Review: Little Sympathy for Racists in Burden, A Mediocre Story of Forgiveness
In the last few years, I feel like I’ve seen a handful of films that attempt to illustrate or at least make a case for the redeem-ability of white supremacists. […]
Review: With Plenty of Wonder and a Touch of Melancholy, Wendy Reimagines Perpetual Childhood
One of the most anticipated films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Wendy is the latest work from Beasts of the Southern Wild filmmaker Benh Zeitlin, his first in the […]
Review: Pixar’s Latest, Onward Finds Adventure, Humor and Heart in a Fantasy World
Before I dive into the latest Pixar film, Onward, I just noticed in looking at the cast list that Julia Louis-Dreyfus voices a character named Laurel Lightfoot, which is a […]
Siskel’s European Union Film Fest Week 1: Avoid Travel, Head to the Cinema for Adventure
The Chicago European Union Film Festival is the Siskel Film Center’s annual love letter to the cinema of nearly an entire continent, a month-long program that includes films from all […]
Preview: City’s Transit Lifeblood Explored in WTTW’s “Chicago by ‘L’”
Geoffrey Baer’s latest “learn about where you live” offering, “Chicago by ‘L’,” premieres Wednesday, March 4, at 7:30pm on WTTW. The 130-minute special is a fantastic voyage through the bloodstream […]
Review: At the Intersection of Hollywood and Politics, Seberg Falls Short
The late, American-born actress Jean Seberg certainly led a fascinating life, from her first film, 1957’s Saint Joan (in which she was actually burned during the film’s climactic sequence) to […]
Review: A Harrowing Post-War Tale of Survival in Russian Drama Beanpole
Not yet 30 years old, filmmaker Kantemir Balagov directs Beanpole, a film that is perhaps the opposite of what his contemporaries are drawn to create. Instead of something of-the-moment, something about frivolous […]
Review: The Times of Bill Cunningham Discovers the Man Behind the Photographs
In 2011, I saw a wonderful documentary about New York Times “On the Street” photographer and fashion historian Bill Cunningham called Bill Cunningham: New York. At the time, Cunningham was […]
Review: Looking Back on Life as Bandmates in Stirring, Nostalgic Once Were Brothers
I’ll fully admit, I happen to think The Band is one of the greatest musical acts of all time, with one of the most fascinating backstories ever told. Hell, they […]
Review: Elisabeth Moss Fights to Be Believed in Smart, Surprising The Invisible Man
Ever since I saw this new version of The Invisible Man, I keep erroneously referring to it as The Invisible Woman, but the mistake is understandable. Aside from the film’s […]
Review: An Austen Heroine for a New Generation in Pretty, Pastel Emma.
Nearly every scene in Emma., the latest adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel about a selfish young woman who sees the error of her meddling ways, looks as if it would be […]
Review: Driven by Strong Performances, Ordinary Love Finds the Extraordinary in the Everyday
Long before Liam Neeson became one of the go-to guys for action-oriented films (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Batman Begins, and of course the Taken films), he was considered one […]