A “Christmas Carol” Worth Remembering
With every holiday comes family traditions, and one of my favorites is to watch my parents argue over which film version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is the best. […]
Category Archives: New Releases
God Help Us All: “Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas”
Watching “Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas” is like getting bludgeoned by a foam mallet. The filmmakers clearly aspire to shame everyone—especially devout Christians—who don’t fully embrace the materialistic excess of Christmas. […]
Anne de Mare and Kirsten Kelly on “The Homestretch”
Kasey, Anthony and Roque are three extraordinary Chicago teens with personalities and aspirations that are a natural fit for the big screen. They also just happen to be among the […]
Malick, Lincoln and “The Better Angels”
I saw A.J. Edwards’ “The Better Angels” on a double bill with “The Thin Red Line,” Terrence Malick’s 1998 war epic that deserves to be experienced in its full majesty […]
Grace McPhillips on “The Other One”
Ask Grace McPhillips about how she’s been able to make a living as an actor, and she will give you a multitude of marvelous stories—more than any one interview could […]
Prashant Bhargava and Craig Marsden on “Radhe Radhe: Rites of Holi”
Two men, each armed with a DSLR camera and two assistants, dove headfirst into the crowded streets, frenzied rituals and unbridled passion of Holi, the ancient Hindu religious festival held […]
CIFF 2014: Six Films to Remember
As a lifelong movie lover, it made my heart swell to see the AMC River East 21 jam-packed over the last two weeks with crowds vying for rush tickets to […]
Dietrich Brüggemann on “Stations of the Cross”
How do you solve a problem like Maria’s? She’s a good-hearted girl who only wants to please her domineering mother, her church and, above all, her Lord. Yet Maria has […]
CIFF 2014 Centerpieces: “The Last 5 Years” and “St. Vincent”
Amidst the weighty topics and stark realism permeating this year’s selections at the Chicago International Film Festival are two fairly lightweight crowd-pleasers boasting big names, bouncy soundtracks and red carpet […]
CIFF 2014: Six Films You Should See
Films have always been used as a vessel for escapist fantasy. The frivolous dilemmas of glamorous couples served as a comfort for Depression era-audiences just as superhero vehicles offer a […]
