Margaret Betts on “Novitiate”
I’ve never tired of my parents’ stories detailing their Catholic education. Their vivid memories of the nuns who taught them run the gamut from endearing and hilarious to flat-out terrifying. […]
Category Archives: New Releases
CIFF 2017: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” “The Shape of Water” and Eight More to Remember
The 53rd Chicago International Film Festival is now complete, and my mind is swimming with countless flickering images that have become forever etched into my consciousness. I was honored to […]
CIFF 2017 Preview: “Princess Cyd,” “The Square” and Eight More
There is an immense assortment of highlights to be savored at the 53rd Chicago International Film Festival, kicking off Thursday, October 12th, and running through Thursday, October 26th. I am […]
Sean Baker’s “The Florida Project” is One of the Year’s Best Films
The following review was written by master video essayist Nelson Carvajal of Free Cinema Now. It’s hard to write about “The Florida Project” without writing about Florida itself. As I […]
Emer Kinsella on “Jungle,” “Faith,” Hack Music LA and More
Ever since she moved to Los Angeles last year, I have been following the career of Emer Kinsella with great interest. She is a composer and experimental violinist who has […]
Jennifer Reeder, Fawzia Mirza and Sari Sanchez on “Signature Move”
One of the most buzzed-about Chicago indies in recent memory is “Signature Move,” the latest feature from prolific filmmaker Jennifer Reeder. It stars the wonderful comedian Fawzia Mirza as Zaynab, […]
Roxane Mesquida, Najarra Townsend, Kevin Wehby, Jack C. Newell, Shane Simmons and Michael Glover Smith on “Mercury in Retrograde”
Michael Glover Smith’s sophomore feature, “Mercury in Retrograde,” is a lyrical ode to the unspoken truths tucked between words. It follows three couples on a weekend vacation to a cabin […]
Angelos Rallis on “Shingal, Where Are You?”
“They have no religion, they are beasts,” concludes Viyan, a young woman kidnapped by ISIS. She’s speaking about her captors during a phone call with her family, who are among […]
A Dream Wrapped in a Nightmare: The Genius of “Twin Peaks: The Return”
“In order to follow my films, you must concentrate on the emotion. Because if you concentrate on the buttermilk, you’ll end up going to the dairy.”—David Lynch This was what […]
Amy Jo Johnson’s “The Space Between” Eases Pain with Playfulness
Mitch is having a really bad day. His infertility combined with his job at a go-kart track—not to mention his choice of clothing—has caused him to feel more like a […]
Indie Outlook 