Germany | Film Festival Today

Film Review: “Operation Seawolf” Is Tragic Yet Too Short WWII Narrative

October 24, 2022

Film Review: “Munich: The Edge of War” Entertains Through Novelty

December 29, 2021

Film Review: “7500” Initially Flies but Then Nosedives

June 17, 2020

Film Review: “Searching Eva” Finds Spectacular Cinematic Truths

May 19, 2020

Film Review: Cinematically Brilliant “1917” Explores the Horrors of World War One

December 23, 2019

Christopher Llewellyn Reed’s Top 10 from 2019 Toronto International Film Festival

September 17, 2019

Film Review: In the End, “Never Look Away” Looks Not Closely Enough

November 30, 2018

Film Review: “The Captain” Offers Sharp Satire of Human Depravity

August 21, 2018

Film Review: A Brilliant Diane Kruger Comes out of the Shadows in “In the Fade”

January 26, 2018

“Leap of Faith” Is Visually Bold
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
October 3, 2024
Leap of Faith (Nicholas Ma, 2024) 3½ out of 5 stars I grew up in the Episcopal Church, attending services every Sunday as a member of the St. David’s boys’ choir in Baltimore, MD. I loved following the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) system and singing the anthems, hymns, and more complex liturgical compositions, which provided me with a strong background in music theory plus training in how to use my voice. As time wore on, however, I ... >>
“Notice to Quit” Blends Chaos, Intrigue, and Family Drama
By Robin C. Farrell
September 26, 2024
Notice to Quit (Simon Hacker, 2024) 3 out of 5 stars In his feature film debut, Notice to Quit, director and writer Simon Hacker offers up the story of a particularly hot and stifling day in New York City. Andy (Michael Zegen, The Stand In), a harried and not-so-talented real-estate agent, feebly attempts to climb the ladder to success, having dug himself into a hole sometime prior. He’s taken to casing the empty properties he can’t rent, ... >>
TIFF Interview: Anastasiia Bortuali and Dmitrii Novoseltsev of “Temporary Shelter”
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
September 19, 2024
First-time filmmaker Anastasiia Bortuali just premiered her documentary Temporary Shelter at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival—aka TIFF—where I reviewed it. The movie follows her journey out of Ukraine after Russia invaded her homeland in early 2022. She, along with family members and compatriots, chose the island nation of Iceland as their destination, finding a strange—but, overall, welcoming—shelter from the ravages of war. ... >>
“The Featherweight” Breaks No New Ground
By Adam Vaughn
September 19, 2024
The Featherweight (Robert Kolodny, 2023) 3 out of 5 stars Robert Kolodny’s The Featherweight delivers a mockumentary following one of the most accomplished featherweight boxing champions of our time. Starring James Madio (Boon) as that boxer, Willie Pep (a real-life figure), the story starts with him at the top, with a decorated career and about to retire. But as Willie’s life spirals thereafter, including relationship troubles with his wife, ... >>
TIFF Interview: Gabrielle Brady of “The Wolves Always Come at Night”
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
September 17, 2024
Documentarian Gabrielle Brady (Island of the Hungry Ghosts) has a new film out, The Wolves Always Come at Night, which just premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival—aka TIFF—where I reviewed it. The movie is made using hybrid fiction/non-fiction techniques, with the primary subjects, Davaasuren Dagvasuren (Davaa) and Otgonzaya Dashzeveg (Zaya), working with Brady to craft a narrative that explores the plight of displaced herders ... >>

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In Memoriam: Morgan Spurlock
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When I heard about the passing of documentarian Morgan ...>>