Woody Allen Feature

I had a blast at the press conference for "To Rome With Love," a charming film too many are dismissing as merely "minor Woody Allen." The dais included Allen, Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, Greta Gerwig, and Ellen Page. Naturally, much of the conversation came back to Woody, who's a fascinating person to share a room with, to say the least.

My feature, of which I'm particularly proud, is now online at Slant Magazine. To read it, CLICK HERE.

Dustin Lance Black Interview

Over at Slant Magazine, I talked politics and film with Dustin Lance Black, the world's youngest-looking 37-year-old, and an increasingly vital figure in gay culture.

Read the full interview HERE.

James Franco Interview

Far more interesting than much of what he puts on the market, James Franco is an interview subject to kill for. Timed to the release of his NYU thesis film "The Broken Tower," I give you my piece on the actor/director/author/artist, an article I'm very proud of.

CLICK HERE to read the interview over at Slant Magazine.

Elizabeth Olsen Interview

Elizabeth Olsen is so pretty. And so damned talented. Meeting her in person, and having those two attributes collide, makes one feel a bit off-kilter. And also thrilled.

Read my piece on Elizabeth Olsen, whom I adore, now online at Slant Magazine. CLICK HERE.

New List Feature at The House: '15 Famous'

I hope you'll check out the new feature I've introduced at Slant Magazine's The House Next Door: Unofficially, we're calling it "15 Famous." Each week, I compile a list of 15 Famous filmic things themed around a new movie in release.

So far, we've had:

15 FAMOUS MOVIE MUSTACHES
15 FAMOUS MISSING PERSONS
15 FAMOUS MOVIE LOVE TRIANGLES
15 FAMOUS BAD MOVIE COPS
15 FAMOUS WOMEN IN BLACK
15 FAMOUS MOVIE LEDGES 

Paul Dano Interview

It was my pleasure to speak with Paul Dano, whose career as a young, thinking man's actor has intrigued me for some time. It was also fun to, for a change, sit down with a talent who's my age. I didn't care for Dano's latest film, "Being Flynn," but he offered an expectedly pleasant chat.

The full interview is now online at Slant Magazine. To read it, CLICK HERE.

Oscar Predictions: Acting and Directing

For South Philly Review, I'm predicting the winners in Oscar's Acting and Directing categories. Some of these races are sewn up as tight as a corset, while others will be neck-in-neck right up to the big night.

Next week I'll take a closer look at the Best Picture lineup, but for now, see who I chose to take home the other major stauettes. It's all online at SouthPhillyReview.com. CLICK HERE.

*And please, do check out the great work we've been doing over at The House Next Door, predicting the winners in every single Oscar category. I'm happy to be pitching in alongsode Ed Gonzalez and Eric Henderson, whose punchy commentary is some of the best on the internet. 

Oscar 2012: Nomination Predictions

This year, my official Oscar nomination predictions (in select categories) have been published over at Slant Magazine's The House Next Door, where I've been giddily serving as Managing Editor since October. I wish I could tell you I feel rock-solid about all my predictions, but alas, 2011 is the freaking craziest year ever for the Oscars. Nonetheless, a lot of passion and punditry went into these posts, and I should hope they all make for fun reads. Below are links to the categories I covered. While over there, I suggest you poke around and take a peek at the fields assessed by my colleague, Eric Henderson. Man knows his stuff, and can turn a helluva snarky phrase:

BEST COSTUME DESIGN 
BEST MAKEUP
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST EDITING
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST PICTURE

Steven Soderbergh Interview

For Slant Magazine, I chatted with poised-to-retire experimentalist Steven Soderbergh about Haywire and Contagion, as well as horses and books and cereal and male strippers.

For the complete interview, CLICK HERE.

The Best and Worst Movie Posters of 2011

For The House Next Door, the official blog of Slant Magazine, I compiled lists of The Best and Worst Movie Posters of 2011, the year-end culmination of my weekly Poster Lab column.

Click on and check out where your favorite and most reviled poster designs landed.

