Toronto 2024: 'Nutcrackers' Review

David Gordon Green has spent the last several years making Halloween films (and an Exorcist movie that tanked). But with Nutcrackers, he switches gears, casting Ben Stiller as a workaholic who has to take care of his dead sister's kids. Will tears be jerked? My review is here.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Exorcist: Believer,' 'The Royal Hotel' and 'Fair Play'

Sorry to be a week late on this one -- I've been a bit busy -- but on the podcast we dug into the missteps of David Gordon Green's attempt to revive the Exorcist franchise. Then we looked at the new film from Kitty Green and disagreed about the Sundance sensation Fair Play. Check it all out below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Exorcisms, Sexual Harassment and 'Cat Person'

Alison Willmore and I joined Madeleine to review four new films: The Exorcist: Believer, Cat Person, The Royal Hotel and Dicks: The Musical. A very fun time, and you can hear the whole thing down below. 

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Stars at Noon' and 'Decision to Leave'

This week, we talked about Halloween Ends, but who cares about that? The real interesting conversations are around the two art-house films directed by Claire Denis and Park Chan-wook. You can hear the whole episode down below.

'Halloween Kills' and Trump's America

David Gordon Green's 2018 Halloween was a happy surprise. But the follow-up is a bummer, largely because it introduces a political critique that's really badly done. I wrote about Halloween Kills for MEL.

What's the Best 'Halloween' Movie?

Tis the season. We rank the five best films in the franchise over at SyFy.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Horror, Directorial Debuts and 'Memories of Murder'

Many movies are discussed on this week's podcast. Will and I dig into Halloween, and then I solo on Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Wildlife and Mid90s. Finally, in our Reboot segment, we look back at Memories of Murder. Hope you enjoy.

Some Thoughts on 'Halloween'

For MEL, I riffed on the new Halloween, focusing on why we're drawn to bogeymen. I also wrote about John Carpenter's music and the one plot point I'm thrilled has been excised from the franchise's narrative. Check out my piece here.

'Halloween' Review

Is the new Halloween as good as the original? No. Is it still pretty darn good? Yes. My review is up at Screen International. (By the way, this is not how Jamie Lee Curtis looks in the movie.)

Toronto 2017: 'Stronger' Review

Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany have a great rapport in Stronger, the biopic based on the life of Jeff Bauman, who lost both legs in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Unfortunately, the movie itself isn't as affecting as I wish it was. My review is up at Screen International.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'War Machine,' 'Baywatch,' Johnny Depp and 'George Washington'

We had lots to cover in this week's podcast. First up, I recap the Cannes Film Festival. Then, Will and I review War Machine, Baywatch and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. And finally, we look back at 2000's George Washington for our Reboot segment. It's a supersized episode, and you can hear it below.

'Manglehorn' Review

Oh, Al. Over the last couple decades, Mr. Pacino has found himself in one misfire after another, with the notable exception of something like Heat or The Insider. His latest, Manglehorn, is an indie character piece in which he plays the titular locksmith struggling to make sense of a life that's passed him by. There are surface pleasures to be found here, but not enough to recommend. I reviewed Manglehorn for Paste.

Nicolas Cage in 'Joe'

For years, Nicolas Cage has seemed lost in the wilderness, but his latest film, the indie drama Joe, offers him one of his best roles in a long time. I marvel at the Cage of old in this week's Culture Club column for Playboy.

Sundance 2013 Review: 'Prince Avalanche'

I get the impression that I'm less enamored by Prince Avalanche, the new film from writer-director David Gordon Green, than other people are. This comedy has its charms, but I ultimately found it too minor to really engage with. When you get to see it, maybe you'll disagree. My review is up at Screen International.