'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Happy 100th Birthday, Mel Brooks

I was very happy to be on KCRW yesterday to talk to Madeleine about Mel Brooks' birthday, and why he's the embodiment of American comedy for the last 75 years. You can hear my segment below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': What 'Siskel & Ebert' Meant to Me

I was honored to be asked to join Press Play to talk about the legacy of Siskel & Ebert on the show's 50th anniversary. You can hear my segment at the 19:22 mark.

My Interview With Naomi Watts

Naomi Watts has a new movie (The Friend) and a new book (Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause). These seemed like excellent excuses to spend some time with the Oscar nominee to talk about life, resilience and her dear friend David Lynch. You can read my interview over at the Los Angeles Times. 

(Photo by Jennifer McCord.)

The Film Comment Podcast: Talking 'Twinless,' 'By Design' and 'Rabbit Trap' at Sundance

It was a treat to be on The Film Comment Podcast alongside my buddy Robert Daniels and host Devika Girish here in Park City. We discussed some of the early highlights (and lowlights) of the festival. (For those interested, Robert and Devika also reviewed Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore, which I haven't seen yet.) 

Enjoy the conversation, which included observations about Dev Patel, Miranda July and David Lynch, down below.

Angelo Badalamenti - "Twin Peaks Theme"

What else would I have picked? Rest in peace, David Lynch (and Angelo Badalamenti).

 

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Across the Spider-Verse,' 'Past Lives' and 'Lynch/Oz'

Will was in town, so we did the podcast in person. You can hear us review two pretty terrific movies, and also a very fun documentary. Check it out below.

Going Back to David Lynch's 'Dune'

The 1984 film was deemed a fiasco at the time. But is that Dune better than its reputation suggests? My thoughts are over at MEL.

So, Is 'Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me' Bad or a Masterpiece?

When it came out in 1992, this feature-length Twin Peaks prequel was derided. How things have changed. Over at SyFy, I looked back at Fire Walk With Me.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'I Care a Lot,' 'The Mauritanian' and 'Lost Highway'

Two new movies, one from the 1990s on this week's podcast. And because I didn't think much of I Care a Lot or The Mauritanian, I'm glad we had the David Lynch film to chew on. Hope you enjoy.

My Interview With Kyle MacLachlan

What a treat to chat (twice) with Kyle MacLachlan. Very happy with this latest MEL Conversation.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Stalag 17,' 'Big Night' and Looking Back at 1999

This week on the podcast, I lead the discussion about movie year 1999, which was awash in films bracing for this exciting/scary new century. Then, in our Reboot section, we dig into an underrated Billy Wilder gem and the debut directorial effort from actors Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott. Hope you enjoy.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Mend,' 'Over the Edge' and Looking Back at 2001

2001 will always be synonymous with 9/11. But let's take a moment to reflect on that year in movies. We do that on this week's podcast -- and then, in our Reboot segment, we discuss two very different portraits of alienation, John Magary's The Mend and Jonathan Kaplan's Over the Edge. Hope you enjoy.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Apes, David Lynch and 'Kicking and Screaming'

New podcast episode! Will and I dig into War for the Planet of the Apes. Then, we have two Reboot films. First up is the movie that's considered one of the best of this century, Mulholland Dr. And then, we talk about writer-director Noah Baumbach's debut, 1995's Kicking and Screaming. So, sci-fi, horror and indie comedy. Check out the whole thing below.

The Shows Spawned by 'Twin Peaks'

With Twin Peaks returning May 21, the gang at Rolling Stone is paying tribute by highlighting the shows inspired by David Lynch and Mark Frost's indelible series. This is where my intimate knowledge of Fringe pays off. Check it out here.

A Night to Celebrate Allen Ginsberg and 'Howl'

In the fall of 1955, poet Allen Ginsberg unveiled his epic masterwork "Howl." That poem, and the man behind it, were the focus of last night's star-studded 60th anniversary celebration in downtown Los Angeles at the Theatre at Ace Hotel. (Yup, the same place as last week's "The Music of David Lynch" show.) For Rolling Stone, I reviewed "A Celebration," which featured everyone from Courtney Love to Tim Robbins to Will Forte to Nick Cave. Hope you enjoy.

A Report From 'The Music of David Lynch'

How do you articulate the experience of seeing artists as diverse as the Flaming Lips, Moby and Duran Duran pay tribute to the music and work of David Lynch? Last night at the Theater at Ace Hotel, an array of stars performed music from his movies, as well as songs he produced. (And, yes, Lynch was there, too, briefly.) For Rolling Stone, I tried my best to give a sense of what the sensuous, moving, hypnotic evening was like. I hope you enjoy.