'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Odysseus, Ross McElwee, 'Reading Lolita in Tehran' and 'Horsegirls'

I was on KCRW this week with fellow critic Angelica Jade Bastién to talk about the weekend's big releases. That means The Odyssey, of course, but also Remake, Reading Lolita in Tehran (pictured above) and Horsegirls. You can hear our segment down below.

'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': He-Man, Horror Spoofs, 'Carolina Caroline' and 'The Currents'

The two big movies this weekend are pretty meh. So, instead, let me direct your attention to the other two films Alison Willmore and I discussed on KCRW: the period romantic crime thriller Carolina Caroline and the Argentine drama The Currents (pictured above). Those are far more interesting. Check out our reviews down below. 

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Michael Jackson, 'Blue Heron' and 'I Swear'

I was back on Press Play, this time alongside Christy Lemire, to discuss a variety of new movies. We've got biopics: Michael and I Swear. We've got violent dark comedies: Over Your Dead Body. And we've got the critically acclaimed indie Blue Heron. You can hear our thoughts down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Mario & Luigi & Zendaya & Robert Pattinson & 'Yes' & 'Kontinental '25'

Provocateurs dominate my segment of Press Play, where Shawn Edwards and I reviewed the button-pushing The Drama, Yes and Kontinental '25. As for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it mostly provoked me to despair for society at large. You can hear our conversation down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Glen Powell, 'Midwinter Break' and 'Redux Redux'

I was on KCRW this week with Jourdain Searles to talk about new movies. You can hear our reviews of How to Make a Killing, Midwinter Break, Redux Redux and Kokuho down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': 'Greenland 2: Migration,' 'Dead Man's Wire' and a Mad Monkey

Plenty to discuss on Press Play, where Witney Seibold and I reviewed disaster movies, horror flicks, 1970s dramas and All That's Left of You. Check out our segment down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Rob Reiner's Impact on Movies and Politics

When someone in the film industry passes, Madeleine Brand will often ask me to come on the show to talk about that person's legacy. I was touched to go on Press Play to eulogize Rob Reiner, both as a filmmaker and as an activist. My segment was up first, if you'd like to listen below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Debating 'The Chronology of Water,' Digging 'Fackham Hall'

Witney Seibold and I joined Madeleine to discuss the weekend's big movies. You can hear our thoughts on Five Nights at Freddy's 2, The Chronology of Water, The Secret Agent and Fackham Hall down 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.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Raving About 'Sirat' and 'Left-Handed Girl'

A diverse group of films are discussed on my latest visit to KCRW. Alison Willmore and I review The Running Man, disagree about Jay Kelly, praise Sirat and head to Taipan for Left-Handed Girl. You can hear the whole segment down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': 'One Battle After Another,' 'Predators,' 'Eleanor the Great' and 'Dead of Winter'

Very happy to be on KCRW on such a big weekend for movies. Shawn Edwards and I reviewed two great films and two very forgettable ones. (The latter category includes the Emma Thompson action-thriller Dead of Winter.) You can hear our segment down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Robert Redford's Legacy

Yesterday, Marisa Lagos filled in for regular Press Play host Madeleine Brand and had me on to talk about Robert Redford's life and career. It was a pleasure to pay tribute to the man. You can hear the segment down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Lamenting 'Smurfs,' Debating 'Eddington'

Katie Walsh and I were at the KCRW studios yesterday to talk about this weekend's major movie releases. My big takeaway? Lots of stinkers! 

You can hear our reviews of Eddington, Smurfs and I Know What You Did Last Summer down below. (We also discuss an upcoming 70mm screening of 1984's Streets of Fire.)

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Raving About 'Sorry, Baby' and 'Familiar Touch'

Christy Lemire and I were on KCRW this week to talk about new movies. We reviewed F1 and M3GAN 2.0, but the more interesting conversations regard the Sundance hit Sorry, Baby and the touching drama Familiar Touch. You can hear our segment down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Dissing 'Karate Kid: Legends,' Lamenting 'The Phoenician Scheme'

 

Alison Willmore and I were on KCRW yesterday to talk about this weekend's movie offerings. Check out our reviews of Karate Kid: Legends, The Phoenician Scheme, Bring Her Back and Mountainhead down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': The Most-Anticipated Movies at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival

This year's Cannes is now underway. Before the storm, I jumped on a call with Madeleine Brand to preview four films to keep an eye out for, including Lynne Ramsay's Die My Love. You can hear our conversation down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': On 'Havoc' and 'On Swift Horses'

Alison Willmore and I were on KCRW today to review this weekend's big releases, including The Accountant 2. But we also dug into some of the smaller offerings, like the romantic drama On Swift Horses and Netflix's Havoc, the latest from The Raid filmmaker Gareth Evans. Check out our thoughts down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Remembering Val Kilmer

 

Val Kilmer died on Tuesday at the age of 65. I went on Press Play to talk about his career and legacy, spending extra time focusing on his best performance, as Jim Morrison in The Doors. You can listen to my segment down below.

'Press Play With Madeleine Brand': Gangsters, Princesses, Killers and 'Ash'

I was pleased to be on KCRW alongside Alison Willmore to discuss this weekend's movies. I like Misercordia and Ash. I do not like The Alto Knights and Snow White. Hear all of our thoughts down below.