Todd Looby on “Lefty,” “Be Good”
The instant I saw the work of Chicago-based filmmaker Todd Looby, I knew that I had to interview him. There is a naturalism and honesty to his work that is […]
Lawrence Michael Levine on “Gabi on the Roof in July”
Every indie filmmaker has their own distinctive way of capturing “naturalism” on film. In this exclusive, in-depth interview, New York filmmaker Lawrence Michael Levine provides a step-by-step analysis of how […]
Matt Sheehan on “The Dark Knight Rises”
I recorded this podcast with Matt Sheehan of HollywoodSnitch.com the morning before the tragedy in Colorado. Our spoiler-free analysis is focused purely on the merits of Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark […]
Life Imitating Art Imitating Life
The most chilling scene in “The Dark Knight Rises” takes place in the tranquil moments before chaos erupts throughout Gotham City. A young boy (Charles Jackson Coyne) stands in the […]
Joe Avella on “Master of Inventions”
I first encountered the work of Chicago comedian Joe Avella while watching videos of his comedy duo, “Teenager of the Year.” It wasn’t just the comic timing of Avella and […]
Grace Folsom on “Things I Don’t Understand”
The acclaimed indie drama, “Things I Don’t Understand,” is notable for many reasons. It marks the second directorial feature of New York filmmaker David Spaltro, who earned praise for his […]
Mike Eisenberg on “Stitches”
I first met filmmaker Mike Eisenberg at a screening of Wes Anderson’s utterly delightful treasure “Moonrise Kingdom” about a month before it finally opened across the country. When it ended, […]
My Favorite Performance of 2011
I saw David Schwimmer’s “Trust” on a triple bill at Chicago’s Lake Street screening room back in the early Spring of 2011. It was the last film of the day, […]
Frank V. Ross on “Tiger Tail in Blue”
I’ll always cherish Joe Swanberg’s web series “Young American Bodies” for introducing me to some of independent cinema’s most fascinating figures: Greta Gerwig, Lynn Shelton, Nathan Adloff, to name a […]
“To Rome With Love” Has Charm to Spare
On the heels of his smashing success with last year’s “Midnight in Paris,” Woody Allen has turned in an entertaining trifle in the form of an absurdist travelogue. “To Rome […]
