The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'Parasite' Pulls Off the Upset

That screaming you may have heard last night? That was me when Parasite won Best Director and Best Picture at the Oscars. On this week's podcast, we recap the show, review Birds of Prey, debate The Lodge and look back at The 400 Blows. Hope you enjoy.

The Never-Nominated

For MEL, I paid tribute to 10 all-time terrific films that didn't get any nominations -- no Oscar nods, no Golden Globes attention, not even a BAFTA. These are the great unloved of awards-season. Hope you enjoy.

'Birds of Prey' and the History of Female Singers Covering "It's a Man's Man's Man's World"

The new film features a cover of the James Brown classic. This gave me a chance to dig into the song's odd second life as an anthem for women. It's live over at MEL.

Kirk Douglas, 1916-2020

With all the pre-Oscar runaround, I neglected to mention my Rolling Stone obituary for the one and only Kirk Douglas. I did my best to capture his legacy.

If I Had an Oscar Ballot for Best Picture

In case you forgot, the Academy uses a preferential ballot to vote for Best Picture. (My buddy Glenn Whipp explained the process perfectly a few years ago.) So if I had a vote, here's how it would look:

1. Parasite
2. Little Women
3. The Irishman
4. Marriage Story
5. Joker
6. Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood
7. 1917
8. Ford v Ferrari
9. Jojo Rabbit

It is very possible that Parasite is going to pull off the upset. Think how remarkable that would be. First non-English-language film to win. First film from Neon to win. Only the second Palme d'Or winner to do it. (The first was Marty about 65 years ago.) But I still think it's going to be 1917's night. And in case you're curious, here's my list of 2019's actual best pictures.

Enjoy the Oscars, everybody.

'Birds of Prey' and the Challenges of Extending Cinematic Universes

Birds of Prey is Warner Bros.' attempt to grow its DC Cinematic Universe. But are there limits to spinoffs and sequels? And how does that play into Hollywood's increased pressure for greater diversity in its casting? I wrestled with all that over at MEL.

Noname (featuring Raury & Cam O'bi) - "Diddy Bop"

Happy Oscar Weekend, everyone. Make sure to spend some time enjoying Noname.

This Century's Finest African-American Genre Films

With it being February, and Black History Month, we decided to turn our attention to the best genre films from African-American directors. Check out the list over at SyFy.

'Birds of Prey' Review

I think Margot Robbie is very good in this movie. I don't think much else is. My review is up at Screen International.

'High Fidelity' Review

It's been a while since I've seen 2000's High Fidelity (based on the Nick Hornby novel). But now Hulu has remade the story into an episodic series starring Zoe Kravitz. I wish I liked it better.

The Best Films About Gambling

For the Super Bowl, Vulture asked us to pick 25 great movies about gambling. Pretty pleased with this list.

The Best British Sci-Fi

With Doctor Who back for a new season, we decided to spend some time celebrating British science-fiction. For Debate Club, we look back at five great films from the U.K.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: 'The Assistant,' 'The Rhythm Section,' 'Inglourious Basterds' and Our Oscar Predictions

Lots to get to on this week's show. (I also talk a little about Sundance 2020.) Hear the entire episode down below.

'Emma' Review

I couldn't muster much excitement for the perfectly OK new Emma. I reviewed the Jane Austen adaptation for Screen International.

Sundance 2020: Ranking the Best and Worst of the Festival

I am happy to report that Sundance 2020 was a success on all three crucial fronts: I saw a lot of films, I saw mostly good films, and I wasn't so exhausted/sick that I felt like I was dragging. And I was pretty pleased with what I had to say about those movies. Below is a ranked order of everything I consumed, whether in Park City or before. Links lead to my Screen International reviews...

27. Surge
26. Uncle Frank
25. Ironbark
24. Downhill
23. Miss Americana
22. Wendy 
21. The Climb
20. Dream Horse
19. Tesla
18. The Last Shift
17. Zola
16. Happy Happy Joy Joy - The Ren & Stimpy Story
15. Ema
14. The 40-Year-Old Version
13. The Assistant
12. The Perfect Candidate
11. His House
10. On the Record
9. Summertime
8. Crip Camp 
7. The Glorias
6. Minari
5. Dick Johnson Is Dead 
4. The Nest
3. Kajillionaire
2. Never Rarely Sometimes Always
1. The Father

What do I wish I had seen? The Killing of Two Lovers, Boys State, Time and Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets (pictured). There will be time for those down the road.

