Grierson & Leitch

Hello, fellow humans! The Oscar nominations come out on Tuesday, January 24, so this week, we decided to make our predictions for the six major categories (sorry, screenwriters) and mention films we wish would be nominated even though they have no chance. Tuesday should be a good day for "La La Land," "Manchester by the Sea," "Moonlight" ... and maybe even Mel Gibson? We also have two Reboots. We begin with Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York," and then dig into Gus Van Sant's "To Die For." Timestamps: 6:15 Oscar picks 49:00 "Gangs of New York" 1:00:20 "To Die For" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. (We're doing a mailbag show after the new year, so send us questions.) As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast. Also, Grierson now wants you to call him "Mahershala."

Welcome! It's our first show of 2017, and our very special 50th episode. So once a year, we answer a ton of questions from you, our lovely, wonderful listeners, because there are no interesting new movies being released (sorry, "Monster Trucks") and because it's not time for Oscar nominations yet. Thus! We answer your questions about what's acceptable to snack on in a movie theater, what we'll remember Tom Cruise for, what we think really happened at the end of The Lobster, what bad movie we would remake, how we saw indie movies in Mattoon, and much more. It's a very fun show, and a pleasant way to begin the new year. We also have a Reboot this week, Michael Mann's "Heat," in which we try to come to terms with the new information that Al Pacino claims his character was on cocaine throughout the events of the film. That explains a lot! Timestamps: Mailbag: 3:55 Heat: 1:06:45 We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. (We're doing a mailbag show after the new year, so send us questions.) As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast.

It was quite the year, 2016, and now that it's (almost) over, it's time, at last, for our Top Ten Movies of 2016. This is the podcast version of Dorkfest, an annual discussion (and revealing) of both Will's and Tim's top-10 lists, which they've been doing since 1991. Though for the first time, you can listen. Our lists have a surprising amount of crossover, and far more than last year's. One thing we definitely agree on: It was a fantastic movie year. We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. (We're doing a mailbag show after the new year, so send us questions.) As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast.

Special Star Wars show alert! Special Star Wars show alert! Usually we look at several movies on each show, but the week that a Star Wars movie comes out, we focus just on that Star Wars movie. Thus: Rogue One discussion! Of all the episodes of this podcast, this might be the most contentious, because Grierson and Leitch are on opposite sides on Rogue One: One of them thinks it's "magnificent," the other thinks a complete mess. Which one is right? Listen and find out. You're seeing Rogue One. We're talking Rogue One. We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. (We're doing a mailbag show after the new year, so send us questions.) As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast.

It's down to the nit and the grit, folks: We have only three shows left in 2016, and we have a LOT of movies to get to. So we kick off our show this week with a deep-dive discussion of early Oscar favorite "La La Land," the new musical from "Whiplash" director Damien Chazelle starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. We both think it's great and, yes, it reminds us of vintage Woody Allen. In our Reboot section -- our final Reboot section of 2016 -- we look at Bryan Singer's "The Usual Suspects" from 1995, and Robert Townsend's "The Five Heartbeats" from 1991. Timestamps: 7:01: "La La Land" 24:45 "The Usual Suspects" 38:25 "The Five Heartbeats" We will back on Friday with a special "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" episode. We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. (We're doing a mailbag show after the new year, so send us questions.) As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast.

We are hitting the home stretch of the 2016 movie year, with the year-end critics awards coming out and Oscar predictions all over the place. We have just three shows left in 2016, which we'll finish off with our Top 10 movies of 2016. But there's plenty to dig through until then. So, we kick off this week with Pablo Larrain's haunting, intense "Jackie," which shows that American tragedy in a whole new light. Then, we look at Isabelle Huppert, who is having an amazing year, in the moving French drama "Things To Come." We keep the good vibes going in our Reboot section with 1944's "Double Indemnity," before sending everything crashing down with 1991's "Hudson Hawk," which might be the worst movie we've discussed on this podcast. This DOES, however, get us talking about an eighth-grade school play we were both in. It's that kind of show. Timestamps: 8:35 "Jackie" 24:50 "Things to Come" 37:04 "Double Indemnity" 50:30 "Hudson Hawk" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast.

We hope you all had a grand Thanksgiving! May your harvests be bountiful! We are back looking at a rather uninspired couple of new releases. First, it's Robert Zemeckis' World War II drama "Allied," with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. And it's old directors week here, apparently, with Warren Beatty's long-awaited, and nearly entirely ignored, "Rules Don't Apply." At least he finally got to play Howard Hughes. We have a lot more fun with our Reboot section. We tackle one of our favorite movies from the '90s, Peter Weir's visionary "The Truman Show" from 1998. And for a long time, Grierson has loved 2008's "Hancock." Does he feel the same way today? Only one way to find out. Timestamps: 5:30 "Allied" 22:55 "Rules Don't Apply" 34:20 "The Truman Show" 53:15 "Hancock" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast.

Hey, early show this week! It's Thanksgiving Week, so we wanted to get the show to you as quickly as possible so you've got plenty of time before you go over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house you go. We do this because we love you. So, this week, we discuss two major new releases. First, it's the new Harry Potter spinoff "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," which launches yet another franchise you have to keep track of. Also, Tom Ford takes another break from his day job to direct another movie, "Nocturnal Animals" with Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. Then, Grierson breaks down Kenneth Lonergan's "Manchester by the Sea;" Leitch hasn't seen it yet. Then, in our Reboot section, we revisit Alfonso Cuaron's brilliant "Children of Men." Timestamps: 4:50 "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" 22:35 "Nocturnal Animals" 39:45 "Manchester by the Sea" 47:45 "Children of Men" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast.

