Top 20 Films of 2018: Part I
For dutiful film critics preparing to mark their ballots, the final months of the year are nothing less than a cinematic avalanche. Studios do everything in their power to entice […]
Author Archives: Indie Outlook
20 Films in 10 Years: How “Iron Man” Kicked Off the MCU
The last film I reviewed as a critic for my college paper, The Columbia Chronicle, prior to my graduation in May 2008, was Jon Favreau’s “Iron Man.” I gave it […]
CIFF 2018: Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” and Six More Highlights
Today marks the end of the 54th Chicago International Film Festival, and I feel as if it’s only begun. My crazier-than-usual schedule combined with a lack of pre-festival press screenings […]
CIFF 2018: “The Hate U Give” and “Widows” on the Red Carpet
A “Starr” is truly born in “The Hate U Give,” George Tillman Jr.’s riveting screen adaptation of Angie Thomas’ bestselling book, which was published only last year. Amandla Stenberg turns […]
A Decade of Lady Gaga: Ten Unforgettable Performances
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, a.k.a. Lady Gaga, was born just six days after me on March 28th, 1986. Over the past decade, I’ve looked to her as one of the […]
Five Must-Sees at The Music Box 70mm Film Festival 2018
Chicago’s historic cinema palace, the Music Box Theatre, has been the setting for a vast portion of my all-time greatest moviegoing experiences. I shall always cherish my memories of joining […]
Olmo Omerzu on “Winter Flies”
Olmo Omerzu has quickly emerged as one of my favorite filmmakers yet to be discovered by the majority of Americans. By age 33, the Slavic director has helmed three features […]
Miranda Harcourt on “The Changeover” and Whānau Values in New Zealand
When I flew to cover the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for RogerEbert.com earlier this summer, it was only my second time outside of North America. I was thrilled yet […]
Dazzling “Cielo” Provides Dose of Spiritual Awareness
Alison McAlpine’s documentary “Cielo” is the sort of meditative tone poem guaranteed to evoke moments in life that altered your perception of existence. That first ride on a plane where […]
Austin Pendleton and Ann Whitney on “Calumet”
The mind boggles when attempting to summarize the careers of Austin Pendleton and Ann Whitney. They are two of the finest actors ever to grace the stage in Chicago, and […]
