Maryland Film Festival 2019 | Film Festival Today

Christopher Llewellyn Reed’s Picks for the 2019 Maryland Film Festival

May 6, 2019

Tribeca Review: Although “Catch the Fair One” Is Intense and Entertaining, the End Could Be Better
By Adam Vaughn
June 24, 2021
Catch the Fair One (Josef Kubota Wladyka, 2021) 3 out of 4 stars. Josef Kubota Wladyka’s narrative about a primed and determined fighter taking on the hidden dangers of sex trafficking sheds light on an alarming and intense conflict. It’s one that seems all too real in today’s climate of missing children sold to illegal slavery. While Catch the Fair One hones in on a sharp and distinctive dramatic tone, many of its ideas get lost in translation ... >>
Tribeca Review: Entertaining and Informative from Start to Finish, “Father of the Cyborgs” Triumphs
By Adam Vaughn
June 23, 2021
Father of the Cyborgs (David Burke, 2021) 3½ out of 4 stars. David Burke’s thorough and captivating documentary on the real-life story of Dr. Phil Kennedy almost seems like science fiction. The man’s life and career were just that fascinating. Father of the Cyborgs perfectly depicts his phenomenal work through the combination of fun and illuminating cinematography, mesmerizing VFX and graphics sequences, and in-depth analysis of the process of ... >>
Tribeca Review: While Often Chilling and Mesmerizing, “Shapeless” Takes Too Long to Get Its Point Across
By Adam Vaughn
June 22, 2021
Shapeless (Samantha Aldana, 2021) 2½ out of 4 stars. Tribeca’s midnighter lineup includes a highly artistic and hair-raising film that dives into the all-too-real effects of eating disorders. Filled with visually stunning imagery and a deep emotional connection to an aspiring nightclub singer looking to make a name for herself, Shapeless offers plenty of devotion to its topic. Unfortunately, Shapeless is also weighed down with sluggish pacing ... >>
Tribeca Review: “Do Not Hesitate” Explores the Extraordinarily Ordinary Sins of Humanity
By Christopher Llewellyn Reed
June 21, 2021
Do Not Hesitate (Shariff Korver, 2021) 3½ out of 4 stars. In an unnamed Arab country, Dutch soldiers find themselves stranded for a few days, part of a convoy of trucks of which one breaks down. While the majority of the group returns to base, a select bunch are selected to guard the equipment until helicopters can be sent back. As they prepare camp for the night, one of them hears rustling in the bushes, panics and fires, mortally wounding the ... >>
Tribeca Review: “See for Me” Is Thrilling, Clever and Delivers a Fresh New Thriller Experience
By Adam Vaughn
June 21, 2021
See for Me (Randall Okita, 2021) 3 out of 4 stars. Director Randall Okita’s See for Me is a fun exploration of a home-invasion storyline, only this time with a twist: protagonist Sophie (Skyler Davenport) is a blind cat-sitter who’s still learning her surroundings as much as are the burglars. Sophie’s main defense is an accessibility app called “See For Me,” with customer-service operator Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy, The CW’s The Flash series) ... >>

AFI DOCS Review: In Rousing “LFG,” the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Fights for What They Deserve
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Film Review: “Luca” Is Simultaneously Fresh and Stale
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Film Review: “Les Nôtres” Is a Harrowing Coming-of-Age Tale For Our Time
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Film Review: “Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer” Offers an Urgent, Much-Needed History Lesson
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Victoria Reviews “In the Heights”
June 8, 2021
Broadway behemoth Hamilton must have been a fluke. This is a musical without songs. And the ...>>
Film Review: “Those Who Wish Me Dead”
May 22, 2021
It’s best seen at a movie theater. It’s Angelina Jolie’s return to films, though she has not been ...>>
Film Review: “Spiral, from the Book of Saw”
May 18, 2021
Chris Rock has reached the apex of Hollywood stardom. He has a sure hit franchise. In a wacky Good ...>>
Film Review: “The Odds”
March 8, 2021
Bravo! A Herculean effort to deliver a highly original two-character horror movie. You want to ...>>