is defiantly mediocre. My review is up at Screen International.