Film Critic
Vice president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association; Senior critic for Screen International, chief film critic for Paste, and film critic for the New Republic
PROFILE
Tim Grierson
Guest
FROM Tim Grierson
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Cher is cheered in 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again' Our critics review “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” the sequel starring Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, and Pierce Brosnan; “The Equalizer 2,” starring Denzel Washington, who’s gone four decades without making a single sequel; “Unfriended: Dark Web,” a thriller about a teen who uses a new laptop to play an online game with friends, but then they all get death threats; “Blindspotting,” about race and class in gentrifying Oakland.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
'Ocean's 8:' all female stars, but a male director? Our critics review “Ocean’s 8,” an all-women installment of the heist franchise, with an all-star cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway; the horror movie “Hereditary;” and “Hotel Artemis,” about a hotel/hospital for criminals, starring Jodie Foster.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
'Avengers: Infinity War' is on track to have the biggest opening weekend ever Our critics review the latest and largest Marvel production, “Avengers: Infinity War,” with one of the most star-studded cast in the history of Hollywood; “Kings,” about the 1992 LA riots; “Disobedience,” in which two women in an Orthodox community must hide their love for each other.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Will fans of 'A Wrinkle in Time' be happy with Ava DuVernay's film adaptation? Our critics review “A Wrinkle In Time,” the first $100+ million dollar film directed by a black woman; “Thoroughbreds,” an R-rated movie about two upper-class teenage girls, and one of them has a cruel stepfather; “The Death of Stalin,” a political satire by the creator of “Veep;” and “Gringo,” a dark comedy starring Charlize Theron and David Oyelowo.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Is Jack Black over the top in 'Polka King?' Our critics review “Paddington 2,” the second live-action adaptation of the iconic British children’s book; “The Polka King” on Netflix, starring Jack Black as a Polish immigrant and polka band leader; and “The Commuter,” starring Liam Neeson as an insurance salesman who meets a stranger on a train.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How does 'Justice League' stack up to other DC superhero movies? Our critics review “Justice League,” where Ben Affleck’s Batman and Gal Gadot’s Super Woman assemble a team of heroes to avenge Superman’s death and save the planet; “Mudbound,” where a white man and a black man return home to rural Mississippi after fighting in World War II; “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” starring Denzel Washington as a gifted and idealistic defense attorney who eventually finds himself in trouble.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Can 'Marshall' teach more about Thurgood Marshall's personal life than history books? Our critics review “Marshall,” starring Chadwick Boseman as the first African-American Supreme Court Justice; “78/52,” a documentary about one of the most famous scenes in cinema history; “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women,” a superhero origin story; and more.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
What to expect from Telluride Film Festival 2017 The Telluride Film Festival kicks off today. It’s not as glitzy as Venice, Toronto or Cannes, but it has a good track record of hosting future Oscar winners. We look at what’s being screened there this weekend. Our critics also weigh in on new releases out today: “I Do...Until I Don’t,” “Tulip Fever,” and “Dolores.”
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Can Christopher Nolan's 'Dunkirk' rake it in at the box offices? What are the highlights from Comic Con? We also get reviews of “Dunkirk,” about an epic battle and troop evacuation in World War II; “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” a sci-fi thriller in which 1000 planets are threatened by a dark force; and “Landline,” an indie about a family in Manhattan.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
'Transformers: The Last Knight' links to legend of King Arthur Our critics review the latest installment in the “Transformers” franchise, where Optimus Prime is gone and a war is on between humans and transformers; “The Bad Batch,” in which the world’s undesirables are cast off into the desert to be chased by cannibals; and the romantic comedy “The Big Sick.”
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
With women at the helm, 'Wonder Woman' wows Our critics review the long-awaited “Wonder Woman” blockbuster, starring Gal Gadot and directed by Patty Jenkins; “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie,” based on a popular children’s book series; and “Band Aid,” about a couple who hopes to alleviate their marriage problems by forming a band together.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How is the "Fast and Furious" franchise holding up? Our critics review “The Fate of the Furious,” the eighth installment of the “Fast” franchise, which now includes Charlize Theron; “The Lost City of Z,” an old-fashioned epic about an explorer in the Amazon in the early 1900s; and “Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer,” which stars Richard Gere.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
How is 'Life' different from 'Alien?' Our critics look at the new space thriller “Life;” a remake of the graphic novel “Wilson;” and remakes of old TV shows “Chips” and “The Power Rangers.” (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures)
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Is '50 Shades Darker' steamy or tedious? Our movie critics review new films, including the sequel to “Fifty Shades of Grey;” “A United Kingdom,” a love story starring David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike; and the much anticipated “The Lego Batman Movie.”
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Reviews: Harry potter-esque flick, family drama, and teen humor "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is a new film set in the Harry Potter universe. "Manchester by the Sea" deals with grief and recovering from loss. "The Edge of Seventeen" is possibly the teen movie you’ve been waiting for.
Recommended
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Previewing James Comey's blockbuster testimony Former FBI director James Comey testifies Thursday in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, but his opening statement has been released. In it, he says he felt pressured by Donald Trump to declare loyalty to him and publicly clear him of any wrongdoing in the Russia investigation.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Why did Jared Kushner want a back channel with Russians? News broke Friday that President Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, tried setting up a back channel between the Trump transition team and the Russian government. What are the consequences for Kushner, President Trump, and the investigation into Russian meddling?
Good Food
Shaking up the USDA, 'The Beef Cookbook' and 'Tartine All Day' Peggy Lowe explains why Trump’s pick for USDA Secretary is rattling rural America. Dario Cecchini talks future plans for Chianti ramen, and Richard Turner shares cuts from “PRIME: The Beef Cookbook.” Writer Matthew Sedacca looks at the controversy behind liquid smoke. Jonathan Gold tries Chengdu-style dishes, and Elisabeth Prueitt of Tartine fills us in on the latest. Plus, chef Michael Beckman shares a recipe for cactus confit.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Trump says goodbye Paris Accord: What does it mean for U.S. and the planet? President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord, the landmark international agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Trump was to renegotiate a new deal, but will that happen?