Christopher Llewellyn Reed's Blog, page 69
November 6, 2015
In “The Peanuts Movie,” Pigpen Isn’t the Only Mess
The Peanuts Movie (Steve Martino, 2015) Thank God for Snoopy and his little pal Woodstock. Without them, this fiasco of an homage to the legacy of Charles Schulz – brought to the big screen in part by Schulz’s son, Craig, and grandson, Bryan – would be irredeemably dull and without purpose. As it is, the […]
November 5, 2015
My “Hammer to Nail” pieces on “The Notorious Mr. Bout” and “Roar”
I have two pieces this week in Hammer to Nail: one on The Notorious Mr. Bout and one on Roar. Check ’em out.
October 31, 2015
Rodricks’ “Roughly Speaking” on “Room,” “Our Brand Is Crisis,” “Rebel Without a Cause” and Sterling Hayden
Yesterday, Linda DeLibero – Director, Film and Media Studies, Johns Hopkins University – and Christopher Llewellyn Reed (that’s me) – Chair and Professor, Department of Film/Video, Stevenson University – joined Dan Rodricks, former host of Midday on WYPR, on his new Baltimore Sun podcast, “Roughly Speaking,” where we discussed new films Room and Our Brand Is Crisis, as well as Rebel Without a Cause (which just celebrated the […]
October 30, 2015
In Mixed “Our Brand Is Crisis,” a First-Rate Sandra Bullock Sells Second-Rate Truths
Our Brand Is Crisis (David Gordon Green, 2015) Though politics is always crooked, there are some genuinely good things in Our Brand Is Crisis, the new film from David Gordon Green, a director who, with films as varied as Pineapple Express and Joe, has demonstrated a remarkable ability to shift between absurdist comedy and gritty drama with nary […]
October 28, 2015
My “Hammer to Nail” pieces on “7 Chinese Brothers” and Kat Candler
I have two pieces this week in Hammer to Nail: one on 7 Chinese Brothers and one on Kat Candler’s new short film, The Rusted. Check ’em out.
October 23, 2015
Despite Some Unnecessary Hollywood Touches, “Labyrinth of Lies” Is Powerful Truth-Telling [+ a Minor Levinson, “Rock the Kasbah”]
I spent more time than expected typing up my interview with filmmaker Kat Candler about her terrific new short film, The Rusted, made for Canon’s “Project Imagination.” Once it posts to Hammer to Nail, I will add a link to it. As a result of that piece, today’s reviews are very short. Labyrinth of Lies (Giulio Ricciarelli, […]
New “Baltimore Sun” Podcast with Dan Rodricks
Dan Rodricks, former host of Midday on WYPR, has a new audio venture at The Baltimore Sun, where he has been a columnist since 1979. It’s a podcast called “Roughly Speaking,” and with a few new episodes a week, it promises to be a vibrant mix of current news and commentary. I was fortunate enough to […]
October 19, 2015
My First Article for “Hammer to Nail” is on Thomas Edison National Historical Park
Recently, I brought a group of Stevenson University Film & Moving Image students to visit Thomas Edison National Historical Park, in West Orange, NJ. Then, I wrote a short article about it for the online film magazine Hammer to Nail. It just posted today. Check it out!
October 16, 2015
“Bridge of Spies” Is a Fine Historical Thriller That Meditates on American Values (i.e., It’s a Spielberg Film)
Bridge of Spies (Steven Spielberg, 2015) This movie had somehow slipped under my radar before its release. I didn’t even realize it was a new Steven Spielberg film. Perhaps its terribly generic poster pushed my thoughts towards dismissal. That would have been a shame, as Bridge of Spies, poster notwithstanding, is quite a fine espionage thriller. If it […]
“Crimson Peak” Is a Beautiful Bloody Mess
Crimson Peak (Guillermo del Toro, 2015) Billed as a gothic romance, Crimson Peak spurts forth today, fresh from the pulsating blood vessels of director Guillermo del Toro’s fevered cerebral cortex. Is that gruesome enough an image for you? No, well then you will definitely want to watch this movie so you can see even bloodier images, beautifully rendered. Through previous films such […]
