Review: Joffrey Ballet’s The Nutcracker Continues Its Chicago 1893 Focus
The bottom line is this: if you find yourself in any seat at the Joffrey’s production of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, it is a good seat. Being in the room for this […]
Lisa Trifone is Managing Editor and a Film Critic at Third Coast Review. A Rotten Tomatoes approved critic, she is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. Find more of Lisa's work at SomebodysMiracle.com
Review: Lyric’s Cendrillon Is a Fairy Tale That Dazzles and Delights
Whether it’s Rogers & Hammerstein, Disney, the Brothers Grimm or Charles Perrault, the story of Cinderella, her fairy godmother, the glass slippers and happily ever after is, even in these […]
Review: Q Brothers Update Dickens With Rap, Rhymes and Plenty of Heart
For a holiday tradition that’s Lin-Manuel Miranda meets Charles Dickens, look no further than Q Brothers Christmas Carol at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, on through December 30. Presented at The Yard, […]
Screens Monthly: From Movieoke to Future Oscar Winners, End the Year at the Movies
As 2018 comes to an end, it’s probably possible to spend just about every waking moment in a movie theater. From holiday specials to year-end series and more, there are […]
Review: As Chicago’s Holiday Traditions Go, A Christmas Carol is Among the Best
Chicago loves its holiday traditions. From classics like the windows and the Walnut Room all dressed up at Field’s/Macy’s to more contemporary additions like Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza and ice […]
Review: Capra Classic as Radio Play in American Blues Theater’s Wonderfully Festive It’s a Wonderful Life
I should disclose at the outset that American Blues Theater’s 17th annual production of It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! is a bit of a tradition for me. A […]
Review: Searching for Ingmar Bergman Delights in Discovering an Icon of Auteur Cinema
Last year, I had a bit of an adventure as an extra on a movie set. And not just any movie set, either. I ended up as an extra in […]
Review: La Divina Tells Her Own Story in Maria By Callas
I’ve attended more opera in the last year than I have in all my years of attending theater (and that’s a lot of years!). I’ve been able to see several […]
Review: Duo in Green Book Make It a Film for Everyone This Holiday Season
Bolstered by two knock-out performances, Green Book may just be the crowd pleaser of the holiday season. Directed by Peter Farrelly (yes, of the Farrelly Brothers and their gross-out comedies of […]
Review: Hal is Filmmaker Hal Ashby’s Work and Life From Those Who Knew Him
Cinematic blindspots, those gaps in our film viewing history that mean we have to sheepishly admit to having not seen a certain classic or a hot new release, are a […]
Screens Monthly: Niche Film Festivals and Early Awards Contenders in Chicago Cinemas in November
Yes, we’re a week into November and you’re just now getting a Screens Monthly post with what to see in the cinema over the next few weeks. It’s already been […]
Review: As Director, Paul Dano Makes Heartbreak Achingly Captivating in Wildlife
Sometimes, when an actor says he or she is actually interested in directing, there’s a collective eye-roll from those within earshot. It’s like a singer saying “But what I really want […]