Close Up Films | Film Festival Today

Film Review: Lovely “Bird Island” Showcases a Haven of Gentle Souls

September 24, 2020

Interview with “The Walrus and the Whistleblower” Director Nathalie Bibeau
By Adam Vaughn
March 4, 2021
I recently interviewed director Nathalie Bibeau, whose documentary The Walrus and the Whistleblower (which I previously reviewed) follows the journey of a former Marineland employee, Phil Demers, as he risks his career and emotional sanity to dedicate his energy and time to save the animals, specifically a friendly walrus named “Smoochie,” from the alleged abuse that occurred at Marineland during his tenure. The story had a special ... >>
Film Review: In “Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know,” Mysteries Gain Answers
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
March 1, 2021
Black Holes: The Edge of All We Know (Peter Galison, 2020) 3 out of 4 stars. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, something massive collapsed in on itself, dragging other particles with it, creating a large entity which we call a “black hole.” These rather frightening zones where matter goes to die (as far as we know, or not, as we know very little) have been the source of much ongoing speculation within the scientific community ... >>
Series Review: An Extraordinary View into the World of Video Games, “Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story” Excels in All Ways
By Adam Vaughn
February 28, 2021
Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story (Jeremy Snead, 2021) 3½ out of 4 stars. It was a mere matter of time before filmmakers and film researchers would have the information and knowledge to create such an informative work of documentary exploration. Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story is an immensely thorough and driven series (a five-parter, premiering on Crackle on March 1) that encompasses an incredible amount of history behind the ... >>
Film Review: “Test Pattern” Offers a Nuanced Examination of a Sexual Assault’s Aftermath
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
February 18, 2021
Test Pattern (Shatara Michelle Ford, 2019) 4 out of 4 stars. Two women, close friends Renesha and Amber, meet in a bar for drinks, just to catch up and blow off steam. Soon they are approached by two men very much on the make, who ply them with drinks and weed gummies. Amber is into it; Renesha not, as she not only has work in the morning, but a boyfriend waiting for her at home. As the night goes on, the pot and alcohol cloud her thinking, and ... >>
Interview with “Savage State” Director David Perrault
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
February 18, 2021
A few weeks ago, as the film Savage State (which I reviewed) came out, I had the opportunity to send its director, David Perrault, some written questions, to which he soon thereafter responded. His movie is a metaphysical western that follows a French family trying to extricate itself from the 1860s American Civil War. As they flee one conflict, they soon find themselves immersed in another. What starts out as one kind of story slowly morphs ... >>

Film Review: “Nomadland”
March 7, 2021
NOMADLAND’s star and producer is two-time Best Actress winner, Frances McDormand. She was given the ...>>
Film Review: “Wonder Woman 1984”
December 30, 2020
What happen to Wonder Woman? She is a supporting character not given much to do. What happened to ...>>
Film Review: “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan”
October 24, 2020
It’s Baron Cohen’s commitment to the character and no wink to the audience that still captivates. ...>>
Film Review: “Cuties”
September 13, 2020
In defense of Cuties, it is a cultural eye-opener. Stop trying to bully Netflix. No one is forcing ...>>