What's the Best Fourth of July Release This Century?

I offer a Top 10 here.

When Real-Life Fathers and Daughters Star in the Same Film

In honor of Bleeding Love, which I didn't like back when it was called You Sing Loud, I Sing Louder, I wrote about other movies featuring fathers and their daughters. Check it out here.

'City of Lies' Review

City of Lies has been sitting on the shelf for a while. It's a long story, but suffice it to say, the movie isn't very good. My review is up at Screen International.

All the Oscar Nominees From Every Summer Blockbuster

Good heavens, there are 54 performances that have been nominated from summer hits. (I thought this was supposed to be the season of mindless action movies.) I ranked them all over at MEL.

What's Tim Burton's Best Movie?

That's the question we wrestle with over at Vulture.

The Most Romantic Sci-Fi/Fantasy Moments

Happy Valentine's Day. For Debate Club, we highlight the genre movies that have the most romantic scenes. Gotta love a list that features both Upstream Color and Wall-E. Read it all over at SyFy.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Three Billboards,' 'Thelma,' 'Cabaret' ... and Louis C.K.

On this week's episode of the podcast, we dutifully review Murder on the Orient Express. But we're much more interested in discussing I Love You, Daddy and Louis C.K. Elsewhere, I go solo to break down Three Billboards and Thelma. And, in our Reboot segment, we tackle Cabaret. You can hear the whole thing below.

'Murder on the Orient Express' Review

There's a new Murder on the Orient Express. Were we craving one? I have my doubts, and I'm not sure Kenneth Branagh's adaptation will do much to get people excited. I reviewed the film for 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.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Midnight Run' and Fighting About 'X-Men: Apocalypse'

Over at The New Republic, Will and I devote this week's podcast to debating the new X-Men movie. (I'm right.) We also dissect the corpse that is Alice Through the Looking Glass. And we take a look back at Midnight Run and discuss whether it holds up. (Good lord, that Danny Elfman score is an abomination.) You can hear the whole thing here.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Talking Mutants and Johnny Depp

I was back on Press Play yesterday with Amy Nicholson to rap about X-Men: Apocalypse and Alice Through the Looking Glass. I also sing the praises of The Idol, while Amy goes to bat for Holy Hell. Check it out here.

Oasis - "Fade In-Out"

After trashing Johnny Depp's latest piece of junk earlier this week, I decided to be nice and spotlight something good he's done. He plays slide guitar on this Be Here Now track. (Hope that doesn't ruin the song for you.)

'Alice Through the Looking Glass' Review

Is it possible I'm just never going to enjoy a Johnny Depp movie again? I liked Black Mass fine but, lord almighty, did I hate Alice Through the Looking Glass. Inconceivably, it's even worse than Alice in Wonderland, and this one wasn't even directed by Tim Burton. I reviewed this debacle for Screen International.

'Into the Woods' Review

Into the woods, into the woods, into the woods!

If you see only one musical this holiday season......absolutely don't let it be the atrocious Annie. And while Into the Woods isn't terrific, it's perfectly, pleasantly solid. My review of the big-screen adaptation of the James Lapine/Stephen Sondheim classic is up live over at Screen International.

'For No Good Reason' Review

For No Good Reason, a documentary about Hunter S. Thompson illustrator Ralph Steadman, gets its name from the response Thompson would give Steadman when he asked the author why they were going on their latest journalistic adventure. Steadman's work is terrific, but this film about him is only so-so. I reviewed For No Good Reason for Paste. (And, yes, Johnny Depp is featured heavily in the movie, so be warned.)

'Transcendence' Review

Transcendence is the directorial debut of Wally Pfister, Christopher Nolan's longtime cinematographer. But you don't care about that: You just want to know how this Johnny Depp thriller is. Well, it's just barely good enough. But Depp isn't the real star -- it's Rebecca Hall, who's quite fine as his concerned, smart wife. I weigh Transcendence's pros and cons in my Screen International review.

What Happened to Johnny Depp?

For Playboy, I mourn the career of Johnny Depp. It gave me an excuse to reference one of my favorite Onion articles of all time. Enjoy.

'The Lone Ranger' Review

Film critic Todd McCarthy had a great line about the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, calling the second film, Dead Man's Chest, "a slot machine that gobbles up the public's money while giving little back, and, somehow, people don't mind." I thought of that line constantly while watching The Lone Ranger, which reunites a lot of the Pirates personnel, including star Johnny Depp and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. I think people are going to mind this time, though. This movie is a real stinker, as I explain in my Screen International review.

(Update: If you are in need of more of me spouting off about this film, I talked about its faults with Will Leitch over at Deadspin.)

'Dark Shadows' Review

I can't claim to be a fan of the original Dark Shadows TV show -- I've only seen clips on YouTube -- but a film version very much seemed down director Tim Burton's alley. Turns out, it's too much down Burton's alley. My review of Dark Shadows is up on Screen International.

'the rum diary' review

Johnny Depp's second adaptation of a Hunter S. Thompson novel, The Rum Diary, is more effective than his first, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Still, Rum is a bit of a mess, only sporadically arresting. I give a full rundown of its strengths and weaknesses over at Screen International.