Like many of you, we're still trying to process everything that has happened since we last did a podcast. Movies work best when they are a distraction from life that can also help illuminate life: When you write about movies, you are really writing about life. That's all sorts of Super Serious Pablum that ultimately just adds up to: We're not going to let the horror that Tuesday night has conjured stop us from babbling like idiots about movies. We hope you don't mind. Thus! This week we dig into the surprise science-fiction hit "Arrival" starring Amy Adams, the Jeff Nichols drama "Loving" and Ang Lee's 120-fps war drama "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk." Then, in our Reboot segment, we look at the foster care drama "Short Term 12," starring Brie Larsen right before she won her Oscar. Timestamps: 6:15 "Arrival" 21:38 "Loving" 38:50 "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" 49:45 "Short Term 12" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast. Also, Grierson is our first American President who has starred in multiple soft-core pornographic films.

Hey, look, check it out: Another Marvel movie! We dig into the 14th MCU movie, "Doctor Strange," but then go in the total opposite direction and try to figure out just how much Mel Gibson understands basic story structure with "Hacksaw Ridge." Vince Vaughn plays a drill sergeant. Ten. Hut. Then, in our Reboot section, we try to figure out the Guy Ritchie conundrum with 2000's "Snatch." If you can figure out what Brad Pitt is saying in this movie, you win the kewpie doll. Timestamps: 4:05 "Doctor Strange" 18:30 "Hacksaw Ridge" 37:00 "Snatch" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast. Also, Grierson thinks you should vote today.

There's only one major release this week, and frankly, that's being kind: Ron Howard's and Tom Hanks' "Inferno" is dumb, even aggressively so. It's kind of amazing that Tyler Perry's new movie has outgrossed Tom Cruise's and Tom Hanks' new movies in consecutive weeks. Anyway, we spend more time thinking about "Inferno" than we suspect anyone involved with working on it did. Then, in our Reboot section, we head to the '90s with two major releases from major American filmmakers. First, we look at Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown," and how it's a pivotal movie in his career (and maybe his best). Then we dig into Wes Anderson's debut feature "Bottle Rocket." It's very different from what you think of when you think of Wes Anderson now. Timestamps: 5:05 "Inferno" 20:05 "Jackie Brown" 47:06 "Bottle Rocket" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast. Also, Grierson has always wanted to shave his eyebrows but just can't work up the gumption.

Barry Jenkins' "Moonlight" is one of the best movies of the year, and we have a fantastic time discussing it this week. We also try to figure out what Tom Cruise is trying to do with his "Jack Reacher" franchise and break down the sisyphean task Ewan McGregor gave himself by trying to adapt a Philip Roth novel. But mostly we talk about "Moonlight." Then, in our reboot section, we discuss a movie that might be the polar opposite of "Moonlight:" It's 1989's "Weekend at Bernie's." He's dead ... but nobody seems to know it! Also, Leitch makes Grierson guess what the plot of the sequel is. Timestamps: 4:00 "Moonlight" 24:15 "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" 38:05 "American Pastoral" 47:50 "Weekend at Bernie's" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast. Also, Grierson is dressing up as Bernie for Halloween this year.

Your accountant might not have "high-functioning autism," he might not be able to take out cantaloupes with anti-aircraft weaponry from a mile out and he might not be able to take out an entire squadron of assassins while never dropping his pocket protector. (Your accountant also might not look like Ben Affleck.) This is why they don't make movies about your accountant. They do make movies about "The Accountant," and that's our primary review this week. Grierson also talks about Kelly Reichardt's "Certain Women" and Antonio Campos' "Christine," both of which are terrific. Then, in our reboot section, we zoom back to 1982, when those teachers wouldn't leave those kids alone with Alan Parker's "Pink Floyd: The Wall." Mind-altering substances not included, unless you count Twizzlers. (We will not in fact be providing Twizzlers.) Timestamps: 5:12 "The Accountant" 25:16 "Certain Women" 30:50 "Christine" 39:15 "Pink Floyd: The Wall" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast. Also, Grierson was bullied into doing this podcast by Billy Bush.

One of the most controversial, and widely discussed (for a wide variety of reasons), movies of 2016 is Nate Parker's "The Birth of a Nation," so we dig in deep into that one. Then, we try to make heads or tails of Tate Taylor's "The Girl on the Train." Grierson hasn't seen "Newtown," but Leitch has, so he gives us the lowdown on the Sandy Hook documentary. Then, in our Reboot section, we discuss "L.A. Confidential." Director Curtis Hanson passed away away last month, so revisit and reflect upon his masterwork. Timestamps: 7:30 "The Birth of a Nation" 34:17 "The Girl on the Train" 47:02 "Newtown" 57:56 "L.A. Confidential" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast. Also, Grierson's the one that says just grab 'em in the biscuits.

It's a busy movie week, and we're just getting warmed up: The Fall Movie Season is upon us, and there are big releases one right after another. And we kick off our podcast with "American Honey," which Tim says is one of the best movies of the year. (Will hasn't seen it, embarrassingly.) Then we dig into Peter Berg's "Deepwater Horizon," and, dabbling briefly in TV land, Woody Allen's "Crisis in Six Scenes." Then, in our reboot section, we talk in depth about one of Tim's favorite movies of all time: Stanley Kubrick's underappreciated masterpiece "Barry Lyndon." Suffice it to say, it's a step up from last week's "Shakes the Clown." Timestamps: 6:55 "American Honey" 13:50 "Deepwater Horizon" 29:30 "Crisis in Six Scenes" 50:55 "Barry Lyndon" We hope you enjoy. Let us know what you think @griersonleitch on Twitter, or griersonleitch@newrepublic.com. As always, give us a review on iTunes with the name of a movie you'd like us to review, and we'll discuss it on a later podcast. Also, Grierson wears water wings when he takes a bath.