Review: Chicago Shakespeare’s Illinoise Inspires, Electrifies
Maybe one of the essential hallmarks of truly great art is the way it inspires others to produce creative efforts of their own. And that is nowhere more true than […]
Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 2/8 and Beyond
We have a few warm days this weekend, so why not take advantage of them and go out to some amazing events! There are plenty of markets, shows, and delicious […]
Preview: No Need to Wait Until the “Next Time Around” for Liam Kazar’s Latest Single
It’s been a couple of years since Liam Kazar‘s excellent debut Due North graced our ears. The album is a distillation of over a decade of Kazar’s musical talents, which […]
Explaining the Unexplainable Through Art and Community With the Connect Residency’s Fourth Cohort
“Art is inherently generous. It’s inherently about seeing the world in multiple perspectives,” said Hollie Davis. “That’s how I came up with the name for the Connect Residency.” The art […]
Review: Netflix Doc The Greatest Night in Pop Goes Behind the Mic for the Creation of “We Are the World”
I was never a huge fan of the song “We Are the World,” but any time that video started playing on MTV, I dropped what I was doing and watched […]
Review: Dramedy Scrambled Addresses a Woman’s Ticking Biological Clock with Heart, Humor
It’s rare that I get blindsided by a performer whose work I’ve simply never been exposed to before, but while watching Scrambled (written/directed/starring Leah McKendrick), that’s exactly what happened. McKendrick […]
Review: The Great Giallo Filmmaker Gets the Documentary Treatment in Dario Argento Panico
As directed by Simone Scafidi (Fulci For Fake), the new documentary about the life and career of the Italian horror maestro Dario Argento, Dario Argento Panico, is about as straightforward […]
Review: Animated Fable Orion and the Dark Gets the Charlie Kaufman Treatment
Whenever a writer you admire decides to tackle a story (in this case, an animated film) aimed at younger people, the fear is always that they will dumb things down […]
Review: Spy Actioner Argylle Gets Bogged Down in Unnecessary Layers of Plot and a General Lack of Espionage
Director Matthew Vaughn is capable of some pretty incredible work (Kick-Ass, the first Kingsman movie, X-Men: First Class) and he’s amassed a fun collection of regular actors who support his […]
Review: Three Little Birds Is a Poignant Series About Acclimation, Prejudice, and Overcoming It
It could be argued that the best period pieces are the ones that feel relevant at any point in time. It’s one thing to make art that replicates the past. […]
Review: Puzzle Design Exhibit Encourages Playfulness and Exploration at Design Museum
SOLVE: Puzzle Design Exhibit at the Design Museum of Chicago offers a bevy of viewable and interactive puzzles and puzzling games. The exhibit, which may appear to be of modest size […]
Review: Red Orchid’s In Quietness Presents a Puzzling Story About Marriage and Conservative Religion
In Quietness at A Red Orchid Theatre asks a lot of its audience, especially an urban liberal (most likely) audience. The play pits feminism against fundamentalist religion. It asks us to believe […]