Let me also point you in the direction of the work I did at the festival for MEL. I explained why Zola is the perfect movie for our social-media age. I examined On the Record and the state of the #MeToo documentary. I offered some praise for Will Ferrell's Downhill performance. I discussed the uncomfortable feelings that got stirred up from watching the Ren & Stimpy documentary. And I wrote about Sundance's preponderance of films about dementia.

My favorite film of this year's Sundance? To my surprise, it was The Father, which features knockout performances from Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman. It's very much a Sony Pictures Classics movie -- classy, etc. -- but I found it emotionally overwhelming.

I suspect I'll always remember this Sundance as the year when I found out Kobe Bryant had died as I was leaving the Eccles after seeing The Glorias. I had to put my feelings aside about his passing to focus on the review. I'm home now, and I still don't think it's fully hit me. It's just too surreal.

Sundance 2020: 'The Assistant' Review

The Assistant opens today but played in Sundance's Spotlight section, which is where I saw it. This drama is about, as you might have guessed, an assistant (Julia Garner) who works for a high-powered Hollywood mogul. Does the film have any connection to Harvey Weinstein? Read on.

Huey Lewis and the News - "Hip to Be Square"

My pick: 49ers by three on Sunday. Bonus points for anyone who knows why I'm including this song with that prediction.

Sundance 2020: 'Dick Johnson Is Dead,' 'The Father' and Saying Goodbye to Your Parents

What do these two movies have in common? They're both about dads with dementia. This inspired some thoughts about losing my mom and dad. I wrote about it for MEL.

My Interview With Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, Directors of 'American Factory'

I hope American Factory wins the Oscar for Best Documentary. I had the great pleasure of interviewing directors Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert before I left for Sundance. We talked about their movie, how they made it, and the future of blue-collar jobs. Hope you enjoy.

Sundance 2020: 'Happy Happy Joy Joy' Asks What We Do About 'Ren & Stimpy'

John Kricfalusi was the mastermind behind The Ren & Stimpy Show. A new documentary, Happy Happy Joy Joy, wants to celebrate the cartoon's impact. But there's also the issue of Kricfalusi himself ... and his alleged behavior. I wrote about the documentary for MEL.

Sundance 2020: 'Tesla' Review

Ethan Hawke reunites with his Hamlet director Michael Almereyda for this far-from-straightforward biopic about Nikola Tesla. I really enjoyed Almereyda's recent films Experimenter and Marjorie Prime; this one isn't as good, but it's still kinda fascinating. My Screen International review is here.

Sundance 2020: 'The Father' Review

So, I really loved The Father. My review is up at Screen International.

Sundance 2020: 'Uncle Frank' Review

Every year at Sundance, a few films make a splash and land big-money distribution deals. Uncle Frank, about a closeted gay man (Paul Bettany) in the 1970s visiting his conservative family, just got picked up by Amazon for $12 million. Sadly, I think the film is only so-so.

Sundance 2020: 'The Nest' Review

Martha Marcy May Marlene was one of the best films of 2011. Now, filmmaker Sean Durkin is back with a drama that feels like a horror movie. But, no, it's just about a married couple (Jude Law, Carrie Coon) slowly turning on one another. For Screen International, I reviewed The Nest.

Sundance 2020: 'The Glorias' Review

What might sound like an I'm Not There-style biopic of Gloria Steinem turns out to be its own thing. Four different actresses play Steinem at different points of her life, and Alicia Vikander and Julianne Moore are both great in a movie that means to get you riled up. Mission accomplished. My review is up at Screen International.

Sundance 2020: 'Downhill' and the Evolution of Will Ferrell

In recent years, Will Ferrell's onscreen persona has shifted slightly. With Daddy's Home and Downhill, he's been playing ineffectual dads, not Ricky Bobby-style bozos. I explain why I'm into this transformation over at MEL.

Sundance 2020: 'On the Record' and the State of the #MeToo Documentary

This is the second straight Sundance featuring hard-hitting #MeToo documentaries. For MEL, I wrote about On the Record and why I'm thrilled it spends almost no time talking about Russell Simmons.

Sundance 2020: 'The 40-Year-Old Version' Review

Radha Blank writes, directs and stars in this semi-autobiographical comedy-drama about a struggling playwright who reinvents herself as a rapper. It's quite fun.

