Christopher Llewellyn Reed's Blog, page 52

“Manchester by the Sea” Is a Moving (and Messy) Meditation on Redemption

Manchester by the Sea (Kenneth Lonergan, 2016) Manchester by the Sea is only the third feature film from writer/director Kenneth Lonergan, whose first, You Can Count on Me, released a full 16 years ago, was a near-perfect study of a dysfunctional family that helped launch the career of Mark Ruffalo (and featured a fine performance from Laura … Continue reading “Manchester by the Sea” Is a Moving (and Messy) Meditation on Redemption

Mostly Entertaining “The Duelist” Is a Revenge Tale with a Russian Twist

The Duelist (“Дуэлянт”) (Aleksey Mizgirev, 2016) A very silly, if often dramatically effective, confection of a 19th-century period thriller, the new Russian movie The Duelist gives us the violent action promised by its title embedded in a story of revenge that takes its cue from the adventures of the great French author Alexander Dumas (The Count of Monte Cristo). … Continue reading Mostly Entertaining “The Duelist” Is a Revenge Tale with a Russian Twist

“Nocturnal Animals” Suffocates Us in Its Constrictive Embrace

Nocturnal Animals (Tom Ford, 2016) Until just recently, it would have been hard to imagine seeing a film that would make Nicholas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon seem like a subtle and moderate take on the conflict between art and passion. Director Tom Ford (A Single Man), however, has managed just that, creating an overdetermined, overplotted and overwrought melodrama that … Continue reading “Nocturnal Animals” Suffocates Us in Its Constrictive Embrace

In “Moana,” Disney Offers a Powerful and Delightful Fantasy of Female Derring-Do

[This review will also be published on Film Festival Today, and when it is, I will link to that review here.] Moana (Ron Clements/Don Hall/John Musker/Chris Williams, 2016) Moana, the 56th animated feature from the Walt Disney Company, gives us a ravishing musical confection about a young Polynesian woman who must journey far and wide to save not … Continue reading In “Moana,” Disney Offers a Powerful and Delightful Fantasy of Female Derring-Do

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Is Charming, If Very Messy, Fun

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (David Yates, 2016) Published in 2001, after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – the fourth volume in the parent series of the Harry Potter universe – had already come out, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a slim, mock textbook on magical creatures ostensibly written by a … Continue reading “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Is Charming, If Very Messy, Fun

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Is Charming, if Very Messy, Fun

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (David Yates, 2016) Published in 2001, after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – the fourth volume in the parent series of the Harry Potter universe – had already come out, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a slim, mock textbook on magical creatures ostensibly written by a … Continue reading “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Is Charming, if Very Messy, Fun

Delightful “Edge of Seventeen” Breathes New Life into Teen Comedy

[Note: This review will also appear on Film Festival Today, and when it does, I will link to it  here.]  The Edge of Seventeen (Kelly Fremon Craig, 2016) A delightfully offbeat coming-of-age tale, The Edge of Seventeen gives us Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) as Nadine, a surly teenage girl whose first words of the movie are a declaration of … Continue reading Delightful “Edge of Seventeen” Breathes New Life into Teen Comedy

“Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” Stumbles Mid-Field

[Note: This review will also appear on Film Festival Today, and when it does, I will link to it  here.]  Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (Ang Lee, 2016) Ang Lee has made many fine films, some of them great. Among the latter, I would count both Brokeback Mountain and Life of Pi; among the former, Eat Drink Man Woman, Sense and … Continue reading “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk” Stumbles Mid-Field

3 Reviews @hammertonail, of Criterion’s “Cat People” Blu-ray, “Loving” and “National Bird”

Hammer to Nail posted three reviews of mine last week: Criterion’s new Blu-ray release of the 1942 Cat People; Jeff Nichols’ new movie Loving; and a disturbing new documentary about drone warfare, National Bird. Here are the links to each post: Criterion’s Cat People Blu-ray Loving National Bird Enjoy!

“Reel Talk” – with Chris Reed and Scott Braid – on “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Moonlight” and “Trolls”

Welcome to the second episode of the 2016-2017 season of Dragon Digital Media‘s Reel Talk with Christopher Llewellyn Reed. My guest this time was Scott Braid, Associate Director, Associate Director at the Maryland Film Festival. We reviewed three new films: Hacksaw Ridge, Moonlight, Trolls. In Howard County, Maryland, you can watch the show on Channel 41 (if you’re a Verizon customer) or Channel 96 … Continue reading “Reel Talk” – with Chris Reed and Scott Braid – on “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Moonlight” and “Trolls”