Why Darci Lynne Farmer is 2017’s Entertainer of the Year
Before I wanted to be a writer, a filmmaker or even a film critic, my first dream job was that of a full-time puppeteer. I grew up marveling at the […]
Category Archives: Indie Spotlight
James Fotopoulos on “The Given,” “There” and More
Four summers ago, I met filmmaker James Fotopoulos at a screening in Chicago. I was so taken with his thoughts regarding cinema that I agreed to visit the set of […]
Indie Flashback: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris on “Ruby Sparks”
To commemorate the fifth anniversary of the underrated and utterly sublime gem, “Ruby Sparks,” I am sharing my interviews with the film’s writer/star Zoe Kazan, her co-star Paul Dano and […]
My RogerEbert.com Interviews Vol. 3
Ever since I was hired by Chaz Ebert in early 2014, I have accompanied my anniversary retrospectives at Indie Outlook with an annual compilation of my writing for RogerEbert.com. This […]
Indie Outlook: Fifth Anniversary
There’s no question that this independent film blog has been one of the great joys of my life for over the past five years. It has enabled me to champion […]
Indie Flashback: David Lowery on “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
The following interview was originally published on August 27th, 2013 at HollywoodChicago.com. Even if “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” hadn’t premiered this year, snagging two Sundance awards in the process, 2013 […]
Maria Dragus on “Graduation” and “The White Ribbon”
When Cristian Mungiu wrote the script for his Cannes prize-winner, “Graduation,” he had only one person in mind for the film. It was Maria Dragus, an actress he had first […]
Ross Partridge on “Lamb”
When you read that Ross Partridge’s remarkable film “Lamb” is about a 47-year-old man who meets an 11-year-old girl and decides to take her on an impromptu road trip, you […]
Indie Flashback: Piper Laurie on “Carrie,” “The Hustler” and Fumio Yamaguchi
The following interview was originally published on November 29th, 2011, at HollywoodChicago.com. Few character actresses have proven to be as effortlessly versatile as Piper Laurie. Her Oscar-nominated turns as Paul […]
Indie Flashback: Kimberly Peirce on “The Godfather,” the Apollonia Moment and “The Knife”
The following interview was originally published on HollywoodChicago.com on October 10th, 2011. If Robert K. Elder’s book, “The Film That Changed My Life,” is indeed providing a blueprint for the […]
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