I had two pieces published in Hammer to Nail last week, one a review of the Criterion Collection‘s new Blu-ray release of … More
Category: movie reviews
“The Witch” Casts a Strong Spell Until It Breaks It at the End
The Witch (Robert Eggers, 2015) Even having done no research on the film beforehand, watching The Witch I could tell that … More
In Self-Congratulatory, Smug and Intellectually Lazy “Where to Invade Next,” It’s Michael Moore Who Needs Saving
Where to Invade Next (Michael Moore, 2015) Where to invade next? Where to start . . . ? Filmmaker Michael … More
Jokey Violence and All, the Delightful “Deadpool” Reinvigorates Its Genre
Deadpool (Tim Miller, 2016) As I feel obliged to mention every time I write a review of a new film … More
Another “Hammer to Nail” (Festival) Triptych: “Fursonas,” “Rams” and “All These Sleepless Nights”
Over the past two weeks, Hammer to Nail published three reviews of mine for films that played at recent film festivals, one … More
“Roughly Speaking” on “Hail, Caesar!” and the Coen Brothers
Today, Linda DeLibero – Director, Film and Media Studies, Johns Hopkins University – and Christopher Llewellyn Reed (that’s me) – Chair and Professor, Department … More
In Brilliant “45 Years,” the Past Derails the Present
45 Years (Andrew Haigh, 2015) Pity the poor Tom Courtenay (Quartet). He’s a marvelous actor, yet paired opposite the grand … More
“Hail, Caesar!” – We Salute Thy Cleverness, but Not Your Script
Hail, Caesar! (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2016) I sometimes struggle over what to make of the films of Joel and … More
Skadoosh! “Kung Fu Panda 3” Offers a Delightful (Possible) Conclusion to the Trilogy
Kung Fu Panda 3 (Alessandro Carloni/Jennifer Yuh) In the interest of full disclosure, I must announce that I went to … More
After a Strong Start, “The Finest Hours” Drowns in Melodrama
The Finest Hours (Craig Gillespie, 2016) Based on the daring 1952 rescue of the oil tanker Pendleton by a Massachusetts-based … More
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