Review: Subtitles Be Damned, Heavy Trip is Heavy On Laughs
Subtitles, traditionally speaking, are not exactly a friend to comedy. How can a joke succeed if, in the middle of the punchline, one has to take their eyes off the […]
Review: Bisbee ’17 Breaks the Bounds of Average Documentary Filmmaking
Documentaries abound about historical stories and figures we all know well; they’re typically straight-forward and straight-laced, with talking heads and archival footage recounting whatever incident or experience they document. The […]
Review: Twee Indie Dramedy Banana Season Spreads Its Narrative a Bit Too Thin
Banana Season, director Sanghoon Lee’s offbeat, homegrown indie, tells the story of two lovable losers down on their luck who find one another and learn something about themselves that they […]
Review: Brisk Kusama: Infinity Gives An Unsung Artist Her Due
It would seem almost impossible to tell the story of world’s most successful living artist and the top-selling female artist in history in roughly 80 minutes, but the new documentary […]
Review: Science Fair Highlights Brightest Young Minds and One Fierce Competition
In a time when the importance and benefits of science are questioned and denied at an alarming pace, the superb documentary Science Fair reminds us that each new generation of […]
Review: Robert Redford Shines in The Old Man & The Gun, Perhaps His Final Role
This oddly charming work from director David Lowery (Ghost Story, Pete’s Dragon) is based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), a man who spent a great deal […]
Review: Venom Isn’t a Complete Disaster; Still Mostly Awful
It’s difficult (but not impossible) for me to believe that even those who flat out loathe the latest superhero outing, Venom, won’t find something about it to enjoy, if only for […]
Screens Monthly: Festivals and Halloween Fare on the Big Screen in October
As Chicago prepares for hibernation over the long winter ahead, October proves to be a strong month for film options around town. With plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween on […]
Review: Bradley Cooper Directs A Star Is Born, One of the Finest Films of the Year
There’s a song we hear on several occasions during the latest incarnation of A Star Is Born that begins with the lyric “Maybe it’s time to let the old ways […]
Review: Ghost Squad Comedy Pilot from Andy Kushnir, Carly Moseley Spoofs the Paranormal
Desperado Miller (Abby McEnany), the main character of Andy Kushnir and Carly Moseley’s spooky new comedy Ghost Squad, is an enthusiastic and self-appointed paranormal investigator. Her mother was (allegedly) murdered […]
What to Watch on the Small Screen: October 2018
October brings a host of new movies and film festivals to Chicago. If you don’t have the time to catch any of those, however, you can still experience the pleasures […]
Review: Rodents of Unusual Size Is Part Cautionary Tale, Part Folksy Yarn
Welcome to a nature documentary that may test the limits for even the most devoted animal lover. It may not be exactly accurate to call Rodents of Unusual Size a […]