Sundance 2020: 'Wendy' Review

It's been eight years since Benh Zeitlin took Sundance by storm with Beasts of the Southern Wild. He returns with Wendy, which rewrites Peter Pan. I found it gorgeous but more than a little muddled.

Sundance 2020: 'Kajillionaire' Review

Miranda July hasn't made a movie in nine years. She returns with a strange con-artist comedy-drama that, once you get on its wavelength, might just speak to you. My Screen International review is here.

Sundance 2020: 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always' Review

The best thing so far as this year's Sundance? That's Eliza Hittman's abortion drama Never Rarely Sometimes Always. My review is up at Screen International.

Sundance 2020: 'Ironbark' Review

Benedict Cumberbatch has to save the world from nuclear devastation in Ironbark, the remarkable true story about a British salesman who went undercover to help spirit Soviet secrets out of the Kremlin during the early 1960s. I wish the movie was a little more electric. My review is up at Screen International.

Sundance 2020: 'Zola' Is the First Twitter-Inspired Crime Drama

Going into this year's Sundance, Zola was one of the most highly-anticipated films. Adapted from a 2015 tweet storm about one woman's strange odyssey from Detroit to Tampa, which involved prostitution and suicide attempts, the movie very much speaks to our social-media age. But is it any good? I went into Zola's history and the actual film for MEL.

The Best 'Star Trek' Movies

Finishing up this month's look at everything Star Trek for SyFy, we ranked the best films in the series. J.J. Abrams does not put in an appearance. Check out the list here.

Sundance 2020: 'Summertime' Review

I was mixed on Carlos Lopez Estrada's first film, Blindspotting. But I quite enjoyed Summertime, which looks at more than two-dozen young people making their way in Los Angeles. The conceit: They express their innermost thoughts through spoken-word poetry. My review is up at Screen International.

Sundance 2020: 'Miss Americana' Review

The Sundance Film Festival kicks off with Netflix's documentary about Taylor Swift, who I think is a fascinating pop star. Sadly, Miss Americana only scratches the surface.

Blood, Sweat & Tears - "You've Made Me So Very Happy"

So, Al Kooper decides to leave Blood, Sweat and Tears, but before he does he wonders if the group should do a cover of a little-known R&B song called "You've Made Me So Very Happy." David Clayton-Thomas joins the band, records the cover and it becomes a massive hit. "He picked it out to sing and left it behind," Clayton-Thomas later said. "The chart was already written for it and I liked the tune, and that was Al’s present to me."

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Previewing the 2020 Sundance Film Festival

Heading off to Sundance in the morning. On this week's podcast, I highlight five films I'm very intrigued to see. Talk to you from Park City.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Burying 'Bad Boys for Life' and 'Dolittle,' Praising 'In the Bedroom'

The podcast is back. This week, we review the new Bad Boys film and lament what went wrong with Dolittle. Then, in our Reboot section, we take a look back at 2001's In the Bedroom. Hear the whole thing down below.

Which Jean-Luc Picard 'Star Trek' Movie Is Best?

With Picard about to debut on CBS All Access, we took a look back at Patrick Stewart's Star Trek films. My big takeaway: On the whole, they weren't as good as they should have been. Read all about it over at SyFy.

(And, yes, that is Tom Hardy in the photo with Stewart. He's sorta rocking some Ezra Miller vibes, right?)

Some Thoughts on 'Bad Boys for Life'

What's it like not to enjoy any of the Bad Boys movies? Let me tell you all about it. (I also provided some background on "Bad Boys" the song -- you know, the theme from Cops.)

Alicia Keys - "Time Machine"

One person's superstar is another person's "Oh, she's still around?" After noticing her for the first time, as was the case with most listeners, on Songs in A Minor, Alicia Keys has largely fallen off my radar. Sure, I remember the Keys shout-out in that Bob Dylan song. And I think she's actually the MVP of "Empire State of Mind." (Also, right, the two-piano trick on the Grammys was fun.) But her subsequent albums escaped my notice, even though she kept going multi-platinum. Obviously, others were paying attention and enjoying what they were hearing. So with A.L.I.C.I.A. on the way, I promise to put her back on my radar. And who doesn't love a good funked-up rollerskating jam?

