Mae Abdulbaki
195 Articles3 Comments

Mae is a critic/writer and TV Editor for The Young Folks. A member of the Washington, DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA), she's a geek who loves talking about all things entertainment. She is also a voting member of the Black Reel Awards. If she's not at the movies, she's catching up with her TV shows with a glass of wine in hand.

Selah and the Spades Review: A Stylish and Complex Character Study

Written and directed by Tayarisha Poe, Selah and the Spades is a stylish, emotionally-charged feature film debut. Subtle, multidimensional, and thought-provoking, the film is a smart and subversive foray into the world of Selah Summers (Greenleaf’s Lovie Simone).  The film…

Big Time Adolescence Review: A well-crafted coming of age film

Adolescent idolization is something we’ve all been through. When I was a kid, 14-year-olds were the “cool kids” I looked up to. That was the age where, in my naive and youthful mind, everything came together: maturity, growth, and a…

The Photograph Review: A visually stunning, but underdeveloped romance

Directed and written by Stella Meghie, The Photograph is an aesthetically pleasing film, but one that lacks a lot of depth and fluidity. In trying to fit in two romantic storylines at once, the film loses much of its focus…

Just Mercy Movie Review: A poignant and nuanced biopic

We’re taught from a young age to trust in the law. The law is fair and, if you didn’t do anything wrong, then the truth would shine through in the eyes of the law. Truth would win. In reality, the…

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Movie Review

Minor spoilers throughout for The Rise of Skywalker. When it came to concluding the Skywalker Saga, director J.J. Abrams faced quite the challenge. Following the never-ending discourse surrounding Star Wars: The Last Jedi, it’s not hard to understand why. For…

Last Christmas Movie Review: Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding Charm

’Tis the season for a barrage of holiday movies. Some are good, some are bad, and some are easily forgotten. It’s been a while since a holiday romcom was released in theatersm though, and so Last Christmas works to fill…

Motherless Brooklyn Movie Review: A Showcase for Edward Norton

The first thought that crossed my mind after the credits rolled on Motherless Brooklyn was that it was clearly a passion project. Written and directed by Edward Norton, the film, loosely based on the novel by Jonathan Lethem, is ambitious.…