Film Review – Dean, A Modern Approach to Classic Woody Allen
I’m noticed that since its premiere a year ago at the Tribeca Film Festival that comedian Demetri Martin’s directing debut, Dean, has been criticized by some as trying to hard […]
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.
Film Review – Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Wears Potty Humor Like a Ceremonial Robe
For a modern-day superhero movie, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is fun, energetic and displays a respect for the creative mind that few films in any genre do. Based […]
Film Review – Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait, Doesn’t Feel Like a Complete Picture
Whatever you may think of the art itself, there’s no denying the impact of Julian Schnabel’s collection of oversized paintings have had on the art world throughout recent decades. And […]
Film Review – Wonder Woman, A Long Overdue Icon Victoriously Takes Center Stage
We could tell even from her abbreviated appearance in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice that Wonder Woman was going to be a major player in the DC cinematic universe […]
Film Review – Buena Vista Social Club: Adiós, A Bittersweet Return
Twenty years ago, director Wim Wenders captured and popularized the making of a band. It just so happened that the band was made up of men and women, mostly in […]
Film Review – Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story, An Uncredited Librarian and Artist Finally Get Their Due
A thoroughly researched and fantastically told story about two of the unsung heroes of Hollywood, Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story tracks the careers and love story of Harold […]
Film Review – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, An Uninspired Pale Imitation
Before we even dig into the story or performances of the fifth Pirates of the Caribbean film, pointlessly subtitled Dead Men Tell No Tales, allow me to make a public […]
Film Review – Baywatch: Even The Rock Can’t Save This Unfunny, Unthrilling Action-Comedy
I tend to reject the notion that a film has to be tonally consistent throughout to work. The idea of picking a single tone and never straying from it sounds […]
Film Review: Obit., A Day in the Life of Writing About Death For the New York Times
As strange as it sounds, the new Vanessa Gould (Between the Folds) directed film about obituary writers at The New York Times is a genuine treat that celebrates inventive writing, […]
Film Review: Paris Can Wait, An Interesting Failure
It’s an interesting failure, but a failure nonetheless. At age 81, writer-director Eleanor Coppola (wife of Francis Ford Coppola) has made her first film, Paris Can Wait, a dalliance of […]
Film Review: A Quiet Passion, A Delicate Capture of Emily Dickinson’s Angst-Ridden World
One of the more delicate works you’re likely to see about such a strong personality, writer-director Terence Davies’ (The Deep Blue Sea, The Long Day Closes, Distant Voices, Still Lives) […]
Film Review – Alien: Covenant, Feels Like An Autopsy of Ridley Scott’s Original Masterpiece
In Ridley Scott’s 2012 foray into the Alien universe, the prequel Prometheus, the mission was to find the origin of humankind. But with his latest work, Alien: Covenant, Scott reveals […]