My Interview With Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, the Stars of 'May December'

This was a treat: For the Los Angeles Times, I sat down with Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore to discuss Stevie Wonder, Todd Haynes and May December. (And because I love Safe so much, I found a very organic way to bring that film into the conversation, too.) My piece is here. 

(Photo by Benjo Arwas.)

Sundance 2021: 'Summer of Soul' Review

It was known as the Black Woodstock: a series of shows in Harlem in the summer of 1969 that celebrated blues, R&B, jazz and funk. For 50 years, the footage had been lost. Now, it's here. And it's amazing. I reviewed Summer of Soul for Screen International.

Michael Jackson - "Just Good Friends"

So, I had reason to revisit Bad this week. This is such a fascinatingly half-great album, pointing to the dark, twisted, tortured music that Michael Jackson would make the rest of his career. "Bad" is still embarrassingly bad. "The Way You Make Me Feel" still smokes. And then there's "Just Good Friends," a duet with Stevie Wonder that was never a single. Of the non-hits, it's easily the strongest. (Dear god, have you listened to "Liberian Girl" or "Speed Demon" lately?) Definitely perked me up during some hellacious traffic. I'm sorry that Quincy Jones doesn't like it.