For The Worst Posters of the Year, CLICK HERE.
For The Best Posters of the Year, CLICK HERE.

Angelina Jolie Feature

Two weeks ago, I had the great and unique pleasure of attending a press conference for Angelina Jolie's terrific debut feature, "In the Land of Blood and Honey." Ms. Jolie was present. I sat mere feet away from her. I spoke to her. She responded, and looked into my eyes.

Seriously, as much as I love the opportunities I get to meet with famous folks I admire, and as surreal as it may be at times, I'm not the starstruck type. I enjoy approaching interviews in a way that's both casual and very much about the work at hand. But this was...well, my heart was beating big time when it came time for to ask a question. (It's Angelina, dude.) I'm proud to say she answered the question well.

My article on the experience is now online at Slant Magazine. CLICK HERE.

Interview with Cast and Crew of 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'

I was thrilled to interview Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Peter Straughan and Tomas Alfredson--actor, actor, writer and director of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," a gorgeously constructed, perplexingly smart spy thriller that stands among the year's very best films.

Take a read of my feature on these fine gentlemen, now online at Slant Magazine. CLICK HERE. And please be sure to swing by The House Next Door, where I'm regularly posting articles on Oscars, Posters, Stars on the Rise, and more fun stuff. GET IT HERE.

Michael Fassbender Interview

IT'S TRUE.

'Anonymous' and Oscar

In the latest edition of Oscar Prospects at The House Next Door, I'm talking about Roland Emmerich's "Anonymous." GO GET IT.

New Digs, New Gig!

I'm thrilled and proud to announce that I've recently stepped into a role as Managing Editor of The House Next Door, the official blog of Slant Magazine. It's a terrific gig with a terrific group of guys who've been enormously helpful with both my transition to New York and the advancement of my career (many thanks, as always, Keith and Ed). Since starting the position Oct. 1, I've introduced two new columns: Poster Lab, which dissects posters of buzzworthy films, and Oscar Prospects, which breaks down the Oscar chances of a different film each week. Below are links to the pieces I've done thus far. Please check out The House Next Door regularly to keep up with these articles and many more!

Poster Lab: "A Dangerous Method"

Oscar Prospects: "Carnage"
Poster Lab: "Shame"
Oscar Prospects: "Moneyball"
Poster Lab: "The Iron Lady" and "J. Edgar"
Oscar Prospects: "The Artist"
Poster Lab: "Young Adult"
Oscar Prospects: "The Help"

Defending 'Green Lantern'

Extending the coverage of what, for me, will now surely be one of the more unexpectedly unforgettable films of 2011, I've written up an "In Defense of 'Green Lantern'" piece for Slant Magazine's The House Next Door, opting for the title, "Down with the Sickness." The article was published on July 4, birthday of our superhero-loving nation.

This was a very fun essay to tackle, revealing that it's not always terribly easy to stick up for something that, more than anything, appeals to your giddy -- if a bit guilty -- love for whirling, sharply cut fantasy adventures. I'd happily purchase "Green Lantern" to revisit its sensations, blithely whizzing past that which got under so much critical skin.

Read more in the essay! CLICK HERE.

'Scream,' Then and Now

Following the poor performance of "Scream 4," a film I truly and unexpectedly enjoyed, my fond memories of the first installment cut deeper. Over at Slant Magazine's The House Next Door, I share an essay that outlines my personal history with the series, the jolt of the fourquel's shoulder-shrug reception, and how watching it made me feel more than a little -- gulp -- old. I'm especially proud of this piece, and I hope you'll give it a read. CLICK HERE.

Musing over Thomas Dekker

I'm super pleased to share a new piece I've written about Thomas Dekker, the dreamy rising star of Gregg Araki's "Kaboom" and HBO's upcoming "Cinema Verite." I look at Dekker's offbeat career path, but mainly how he falls in with the rest of Araki's angsty dark-haired muses.

The article is now posted over at The House Next Door, the official blog of Slant Magazine (hooray!).

I hope you'll give it a read. CLICK HERE.