Christopher Llewellyn Reed's Blog, page 60
May 20, 2016
Come Back, Shane! The Engaging Mess (and Missed Opportunities) of “The Nice Guys”
The Nice Guys (Shane Black, 2016) Writer/director Shane Black – known for penning the 1980s blockbuster Lethal Weapon and the 1990s flop The Long Kiss Goodnight (a favorite of mine), among other scripts, before jumping into the director’s chair, in 2005, with Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (another flop, and another favorite) – clearly has a thing for buddy movies. Whether pairing Mel […]
“The Angry Birds Movie” Entertains While Promoting Brand Awareness
The Angry Birds Movie (Clay Kaytis/Fergal Reilly, 2016) I have a confession to make: I have never played Angry Birds. Does this disqualify me from judging the film based on it? I have avoided all kinds of video games since college, ever since I found myself losing entire nights of sleep completing games on my […]
In the Beautiful “A Bigger Splash,” the Bloated Third Act Needs CPR
A Bigger Splash (Luca Guadagnino, 2016) It’s all so interesting … until it isn’t. Italian director Luca Guadagnino, in his first narrative feature since I Am Love, in 2009, has crafted a sumptuously photographed meditation on celebrity, addiction, love and betrayal that, for about two thirds of its 125-minute length, mesmerizes even as its meanders through a minimalist […]
May 17, 2016
“Reel Talk” – with Chris Reed and Marie Westhaver – on “GreenRoom,” “Keanu” and “Captain America: Civil War”
Welcome to the fifth episode of the 2015-2016 season of Dragon Digital Media‘s Reel Talk with Christopher Llewellyn Reed . My guest this time was Marie Westhaver, Howard Community College’s Director of Film, Humanities & Interdisciplinary Arts. We reviewed three films: Green Room, Keanu and Captain America: Civil War. In Howard County, Maryland, you can watch the show on Channel 41 (if you’re a Verizon customer) or […]
May 14, 2016
Post-2016 Maryland Film Festival Coverage, Part 1, for Bmoreart and Hammer to Nail
Last week, on the Monday before the 2016 Maryland Film Festival, Bmoreart published my preview piece on this year’s offerings. Today’s post is an aggregation of part of my post-festival coverage, for both Bmoreart and Hammer to Nail: Maryland Film Festival wrap-up for Bmoreart Review of Donald Cried for Hammer to Nail Review of Orange Sunshine for Hammer to Nail Review of Salero for Hammer to Nail Review […]
May 6, 2016
“Captain America: Civil War” Pits Brawn Against Brawn, Yet Again, Only This Time, It’s Personal
Captain America: Civil War (Anthony Russo/Joe Russo, 2016) My favorite superhero film in the current age of the ever-expanding Marvelverse – other than the delightfully irreverent variants like Ant-Man, Deadpool, and Guardians of the Galaxy – has been Captain America: The Winter Soldier. In that movie, the fantastical comic-book elements that normally numb the brain through ceaseless (and expanding) repetition were, […]
May 4, 2016
Get Ready for Five Days of “Film for Everyone.” The Maryland Film Festival Begins Tonight!
The 2016 Maryland Film Festival is upon us. It features over 40 features and over 80 short films, from all over the world. Check out my preview of this year’s festival on Bmoreart for more info, and then come on down for great cinematic fun!
April 30, 2016
“Roughly Speaking” on “Green Room,” “Keanu” and “The Jungle Book”
On yesterday’s edition of Dan Rodricks’ Roughly Speaking podcast for The Baltimore Sun, we discussed three films currently out in cinemas: Green Room, The Jungle Book and Keanu. Here is the link. I come on at around 40 minutes. There’s other good stuff on there, too, including an interview with Jed Dietz, Director of the Maryland Film Festival, which starts next week, and a new book […]
April 29, 2016
In “Keanu,” Key & Peele Are Mostly Goody for a Few Laughs
Keanu (Peter Atencio, 2016) Who doesn’t love the sketch-comedy duo Key & Peele (that’s Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele), hosts of a now-retired Comedy Central show of the same name? Witty, funny, brilliant – both together and alone – these guys know how to mine the sublime and the ridiculous for a great laugh. They are, however, veterans […]
In “Sing Street,” the Harmonies Resonate Until They Don’t
Sing Street (John Carney, 2016) Even though Sing Street – the latest musical confection from John Carney (Once, Begin Again) – may not ultimately be a particularly good movie, for a while it is quite uniquely engaging. Set in Dublin in 1985, the film follows the (mis)adventures of 15-year-old Conor, the youngest son of a clan in crisis, where […]
