It’s Storm Reid’s Time To Shine: EXCLUSIVE

It seems like just days ago that she was dazzling us as the precocious Meg Murry in Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time. With her latest role in Blumhouse’s Don’t Let Go, Storm Reid is proving that she’s a versatile force in Hollywood. The best part is that the 16-year-old is just getting started. Since Wrinkle–Reid has shined in everything from the Netflix’s drama mini-series, When They See Us to HBO’s now-infamous Euphoria, opposite Zendaya. She has no plans of slowing down.

Ernestingly grasping onto roles that won’t allow her to be contained in a box–Reid’s role as Ashley Radcliff in Don’t Let Go is perhaps her most heart-wrenching and compelling. The thriller follows Ashley’s uncle, Detective Jack Radcliff (David Oyelowo), who is devastated after learning that his family–including Ashley, his brother Garret Radcliff (Brian Tyree Henry), and his sister-in-law were murdered in cold blood. Traumatized by the horrific event–Jack is jolted out of his stupor when he receives a phone call from Ashley who seems to be living two weeks in the past. Together, the uncle/niece duo ban together–racing against the clock to solve Ashley’s murder before it happens.

Ahead of Don’t Le Go’s debut, STYLECASTER sat down to chat with Storm Reid about the psychological thriller, Euphoria and jumping fearlessly into the future.

Continue reading at STYLECASTER.

Image: Blumhouse.

'A Wrinkle in Time' isn't a film for critics. It's Ava DuVernay's love letter to black girls

t was never going to be an easy task for acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay to bring “A Wrinkle in Time” to the big screen; with 26 rejections, author Madeleine L’Engle had a tumultuous journey to get her story published at all. The acclaimed children’s book tells the story of teenager Meg Murry (portrayed now by Storm Reid) as she grapples with the pitfalls of adolescence while coming to terms with the disappearance of her physicist father, Dr. Alex Murry (portrayed by Chris Pine). Though L’Engle‘s story seems straightforward on the surface, Meg’s journey to find her father is full of intrigue, theoretical physics, science fiction and an earnest nod toward love and light. All of these components made it difficult for publishers in the late 1950s and early 1960s to take a chance on “A Wrinkle in Time,” and extremely complicated for anyone to adapt the story to the screen. The first film adaptation hit the small screen in 2003, and L’Engle reportedly hated it.

According to The New York Post, bewildered editors often asked L’Engle if her book was intended for adults or for children to which she would reply, “It’s for people, don’t people read books?” Considering some of the reviews of DuVerney's film, it looks like the motion picture has run into the same critiques as the novel. An uneven tone and choppy script has muddled down the magic of the film for many critics; Forbes, for example, has called it, “a well-intentioned disappointment.”

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Ava DuVernay's 'A Wrinkle In Time' Is A Whimsical Ride, Made For A Special Audience (Review)

Adolescence can be a troubling and challenging time and Ava DuVernay’s film adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle’s novel A Wrinkle In Time was made not just with kids in mind, but with 8-12-year-olds as the film’s intended audience. It is DuVernay’s love letter to children and the wonder and magic of childhood. The film follows Storm Reid’s Meg Murry; a troubled young lady reeling from her father’s four-year-long disappearance. Angry and bullied, Meg only finds solace in her younger brother, the hilarious and precocious Charles Wallace – portrayed wonderfully by newcomer Deric McCabe. On the verge of retreating into herself entirely, Charles Wallace introduces Meg to Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey). These three warriors of light help guide Meg on her journey to the center of the universe not only to find her father but to discover just what she's capable of.

Gorgeously shot, A Wrinkle In Time places a young black girl at the center, something rarely seen in mainstream films, highlighting why this type of representation continues to be so necessary. Reid is phenomenal as Meg, holding her own in a cast full of acclaimed veteran actors. Through Meg, DuVernay perfectly captures the various nuances of adolescence and all of the emotions that are wrapped within it.  Though the film is a feast for the eyes, except for the odd choice of sometimes displaying Winfrey’s Ms. Which as a mega-sized monstrosity, A Wrinkle In Time, in certain parts, seems at war with itself. A jarring script and an uneven tone muddle down Wrinkle's message at certain points. DuVernay is careful to pay homage to the uncertainty of our teens years, with all of the self-depreciation and uncertainties that come with it. However, A Wrinkle In Time’s Disneyfied stamp, which includes a burgeoning adolescent romance between our protagonist and her classmate Calvin (Levi Miller), felt forced and out of place. In fact, when comparing the first and second act, Wrinkle felt like two entirely different films mashed into one.

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.