AFI Fest 2021: 'Swan Song' Review

Mahershala Ali gives not one but two good performances in Swan Song, a sci-fi drama about a dying man who decides to clone himself without telling his family, who have no idea of his terminal condition. You can read my Screen International review here.

'Hillbilly Elegy' Review

Glenn Close and Amy Adams play mother and daughter in this adaptation of the J.D. Vance memoir about his Appalachian upbringing. For MEL, I wrote about the difference between empathy and genuine curiosity.

KQED: The Highs and Lows of the 91st Academy Awards

This was a treat: I was asked to be on KQED's Forum with host Michael Krasny yesterday morning to discuss the Oscars. I was joined by Claudia Puig and Tre'vell Anderson, and we all had a lot to say about Green Book, Olivia Colman's surprise win and how the industry is doing in terms of diversity. Plus, we took some calls from listeners. Very, very fun: You can hear the whole thing here.

Glenn Close, 'Fatal Attraction' and the Battle Over Alex

For MEL, I did a deep dive into the history of Fatal Attraction. Specifically, I wrote about Alex, the woman who has the affair with Michael Douglas' lawyer character. "Crazy" is how she's often described. That's never how Glenn Close, who played her, felt about Alex. It's a battle she's been waging for 32 years now. On the eve of Close possibly winning the Oscar for The Wife, I wrote about Alex's complicated legacy. Hope you enjoy.