Review: Diane Keaton and Crew Pander and Stumble Their Way Through Summer Camp
I almost skipped reviewing this one this week, but then the protector in me said, “No, the people need to know; they need to be warned.” So here I am, […]
Steve Prokopy is chief film critic for the Chicago-based arts outlet Third Coast Review. For nearly 20 years, he was the Chicago editor for Ain’t It Cool News, where he contributed film reviews and filmmaker/actor interviews under the name “Capone.” Currently, he’s a frequent contributor at /Film (SlashFilm.com) and Backstory Magazine. He is also the public relations director for Chicago's independently owned Music Box Theatre, and holds the position of Vice President for the Chicago Film Critics Association. In addition, he is a programmer for the Chicago Critics Film Festival, which has been one of the city's most anticipated festivals since 2013.
Review: Focused on Funny, Family Drama Ezra Misses Its Chance to Explore Neuro-Divergency, Generational Trauma
Something I wasn’t aware of until watching Ezra, the latest film by director Tony Goldwyn (who also co-stars in the film) is that there is something of a debate going […]
Review: Young Woman and the Sea Chronicles a Historic Moment for Women, Athletes and the Swimmer Who Accomplished It All
Although not quite justifying its two-hour-plus running time, the true-life story Young Woman and the Sea eventually turns into a rousing, uplifting story of one of the greatest and most […]
Review: Jennifer Lopez Confronts Sentient AI in Atlas, a Sci-Fi Actioner That Lacks Intelligence
It’s interesting that the new sci-fi/action work starring Jennifer Lopez, Atlas, opens the same day as Furiosa, since the two share exactly one thing in common: both are about women […]
Review: New Documentary The Beach Boys Gives History of American Pop Icons a Thorough, Thoughtful Review
In a fairly crowded weekend for documentaries, probably the best of the bunch is this in-depth profile of the legendary band that changed the face and sound of popular music […]
Review: In Revisiting a Cartoon Cat, All That’s Left is a Mess of The Garfield Movie
At no point during the joyless, soulless animated nonsense that is The Garfield Movie did I ever think something special was afoot. From the voice acting (Chris Pratt as Garfield? […]
Review: Air Force Documentary The Blue Angels Chronicles Intense Training, Family Stress of Elite Pilots
Executive produced by the likes of J.J. Abrams and Glen Powell, the documentary The Blue Angels follows the path of current members, veterans, and potential recruits of the Navy and […]
Review: Furiosa Accomplishes a Rare Feat, Delivering an Action-Packed Epic and Compelling Origin Story
I’m often skeptical of prequels that reveal what is essentially the origin story of a major character. Horror franchises attempt this a lot, and it almost never works. Knowing where […]
Review: In Back to Black, Newcomer Marisa Abela Is the Central Force of a Less-Than-Compelling Biopic
Sometimes, it comes down to a performance. In the case of the new Amy Winehouse docudrama Back To Black, from director Sam Taylor-Johnson (Fifty Shades of Gray, Nowhere Boy), that […]
Review: Creating a World of Imaginary Friends, IF Overstuffs Its Plot, Cast and Saccharine Message
When you line up an army of famous friends to do character voices and even manage to get Ryan Reynolds to star as the impish ringleader of a group of […]
Interview: Jane Schoenbrun Discusses a ’90s-Fueled I Saw the TV Glow, “Painting” with Analog Film, and Seeing the World Through a Trans Lens
Certainly one of the most talked about films out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, writer/director Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow (their follow-up to the indie hit We’re […]
Review: A Slow-Paced but Beautifully Poignant Evil Does Not Exist Explores a Small Community’s Connection to Nature
Following his 2021 Oscar-winning Drive My Car, writer/director Ryusuke Hamaguchi (whose also excellent Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy was released stateside the same year) takes a more oblique but no less potent and […]