Christopher Llewellyn Reed's Blog, page 75

The Repeat vs. The Repeater, or Notes vs. Guns: The Mild Pleasures of “Pitch Perfect 2″ and “Slow West”

I am a little behind on some of my movie reviewing, but thought I would nevertheless post a short two-fer. Enjoy. Pitch Perfect 2 (Elizabeth Banks, 2015) Mediocrity notwithstanding, Pitch Perfect 2 hits a sweet feminist note, though it is not nearly as fun or fresh as its predecessor (released in 2012). Written by Kay Canon (who also wrote […]

“San Andreas” Is Terrible to a Fault

San Andreas (Brad Peyton, 2015) In the first 30 minutes of San Andreas, in spite of the painfully bad expositional dialogue on display, it is possible to believe that the special effects and rescue stunts of this new disaster film will at least provide enough entertainment value to justify the 110 minutes of our time. Dwayne […]

“Tomorrowland” Is Yesterday’s News

Tomorrowland (Brad Bird, 2015) In a world, where nothing and no one is interesting … you will spend over two hours awaiting a meaningful, original story to develop, only to find yourself overwhelmed by bad CGI, flat characters and only tolerable acting. I know, it’s dispiriting. Perhaps it’s time, for those of you, who, like […]

“Mad Max: Fury Road” Is an Exciting and Kinetic Blend of Old and New

Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, 2015) I’m going on the air today to talk about the Hollywood production and distribution model that leans ever more towards franchises, in which studios demand a certain brand pre-awareness before committing the millions of dollars required to produce, and then advertise, their big-budget blockbuster extravaganzas, and so I ask […]

May 15 – Midday Cinemorphosis: Tentpoles, Tadpoles, Studios and Streams

[NOTE: Missed the show? Check out the podcast!] “Thirty-five years of silent cinema is gone, no one looks at it anymore. This will happen to the rest of cinema. Cinema is dead.” – Director Peter Greenaway (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover) “Cinema … is more alive than ever, more multi-faceted, more […]

May 15 – Midday Cinemorphosis: Tentpoles, tadpoles, studios and streams

[NOTE: Missed the show? Check out the podcast!] “Thirty-five years of silent cinema is gone, no one looks at it anymore. This will happen to the rest of cinema. Cinema is dead.” – Director Peter Greenaway (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover) “Cinema … is more alive than ever, more multi-faceted, more […]

Maryland Film Festival 2015, Days 4 and 5: Stevenson Student Sessions + Movies

Sadly, on Saturday, the fourth day of the 2015 Maryland Film Festival, I started coming down with some kind of virus of some sort, and proceeded to feel sicker and more fatigued as the weekend wore on, eventually opting to stay home and do my set to recover. As I write this I am less feverish, but still […]

Maryland Film Festival 2015, Day 3: The Documentary Panel and “God Bless the Child”

Yesterday was the third day of the 2015 Maryland Film Festival. It was another working day for me, so I couldn’t make it down there until the 4pm documentary panel I was set to moderate in the Festival Tent Village (on North Avenue next to the MICA Lazarus Center). That panel was comprised of four directors and one subject: local […]

“Far from the Madding Crowd” Is Imperfect, Yet Brisk and Beautiful

Far from the Madding Crowd (Thomas Vinterberg, 2015) First published in 1874, Far from the Madding Crowd was English writer Thomas Hardy‘s fourth novel and his first big commercial success. The book tells the story of the original Miss Everdene – Bathsheba, not Katniss – and her various male admirers, one of whom is Gabriel Oak, a […]

Maryland Film Festival 2015, Day 2: The Double Wow of “Venice” and “In the Basement”

Yesterday was the second day of the 2015 Maryland Film Festival. It was also a working day for me, so I could only make two screenings in the evening (thank goodness for Good Doggie Day Care, which keeps my little wonder beagle so active during her stays that she passes out right after dinner, allowing me, at […]