When I first met Craig Brewer, it was after a very early screening of his third feature film, 2006’s Black Snake Moan (maybe three months before its official release date). […]
Before 2025, I had only known of the name “Ryan Davis” from State Champion’s Bandcamp liner notes for their 2018 remarkably underrated album, Send Flowers. I was in the throes […]
Every winter, Chicago bars undergo a familiar transformation. Ordinary spaces fill with lights, ornaments, and festive cocktails designed for maximum holiday cheer. This year’s lineup includes maximalist spectacle, nostalgic comfort, […]
I don’t think I’m the only Chicagoan who finds it strangely exhilarating to realize that, over the past 60 or so years, I might have ridden in the same el […]
For reasons that are beyond my comprehension, James Cameron’s Avatar films continue to land with mass, global audiences in an unexpected way. To be clear, I’m not someone who dislikes […]
Though his name might not be familiar to most, my ears always perk up when I hear Wagner Moura is in something new. He’s been acting since the late ’90s, […]
Two-thirds of the way through his history of the Democratic political machine in Chicago, Clout City, Dominic A. Pacyga gives a handful of examples of the requests for favors that […]
I was not quite sure what to expect from the Manual Cinema adaptation of A Christmas Carol. I have seen countless versions, including one rated TV-MA on cable television that […]
With a successful acting career under his belt, including two Oscar nominations, Bradley Cooper set his sights on filmmaking—and not in a small way. Cooper launched out of the gate […]
I love a kitchen gift, but I already have the best fish spatula, every appliance one could wish for, and what is known as an investment whisk. So, when it […]
Where are all the bands these days? Where is rock and roll going? These are common questions posed about the viability or relevance of rock music. Well, apparently, the folks […]
In such indisputable modern classics as Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, and As Good As it Gets, writer/director James L. Brooks profiled the lives of deeply flawed characters with good […]