Maryland Film Festival Blog

Noah Baumbach’s new film, GREENBERG, opening today at the Charles, is a wonderful portrait of two odd people circling each other. Set in LA neighborhoods that don’t usually make it in the movies, it’s Baumbach (SQUID AND THE WHALE) at his best. The male lead is Ben Stiller as a grown up Holden Caufield who is paralyzed by his always on Bull Detector. Greta Gerwig, who has been at several MFFs (HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS, NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS), is the female lead and she’s the best thing in the movie; awkward, beautiful and utterly real. And she’s a great singer.

Tonight at the Creative Alliance, MFF Alum Charles Cohen’s new film about uber Orioles beer vendor Clancy will be screened, with Charles and Clancy in attendance.  Charles has a great instinct for all things Baltimore- I’ll never forget the guttural cheers that emerged from the movie theater for his film about Memorial Stadium both times we screened it- and this one is really fun. If I wasn’t hosting an event at CENTERSTAGE, I’d be there.

 Last nights work in progress screening of Ramona Diaz’s (IMELDA) new film, THE LEARNING,  for a small audience of Friends of the Festival was a treat. She and some of her team were there, and the interchange with the audience seemed to really help them as they continue to edit.

–Jed Dietz, MFF Director