3CR’s Guide to Record Store Day Black Friday 2020 in Chicago and Beyond
Hey folks, before we jump into the Record Store Day Black Friday details, I should warn you that there are an annoying amount of COVID-19 reminders throughout the post. We […]
Preview: See a Bright Future with Phantom Brigade
Tactical turn based strategy games are not typically my genre but Phantom Brigade is something worth checking out. New to Steam Early Access, it takes a classic mech style game […]
Review: Call of Duty Remains King of the Genre with Black Ops Cold War
The first-person shooter genre has evolved with the rise in popularity of battle royale games in recent years. Call of Duty joined that party with Warzone, which released in March. […]
Review: Cynical and Brutal, Fatman Imagines a Dark, Violent Version of the Christmas Spirit
For those who enjoy their Christmas movies dark and really bloody (gather the children), writers/directors/brothers Eshom and Ian Nelms (who did the excellent Small Town Crime a couple of years […]
Thanksgiving: Will You Be Serving the Traditional Turkey Dinner This Year?
At last, we’re faced with the reality of Thanksgiving in year 2020 — the year we all can’t wait to see end. For Americans across the country, Thanksgiving is that […]
Review: WRC 9 Is This Year’s Authentic Rally Fix
Most of what I know about racing, I learned from video games. Before I started playing various racing games, I’m not even sure if I could have told you what […]
The Complete (Chicago) Beer Course: Marzen (Oktoberfest)
When COVID-19 closed taprooms and cancelled festivals, I looked for ways to still engage with Chicago’s craft beer scene. I therefore decided to finally work my way through The Complete Beer […]
Theater, Virtually: Actor/Clown Bill Irwin Re-creates Samuel Beckett’s Irish Voice in On Beckett / In Screen
The other night I watched Bill Irwin repeat his bravura performance of On Beckett in a new version adapted for livestreaming. I saw the original in October 2018 at Irish […]
Review: Coded Bias Examines Racism Programmed into AI and the Far-Reaching Impact of Flawed Facial Recognition Software
An official selection at this year’s Sundance Film Festival (yes, there was one of those back in January), Coded Bias brings to light an aspect of artificial intelligence that doesn’t get […]
Review: Sharply Observed Collective Chronicles a Tragedy, its Aftermath and Those Pushing for Change
America’s healthcare system is far from anyone’s gold standard, and far too many people can’t get the care they need or can’t afford it when they can. As disheartening as […]
Review: A Layered, Lost Story from World War II, The Last Vermeer Features Rich Characters and Performances
Another example of a film that was meant to be released theatrically in Chicago but now isn’t (due to new COVID-19 restrictions effective today; I’m not sure how soon it […]
Review: Jiu Jitsu Is “Action Trash,” and That’s Not Necessarily a Bad Thing
The latest martial arts mess from director Dimitri Logothetis (Kickboxer: Retaliation; Wings of the Dragon) answers a question I have pondered for decades, but never had put to the test: […]