A mostly easy but excellent puzzle from Falcon with one clue (3D), the wordplay of which I failed to fully fathom. 21A was tricky because while I am familiar with expressions “as easy as pie” and “as sweet as pie”, I do not recall ever hearing “as nice as pie”.

Across

9. INANIMATE - anagram of MAINTAIN + E (English)
10. AROMA - O (drop of ouzo) in ARM (member) + A (a)
11. ATTEMPT - TA (reserves) reversed + TEMPT (draw)
12. LOOKS AT - anagram of OAK LOST
13. EAT - [h]EAT (hot weather, forgoing starter)
14. REED WARBLER - anagram of WE BRED RARE around L (lake)
17. COMET - CO (company) + MET (encountered)
18. DOH - double definition
19. WAGON - AG (silver) in NOW (at present) backwards
21. AS NICE AS PIE - NICE (a French city) in anagram of PASS + IE (that is)
23. ASP - AS (arsenic) + P (phosphorus)
25. INTERIM - IN (home) + I (one) in TERM (semester)
27. CORONER - cryptic definition
28. EPICS - E (eastern) + PICS (films)
29. NARCISSUS - anagram of RUSSIANS + C (cold)

Down
1. FINALE - FIN[e] (mostly excellent) + ALE (beer)
2. FACTOTUM - anagram of AT MUFC about TO
3. FILM CRITIC - IT (it) in FILM (covering) + CRIC[hton]. (See comments below.)
4. FAST - double definition
5. FELLOWSHIP - FELLOWS (chap’s) + HIP (joint)
6. FARO - FAR (distant) + O (nothing)
7. FOSSIL - SS (vessel) in FOIL (silver paper)
8. FACTOR IN - F (female) + ACTOR (film star) + IN (elected)
15. ENDEARMENT - E (European) + anagram of TENDER MAN
16. RAW RECRUIT - RU (game — rugby union) in anagram of AIRCREW + T (tense)
17. CLARINET - IN (popular) in CLARET (Bordeaux)
20. GLASNOST - anagram of SLOGANS + [sovie]T. Clever!
22. NITWIT - N (name) + I (one) + TWIT (foolish person)
24. PURIST - UR (ancient city) + IS (is) in PT (past)
26. REST - double definition
27. CART - C[raftsman] + ART (skill)