Sam Esmail | Film Festival Today

“Leave the World Behind” Fizzles Out

December 7, 2023

“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 ... >>

10 Films to See at TIFF 2024
September 3, 2024
The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (or TIFF) ...>>
That’s a Wrap at DC/DOX 2024
June 19, 2024
As advertised in my curtain raiser last week, I ...>>
Five Films to See at DC/DOX 2024
June 12, 2024
DC/DOX returns for Round 2, running June 13-16 in its ...>>
Five Films to See at Tribeca 2024
June 5, 2024
This year’s Tribeca Film Festival will take place from ...>>
In Memoriam: Morgan Spurlock
May 27, 2024
When I heard about the passing of documentarian Morgan ...>>