My Interview With Geno McDermott, Director of 'Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez'

Killer Inside is a troubling, open-ended look into the final years of the New England Patriots receiver's life. For MEL, I spoke with director Geno McDermott, who isn't after easy theories. After all this time, he remains as confused about Hernandez's motivations as the rest of us. Our interview is here.

'Dolittle' Review

I've spent some time with writer-director Stephen Gaghan. He's a smart guy. But his latest film is a disaster. Here's my review of Dolittle.

'Bad Boys for Life' Review

I'm surprised some of my colleagues have been so lenient on the third chapter of the Bad Boys franchise. I wasn't much of a fan.

My LAFCA Awards Presentation for Noah Baumbach

On Saturday at the InterContinental in Century City, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association held our 45th annual awards banquet. (Our full list of winners is here.) I was honored to present our Best Screenplay prize to Noah Baumbach for Marriage Story. Here's what I said from the stage:

What happens to love when a relationship ends? Does it wither away and die? Or can it evolve into something else?

Those questions are at the heart of Noah Baumbach’s wonderful, wry screenplay about the complexity and anguish of divorce. Yet his movie is called Marriage Story because, even though the main characters, Charlie and Nicole, are splitting up, they aren’t entirely going their separate ways. Because they have a child, their relationship is simply changing — they’re no longer man and wife, but they have to figure out how to still be a family.

Baumbach has always been a sharp, sometimes caustic writer, but in Marriage Story there’s also an incredible amount of compassion and tenderness — alongside some really terrific jokes about Los Angeles. This film does not take sides in its depiction of Charlie and Nicole — we care about both of them, but understand why they don’t fit together anymore.

If the story has a villain, it’s the divorce-industrial complex itself — the lawyers and legal mechanisms that can tear up lives and turn former soul mates against one another, convincing them that they’re better off alone. It’s a miracle anyone gets through that process in one piece. And so we worry about Charlie and Nicole: Amidst the custody battles and screaming matches, can they somehow hold onto what first bonded them so long ago?

An epic of intimacy, Marriage Story pinpoints the small acts of kindness, the nagging insecurities and failures, the flashes of joy and sorrow that make up a relationship — the things we share with another person, even after they’ve moved on. It’s a film about the end of love — and the echoes of love that still linger. It’s very funny but it’s also very bittersweet. It is a movie about marriage, but it’s also a movie about being alive.

"They'll catch the Sondheim reference at the end," Susan assured me. "Don't worry." She was right. Very happy to have Baumbach and Greta Gerwig at our banquet. She accepted our Career Achievement prize for Elaine May, who was unable to attend.

(Photo by Matt Harbicht.)

Which 'Star Trek' Bad Guy Is Best?

In honor of the forthcoming Picard, this month at SyFy we'll be doing some writing about the Star Trek universe. First up: the best villains from the movies. Khan!

Joe Jackson - "Steppin' Out"

This is exactly what my New Year's Eve was like.

The 2020 Movies That Aren't Based on Anything

No reboots. No sequels. No adaptations. For MEL, I previewed this year's most intriguing original films. Enjoy!

'Underwater' Review

January horror movies tend to be the pits. But I dug the new Kristen Stewart vehicle. Over at Screen International, I reviewed Underwater.

The Grierson & Leitch Podcast: Our Most-Anticipated 2020 Movies and Predicting the Oscar Nominations

The podcast returns with its first episode of the new year. In the first half, we preview some 2020 movies we're excited to see -- and a couple we're dreading. And then we make our predictions for the Oscar nominations, which come out January 13. Lots of fun, and you can hear it all below.

What Genre Movie Was 2019's Finest?

Will and I have the answers.

'The Grudge' Review

I'm a little shocked about that "F" grade at Cinemascore. I mean, the new Grudge isn't good ... but it's not that horrendous. My review is up at Screen International.

LAFCA's Best Films of the Decade Poll

Ten years ago, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association did a Best of the 2000s poll of its members: David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. emerged triumphant. Another decade has ended, so here we go again. See our results here (including my essay). And check out the individual ballots (including mine) here.

Ugly Duckling - "Fresh Mode"

In 2020, I'm on Fresh Mode.

The Best Buddy-Cop Movies

Wow, this is shocking: I realized I never mentioned that, back in August, Will and I ranked the finest buddy-cop movies ever made. You can see that over at Vulture.