Schrader & Brüggemann: Masters of Slow Cinema
The most exciting film opening in Chicagoland theaters today has absolutely nothing to do with “Star Wars,” though it does harken back to another crucial work of the 1970s. Before […]
Category Archives: New Releases
Tamara Chambers on “Think Twice,” “Nostalgia Critic” and “Tamara’s Never Seen”
There are few things more enjoyable than watching a great movie (or a not-so-great one) through the eyes of another person, especially if that person has the exuberance and wit […]
Peyton’s Place: Why Netflix’s “Everything Sucks!” is a Must-See
When you’re a teenager in the public school system, there are few things harder to be than yourself. Adolescence is such a volatile period of insecurity that kids often create […]
Indie Outlook Picks the 2017 Nominees
2017 has been an extraordinary year for cinema, and as per tradition, I am providing my list of the nominees I would like to see included in various awards season […]
Top 10 Moments in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
Immediately after I saw Rian Johnson’s “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi” at a press screening last week, I knew that I had to see it again before fully […]
Top 20 Films of 2017: Part II
In a year that has consistently felt like an apocalyptic black comedy, albeit one that is no laughing matter, the greatest films have served as an anchor of sanity. I’m […]
Top 20 Films of 2017: Part I
Over the past 11 years I’ve spent on the movie beat in Chicago, there have never been as many contenders for my annual “best of” list as there are in […]
Something Rare and Sacred: Elvira Lind’s “Bobbi Jene”
What constitutes an out-of-body experience for moviegoers? For me, it’s when a film transports me so entirely into the life of the person onscreen that I feel as if I […]
What’s Going On Here: The Dark Side of “The Room”
If laughter is one of the greatest gifts we can give and receive, then Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 cinematic disaster, “The Room,” is the bargain basement gift that keeps on giving. […]
Clare Cooney on “Runner”
A year before the Harvey Weinstein scandal upended Hollywood by placing a glaring spotlight on its culture of sexual harassment, the career of a similarly revered-yet-notorious figure in the Chicago […]
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