Review: Burr Oak Warn of a Terrifying New Reality on Dazzling New EP, Annabelle
Although it feels much longer than a year, I’ve only been listening to Burr Oak since January of 2023 when I saw them alongside other local greats like Minor Moon […]
Fantastic Fest Review: Sean Baker’s Anora Is Chaotic, Thrilling, Passionate and More, Often All at the Same Time
Brace yourself for Anora, the latest display of emotional chaos from writer/director/editor/truth-teller Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket). Part of Fantastic Fest, Anora is the story of Ani, […]
Dispatch: Family Drama Leads to Unexpected Consequences in Two More Fantastic Fest Official Selections
Film critic Steve Prokopy continues his coverage of the best in new and genre films from Fantastic Fest. Bring Them Down As the new Irish film Bring Them Down begins, […]
Fantastic Fest Review: Terrifier 3 Adds Plenty of Gore and Blood to the Franchise, but Little Else
If you haven’t found yourself a fan of either of the previous two Terrifier films, there’s a better-than-average chance that the excessive amount of killing, blood-letting, screaming, and child endangerment […]
Dispatch: With Two Action-Packed Japanese Genre Films, Fantastic Fest Kicks Off on the Right Foot
For nearly 20 years, the Austin, Texas, based Fantastic Fest has grown to be the largest genre film festival in the country, bringing films from both new directors and veteran […]
Photos: Riot Fest Got Hotter and Even Better on Day Two
After what seemed to be a pretty hot day on Friday, Riot Fest attendees were met with an equally sweltering if not more so day two. And with little by […]
Review: PARA.MAR Dance Theatre Gives Life to Loss and Passion in Anthology
Choreographer Stephanie Martinez founded PARA.MAR Dance Theatre in 2020 as an antidote to the pandemic’s despair, loss, and isolation. Anthology is a curated selection of six dances by Martinez and […]
Review: Steve Slagg Plants the Seeds of Grief to Grow the Fruits of Acceptance on I Don’t Want To Get Adjusted to This World
It’s one of my life’s great treasures to stumble upon a new artist you connect with, made even better when they’re from our great city of Chicago! I only recently […]
Review: Catholic School Scandals Are a Familiar Story in Steep Theatre’s Happy Days Are Here (Again)
Steep Theatre’s world premiere play, Happy Days Are Here (Again) replays a familiar story (sexual abuse in the Catholic Church) and introduces a new one (a Palestinian adapting to American teen life) […]
Photos: The First Day of Riot Fest Delivers on All Fronts
The sun was out and the temps were high, but that couldn’t slow down the crowds for the first day of Riot Fest. A sort of homecoming after a brief […]
Review: Josh Radnor Charms in All Happy Families, a Familiar Drama with Relatable Irony
This review was written by Tory Crowley. Watching All Happy Families, the latest film from co-writer/director Haroula Rose, feels comfortingly familiar. It’s set on the North side of Chicago in […]
Fantastic Fest Review: Halle Berry Stars in Never Let Go, a Folk Horror Film That Obscures the Truth
One of the big opening night offerings at this year’s Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas (more coverage to come from easily one of the highest-profile genre festivals in the world) […]